This time of year, we’re harvesting and curing winter squash. When the squash look ready, we stop watering, then we cut the squash from the plants, line them into rows, then after a few days in the field (the exact number depends on the temperature) we pick them up and store them in bins until they’re needed. The few days in the field is called curing. While curing, extra moisture evaporates, hardening the squash skin and concentrating sugars in the squash. It also slows down the respiration rate of the squash, which is essential for long term storage. Curing also helps heal cuts and scratches and seals the stem. The hardened skin creates a protective layer that will help preserve the squash. Some squash need additional ripening time in storage for the best eating quality.
One perk of a multilingual, multicultural, multinational team is the opportunity to learn about different customs, phrases, and idioms. Over the past year we’ve had two different CSA farmers from England visit and I’ve chuckled when they mentioned running a “veg box scheme” since “scheme” tends to have negative and nefarious connotations here in the States. Apparently in Japan, you don’t say anything after people sneeze! And my current favorite Spanish dicho (saying) is “los lunes ni las gallinas ponen”, meaning “on Monday, even the hens don’t lay.”
Of course, sometimes the tables flip and I find myself needing to explain an English phrase, pronunciation, or word. It’s difficult! There are so many things in English that just don’t make sense and there are too many rules with exceptions!
Today, I’m inventing a new idiom: to get your squash in a row. It’s like “getting your ducks in a row” but it refers to when you suddenly realize that it’s mid-October and you need to start figuring out the schedules for the fall and winter holidays before they sneak up on you. I’ve gotten a few schedule questions recently, so it seems quite a few of you are getting your squash in a row and I’d love to help out the rest of you with that task!
Thanksgiving:
We DO deliver CSA Boxes the week of Thanksgiving. We deliver Thursday boxes on Wednesday (November 27) and then take Thursday off. Friday and Saturday boxes are delivered on their normal dates. If you will not be around this week, you can donate or skip your box. There will be an earlier cutoff to make schedule changes or to add items from the CSA member store.
We will be attending all three farmers markets the week of Thanksgiving. The Thursday Marin market will take place on Wednesday, November 27.
Winter Break:
The last week of CSA deliveries for 2024 is the week of December 9. We will resume deliveries the week of January 13. If you don’t get weekly boxes, don’t have a box for the week of December 9, and want more produce on hand during our break, we can easily adjust your schedule to get a box the last week, just let us know!
We have SO many good gifts in the CSA member store: Hannah’s book, gift boxes, wreaths, jam, yarn, almond butter, and more, but if you want to get these items with your CSA box in time for the holidays, order sooner rather than later. We also have a separate online shop if you want things shipped to your friends and family.
Fall Harvests:
Looking for walnuts and cured olives? They’ll be back soon and we’ll let you know when they’re back. Most of the walnuts are on the trees, though we did do a small pre-Hoes Down Harvest. We will be harvesting the rest of them soon! In the meantime, we’ve got lots of almonds! The Ascolano olives are curing and will be ready soon.
Election Season:
The 2024 Election is right around the corner! Our friends at CAFF (the Community Alliance with Family Farmers) have put together some helpful information about Proposition 4. If enacted, it would authorize a $10 billion bond to spend on environmental and climate projects. It includes significant agriculture-related investments in healthy soils, fair groundwater access, affordable land access, tool sharing exchanges, urban agriculture, farmers market infrastructure, and countless other investments in water, wildfire and drought resilience that benefit all California communities. When talking about how to support sustainable agriculture, you often hear that you should “vote with your dollar” by supporting businesses that align with your values. This fall, California voters have a chance to support farmers through the impending climate crisis by voting YES on Prop 4. Check out this summary from CAFF and you can find a more detailed list of proposed investments in this blog from the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN). Spread the word to family and friends! And for anyone in Somona County, CAFF and CalCAN have also issued their positions on Measure J and have joined the No on J campaign.
Elaine Swiedler, CSA Manager
