Spring has arrived, and we’re rolling into a new CSA season with some great days in the field behind us.  Over the years, we’ve learned what a difference a single day of relatively dry soils can make, and we were lucky enough to have had TWO consecutive days to begin working in cover crop, prepping beds and planting.  What a gift that was!  Mark, Cathryn, Kelly and I even got to take a new piece of equipment out for a spin after weeks and weeks and weeks of waiting--an implement that will allow us to ride along slowly and transplant from a recumbent seated position as we work from row to row. (Mark’s calling it the chariot; however, we understand that there are clear problems with this title.  Please, don’t get him started.)

We’re constantly looking for ways to perform our work that are easier on our bodies, and this can be challenging for a farm of our awkward “bigger than small, smaller than big” scale.  The small tools aren’t necessarily efficient or sturdy enough, and the big tools are excessive or out of the question financially.  We’ve wanted to invest in tool like this for quite some time, but we’ve had difficulty justifying the expense.  But thanks to a bit of ingenuity (and the willingness of our crew to give it a try), Mark devised a mockup, fastening together some lengths of metal, an old set of tires, an axel and a couple of outdoor cushions.  Soon after, he applied for and was awarded a Pierce County Small Business Innovation Matching Grant that allowed us to purchase the real thing.  We’re so thankful and SO excited to put it to use in growing for you all this year. 

I say it every year, but Spring really is our most diverse season of the year, with one foot in Winter as we round out March and another one reaching out toward Summer in May.  We tend to start out by working through the last of the crops that we have overwintered and stored, and before we know it, we’ll put the hunger gap behind us and put all kinds of new growth on the table.  But for now, all eyes are on the incredible eggs that these hens of ours are laying and the overwintered Purple Sprouting Broccoli and flowering Kale Raab the crew has harvested today.  We hope you enjoy these Springtime treats--stem, leaf and all, raw, roasted, steamed or otherwise!

Happy Spring,
Katie

IN THE FARMSHARES THIS WEEK:

Purple Sprouting Broccoli and/or
Flowering Kale Raab
Shallots
Potatoes and/or Fuji Apples
Frozen Blueberries

SEASONAL RECIPES, TIPS & INFO:

Purple Sprouting Broccoli Recipe Collection - BBC Good Food
Kale Rapini Spread - Food In Jars
Please Do Eat the (Kale) Flowers - PDX Monthly
Fried Shallots - Serious Eats

CARAMELIZED SHALLOT PASTA
Alison Roman

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 6 large shallots, very thinly sliced

• 5 garlic cloves, 4 thinly sliced, 1 finely chopped

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

• 1 (2-ounce) can anchovy fillets (about 12), drained

• 1 (4.5-ounce) tube or (6-ounce) can of tomato paste (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)

• 10 ounces pasta

• 1 cup parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped

• Flaky sea salt

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

ALL-PURPOSE VINAIGRETTE (FEATURING SHALLOTS!)
Jenny Rosenstrach & Andy Ward

• ½ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

BAKED CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST
Molly Yeh

• 6 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 cup whole milk

• 2/3 cup part-skim or whole-milk ricotta

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 6 large eggs

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 12 thick-sliced (3/4- to 1-inch) day-old challah bread slices

• 1 cup frozen blueberries

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

BROCCOLI RUBBLE FARRO SALAD
Smitten Kitchen

• Salt

• 1 cup semi-pearled farro

• 1 pound broccolini or regular broccoli (previously: 2 pounds, see note)

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Red pepper flakes, to taste

• Finely grated zest, then juice, of 1 lemon (juice before zesting only if you enjoy being grumpy)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 4 ounces pecorino romano, grated or ground in a food processor

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

BREAKFAST BROCCOLI BAKE (One of Mark's Faves to Make)
Cooktoria

• 4 cups of cooked bite-sized, broccoli florets (steamed or boiled)

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup of grated Provolone cheese

• 1/2 cup of whole milk

• 1/2 cup of feta cheese crumbles

• 2 tbsp. of finely chopped parsley

• salt and pepper to taste

CONTINUE TO RECIPE