The tiny Waltham butternut pumpkin that weighs just about 300 to 400 gams per fruit is fetching a high price of P216 per kilo in Metro Manila compared to about P50 per kilo of the big, round flatcommon varieties in the market.

The fruit was one of those showcased by East-West Seed at the recent Agrilink trade show at the World Trade Center, October 5-7, 2017.While it is very small, it is very fleshy because it has a small cavity. What is most important is its superior eating quality.It is very glutinous and can be prepared as a snack food. The fruit can be peeled and sliced into one’s desired sizes for steaming. The steamed slices are sweet with the consistency of a first class camote or sweet potato.

Of course, Waltham can be used in vegetable dishes like bulanglang, dinengdeng, inabraw, chopsuey and other preparations that make use of squash. The plant can be grown in the ground but it can also be planted in containers that are provided with stakes or trellises for the plant to climb on. It is perfect for growing in home gardens in the urban areas.