Greetings CSA Members,

      Now that it is officially Autumn, Fall’s presence is becoming quite noticeable on the farm. The colors both on the leaves of the various crops along with the leaves on the surrounding trees contrast beautifully to the gray sky and quickly-moving clouds overhead. Brian is tilling up the earth to plant clover, winter rye, and vetch to nourish the soil throughout the winter – our harvest gift to the earth that has fed us all so well this season. The butternut squash has all been harvested and is curing in the lean to and heated greenhouses. This morning Fidelia, Joanna, and Ali were all happily breaking apart the garlic for us to plant very soon for next season’s harvest.
     With regard to next season, within the next few weeks, we will let you know when and how to sign back up. I have emails almost daily from people whom you have referred or who have seen you with your weekly box of vegetables wondering how soon they can sign up. And so, I want to make sure that I reserve a time just for you 2008 members to sign up before opening the CSA up to new members.
     But before summer slips away, I would like to give you one last glimpse from Annie, who is now married and living in Chicago. I can finally state this fact without tears forming, for I miss her so. Annie delivered the weekly boxes, worked at the Saratoga Market on Saturdays,  and kept the crew going with her enthusiasm and sparkly zeal for all that came across her path. We wish her years of happiness ahead.

This week in your share, you will most likely find:
Onions, Garlic, Butternut Squash, Curly Kale, Carrots, Beets, Edamame, Mesclun, Radish, Tomatillos, and Broccoli
  
Take good care and enjoy the peak of the bounty - Justine

Words from a fresh farmer
Hello, all - Annie here. I am one of the newer members on Brian and Justine's crew, having just joined the team at the beginning of May. I hadn't had much farm experience before - a little volunteering on my roommate's smaller-scale organic farm in college - but thought I'd like the work, and decided to give it a  shot.

The past two and a half months have been wonderful for me, very educational for both mind and body. I spent the past year working a desk job in Chicago, and the first week at the Denisons' was quite a shock on the ol' muscles, but I was so relieved to be outside that I hardly minded a bit - and I sleep so much better after a day of planting, weeding, and harvesting! Now, my body has gotten accustomed to the work, and I can pay closer attention to the day-to-day processes that make the farm tick.

This week was quite exciting - I am always happy when a new crop is ready, and this week we picked the first carrots, green beans, and eggplant. I learned that in Jamaica, they call eggplants "Garden eggs," which I think sounds very poetic, particularly with a Jamaican accent. Although I suppose the French (and also British and Canadian) term "aubergine" is also quite poetic. We've already got two kinds showing their fruits in the field - the Fairytale and the standard dark-purple kind. If you've never seen eggplant fruits still on the plant, it is worth a trip to the farm. I think they're the most beautiful crop, particularly very early in the morning when the dew is still on. The fruits hang down like Christmas ornaments, and the leaves have a sort of velvety purple-y look to them that makes them seem far more exotic than the name "eggplant" would imply.

In any case, I'm hoping that another cold front comes through - ninety degrees with high humidity makes it a bit tough to pick vegetables expeditiously, although the zucchinis seem to love it. I'm going to sign off now, with my best wishes to you and your most recent bunch of chard - there are many vegetables that I love, but chard is particularly high on the list. The colors, the flavor, the speed of stir-frying, the nutrition ... so, enjoy!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHOWDER WITH PEARS AND GINGER
  Southwestern Vegetarian
 Makes 6 servings.

2 Bartlett or Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and diced
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil   
1 cup peeled and diced onion
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 3 cups)
1  potato, peeled and diced
5 cups Vegetable Broth
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste

Place the pears in a bowl with the lemon juice, cover with water, and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the onion, celery, and carrot, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Add the white wine and reduce the liquid until the pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.

Drain half of the pears, reserving the other half in the lemon water for garnish. Add the drained pears to the pan with the squash, potato, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Transfer half of the soup in batches to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve back into the saucepan with the unpureed mixture. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, cream, salt, and the reserved pears and gently warm the chowder through (do not boil). The chowder can be made 1 day ahead.

BROWN-BUTTER CREAMED WINTER GREENS
    Gourmet – Serves 6

3/4 stick unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
1 large bunch of Kale or Collard Greens
6 ounces bacon or bacon-substitute, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cider vinegar, or to taste

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, then add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Add milk in a stream, whisking, then add shallot, bay leaf, and peppercorns and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Strain béchamel sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and cover surface with parchment or wax paper.

Discard stems and center ribs from greens, then coarsely chop leaves.

Cook bacon in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown but not crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then pour off fat from pot and wipe clean.

Heat remaining 1/2 stick butter in pot over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then cook onion, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high, then stir in greens, 1 handful at a time, letting each handful wilt before adding next. Add béchamel, cream, garlic, red-pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, stirring, until sauce coats greens and greens are tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in bacon, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.