Dear people,
We love you and are wishing peace and love on you all tonight, tomorrow, and into the coming weeks. We are in a great time of change, a great time of conflict, and in a great time of potential.
Please show love, compassion, and empathy to those around you no matter what.
Because we are all people struggling to find meaning,
and struggling to find purpose for our time here on Earth.
And we are all falling down our own little rabbit holes, and
are all losing our perspectives and empathy for one another.
Let’s take this moment in history to break this divisive cycle and meet with one another in love.
Take a deep breath, open your farm box, revel in natures goodness,
cook and share a nourishing meal,
do something random and nice for someone,
and look forward to better days.
Because they are coming.
With that said, we have 20 memberships that we want to send out to someone who needs some love.
If you have someone whose heart needs a gift, or someone on your mind that is suffering and could be lifted up, please send us a message, and we will award them as a “contest winner of a 2 month membership”.
With love to everyone no matter what,
Jason, Katherine, Chandler, Bodhi
Carolina’s ultimate GOURD Guide
As we settle into squash season, it’s finally time to enjoy our favorite Fall comfort-foods. From pies to soups to breads of all kind, nothing marks the month of November quite like a GOURD time! Cold and crisp weather always calls for warm and savory dishes, subsequently making squash a culinary staple throughout these chilly months. With a wide variety of squash to choose from, and countless ways to prepare them, sometimes squash can feel overwhelming at first. But, fear not! Because your friends here at Farm Cart Organics have done our research and are here to help you seamlessly navigate your way through your next culinary masterpiece! From Butternut to Delicata or Kabocha to Pumpkin, we’ve got you covered with our comprehensive gourd guide! Stay tuned on how to bring these familiar tastes and textures right to your dining room table.
After checking in with our Director of Operations, Corey Stafford, it became astonishingly clear that there are no less than a GAZILLION different types of squash! Corey declares, “[Squash] looks like Fall, smells like Fall, and tastes like Fall! They last forever, so you can stockpile them for winter, and they comfort my heart and belly!” With so many options to choose from we figured we’d stick to focusing on our three favorites: Butternut, Delicata, Kabocha.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
Typically harvested in the late Summer and Fall, Butternut Squash has a remarkably long shelf life. We advise finding one with a hard rind, a sturdy skin, and minimal cuts on the outer layer (scratches are okay)! Cutting a Butternut can oftentimes feel like an intimidating feat, but it’s surprisingly simple! First, cut the stem and bottom off of the squash. Next, position the squash upright and carefully cut it in half, lengthwise. Then, proceed to scoop out the seeds with a spoon and peel off the thick outer layer with a veggie peeler. From here, slice them horizontally and cut them into cubes. Corey recommends, “Simply roast with Olive Oil, salt and pepper. Then, throw them in the blender and BOOM you’ve got yourself a simple and satisfying squash soup!”
DELICATA SQUASH:
Compared to other more intimidating squash, Delicata are an absolute dream to cook with! They are oftentimes considerably smaller than their Winter squash counterparts, but are packed with fiber, iron, calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. With a sweet taste and deliciously creamy texture, Delicata are always a crowd-pleaser! When dealing with Delicata, it’s not hard to feel like a masterchef as their thin-skins require no peeling. Just go ahead and cut these cuties lengthwise from end-to-end, and scoop out the seeds from within. Next, slice them into ½ inch half-moons and roast them until they’re tender and golden. Voilà!
KABOCHA SQUASH:
Kabocha are a Japanese variety of Winter squash. Although they may look intimidating with their hard knobby outer layer and thick round shape, Kabocha Squash tastes something like a sweet potato and a pumpkin fell madly in love! Flavorful with sweet and nutty tasting notes, their texture remains perfectly light and fluffy. However, when preparing to cut your squash, the trick with Kabocha is making sure you’re working with a well-sharpened knife because it's hard skin can be rather tough to slice through. Here at Farm Cart Organics, we recommend softening the skin before cutting it by microwaving your squash for 2-3 minutes. Once you’re ready, cut the Kabocha in half and spoon out the seeds. Then, position the two halves open side down and remove the stem and bottom. Throw them in the oven and roast until crispy and browned. Corey recommends, “Don’t forget to drizzle a little honey and cacao nibs to transform them into a tasty treat!”
All in all, squash never fails to make a healthy and satisfying contribution to every Fall recipe. Make sure to browse our ‘Recipes’ tab to find your next culinary creation! Until next time, thanks for spending some time with your friends here at Farm Cart Organics. We love what we do and we especially love making farm, fresh produce more accessible to members like yourself! Have a beautiful (and tasty!) week ahead.
