Carolyn and Cecilia, busy cleaning up carrots for the fall CSA.

As I write this on Saturday afternoon the sun is shining and it is nothing like the wet, windy and cold weekend that was predicted a few days ago.  But hopefully next Sunday will be sunny and warm and we’ll have a wonderful, if delayed, get-together!

This fall is a good example of how yearly differences in weather patterns  really affects what ends up on your dinner plate.  Last year, a hot and dry June lead to very happy young winter squash plants, but carrot seed wouldn’t germinate.  Therefore, last fall, we had tons of winter squash and very few carrots.  This year, the weeks of rain and cold weather at the start of the summer stunted the winter squash, but the carrots loved it!  Aaah, they thought:  It’s fall.  So this year, winter squash are small and sparse, and the carrots are plentiful! 

We grew rutabaga for the first time this year, and you’ll get two in your share this week.  It is a larger, sweeter relative of the turnip, and I plan on roasting it in olive oil, salt and pepper along with carrots, squash, and Brussels sprouts.  Let us know what you do with yours!

This is our apprentice Angelica’s final week on the farm, and we will miss her.  We know she’s going to be an amazing farmer-coffee shop owner some day.  Let us know if you have any fun Australia contacts or advice — we hope she’ll make it there this winter!

Bill will be speaking at the 350.org climate change event at the Camden Snow Bowl on Sunday, so come out or go to your local 350 action if you can.  To see what it’s all about, visit www.350.org/animation. 

Have a great week!

Reba and the HCF crew

Week 1 Fall CSA:  Carrots, Butternut Winter Squash, Kale, Rutabaga, Mesclun Mix, Brussels Sprouts, Shallots, Onions

This week’s recipes:  Pasta with Butternut Squash and Brown Sage Butter, “You Won’t Believe These” Brown-Roasted Rutabaga Wedges, Rutabaga and Carrot Purée, Kale Chips