Tammy, I'm not sure your results had anything to do with your skill. The more I learn the more it sounds like our grocery produce is grown in such big fields that it's cross pollinated and the fruit's
seeds are going to produce surprises (sometimes good, sometimes not as good) no matter what your level of expertise.
My biggest question I guess is this: Is it worth saving these
seeds for swaps?
I may grow 1-2 squash
plants a year each variety *maximum*. Should I just save that many and pitch the rest, or do you suppose there would be any interest in the rest of these if I were to dry them and offer them?
On further consideration, I am thinking perhaps it would be best to get a package of
seeds in
spring of some squash I like best and grow it, being as careful as possible to avoid cross-pollination with anything else I might be
growing (I'm the only one in this house who eats it, won't need more than a couple
plants), and swapping the
seeds from any fruit from those
plants. That way I'd be a little more sure of what I was giving out, rather than just junk. Or (I hate this option, but my experience with non-producing pumpkins this year makes me consider it) just let the farmers do what they do best and buy the squash like everybody else.
I hate to throw away
seeds but in this case it doesn't seem helpful to do anything else with them.