Autumn is upon us!

Just been watching Saturday Kitchen, bit of a ritual in our house, and I was really taken with Valentine Warner's What to Eat Now... he'd visited a farm in Oxfordshire called Forge Farm, and I was really impressed with the American owners' philosophy... The Klaes family built the farm from reclaimed materials, and have farmed there for over 20 years. It is a family run business, holding true to the ethics of organic farming in all aspects of farming life.
Their speciality is organic pumpkins, squash and maize corn.
They really came across as a family run farm where every seed mattered... just lovely. One variety of pumpkin was a little bluish one, which the owner suggested you cut the top off, scoop out the seeds, stick in a knob of butter and some seasoning and microwave for 5 minutes..... I shall try that as it looked delicious!
We have a great farm shop near us, and it is piled high at the moment with seasonal Autumn vegetables and fruit. The most striking thing as you approach is the huge mountain of pumpkins...ranging from tiny little ones to ones so enormous they don't seem real. I'm on the search for a pumpkin big enough to carve, with enough flesh to make Pumpkin Soup for everyone at the Halloween party we're going to later.

PS Just googled Forge Farm and it is only about a twenty minute drive from here.... I'm going to track myself down a little blue pumpkin for my lunch next week!