CR
Crop Talk
The Newsletter of Great Country Farms
September 7, 2015: CSA Week 15
18780 Foggy Bottom Road
Bluemont, VA 20135
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About Spaghetti Squash
Information courtesy of Mercola.

    Spaghetti squash originated in China. It was introduced to Japan by a Chinese agricultural research firm in 1921, and to the United States fifteen years later. It was commonly planted during World War II but gained popularity only in the late 20th century. 



   Spaghetti squash is not only low in carbohydrates but is also rich in antioxidants, such as vitamins A and C, B-vitamins, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and essential minerals. It also contains the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, and has potent antimicrobial properties. Aside from serving as a substitute to pasta, this squash variety can also be roasted and eaten by itself, added to casseroles and even included in desserts.

Read more here.

CSA Week 15 ~ September 8 - 13
Shares this week include: 

 

          

  • spaghetti squash
  • sweet corn
  • tomatoes
  • cherry tomatoes
  • lettuce
  • zucchini
  • potatoes
  • peaches
  • apples
 











Please protect your share from the heat. Fifteen minutes on a sunny front porch will ruin fragile items like peaches and lettuce. If you won't be home when your delivery arrives, please consider providing a cooler with icepacks to keep your food fresh until you return. Be sure the inner dimensions of your cooler will accommodate a box that measures 19 x 10 x 9 inches.
 
Remember that there's no CSA pick-up or delivery on Mondays. 

Tony M Music

September 12 and 13, 11:00 to 4:00
Crowd favorite Tony Matriano will be here this weekend with music for young and less-young farmers and apple-pickers. Come on out and enjoy his positive energy.

Information about Tony's new project, Something Good, a quarterly publication featuring work by enthusiastic grade-schoolers, is available on his website.

Great Country Fidos!


Marnie Montgomery, certified Tellington T-Touch practitioner and owner of The Joyful Dog, a canine education and wellness center in Leesburg, invites you to bring your dog to the farm this fall. She'll be offering three opportunities for you and your dog to play and work together at the farm: Puppies on the Farm, Fun and Focus, and Great Country Games. These are multi-session courses scheduled for Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Sundays in September or October.

Marnie first came to the world of dog training and T-Touch while searching for ways to help her own dog relax and control his impulses. The combination of bodywork and movement, which are foundational to T-Touch, and the clarity inherent in clicker training and other rewarding techniques, helped him become a delightful companion.

For more information about Marnie, or to register for one of these special sessions, visit The Joyful Dog online.
In This Crop Talk:
Featured Recipes
  
"The flesh of spaghetti squash comes out in long strands, very much resembling the noodles for which it is named. In this recipe, the 'noodles' are tossed with vegetables and feta cheese. You can substitute different vegetables, but be sure to use ones that have contrasting colors."

Read more here.
 

Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese


" I'm really excited to share this recipe with you, I think you are all going to love this dish. I was craving something cheesy, without all the carbs from macaroni and came up with this.
   I basically swapped the pasta from my Skinny Macaroni and Cheese recipe with spaghetti squash and was really impressed with the results.
   No, spaghetti squash does not taste like pasta, it's slightly sweeter and of course a vegetable rather than a grain, but we all loved this dish. Even my husband gave it a thumbs up - I think we all found our favorite way to east this squash."

Read more here.

 
 

   "I n a large heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add zucchini and tomatoes, about 7 minutes Add thyme, and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to the buttered casserole dish.

In a medium size bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, and half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the milk mixture over the zucchini and sprinkle with both of the cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes."

Read more here.

Week 15 CSA 

UPICK Bonus:

September 8 - 13 

 

6 apples ~

$4.47 


 

1 bag Concorde grapes ~

$2.99

 

Year to date Upick Bonus Value:

$163.80

 

2015 Bonus Ticker

What is this?  Each week we offer a bonus u-pick item for members visiting the farm and this ticker  tracks the dollar value of the bonuses.  Many members find that month picking adds a nice extra value to their CSA share. 

This Week in the Farm Market

 

Apples

Plums

Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Potatoes

Cantaloupe

Watermelon

Garlic

Onions

Nectarines 

Okra

Squash
New Traffic Pattern in the Roosteraunt

Last weekend we established a new system in the Roosteraunt: guests enter through the door on the left (closest to the emu enclosure) and pass through different stations to order their food, choose their drinks and side items, pick up their food, and pay for their meal. We made this change in hopes of facilitating efficiency, so people will spend less time in line more time enjoying the farm and the glorious fall weather. If you happened to be here on Sunday, when the system had its debut, we'd love to know how it worked for you. We thought it went pretty well. 
Please Drive Slowly

   This is an appeal to slow down when you drive through the tiny village of Bluemont. Last week a Bluemont resident sent an email to several local businesses, informing us that two children were almost hit by a truck in front of the Bluemont General Store the other day. Apparently the incident prompted a police response.    
 
   "We want Bluemont to grow and prosper," the resident wrote. "We love the life that new businesses can bring to our sleepy little town, but most of all we want to feel safe, and we want our kids to be safe."
 
   To that end, please stay at or below the 25 mile-per-hour speed limit when you drive through the village.

   Thanks.
Join the Farmhand Team this Fall Harvest Season!
We are looking for a few good farmhands to help out for school tours and weekends this September and October.  We have opportunities Tuesday-Friday 9am-2pm for School Tour Guides working with school field trips, and openings for Market Associates and Roosteraunt Concession Associates on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. 

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