"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin now."
- Goethe

What’s in the standard share:

... and if you have an extra-fruit option:
Apples, pears and pineapple guavas (see "Crop Notes")

CALENDAR

no more events this season!

It always surprises me to see how quickly children enjoy the freedom of being able to roam, discover and explore the land here. The rain on Saturday did not stop us from having a wonderful gathering. Apples were crushed into sweet cider, the bonfire got an early start to keep us warm, pumpkins turned alive with creative expressions, and as most of our bodies started to chill we gathered in the barn to eat, and enjoy the Banana Slugs’ wonderful music and lyrics. We got to hear first hand the latest tunes from their newest CD, a collection of original lullabies entitled "Wings of Slumber." Our littlest was lulled asleep with the first song they played. As always Doug, Larry and Steve captured the children's energy as they gathered to listen, laugh, dance, and sing to their songs.

The tables were covered with delicious food, giving expression to the generosity and loving creativity of this community. Thank you to everyone who brought a dish, and also a special thanks to my nephew Matthias for baking the bread, not an easy task. He was outside in the rain shaping loaves and feeding them into Toastie's hot belly ("Toastie" is our wood-fired cob oven) so they’d be ready in time for dinner.

As light gives way to darkness, we tend to turn inwards. I like to reflect on the season's developments and experiences and save them like precious seeds to be planted again next season. One seed I always treasure and hope to plant from season to season is the energy, magic, and joy that children sprinkle all over this farm.

I wonder sometimes why we keep children cooped up in buildings to learn about life, when just outside their door is a classroom filled with genius and wisdom. As Janine Benyus says in her book Biomimicry, "When we stare deeply into nature's eyes, it takes our breath away... we realize that all inventions have already appeared in nature in a more elegant form and at a lot less cost to the planet." I hope that we always encourage that spontaneous sense of wonder, play, and magic when we step into nature's classroom. From all of us Live Earth Farm we wish you another wonderful and magical Halloween!! – Tom

Renew your commitment to CSA for 2005
As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, your commitment as members is our greatest support; it helps us towards achieving our ecological, social and financial goals. As the season comes to a close, we ask you to pledge your support by registering early for the upcoming 2005 season. This will allow us to pay our bills through the winter months and offer our workers year-round employment. As an added incentive, if you sign up before the end of this season you will lock in the equivalent of this year's rates - a $75 savings – because next year we will have to increase the standard share price by $2 - from $23 to $25/week (see instructions by Debbie, below, on how to register early).

2005 Early Registration
Our website should now updated to include '2005 Early Registration.' You can either register online, or print a form, fill it out, and mail it in to us with your deposit for $175 (which doubles as your payment for March and April's shares). By registering before the end of this season, you will get next November's shares completely free! That's a $75 savings! If you don't have internet access, call me at the farm and I'll set you up by phone (keep in mind I'm only on the farm on Tuesdays and Thursdays; mornings are best). Act soon, as this offer and its accompanying discount expires with the end of this season (aka Saturday November 20th). No extensions! – Debbie


Crop Notes
There are two kinds of winter squash in your share this week: the long ones are 'Delicata' and the round ones are called ‘Sweet Dump-ling.’ Both are known as 'Delicata type' among farmers, and are white with blue-green stripes. They make wonderful soups or are great just baked in the oven. Check out Debbie's recipes for more inspiration.

In the extra fruit share you will find some strange-looking green round or oval fruit. These are pineapple guavas, also known as "Fei-joas." They grow as dense shrubs or small trees next to our fields and are brothers to the round, yellow tropical guava we find in Ha-waii. Their aromatic flowers and fruit are both edible and taste a little like pineapple. Keep them at room temperature, but don't peel, since the rind is also edible and contains high levels of vitamin C. See Debbie's recipe for 'how to eat pineapple guavas' in her recipe database. Of course if you decide the rind is too tough for your taste, just cut it in half and spoon out and eat the juicier flesh inside.

Notes from Debbie’s Kitchen . . . . . . . . Have a recipe you’d like to share? Contact Debbie.

Believe it or not, I got some fan email for my recipe database from some folks who are members of a CSA in Easton, NY! The first recipe is a contribution from them. Thanks Bob and Linda! – Debbie

Chard with Rice, Mint and Walnuts
from 'A Vegan Taste of North Africa' by Linda Majzlik (modified slightly)

1 C long grain rice
1 bunch Swiss chard, finely shredded
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 C vegetable stock
1 tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
black pepper
1 oz. walnuts, finely chopped

Fry the Swiss chard, onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the rice, stock, mint and dill and season with black pepper. Stir well and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts before serving. [I notice there is no salt in this recipe. The stock may have sufficient salt in it, but taste it for salt in the end and add more if needed. – Debbie]

And here are a couple of recipes submitted a while back by member Catherine Barale:

Pickled Carrots and Garlic with Cumin
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

4 lg. carrots (or 8 small)
1 sm. head of garlic
1 jalapeno chili, sliced into rounds
3/4 C apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns

Peel the carrots and slice them diagonally about 3/8 inch thick. Separate the garlic cloves and peel them. Don't use any that are bruised or sprouting.

Boil the carrots in salted water to cover for 3 minutes, then drain. Combine the remaining ingredients plus 3/4 cup of cold water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar and then add the carrots. Refrigerate overnight before serving. These spunky little pickles will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.

Catherine says, "I mixed everything in a quart jar and then kept the jar in the 'fridge. These are great snacks to have while we're preparing dinner."

Pear Pudding with Almond Topping
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

butter for dish
3 eggs
1/3 C sugar or 1/4 C honey
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg OR cardamom
1 1/2 C milk
1/3 C flour
4 firm but ripe large pears or 6 small
1/2 C crushed amaretti (Catherine says she used crushed almond biscotti)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 2-quart gratin dish. Combine the eggs, sugar, extracts, salt, nutmeg, milk and flour in a blender and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides and blend for a few seconds more. Set aside until ready to use.

Peel, halve and core the pears, then slice thinly into the baking dish. Pour the batter over the top, add the crushed amaretti, and bake in the center of the oven until puffed and golden, about 50 minutes. Serve warm, accompanied by a pitcher of cream.

Lastly, here’s a recipe I put together for you which was inspired by a flavor combination I found on the internet. I liked it because it stuffed the squash with fruit and veggies instead of rice (not that I have anything against rice stuffings, it was just different!) - Debbie

Simple Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash
inspired by a recipe I found on the internet

2 Sweet Dumpling squash
1 to 2 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, minced
2 apples, cored and cut into small pieces [peel if you like; I leave the skin on]
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 C raisins [golden, if you have them]

You can either stuff them whole (cut a ‘lid’ off, like you would when carving a jack-o-lantern), or cut them in half (stem to blossom) and stuff the halves. Either way, cut open and scoop out and discard seeds (or toast ‘em if you like!).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place squash cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet (or brush cut edges with oil) and bake 15 minutes or so, while you prepare the filling.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion in the butter for a few minutes, until softened. Add the apples, celery and raisins and continue to cook, stirring often, until the apples are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove squash from oven, turn right-side up, and divide the filling among them. Return to oven and bake until the squash is soft (you should be able to squeeze them gently with your fingers and they should give) and the filling is lightly browned. I’d say this could take another 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

*Click Here* for a link to a comprehensive listing of recipes from Live Earth Farm's newsletters going back as far as our 1998 season! You can search for recipes by key ingredient. Recipe site is updated weekly during the season.