Week #25, 2025

• Tomatoes

• Cherry tomatoes

• Sweet peppers

• Hot peppers

• Onions

• Potatoes

• Basil

• Zucchini (last few, they are petering out)

• Cucumbers

• Radishes or beets or beans

• Cilantro or parsley

• Eggplant or tomatillos

• Winter squash (some micro spaghetti squash and kabocha - our new garden did not do well 🙁)

• Grapes - the last and they are so sweet!

It has been a busy week. There have been many moving parts and too much to keep track of as we race towards the end of the regular season and fall settles in. We need to harvest all the winter squash and get the cover crop planted. We have so much weeding to do it makes our minds spin as the weekly Sunday rains have given them a boost. The upcoming week with rain in the forecast means cool temperatures and more weed germination. We are keenly aware of the need for precipitation and know what this brings.

People ask me at the farmers market what to do about powdery mildew and I reply “give in”. This white dust that appears on squash and cucumber and more is just a sign of the times. It is the start of the wet fall weather and plants too must rest.. The morning dew starts the process in late August and by the end of September most plants in the cucurbit family have succumbed. It is not the fault of the farmer or home gardener.

One by one we pull out the summer crops in the greenhouses and put in fall and winter delights.  I planted dill, cilantro, green onions, beets, and lettuce in former fallowed ground and lack luster cucumber beds. Hopefully this week, more underperforming cucumbers will be removed to make room for spinach and an attempt at Chinese broccoli in the winter. I have over wintering onions and calcots to get in the ground. Calcots are the Catalonian spring onions Oriol and Tzus have us grow for their spring festival. It will be time for the garlic to be planted along with the tulip bulbs in a week or so. ( I am secretly using this note to make my list for the upcoming weeks).

Work to fight the Battery Storage Facility continues. We are part of a much larger group of people fighting the placement of the facility next to a neighborhood and in farmland with reprecussions of ground water contamination. Our members have been instrumental in writing letters and signing petitions and contributing financially to the battle. We will keep you posted on action items in the near future as the battle to fight this facility continues. Thank you for your support and we say “No Batteries in Backyards”.

Our Harvest Festival is set for October 12th from 2-6 p.m. We look forward to welcoming you and your family and friends to the farm to celebrate the bounty of fall. Please bring:: A dish to share,Plates/utensils/cups for you and your family, Cash or check if you would like to purchase T-shirts,tote bags, art or Wreaths. Ceramics have taken a back seat to wreaths and bird feeders but soon I will be back in my studio at the wheel.

It is time to sign up for the Thanksgiving share. This is our huge basket of vegetables offered the Sunday before Thanksgiving   November 23rd. The sign-up sheet will come in your email. You can always email us and or text to get added to the list even if you are not a regular member of the farm. We will have room for about 50 shares. We also want to know about your plans for the 2026 season. With uncertain economic times you can ensure fresh, sustainably grown vegetables for the whole season. Non-refundable deposit required on inscription.

Some recipes to enjoy this week:

Spicy Butternut Squash Pasta with Spinach (or Swiss Chard

4 servings

Kosher salt

3 Tbs EVOO

6 cups peeled seeded butternut squash in ½” cubes

1 Tbs ground cumin

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 lb penne or other tubular pasta

1 c. vegetable broth (or water)

¾ c grated parmesan

3 c. packed baby spinach (or chard leaves)

8 0z fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-sized chunks

1 jalapeno, sliced into rounds

1/3 c coarsely chopped parsley

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil.

Meanwhile,  in a 12” ovenproof skillet with a lid or a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers.  Add the squash,  season with salt, cumin and red pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently until squash becomes browned in spots and is just getting tender, about 8-10 minutes

Heat oven to 400.  Add pasta to boiling water and cook until not quite al dente.  Reserve 1 c of the pasta water then drain.

When the squash is just tender, add the broth or water and bring to an active simmer for 10 minutes until squash is soft.  Turn off heat and use a potato masher or back of the spoon to crush about ½ of the squash.

Add the cooked pasta along with the pasta water and ½ c grated parmesan and stir vigorously to combine.  Stir in the greens one handful at a time. 

Sprinkle the top with remaining parm, the mozzarella and jalapeno and place in the oven and cook until the top is melted and browned in spots, about 12-15 minutes. Drizzle w/olive oil and scatter over parsley to serve.

Roasted Squash with Turmeric Ginger Chickpeas

2 lbs. peeled seeded squash, cut into 1 1/2 “ chunks

10 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ c plus 2 Tbs neutral oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 small red onion thinly sliced

¼ c cider vinegar

4 garlic cloves,  sliced

2 tsp turmeric

1” fresh ginger,  peeled and grated

1(14 oz) can chickpeas,  drained

1 c mixed torn fresh herbs such as mint, dill, parsley, cilantro or basil

4 c spicy greens such as arugula or mizuna

½ c plain yogurt

Heat oven to 400.  On a large baking sheet toss the squash with the thyme and 2 Tbs oil,  season w/salt/pepper.  Roast until squash is tender and just starting to brown.

While squash is cooking,  toss the onion, vinegar, garlic, turmeric and ginger in a large bowl and let marinate for at least 10 minutes.  Add in the chickpeas and remaining ¼ c oil and stir to coat.  Toss in half the herbs and season w/salt and pepper.

Divide the greens into 4 serving bowls and top each with the roasted squash.  Serve with a generous amount of the marinated chickpeas and a dollop of yogurt.

Pasta with Winter Squash and Tomatoes

3 Tbs EVOO

1 Tb chopped garlic

¼ c sliced shallots

¼ tsp red pepper fakes

2 c chopped tomatoes

5 c. peeled and cubed winter squash

½ lb penne or ziti

Freshly chopped parsley or parmesan for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt it.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic, shallots and pepper flakes and cook for about a minute,  then add tomatoes and squash and season w/salt/pepper.  Cook for 10-15 minutes until squash is tender.  Cook pasta until it is al dente,  then combine pasta and sauce and serve.

Green Tomato Curry

2 c. coarsely chopped green tomatoes

1 Tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp mustard seed

2 Tbs coriander powder

2-3 green chilis, seeded and chopped

1 tsp grated or finely chopped ginger

1Tbs brown sugar

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp red chile powder

Heat 1 tsp neutral oil in a heavy pan.  When oil is hot,  add cumin and mustard seeds.  Once the seeds start spluttering add chili and ginger and saute for a minute.

Add turmeric and red chile and stir. 

Add in tomatoes, coriander and salt.  Mix well and then cover to cook.  Stir periodically until tomatoes are soft.  Add in the brown sugar.

Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve with rice.