11/13/25 Persephone Period is here
As you all have heard, this is the last of our weekly CSA boxes. This winter box we have for you today is pretty darn seasonal!
Today marks an important day, the beginning of the Persephone Period with the changing of the season. The Persephone Period is simply the time when your area has fewer than 10 hours of potential sunlight. The number of hours of sunlight is of utmost importance for us as we are growing your food - and our livelihood - via photosynthesis. When plants have fewer than 10 hours of daylight per day, they are not able to photosynthesize enough to support much growth and development but rather only able to create the energy needed for basic plant maintenance. This important period of fewer than 10 hours of daylight per day is called the Persephone Period for the Greek goddess of vegetation who spends her winters with her husband Hades in the Underworld and the Spring and Summer with her mother Demeter. At our latitude here in Sebastopol, the Persephone Period runs from November 19th until Jan 23rd.
Small crops like leaf lettuces, bok choi, and spinach are able to grow (albeit less) and established crops as well, but much much more slowly. For instance, Kale plants can be harvested weekly in summer. But right now we have 8 plantings of 4 varieties of Kale (and 6 of Chard) and we’re very careful not to over harvest. Every year we need to remind ourselves how we really need to save some of the kale and harvest less because at this point it takes so long for new leaves to grow. Some farms are excited to harvest and sell everything as soon as they can. With trying to feed our community year round we often play a waiting game of how long can we save this because a bunch of Kale in January in many ways is worth a lot more than one in November and definitely more than one in June.
Special Order Holiday Box
Next week we will be offering our Special Order Thanksgiving Box for pick-up next week TUESDAY. This is not covered in your CSA subscription with box credits but essentially will be 100% Add-Ons. We will be sending you an email by tomorrow (Thursday) with ordering instructions. Some of the goodies we’ll have are Farm Produce including various Lettuces, Spinach, Arugula, Kales, Chard, Cabbages, Beets, Carrots, Cauliflowers, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Onions, Shallots, Potatoes, Herbs, and Winter Squash! Plus we’ll have grain flours and of course dried flowers.
This Week’s Box
Arugula
Kale: Rainbow (SR) OR Curly (WC)
Carrots (SR) OR Mixed Beets (WC)
Napa Cabbage (Classic) OR Baby Bok Choi (Family)
Red Kuri Winter Squash
Bulb Fennel
Scallions
Family: Romanesco Cauliflower
More Produce Notes & Recipes
We’re excited to have the first of our Argula for everyone today. It’s a small 1/4 lb. bag but enough for a small salad. We have this and one newer crop of arugula and hope to have them and spinach on and off through the winter for boxes.
Arugula & Fennel Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette (the Kitchn)
Severs 2-4 as a side
4 ounces (1 bag) arugula, washed and dried
1 small fennel bulb, shaved on a mandoline or thinly sliced
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
Juice of one lemon (~2 Tbs)
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pecorino, to serve
Combine the arugula and shaved fennel in a serving bowl. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a jam jar or other small container with a lid. Shake the dressing until smooth and cream. Dip a leaf of arugula into the dressing and taste; adjust any of the dressing ingredients to taste. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Add more dressing a little bit at a time until you have dressed the salad sufficiently to your liking.
Use a vegetable peeler to shave a few slices of pecorino over the top of the salad. Serve immediately.
Red Kuri Winter Squash (aka Hokkaido squash) is a Hubbard squash. Its teardrop shape, smooth thin skin, and dark orange color make it visually striking, but it’s even better on the inside: a chestnut-sweet, soft flesh that cooks down into a luxurious texture. Hubbard squashes are originally from the 1800s in New England, but Red Kuri took on new life in Japan (Hokkaido), where it was bread for flavor and storability. By the late 20th century, Red Kuri had spread back through Europe, where chefs fell in love with its deep color and complex sweetness. Unlike many Hubbard squashes, it’s small enough for everyday kitchen use and has a thin, edible skin—meaning you can cook it without peeling.
We grew an incredible crop of Red Kuri so you can expect to have them in your boxes at least once more and a bounty on our Add-On list for quite some time.
To Roast
Cut in half and scoop out seeds.
Slice into wedges or cubes.
Toss with oil, salt, and herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage).
Roast at 400°F for 25–35 min until deeply caramelized.
Roasting intensifies sweetness and gives the skin a beautifully chewy texture.
To Make Purée
Roast halves cut side down until very soft.
Scoop flesh into a bowl and mash or blend.
This becomes an incredible base for soups, muffins, risottos, gnocchi, or pies.
For Simple Sautéed Red Kuri (skin on)
Cut into small cubes.
Sauté with butter or olive oil.
It would absolutely work for a Thanksgiving side if you celebrate. And, we’ll have ALL our squash on the list for our Optional Holiday Boxes next week including Butternut, Delicate, Honey Nut, Kabocha.
Red Kuri Squash Gratin with Scallions, Sage & Gruyère
1 Red Kuri squash, seeded and thinly sliced (skin on)
1 large bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
⅓ cup vegetable or chicken broth
1½ cups grated Gruyère (or Comté or aged cheddar)
1 T chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried)
Small pinch nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
Optional: ¼ cup toasted walnuts or hazelnuts
1. Heat oven to 375°F and butter an 8x10 baking dish.
2. Warm butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add scallions with salt and pepper and cook 8–10 minutes until soft and caramelized.
3. Stir in cream, broth, sage and nutmeg. Warm gently 2–3 minutes without boiling.
4. Layer squash in the baking dish, spoon on some scallion-sage cream, and sprinkle Gruyère. Repeat layers, ending with cheese on top.
5. Bake 35–45 minutes until squash is tender and the top is bubbly and golden.
6. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with toasted nuts if using.
Harvesting the Bulb Fennel yesterday morning was an incredibly fresh odoriferous experience. After harvesting in the morning we cleared the bed and planted a new bed of Scallions. It was great to harvest Scallions in the morning and plant a new crop in the afternoon. Both of these crops are somewhere between herbs and vegetables.
Braised Kale, Caramelized Fennel, Scallions & Cider-Butter
1 large bulb fennel, halved, thinly sliced (save fronds)
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1" pieces
1 large bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
3 T butter (or 2 T butter + 1 T olive oil)
½ cup apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
¼ cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1–2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
Salt and black pepper
Optional: squeeze of lemon or splash of cider vinegar
¼ c. toasted walnuts or pecans,
¼ c. dried cranberries
1. Melt butter in a wide pan. Add fennel with salt and pepper and cook 10–12 minutes until softened and caramelized around the edges.
2. Add scallions and cook 2–3 minutes until lightly softened.
3. Stir in chopped kale, adding it in handfuls and letting it wilt before adding more.
4. Add cider, broth, Dijon and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and braise 10–12 minutes until kale is tender and silky.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add a squeeze of lemon or splash of cider vinegar if desired. Scatter chopped fennel fronds or toasted nuts on top before serving.
Extra Shares
Lettuce Share: Lettuce Leaf Mix 🥬
Bunched Greens Share: 🌈 Rainbow Chard