Our bountiful butternut squash harvest this year produced some gorgeous 3.5 - 4 pound beauties. They obviously last a few months in your kitchen. However, at any point you can slice them in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast in the oven. Scoop the intensely orange flesh into a pan where you've cooked onion (and maybe some garlic and ginger) then add stock, salt and pepper to taste, and blend into a soup that freezes easily.