From Horse Manure to Zephyr Squash Primavera

How did this...



Turn into this?



Answer: gardening. Elise and I moved out of the city in large part to get closer to our food. That meant farms where we could purchase meat, eggs, dairy, fruits and veggies, but also having the space to grow some of our own. At first the garden looked like this:



Fortunately, now it looks like this.



We have two beds this size, crammed with heirloom tomatoes, French sorrel, strawberries, basil, cilantro, broccoli rabe, canary melons, cucumbers, arugula, crookneck and zephyr squash, peppers, and marigolds for (alleged) pest control. Last night we harvested some fresh basil and our first zephyr squash, which became the basis for our evening meal.



What better way to turn horse poop into pasta sauce?

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Recipe: Zephyr Squash Primavera

1 zephyr (or zucchini or crookneck or other summer squash) per person
1 good quality can of tomatoes (or actual tomatoes)
2 cloves of garlic
pasta of your choosing
1 small handful crumbled goat cheese per person
several leaves of fresh basil, chopped at the last possible minute
crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil

Sautee the garlic and pepper in the olive oil. Add the squash, cut into thin disks. Toss to coat. Sautee until just tender but still firm. (Overdoing it will remind you why many people don't like squash.) Add tomatoes, salt to taste. Pour over cooked pasta. Top with goat (or other) cheese and basil.