Winter squash-ready to harvest?

I'm not precisely new to winter squash, but I am iffy on when to harvest it. A couple years ago I had bunches of plants, more than usual production, and when they turned a buff color, I thought they were good to leave in the garden till 'I had the time to do something' with them. They rotted. Dammit.

So, here is a squash that is turning cream. Size 7 men's tennishoe toe on my foot.



Here is an immature one we ate for dinner last night, with one having a yellow tint. Same shoes.



I am assuming that they can be havested now, put in milk crates, where they will continue to a buff color, the skin hardening up a bit more, and ought to be good for a number of months. Yes? And how 'geeen can you pick them and they'll continue to get a hardened shell?


Oh, these plants are Lofthouse Moschatta from experimental farm network.

i try to never pick before the shell is hardened - hardened is ‘thumbnail won’t easy dent skin and certainly won’t cut in’. you may need to get them up a bit off the wet ground to fight against early rotting. for me, rotting in the field only happens when they’ve been too chewed by something or if they abort before they truly ripen.

i do tend to mostly leave them on the vine until frost is imminent.

Both are still softer to my fingertips. So not ready yet. EDIT:  Softer than a cucumber to my fingertips.

Here's a cushaw that gave itself a strong hammock. Clearly still growing though.

If the squash is ready, the stem will be corky and the tendril nearby will turn brown.