Signs of Autumn

Today is the first day of fall. 

As we've been saying, autumn is creeping up on us 

with the change of light and cooler mornings and evenings, 

but summer holds on, especially during the day. 

Our neighboring winemakers applaud this two-tiered weather pattern 

saying 2013 will be an especially good year for wine, 

while acknowledging that harvest has come early. 

photo courtesy of Hwy 12 Properties 

And, we just hang in there with Mother Nature at the farm, 

as the summer harvest continues a bit longer, still giving us strawberries, 

tomatoes and cucumbers to inspire the chefs.

strawberries still growing at the farm

inspired a recent dessert finale to plats du jour menu:
cheesecake parfait, fresh berries & vanilla crema

the late morning/afternoon heat has brought us
super-sized heirloom tomatoes

which are still abundant at the farm.

We expect to have harvested 4,000 pounds of tomatoes this summer,

and are amazed that the tomato plants are still flowering for more fruit to grow!

while still relishing the tomatoes we bring them,
the chefs' concession to fall is:
oven-dried tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, frisee,
shaved crostini, fig balsamic & California olive oil

But as we've been saying, we have our eye on autumn.

And in fact, we can now see some of what that will be at the farm 

as the winter squash we planted a few weeks ago has begun to make its appearance.

just a few weeks ago, the squash beds in the upper quad

is now overflowing!

soon this beautiful blossom will be bring us a tasty squash

some are already appearing 

We are looking forward to what our chefs will do with our winter squash.

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

a sure sign of fall is the gourds and squash at our farm's neighbor
Oak Hill Farm in Glen Ellen

There are signs of fall all over the area, "including the 18,000 pounds of pumpkins 

Jim Groverman, owner of Petaluma Pumpkin Patch and Amazing Corn Maze, 

just shipped to pumpkin sellers around the Bay Area."

His "Amazing Corn Maze" has been a popular fall attraction 

for 20 years and is about to open.

You seriously can get lost in this corn maze, even the man who created it! Take a peek:

What do you look forward to in the autumn season?

And what are you growing for fall?

For Sonoma locals, here are some tips on what to plant in your garden for fall.

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!