Summer Squash

A summertime staple on the farm, several varieties of summer squash will be in your shares every other week from summer until fall.

Cooking Tips

Summer squash, such as zucchini, are different from winter squash in that the skin is edible and they do not need to be cooked nearly as long. Varieties that we grow include zucchini, crookneck, and patty pan or sunburst squash. They can be used pretty interchangeably. Give your squash a quick rinse right before you use them, cut off the stem, and they are ready to eat. Summer squash is delicious when cut into slices, drizzled with olive oil, and roasted in the oven or cooked on the barbeque for just a couple of minutes. Try sautéing them for a pasta sauce, stews or stir-fry. A little salt and balsamic vinegar will add to their flavor, and the flavor of summer squash is excellent with almost any summer herb. Make some zucchini bread or a summer casserole.

Storage Tips

Store your summer squash in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for about a week. Careful, as they will damage easily.

Nutrition

Summer squash is loaded with vitamins A and C, potassium and calcium.

History

Squash was first grown for its edible seeds by Native Americans 10,000 years ago. After five thousand years of cultivation the fruit became edible, and from there the many different types of squash began to emerge. Squash was immediately popular with early Europeans in the Americas, and was soon brought back to Europe. Zucchini was developed in Italy from other summer squash varieties, and brought to the U.S. by Italian immigrants in the 19th century.

Field Notes

When the summer squash has begun producing, we know that the madness of summer has begun on the farm. We harvest the squash three times a week in an effort to keep up with the plants' incredible productivity. The stalks are a bit prickly, so we wear thick cotton gloves and use special curved knives, combing through the vines and placing each delicate fruit into our bins.