- Spinach- Spinach & Chive Frittata
- Watercress- Orange Watercress Salad
- Asparagus- Grilled Asparagus
- Nettles- wear gloves to handle, or simply dump greens into boiling water
- Green Onions
- Garlic Chives- mild garlic flavor to be eaten raw on dishes, or lightly cooked
- Eggs
Welcome to the Spring CSA! The box is abundantly green this week and is sure to have a cleansing effect on your bodies. A part of seasonal eating is made more interesting, healthy, and appreciated if I include some wild harvest gatherings in our food repertoire.
I gathered the watercress from the head of a spring which feeds into Waumandee Creek. The spring is clear and cold and pristine as it begins its journey down Yaeger Valley.
The nettles were gathered on Suncrest Gardens Farm while wearing gloves and long sleeves. Nettles join the ranks of kale, spinach, and romaine – touting lots of vitamins and minerals without the expense of a high-caloric intake. Nettles are rich in iron, potassium, Vitamins A, B & C, sulfur, and protein (40%). Finally they possess diuretic properties alleviating water-weight, releasing toxins and purifying the blood. Interested in more info: video and website.
Try nettles in place of spinach – in spanakopita, mixed with hearty grains, a healthy “spinach” dip, or in a soup chockfull of vegetables. (Note: Stinging nettles require care when handling, so use gloves to chop off stems and boil. Once they are cooked, juiced, or macerated, they lose their sting).
I am not sure what kind of asparagus season we will have this year, but right now the harvest is on. Since we had a warm, but dry March, the ground heated up early and most all of the early shoots of asparagus were frozen off throughout April. But as the weather has changed and the rains have thoroughly watered us here over the last week, the asparagus is happy.
Some other seedlings in the garden may not have survived the 5+” of rain we received though during the last week so we will need to replant some of them. We were spared the large hail that destroyed first crop hay, siding, windows, and roofs just down the road in Cream, Waumandee, and Arcadia. It was a wild storm and sent us to the basement. We lost a little soffit on the house, part of the playground was torn off, and the hoophouse took a beating even though it’s still standing. But we are thankful that we were spared major damage and loss.
Wood-Fired Pizza season has begun on the farm. We’re open every Friday 4:30-9pm May-September. We’ll also be open Thursday nights June-August. Just think of the school calendar and our pizza schedule has adjusted to follow that schedule as many families and kids come to the farm. Many updates have been made to the outdoor areas on the farm including a new pizza oven, updated pizza cooking area, new fire pit and outdoor speakers.
It’s been a very busy spring at the farm and we invite you to come out and explore the farm and all its critters!
Eat Well. Smile Often.