Strawberry picking in some soggy fields!

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Week THREE! - We are providing the e-news for ALL shareholders, however only Full Share and Week A Half Shares pick up this week!

 

Farm News from Farmer Heather
 
Welcome to Week 3!
We like to switch up who writes the newsletter from time to time so that our shareholders get to know all the folks involved in growing their food. This week it is me! Hello! I'm Heather, Wellspring's assistant farm manager. Many of you might recognize my name from all of the emails I bombard you with regarding CSA deliveries/payments/etc. In addition to helping to grow the food, I coordinate the CSA program registration and logistics. As is the nature in small nonprofits, I have also taken on several other responsibilities within the organization including some bookkeeping, developing our new website (yay!), and planning more on-farm events!
 
Farmer's favorite vegetable: I love beets! If you see pictures of beets on a lot of our marketing material, it is most likely my fault.
 
A native Wisconsinite, I began my career in growing food as an intern at Wellspring in 2012. After graduating from college with a degree in geography and minors in GIS & biology, I worked in urban planning for awhile in Chicago until I was no longer able to suppress a nagging aspiration to help redefine farming practices and create an equitable food system that sustains both the land and its population. As a longtime science nerd and food enthusiast, I quickly fell in love with farming and found it be the perfect vocational application of my science background as well as a good outlet for my need to be in constant motion. I find the most rewarding thing as a grower is the creation, overseen from start to finish, of this tangible product that tastes delicious, provides nourishment, and can be shared with others, like you! It is an honor to be a part of feeding our 150 shareholders and their family and friends. Thank you for choosing us to grow your food!
 
Now on to some farm updates...
Five and a half. That is how many inches of rain we have gotten here since Tuesday morning. Bacterial and fungal diseases thrive in prolonged wet conditions so that amount of rain really put me on edge yesterday. In a perfect farming world (ha!), one inch of rainfall per week is ideal. But this is Wisconsin! And as our worker share, Karen, reminded me on Wednesday, post-5 hr downpour, we should have no expectations for the weather anymore. Farming really is all about doing your best to work WITH nature, not against it. Sometimes (or most times), you just need a reminder to help shift your focus to what you can do given the circumstances. 
Given the heavy rainfall, most of the crops have more "farm" on them this week, despite our best wash station efforts. The lettuce heads are especially difficult to get clean because the rains wedge the dirt down in between the leaves. I suggest cutting the core out (over the sink) and swishing the loose leaves around in a bowl of water. The dirt sinks to the bottom of the bowl, so you can skim the leaves off the top and wrap in a towel to store. 
The strawberries are cranking out in the field right now. We will have some extra pints for sale at the farm during pickup today, so bring cash or check if you have concerns about your willpower to not eat an entire pint before you even get home. 
 
Happy Solstice Weekend!


What's In the Box and Where Does It Go? 

 

CROP                          FRIDGE?            NOTES/VARIETY

 

Scallions                         Yes                   also called green onions

Radishes                        Yes                  Cherriette

Lettuce Heads                Yes                 Salanova, New Red Fire, Frisee

Strawberries                   Yes                  Don't wash until ready to eat! 

Chard                              Yes                 Rainbow

Escarole                         Yes            looks like lettuce, but a bitter green,  related to endive

Kale                                 Yes                      Curly Green

Sage                                Yes (unless drying it)

Basil seedling                  No                   plant it in a pot or in the ground!

 

Storage Tips 
 
   Though we wash all of the vegetables after harvest, it is impossible to get every last bit of dirt off of them all. Therefore we recommend giving all the greens another wash before storing in a bag/container with a piece of paper towel, in your crisper drawer. 
   Later on in the week if your greens start to get limp, remember that this does not mean that they are rotting, it simply means that they have lost some water weight.  A quick soak in ice cold water will rejuvenate them. 
   For the radishes, separating the greens from the roots will keep them crisp longer since the greens take moisture from the roots. The greens are edible too, so don't compost them!
   An important note on the strawberries: Normally, we suggest not washing the strawberries until you are ready to eat them. Yesterday's day-long rain shower forced us to harvest the berries wet. Therefore, if you don't plan to eat them right away (today or tomorrow), lay them out on a paper towel to dry a bit before storing in the fridge. Wet berries go bad faster (read: mold), which is also why we never wash our berries before putting them in the boxes.
   For best storage practices for all your fresh fruits and veggies, check out this great resource from the Berkeley Farmers Market
 
Save those scrapes! Keep the stems, trimmings, peels, etc from your veggie prep each week in a gallon bag in the freezer. When you accumulate enough, you can make a delicious, homemade vegetable stock...from seemingly nothing at all! Check out this blog post for the details on how to do it.
 
Recipes from our intern, Christina, this week!
 
Savory Cheese and Scallion Scones with Cream Cheese and Feta
Makes 8 large scones or 12 small ones

 

2� to 3 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons baking powder (make sure it's fresh!)
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (I use sheep/goat milk)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened in the microwave 15-30 seconds (you want it very soft)
4 scallions (green onions), green & white parts, chopped
1 cup organic whole milk or half and half
1 large egg

 

Optional Egg glaze:
Beat 1 egg and 2 Tablespoons organic milk (or half and half) well with a fork

 

1. Heat the oven to 400�. 
2. Combine 2� cups of the flour, the baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add the cheeses & toss gently with a fork until combined.

4. Add the scallions & toss gently with a fork until combined.

5. Beat the milk or half and half with the egg and gently it fold into the dry ingredients, mixing lightly until a soft dough forms. Add up to 1/2 cup additional flour if the dough is too sticky.

6. On a floured surface, gently pat the dough into a circle approximately 1-inch thick (or into two smaller circles for 12 scones). The key to tender scones is to handle the dough as little as possible and with a light touch.

 With a sharp knife (I use a large serrated knife dipped in flour), cut the circle(s) into 8 or 12 wedges and place them on a heavy duty baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper.

7. Brush the tops and sides of the scones with the egg glaze if desired, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm, or cool completely and refrigerate or freeze in a heavy zipper bag or airtight container.
 
 
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Escarole (and other greens!) 
adapted from Cooking Light
 
 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups finely chopped onion
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs or sage
  • 1 (1 1/2-ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
  • 8 cups chopped escarole (supplement with kale, chard, radish greens, etc)
  • 1 cup chopped carrot
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
 Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, and saut� for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and saut� for 30 seconds. Add vegetable broth and the next 5 ingredients (through cheese rind); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in escarole and carrot; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrot is tender. Stir in red pepper, salt, black pepper, and vinegar. Remove and discard rind; sprinkle soup with shaved cheese.
 

Summer Swiss Chard

from Running to the Kitchen

 

  

Yield: 2 side dish servings

  • 1 large bunch of swiss chard
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large pot on medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots, saut� until fragrant. Wash swiss chard, trimming off the ends. Cut off remaining stems from leaves and chop into 1 inch size pieces, add to pot with garlic. Saut� for a few minutes until softened a bit. Add diced tomatoes. Saut� for another couple of minutes, then add remaining coarsely chopped leaves. Toss to combine and let leaves boil down and soften for about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

 
Baked Kale Chips
 
  1 bunch kale
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  2 Tbs olive oil
  salt
  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

  • Wash and thoroughly dry kale. Pluck the leaves from the stems. Discard stems and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and garlic and liberally sprinkle with salt. Toss to evenly coat all pieces. Lay the kale in a single layer on either 2 cooling racks or 2 silicone-lined baking sheets.

  • Bake 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the baking process. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Kale chips will stay fresh in an airtight container for several days.

 

  

Food Photos 
 

 
red fire lettuce
Lettuce heads (sample variety)
rainbowchard
Rainbow Chard
cherriette radish
Cherriette Radishes

 

escarole
Escarole

 

 

scallions
Scallions
Sage

 

strawberry
Strawberries

 

 

Curly Kale


Upcoming Classes, Workshops and Events 
at Wellspring!
 
Get your kids growing this summer! Registration is still open for 
Wellspring Farm Camps!

For more information and to register for classes, please visit 

www.wellspringinc.org or call (847) 946-5565

 

 

canning
Food Preservation Workshop - Strawberries

Saturday, June 21st - 9 am to 11 pm

 

Learn food preservation techniques such as canning, freezing, and dehydrating in this hands on class. Bring home a jar of canned garden goodies - Think strawberry rhubarb jam! 
Cost: $35 until 6/18, $40 after
Cost: $70 per person until June 11th, $80 after.
 
  
 
Family Farm Day

Saturday, June 21st, 10 to 11:30 am

 

Bring the whole family out to experience a morning on an organic farm! Tours, hands-on activities, garden based games, veggie tastings and more! 
Cost: $5 per family member. Ages 3 and under are free. Please preregister as this program does sell out. 

Preschoolers and Parents Farm Day 
Tuesday, June 24th - 9:30 to 10:30 am or 1 to 2 pm 
Get your hands dirty and learn where our food comes from! Preschoolers will meet the chickens, try new veggies, dig for worms, sing songs and participate in garden based games and activities. 

Cost: $6 per child. Please preregister as this program does sell out. (Adult must accompany)

"We loved the preschool farm day at Wellspring! You keep the young ones occupied and entertained while including all of their senses - never a lull in the activity, which suits the active bodies and minds of the 2-5 year olds! It is a great hands-on experience!" - Debbie W.
 
Tasting Tour
Saturday, June 28th - 10 to 11 am 
Learn about all the systems working together on an organic veggie farm while walking the fields and sampling veggies in season! Tasting tours are open to the public, please reserve your spot prior to tour date. 
Cost: $9/ adults, $6 for children 12 and under. 

  

Home Cheese Making Basics

Saturday, June 28th - 10 am to 3:30 pm    

Learn the art of cheese making in this hands-on class. Sample and learn to create several styles of cheese that can be cultivated at home including cultured butter, feta cheese, mozzarella, kefir and others. Participants will be able to build on this introduction to create many varieties of cheese at home.  

Cost: $70 until 6/25, $80 after - includes lunch, cheese samples and cultures to take home.

Please visit our website for more details and to register!   

In This Issue
Farm News
Box List
Storage Tips
Recipes
Food Photos
Upcoming Events and Classes