Cucurbita Crazy

Important Dates and Announcements:

October 6th is our last Harvest and Pick-up day for our shareholders.  

Gleaning Week is the second full week of October.  It is the last week that our remaining vegetable plants will be in the field. After the 14th, it will all be turned in and prepped for the winter.  Come and take what you can find (encouraged to come during normal farm hours) before its all gone!  

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The Spring Institute came out to catch a tour and to help out around the farm last Thursday.  They may not share a common language, but they worked beautifully together in clearing out all unwanted plants from our raspberry patch.  They are a true pleasure to have at DeLaney and we always learn something about a different culture each time they visit! More on the Institute:

Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning is a nonprofit, training and consulting organization with a focus on language and culture. We work with people and organizations all over the world, enabling communication and increasing cross-cultural understanding.

For 30 years the Spring Institute has provided language training, direct services, technical assistance, training, and consulting services for individuals, communities, organizations, and corporations regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Photos taken by The Spring Institute's ESL Teacher/Photographer Lena Karabushin.
It is easy to smile when there are hundreds of raspberries to pick around you!

They got an A+ on herb identification! I got a B-

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Many winter squashes have been harvested and their distribution began last week.  I have been making suggestions for cooking these giants the past few posts so if you get stumped, reference those to start!  Today I found a super tasty pumpkin seed recipe and also a quick idea to prepare those unique deligata squashes.

Taco Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

1 Cup seeds from freshly cut pumpkin, washed and dried
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt 

Preparation:

In a skillet, saute pumpkin seeds in oil for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer seeds to an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and garlic salt; stir to coat. Spread into a single layer. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Remove to paper towels to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Garlic Delicata Squash

Ingredients:

3 delicata squash
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Peel delicata squash, slice in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place in baking dish, and toss with olive oil, garlic, and parsley.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tender.

Balsamic Roasted Harvest Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, cubed
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 red onion, quartered
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces, and add them to the mixture.
In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned.

Happy Gardening!

DeLaney