C.S.A. Week 12

The farm by nature is very cyclical, following along with the course of the seasons. In a way it’s comforting to know at every stage we are at, just around the corner we will be forced to shift gears even if ever so slightly to keep pace with the changing weather. September brings the big job of pulling out all of our greenhouse tomato plants to be replaced with greens for winter. The tomatoes had reached the upmost tiers of the tunnel and spread their branches wide, overlaid with one another. When the tomatoes are first planted we commit to weekly pruning and trellising, trying to tame them into some kind of reasonable shape. By mid-July they’ve gotten too tall and our motivation to prune them as well as harvest has faltered. The farm gives us great visual pleasure with its cycles, tiny green fragile plants quickly become a towering green jungle, then suddenly they are gone in a limp heap on our compost pile and the greenhouse looks briefly vast and brown soon to be covered by a thick green matt of spinach and lettuce, the only color in a white winter world. 

In the share: 

Delicata Squash

Eggplant

Tomatoes

Bibb Lettuce

Celery

Brussels Sprouts

Beets

Bok Choi

May

July

 Maple Roasted Delicata Squash

1 Large Delicata Squash halved lengthwise and seeds scooped out. 

1. 1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch rings

2. 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

3. 2 fresh thyme sprigs

4. 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

5. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6. 1 tablespoons maple syrup

7. Kosher salt

8. freshly ground black pepper

Arrange the racks in the upper and lower rungs in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F degrees. Place the squash, red onion, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

   Spread vegetables evenly onto two large, rimmed baking sheets. Bake the squash on the upper and lower racks of the oven, tossing, rotating, and switching the pan positions half way through cooking, until tender and browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and season again with more salt and pepper, if desired. You can eat the skin of the squash.