Week Thirteen! - We are providing the e-news for ALL shareholders, however only Full Share and Week A Half Shares pick up this week!
Wellspring Winter CSA Shares - Sign up now before they're gone!
Want to have great veggies for your Thanksgiving or to eat when the snow is on the ground? These shares have wonderful greens AND easy to strore crops (onions, parsnips, carrots, winter squash, etc.) Don't want the fresh veggies to end? Avoid dissappointment, sign up now as we do only 50 shares compared to our 110 CSA Summer Shares! Details and registration are on our website here:
Flower U-Pick
The flowers on the farm are blooming in abundance! Feel free to bring along a jar/vase of water and scissors to cut a few blooms when you pick up this week! Not an on-farm pickup? Stop by anytime between 9am-5pm on weekdays and we will show you where you can pick. Please remember to limit your picking to one handful per week - we want there to be enough for all to enjoy!
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Farm News
Hello shareholders and welcome to Week 13!
Intern Craig here. This is going to be my last harvest and CSA delivery of the year, and I'm feeling a bit pensive. I've had so many great learning experiences at Wellspring where I came filled with knowledge of sustainability & nutrition but ignorant of farming techniques for growing my own produce. I am leaving with a bucket full of confidence, with the mental and physical fortitude to grow my own food. Wellspring's legacy will live with me for the rest of my life and judging on the feedback we receive on our produce, I can confidently say it was a mutually beneficial relationship. At the end of this week, I will be moving to the lovely state of Oregon where I will be pursuing my Master's in Public Administration & Nonprofit Management with lofty goals of improving our food system through policy, education, and advocacy.
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Interns Craig & Christina in the "early days" of transplants
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Enough about me, let's talk about your delicious food! I challenge you shareholders who are hesitant about a specific vegetable to take a risk this week. We often times have people at the market saying they are skeptical to try beets or kale because they've had a bad experience. I relate it to popular media like movies and music. Some of our favorite films or albums are ones we didn't even like very much through the first viewing or listen but that eventually hooked us and became sentimental favorites. A lot of foods are similar and universally require an acquiring of taste (such as coffee & olives, neither of which are in the box so don't look too hard.)
The farm is in a state of transition with the interns leaving, but work will not slow. This would be a great time of the year for volunteers *wink wink* to come out and help harvest, weed, and fulfill otherwise now vacant duties on the farm!* Thank you to all of the shareholders & volunteers I was lucky enough to work and joke around with. You made this year great! Thanks & have a great box!
Love,
Craig Charles Wiroll
Intern #1
Also, check out our new Wellspring video on our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=716223935079308&set=vb.107909532577421&type=2&theater
* Executive Director Angie note - SPECIAL thanks to Craig who edited and created our wonderful staff video. Also, you will soon be introduced to our fall intern - arriving in September. As Craig said, we'd love to see you volunteer at the farm! It's a nice time of year with a nice group of folks leaving you with a great sense of accomplishment!
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What's In the Box and Where Does It Go?
CROP FRIDGE? NOTES/VARIETY
Tomatoes NO big beef, lemon boy, new girl
Basil No Genovese
Carrots Yes separate the greens!
Green Beans Yes not washed, bagged
Cabbage Yes Farao (smooth) or Savoy (crinkled)
Beets Yes Red Ace, separate the greens
Scallions Yes Nabechan
Chard Yes Rainbow
Eggplant Yes Asian or Italian Globe
watch out for spikes on the calyx (green cap where fruit attaches to the plant) of the eggplants! handle it by the purple part please!
Cucumber Yes Pickling or Marketmore
OR Squash Yes, warmest part Zucchini or Patty Pan
Garlic No cured! German White
Lettuce Head Yes Buttercrunch or Magenta
some of the lettuce heads have a bit of pest damage at the base of the leaves. We kept those leaves on rather than remove all of them because the top, leafy portions are perfectly fine and you usually cut out the core of the lettuce head anyways. Just trim off the bad part and use the rest!
Melon* Yes Sunjewel, Sivan, or Sarah's Choice
*ONLY AT PICKUPS DESIGNATED*
*Everyone will get melon at some point. They are ripening at different paces, so we want to give them out as we get them to ensure everyone will get at least one. Therefore they are only available at given sites that we are rotating each week.
Melon NOT at farm or West Bend this week
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Storage Tips
Basil and tomatoes should not go in the fridge! Basil turns black and tomatoes get mealy and lose flavor. Keep them on the counter or in the a cupboard if fruit flies are an issue.
The garlic is now cured and will keep in pantry or on the counter.
Beans are bagged and NOT washed. They should be washed just before eating. For the beets and carrots (and all root veggies in general), the roots should be cut from the tops and stored separately to prevent the greens from wicking moisture out of the root and making for some limp beets or carrots.
Squash, eggplant, cucumbers, melons all like to be stored around 50-60 degrees so keep them in the warmest part of your fridge, on the counter, or in the garage.
Save those scraps! 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.
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Recipes from Farmer Heather
CARROTS! Guys, I'm going to write about carrots again. This time we're talking about cooking vs. raw. Cooked carrots might haunt some of your childhood memories. Not me. Growing up, and still to this day, cooked carrots are my jam. That is thanks in large part to my father's love for cooked carrots and our family's real love for butter. Turns out, because beta-carotene is fat soluble, adding a little butter (or other fat) when cooking actually helps the body make the best use of the nutrient (as if we needed a reason for butter). Also, cooking carrots makes them sweeter and may increase the availability of other nutrients to the body. Just don't boil the heck out of them. If you want to go raw, juicing carrots can also help increase nutrient uptake by the body by breaking up that tough cellular structure so your body doesn't have to work as hard. Here is a recipe that is fast, easy, and crazy delicious. If you could never get down with steamed/boiled carrots, it is time to get on the roasting bandwagon.
Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad
from Smitten Kitchen
(Notice the lack of peeling on the carrots. Smart!)
1 bunch carrots, scrubbed or peeled and cut into two-inch segments (angled if you're feeling fancy)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 an avocado, pitted and sliced
Juice of half a lemon
Roast the carrots: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Toss the carrot chunks in a medium bowl with two tablespoons of the olive oil, cumin and as generous of a helping of salt and pepper as you like. (We like a lot. Especially with sweet things like carrots.)
Spread them on a roasting sheet (I lined ours with foil because despite having a dishwasher these days, old must-create-fewer-dishes-at-all-times habits die hard) and roast for about 20 minutes, or until tender and browned. Of course, roasting time will vary depending on the thickness of your carrots. Our heftier chunks took over 30.
Finish the salad: Once the carrots are roasted, arrange them on a serving platter with slices of avocado on top. Drizzle the salad with the last tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice and extra salt and pepper, if it needs it. Eat immediately.
Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal
from Green Kitchen Stories
Dry mixture
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (or any rolled flakes), choose gluten free if you are celiac
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground vanilla or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch coarse sea salt
1 1/3 cups / 200 g / 7 oz grated raw carrot (about 4)
a handful raisins
Wet mixture
2 organic eggs or chia seed mixture (see top note)
2 1/4 cups / 500 ml / 17 oz plant milk of your choice
Crunchy top layer
4 tbsp maple syrup, honey or apple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil, room temperature + extra for greasing the pan
1 cup / 180 g walnuts or nuts or your choice
3/4 cup / 100 g sunflower seeds or seeds of your choice
Preheat the oven to 375�F (180�C). Grease the base of a 8 x 10 inch (20 x 25 cm) baking dish with coconut oil and then set aside.
Combine the rolled oats, baking powder, spices and salt in a mixing bowl, then add grated carrots and raisins and stir to mix. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs (or chia mixture), add the milk and whisk well to combine. To create the crunchy top layer, put the sweetener, coconut oil, walnuts and sunflower seeds in a small bowl and mix with your fingers to make sure everything is well coated. Spoon the oat mixture into the baking dish and then pour the egg mixture over the oats so everything is evenly soaked. Sprinkle the seed and nut mixture on top and bake for 25 - 35 minutes. When it's done, the oatmeal should be set and the nuts and seeds lightly browned and crunchy. Leave to cool slightly before serving.
More beets, more beet recipes! What are we turning pink this week? Your veggie burgers!
Beet & Feta Burger
from Green Kitchen Stories
Makes 6-8 burgers, depending on the size
3 cups / 750 ml grated raw beets (approx. 4-5 beets)
1.5 cups / 375 ml / 150 g rolled oats
1 small onion
7 oz / 200 g feta cheese or firm tofu
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
1 handful fresh basil
Salt/pepper
Toppings:
lettuce or cabbage
mango
avocado
tomatoes
onions
Peel and grate beets, onion and garlic on a box grater or use a food processor with the grating blades attached. Place the grated vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil, eggs and rolled oats and mix everything well. Add sheep's cheese or tofu, basil, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside for about 30 minutes, so the oats can soak up the liquid and the mixture sets (this step is important for the patties to hold together). Try shaping a patty with your hands. If the mixture is to loose, add some more oats. Form 6-8 patties with your hands. Grill the beetroot burgers a couple of minutes on each side - or fry them in a frying pan by heating a knob of coconut oil or ghee and fry until golden on both sides. Serve with grilled sourdough bread and toppings of your choice.
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Upcoming Classes, Workshops and Events at Wellspring!
For more information and to register for classes, please visit www.wellspringinc.org or call (847) 946-5565
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Save the Date! FREE Agri-CULTURE Festival
Sunday, Oct. 12 - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Wellspring Permaculture Tour 
Thursday, September 4th - 6 to 8 pm
Join Wellspring's permaculturist, Adrian Lee, for a two-hour tour of our grounds to view how we have integrated renewable technologies and regenerative agricultural systems to live more holistically. From the simple, to the complex, we will walk and discuss sustainable practices that can easily be integrated into your life. Whether you live on 120 acres or in the inner city, there is always something more within your reach. Come and be inspired!
Cost: $12/ person
Foraging for Wild Edibles and Herbs 
Saturday, September 6th
2 to 6 pm
Learn about foraging safety, ethics, and plant families. Collect, harvest, and taste wild edibles currently in season. After the foray, enjoy appetizers featuring plants found on the tour. Bring home what you collect as well as recipes and guides for future foraging!
Cost: $35/ person, $40 after 9/3
Tasting Tour
Saturday, September 6th - 10 to 11 am
New in 2014, Wellspring will be holding "Tasting Tours"! Tour participants will learn about all the systems and processes that work together on a diversified, organic veggie farm while walking the fields and, of course, sampling veggies in peak season!
This is a great opportunity for shareholders to see how their veggies grow out in the field!
Tours are capped at 20 people to keep groups interactive and personal.
Cost: $9/ adults, $6 for children 12 and under.
Preschoolers and Parents Farm Day 
Wednesday, September 10th - 9:30 to 10:30 am
Ages 2 to 5 welcome
Preschoolers will meet the Wellspring chickens, try new veggies, dig for worms, sing songs and participate in garden-based games and activities, all while learning about where our food comes from!
"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.
Cost: $6 per child (adult must accompany)
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