Quote:
zucchini baseball bats
Exactly!
I don't know what kind of pests you have up there, but down here in Texas there are moths that lay eggs and their larvae (caterpillars or worms) bore into the stems and can kill them just as they seem to be big and begin producing. You may need to ask around in your local garden center to find out about local pests. There are plenty of organic approaches to those pests, but if you haven't put out beneficial nematodes, you should get some (if they are sold locally they will be refrigerated - you can also get them mail order, shipped overnight) and spray them in the morning or evening -best done after a rain or watering. Beneficial nematodes are good for taking care of a lot of the larval stages in the soil and they also will keep down fleas if you have pets. BT can be used (Thuricide, etc. are Bacillus thuringiensis) selectively (don't broadcast, it will harm/kill butterflies) on the plant to keep the moths away. If the larvae get into the stem then the remedy is more involved. Better to keep them out.
All of this said, you may have an entirely different set of pests. But an application of beneficial nematodes is a great way to start protecting that zucchini crop and anything else in that new garden plot. Good luck with your squash - I have several dishes I make with the smaller squash, my dogs always get a vegetable with their dry food in the evening and home-grown squash is one I use. And if you've never made pickles out of zucchini, you owe yourself that treat. I have bread and butter pickles that add a great flavor to any sandwich they're served with. They'll knock the socks off of anyone who thinks they only way to make pickles is with cucumber!
Your stuffed squash recipe sounds very similar to one described by a friend of mine who grew up on Long Island, New York. She asks me specifically to bring her any of those huge squash because she makes a dish like that.