I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to a dose of joy in the form of something bright, sweet and round this week. Thank goodness for Pumpkins. The little edible pie Pumpkins that we grow every Fall are adorable, and I will admit, they’re worth every bit of adoration.  Smaller in size than the big decorative carving types, these cute little orange babies are often called Sugar Pumpkins, because they're naturally very sweet and are the basis for many seasonal baked goodies.  But, don't think you have to bust out a pie to make them worthwhile. You can still enjoy Sugar Pumpkins in savory ways too.  If you’ve been here a while, you know exactly where I’m taking this, and if you’re new, I'm about to change your life with two words: Pumpkin Chili!  I will share Chef Aaron Hutcherson’s recipe every October until the internet collapses, because it is a collective favorite, hands down. Members of the CSA have been murmuring about it over the past couple of weeks, and one family made plans weeks ago to pick up their farm share on the way home from the airport in order to make sure that Pumpkin Chili is bubbling away for Halloween supper. So, be sure to scroll through for a bit of meal-planning inspiration.

Bundles of Scallions, another flourish of lush Broccoli, a late planting of field-grown Lettuces and some big spears of mild White Daikon Radishes—they’re rounding out the better part of our harvest list, and they’re going to make great Fall Stir Fries, brothy soups, fridge pickles and more. Not for nothing, we’re pulling Red Kuri (a softer skinned Red Hubbard) and Green Kabocha (a Japanese Pumpkin) from the cellar this week, which are beloved by many and quite versatile. Mark and the crew have a lot to pick, wash and prep and plenty to be proud of this week, and I’m keeping that at the forefront of my mind as we get ready to share some big news. So without further delay from me, here’s….

…right here!  That’s where! This is the time of year when we start harvesting root vegetables for storage, and thanks to a valiant solo push from Farmer Claire last week, we were able to roll out Mark’s handy dandy root washer and wash our first batch of roots today--Red Beets. It is inspiring.  Blame it on these aromatic vegetables, but I have gotten a little bit carried away with assembling recipes this week.  To stand beside the stacks and stacks of freshly harvested Celery and Fennel is pure heaven on a Monday--and it will be on Tuesday and Wednesday too!  So, whether you’re ready to dive headfirst into Soup Season, are ready to roast or want to flex a little bit with an Inspired Fall Salad, I’ve gathered some great links and recipes for you to scroll through.