5/14/25 Celebrating Cucuberbits
Cucurbitaceae is the family of plants that include over 965 species including cucumbers, summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins, melons, gourds, chayote and luffa. Cucurbits (for short) are native worldwide and have been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. Gourds and Squash are native to the Americas whereas melons and cucumbers are native to Asia and Africa. Wild cucurbit fruits are bitter and unpalatable to humans, and non bitterness of the pulp was a trait favored in early domestication. Most are found in tropical areas and so they are very tender, frost will take them out faster than most crops.
So a little about the Cucurbits we grow. First off and in today’s box are our Summer Squash. We started seeding Summer Squash the second week of February, planting them first week of March and harvesting them just two weeks ago. We’re thrilled to now have gotten them in all boxes twice. We focus on getting these super early (probably the earliest in the county) so that we can break up our CSA boxes of lettuce, radishes and greens with something hearty. We’re just about to plant our first round of Summer Squash outdoors. They are more productive outdoors but the early crops need the indoor protection. Maybe it’s because they get better pollination outdoors, but also maybe not because the plants get much bigger and healthier.
We love giving a mix of squash. Although they have slight differences, we find that they cook similarly enough as long as you cut into similar sized pieces. If you look at the photo, I’ll discuss varieties from left to right. The squash you’ve seen the most is our Costata Romanesco, known as Pantheon. An heirloom from Rome, many people consider this to be the best flavored and textured zucchini. Although we usually cut small, if it gets big it’s texture stays firm, seeds small. As such, it’s a great squash for grilling.
Zephyr is an old favorite. They are soft skinned light yellow with a green tip, they have a nutty flavor and firm texture.
Then of course we have to have a Green Zucchini, our variety is Noche. It’s a basic, great zucchini.
Next is a Cousa squash (variety Magda). This Mid-East style squash that has a similar flavor profile to Zephyr. They are great for stuffing, grilling but also stir-fries.
Yellow zucchini rounds out the pallet. The variety Golden Glory is a favorite with meaty creamy-white flesh, that holds marinades well.
On size: We generally try to harvest our Summer Squash at 6-8” in length. That said, sometimes some will get away from us. Later in the spring we’ll start offering on add-ons very large squash for cheep which are amazing for grilling and baking. We know they’re less appreciated in the boxes.
Next up are our Cucumbers which are making a debut in our Family Boxes this week!! This year we have almost doubled our planting from last year and we’ve implemented a new trellising system that we already love. We have THREE crops in the ground. Of those the first and third are our tried and true variety Nokya (a thin skinned Asian variety that has minimal seeds/isn’t bitter). But our second succession is a new variety from a cool regenerative seed company in Colorado - Wild Mountain Seeds (we have a bunch of tomatoes and peppers from them too).
Now on to Winter Squash, as of this week we have ALL of our winter squash seeded and thank goodness, we didn’t have any rodents find them and eat the seeds (yes this can be a major issue for us!). This year we’re growing our normal Delicata (albeit more), Butternut, Red Kuri, Black Futsu and Kabocha (rodents in the field at 95% of this last year so you didn’t see any). Plus we’re trialing Butterbaby and Honey Nut (two small and sweet Butternut types). We’ll start getting these out into the field next week!
Now here’s something fun, we’re trialing a Melon this year! It’s similar to the Crane melon (a cantaloupe type) called Sweet Freckles, the only melon we’ve had success growing here and we don’t think that’s a surprise as the Crane family bread it for generations in Petaluma. We stopped growing Melons because they come to fruition when we have so much other fruit, and not the labor but with the excitement of our crew we’re going to give it another go. We planted three beds of it earlier this week.
Produce Notes & Recipes
This Week’s Box
Panisse & Little Gem Lettuces
Rainbow Chard
Hakurei Turnip (SR) OR Beets (WC)
Cucumbers (SR) OR Summer Squash (WC)
Summer Squash Medley
Parsley (SR) OR Basil (WC)
Bulb Fennel
Family: Kolibri Lettuce & Strawberries
First off we had a change in our anticipated box this week with Summer Squash and Cucumbers. We told you Summer Squash for everyone and Cucubmers for Family, now we’ve started a rotation with them both. We really try to keep these changes to a minimum but something happened (the cooler days for sure but also the first flush had passed) and our summer squash production tanked. We actually had more cucumbers than squash. We were going to start a rotation this week of Summer Squash and Cucumbers and rotation with these two items will be common this summer, we’ll mix it up here and there to hit everyone as equally as we can.
May is National Salad Month! Can you guess why? It’s in abundance now as is evidenced by triple salad in your box. The big green head is Panisse Lettuce and we just adore this light textured and flavored lettuce. The little heads are Little Gems or Mini Romaines. These are crisp and crunchy. They hold up super well, even used as spoons with dip. We hope you enjoy both of these lettuces.
This week I highly suggest a big salad or three. The Hakruei Salad Turnips are best raw and mandolin or thin sliced on salad is a favorite. The same for Bulb Fennel. Summer Squash too, I like to cut super thin with a mandolin and marinate in dressing for a minute while I’m making the salad and then add. Make a dressing that includes your herb or even fennel fronds (there’s a basil dressing recipe into first recipe).
Bulb Fennel (also called Florence fennel) is a Mediterranean native with a bulbous stem base, stalks, and fronds that resemble dill. The entire plant is edible, and each part can be used differently in the kitchen. They are mildly sweet with a refreshing anise or licorice flavor. When raw, it’s crisp and aromatic—great in salads. When cooked, it mellows and becomes tender with a hint of sweetness.
Trim: Cut off the stalks where they meet the bulb (save the fronds for garnish or flavoring). Slice a thin layer off the root end and remove any outer layers if tough or browned.
Slice or dice: Depending on your recipe, you can thinly slice the bulb (great raw) or chop it into wedges (for roasting or braising).
Ways to Enjoy Fennel:
Raw: Shave it thin with a mandoline or sharp knife and toss into salads.
Roasted: Toss wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400°F until golden and tender (25–30 min).
Sautéed or braised: Cook with onions and garlic as a base for soups, pasta, or grain bowls.
Fronds: Chop and sprinkle over dishes as a fresh, delicate garnish—much like dill or parsley.
Our over wintered Beets didn’t do as well as we would love, but we have one small rotation for weekly members. They are a mix of Red, Golden and Chioggia. Just like the summer squash we love giving a mix of varieties that cook similarly and give an interesting variety.
Roasted Beet & Chard Grain Bowl with Basil Dressing
1 bunch mixed beets (with greens if tender!)
1 bunch chard, stems removed and chopped separately
1 cup cooked grains (quinoa, farro, or brown rice)
2–3 Tbs olive oil, divided
Salt & pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Basil Dressing:
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 small garlic clove
2 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Optional: 1 Tbs yogurt or tahini for creaminess
Roast the beets: Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrub and trim the beets, then cut into wedges. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan for 30–40 minutes, until tender and caramelized.
Sauté chard: In a skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Add chopped chard stems and cook for 2–3 minutes, then add the leaves. Cook until wilted. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Make the dressing: In a blender or with an immersion blender, blend all dressing ingredients until smooth.
Assemble the bowl: Layer cooked grains, sautéed chard, and roasted beets. Drizzle generously with basil dressing. Optional: Top with toasted seeds or crumbled cheese.
Extra Shares
Flower Share: Focus on the season’s first (and tallest) Larkspur!
Lettuce Share: Red Butter Lettuce + more Little Gems
Bunched Greens Share: Toscano Kale