We’ve moved onto even more fall vegetables this week, though some summer favorites like tomatoes are still going strong. Cooler nights and shorter days means those summer fruits are slower to form and ripen, though. For instance, we’ve gotten some questions about colored peppers. We think we may have lost a generation of peppers to blossom drop during some of the hotter periods earlier this summer. Last week we finally saw more green peppers on our high tunnel plants, but it always takes a while for them to turn their color, and with shorter days and cooler nights, it takes even longer. We’re hoping we’ll have another flush of colored peppers soon to prolong the sense that summer isn’t quite over!
In the CSA this week:
Acorn squash - We’ve found many of these to be sweeter than usual. Perhaps in spite of frequent irrigation, the dry weather still concentrated the sugars in our winter squash!
Delicata - These colorful squash have a skin is thin and edible so they are easy to prepare and they have a sweet, slightly nutty flavor.
Salad turnips - We take a break from salad turnips in the summer, as they don’t do well in the heat. These are milder and sweeter than radishes. There are great raw as an addition to salad, and they also work well roasted or sauteed.
Scallions
Garlic - This garlic is cured so will keep for months in a dark dry place.
Celery or Fennel
Beets - Our own as well as from our friends at Picadilly Farm in Winchester, NH. Certified Organic.
Green and purple peppers
Tomatoes - Production is slowing down a little with shorter days and cooler temperatures, but we’ll still have a good supply this week!
Kale - Curly green
Lettuce
Salanova lettuce mix
Arugula
Radishes - Red round radishes.
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
Hot peppers - The habañeros are now open in addition to the other varieties we’ve had all season.
Herbs: parsley, cilantro, dill flowers, sage, thyme, mint, chives and basil.
Sunflowers
In addition, Regular memberships may choose 2 of the following, and Small memberships may choose 1 of the following:
Shishito peppers
Husk cherries - These small fruit in papery husks are related to tomatoes and tomatillos and have a somewhat tropical flavor.
Tomatillos - They should be picked when the fruit fills our the green husk around it.
Green beans
We are taking a break from cherry tomatoes this week, but they’ll likely be back next week.
In the farm store:
Farm store hours are Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. We plan to have:
The following items that are also in the CSA: acorn, delicata, garlic, salad turnips, green peppers, tomatoes, beets, lettuce, salanova lettuce mix, arugula, kale, radishes, herbs, green beans, husk cherries, hot peppers and tomatillos.
Broccoli
Colored peppers
Onions
Kabocha squash
Flowers - Wrapped mixed bouquets
Dahlias - Wrapped bouquets as well as mini jars.
Raspberries - From Silferleaf Farm just down the road from us! We don’t usually have them every day this week, but we take them whenever we can get them! Certified Organic.
Apples - From Carver Hill in Stow, MA (not organic). Macoun, Mutsu and Cortland varieties. Possibly other varieties Wednesday. Not organic.
Sweet corn from Verrill Farm (not organic)
Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm - Certified Organic.
Raspberry Jam and Raspberry Vinegar Infusion - Both from Silferleaf. Certified Organic.
Double B Honey - From hives on the property! Not certified organic
Applesauce from Long Run Produce in Boxborough, MA. Certified Organic.
Baer’s Best Beans: 1 pound bags. Grown in South Berwick, Maine. Certified Organic varieties available include: Black Turtle, Italian Cranberry and Light Red Kidney. Not organic: bumblebee, marfax, and flageolet.
Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
from Cookie + Kate
Ingredients
2 medium acorn squash
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
½ cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
To prepare the squash, use a sharp chef’s knife to slice through it from the tip to the stem. I find it easiest to pierce the squash in the center along a depression line, then cut through the tip, and finish by slicing through the top portion just next to the stem. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside, and discard those pieces.
Place the squash halves cut side up on the parchment-lined pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the squash, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Rub the oil into the cut sides of the squash, then turn them over so the cut sides are against the pan. Bake until the squash flesh is easily pierced through by a fork, about 30 to 45 minutes. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all of the water is absorbed, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Cover, and let the mixture steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
In a medium skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the pepitas are turning golden on the edges and making little popping noises, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
Pour the fluffed quinoa mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Add the toasted pepitas, chopped green onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary.
If the mixture is very hot, let it cool for a few minutes before adding the Parmesan cheese and goat cheese. Gently stir the mixture to combine.
Turn the cooked squash halves over so the cut sides are facing up. Divide the mixture evenly between the squash halves with a large spoon. Return the squash to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheesy quinoa is turning golden on top.
Sprinkle the stuffed squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and serve warm.
Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad
By Julia Moskin, from NY Times Cooking
Ingredients
2 cups sliced almonds
⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 4 lemons)
Kosher salt
1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed with the flat side of a knife, peeled and left whole
10 to 12 ounces washed and dried kale leaves, thick stems removed (weight after trimming)
1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Preparation
In a toaster oven or skillet, toast almonds until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, combine lemon juice and 1 heaping teaspoon salt. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add garlic cloves and set aside to steep.
Working in batches, cut the kale into thin ribbons: gather a large handful of leaves, bunch together tightly, and use the other hand to slice into ¼-inch-thick pieces. This need not be done very precisely or neatly; the idea is to end up with a kind of slaw. (Recipe can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Keep kale and dressing refrigerated separately.)
Place chopped kale in a very large bowl. Sprinkle surface with almonds and then with cheese, if using. Remove and discard garlic cloves from dressing. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss. Taste for dressing and salt and add more as needed, tossing to coat thoroughly. Serve within 1 hour.
