Harvesting winter squash

[womble]

Is it worthwhile, or even a good idea to take off pottimerrion squash now, I have some that appear to be ripe already?

Or is it better to leave them on until the end of the season anyway?

[Pies]

Im leaving all mine on the plant,they seem to have stoped growing.But if i cut the squash off with some of the vine others will have to be harvested

[Alison]

If you want to eat it now then you can harvest whenever you want but I always leave my ones for storage on as long as I possibly can - have been known to be out with a torch on the first predicted frosty night desparately harvesting