Broccoli is our shining star this week.

Hello All,

I'm writing this while the crew is out picking broccoli, cauliflowers, and hot peppers. It's wet out there, and they've already spent the morning picking everything for today's distribution. Go crew. Broccoli! We are in a broccoli boom this week. Take some, look up some recipes to get inspired, and eat your vegetables! Mom was right. They're good for you and will help with what ails you. I somewhat compulsively eat greens this time of year. I believe that a solid helping of greens everyday will keep me from getting sick. We had a delicious broccoli, bacon, apple cold salad the other day at a potluck. It was worth repeating.

A few people have asked how long the Summer CSA lasts. The Summer CSA goes 'til the Friday before the week of Thanksgiving, and the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. I believe that makes roughly 8 more weeks.

Payment for the Summer CSA is due in full by next Monday the 11th. I am working on emailing everyone their balance if they have one.

Veggies:

collards, kale, chard, parsley, broccoli raab, hot peppers, tomatoes (almost over, one more week tops), BROCCOLI!!!, beets, carrots, napa cabbage, fennel, celery, DELICATA winter squash (I bake all varieties of winter squash whole to avoid the annoying and somewhat dangerous task of cutting up hard raw squash. They bake just fine like that, and don't dry out b/c their juices are contained. Cut them once they're cooked - easy-peasy), hakurei turnips, arugula, salad mix, and spinach.

U-pick:

all the same, but please note, the cilantro fantastic right now.

Member recipes:

Winter Squash Crostini

[adapted from a recipe in "Italian Easy: Recipes from the London River Cafe" by Gray and Rogers (2004)]

1 1/2 pounds firm winter squash (best results with butternut, pumpkin, delicata, or combination of these)

peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 oz. pancetta

cut into matchstick-size pieces

3 garlic cloves

peel; chop 2, reserve 1

2 red onions

peeled and chopped

1 fennel bulb

chopped

2 oz. Italian parsley

chopped

2 small dried chiles or fresh hot chile pepper to taste (go easy so it doesn't overwhelm other flavors)

chopped

1 T. fennel seeds

ground (mortar and pestle or coffee grinder work well)

1 pound plum tomatoes (or other tomato that cooks well)

chopped

1 loaf sourdough bread

extra-virgin olive oil

In a thick-bottomed pan, heat 2 T. olive oil and gently fry the pancetta for 5 minutes, then add the onion, fennel, garlic, chile, parsley, and fennel seeds. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add squash and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until vegetables are soft (about 20 minutes).

(Option: flavors integrate with time so if you like, make ahead, turn off heat, and let sit for an hour or so. Then reheat just before serving.)

Cut bread into 1-inch slices. Toast until crisp-crunchy or as desired. Rub both sides with the remaining garlic clove. Place slices in bowls. Spoon the vegetables over. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.