Acorn Squash: Today's squash was grown by Martin and Atina Diffley north of Cannon Falls. It is certified organic. Except for pie pumpkins, all your squash this year will be from the Diffleys. Our own crop (all 4 acres!) failed because of cool, wet June weather. Acorn squash is best if eaten by December, although it will keep longer. See squash and apple soup recipe below.

Bok choi: The frost gives greens like bok choi a boost and they taste better than ever. Jack says bok choi is an excellent substitute for celery, particularly in salad recipes. See bok choi soup recipe below.

Cooking onions: The Copras have been cured and can be kept in your root cellar or basement for months. You can keep them in your kitchen and pantry as well, but they won't last as long.

Eggplants or peppers: These are the last of the summer. They don't like frost at all. Enjoy!

Liberty apples: The apples were grown by our neighbors, the Klaus family, in La Crescent. They are organically grown but not certified.

Spinach: This week's spinach is the first picking from our fall patch. We call it salad spinach because the tender leaves are irresistibly sweet and snappy when eaten.

This past week marked a transition at the farm. Our first heavy frost of the fall arrived on Thursday morning. The ridge and higher points in the valley were spared, but everything in the lowest elevations succumbed to the freeze, even the basil and beans covered with remay.
This event is one about which many vegetable farmers feel considerable ambivalence. On the one hand, we do our darndest to protect ourselves from frost's initial ravages by draping our crops with billowing clouds of rowcover. (All too often a farmer has to head out for this draping at 9 o'clock at night, just about the time his or her partner is heading to bed with a great book. A farmer has to cover with remay this late because usually the wind hasn't died down until this late, and trying to pull a 30'x500' long roll of remay over a row of beans in the wind is like trying to get a 1 year old to eat without using her hands: it's impossible).
On the other hand, frost comes as a great relief. It means that those hours spent crouched in the bean patch can be filed away as memories, fond or otherwise. Relentless picking hours give way to other chores. We will plant our garlic within the next month. The two greenhouses started this spring will finally be covered with plastic and used for early-winter salad mix production. We will plant the last of the cover crops.
Harvest of fall produce such as broccoli, cabbage, greens, carrots, spinach, and turnips still keeps us busy, but the 40 degree mornings, the muted colors of the hills, the quiet absence of birdsong all seem to be saying the same thing: slow down. It's really tempting to begin to contemplate that novel that's been gathering dust all summer.
You, too, may feel ambivalent about frost's arrival when I tell you that that pesto pack we promised will have to wait until next year, as will some green bean recipes I've discovered in the last week, along with a great zucchini soup recipe from Winona member Colleen Koll. Nevertheless, we hope you enjoy the hearty recipes and produce of fall. If it's a mellower time of year for the farmer, it's still an inspirational time for the cook.

Chinese Vegetable Soup

This is a simple and mild soup, comforting and filling. It tastes especially good when the weather outside is cold.
You can save on preparation time by getting the vegetables ready . . . While the broth simmers.
Except for the small amount of sesame oil, which you may or may not choose for garnish, this soup is entirely free of added oil, and is very low in calories.

1 medium-sized onion, chopped
6 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 oz. dried Chinese black mushrooms
4 to 5 thin slices ginger root
7 cups water
1 ½ teaspoons salt
10-12 fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 8-oz. can water chestnuts
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4-6 stalks bok choy, stems & leaves separately chopped
½ pound firm tofu, cut in small cubes
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
approx. 1/3 lb. fresh snow peas [out of season in MN]
3 to 4 scallions, minced (whites & greens separated)
Small amounts of rice vinegar and Chinese sesame oil for drizzling on top (optional)

Combine onion, garlic, Chinese mushrooms, ginger, water, and alt ina kettle or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and let simmer for about 45 minutes. Strain the broth and discard the solids, then return the broth to the kettle. [You may want to save te Chinese mushrooms for a stir-fry].
Add fresh mushrooms, water chestnuts, soy sauce, baok choty stems, and tofu. Bring to a boil again, lower heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 8 to 10 more minutes.
Heat gently 10 to 15 minutes before serving time. When soup gets hot, add bok choy leaves, peas, and scallion whites. Following these additions, simmer for just 5 minutes, then serve. Top each bowlful with finely minced scallion greens and, if desired, a light drizzle of rice vinegar and /or Chines sesame oil.
--Still Life with Menu

Creamy Squash Soup

1 acorn squash
3 tablespoons butter, vegetable oil, or margarine
2 cups chopped onions
1 small carrot, diced
1 medium potato, diced
2 Liberty apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups milk, apple juice, or 1 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and black pepper to taste

Clean the squash, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds. Place it, cut side down, on a lightly oiled baking pan, cover, and bake at 350 for about one hour, until soft.
Saute the onions in the butter until they are translucent. Add the carrots, potatoes, apples, and water. Bring the vegetables to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer about 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
When the baked squash has cooled, scoop out the soft insides and discard the skins. Combine the squash, vegetables, and stock with the milk, cream or apple juice in a blender or food processor and puree in several batches to a smooth, creamy, consistency.
Heat the soup on low heat until it is hot, but not boiling. Add the cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
--New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant

Italian Vegetable Saute with Polenta
For Vegetables: Saute 3 cloves garlic & 4 cups chopped onions in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add 2 chopped carrots, 3T dried basil, 2t dried oregano, & 1t salt. Cook until carrots are bright, a few minutes. Add 2 cubed eggplants & saute for 5 minutes. Add diced peppers & 2 cups chopped chard from box. Saute until tender. Add 1 ½ cups drained, canned tomatoes & ½ cup red wine & simmer for about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat & add ½ cup Parmesan. Serve over hot polenta with grated mozarella.
For Polenta: Boil 6 cups water and gradually add 2 cups cornmeal in a thin stream, stirring rapidly. Continue to stir and add ¼ cup butter, salt to taste, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. Stirring often, making sure to catch the bottom of the pan. When polenta has thickened, remove from heat and add ¾ cup Parmesan.