Hi members!
We're really excited to welcome you, or welcome you back, to the farm this season. The demand for farm fresh food is overwhelming this year, in the best way! So many people were hoping to support local businesses during these unprecedented times, and we're so appreciative and glad you found us.
If you didn't get a chance, I recommend watching the orientation video to get you started with this experience. I've been wracking my brain thinking about how to help you make the most of your subscription this year, and I hope these resources (videos, revamped newsletters, and Facebook group) are helpful.
We've been spending so much time getting ready for this program and getting ready for our stand opening this week that we've kind of been starting to fall behind on our planting schedule. Randy is hoping to get the peppers and melons planted later this week. We also need to make sure that we stay on top of replacing anything we harvest; in this case this week, that means the lettuce. We're disappointed that so much of the lettuce in the greenhouse rotted due to watering becoming more difficult. As the leaves get bigger, it sticks to the soil and ends up getting rotten, meanwhile the soil is blocked by the leaves from getting adequately soaked. It's quite a balance. Be sure to watch Randy's video below for more farming updates.
Randy's cousin Amanda and our neighbor Frannie having fun at the wash station.
What week is it? Do I get a share this week?
This week is called 1A. The 1 stands for the first week out of 20 total weeks. The A stands for which group of biweekly members are scheduled. Biweekly A members are those who have a biweekly farm pickup only. Next week will be called 2B. Biweekly B members are those who have a biweekly delivery. We will follow that pattern from there. 3A, 4B, 5A, 6B and so on. Weekly members can disregard the letter A and B, as it will not apply to you. If you are unsure if you are scheduled, please reference the letter to help you.
What's for sale in the stand?
To be honest, I didn't get a chance to update our own products! We also have rhubarb, summer savory, sage, beet greens, spinach, lettuce, salad turnips, radishes, chamomile flowers for tea, and more!
A Message from Randy:
The Unbagging:
Contents:
Small:
1 bunch of asparagus
1 head of lettuce
1 bunch of broccoli raab
1 small bunch of radishes
Small bag of spinach
Small bag of Asian mix
Large:
1 bunch of asparagus
1 head of lettuce
2 bunches of broccoli raab
1 large bunch of radishes
Large bag of spinach
Large bag of Asian mix
Caring For Your Share:
Cut the very bottoms of asparagus off and store the stems in shallow water in the fridge. Trim off the ends of the stems when ready to scrub off and use.
Swish the broccoli raab in a bowl of cold water to remove dirt, then wrap them in a paper towel in the refrigerator.
Store the radishes and greens in separate Ziploc bags in the fridge.
Wrap the head of lettuce in a moist paper towel, shaking out excess water first Remove any bad leaves. Put it in the crisper. Wash and spin out when ready to use.
Store bags of Asian mix and spinach in the fridge. Wash and spin out when ready to use.
LGF Cooking Club:
I was inspired by our members, Ainsley and Stephanie, who both made a risotto during the last week of our spring program. Here's a recipe for an asparagus risotto. Ainsley recommended using radish greens in it as well. I'm thinking I'll cook this at the end of the week to use up whatever is in my fridge. https://www.acouplecooks.com/asparagus-risotto/
I can't wait to try this one with cheese tortellini from Durante's pasta! I think I'll include spinach in with it as well: https://www.abeautifulplate.com/orecchiette-with-spicy-sausage-broccoli-rabe-olives-and-sun-dried-tomatoes/
I'm going to mix the lettuce with the Asian mix for a tasty salad, adding chicken for protein: https://www.fivehearthome.com/mixed-greens-salad-with-mandarins-toasted-almonds-sesame-ginger-vinaigrette/
I shared this in last week's newsletter, but never got around to it. Maybe I'll try this feta dip for my radishes this week: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/feta-dip-with-watermelon-radishes
If that doesn't sound appealing, try roasting your radishes, which calms the spice down a little bit: https://www.saltandlavender.com/simple-roasted-radishes-recipe/
Any more suggestions? Add them to our discussion on our 2020 Subscription Members page on Facebook. Click on the community tab and scroll down until you see the group. Request to join the group so I can approve your name.
Cooking Tip(s) of the Week:
This is a great, simple article about storing lettuce properly: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/tips-tricks-keep-lettuce-fresh/