CSA Newsletter for Week 1

Farm Update

The potatoes are in bloom!  Most
people have never stopped to consider
that potatoes do indeed have a part that
grows above the ground, and this is
what it looks like when it's flowering!
These potatoes are growing in one of our
coldframes so we can have them a lot
earlier than we normally would.

Hi everyone!  Welcome to the first week of the CSA!  Just in case you missed the announcement a few days ago, we are going to be starting half of the drop-offs this week and half of the drop-offs next week.  So if you pick up in Lansing, Okemos, St. Johns, or Midland (or have your shares delivered to your home or office in those areas), you'll have your first drop-offs on Wednesday and Thursday of this week!  Everyone else is starting next week, but the good news is that you'll have an extra week of goodies in the fall!  It's been such a weird year, with the cold, wet spring, and it has definitely pushed back the schedule we have come to expect from the crops.  Hopefully we'll start getting some warm weather soon, and we can get summer on its way!  In the meantime, we have a nice lineup of cool weather veggies this week.  And if this is your first drop-off, welcome to the CSA!  If you're not quite sure what to expect, never fear!  Here is a post I did last year, which details all you need to know for your first week of veggies!  And if you have any questions, definitely feel free to send me an email or give me a call at 517-896-6884.  See you soon! :-)

What to Expect in This Week's Share

If you are picking up at one of our traditional style drop-offs (just Midland this week), here’s what the options will be at the different stations.  If you have a half share, you’ll choose one item at each station, and if you have a full share, you choose two items at each station!

• Baby carrots or spinach
• Green onions
• Spring mix
• Bok choy, kale, or red-rib dandelion greens
• Broccoli or zucchini
• Frisee or head lettuce
• Cilantro, microgreens, or garlic scapes

If you have a prepacked share (Midland hospital, St. Johns, Lansing, Okemos, or home delivery), here are your options.  If you have a half share, you’ll choose either share A or share B, and if you have a full share, you can choose two of them.  And next week when more of the crops are ready, we'll add in share C for even more variety!  So just email me by the day before your drop-off to let me know which share you want for this week!

Share A:                               Share B:

Baby carrots                         Baby carrots
Green onions                        Green onions
Spring mix                            Spring mix
Broccoli                                Broccoli
Bok choy                              Kale
Frisee                                    Romaine head
Cilantro                                Microgreens

Recipes

One of the fun things about being part of a CSA is getting to try veggies that may have never found their way into your kitchen before.  My guess is that there is at least one thing on the roster for this week that you've never tried, and maybe even a few things.  So here are some recipes for the more unfamiliar items to get you started!  Enjoy!

Stir-Fried Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic:  Really flavorful and amazingly quick to make, this delicious bok choy recipe makes a fantastic side dish!

Sauteed Dandelion Greens with Eggs:  Another really fast, really simple dish, this would be fantastic for breakfast.  Or any meal, really.... eggs and greens are great any time of day!

Frisee Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette:  So are you sensing a theme here?  This is another really fast dish that doesn't require any complicated techniques, but just lets the fantastic ingredients shine.  Which is basically how we cook at our house.  :-)