Alas, our farm days are over for this growing season. Our CSA farm closes up shop this week, a bit early due to the wet, wet summer; you should see the poor tomato plants. But the rain didn't ruin everything, as we have big, beautiful butternut squashes, just waiting to be cooked and gobbled up.

Butternut squash is loaded with vitamin A as beta carotene, vitamin C and fiber, along with B vitamins, so you really can't lose by making the most of your winter squash.

One of our favorite dishes is a simple pizza with tomato sauce, roasted butternut squash, shallots and sage leaves, topped with prosciutto and feta cheese. How's that for a fun way to eat your squash?

In a surprising bit of news, researchers from Copenhagen University recently asserted that antioxidant supplements do nothing to extend life and, perhaps even more shocking, that "beta-carotene and vitamins A and E seem to increase mortality."

Even after various outside factors were taken into account, the researchers linked vitamin A supplements to a 16-percent increased risk of dying, beta-carotene to a 7-percent increased risk and vitamin E to a 4-percent increased risk, reported the BBC news in a recent release.

Researchers speculate that taking these supplements may somehow interfere with the body's utilization of vitamins and minerals derived from food sources. Beta-carotene, for instance, is thought to change the way a body utilizes fats. As such, the researchers -- as well as the Department of Health in the U.K. -- urge people to exercise caution when using supplements and, if possible, to get the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet.

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According to scientists, many people are a bit, shall we say, nearsighted when it comes to protecting their eyes. That's because eating a lot of carrots, despite popular belief, will not reverse or prevent poor eyesight. However, there is evidence to support the beneficial role that carrots play in protecting against age-related eye diseases.

Carrots are high in beta-carotene, which, along with other vitamins and minerals (such as vitamins C and E, and leutin) has been shown to stave off macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults.

Eating carrots, so it would seem, is a preventative measure that can be taken against future eye disease, but should not be expected to help you switch to a weaker prescription.

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Our list of super foods is growing by the week. I thought I'd tackle pumpkin this week, not only because it is amazingly good for you, but also because you don't normally think of incorporating pumpkin into your diet this time of year.

When you see that bright orange pumpkin, you know you are looking at beta-carotene, antioxidant of champions. In addition to fighting cancer, boosting your immune system and protecting against heart disease, it tastes great and is easy to incorporate into recipes.

We all know about pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but how to serve pumpkin in the springtime?

Everyday I carry around just a little bit of guilt for robbing my body of all those fruits and vegetables people tell me I should be eating. How does anyone find the time to meet all those dietary recommendations anyway?

Subsequently, I pat myself on the back whenever I remember to drink a little juice -- as that should count against my daily requirement, right?

Apparently not. There's research that does support labeling juice as a healthy beverage (healthier than soda or beer at least), but it still can't provide all the benefits you get from eating good 'ol fashioned solid fruits and veggies. While juice is certainly a good source for nutrients like vitamin C and beta-carotene, they don't contain the anti-oxidants found in skins and peels -- which work to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and some age-related conditions.

So buy a banana, grab some carrots for a snack, eat a few grapes with lunch, put some lettuce on that burger -- you get the idea. Finding creative ways to get those recommended daily servings will be better for you in the long run, and juice just won't cut it.

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