Sorry I haven't posted for a while, have had computer issues!:( Any way we've been busy, dehydrating apples, picking winter squash, gourds and pumpkins! I think Greg has finally cleaned out the patch and hauled it all in. We've also started digging sweet potatoes! So this week be looking for cameo apples, sweet potatoes, winter squash, potatoes, tomatoes, eggs and the full shares will get some okra.

I know a lot of people like to fix their winter squash with butter and brown sugar, but I like to put diced onions and peppers, cheese, salt & pepper! The other day I used blue cheese and that was soooo good! :) Greg doesn't like onions & peppers or blue cheese, so I just used Cheddar cheese on his. Winter squash is an excellent source of both vitamin A & potassium. It provides notable amounts of vitamin C, calcium & fiber, and it is fair in protein and carbohydrates. Store at room temperature for at least a month. Store for several months in a dry & cool (50-55 degrees) but not cold location. Cooking tips: 1 pound trimmed squash equals 2 cups cooked squash. Boil or steam 1 1/2- 2" chunks for 15-20 minutes or until tender. You may peel before or after; it's easier to peel after cooking, but it must cool first. Puree cooked squash for a creamy soup, or add uncooked chunks to hearty soups and stews. Butternut makes an excellent "pumpkin" pie, also bread. Try spaghetti squash served hot with butter and Parmesan cheese or your favorite tomato sauce. Acorn squash is famous baked face up with melted butter & brown sugar or maple syrup. Cook squash chunks alongside roasting meats. Add small amounts of squash to yeast breads, quick breads, muffins, cookies, or pancake batter to add color, moisture, and sweetness.

We had around 5 inches of rain Saturday & Sunday! Not good! We have been trying to get all our winter squash and pumpkins picked. We had about half of it done before the rain, and the ground was very soft then. The tractor and wagons sinking in pretty good. We went out yesterday evening to pick another load and boy was it muddy. I just went barefoot, was easier and sunk up to my ankles in places and we haven't even made it to the wet end! But boy are we having a bumper crop! We have butternut squash galore, and they are big! We also planted the long neck kind and have plenty of those, plus acorn, spaghetti and several new varieties. There are lots of decorative gourds and several cushaws! The only thing that didn't do well was the pumpkins. We have some little pie pumpkins and some new warty pumpkins, but not much of the regular pumpkins.

We've also been busy drying apples, lots and lots of apples! I think we've done around 7 bushel so far?! But we are having problems with our dehydrator. The motor was having problems, and Greg replaced that, now the heater is giving him fits. So he is waiting on getting a price for that so he can get it ordered! He has also been trying to find a 5 foot disc. Has been to a couple of auctions, but so far no luck, will probably just have to get a new one. He now is working on getting some shelves made for the pickup so he can go pick up all the strawberry plugs that will be arriving in a few days! I just hope it dries up enough so we can use the new transplant machine we got last winter that we haven't been able to use yet because it was too wet this Spring! Three thousand strawberries would go much faster and better on my body if I was sitting on the back of a machine than on my hands and knees!!

Wow, we have definitely changed seasons! One week it's 90 degrees hot summer and the next it's 60s and fall! The tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers have pretty much gone by the wayside. If we have a late frost, we may have a few more tomatoes out of the hoop house as there are several green ones yet. We will be starting in picking the winter squash. There will be acorn, butternut, spaghetti and a few other types. We also have yet to dig the sweet potatoes, so those are some things to look forward to. This is the 19th week of the CSA so only about 6 more weeks to go. I will probably have to go back to baking to supplement your boxes, but hopefully not till next week!

We have been busy with apples, drying and making applesauce. I also made some apple jam with maple syrup! That was pretty good!. We went to an auction last week and bought 10 foot and 8 foot metal posts, so this winter maybe we will get some deer fencing up around the garden area!

Here is another web site for your edamame. You can use them in various ways, eat plain or put in stir fries, or on salads, etc. Just make sure you parboil for 5 minutes first.

Ok today is box day again! Everyone is getting pretty much the same as last week. Sorry the edemame wasn't quite ready this week. I thought it might be, but since we haven't grown it before I wasn't sure how fast it would fill out, but I definitely think it will be ready next week, so be looking up those recipes!

Sorry it's been so long since last posting! Things though are moving along...horrible hot weather, high humidity, torrential rain, little cooler, birthdays to celebrate, vehicle inspections and repairs to make, appointments to make, kids off to college...!!! Any way through it all Greg has gotten the old potato ground tilled up and he and Lucas made the beds and laid the drip tape for the three thousand strawberry plugs which should be arriving in a week or so! Hopefully we'll be able to use the new transplanter to get them in the ground which should make things a lot faster and easier!

The edible soy beans (edemame) should be ready to pick this week, so be looking for them in your boxes. You must boil the edemame before you can eat them, but then you can eat them plain or use them in different recipes. So if you click on the above highlighted words you will be taken to two different web pages with information and recipes!

CSA box day today! Today everyone will be getting eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, apples and eggplant. I decided to give everyone a break on the okra! The half shares will be getting their fennel today.

Here's a recipe I found in my "From Asparagus to Zucchini" cookbook!

ZUCCHINI, FENNEL, AND ANDOUILLE PIE
1/2 Tbsp. butter, softened
3 Tbsp. bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced fennel bulb
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 cups diced zucchini
1 link (4 oz.) andouille sausage
1/2 tsp. crushed fennel seed
salt & pepper
3-4 oz. Swiss cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
for garnish: diced roasted red pepper, chopped black olives, or chopped fennel leaves
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a pie plate with the butter. Sprinkle bread crumbs over buttered areas. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium flame. Add onion, fennel, and garlic; saute until vegetables are partially tender, about 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high; stir in zucchini, andouille, fennel seed, and salt & pepper to taste. Saute until zucchini is tender, 3-5minutes. Spread mixture on platter; cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grate cheese; sprinkle 2/3's of it into pie pan. Beat eggs with milk in bowl. Stir cooled vegetable mixture into egg mixture; pout into pie pan. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Rim outer edge of pie filling with garnish choice. Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6-8 servings.