Oct. 4

Ok. So I did an estimated count of the squash we harvested the other day:

Pie pumpkins: 115
Delicata: 360
Butternut: 125
Buttercup: 50
Spaghetti: 120
Acorn: 60
Baby Hubbard: 23

Phew!

The "Fall Harvest Fest" went pretty well on Saturday. We sold about 70 pizzas. There were lots of kids and families out for the hay rides and pumpkins, and live music is always a draw. We had a big bonfire going all afternoon, and everyone seemed to have a good time. It was certainly the kind of thing I would have loved to take my kids to when they were little. We still have pumpkins left (in addition to the "free pumpkin with a pizza" she sold about 20-25 others), and the hay wagon is still set up, so we'll be offering both those things again this Saturday.

There are only two more deliveries for CSA boxes this summer. She does do a winter share also, and has 15 people signed up for this year. It includes mostly root/storage veggies (above-mentioned squash, potatoes, onions, etc.) but also some mixed salad greens (as long as the weather permits) and spinach from the hoop house. Also, a dozen fresh eggs.

And, something completely new this winter.... She's going to be hosting a series of "Dinner on the Farm" events once a month, November-February. There will be a multi-course meal featuring as much farm-raised food as possible...think squash soup, spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette, etc. She has already lined up local speakers to come in and talk about the history of the area ("Legends of the Valley" is the over-all theme) and is looking into the possibility of a single musician (violinist, etc.) to play during the meal, etc. All of this will be set up in the warmth of the new greenhouse that is just about finished! She's going to put a wood stove inside, and a long table down the middle for seating up to 24. She had fliers out for it at pizza last Saturday, and there were a lot of people that seemed very interested.

It seems like a great way to spend a cold winter night!