Farm News Crop Forecast
U-Pick Recipes Nuts and Bolts
Please note the 2026 September/October pickup schedule :
Sept 15+17 and 22+24 – Normal pickups
Sept 29 + Oct 1 – Double share pickup – for every other week split shares, both households should come (more info on that in a separate email closer to that week)
Oct 6+8 and 13+15 : NO pickups (to free us up for final storage harvests)
Oct 20+22 — Normal Pickup = Final Pickup of ’26 / til Nov. Storage Share (separate signup and payment)
Info on November Storage Share Signup and 2027 CSA signup will come out at the end of this week, look for that separate email.
Greetings!
And now it’s chilly!!!
Just a few days ago it was the end of another hot and dry stretch — and this time with wind — and today we’re shivering if we’re not moving around enough. Quick, big swings from hot to cool or cold have become very familiar the last few years with the “warm falls”. It works well for the veggies, especially the extra heat and growing days — as long as the cold doesn’t get down to fr-st levels — but our internal temp regulators definitely take a little while to catch up.
Last week we got all the winter squash picked into bins and curing in the greenhouse (see above). We also finished off a small carrot planting that had been sitting out there — the harvester broke 2-3 times and each time it just took awhile to get back to try picking again, since we’ve been so busy with melons and squash and tomatoes and peppers. That’s September in a nutshell right there! The summer fruits and fall fruits and roots overlap, and it’s delicious, and complicated!
But mostly we pick, wash and start over again! Plus a little tractor work, discing old fields and planting cover crops for the winter. The rains have been enough to germinate the winter wheat so far, but monday’s rain was just a few sprinkles. We could use a little, but we want to hold off on big rains for now — with so many root vegetables in the ground, excess rain can cause splitting and can make harvesting a slog instead of a gallop. But we’d love to see a little now and then a bunch in mid-late October once we’re done picking — the fields and forests sure need it, to bank up for winter protection and a better start next spring.
This week you’ll get an extra email about the storage share, and, believe it or not, signing up for 2027 CSA shares. It helps us a lot with planning ahead to know how many people are signing up for each, so thanks for your attention and for your business!
Crop Forecast
This week we’ll start winter squash more fully — 2 per share this week and probably next week too. The robust plants were hiding lots of fruit so get ready to get your squash on (and oven on, now that it’s cooler). Right now the buttercup, spaghetti squash and striped acorn (starry night) taste best, so we’ll have them available. We only have a little bit of traditional acorn because we’ve been finding the striped acorn tastes better and yields better. Next week we might also have butternut and pie pumpkins, if they taste good enough.
We grow about a a dozen different varieties of squash, in categories that are mostly familiar : spaghetti, pie pumpkins, acorn, delicata, butternut, and buttercup/ambercup. And a couple other uncommon ones.
Plus big pumpkins — they did very well, so 2 pumpkins per full share this year, you will take 1 each week (split shares each get 1 total).
In general we like to give you squash once it’s cured to its full flavor, which happens more or less in the order of the list above. This week we’ll have starry night (a striped acorn that’s better than acorn for a few reasons), delicata, buttercup, spaghetti squash. Of each kind, some are very good and some are ok. You can eat them this week and they’ll probably be good or wait til next week and they’ll be better. We roasted some this weekend and even the “ok” ones were good enough to make us stand there and keep taking more spoonfuls. If you wait more than a week on the spaghetti though — make sure to check it regularly since they can spoil quickly.
The best temp for squash storage is 50 degrees but countertop (out of the sun) or a garage or basement (beware of rodents!) works well for most people.
Cooking winter squash — it can be worked into so many recipes and dishes . Our single favorite way is to roast it — cut in half lengthwise, upside down with a little oil on the pan, at 350-400 for 45 minutes or until soft. We often stand there and eat it as soon as it’s cool — it’s part of our taste-testing research but we often just keep chowing down. But roasted squash can keep in the fridge for up to a week and reheated or be added to other dishes as you like.
Tomatoes are still on a tear, dig in!
Peppers! Carrying on with all colors. Hopefully for several more weeks. Late peppers is one of our favorite fall veggies, they blend so well with squash and spinach in so many recipes.
Hot Peppers — will continue to have 2 per share.
Garlic! is no longer a part of the share but will continue to be for sale in the barn. We do 6 weeks with it as part of the share, then have the rest for sale. Many people buy 10-20 to stock up for the fall, then replenish at the storage share.
We also continue to have : Storage Onions, carrots, beets, cabbage, Napa cabbage, baby leeks, Kohlrabi, Fennel. Plus spinach, leaf lettuce, salad greens, kale, and collards. And Celery — note that our celery is stronger flavored and stringier than typical white / blanched celery. It is very flavorful and best cooked in soups, stews, etc. — most people don’t use it raw or for ants-on-a-log etc.
Eggplant had a big push and now is taking a little break. Hopefully we will get another round soon! We’ll
have to limit it.
And Broccoli … we were trying to beat the diseases that plague broccoli , but didn’t succeed this year. We will have to limit it for now and keep trying in future years.
Summer squash and cucumbers finally gave up, right at their usual time.
Chard got sick, so we mowed it and hopefully it will regrow for some more harvests.
What’s for U-Pick?
Edamame — edible fresh soybeans — are starting to go by so grab them while you can! They’re easy to steam or lightly boil – in the pod — for a fun juicy finger food.
Green Beans — The plants are still alive but we haven’t looked in a while. Feel free to dig around anywhere for some.
Basil, Cilantro (near solar panels) — all unlimited. We finally have a good Cilantro bed to pick from!
Other Herbs (near beans) — Nasturtium, Thai Basil, sage, curly parsley, flat parsley, oregano, thyme, anise hyssop — are all unlimited too.
Oh the Flowers! They are coming to an end so get them while you can!
Cherry tomatoes have been so abundant and are also coming to an end soon.
Tomatillos— we keep hoping to go unlimited but a bug seems to be eating them from the inside. Hopefully soon.
This spot in the newsletter will keep you informed, and always check the U-pick board when you’re here to see what’s available and picking amounts.
Nuts and Bolts
Bulk Produce for You — TOMATO BOXES — you can order through the Google form (the link is in the newsletter email and the separate tomato email.)
Check here each newsletter for what we have available for extra purchase.
To place a bulk order, simply email us at least 2 days ahead of the day you’d like to pick it up. Orders can be picked up at the farm during our regular pickup hours, but it doesn’t have to be your share pickup day. Usually we can make an order on the spot, too.
This week’s bulk selection is : Carrots, Beets, Storage Onions for $1.50 / lb, Spinach and Lettuce Mix for $6 / lb. Collads for $3 / lb, Cabbage for $1/lb, Tomatoes and bell peppers $2/lb, Winter Squash $1 / lb.
Share Pickup Hours TUESDAY and THURSDAY 1:30-6:30 pm.
Change Pick-Up Day Form — Click here. Please fill out this form instead of emailing us. Thanks!
Where is the farm? 4151 320th Street West, Northfield.
Please Drive Carefully —Children are everywhere.
If You Send Someone Else to Pick Up Your Share — Please forward them the basic pickup video in this link , which was also sent in an email earlier in June. Then just tell them to introduce themselves to us in the barn, just so we know and we can show them around.
We love having all of you come to the farm! Thank you for making it such a great place to be!
Your farmers,
Erin and Ben, with Allia, Alex, Camille, River, Soli, Josh, Sahara, Sai Dang and crew
RECIPES
Sweet Curry Winter Squash Fritters
These fritters are excellent party snacks. Serve with Greek-style yogurt or raita to balance the heat if you’ve used a healthy dose of cayenne. They are also delicious with homemade pickles and chutneys. They freeze well and can bee reheated in a toaster oven.
1 small winter squash (any variety)
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 medium yellow onion, minced
6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 Tablespoons cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon paprika (or even more to taste)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the squash lengthwise into halves and place cut side down in a roasting pan.
Fill the pan with about ¼ inch of water, cover with aluminum foil, and roast for 30-60 minutes.
Halfway through the roasting time, remove the foil, turn the squash cut side up, and drizzle with olive oil.
Roast until the flesh is completely tender and soft.
Scrape the squash flesh into a bowl and let it cool (you should have about 1 cup of cooked squash).
Mix the egg into the squash and add the onion.
In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and seasonings (flour through pepper) and mix well.
Adjust the seasonings until the dry mix smells the way you’d like it to taste, or a little more intense.
Mix the dry ingredients into the squash mixture and stir until everything is well incorporated.
Cover the bottom of a wok or cast-iron skillet with about ½ inch of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat.
Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of the squash mixture into the oil and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Flip the fritters after they turn golden brown around the edges, then remove after about 1 minute more.
Place them on a cooling rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.
Add more oil to the pan as needed, allowing the oil to come up to temperature before adding more squash mixture.
Serves 4-6.
Spicy and Sweet Chinese Cabbage
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 ½ pounds Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced (8 to 10 cups)
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger root
crushed hot pepper flakes to taste
¼ cup golden raisins, soaked in ½ cup warm water, then drained
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon Cider Vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
Heat oil in deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Add Chinese cabbage, ginger, and hot pepper flakes.
Stir-fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to medium.
Mix sweetener and vinegar.
Pour over cabbage mixture.
Toss in raisins, season with salt.
Cook for approximately 3 more minutes, stirring often.
Cabbage should be wilted but still slightly crunchy.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Open Hands Farm 