Compelling conversation rarely turns to squash (unless, of course, gardeners are involved). But Robin’s Koginut Squash from Row 7 Seeds isn’t just any old squash - it’s a squash with quite a tale to tell and delicious to boot.

Row 7 Seeds is a new company and it’s making a the splash. For one thing, the company’s three co-founders are a renowned chef, a plant breeder, and seedsman. This tripartite leadership reflects the company’s unique mission - breeding vegetables for taste and nutrition. In February 2019 Row 7 highlighted their wares at 300 guest (Martha Stewart was there) dinner in New York City called called “Chefs x Breeders: A Dinner from the Ground Up”. Dishes featured Row 7’s Habanada Pepper, Badger Flame Beets, and of course, Robin’s Koginut Squash.

This spring I was lucky enough to get a packet of seeds(a California Company ordered 100,00 Robin’s Koginut Squash seeds). I started a few indoors, then transplanted the starts under my corn ala the Three Sisters planting technique. When the corn was harvested and the corn stalks removed, the Texas sunlight blazed down and the squash plants thrived.

Robin’s Koginut is an F1 hybrid which, according to the Row 7 website, ...”is a cross between two squash varieties prized by cooks”. Judging from the name and description, I am assuming the “two squash varieties” are Kobacha and Butternut. Breeding details are most certainly well guarded intellectual property of the company. The “Robin” in the name honors the memory of colleague.

The squash is a winter type squash with an advertised maturity duration of 110 days. Ripe fruit resembling a small pumpkin turns from dark green to a golden bronze. Row 7 calls this color change a built in harvest indicator. Like a pumpkin the vines are thin and, in my garden anyway, don’t seem to be particularly bothered by the dreaded Squash Vine Borer. And like a pumpkin, if the runners at a leaf joint are buried and kept moist, new roots will form. Bottom line - so far Robin’s Koginut has been easy to grow with few problems. But the best part is the taste.

I got impatient and picked the first squash that had turned totally orange but not quite bronze, I know. I split it from the stem down and dug out the seeds. The meat was a beautiful pumpkin deep orange. Nothing fancy, I roasted both halves, flesh side down, in a little water for about 45 minutes. Mash the insides up with a little butter salt, and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Amazing!

So thanks Row 7 Seeds for a great concept, and for my new favorite winter squash.