In Your Box:
Every Week & Every Other Week
Red Russian kale
Chard
Bok choi
Red beets
Oregano
Parsnips
Fava beans
French breakfast radishes (Full Belly)
Farm News
By Justin Roberts
Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’ ~Robin Williams
Here the past few weeks, a considerable amount of time has been spent thinning the small immature fruits on our peach trees in the orchard. Fruit trees often set more fruit than they can develop and support, so thinning is a vital factor in producing good tasty fruit year after year. Thinning the young fruits 3 to 5 inches apart allows the remaining fruits to reach their full potential in size and color with less shade and more sunlight. This also reduces the weight on the young fruiting limbs and decreases the likelihood of them breaking; while also helping reduce the spread of disease from fruit to fruit. Thinning is a time consuming process that can feel slow, so it’s important to use both hands and systematically go limb to limb, fruit to fruit. However, it can also be a very relaxing and meditative time if you know how to enjoy the peace and wildlife all around you. Knowing that by thinning out these young fruits, we will soon be enjoying big delicious peaches in the warm summer sun!
Over in the vegetable field, Elle has been busy on the tractor tilling the field and prepping beds for the likes of potatoes, summer squash, tomatoes, and peppers. Next week we will be cutting our potato seed getting it ready to be planted in the field. This is especially exciting to me ‘cause I love me some taters! The red russian kale and bok choi in your CSA boxes this week are the first vegetables planted and harvested by this seasons 1st year apprentices at Soil Born Farms. Both of which are tasty and beautiful. It is exciting to feel the season coming in and thinking about all the hard work that is ahead of us. We are pumped for this season and ready to bring you all delicious fruits and vegetables!
Featured Veggie: Fava Beans
You have had the fava greens, but now it’s time for the beans! To shell the beans, bend the tip of the pod and pull down the seam of the pod and unzip the entire pod to reveal the beans inside. Discard the fuzzy outer pod. But wait, you’re not done. Now take the shelled beans and drop them in boiling salted water for 30 seconds to loosen the outerskin. Remove and place into ice water, and peel off the beans’ thick waxy outer covering. Now they are ready to use in recipes. Fava beans are a versatile vegetable that can be used in stews, soups, stir-fries and more. Fava beans are high in protein and a rich source of fiber. They have a good amount of vitamin-B6 and are one of the highest plant sources of potassium.
Featured Recipe: Beet Risotto >>