A Stone Coop Summer's Day

It's been a rainy week here on the farm, but the show goes on--and we've got plenty to show for it! Broccoli, parsley, summer squash, and kohlrabi have been planted despite the weather's best efforts, and the field kale harvest is brisk and bountiful. You can expect to see bunches of curly red and curly green kale, as well as bags of the ever-popular lacinato variety, at tomorrow's Brighton Farmers Market, 8 AM - 1 PM. In addition, we'll have a very small amount of sweet Sungold cherry tomatoes and 4th of July salad tomatoes available. Come around early to get yours!

Speaking of which, the great tomato harvest is just now ramping up; we managed to pluck some twenty pounds this week, but within a month we can expect roughly eight hundred to a thousand pounds per week. Whether you take them raw or fried, on sandwiches or salads, drizzled with balsamic or sprinkled with salt, this is great news for all tomato-lovers.

That about covers it for now. We look forward to seeing you at market tomorrow, where we'll also be offering eggplants and purple peppers for the first time this season!

Delicious Winter Squash

At Stone Coop Farm, we grow a variety of winter squash. From the commonly-known acorn and butternut to the less-well-known red kuri and delicata, all of our squash are packed with nutrients and flavor. Winter squash are easy to prepare, and many varieties will store for up to 6 months on the kitchen counter. This wonderful veggie also tastes great and carries with it many health benefits. Winter squash are high in antioxidants, specifically carotenoids, and their seeds are full of beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Their flesh is a good source of fiber as well.

Winter squash is very easy to prepare in the kitchen. For a simple roasted squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds (you may save the seeds to roast separately on a cookie sheet) and lay it face-down in a baking pan. Bake at 400F until a fork can poke through the outside skin—usually about 30-45 minutes. Remove the squash  from the oven and scoop out the flesh. The skin can be discarded into the compost pile (though some varieties, such as delicata, have edible skin like a baked potato). You may add seasonings such as salt, pepper, thyme or rosemary if you want to go the savory route, or honey/maple syrup, cinnamon or nutmeg if you prefer something sweet. The cooked flesh can also be used like canned pumpkin to make pies, tarts or added to pancakes, breads and muffins. Did you know that when you buy canned pumpkin pie filling in the grocery store, it is actually often butternut squash rather than pumpkin?

Another, oven-free way to cook a squash is in the microwave. Once again, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Place in a deep, microwaveable bowl and add about 4 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the bowl. Cover the squash and cook on high for 6-8 minutes.

There are also a couple of delicious recipes on our website for winter squash:

Roasted Squash Soup
Squash Tart

And remember, you can use certain varieties of pumpkins (sweet pie pumpkins) as a substitute for winter squash, and vice versa!

-Shannon

Crazy for Purslane!

If you have been to farmers market the past couple of weeks, or are a summer share member and received your share last week, you will know that we have been introducing a new veggie: purslane (Portulaca oleracea)! This wonderful plant, generally considered a weed in the US, is used in cuisine all over the world. It is particularly popular in Greek, Middle Eastern and Mexican cooking. It contains more omega-3 fatty acids than any other vegetable and is high in other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. The taste of purslane has been described as tangy with a hint of saltiness.

As far as cooking this wonderful green, purslane can be used in a diverse array of dishes. It is equally delicious raw as it is cooked. We have been putting it into our salad mixes for the past few weeks. It can be cooked just like spinach after trimming off the larger stems (smaller stems are fine to eat). Check out our Recipes page for a multitude of ways to use purslane. Next time you see it in your garden or yard (which you probably will), rather than pulling it out and throwing it away, give it a taste in the kitchen. We hope that soon everyone will be enjoying purslane!

- Shannon