This week your basket contains: broccoli, cucumbers, LEEKS, SPAGHETTI SQUASH, COLLARDS, cherry tomatoes,basil, lettuce (full shares only),sweet peppers, and tomatoes.

We have set the date for our PUMPKIN PICK-UP WEEKEND!  October 22 & 23 from 11:00 to 3:00 will be the time to come to the farm, choose your CARVING PUMPKINS, get corn stalks and gourds for decorating, do some gleaning, and share a potluck lunch with us and other subscribers.  We will fire up the pizza oven for both savory pizzas and PUMPKIN PIE PIZZA.  This is our favorite event of the year and hope to see you all here.

The contents of your baskets continue to change along with the seasons.  Leeks are a great member of the onion family and can be used anywhere you would use an onion.  The shaft of the leek can be used all the way to where the leaf flattens out including the portions between leaves as you work your way up the leek even if  it is green instead of white.  It is a bit earlier in the year than we usually start giving leeks, but we are experiencing a good deal of gopher damage, so we dug leeks in the most heavily damaged area in order to be able to get rid of the pests.  The upside of the situation is that we can recommend using the leeks in a sauce on top of the spaghetti squash.  The SPAGHETTI SQUASH, or vegetable spaghetti, is one of our favorite squashes though if you are looking for traditional winter squash this isn’t it, and if you are looking for pasta, it isn’t that either.  It is a low-calorie, crisp-textured vehicle for sauces or seasonings.   It is excellent with any sauce you would use on regular pasta, especially primavera types.  There are two ways to cook it; boiling and baking.  In both cases the squash should be left whole.  For boiling drop into boiling water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.  When a fork goes easily into the flesh, the squash is done.  To bake, prick squash and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hrs. or until tender.  When the squash is cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise, remove seeds, then with a fork “comb” the squash flesh.  The spaghetti will pull off in long strands.  This is the recipe we use with leeks.

LEEK & TOMATO SAUCE

2 leeks

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs olive oil

1 zucchini

1 sweet pepper

4 medium tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables (approx. ¼ inch).  Peel tomatoes, if desired.  Saute leeks in butter and olive oil until translucent.  Add zucchini, sweet pepper and garlic and saute five minutes longer.  Add tomatoes, cover and cook twenty minutes.  Taste and add salt and pepper.  Serve over any pasta or firm white fish.  This recipe can be expanded with carrots, celery, beans or just about any other vegetable you like.

The recipe below is, bar none, our favorite recipe for spaghetti squash.

ORIENTAL SPAGHETTI SQUASH SALAD

Flesh of one cooked spaghetti squash

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

4 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

2 Tbs lemon juice               

1 Tbs grated ginger

4 Tbs soy sauce

3 Tbs rice vinegar

1/4 cup veg. or sesame oil

hot pepper oil (optional)                                   

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and hot pepper to taste.  Stir in onions and sesame seeds.  Pour dressing over spaghetti squash, mix gently and serve.  This can be served as a warm salad, or refrigerated overnight to allow greater melding of the flavors and served cold.

Summer squash have given up the ghost and will not be in your baskets until next summer.  This is also the last harvest of basil. The weather has not been kind to the basil.  Some of the leaves are darkened or yellowed, but we feel that it can be used, especially for pesto.  We like to have either pesto, or simply pureed basil in the freezer.  It gives us the ability to add a dollop of summer to winter dishes, which is really nice when the weather has been rainy and cold for a few weeks running!

Thank you to everyone who has sent us egg cartons!  We currently have more than enough to accommodate our needs, especially as the hens are laying fewer eggs as the days get shorter.  We will let you know when we need more.