We have two more weeks of the Main Season CSA, this week and next! The last day for pick-ups for the season will be Saturday October 21st. Despite the warm weather, now is the time for us to start harvesting cool weather crops like Brussels sprouts and storage cabbage and distributing acorn and butternut squash to be sure everyone gets some before the main season ends! We have a couple recipes listed below as well as many new recipes printed in the farm stand if you are looking for ideas for what to do with squash and other fall crops.

The farm store will be open for one more week after the CSA, until Saturday October 28th. Barrett's Bucks balances do not hold over until next year, therefore Saturday October 28th is the last day to use 2017 bucks. For those who have signed up, the 2017 Late Fall CSA pick-ups will be Thursdays 2-7pm starting October 26th. We have just a few spots left for folks who would still like to join us! It's going to be a great 4 weeks of veggies including butternut squash, leeks, kale, cabbage, potatoes (from Hutchins Farm), onions, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and beets as well as fennel, scallions, radishes, lettuce, spinach, and the very first crop of Barrett's Mill Farm sweet potatoes!

In the CSA:

Acorn Squash
Brussels Sprouts - We harvest the whole stalk - to use simply snap off each sprout.
Gourds - These decorative gourds aren't edible, we grow them just for fun.
Baby bok choy
Potatoes
Pie pumpkins - Instead of buying canned pumpkin for you pies or pumpkin breads, cut one of these in half, remove the seeds and roast in the oven until fork tender, then scoop out the flesh and puree.
Butternut squash - These squash will keep well for months in a cool (50 degree), dry place so no need to eat them all now.
Onions
Carrots
Beets
Eggplant
Peppers
Romanesco cauliflower
Arugula
Lettuce
Cabbage- storage #4 and savoy
Kale

CSA PYO:

Husk cherries
Tomatillos
Hot peppers
Herbs - dill, parsley, thyme, sage, oregano and mint

In the store:

In addition to items that are also in the CSA this week, we will have corn stalks and broom corn, lettuce mix, red Russian kale, broccoli, leeks, delicata squash, and salad turnips in the farm store. We will also have jack-o-lanterns from Verrill Farm, organic heirloom cranberries from Fresh Meadows Farm in Carver, MA and eggs from Pete and Jen available.

Recipes

HONEY ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH CRANBERRIES AND FETA

NOVEMBER 9, 2014 BY JENN at Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled + chopped
a hearty drizzle of olive oil (1-2 TBSP)
salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
1-2 cups fresh cranberries (add a little, or a lot!)
2-3 TBSP honey (or extra, to taste)
1/4 cup finely crumbled feta
ground cinnamon, to taste
fresh or dried parsley, to garnish, optional

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly drizzle or spritz a baking sheet with olive oil.
Add cubed squash to the sheet along with another drizzle of olive oil.
Sprinkle with a light layer of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, based on taste preference.
Roast at 400 F for 25 minutes on the center rack.
At the 25 minute mark, pull out the oven rack, and add your fresh cranberries to the roasting pan.
Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries have started to soften and burst a bit, resembling really juicy craisins vs fresh firm cranberries.
Remove from oven and add a sprinkle of cinnamon (approx. 1/8-1/4 tsp depending on preference) along with feta and honey. I listed the honey measurements I used, but depending on whether you used fresh cranberries or dried, sweeten to taste.
Garnish with parsley for a burst of color and dig in while it's hot!

Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Winter Squash Hash

By Martha Rose Shulman at cooking.nytimes.com

1 ½ pounds winter squash, halved, seeds and membranes scraped away
1 pound Brussels sprouts, preferably small ones
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1 cup cooked black rice
Poached eggs for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil, and lightly oil the foil. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil, and set on the baking sheet with the cut sides down. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until easily pierced with a paring knife. Remove from the heat, allow to cool until it can be handled, and peel and dice (if using buttercup, hubba hubba or gold nugget squash there is no need to peel).

While the squash is in the oven, trim away the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts and cut into quarters. Heat the oil over medium-high in a large, heavy skillet. Add the Brussels sprouts. Cook, stirring often or tossing in the pan, until just tender and the edges are seared light brown, about five minutes. Add salt to taste, and stir in the scallions and garlic. Stir together for a few minutes until the scallions and garlic are fragrant. Stir in the squash. Cook, stirring often, until the squash has caramelized lightly, about 10 minutes. It’s fine if the squash falls apart in the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the dissolved tomato paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until the tomato paste has caramelized, about five minutes. The tomato paste mixture will no longer be visible, but there should be rusty-colored traces on the bottom of your skillet. Stir in the black rice. Heat through, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve, topped with a poached egg if desired.