Week 2: April 18 - April 21
Reminder: Pickup is Thursday 3pm - Sunday 8pm
at 13197 10th Street S. Afton, MN
And just like that, we're off and running! It was so great to see so many smiling faces in the market barn last week. It really fills our cup to get to talk with the folks eating our produce on a weekly basis. We hope you enjoyed your first week share of tasty, local vegetables!
After the near-idyllic warmth of last week, we're in for a dose of April reality this week. April means showers, of course, and the much-needed rain was welcome on Monday. April also means temperature fluctuations, though, which makes managing the farm during this season a bit more complicated than the hot/cold binary of summer and winter. We spend a lot of our time in the spring opening and closing tunnels and greenhouses to avoid large temperature swings and keep the plants protected from freezing temps.
As you drive into the farm this weekend you may notice large white sheets over a lot of the beds on the farm. This "row cover" is one of the methods we use to mitigate frosty overnight lows. Each layer of fabric gives the plants between 4 and 8 degrees of protection, meaning that even with lows in the upper 20s the plants should be spared any frost damage. Baby plants are remarkably hardy - and many could survive significantly lower temperatures at this point in the season - but we like to give them whatever protection we can!
This week's bag is a greens-forward selection of spring veggies, with an added pop of color from our first high tunnel radishes. Enjoy! And please remember to bring your purple bag back each week, so that we can reuse it!
In Your Bag This Week
Flavor Mix microgreens: Mild and tasty, these make an easy salad on their own or can add some color to any other salad. Try them on eggs or sandwiches – or anything, really! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Persephone Mix salad: Our winter salad blend of , you can eat with just olive oil and salt or dress it up with any toppings you want. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Spinach: Spinach gets sweeter the more it freezes and thaws as the plant produces sugars to use as an anti-freeze to keep the plant alive. That means the best spinach you can eat is grown in cold place! Use as a salad base, sautéed as a side dish or bake into a casserole. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Sunflower Shoots: Crunchy and nutty flavor, these are a great substitute for lettuce on sandwiches or wraps. Store in your fridge.
Radishes: Beautiful red radishes have a mild heat and a great crunch. Add to salads or sandwiches for a little extra flavor. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Micro Arugula or Cilantro: Flavorful micros to add some zest to your meals. Add them to soups, sandwiches, pizzas, or tacos. Store in your fridge.
Radish Shoots (Half Share Only): These beautiful purple shoots have a spicy taste and add a pop of color. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Pea Shoots (Full Share Only): Sweet and crisp, these make a great addition to sandwiches, wraps, salads or can be lightly sautéed as a side dish. Store in a cool, dry place.
Arugula (Full Share Only): Peppery greens that add zip to a salad. We love arugula dressed simply with oil and salt. Store in a bag in your fridge.
What should I make with what’s in the bag?
If you're looking for some eating inspiration, we love making grain bowls with our farm-fresh greens. There's tons of inspiration here, so you can choose your own adventure on the ingredients you include. We like farro & goat cheese as a combination, or avocado, quinoa and pepitas. Persephone Mix and Spinach both work as excellent bases - and so does arugula! Sunflower shoots are in the bag for the first time this week. Their nuttiness makes them a great pairing with citrus, like in this sunflower shoots & orange salad. Or you can lean into it and make peanut butter and sunflower shoot sandwiches (a favorite of one of our crew members)! And if you're not a fan of eating raw radishes, we cannot recommend roasted radishes enough - so tasty!
Have a recipe you’ve been loving recently? Drop us a line and we’ll include it in an upcoming newsletter!
Your farmers,
Ashley, Chris, Hallie, and the 10th St Farm crew
We wash everything in your bag but we wash them in bulk so some things may need an extra rinse at home. Please bring your bag back next week so we can re-use them! Thanks!