10 Reasons I Like Fall

My farmer dad says that fall is his favorite season. I think he said that because he finally got to harvest all the stuff he worked so hard to grow that year.

1) Salsa Freak - Tomatoes, Peppers and Onions (see our simple recipe)
2) Candy Carrots - The adage is frost on the pumpkins, but we like frost on the carrots.
3) Leeks, Onions and Shallots "Oh My"
4) Heirloom Tomatoes for BLT's
5) Watermelon - 15 varieties
6) Winter Squash
7) Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkins
8) Cool Weather
9) Planting Garlic
10) Fall Broccoli

10 Best Squash and Pumpkins for Minnesota (You Will Find At Our Market Stall)

We have a very good supply of high quality winter squash at our market booth. These are all ready now. You can also come to the farm any time and visit our self service area at the end of the drive. If you don't see something or the quantities you need, please ask.

1. Delicata - sweet potato squash
2. Acorn & Carnival - your mom would love this one
3. Spaghetti - low carb, high flavor
4. Butternut - soups, pies, everything
5. Hubbard - Red October
6. Buttercup - classic, long keeper
7. Kabocha - orange and dark green
8. Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin - netted, sweet
9. New England Pie - heirloom sweet
10. Fairy Tale Pumpkin - deep orange, sweet
11. Cinderella Pumpkin - sweet for pies

You would think that the crop would be a little small this year due to the dry weather. But it is exactly the opposite. I planted the winter squash and pumpkins in our lower field and I think the water table is higher there. These plants have very aggressive root systems and can tap into subsoil moisture. So they did really great.

Winter squash is very flavorful and nutritious. 

We have large 30-40 pound pumpkins that we started picking two weeks ago. Wow September 1st to have a 40 pound pumpkin mature in Minnesota! I'll definitely plant that variety again. Nice big strong handles too.

We picked several 40 pound water melons last week. They love hot weather. What I want to know is where they got 39.999 pounds of water this year. They must have an incredible root system or maybe they absorb moisture out of the air or something. I'll have to research that.