Rites of Spring
Another Spring has arrived, and thankfully, the seasonal cues are all there--rushing to work with the soil on drier days, scrambling to plant in the field between squalls, finding the first few tiny pullet eggs from the youngest flock, seeing the propagation houses fill up with seedlings, and falling prey to the allure of extended daylight. We're suckers for some sunlight, but those morning frosts are sobering reminders of the variable arc of the coming months. Spring is our most diverse season of the year, with one foot in winter as we ease out of March and another toe stretching out toward Summer by May. We'll work our way through the last of the overwintering crops and enjoy the first signs of new growth. A whole lot can (and does) happen in Springtime, so I hope you enjoy watching it unfold how it may over the next ten weeks on the farm and at your tables.
We're going to start the season off with Braising Greens from the field, Springtime style--overwintered Baby Collards, Italian Chard, Baby Kale and bits of Flowering Raab are pictured above. The crew harvested the components today, and Mark will head out to give them a good wash and mix this evening. The Large Shares will also enjoy some Dandelion Greens from one of the greenhouses this week. For a quick weeknight prep, I like both the bitter Dandelion and the frost-sweetened Braising Greens cooked up with Garlic and Chili Flakes like this. But, options for Soups, Salads and Egg Dishes of all kinds abound. In fact, that's your homework over the next two months--find a way or two that you like to eat your greens that requires minimal effort and maximum yum. I've included a few that I like this week, and I'm sure our members will have some to share too.
Happy Spring,
Katie