Fun facts about dairy cows
The dairy farmers across America send many thanks to consumers for buying milk, cheese and other dairy products!
Read More
It’s fall! I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to write that line.
I love fall. The weather cools down, the leaves begin to change, food becomes cozy, and I can finally wear my extensive wardrobe of hoodies and jeans. Harvest is right around the corner, school has begun, and football season is in full swing. Life might be perfect!
My favorite fruit, apples, have also hit the markets fresh off the trees, and all things apple and pumpkin flavored are filling the shelves. I won’t lie: I’m more of an apple cider than a pumpkin spice fan. But pumpkin spice is growing on me, especially when it has a strong cinnamon flavor. Still, there’s one fruit–yes, fruit–that often gets left out of the fall discussion: squash!
Botanically, squash is a fruit because it develops from a flower and contains seeds. In the kitchen, though, we usually treat it as a vegetable because of its savory flavor. There are two types: summer squash, which includes zucchini, yellow squash and pattypan squash; and winter squash, which includes butternut, acorn, spaghetti squash and pumpkins.
Personally, I love squash. When I was little, Grandma would take zucchini that had grown just a bit too big and slice them really thin. She’d bread them with flour, salt, and pepper, then fry them until they were crisp little chips. Now my mom makes them, and I can honestly make an entire meal out of those fried zucchini crisps!
Some of my favorite cold-weather meals use winter squash, too. I love creamy butternut squash soup with crispy garlic croutons on a damp fall night. When snow is falling, a baked acorn squash filled with sausage and rice hits the spot perfectly. Spaghetti squash is a delicious alternative to spaghetti any time of year.
The great thing about squash is that it’s relatively inexpensive, and once you chop it up, it makes a lot of food. It’s good for you, too. Summer squash has about 20 to 30 calories per cooked cup. It’s low in carbohydrates and provides fiber, protein, vitamin C, potassium and B vitamins. Winter squash has about 45 to 80 calories per cooked cup, along with 10 to 16 grams of carbohydrates, two to three grams of fiber and protein, and vitamins A and C, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Squash can help support healthy eyes, regular digestion and heart and immune health. And when you buy locally grown squash, you’re supporting Ohio farmers.
Ohio ranks eighth in the nation for squash production. Ohio farmers grow roughly 1,000 to 1,800 acres of squash each year, equaling about $12.9 million. Huron County is the state’s leading producer, with more than 500 acres, followed by Greene, Williams, Sandusky and Lorain counties. Farmers plant summer squash after the last spring frost and harvest it between July and September. Winter varieties are planted in May and harvested in the fall. Because winter squash stores well and travels well, we can enjoy that harvest long after the leaves have fallen.
So this fall, as you’re picking up a pumpkin spice latte or an apple cider doughnut, don’t forget to bring home a squash. From Black Beauty zucchini to Blue Hubbard squash, farmers markets and supermarkets offer all kinds of ways to enjoy Ohio’s harvest. Try a new recipe, or make an old favorite as the evenings grow cooler. There’s something comforting about coming inside from the crisp air, pulling on a hoodie, and settling in with a warm bowl of butternut squash soup. It’s one of those simple moments that makes fall feel like fall.
Submitted by Christen Clemson, a member of the Trumbull County Farm Bureau who completed her Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University. She and her family have a farm in Mecca Township.
OFBF Mission: Working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
Featured Articles
Check in on each other
Check on your kids. Check on the friend who has been unusually quiet. Check on the farmer who hasn’t been at the coffee shop lately. Check on the person who is always the strong one for everyone else.
And when someone tells you they are struggling, listen.
Understanding your cattle brings benefits
Knowing how a certain cow acts or responds can often indicate something about her health and well-being as well.
Read More
It’s finally fall on the farm
This fall, as you’re picking up a pumpkin spice latte or an apple cider doughnut, don’t forget to bring home a squash.
Read More
Preparing for emergencies saves time, money
Preparation may not be as exciting as purchasing new equipment, but when an emergency occurs, it can be one of the best investments you ever make.
Read More
Grange ties families with agriculture
The Grange was a place to meet with and get to know your neighbors in a safe, family-friendly atmosphere.
Read More