Historically, the scenic piece of land in Turner on which Lounsbury’s River Rise Farm grows was a dairy farm, making for difficult but nutrient-rich soil conditions. “It was purchased as part of a Maine Farmland Trust Conservation Project and divided into three parcels,” says Lounsbury, who bought 200 acres with almost one mile of frontage on the river for farming and for a community supported agriculture (CSA) operation. “It’s been a gradual process of bringing the fields into vegetable production.”

Squash is uniquely native to the Americas, Lounsbury says, and “all squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and winter squash are in the same family.” There are hundreds of varieties of winter squash alone, and just as many ways to prepare each variety. “You can bake it, grill it or use it in a soup,” says Lounsbury. It can be an appetizer as well as a dessert, and she smiles when she adds, “Some people even eat it raw!”

Now harvesting the bounties of its third growing season, the relatively young River Rise Farm planted about 15 varieties of squash this year, as well as a long list of other vegetables. She is only using a small portion of one acre to grow squash currently, but says that will expand as more land is made ready.

Like many varieties of squash, sunshine kabocha, Lounsbury’s favorite, grows in many shades and colors. “My friends say ‘That’s the one I like the best’ (possibly because) it has a very sweet flavor and isn’t terribly fibrous. . . . It also tends to be a little drier, so it works well in soups and anything pureed.” Lounsbury’s recipe for curried kabocha soup, which she offers to us today, can also be prepared using butternut or another firm, dry squash.

While Lounsbury has only been at her River Rise Farm three years, she’s been cooking forever. “I have more cookbooks than anyone should own. I get inspiration from them, and then use whatever I have on hand,” she says.

Butternut is one of the most popular varieties of squash, while delicata is also quite well known. Lounsbury shared her recipe for “delicata rings,” a delicious appetizer prepared like you might a chip. The skin of the delicata is not peeled for this recipe because, like kabocha, it is edible. She serves it with some of the edible flowers she also grows at River Rise Farm.

Varieties like the “wee pumpkin” make a great jack-o-lantern, “but it tastes good too,” says Lounsbury.  The “knucklehead” with its gnarly knobs also makes for a great jack-o-lantern, but it “doesn’t taste that good.”

If you’re looking for a good pie pumpkin, Lounsbury recommends the “winter luxury” variety

Blue Hubbard squash, probably best known for its somewhat uninviting shape, its cumbersomely large size and unique blue-gray coloring, makes a healthy and hearty meal for an entire family when stuffed, according to Lounsbury.

For most of her recipes — except when it comes to baking cakes and cookies — the “ingredients are very fungible,” she says, and she actually recommends mixing and matching various squash, using what you have and varying quantities according to taste.

River Rise Farm also grows galeux d’eysines, which often have an outer skin that resembles brains. “As ugly as it is, it is really good eating,” says Lounsbury.

Lounsbury sends out a regular newsletter to all her CSA members with information and recipes incorporating the produce that members get from the farm. She said the recipes often come from books, online sources and adaptations she and her daughter have come up with.

According to Lounsbury, “this year the winter squash harvest was terrible at her farm because of the weather, very poor pollination and lots of disease, resulting in a limited number of squash for the farm stand” and none of her favorite kabocha.

Lounsbury emphasized that other growers in the area have squash, and encouraged squash lovers to check them out, including: Bell Farms, whose store is on Riverside Drive in Auburn; Mount Apatite Farm, which sells its produce on Hatch Road in Auburn as well as at Old Squire’s Market in Norway on Saturdays; Wallingford’s Fruit House on Perkin’s Ridge Road in Auburn, Ricker Hill Orchards on Route 117 in Turner, Greenwood Orchard at 174 Auburn Road, Turner, Belanger and Sons Farms at 262 Cotton Road, Lewiston, and Blackie’s on Minot Avenue in Auburn.

Lounsbury experiments with varieties each year. “I love trying (to grow) vegetables that are not always easy to come by,” she says. “I want people to have the opportunity to try different things, so in addition to the standards we grow other more unusual varieties.”

Overall, River Rise Farm grows 60 different varieties of vegetables, primarily for its CSA, providing local consumers with an alternative way to purchase locally grown products and support community farmers. At this time “we have a small CSA . . . but we’re hoping to grow that” too, Lounsbury says.

Stuffed blue Hubbard squash

One blue Hubbard squash

Directions:

1. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place it in the oven.

2. Cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven. Drain off the liquid and let stand while you make the stuffing.

For the stuffing:

2 cups wild rice/red rice or other rice combination

1/2 cup nuts (Note: Although Bonnie Lounsbury uses toasted soybeans, any nuts work well adding texture and protein)

1 cup ground cherries

1/2 cup cranberries — dried or fresh — or raisins

1 leek

A green herb for color and flavor, if desired, such as chopped parsley, chopped celeriac stems or even celery

Directions:

1. Cook the rice with water, vegetable broth or chicken stock. Two cups of rice to 3 cups of liquid.

2. Wash the leek thoroughly, chop and saute in a small amount of oil until soft.

3. Husk the ground cherries and place in a bowl.

4. Toss the cooked rice, leek, ground cherries, cranberries, nuts and other greens in a large bowl.

5. Stuff the squash and place it in the oven to heat until the squash has warmed again.

This is a family-size recipe.

Delicata rings

Kale chips have become very popular. Here’s another vegetable “chip.”

2 to 3 delicata squash

3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil or canola oil

Herbs or spices for the top: tarragon, rosemary, sage or cinnamon

Shallots, if desired, for the top. (Note: If you use shallots, fry them in a bit of olive oil or butter until they are brown and crisp. It doesn’t take long, so watch carefully.)

Salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Slice each squash in half horizontally to keep the rings. Scoop out the seeds and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rings. A mandolin will make cutting easier, but a good sharp knife works well. Steady the squash for cutting by poking a fork in the end.

3. Place the rings on an oiled baking pan in a single layer so they do not overlap. Brush slices lightly with oil.

4. Roast for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through. The squash should be lightly browned on each side. If you want them to be crisp, simply cook longer. Sprinkle salt to taste.

5. Five minutes before removing the rings from the oven; sprinkle them with crumbled dry or chopped fresh herbs or spices of your choice. You may also add crispy fried shallots to the top.

Plan on one squash for two people.

Curried kabocha squash soup

Can be made with kabocha, butternut or any other firm dry squash.

1 squash, about 4 pounds

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small piece of fresh ginger, grated

1 heaping teaspoon curry powder, or to taste. For people who do not like curry, substitute cinnamon or a dried green herb like tarragon.

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

1 pint vegetable stock, or water if you do not have vegetable stock

Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for topping if desired

1 tablespoon maple syrup, if desired, to add a touch of sweetness to the soup

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the squash for about 45 minutes or until soft. (Note: Lounsbury suggests baking a kabocha whole, after pricking a few holes in it with a fork, and then scooping out the seeds when the squash is done, before scooping out the flesh. Some people cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds first, then bake the flesh.)

2. Saute the onion in olive or canola oil until it is translucent and slightly browned.

3. Mince and saute the garlic clove.

4. Mince the ginger.

5. Combine the onion, garlic, scooped-out squash, ginger and curry powder in a food processor or blender. Add the coconut milk and water or stock. Blend until smooth and season to taste.

6. Serve plain or with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

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