Week of October 13, 2025
My dear Community
The mornings move slower now - the fog lingers just a little longer, and the sunlight feels softer on the fields. Fall is settling in, and the rhythm of the farm changes right along with it.
This weekend I drove up to Gopher Glen Organics in Avila and came home with the most incredible Jonagold apples. Crisp, sweet, perfectly tart - they taste like the season itself. We’ll be feasting on them for the next few weeks, and I can’t wait for you to taste them too. There’s something grounding about an apple this time of year - a small reminder that sweetness still grows close to home.
I keep noticing how the world above the soil can feel divided - how headlines, opinions, and fears pull us into separate corners. But the earth doesn’t take sides. It just keeps giving. The soil nourishes everything it touches, without asking who deserves it more. Harvest keeps coming because connection is what nature knows best.
Every season, I watch our crew - people from different places, speaking different languages - working side by side with the same shared rhythm of care. It’s living proof that unity isn’t an idea; it’s something we practice with our hands, our hearts, and our food. And maybe that’s what this time of year is asking of us: to come back to what nourishes, to slow down, to share sweetness when the world feels bitter.
So as the days shorten and the nights cool, I’m reminded that our work - growing food, feeding people, standing for humanity - is all part of the same rhythm. No matter what happens beyond the fields, the earth keeps whispering the same lesson: We belong to each other. And in your CSA box this week, nourishment that reminds us of just that - food that grounds, steadies, and connects us to one another and this place we call home.
Be good to each other,
Carolyn
Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
2 whole butternut squash – about 2–2.5lbs each
2 tablespoons olive oil – divided
Kosher salt – to taste
Ground black pepper – to taste
1 lb ground sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef
2 stalks of celery -diced – about ⅓ cup
1 small yellow onion -peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic -peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
1 tablespoon chicken stock or white wine – to deglaze the pan if needed
2 cups fresh spinach
1 small apple – diced
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped pecans
Shredded parmesan cheese – optional
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Pinch Me Good
Loaded Bell Pepper Nachos
1 pound ground beef, I use 85% grass-fed
4 bell peppers
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup black olives, sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
½ tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup water
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Nutritious Deliciousness
Crispy Zucchini Fritters (Gluten-Free Option)
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchinis (about 2 cups grated)
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup gluten-free flour (or regular)
2 tbsp grated Parmesan (optional, for flavor)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika or chili powder (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley or dill, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Glow and Graze
Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), sliced
4 cups mixed greens (arugula or spinach)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Super B Recipe
Shrimp Avocado Salad (Creamy & Refreshing!)
Ingredients:
1 pound large shrimp (thawed, tails + shells removed)
1 Tbsp olive oil (for cooking shrimp)
1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
2 Persian or mini cucumbers, chopped (or about 3/4 of an English cucumber)
1 medium-large avocado, peeled + cubed (ripe)
Salt + pepper, to taste
Yogurt Dressing:
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 a lemon, juice only (about 2 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1-2 cloves garlic (depending on how garlicky you like things!)
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cumin (don't skip!!)
2 Tbsp fresh mint
1/4 cup fresh dill
1 Tbsp water (to thin)
Salt + pepper, to taste
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Walder Wellness