Zucchini Bounty

Since August 7 marks the "official halfway-through summer" marker, 

we are still picking up steam from spring planting into summer's bounty. 

But for sure, these are plentiful days at the farm. 

Last week we riffed on our bean bounty.

like a sea of beans!

But you knew it was inevitable that we'd soon be talking about zucchini!

As is evident at the Farmers Markets, this is peak squash season.

thanks to our busy bees at the farm,
our squash blossoms abound

This is the time of year when you do almost feel challenged 

about what to create with zucchini. 

And if you are one of those running out of zucchini ideas, 

look ahead to August 8 (the day after the summer halfway mark)

which is "Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day!" (seriously).

"Established by Pennsylvanian Tom Roy, who submitted the idea 

to Chase's Calendar of Events, while the day certainly 

allows you to unload the result of "overzealous planting," 

the real motivation was to encourage sharing within communities.

Here are some tips for how best to "sneak the zucchini onto your neighbor's porch."

Our chefs won't be participating though—they are inspired by what we are picking.

This week's Plat du Jour at the girl & the fig featured ENTRÉE:
garden squash salad - pine nuts, avocado, oven-dried cherries, poppy seed vinaigrette

squash abounds at the farm

we are even growing squash in the Orchard

Whether you decide to share with your neighbors or not, 

it is likely that right now you are overwhelmed with squash choices, 

whether from your own garden or as you 

peruse what the farmers are bringing to market. 

This week in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, one of our local food writers and friends, 

Michele Anna Jordan offers "Zucchini solutions, in the nick of time."

Did you know that not all zucchini are green?

Although our minds and menus are full of summer squash, 

we are looking ahead to their winter cousins. 

In the upper quad beds where our potatoes did so well, 

we've just planted Atlantic Great Pumpkin, Sucrine Du Berry, 

Red Kurri (Hokkaido), Table Gold Acorn and Butternut squash.

the newly planted beds of winter squash in upper quad
looking at the lush summer squash in the lower quad

And in a few months, we will be serving our popular honey glazed winter squash dish.

photo by Steven Krause for
Plats du Jour: the girl & the fig's Journey Through the Seasons in Wine Country

As much as the bounty of squash from the farm is the main event these days, 

there are certainly bursts of other colors and treasures every time we are harvesting.

one of our jewel-like Ping Tung Long Eggplants

the 800 tomato plants were planted
so they wouldn't ripen all at the same time.

Do you have a favorite squash recipe to share? 

With all that we are harvesting the farm, even though our chefs are very creative, 

we are always looking for new ideas!