Saturday, October 15, 2011

THE GREAT PUMPKIN... AND SQUASH...

Fall has arrived and our store is brimming with the harvest!  
It's time to light a fire in the woodstove, simmer some apples for applesauce, settle into a good book, a cup of tea, and a slice of warm pumpkin bread.  
What do you think? 

GREAT PUMPKINS -- ALL SHAPES, SIZES, FLAVORS... EVEN  COLORS!

Stop in to visit Sarah!  A Freeport native and Connecticut College grad, Sarah has joined Wealden Farm  to help expand the wholesale side of the business, Farm Fresh Connection.  She also lends a hand wherever needed--working at the farm store, contributing to the Wealden Farm Facebook page (friend us please), and working in the fields harvesting (she just came in when I shot this in the walk in cooler).  Notice the bags of recently harvested carrots piled nearly to her shoulders behind her!

Many varieties for discerning SQUASH LOVERS... DID YOU KNOW?--Squash was one of the Three Sisters planted by Native Americans The Three Sisters were the three main native crop plants: maize (corn), beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. Weeds can be detrimental to the growing conditions of the squash. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops.
My favorite is Cortland, but there are so many choices!  Local, fresh, delicious! 
PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE
3 C sugar
1 C vegetable/canola oil
3 large eggs
1 3/4 fresh pumpkin (or 1 -16oz. can)
3 C flour
1 t. cloves
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate bits (optional, but go for it)
Butter & flour 2 loaf pans.  Beat sugar and oil to blend.  Mix in eggs and pumpkin.  Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder and stir into pumpkin mixture.  Add walnuts/bits.
Divide batter equally in two pans.  Bake approx. 1 hr (when tester in center comes out clean)
Cool on racks for 10 minutes then turn out of pans to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Your comments are always welcome!