October 13th Whole Farm CSA

Full Share: Arugula, Chard, Rainbow Carrot, Hakurei Turnip, Purple Cauliflower, Yellow Onion, Acorn Squash, Marjoram, Lettuce Heads, Tomatoes

Half Share: Arugula, Chard, Rainbow Carrot, Hakurei Turnip, Purple Cauliflower, Yellow Onion, Acorn Squash, Tomatoes

Bouquet: Dahlia, Statice, Strawflower, Black Wheat, Rudbeckia, Sunballs, Scabiosa

While the weather has surely taken a turn, we still have plenty of delicious fall flavors for you to savor the season. It’s looking like this weekend will be perfect for our fall festival and we hope to see you out here! It has been an exciting and busy week here and this snow has us dreaming of grooming the ski trails across the farm!

Last week our vegetable crew harvested just about everything that they could from the fields in preparation for the snow, and now carrots, parsnips, and Brussel sprouts along with a few leeks and hardy greens are all that remain in the field. All this snow also means that it’s time to transition our greenhouses from summer to winter crops, and we have seedlings all ready to be planted in the coming weeks.

During these cold days we are also preparing seed garlic for planting during the third week of October. Planting garlic in the fall gives roots the opportunity to establish in cool soil. Exposure to cold temperatures allows garlic to go through an essential process called vernalization which triggers proper growth and bulb formation.

Now let’s get down to business. We have one final fresh bouquet to share with you this week, and next week will likely be a dried bouquet. Eggs are unlabeled this week, and vegetable boxes will once again be prepacked on the shelf in the back cooler. We’ll continue this system through the rest of October, and come November 4th we’ll switch to Wednesday market style pickups (with the option to pickup a pre packed box if you are unable to pickup on Wednesdays). Enjoy!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

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

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paperfor easy clean-up.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. Sprinkle the stuffed squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and serve warm.

Jacy Rothschiller