Would you believe this is our squash patch? Or is it just a weed field?

It was back in mid-June when we transplanted our squash plants here. I cultivated them several times until they started to runner and the tractor couldn’t get down the rows anymore without damaging the plants. Then we hoed & hand weeded them once. After that they were on their own! Squash is not a high value crop so we limit how much time & effort we put into it. All summer we drove past the field – every day – many times a day – and pretended not to see the weeds.

When we finally took a closer look, and ventured into the thicket the other day, we were pleasantly pleased to find a decent crop of squash – all sizes, colours & shapes. (We grew 28 varieties this season.)

Much of the farm is looking empty & bare. We cleaned up a lot of beds today – picking the leftover vegetables and then mowing them down. It looks a lot better now!

The remaining crops are growing well.

And we continue to seed …

What’s in the box?

Squash, bok choy, lettuce, arugula, sweet peppers, onions, garlic.

Extras – hot peppers

• The first of the winter squash appears in your box this week. (There will be more!) We’ve taste-tested them and they are great! Everyone has their own way of preparing squash but we prefer to bake them. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, place in a baking dish cut side down with a tiny bit of water, and bake at 350 until the squash is tender & soft. Then scoop out the flesh & enjoy! Add seasoning if desired. It’s a simple, easy preparation.
• Bok choy is back! After taking a break during the heat & humidity of the summer, we have this delicious green again.
• Other greens in the share this week include lettuce & arugula.
• Sweet peppers, onions & garlic complete the box this week. We finally took the time to sort through our garlic and set aside the biggest & best for planting next month. The rest will be in the CSA share and we’ll sell at market. Because we started making garlic available earlier, when it was still fresh, we’re going to run out sooner than expected. So enjoy it while it lasts!
• Hot peppers will be available for those who want a bit of extra heat in their diet!

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A bit more of the beauty of fall …

And the characters of fall!