Spring CSA Week 8 | Cover Crop experiments
- 10th St. Farm & Market
- May 29
- 4 min read
Week 8: May 29 - June 1
One of the key tenets of sustainable, no-till agriculture is to keep the soil covered as much as possible. This prevents nutrient runoff, protects and feeds the many organisms and microorganisms that live in the soil, and keeps weeds at a minimum. If you happen to see bare soil on the farm, odds are we’ve either just seeded into it or just harvested out of it.
One way we keep the soil covered is through the use of large silage tarps - the black and white tarps you see covering some of the fields as you drive into the farm. These smother weeds and keep soil protected while the beds wait for fall carrots, squash, and other later-season crops. But ideally, we would go a step further. Beyond just covering the soil, we would enrich it with living roots and organic plant matter.
That’s where cover crops come in. When timing allows (and in the rare moments that we’re not growing something you can eat in a bed), we use quick growing crops rather than tarps to establish a thick stand of vegetative growth over the soil. Oats, peas, and buckwheat all smother weeds and bring nutrients up to the soil surface while they grow. Then, when we’re almost ready to plant vegetables in those fields, we mow or knock down the crop and tarp it for a much shorter time to help it break down into nutrients the incoming plants can use. In fall, we mostly plant things that will “winter kill”, blanketing the soil with dead foliage until we’re ready to plant in it again in spring.
This year we’ve been experimenting with a new cover crop in our rotation here: winter rye. Planted in the fall, the rye grew quickly into a thick stand of grass, covering the soil throughout the winter and then growing even more early in the spring. Just this past week, we trialed two methods of “terminating” the crop, crimping some beds (stomping on the rye to bend the stem and stop growth) and weed whacking others to cut them down. Once the grass dies and dries, it will essentially become mulch, providing nutrient-dense and weed-free soil for veggies to grow in this fall or next spring.
We’re excited by experiments like this, which allow us to learn new timings and techniques, decrease our reliance on plastic products, and add to the fertility of our soils. Growing lots of vegetables in such a small footprint requires keeping the land we grow on happy and healthy, and cover crops help us do just that.
Have a happy and healthy week,
Chris, Ashley, Hallie and the 10th Street Farm Crew
This weekend we’re having our Saturday Patisserie from 8:30-11:30am. Stop by for fresh baked pastries and locally roasted coffee!
In Your Bag This Week
Arugula microgreens: Peppery micros add a little punch to pizza, salads, pestos, sandwiches, eggs, and more. Store in your fridge.
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 Mix: A delicious blend of red and green lettuce, Farm Mix is our main season salad mix. Delicious with just olive oil and salt, or dress it up! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Scallions: Spring onions add a punch of flavor to whatever you're cooking. Use the white parts and the green parts - both are delicious! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Radishes: Beautiful spring 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.
Petite Choi (half shares): Miniature pac choi is the perfect addition to stir fry, ramen, or fresh salads. Lightly sauté, steam, or just eat raw. Store in your fridge.
Radish Shoots (full shares): These beautiful “confetti” shoots have light spice and add a pop of color. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Green Curly Kale (full shares): Fresh bunches of our tender spring kale. Tasty in fresh salads, braised, or baked in your dish of choice. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Head Lettuce (full shares): Beautiful red lettuce heads make for showstopping salads - or put them on sandwiches or wraps! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Spinach (full shares): This spring spinach is oh-so-tender. Use as a salad base, sautéed as a side dish or bake into a casserole. Store in a bag in your fridge.
What should I make with what’s in the bag?
Looks like we're in for a hot one this weekend, so it's a great time for some salads. Which is good, since we've got lots of greens! The mostly cold spring has us still waiting on snap peas and carrots a few more weeks than last year's early heat. Maybe time to revisit and update the classic Waldorf salad? Or indulge in a microgreen salad with peaches and avocado? This kale lentil salad with feta and olives looks incredible as well.
We're also dreaming of grabbing a loaf of bread from the market, whipping up some charred scallion butter, and topping it with slices of beautiful french breakfast radishes and a sprinkle of good salt. Simple and delish.
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!
We wash everything in your bag but we wash them in bulk so some things may need an extra rinse at home. Thanks!
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