Westfield Area CSA Blog

Acorn Squash

Although considered a winter squash, acorn squash actually belongs to the same species as all “summer” squashes (such as zucchini and yellow squash).  The most common variety is dark green in color, but newer varieties can be yellow, white, even variegated.  As the name suggests, its shape resembles that of an acorn.  It is a good candidate for winter storage, keeping several months in a cool dry location.  Squash can be refrigerated, but it will deteriorate quickly and should only be refrigerated 1-2 weeks. (more…)

Curried Acorn Squash and Apple Soup

Curried Acorn Squash and Apple Soup

Acorn squash has a slightly sweet taste, which complements the sweetness of the apple and mild spice of the curry powder.  Enjoy this acorn squash and apple soup with some crusty whole-grain bread.  A great soup for stormy days. Or for Thanksgiving.  Makes about 24 cups of soup. (more…)

Quick Pickling Anything

Quick Pickling Anything!

An easy pickling recipe, not for die-hard canners, but more for the “refrigerator” kind of pickling. It takes a few minutes to make and you can relish eating them in about 3 days. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – September 16, 2024

Hello Everyone! So, the sun is slowly setting on the solanaceous crops. Almost all the field tomatoes have succumbed to disease. The eggplant and peppers have fruit set and are still flowering, but the fruit is growing and maturing very slowly. We will send one more round of eggplant over the next two weeks, with peppers for those groups for whom there is not enough eggplant. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – September 9, 2024

Hello Folks! We received ¾ inch of precipitation in about 2 hours from the storms that passed through last Saturday afternoon. A slower, gentler rain would have been better, but we take what we can get. We have been busy transplanting and direct seeding fall crops, and a substantial rain was helpful for sprouting seeds and rooting of the seedlings. The forecast looks a bit dry for the next week, so we may need to start moving the irrigation equipment around the fields. The cool weather has been slowing down the growth of the warm weather crops, peppers, eggplant, and squash. The temperatures will be on the rise over the next week, but the nights are remaining quite cool. (more…)

Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is a winter squash belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family of field pumpkins.  It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin.  It has tan-yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp with a compartment of seeds in the bottom.  When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. (more…)