Farm News:
The last few days we’ve been blessed with some sunnier days, which is good because it might be the last of the sunshine as rain is in the forecast for the next week. Tomorrow we will be hustling to get all of the things done that we can’t do once the soil is wet. This includes prepping our beds for garlic, pulling out plants, mowing down old plants and pulling tarps. We will also be moving the chickens to their new home, the “west plot” so they can feast on old corn, winter squash plants, and bugs now that we have harvested everything. It couldn’t come at a better time as most of our flock has started molting recently. This is when they lose their feathers and regrow them. It happens every year as the days begin to get shorter, during the molt chickens will typically stop laying as they focus on building up their nutrient reserves for winter.
Kitchen Notes:
Winter Squash is hitting CSA boxes in full force, here’s a bit about the different varieties we are growing, how to prep and what they are best used for
Acorn: One of the most popular winter squash, acorn squash are sweet and moist. They’re difficult to peel because of their deep ribs, so simply cut in half and bake, then you can scoop out the soft flesh easily.
Delicata: They have edible skin and a delicious sweet flavor. In my opinion, they are one of the best winter squashes out there! One of the selling points for me is prepping is super easy, because you can eat the skin. They are also usually a very manageable size compared to some of the larger varieties.
Kuri & Kabocha: They’re rich and squashy tasting; dry, flaky, and very sweet. You could almost make one into a pie with no sugar at all. (Certainly, you could cut the sugar in half and still please even the worst sweet tooth!) Sometimes I roast one and then eat it straight out of the skin, standing over the stove.
Butternut: Butternut is one of the classic squashes: easy to peel and cube, great for soups, stews, or curries. The flesh is smooth and sweet, though not quite as sweet as some of the other types. A very versatile squash!
Carnival Squash: Carnival is a sweet winter squash very similar to a delicate. It is a cross between acorn and dumpling squash and has a sweet and somewhat nutty flavor. You can eat this skin on this squash which makes prepping it super simple! It is great roasted or stuffed.
Black Futsu: Black Futsu is an heirloom Japanese pumpkin with a deeply ribbed, bumpy skin and a greenish orange color. The skin is also edible and fairly thin. It has a nutty flavor great for roasting, soups or stuffed.
Jack Be Little Pumpkin: This type of winter squash is what you probably are carving for your Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns, but despite being great for decor they also have delicious flavor!
Spaghetti Squash: This is probably one of the most familiar of the winter squashes. It’s flesh when cooked pulls apart into thick noodle like strands, which is where the name comes from. The best way to prep this squash is by roasting it.
Meet the Farmer:
You all might know Kelly, Patrick, Lyndsay, and Rebekah, but since we highlighted all the farmers we added one more to the team! Daniel has been farming with the Flat Tack Farm/Sprout and Blossom Crew since June and we are so grateful to have him.
Daniel has been working on the farm since July after leaving a career as a high school teacher. Daniel grew up outside of Salt Lake City. His mom always kept a small but beautiful garden, which he under appreciated at the time. He attended the University of Utah before moving to Detroit, Michigan to teach high school English. Daniel was lucky enough to travel to Brazil as part of a Fulbright research program and stayed on teaching English until his visa expired. After a few months in Utah, he had an itch to move again. He and his boyfriend packed up and moved to Portland. He worked for a year as a teacher at a pediatric mental health clinic in Portland before deciding to pursue his passion for the environment by working on a farm.
When he isn't farming, Daniel is often reading. He especially loves books on permaculture, psychology, and history. Additionally, he is trying to take advantage of what Oregon and Washington offer by hiking and spending time outside whenever possible. Not wanting to completely give up education, he is a tutor for a few students as well.
Hope you all enjoy this weeks bounty,
Cheers!
Lyndsay and the rest of the Sprout & Blossom/Flat Tack Farm crew
