Week 8: May 30 - June 2
Reminder: Pickup is Thursday 3pm - Sunday 8pm
at 13197 10th Street S. Afton, MN
Tucked away in the northeast corner of our back fields, we have a small pond on the farm. It’s not much - not hardly big enough to swim in or ice skate on. Mostly, it’s there to catch run-off from spring melts and big summer rains, so that water doesn’t puddle in our fields but also doesn’t drain off of the farm. But this time of year, it puts its best foot forward as the raucous homebase of our farm frog population.
Walking around the farm in the evening, we’re serenaded by the chirps and trills of Spring Peepers and American Toads. And if you wander down with a flashlight, you can watch them puff their bellies and scream into the night, which is quite entertaining.
Frogs, it is said, are an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. They regulate insect populations, while also providing a food source for larger animals. And they are among the first to go if an environment turns sour; the presence of frogs means you’re probably doing something right. So we welcome them every spring as a sign that we’re on the right track!
Our amphibian friends aren’t the only animals making their presence known on the farm of late. We’ve got a pair of mallards that frequent the pond every spring before moving on to parts unknown, who have been enjoying the rainy weather. Yesterday we watched the first yellow swallowtail butterfly checking out the plants in our high tunnel, and we’ve already seen the first fireflies of the season up around the house. We’ve spotted barn swallows, goldfinches, and even an Indigo Bunting flying around the farm, hopefully gobbling up mosquitos. And we’ve got a nesting robin with four hungry babies right under the eave of our front porch.
All of this life on the farm is a great reminder of its role not just as a provider of healthy vegetables, but also a provider of healthy habitat. From pollinator plantings to wooded areas to all-you-can-eat buffets of cabbage moths, the farm offers a little something for everyone, and seeing it come alive in the spring brings us great joy. As always, we invite you to stroll around the farm if you’d like when you come pick up your bag, and see who you can spot!
Have a trilling week,
Ashley, Chris, Hallie, and the 10th Street Farm Crew
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.
Farm Mix salad: Our main season mix of lettuces. Delicious with just olive oil and salt, or dress it up! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Radishes: Beautiful red radishes (all shares) and french breakfast radishes (whole share only) have a mild heat and a great crunch. The greens are a little worse for the wear due to flea beetles, but the roots are untouched. Add to salads or sandwiches for a little extra flavor. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Salad Turnips: Also called Hakurei Turnips, these fresh-eating turnips are tasty and versatile. Slice them up with hummus, sauté them, roast them in the oven, or even try them on the grill. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Bok Choy: So versatile! Use in Asian-inspired dishes like soups and stir fries, or just chop and add to anything for a bit more flavor and nutrition. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Head Lettuce - Mini Romaine: Beautiful mini romaine heads. Great for everything from lettuce wraps to salads and sandwiches. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Scallions: These beautiful green onions have been growing in our greenhouse since late winter. The white and green parts are both edible - use the white like an onion, chop the greens as a garnish or hit of flavor in your dishes! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Snap Peas: The first of the season! So tasty we can't keep them around for long. Easily added to anything for crunch and a bit of sweetness. Store in a bag in your fridge, if they make it that far.
Swiss Chard (full share only): Stunning rainbow chard offers a pop of color with an earthy, spinach-like flavor. Store in a bag in your fridge.
What should I make with what’s in the bag?
We've got the first snap peas of the year in the bag, which feels like it's worth celebrating! We love eating them raw by the handful, but if you're looking for something slightly more dignified this raw snap pea salad with creamy dressing caught our eye. If you preferred them cooked, try them in this snap pea pasta. Or make like Ina Garten and just sauté them with salt and pepper - simple and fantastic. Elsewhere in the bag you've got bok choy, which we recently loved in a salad like this one. This bok choy salad with sesame almond crunch also sounds really tasty.
If you've found a recipe you're loving, please send it our way! We're always looking for new things to cook and who knows, maybe it'll make its way into an upcoming newsletter...
Have a great week!
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!
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