Church Farm Your Weekly Newsletter Friday 29th June 2012 A Note from the Grower T his week we have been planting, amongst other things, winter squashes. T hese wondrously diverse and spectacular vegetables are one of my favourites; so delicious roasted or in soups, coming in a wide array of shapes and colours, and with the ability to store right through the winter and spring. I ate the last of last year’s September harvest from my allotment back home in May! Supermarket shoppers have long been familiar with the butternut squash, and this is certainly a fine specimen, but there are so many more varieties to choose from. Most winter squash cultivars belong to the species Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita pepo. Examples of C.maxima are the Buttercup squash, pictured above, the Blue Hubbard, all pumpkins, and the wonderfully named Uchiki Kuri, an onion-shaped fruit with deep orange skin striped with paler orange. C. pepo is represented by Acorn squash, unsurprisingly acorn shaped, but with a deep green skin, Sweet Dumpling, like a little pumpkin with green and white stripes, and the magnificent Delicata, a fine flavoured variety that we are growing this summer. T he skins of squashes vary from pale blue in colour through to rich orange, dark green or even black. T he flesh, however is invariably orange or yellow, and, at their best, with a fantastic sweet, nutty flavour. A joy to grow, to harvest and to eat, let’s look forward to those sturdy squashes, to cheer and nourish us through next winter, right up until it’s time to sow them again! Rik Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cucurbita_maxima_Blanco2.320.png Courgettes or zucchini are a member of the squash family. They grow on vines and not underground and are often treated in culinary terms as a vegetable as an accompaniment or side dish. They can grow up to a metre in length but are often cultivated when they are much smaller approx 8”. However the courgette is the swollen ovary born of the flowering zucchini so is actually an immature fruit. The flower itself being edible also. In Turkey these are a delicacy used like vine leaves as the wrapping of a Dolma. Getting the Best from your Box On Wednesday 27th June, the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, the Hon Arabella Stuart-Smith, visited Rural Care. She spent time with the co- farmers learning about the farm, their day-to- day jobs and goals and the benefits of working on a real farm. The co-farmers thoroughly enjoyed meeting her and hope she’ll visit again soon. A High Sheriff is appointed for each county by Her Majesty at a meeting of the Privy Council. The office is held for a year. High Sheriffs are charged with the task of protecting the judges in the Crown Court and of representing the Sovereign in relations with the Police. Find out more: http://www. highsheriffofhertfordshire.org.uk/2012/ High Sheriff visits Rural Care! We are now harvesting delicious Church Farm strawberries from Beard’s Oak vegetable garden. Buy 1 punnet for £2.80 or 2 punnets for £4.00. Pop into the store for this brilliant offer today! SPECIAL OFFER: Strawberries Courgettes are usually served cooked. They can be prepared using a variety of cooking techniques, including steaming, boiling, grilling, stuffing, baking, barbecuing and frying. I have also seen it diced and cooked in scrambled egg. Courgettes have a delicate flavour and require little more than quick cooking with butter or olive oil, with or without fresh herbs. The dark green skin is left in place. It can also be eaten raw, sliced or shredded in a cold salad, as well as lightly cooked in hot salads. It sometimes feels like summer, so salad bowls on standby! Image Source: http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own/Veg-A-to-Z/Marrow,-courgette,- squash-and-pumpkin-(1) Image source: www.bbcgoodfood.com