Sprout Farm Newsletter   Nov. 9th 2024          sproutfarm.net         open 9-4 daily

Hello Everyone,

     Jay surprised me last Sunday by announcing our change of hours.  We will be open 9-4:00 pm daily.  November is the absolute slowest month of the year and the last hour of the day is the slowest hour of the day.  So we are taking advantage of owning the business and making the big decision to close early in November.  I'm still not used to Jay showing up at 4:05 after putting the farmstand to bed.  I feel like I should have supper on the table but that's not right because it's only 4:00 not 5:00.  I should have this figured out by Thanksgiving, when we close for the season.

       We finally received our big shipment of butternut squash, from Cotuit, and it is unlike anything we've sold in the past.  The squash has a beautiful long neck that goes on and on and on.  I know a lot of you have small families and are wondering what to do with a large squash.  They will keep in a cool place for a couple of months without a problem but once you cut into them you have to figure out what to do with all that squash.  You can share it with a friend.  You can peel, cut it into cubes and freeze it.  You can go the extra step to seal in the flavor by peeling it, cutting it into cubes, par boiling it, blanching it in a ice water bath, draining the cubes, laying them out on a lined cookie sheet then freezing the cubes overnight before putting them in a bag for long term storage.  But first you have to cut it.  When Dick and Ellies Flea Market was in full swing you could get some old but sturdy basic kitchen utensils for next to nothing.  One Saturday I went there on a mission to buy a long kitchen knife.  Jay and I came across a man who had knives laid out on a cloth and he said, "This one is good and sharp.  I just sharpened it."  It wasn't impressive looking.  The handle was wood and the blade was probably starting to cave in in the middle.  It was obviously well loved and I couldn't pass it up as it was only $1.00.  For decades it has been my kitchen companion and the blade hasn't sat flat on the board for many a year but it cuts through butternut squash like butter.  The secret is the thin spine.  I just held it next to a regular chef's knife and the spine comparison was ridiculous. My old faithful has a spine that's almost paper thin but it still holds up to every job I throw at it.  I've given up trying to find a replacement.  When it goes we'll just have to eat out all the time.  In this house, 'my knife' refers to only one blade and everyone knows it.

We have lots of different varieties of apples and many of them are perfect for making pies.  Jay has discovered the Northern Spy apple and it has become his favorite snack.  We have lots of Eastham turnips and rutabaga. The broccoli is pretty much finished for the year but we still have lettuce.  We are picking lots of cukes from one of the heated greenhouses so look for them in the cooler.  Don't forget that local honey and jams make great gifts. 

  The kitten report is brief,  We haven't seen Simba for a couple of weeks.  At some point I'm going to have to lure that gypsy home and hang onto him until we can get his shots up to date. He won't like that and neither will the other cats but it is better for him to go back on his rounds with all his shots up to date. 

  Stop by and see us soon.  Jay may be out back splitting firewood but any excuse to stop and chat is fine with him.

Jay and Phyllis Sprout