Blue Gate Farm News – Volume VII , Number 20 – October 14, 2008
In
this week’s box:
Apples: old fashioned Delicious
Hot Peppers: Jalapeno and Poblano asst.
Onions: Copra (storage onion)
Tapestry Salad Mix
or
Spinach Mix:
Winter Squash: Acorn
For
those with the Egg option: one dozen free-range eggs (assorted colors)
For
those with the Herb option: Sage, Thyme, Tarragon
For
those with the Honey option: choice of liquid or comb
Featured Recipe(s) (see
below): Classic Baked Acorn Squash
Homemade Onion Dip
Rain this week: .45” (from 10/7 – 10/13)
What’s up on the farm?
It’s hard to
believe that we started this CSA season 20 weeks ago, but here we are at the
final delivery. It’s been a crazy season
and while we will miss our weekly visits with everyone, we have to admit that
we aren’t sorry to say goodbye to this one. We will think of you all next Tuesday as we
are working on our fall chores rather than driving in to
Several of you
have already been asking about signing up for the 2009 season, we will open the
enrollment to current members in January and you will have until mid-February
to reserve your spot. After that time we
will open any remaining slots to our waiting list. Also, don’t think that we will just forget
about you until next spring. Starting in
November we will be sending out monthly e-newsletters to keep folks updated
with what’s going on the farm. If you aren’t
receiving this newsletter via email, and would like to, just let us know and
we’ll get you added to the email list. And
finally, even in the off-season, we still consider you our members and want to
extend our open invitation to you to come out and enjoy all that the farm has
to offer. There’s great sledding and ice skating (when conditions are
agreeable) and it’s always nice to take a walk around the timber. Not to
mention the ever-present opportunity to romp around with Blue!
There is also the
opportunity to pick up some great fresh produce and holiday gifts at the
upcoming Harvest and Winter Markets at
The hot peppers in
this week’s delivery come from a combination of Jill’s Aunt Evelyn and our
neighbors, the Heartsills, for the Jalapenos plus our own Poblanos. Big thanks to them for sharing the “heat.” We also wanted to say a big Thank You to Candy
C. for sharing her extra cherry tomatoes with the
Finally, you may
be surprised to see the beautiful Acorn squash in your “bags” this week, since
we mentioned that they were a total loss for us this season. We really wanted
to have some of this fall staple to give the members, so we acquired these from
our neighbors at Pierce’s Pumpkin Patch. They are conventionally raised, but we know
that Pierce’s are responsible in their use of chemicals and we eat their squash
without reservation. We hope that you will enjoy them, but if you aren’t
comfortable eating them then use them as a nice seasonal decoration or share
them with someone who can use them. If
you plan to eat them but aren’t ready to yet, then
store winter squash in a cool, dry, dark place with good
ventilation for up to a month, depending on the variety. Once squash has been cut,
you can wrap the pieces in plastic and refrigerate them for five to seven days.
Finally, most of you will
find your apples and onions in the same delivery bag. Please separate them when
you arrive home, drop the apples into the fridge and the onions into a dark,
ventilated storage area (or a closed brown paper bag). Apples give off ethylene
gas which will cause onions to spoil, so they shouldn’t be stored together.
We hope you have a chance to
enjoy the crisp weather and the beautiful fall colors and look forward to
seeing you all soon.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean
Classic Baked Acorn Squash
1 Acorn squash
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Syrup (or honey)
Dash of Salt
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Using a strong chef's knife,
and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise,
from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the
center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp
knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of
water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the
squash doesn't get dried out.
Coat the inside of each half
with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter.
Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of
maple syrup to each half.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour
to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned.
Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before
serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by
the squash over the exposed areas.
Serves 2 to 4, depending on
how much squash you like to eat.
Recipe Source: Simply Recipes website
<www.elise.com>
Homemade Onion Dip
Makes about 2 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped, about 4 cups
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Horseradish to taste (I used about a tablespoon of mild horseradish)
Fresh garlic to taste (I used a teaspoon of minced garlic)
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil on MEDIUM HIGH in a large kettle until shimmery. Add the
onions and stir to coat with fat. Cook, stirring every so often, until the
onions darken and turn golden, about 45 minutes. Let cool a bit. Stir in the
remaining ingredients. Transfer to a serving dish and let chill for a couple of
hours to let the flavors meld.
Recipe Source: A
Veggie Venture Blog < http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com>