• Red Cabbage
• Butternut Squash
• Garlic
• Apples
• Broccoli
• Beets

News from the Farm
By Rebecca Claypool

 For the last few weeks I have been mulling over this topic of food choices, and I never quite get anywhere with my thoughts, so this seems like the perfect avenue for reflection. I come from a family of six (I am the youngest of four children), and when I was growing up most nights we shared a family meal. We sat around our kitchen table and ate the same meal together that more often than not was cooked in collaboration. In recent conversations with various people it appears that my experience eating dinner with my family is greatly different than how some families operate today. I ate what was given to me or I went to bed hungry, and as a result I love vegetables and all sorts of food. Honestly I absolutely love food, and truly believe that we are what we eat. Every time I begin thinking about this topic, an article from The Nation by Barbara Kingsolver comes to mind. “A Good Farmer” was an article in the November issue of last year, and I had to dig it up when I thought of it again. She writes “Recall that whatever lofty things you might accomplish today, you will do them only because you first ate something that grew out of dirt.” Kingsolver reminds us of how dependent we are to the land for our most basic needs, so why not feed ourselves and families wholesome food from clean dirt, so when we rise out of bed and know that nutritious food will supply us with mental and physical health throughout the day. I feel that Kingsolver makes some terrific points about how food is regarded and she puts it into words better than I ever could so here is an excerpt from the same article.

“In my professional life I’ve learned that as long as I write novels and nonfiction books about strictly human conventions and constructions, I’m taken seriously. But when my writing strays into the muddy territory where humans are forced to own up to our dependency on the land, I’m apt to be declared quaintly irrelevant by the small, acutely urban clique that decides in this country what will be called worthy literature. . .I understand their purview, I think. I realize I’m beholden to people working in urban centers for many things I love: They publish books, invent theater, produce films and music. But if I had not been raised such a polite Southern girl, I’d offer these critics a blunt proposition: I’ll go a week without attending a movie or concert, you go a week without eating food, and at the end of it we’ll sit down together and renegotiate ‘quaintly irrelevant.’”

I love this part of her article and it only reinforces to me that what Featherstone is trying to do is incredibly worthy. I am grateful for our CSA and it is the highlight of my week to deliver healthy food to all of you. 

A reminder: The credit box list is attached. If your name is on the list you will pick up on October 27th, if your name is not on the list you do not pick up that day. Let us know if there are any questions. 507-452-4244

By Rebecca Claypool

Red Cabbage: Cabbage last for weeks to months in the refrigerator. Keep any cut portions wrapped in plastic, and remove old outer leaves when ready to use.

Butternut Squash: These squash have a beautiful tan buff color. They store very well, and are quite sweet. I use butternut squash as a substitute for pumpkins a lot for baking, and I think they make great breads and pies.

Garlic: More of the same.

Apples: These are also more from Clair’s Farm. They are mostly Liberties.

Broccoli: Here is some green broccoli from our fall patch.

Beets: These beets were hit by the frost last week, so the greens are toast, but the beets are worth saving. We spent a good portion of a day last week harvesting all of our storage beets and radishes for winter share and store orders, so there are plenty more to come for winter share holders.

Stuffed Squash with Wild Rice

• 1 butternut squash
• Olive oil
• Salt
• herbs
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 cup sunflower seeds or other nuts
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

1. Stab and microwave your squash for 5 minutes.  This makes it much easier to split. 
2. Split the squash halves and scrape out the seeds.  Bake at 350 degrees face down on an oiled cookie sheet for 30 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic until soft, add herbs, rice, and sunflower seeds.  Sauté another five minutes.  Remove from heat and mix with grated cheese.
4. When squash is soft, set aside and allow to cool.  When it is cool enough to handle, stuff with rice mixture. 
5. Return to oven and bake, face up, for 30 minutes.  Serve warm. 

Warm Red Cabbage Salad
Adapted from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown

• 3⁄4 cup shelled walnuts
• 2 tsp walnut oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 small red cabbage
• 1 crisp red apple
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbl balsamic vinegar
• 2 1⁄2 tbl olive oil
• 1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 3-4 oz goat cheese, broken into large pieces
• 1 tbl parsley, chopped
• 1⁄2 tsp marjoram, finely chopped

Humble Vegetable Casserole
Adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

• Oil
• 4 medium sized potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1-2 tbl butter or oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups sliced onion
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups chopped broccoli
• 1 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• Pepper
• 1 tbl minced fresh dill, 1 tsp dried
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup minced pickles
• 1 1⁄2 cup grated cheddar (optional)
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• Paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
2. Put potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and boil until tender.  Drain well and set aside.
3. Melt butter or heat oil in a large deep skillet.  Add onion and caraway seeds and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms, broccoli and salt.  Cook for 5 minutes until broccoli is barely tender.  Remove from heat and sir in potatoes, garlic, pepper and dill.  Spread into baking pan. 
4. Sprinkle with chopped egg, pickles, and grated cheese.  Pour the milk over the top, dust lightly with paprika.  Bake uncovered 30 minutes.