Welcome in Fall with the WCU University Libraries
Free Seeds - Sweet Dumpling (Cucurbita pepo)
The WCU University Libraries is happy to provide our students with free seed packets.
Welcome to the spookiness of fall!
To Seed: Start by planting 2-3 seeds 1” deep and 24" apart from other plants and 6” in a row apart. Plant in rich, loamy soil (pH of 5.8-6.8). For the best outcome, plant at 60-95°F (best August); the squash loves warm soil and is sensitive to frost. Ensure your squash plant gets to at least 8 hours of full sun daily. The seeds will germinate between 7-14 days, and it is best to sow directly into the soil rather than transplanting.
Look & Taste: The mature squash grows from its vine above ground. The vine can grow roughly 6 feet long and 12-25 inches tall. The fruits of Sweet Dumpling are around 4 inches in diameter, have ivory skin, and are painted with dark green spots and stripes. Sweet dumpling's inner flesh is golden yellow to light orange and tastes sweet, much like sweet potato.
Harvesting & Storage: Harvest after 110 days. Each vine yields from 8-10 fruits per vine. After harvesting, the squash leaves will wilt with the first frost; these squashes are annual plants that will return the following year with proper soil. You can store the squash in the fridge or at room temperature.
We purchased our seeds from True Leaf Market. 
True Leaf Market has been in business since 1972 and proudly supports home and professional growers in the seed industry. They have a lustrous variety of seeds from premium brands such as Mountain Valley Seeds, Sustainable Seeds, Kitazawa Seeds, and Handy Pantry. As an independent non-GMO seed company, they proudly support anyone who wishes to grow.
Try your freshly grown Sweet Dumpling Squash with this recipe!
Hearty Sweet Dumpling Bone Broth Soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Serves: 4-8 people
Ingredients
2 Sweet Dumpling squash (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
1 lb ground spicy sausage
1 lb Gnocchi
1 can Cannellini Beans (rinsed)
1 can roasted tomatoes (diced)
2 sweet peppers (chopped)
3 green onions (chopped)
1 cup onion (sliced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
handful of kale
8 cups bone broth
2 bay leaf
pinch of salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Preparation
Start by washing your produce clean. Rinse your beans and set aside.
Prep your Mise en place. Peel your Sweet Dumpling with a potato peeler, cut through the center of the squash to remove the seeds, and chop it into 1” pieces. Rough chop your sweet peppers. Then, peel and dice your onions, slice your garlic, and set aside.
Cooking
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a stockpot and set over medium heat. Add your onions and peppers; cook for about 2 minutes, just before the onions are translucent. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the spicy sausage and cook for 10 minutes, or until browned and almost cooked through. Break down the sausage into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and green onion whites and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the gnocchi to the pot and brown in the sausage fat for 2 minutes, or until browned. Remove the gnocchi and set aside with the sausage.
Melt the remaining butter in the stockpot, still on medium heat, and add the squash. Cook the squash for 2 minutes, slightly softening it to al dente. Add your bone broth and bay leaves, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer with the lid on for 13-15 minutes or until the squash is tender. Remove bay leaves.
Remove from heat and pull out a few chunks of squash (8 chunks). Add your squash chunks and 1/3 cup of the broth in a medium bowl, and blend with an immersion blender (or you can use a traditional blender) until smooth.
Return the sausage, gnocchi, and squash puree to the pot. Heat over medium heat, then add the beans and tomatoes. Add your kale on top and cook for 3-5 minutes with the lid on. Ready when the kale has wilted.
Finish with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the green onion greens and enjoy your delicious, homemade, hearty,
sweet dumpling soup.
WC University Libraries Unveils New Strategic Plan
At West Chester University (WCU), our mission is clear: we are “a community of educators dedicated to developing graduates who succeed personally and professionally and contribute to the common good.” The University Libraries play an integral role in fulfilling this mission by providing essential resources, fostering a sense of community, and championing student success.
Today, we are excited to introduce our new strategic plan, which lays out a vision for the next three years (2024-2027). This plan was developed through a collaborative process that brought together the voices and expertise of library faculty and staff across all departments. We aimed to create an action plan that reflects our collective priorities and positions University Libraries to lead and support student success at WCU.
Four Key Goals Guiding Our Future
The new strategic plan focuses on four main goals:
A Collective Effort, a Shared Vision
The process of developing this strategic plan was inclusive and thorough. As noted by the Dean of Libraries, “We came together as a community to develop this plan, with near full engagement across all library employees. The point of the process was to listen, ensure the breadth of our voices and expertise could be heard, and to develop an integrated action plan to grow in areas we collectively prioritize to ensure excellence as an academic library.”
The strategic plan is intentionally broad yet flexible, allowing each library department to define its role and prioritize actions that align with our goals. While aspirational, the plan is grounded in practicality, as we will develop annual action plans that balance our ideals with realistic expectations.
Looking Ahead
Every member of the University Libraries will play a part in bringing this plan to life. We are deeply proud of this strategic roadmap and are committed to working together to achieve our goals over the next three years. We are ready to shape a brighter future for our university community through collaboration, dedication, and a shared vision.
WC University Libraries is your place for CONNECTION, COLLECTIONS, and COMMUNITY.
For more details, visit our strategic plan landing page: WCU University Libraries Strategic Plan.
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