Welcome back, everyone!
Two items for housekeeping this week before we get into our first updates of the season:
Don't forget to bring a bag to pickup! If you have gently used brown paper bags that you are willing to donate to our store, we'd love to accept them for those who may forget their bag.
If you owe a balance for your share or milk add-on, it is due at the time of pickup. Please email us at laurelglenfarm@gmail.com if you are unsure of your balance.
First of all, the voice of this newsletter is always me, Victoria. I always write on behalf of Randy and I as well as the rest of our farm crew. You can catch me in the farm store on Saturday mornings and some weekday afternoons. Admittedly, as we prep for our son Peter to head off to pre-school this fall, I've taken a slight step back from the hours that I'm scheduled in the store in order to soak in this time with him. But I'll be around because I wouldn't want to miss seeing you, either!
Whenever you write an email, you can always comfortably address it to Victoria - I am the one who reads and writes all of our emails.
Now let's get into what's happening!
The weather last week was a nightmare. Between the harsh wind and the cold night temperatures, we were forced to push back a lot of our field planting that was on the agenda until this Monday. The lettuce is so unhappy, as they've outgrown their transplant plugs. They'll rebound once we get them in the ground, but it'll push back our expected harvest date slightly. Not to worry, since there's plenty of lettuce already in the ground.
I once saw this piece of advice about socializing that said something like, "Unless you're a farmer, don't resort to making small talk about weather." Well, if you're new to the farming world, fair warning: we talk about weather in our newsletters a lot!
Congratulations to ticket holder number 701515, who won a grilling pan! A ticket was attached to each welcome letter, so check yours! No one has claimed it yet, and if we don't hear from the winner by Wednesday, we'll redraw.
And, speaking of raffles, we're running a raffle in our store this week: Make a purchase and you'll earn a ticket to put into a drawing for a salad kit, including some ingredients and a salad dressing of your choice from Hopkins Inn. (New vendor alert!)
Now, speaking of new vendors, check out our email on Tuesday, May 3rd, which will be sent out to our entire mailing list. It'll introduce all of the new vendors and products that you can expect to find in our store this season. A couple of shipments will be trickling in this week in anticipation of our Grand Opening on Saturday, May 7th, so if it's missing for your pickup earlier this week, you can expect to find it in stock next week.
To avoid boring you all with repeated information, the email on Tuesday will cover absolutely everything that's happening in the store. We have special events happening on opening day and a BOGO free potted bulb sale. Mother's Day hanging baskets will also be available this week: $22 each or 2 for $40. How are you ever going to pick a favorite?! And, our garden seedling sale will be next Saturday, May 14th from 9 to 4. Phew!
While the weather was so awful last week, we were able to clean up our herb beds alongside the greenhouse.
The crew planted sage, summer savory, and cilantro for harvest later this season. Our mint, oregano, and thyme are all perennials that came back, our shiso reseeded itself, and basil, dill, and parsley will all be planted later this spring.
In your share this week, you're receiving kale that has been overwintered. One of our members said this is her absolute favorite crop we grow - and it only happens once! When you leave kale plants in the ground over the winter, the freezing temps help the plant to convert its energy to sugar, which leaves the flavor of the kale so sweet. You'll notice that the leaves are much smaller than kale leaves that you're used to. Overwintered kale will never grow back in its full form, so we harvested the tops right off the plant for your bunch this week. Despite the size, the flavor is fierce, and we think you'll enjoy it however you decide to use it this week.
You can always head over to our Library of Resources for recipes, storage tips, and general information about all of the crops we grow.
A couple of weeks ago, we planted a fruit orchard at our Booth Hill Rd. property (affectionately known around here as "Booth Hill"). Randy has been studying up on how to grow fruit trees, and it's been a dream of his to make this happen for a while. We dug holes and planted 44 apple trees (in 6 different varieties), 44 peach trees, and 11 plum trees. If you're new here, we planted table grapes, raspberries, and blackberries last spring, which should be ready for their first harvest next season. The fruit trees will take approximately 5 years to yield.
Can you guess what vicious predator this tubing protects the tree from?
Bunnies! Believe it or not, they nibble on the buds and bark.
While we're busy at Waverly Rd. on opening day, Randy and the crew will be planting our mystery fruit crop here at Booth Hill. Can you guess what it is? Here's your one and only hint: the plants are on their way from Canada! Stay tuned to find out what strange and trendy fruit crop we're taking on.
This season we decided to grow microgreens, and we are so happy that they're ready now! This week you're receiving a small tray that you can cut when you're ready to use them. Microgreens are simply seedlings - in this case, a mix of greens like kale, mustard, cabbage, and kohlrabi. The benefit of microgreens is that they are extremely nutrient dense - moreso than their full-grown version. But did you know that the second you harvest a vegetable it starts losing nutrients? This is why we harvest for your shares the day before you receive them. It's also why we're giving you the microgreens, dirt and all, so that you can cut them yourselves. They'll continue to grow and hang on for a while in a sunny spot, so you can treat it like a houseplant and snip off a handful when you're ready to use it. Our best suggestion for using microgreens is to use them as a garnish on stir-fry and salad, put them on a sandwich or burger, or throw them into a smoothie. Below, you'll also find a list of 30 suggestions for using microgreens.
And finally, happy birthday to our little buddy, Peter, who turns 3 on May 3rd! If you catch him around the farm, say hi. He loves to show off his cowboy hat and boots and can usually be found looking for a tractor to drive.
In Your Share (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1 bunch of Tokyo bekana
1 head of lettuce
1 bunch of kale
1 bunch of scallions
2 lbs. of leeks
1 tray of microgreens
1 bunch of oregano
Small:
1 bunch of Tokyo bekana
1 bunch of kale
1 bunch of scallions
1 lb. of leeks
1 tray of microgreens
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources
Store Tokyo bekana, lettuce, leeks, and kale in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Store scallions roots-down in a glass of water in the fridge, like a bouquet. Cover the greens with a plastic bag. Or, store in a plastic bag in the fridge and use within the week.
Wrap oregano in a paper towel and put it in a plastic bag in the fridge for a week.
Store microgreens in a sunny spot on your windowsill. Water lightly when the soil is dry. Snip and rinse greens when you're ready to use.
The LGF Cooking Club (Recipes to try in addition to those in the Library of Resources!)
30 Minutes or Less:
Large Share Additional Ingredients:
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