Jim featuring sweet turnips and blue skies! These succulent orbs are new to market this week and I couldn't be happier. When I initially encountered them, I exclusively ate them raw. After a seasonal abundance several years into our relationship, I discovered that they are juicy and delightful in a stir fry. Honestly, I haven't branched out further. We have a good thing going.
The answer is yes, yes it is still spring. Don't listen to those hot hot days. Or perhaps change your mentality to allow them into the definition.
Of course I had to look it up, the "definition of spring" and "springtime". And while I did that, I wondered why, especially in my profession and with my deep admiration for the natural world, I couldn't say for sure when spring ends.
I found some of what I know and some of what was familiar. Here's the core. In the Northern hemisphere, spring begins with the vernal equinox on March 20th or 21st, when day and night are equal lengths. It ends with the summer solstice on June 21st or 22nd, the longest period of daylight of the year. Even though these dates are familiar to me, I never perceived them as connected. I also never considered them endings, the vernal equinox being the end of winter, the summer solstice being the end of spring. To me they were both only beginnings. And their times went on until another began, but never really ended.
But it makes sense really. Daylight powers our systems. In the Spring, daylength waxes, things heat up, and energy builds. The sun powers us up! The buzz of the world is palpable. On the farm (and the world) we see that in flourishing life. The sparrows have a nest in our eave, the anthills are piling (turns out they kind of hibernate in the winter), the dragonflies are back, and the turtles are trudging to their nesting grounds. And the plants! They are growing!
All the energy builds quickly until the summer solstice when daylight hours peak. We float on top through summer, adding energy in smaller increments as daylength wanes until there is less daylight than moonlight.
So yep! It's still spring for another 18 days!
In this email:
Fresh From the Field- Not a lot yet but soon!
Greens:
Chard (limited) (New this week!)
Head lettuce (limited) (New this week!)
Kale (New this week!)
Pea shoots
All Manner of Deliciousness
Green Garlic
Green Onions (New this week!)
Spring radishes
Sweet turnips (New this week!)
Purple Daikon
Purple top turnips!
Herbs (New this week!)
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Coming soon:
Dill
Kohlrabi
Summer Squash (possibly a small amount this week!)
Recipe: Kale and Spring Onion Quiche
A quiche is a delicious, low energy meal.
It's true, you need to have the dairy on hand but whatever vegetables you have typically work. You could use spinach instead of kale, add sweet potatoes or squash, chives, you name it. Meat is also a good addition if you sway that way.
From: Food.com
While quiches are simple, I did find this more elaborate recipe that sounded good. INGREDIENTS
Market Details:
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Saturday with Helen and Tyler and radish aficionado Wiley! 7 am to 3 pm (or till sold out)
Eastern Market, shed 2, Saturday with Special guest Shana! 6 am to 2:30 pm
Royal Oak, Saturday with Jim and Lisa! 7 am to 1 pm
Of course I had to look it up, the "definition of spring" and "springtime". And while I did that, I wondered why, especially in my profession and with my deep admiration for the natural world, I couldn't say for sure when spring ends.
I found some of what I know and some of what was familiar. Here's the core. In the Northern hemisphere, spring begins with the vernal equinox on March 20th or 21st, when day and night are equal lengths. It ends with the summer solstice on June 21st or 22nd, the longest period of daylight of the year. Even though these dates are familiar to me, I never perceived them as connected. I also never considered them endings, the vernal equinox being the end of winter, the summer solstice being the end of spring. To me they were both only beginnings. And their times went on until another began, but never really ended.
But it makes sense really. Daylight powers our systems. In the Spring, daylength waxes, things heat up, and energy builds. The sun powers us up! The buzz of the world is palpable. On the farm (and the world) we see that in flourishing life. The sparrows have a nest in our eave, the anthills are piling (turns out they kind of hibernate in the winter), the dragonflies are back, and the turtles are trudging to their nesting grounds. And the plants! They are growing!
All the energy builds quickly until the summer solstice when daylight hours peak. We float on top through summer, adding energy in smaller increments as daylength wanes until there is less daylight than moonlight.
So yep! It's still spring for another 18 days!
In this email:
- Generally important notes
- Farm Members, if you haven't read and responded to the email we sent out about changing membership rules
- You can find your most up to date balance in that email. You can use the subject line to search for it in your inbox: "LDF News: Farm Membership Update PLEASE READ AND RESPOND!"
- If you have questions or the arrangement proposed in that email doesn't work for you, please let us know that too. Let's work together!
- If you can't find the email, let me know and I will forward a copy to you.
- Stockbridge Members: Please see the email directly to you sent Tuesday afternoon.
- Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.
- Farm Members, if you haven't read and responded to the email we sent out about changing membership rules
- Fresh from the Field
- Recipe
- Market Details
- Tales from the Farm!
Fresh From the Field- Not a lot yet but soon!
Greens:
Chard (limited) (New this week!)
Head lettuce (limited) (New this week!)
Kale (New this week!)
Pea shoots
All Manner of Deliciousness
Green Garlic
Green Onions (New this week!)
Spring radishes
Sweet turnips (New this week!)
Purple Daikon
Purple top turnips!
Herbs (New this week!)
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Coming soon:
Dill
Kohlrabi
Summer Squash (possibly a small amount this week!)
Recipe: Kale and Spring Onion Quiche
A quiche is a delicious, low energy meal.
It's true, you need to have the dairy on hand but whatever vegetables you have typically work. You could use spinach instead of kale, add sweet potatoes or squash, chives, you name it. Meat is also a good addition if you sway that way.
From: Food.com
While quiches are simple, I did find this more elaborate recipe that sounded good. INGREDIENTS
- 1 prepared 9 inch pie shell
- 3 eggs
- 3⁄4 cup half and half
- 3⁄4 cup milk
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 5 green onions, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped- could substitute green garlic or garlic powder.
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- Preheat oven to 425-degrees F.
- Tear off a piece of foil large enough to fit inside of pie crust and then press it into the pie crust and fill with dried beans. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and discard foil and beans. Set aside.
- In a bowl whisk together eggs, half and half, milk, salt, red pepper flakes (if using) and black pepper. Set aside.
- In a skillet on medium high heat oil and butter and add onions and garlic, cooking until softened (3-5 minutes). Stir in kale and cook stirring until wilted (5 minutes).
- Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese. Pour egg/milk mixture over all.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set.
Market Details:
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Saturday with Helen and Tyler and radish aficionado Wiley! 7 am to 3 pm (or till sold out)
Eastern Market, shed 2, Saturday with Special guest Shana! 6 am to 2:30 pm
Royal Oak, Saturday with Jim and Lisa! 7 am to 1 pm
Boomer the rat terrier resting in the weeds. He is such a high energy dog. And he doesn't like the cold. This time of year it is a true pleasure to see him tired out by the end of the day.
Tales from the Farm:
The sun engine is powering the plants (power plants? hah). The landscape exploded in green almost too abruptly for my mind. Leaves changed the horizon. I can't see as far. I almost felt crowded. That was a first. Usually I am begging for the first leaves to unfurl. In any event, it isn't just the vegetables and trees that are appreciating the sun! The fast cycling annual weeds are LOVING it. We are working double step to keep them at bay using fingers and steel. I never have to cut my nails this time of year as they are worn down from mingling with the soil.
This week we set up irrigation to make sure all our crops stayed hydrated in the heat, hustled planting the fall's Brussels, direct seeded more rounds, pruned and trellis tomatoes, and as with every week, tried to take down the next level of weed growth. I sampled the first snap pea of the season (yum!), first sweet turnip (double yum!), and experimented with flowering scallions (turns out they are super delicious and you can eat the flowers!). We have so much to do now. As the daylight gets long, so do our days. I am relishing existing in nature time, although I wouldn't mind a couple more hours in the day. Maybe a 28 hour day would suit me better? Come on heavenly bodies, get on it!
We also frantically searched for childcare, as arrangements fell through one after the other. We are still possibly on the prowl so if you know of a sitter in the Stockbridge area, don't hold back! Wiley had his first lake float and was a good little scientist, finding the best splashes and observing fish behavior. One of the definitions of springtime was "an early or flourishing time of development." By that definition, I would say that Wiley is in a springtime of sorts. The seasons of life.
Alright, enough from me! See you at market!
Helen for Jim, Tyler, Wiley (honorary worker and dirt eater extraordinaire!), Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)
The sun engine is powering the plants (power plants? hah). The landscape exploded in green almost too abruptly for my mind. Leaves changed the horizon. I can't see as far. I almost felt crowded. That was a first. Usually I am begging for the first leaves to unfurl. In any event, it isn't just the vegetables and trees that are appreciating the sun! The fast cycling annual weeds are LOVING it. We are working double step to keep them at bay using fingers and steel. I never have to cut my nails this time of year as they are worn down from mingling with the soil.
This week we set up irrigation to make sure all our crops stayed hydrated in the heat, hustled planting the fall's Brussels, direct seeded more rounds, pruned and trellis tomatoes, and as with every week, tried to take down the next level of weed growth. I sampled the first snap pea of the season (yum!), first sweet turnip (double yum!), and experimented with flowering scallions (turns out they are super delicious and you can eat the flowers!). We have so much to do now. As the daylight gets long, so do our days. I am relishing existing in nature time, although I wouldn't mind a couple more hours in the day. Maybe a 28 hour day would suit me better? Come on heavenly bodies, get on it!
We also frantically searched for childcare, as arrangements fell through one after the other. We are still possibly on the prowl so if you know of a sitter in the Stockbridge area, don't hold back! Wiley had his first lake float and was a good little scientist, finding the best splashes and observing fish behavior. One of the definitions of springtime was "an early or flourishing time of development." By that definition, I would say that Wiley is in a springtime of sorts. The seasons of life.
Alright, enough from me! See you at market!
Helen for Jim, Tyler, Wiley (honorary worker and dirt eater extraordinaire!), Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)
Here is one tunnel of trellised cherry tomatoes. One thing we learned last year is that two tunnels of cherry tomoatoes are plenty. And properly cared for, there is no need for successive plantings! We used to do 2 and sometimes 3 plantings of tomatoes. No longer!
"Green" Indigo cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine! Gosh, I can't wait to sample these!
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