Time sure does fly. September marks a big transition for Wooden Hill and you'll see it in your share this week. This week begins our winter squash harvest! Varieties of winter squash grown at the farm include butternut, acorn, spaghetti, sweet dumpling and different types of pumpkins, including cheese pumpkins. Even though it's 95 degrees, we'll all be in sweaters soon drinking spiced mulled cider by the fireplace. Well, maybe. More likely than the cider scenario is us eating spaghetti squash over Labor Day weekend.
This week, we were busy in the fields and in the e-mails. Fall root crops are weeded and thinned. Some seeds have been collected for next year. There was more field clean-up, lots of mowing, watering, flower dead heading. It's amazing how much we can accomplish in 3 days at this time of year. The marking of September is not this hothothot weather we're having, but the fields, and what they are providing us.
***This week, we are starting to collect jars and containers of all sizes here at the farm (mainly we are looking for quart, 1.5 quart containers though). This is for a Soup Project that a shareholder has started with the Perry County Food Bank. Soup is made and put in the jars, and then delivered to the Food Bank for distribution. Spaghetti sauce jars are great, even peanut butter jars (including the plastic ones, as long as they have a lid). If you have jars for canning that you have no use for, bring them on over and we'll make sure they get put to good use.***
CROP OF THE WEEK
Spaghetti Squash
This unusual squash, which pulls apart into strands when cooked is also known as the gold string melon. "Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled, steamed or microwaved. It can be served with or without sauce, as a substitute for pasta. The seeds can be roasted, similar to pumpkin seeds." (from spaghetti squash wikipedia entry). If stored in a cool, dry place, winter squash will keep for several months. Spaghetti squash is low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol. It is a good source of complex carbohydrates, niacin, vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber and vitamin C. Spaghetti squash is grouped in the winter squash category, which differs from summer squash in that it is harvested when the fruit is mature and the skin has hardened into a tough rind. Many people don't realize that we actually planted our winter squash in the spring. It takes all summer long for these plants to mature.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Spaghetti Squash Special
from The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook
1 large spaghetti squash
1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 to 1.5 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cut grated Parmesan cheese
Place the squash, whole, in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a summer, cover, and cook until the skin in easily pierced, about 30 minutes. Remove from the pot and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 1.5 to 2 quart baking dish.
When the squash is cook enough to handle, halve lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. With a fork, scrape the pulp from the shell and pull apart into spaghetti-like strands. Make sure you scrape pulp until the outer skin.
Arrange the squash, mozzarella, and tomato sauce in layers in the baking dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the filling is piping hot.
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