SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
It’s that time of year again! Mark your calendars for the Harvest Celebration!
This year is our 25th anniversary of our CSA program, so we’re going to make it a special day! We’ll be pressing apples, and have the amazing Elizabeth Lutz painting faces. The Circle of Children from Triangle Lake will come and make seed balls with the kids, and have their “Play it Forward” wheel. We’re hoping to have some music, and possibly a few surprises….and of course, PUMPKINS! They are looking especially large and lovely this year! Here are the details:
Saturday, October 15th from Noon to 4pm We’ll begin with a potluck, so bring your favorite dish to share! We’ll then begin the hayrides down to the pumpkin patch, along with the other festivities. We hope to see you all there to celebrate a wonderful season, and bring in fall together.
IN YOUR SHARE THIS WEEK:
- Kabocha Squash
- Carrots
- Peppers
- Cauliflower
- Tomatoes
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Red onion
- Yellow onion
SOME SITES ONLY
- Eggplant
- Cherry Tomatoes
RECIPES:
Gingered Carrot & Kale Ribbons
Baked Cauliflower Stuffed Tomatoes
Did you feel it? That chill in the air this morning? Yep, fall is coming, although with the sun shining right now, it’s easy to forget….Chris informed me that there was a teeny weeny bit of a frost at the Simpson Field last night. Yep, it’s coming….and you know what that means!!! Squash, and all of those other change of season crops, will be appearing in your boxes…as we say goodbye to our old friends zucchini and cucumbers, we can say a big hello to the change of season bounty. Tomatoes are especially sensitive to the temperature and light changes…once the nights begin to cool in earnest, the tomatoes begin to create starches rather than sugars. Best to leave the ones you aren’t eating right away on the counter, in a dark corner if possible and they will continue to ripen. You’ll start seeing your storage crops of potatoes, carrots, squash and onions, along with some parsnips and turnips in the next few weeks. Apples and Pears will be in the boxes starting next week!
We typically harvest the squash and let it cure in the field for a day or so, but these came right out of the field and will go into your boxes this week….if you don’t plan to use it right away, let it sit on the counter in a cool, dry spot for a couple days so the stem can cure.
The Kabocha Squash is very versatile and can be used in recipes from soups to stews, or simply roasted, served with a little butter, salt and pepper. Roasting the squash is quite easy…the hardest part is cutting it in half, and I recommend doing so very carefully. Once you have it cut in half, just scoop out the seeds (which can also be roasted!), place in a roasting pan, on a rack, cut side down, with an inch of water in the pan…..bake at about 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until a fork permeates the flesh easily. Add water if needed during the baking process. Once cooked through, turn the squash over and add your flavorings…either savory with salt, pepper and some butter, or sweet, with some butter and maple syrup, or brown sugar. While the sizes and shapes vary considerably, the flavor is consistently delicious! I’ve included several recipes, but if you have an absolute favorite, please be sure to share it with us! To roast the seeds, I just toss them in a bowl with a little olive oil, and salt, then spread on a sheet pan, and bake for a few minutes, checking them and turning them with a spatula until crispy…yummmm!
We do still have some Late Season shares available…if you would like to extend your Standard Season share for another 5 weeks, just get in touch and I can give you the details. The very last share will be delivered the week before Thanksgiving (there…..I said the “T” word!).
We hope you all have a fabulous week and of course, enjoy your veggies!
Linda and all of your Winter Green Farmers
Winter Green Farm 