CSA Week 13, Final Week

Vegetable List

Astro Arugula
Mokum Carrots
Romanesco Cauliflower
Rainbow Chard
Champion Collards
Eggplant'o'rama
Red Russian Kale
Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Sungolds
Tomatoes (probably)
All The Winter Squash
PYO Herbs, Flowers, & Husk Cherries

Notes from the Farm

And that's a wrap. It is amazing how fast a farm comes to a screeching halt here in Maine.

Every year is a snowflake... it's so lame, but it's so true... I can't really measure a single season against another. Every year feels different, different crew vibes, different weather, different pests, different community engagement, different personal headspace... You can match some stuff; '09 and '23 had a similar rainout feel; '16 and '25 were both super dry; '23 & '25 crews seemed to have significant overlap... but really, it feels crazy trying to make patterns out of such a seemingly seasonally repetitive gig... they should line up, I should be able to learn, grow, apply and improve... but they don't, I don't... it's a little ridiculous.

And here we sit, end of the trail... we didn't do everything we wanted to do, the food didn't grow how we wanted it to grow, we didn't get a single rainy day off, and it all seemed to work out perfectly fine... it usually does.

The crew was amazing this year... inspirational. They grew, learned from each other, developed a culture, and stewarded the ever-living-bajeezus out of this farm. They did the heavy lifting, and it was so cool to watch the crew make this farm their own.
You all were amazing this year... patient, supportive. We couldn't ask for better farm members.
The season was a blast for us... a challenge, a hoot, and far too short. This is the kind of year that could stretch on until eternity... and I'm glad you were all here to be a part of it.

Recipes

Sausage Casserole With Cheesy Rice and Squash

2 delicata squash (2 pounds total), halved crosswise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing, crumbled (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (2 cups)
1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted, diced tomatoes
3 cups cooked white rice
12 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, such as Polly-O, cut into small cubes (2 cups)

Preheat oven; roast squash:Preheat oven to 400˚F. On a rimmed baking sheet, lightly drizzle squash with oil and season; spread into a single layer. Roast, flipping once, until tender and wrinkling at the edges, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cook sausage and vegetables:Meanwhile, heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet, such as cast iron, over medium. Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add seasoning, stir in rice and tomatoes:Add Italian seasoning and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and rice and continue cooking until heated through, about 2 minutes more.
Fold in half squash and 2/3 of cheese; top with remaining squash and cheese:Remove from heat, gently fold in half of the squash and about 2/3 of the cheese. Top with remaining squash and cheese.
Reduce oven temp and bake:Reduce oven to 350˚. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and golden in a few places, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, before serving.

Honeynut Maple Pie

1 pie dough
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 1/2 pounds Honeynut squash (2 to 3), peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, room temperature
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven; roll dough, fit to pie plate and crimp:Preheat oven to 375˚F. On a work surface lightly dusted with flour, roll out dough to an approximate 11-inch round. Transfer to a standard 9-inch pie dish. Trim edges with kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold and tuck overhang under so it’s flush with pie dish. Crimp edge of dough as desired or leave unadorned.
Blind bake crust:Line dough with parchment and fill with pie weights or dry rice and beans. Bake until crust is dry and set on the bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment and continue baking until crust is golden, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let cool completely.
Steam squash; drain and cool:Meanwhile, bring one inch of water to a boil in a pot lined with a steamer basket. Add squash, cover, and steam until very tender, 17 to 20 minutes. Drain and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
Blend squash, then add butter, egg, some maple syrup, sugar, and spices:Transfer squash to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add flour, butter, egg, 1/3 cup maple syrup, sugar, nutmeg, clove, and salt; pulse to thoroughly combine.
Whisk 1/4 cup cream with baking powder and add to filling:In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup cream and the baking powder. Add cream mixture into squash mixture and pulse a few times until smooth.
Reduce oven temperature and add filling to crust:Reduce oven to 350˚F. Pour filling into cooled crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
Bake and cool:Bake until filling is puffed slightly and set at the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Whisk cream with maple syrup and serve with pie:In a bowl, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups cream with remaining 3 tablespoons maple syrup to soft peaks. Serve with pie.

Orecchiette With Butternut Squash and Sage

Coarse salt
12 ounces orecchiette (or any pasta really...)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small butternut squash, halved and peeled, seeds and pulp scooped and reserved, flesh cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup packed fresh sage leaves
1 ⅓ cups whole-milk ricotta, for serving
Poppy seeds, for serving

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add squash seeds and pulp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until seeds puff and turn golden, 10 minutes. Season with salt; transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons butter to skillet; melt. Add sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 2 minutes. Transfer to another plate. Add squash flesh to skillet. Season with salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 minutes.
Stir in pasta, 1/2 cup pasta water, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add more pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until pasta is evenly coated; season with salt. Top with squash pulp and seeds, sage leaves, ricotta, and poppy seeds. Drizzle with oil and serve.