Local Food: With the autumnal equinox behind us and the weather cooling down, baking and roasting season comes into full swing. Hazendale, Riverside and Mystic Morning Farm grow winter squash, the thicker skinned and cold stored cousin to summer squash like zucchini. When roasted, winter squash like the acorn, butternut, pumpkin, hubbard and delicata (or sweet potato) sweeten and brighten, lending an earthy and bright flavor along with intense color. With just a pinch of salt, the squash speaks for itself when added to the crab cake and scallops. Butternut squash adds creaminess to the baby spinach salad with red onions, Bayley Hazen blue cheese, spiced walnuts and maple balsamic vinegar. Steven halves roasted pumpkins from Riverside Farm, and fills them with crunchy wheatberries and oats from Butterworks Farm and other fall flavors like onions, apples, kale and Constant Bliss cheese and tofu from Vermont Soy.

At the Bar: Come in to enjoy our Sunday and Monday drink specials. This Sunday, October 2 we offer a $2.50 pint of Rock Art, a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Riverbend Red. The Apple Cider Car, with Champlain Orchards cider, Flag Hill Farm Pomme de Vie apple brandy and vodka is offered for $5.

Around the Galaxy: This is Banned Books Week and Galaxy is celebrating the freedom to read. Find a great link to challenged books here. Also, start getting some extra sleep now - the 4th Annual Read-a-Thon to benefit Hardwick Head Start begins on September 30th. Stop by Galaxy, look here or call 472-5533 for details.

Music Notes: Rustbucket Brothers return this Thursday, September 30 at 7:30. Support local music and get down with their rootsy Americana rock and country with a helping of Green Mountain soul.

Shake it Like a Leaf: Celebrate the harvest and all of your hard work this summer with a dance party at Claire's! Get your groove on with DJ Nukem on Friday, October 14 from 10pm-2am. Bring your ID and dancing shoes! 21 and over only please.

Local Events: The premiere Fall Open Studio Weekend is October 1 and 2. Support local art and get a view of Vermont's early foliage. Bring us a receipt from a participating open studio, and we'll buy you dessert!

Saturday, October 1 is Hill Farmstead Brewery's 2011 Harvest Festival, celebrating the season. From 12-5 you can sample amazing beer, local food and live music. $10 covers admission and two tasting tickets.

The final Center for an Agricultural Economy farm tour of the season is Thursday, October 20. The tour starts promptly at 10 and will visit area farms and agri-businesses. Please register at least seven days before the tour. Contact Elena with questions at 802-472-5840 ext. 2 or elena@hardwickagriculture.org.

Remember to mark your calendars for October 6, NOFA-VT's upcoming Share the Harvest annual event that benefits their Farm Share program. The Farm Share program is a great way that limited-income Vermonters can afford to purchase CSA shares of fresh produce from their local farmers. Dine with us on the 6th and help us donate a portion of our sales to the program.

Rosh Hashanah begins Thursday, September 29. Best wishes for a good and sweet new year. L'shanah tovah!

Reminders: Beginning in October, we will return to our fall schedule and close on Wednesdays.

We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!