Greetings CSA Members,

One would think that with 5 inches of rain last week, I would be kicking up my heels. However, this amount of rain and the speed in which it arrived, flooded our well. And so now we have a clogged well point and an over-active pump.

Every day I struggle with washing the dishes, juggle the sharing of water with the crew who is tirelessly washing and packing out the vegetables, and sneak in a shower every now and again. This week also truly marks the beginning of Fall here on the Farm. We dodged our first major frost and in your box, you will see winter squash. I love those root and storage vegetables – don’t you!

Have a great week – Justine

Storage : Keep unwashed potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place, such as a loosely closed paper bag in a cupboard. They will keep for weeks at room temperature, longer if you can provide their ideal temperature of 40 to 50 degrees. Beware: the low temperature of your refrigerator will convert the starch to sugars. However, new potatoes—which are young and thin-skinned—can be refrigerated if you don’t plan to eat them within a few days. Moisture causes potatoes to spoil, light turns them green, and proximity to onions causes them to sprout. (You can still use a potato that has sprouted, however; simply cut off the “eyes” before use.)

Handling: Scrub potatoes well and cut off any sprouts or green skin. (Clean delicate new potatoes gently.) Peeling is a matter of preference. Cut potatoes according to your recipe. If baking a whole potato, be sure to prick the skin in at least two places to allow steam to escape.

1 1/2 pounds medium boiling potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes)

2 teaspoons salt, divided, plus more to taste

1 1/2–2 pounds kale (15–20 large leaves), de-stemmed

1 cup chopped leeks or scallions

1 cup half-and-half or milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup butter, melted

Put the whole potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and boil until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and mash. Put in a heatproof dish and keep warm in a 200° oven.

Meanwhile, put the kale in a pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the kale is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and finely chop the kale.

Place the leeks or scallions in a small pot, cover with the half-and-half, and cook over low heat until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the kale to the warm potatoes and mix well. Add the half-and-half with leeks or scallions. Add the pepper; season with salt to taste. Spoon a little of the melted butter over each serving and serve hot.

(from www.jamiesrecipes.com)

1 buttercup squash

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

salt & pepper

2 T butter

2 c half & half (I used fat free)

1/2 tsp dried sage

scant 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c water

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

your favorite pasta cooked to al dente

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut squash in half, scooping out and discarding seeds, cut each half in half. Drizzle olive oil over squash pieces and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place flesh side down on jellyroll pan and roast for 40-50 minutes. When you start to smell it, check on it. The squash should be very tender. The squash skin should peel right off. Mash squash flesh and stir in water (don’t add it all) you want it to be wet but not soupy.

Over medium heat melt butter in a large skillet. Add half & half and squash puree. Stir until combined. Stir in sage and cinnamon. Heat until simmering, stirring frequently. Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. If sauce still seems thick stir in additional water or chicken stock. Toss sauce with pasta and

ENJOY!

*If you are going to reheat pasta in the microwave add a little water to it so the sauce becomes creamy again

(Martha Stewart)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise

2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and leaves damp

Olive-oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to paper towels; reserve. Discard oil.

Lightly grease pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat.

Coarsely chop the spinach and stalks. Working in batches, add the damp spinach to the pan. Cover, and cook until spinach just begins to wilt, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked spinach to a metal bowl, and cook the remaining spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the reserved garlic over spinach, and serve warm with a wedge of fresh lemon.

This week in your share, you will most likely find:

Buttercup Squash, Mesclun or Spinach, Sage, Garlic, Curly Kale, Sweet Onions, Broccoli or Cauliflower, and Satina Potatoes (white skin/yellow flesh)

Final Fruit Share: 1/2 gallon Apple Cider and a jar of Anna Mae’s Jam

6 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups coarse-grained cornmeal (polenta)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 ounce) (optional)

Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add salt to taste. (The amount you use will depend on the saltiness of your stock. The seasonings will concentrate as the polenta cooks, so if you are in doubt, use less.) Reduce to a simmer.

Slowly pour the cornmeal into the simmering stock, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook the cornmeal, stirring constantly to prevent sticking on the bottom, until it pulls away from the sides of the pot and is thick enough for the spoon to stand upright, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the sage and butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Winter Squash

The dense, sweet flesh of winter squash brings the light and warmth of a whole summer to your winter table.

Storage: 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.

Handling: To make it easier to prep winter squash for your recipe, try the pre-baking method: pierce the squash to allow heat to escape while it is in the oven, then bake the squash whole at 350° F until it is just barely tender to the poke of the finger, 20 to 30 minutes. This softens the shell and makes cutting and peeling much easier.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped scallions (about 6 scallions) or onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

1 Buttercup or Butternut squash, cooked

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground mace pinch freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons curry powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions; sauté until soft and wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, jalapeño, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add the squash and toss to coat it with the scallion mixture.

Add the stock, tomatoes, allspice, mace, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the squash is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor; purée.

Transfer the soup back to the pot. Stir in the curry powder and add salt and pepper to taste. Return the soup to a simmer to heat through. Garnish with parsley just before serving.