Spring CSA Week 5 | Freak Frost

Week 5: May 7th - May 10th

Two weeks ago in this newsletter I wrote about the wager we make when we plant crops outside in early Minnesota spring. Last night we rolled snake eyes, as temperatures dipped a full seven degrees below the forecasted lows. Rather than a cold but tolerable 36, our fields hit 29.

Ironically, we haven’t seen a lick of frost two out of the last three times there has been a frost advisory for our location over the past week. But last night, with no advisory to be found, frost definitely found us. We awoke to crystal-covered fields. 

It’s tempting to point the blame toward faulty forecasts - and that’s certainly a contributing factor in this instance. But as farmers we shoulder the blame for leaving crops exposed to this sort of risk. We covered the fields on Tuesday night (frost advisory, no frost) and the row covers were all in place to do the same on Wednesday. But we are desperate to move on from this sisyphusian process, to spend that valuable time elsewhere. The promise of a few more degrees overnight and the recent bias of a non-frosty night despite forecasted cold was enough to nudge us toward inaction, and we left the beds uncovered.

As the spring stretches on and seeds sown months ago outgrow their pots, demanding to leave the greenhouse, our brains tell us that we should be moving on from the covering process. It feels like we should be past the threat of frost, so our cognitive biases convince us that we must be in the clear. And this morning was a chilly reminder that we can’t change the weather with sheer willpower. Better safe than sorry, and all that.

It’s a mistake we (hopefully) won’t make again. For now, we’re cautiously optimistic that most crops will pull through more or less unscathed. The radishes in the share have a little bit of frost damage toward the top, so we’d advise eating them in the next few days. Otherwise, things seem to have weathered the shock pretty well. We’re putting our faith in the resilience and magic of plants and their ability to survive adverse conditions. As the fields defrosted this morning we watched lettuce spring back, kale and chard shake off the frost, and carrots get back to growing. We spent the day apologizing to the plants.

Have a week with ample warnings,

Chris, Ashley, and the 10th Street Farmers

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In Your Share This Week

Romaine Head Lettuce: Beautiful crisp lettuce heads. Great for everything from lettuce wraps to salads and sandwiches. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

Persephone Mix salad greens: Our fresh-cut winter blend of lettuce and cold-hardy greens. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Arugula: Peppery greens that add zip to a salad. We love arugula dressed simply with oil and salt. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Baby Kale: This hearty greens mix is the perfect base for a fall salad. Or try it braised or baked in your dish of choice. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

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 an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Pea Shoots: Sweet and crisp, these make a great addition to sandwiches, wraps, salads or can be lightly sautéed as a side dish. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice: 

Power Greens Micro Mix: Our newest micro mix! A nutrient-dense blend of broccoli, kale, daikon, and bekana sure to power up any dish!

Arugula microgreens: Peppery micros add a little punch to pizza, salads, pestos, sandwiches, eggs, and more. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Rhubarb: Did you know that not all rhubarb is red? Our green heirloom variety is sweet and crisp, perfect for both sweet and savory uses. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

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 an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Scallions: The white and green parts of these beautiful green onions are both edible - use the white like an onion, chop the greens as a garnish or hit of flavor in your dishes! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

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 an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Radishes: As mentioned above, these French Breakfast radishes have a little frost damage toward the tops of their roots. They still taste great, but may not last as long as usual in the fridge. Add to salads or sandwiches for a little extra flavor. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Full Share Choice: 

Sunflower Shoots: Crunchy and nutty flavor, these are a great substitute for lettuce on sandwiches or wraps. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Spinach: Our spring spinach is tender and tasty! Use as a salad base, sautéed as a side dish or in anything that calls for greens. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Radish Shoots: These beautiful purple and green shoots have a spicy taste and 

add a pop of color. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Cilantro microgreens: Zippy micros to add a little flavor to whatever's on your plate! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Full Share Choice:

Salad Turnips

Radishes

Bok Choy

Kitchen Inspiration

Lots of options in the share this week. We hope you’ve been enjoying having a little more choice in filling your bag according to your preferences - although it makes it a little trickier to give specific recipe recommendations! We’ve been loving fresh greens salads with crispy chickpeas and mixed microgreen salads with oil and salt. Consider mixing micros in with your leafy greens for a little extra texture, like in this sweet and savory salad with apples and radishes.

If you opt for bok choy, try quartering it and sauteeing with garlic and soy sauce. Or if you go with scallions, they are tasty in a vibrant vinaigrette. And if you’re a rhubarb fan, our heirloom green variety is full of flavor and perfect for a rhubarb crumble!

If you've found a recipe you're loving, please send it our way. We're always looking for new things to cook and share with other members!

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Please bring back your Purple or Blue bag each week so that we can reuse it.

This helps us keep costs down! Thanks!