CSA for August 28th!

The first Winter Squash: Bush Delicata!

What a lovely day getting ready for CSA!  Even though it got hot quickly, there was a lovely breeze all day.  And, we think we've gotten together a nice box for you today!  The June chicks are free-ranging now and getting along well with the rest of the flock.  The newly hatched chicks and their Mama are free-ranging and just being too cute for words!  One of our garden renters told us today that he and his lovely wife are expecting for the first time - with twins!  Just a day of nice things!

Derrick came to help a little earlier than usual 'cause there was so much to get ready!  Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, apples all coming along nicely!  And...the first pick of winter squash!  Now, if you haven't notice, we love squash, summer and winter!  We're so excited the winter squash is starting to ripen! Everybody is getting Bush Delicata winter squash, also known as the Sweet Potato Squash due to it's (somewhat) sweet potato flavor.  Now, for those not familiar, with Winter Squash you do not eat the skin or seeds (unless you roast them).  It's the lovely flesh inside you're going for!  Winter squash can be halved, the seeds removed and the flesh oven-roasted in the skin until the skin is easily pierced with a fork.  For these small Delicatas, that may be half an hour at 350 C.  You can microwave Winter Squash, cutting the cooking time down by 2/3's, but we don't think the flavor or texture is as nice!  You can cook smaller winter squash whole, but do pierce them so they don't blow up!  You can also cut, peel and steam or boil the chunks.  Mashed like potatoes, maybe a little butter and maple syrup, butter and herbs!  We'll give you lots more ideas for Winter Squash in the next few weeks! (Winter squash fries.....)

Some great ideas for summer squash here; love the salads made with raw, shaved zucchini!  It's time to get the mandoline out!  And while the mandoline is out - have you ever been to a Japanese restaurant and have that lovely cucumber salad Sunomono? A little sweet, a tiny bit sour.  Quite easy, you just need rice wine vinegar...and the cucumbers are coming along well right now!  Of course, there's always Greek salad with your tomatoes and a little feta cheese!

So, for the FULL SHARES:  5 lbs. Almera potatoes, Bush Delicata winter squash, lg. Kousa squash, Papaya pear squash, Gold Rush zucchini, 8 cobs corn, cucumber, Dragon's Tongue beans, green beans, apples, chard, pint assorted grape/cherry tomatoes, lb. slicer tomatoes, beets, carrots.

PART SHARES:  5 lbs. Almera potatoes, Bush Delicata winter squash, Kousa squash, Papaya Pear squash, Gold Rush zucchini, 5 cobs corn, cucumbers, lb. Dragons Tongue beans, apples, chard, pint cherry/grape tomatoes.

SINGLE SHARES:  3 lbs. Almera potatoes, Bush Delicata winter squash, Kousa squash, Papaya Pear squash, Gold Rush Zucchini, 3 cobs corn, cucumbers, 1/2 lb. Dragon's Tongue beans, apples, chard, cherry or grape tomatoes.