Welcome 2009 Late Season CSA customers.

This is your first e-newsletter.  First, some news, then a description of your boxes, and the recipe of the week.

We have a logo and a blogsite!

In our “down week” between our Summer CSA and the Late Season CSA, Ben created our new logo and blogsite.  We already know we are going to love using the site–to communicate even better with our customers, to let the public know we’re out here, and to connect with other new farmers.

What’s a blogsite? Technically speaking, a combination website and blog.  Websites usually feature “static” content–i.e., pages that pretty much just provide information and stay the same–while blogs are more interactive: we can post to it quickly and our customers and friends can respond with comments.

So jump right in!  If you have a recipe you’d like to share, a vegetable story, or a comment or question for us or other customers, go ahead and post (see the “Leave a reply” box at the bottom of this post).  We want our site to be used!  Look around and share it with friends.

In your boxes this week…

Our regular disclaimer: Consider this a partial list–it could change slightly between now and when you actually open your boxes.

Apple cider From our friends Dean and Vera at Creekside Farm.  Their secret is adding just the right amount of pears.  We think it adds a layer of flavor that makes their cider remarkable.  Drink as is or dilute if it’s too sweet.

Apples Gala or honeycrisp.  Save out some for the recipe (see below).

Acorn squash See our recipe of the week for tips on using it

Shallots More mild than onions, distinct flavor.  Use it to flavor stir fries and other dishes.

Peppers We were amazed at how sweet these were.  We’ve harvested all of our peppers now.

Yellow onions These are sweet onions for fresh eating.

Garlic We sold a LOT of garlic this year, but we are saving back enough for you.

Fresh herbs cilantro, parsley

Down on the Farm

In addititon to the website, we cleaned up a bunch of our onions–they’re curing in the loft of our barn.

Ben got some help cleaning onions from our new kitten

Recipe of the week

Stuffed Acorn Squash (with an apple-sausage stuffing option)

2-4 acorn squash (we tried to give you a mix of sizes, so that those of you with kids can create smaller portions). Cut squash in half, remove seeds.  To make cutting easier, pierce with a knife and microwave for a minute or two.  Place cut side down in baking dish, add 1/2 inch of water and bake at 350F until almost soft but not mushy, 40-50 minutes.  Remove from oven and fill with one of these stuffings:

Sausage stuffing:

1 pound bulk sausage

4 celery stalks

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 carrots, shredded

1/4 C water

2 C bread crumbs

Saute saugage just until cooked through.  Add celery, onion, carrots, and water.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes.  Mix in bread crumbs.  Stuff into cooked squash and bake at 375F for 10 minutes.

Apple-sausage stuffing:

1 lb sausage

1 onion, diced

1 apple, diced

2 C toasted bread cubes

3/4 C nuts, chopped

3/4C golden raisins

1 T sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 t dried thyme, basil, oregano

Brown sausage in skillet.  Add onion and apple and saute just until tender.  Remove from heat.  Add remaining ingredieants and stuff into cooked squash, cover, and bake at 375F for 20 minutes.