LDF News: Spring Equinox!

We didn't get blown away! Everyone is acclimating to the pace of the growing season. It really feels like we are already off and running. Luckily, this crew (looking for a few more) seems more than up to it, with the attitude and ability to keep pace.

Long awaited cilantro will be at market this week. It is one of my very favorite early spring crops. It has such a tropical taste, munching a sprig in March feels extra special.

The greenhouse is loading up. The ginger is here, cut and forming callouses, waiting to be pre-sprouted. The microgreens are back in business. You see some dill here. The cabbage is up! Our cabbage game remains hawt.

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Ahoy!

It was so windy for so long, its absence is palpable. I'm so glad for the peace that comes with the relative still. 

The spring equinox is here. The pace rises from ebb to full flourish. From here to the summit, the days are longer and the ice keeps melting. I heard the peepers last week. I've seen the crowds of turkeys vultures this week. I smelled the soil and saw tips of green peeking through.

Welcome spring with us. Appreciate the earth and its balance, graciously resilient but still calibrated. I am so glad to welcome the sun back. Everything is better outside. 

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

​A reminder about our Farm Membership!
Our Farm Membership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

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Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers​

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Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula
Cilantro
Microgreens
Pea shoots
Spinach

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples
Beets
Napa Cabbage
Cabbage: red, cone, round green
Carrots!
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!! And Hill Top (David!)
Garlic
Potatoes
Fingerling Potatoes
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, Korean White Daikon, and purple, Chinese White Daikon
Purple top turnips

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Cilantro Sauce Recipe for Tacos, Nachos, and More

From Umami Girl
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​This is the cilantro sauce you've been waiting for. Even if you didn't know it. A fresh, tangy sauce for Mexican food, from tacos to nachos to quesadillas and more.Ingredients 

• ⅓ cup (78 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of one lime, 2 to 3 tablespoons
• 1 medium garlic clove, roughly chopped
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large bunch cilantro, about 4 ounces/114 grams, washed well, including stems

 
Instructions

1. Roughly chop cilantro. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, stopping to push cilantro down into the blades as necessary.

Notes

1. A reasonable extra-virgin olive oil from the supermarket is a good choice. The flavor will definitely come through, so choose something that you like. But there's no need to tote out your fancy unfiltered versions with the perfect level of astringency.
2. Plenty of freshly squeezed lime juice and fine sea salt work in tandem to create just the right balance of flavors. (That said, salt preferences vary a lot from person to person, so if you're sensitive to salt, you can start with less and adjust as you go.)
3. Fresh garlic is essential to bring together the flavors. You can vary the amount to suit your preference.
4. The recipe calls for a generous amount of cilantro. Some varieties have a fairly aggressive flavor while others are positively mellow, so taste yours before buying if possible, and make sure you like its specific flavor profile. You'll use both the leaves and stems in this recipe.
5. Store cilantro sauce in a tightly sealed jar in a nice cold fridge for up to a week. The flavor will mellow a bit, but the generous amount of lime juice will prevent the cilantro from oxidizing too much. I sometimes like to store it with a thin layer of additional olive oil on top to create a seal.
6. Or freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer to an airtight container, and keep in the freezer for up to a year. That way you can defrost it in small portions if you like.