Holy cow! Opening day was record-breaking - we had a 60% increase in visitors from our opening day last season, and even that day was incredible! It truly was an amazing day to see all of our customers again after some time off. But it occurred to me, the reason I feel like it was a short winter is because we've been able to stay connected online. What a beautiful thing!
Don't forget to join and post in our members' private Facebook group. This is how we stay connected during the season and share recipes. I've already heard from a few people who were eyeing the shrimp bowls that Sonya posted about.
This is all that's left of our hanging baskets after Saturday. They'll still be $22 each or 2 for $40 this week, so make sure you snatch yours up if you haven't yet.
This weekend we planted a new mystery fruit crop. And technically, since the email to our mailing list won't come out until next Tuesday, you'll be the first to learn of its identity if you're reading this before then!
Introducing...
Photo from Michigan Bulb Co.
Honeyberries! Also known as haskap berries or blue honeysuckle, these little fruits look like elongated, dark purple grapes. Honeyberries are native to Russia and Japan and are typically grown in colder climates. Our plants were shipped from Canada and passed a rigorous inspection before being imported into the country to ensure that they didn't carry any pests or diseases in.
The reason we've decided to keep the identity a secret until now is because honeyberries are still pretty rare in the United States. To be honest, we sometimes feel like we're riding on other Connecticut farms' coattails, and this felt like something we could relish in as a unique offering. Honeyberries take 3 years to yield a full crop, so we have some time ahead of us to nuture these plants properly until they're ready.
Supposedly (because we don't even know!), honeyberries taste like a cross between raspberries and blueberries, with maybe a hint of kiwi or grape. They're anti-inflammatory and full of nutrients. We can't wait to harvest them!
Here are some snaps of the crew, who planted on Saturday in the rain. We planted 600 plants!
Can you keep a secret until our mailing list learns about our mystery crop?
In other planting news, we planted 4,400 heads of lettuce, escarole, and radicchio this week. These will be ready for the early weeks of our Main Season portion of the program in June. We also saved some space for another succession planting of lettuce, which we'll fill into the beds in two weeks or so.
If you look closely at the photo, most of the lettuce transplants look worrisome, laying flat on the biodegradable plastic. This is typically the case for any transplants, but after a few days, they spring right back up.
Our seedling sale is happening this Saturday, May 14th (and beyond!) On Saturday from 9 to 4 we're having Garden Starter Seedling Kit pickup as well. We'll have tons of transplants for your gardens available for purchase in our barnyard, including:
Slicing and grape tomatoes
Eggplant
Orange and red bell peppers
Red and green lettuce
Green beans
Broccoli and kale
Slicing and pickling cucumbers
Yellow squash and zucchini
Watermelon and cantaloupe
Pumpkins
Basil, dill, cilantro, scallions, oregano, mint, and sage
Sunflowers, zinnias, and snapdragons
Plants will be $4 for singles or 3 for $10. 2-packs will be $4 each or 2 for $7. 4-packs will be $8 each or 2 for $15. Bring a box or crate to transplant your seedlings home. We also recommend bringing cash for a faster transaction in the barnyard, though we can accept credit cards inside the store as always.
If you're new to the program, don't forget that you can always reference our Library of Resources to find information about every single crop that's in your share as well as storage tips and recipe ideas for using it. This week, you're all receiving pea tendrils, which are a member favorite in the early portion of the program. Here's a snippet about them from the Library of Resources.
Pea Tendrils
Overview: Pea tendrils, also known as pea shoots, are harvested in early spring from a variety of a snap pea plant that is specifically grown for its tender, young greens. You can eat the whole plant either raw or cooked. Remove any thick, woody stems if you see them.
And the collard greens this week were overwintered, just like last week's kale. You can expect them to be small (not big enough for wraps), but very sweet!
Finally, say hello to Steve, who represented us at the Trumbull Farmers' Market this past week! He'll be there this season, so if you're looking to check it out, it's on Unity Rd. in Trumbull on Thursdays from 4-7. Our other markets start up later this spring.
In Your Share (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1 bunch of pea tendrils
1/2 lb. of Asian greens mix
2 heads of escarole
1 head of lettuce
1 bunch of radishes
1 bunch of collard greens
1 lb. of leeks
Small:
1 bunch of pea tendrils
1/3 lb. of Asian greens mix
1 head of escarole
1 head of lettuce
1 bunch of radishes
1 bunch of collard greens
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources
Store pea tendrils, lettuce, escarole, leeks, and collards in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Store Asian greens mix in the bag in the fridge. Wash and spin out when ready to use.
Remove the greens from the radishes and store them in separate Ziploc bags in the fridge. Wash when ready to use. (You can eat the greens!)
The LGF Cooking Club (Recipes to try in addition to those in the Library of Resources!)
30 Minutes or Less:
Mix together the Asian greens, collard greens, escarole, pea tendrils, and even the radish greens, and grill them like this (you'll need a grill pan): https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/leafy-greens-with-spicy-garlic-oil
Large Share Additional Ingredients: