Spring CSA

Week Seven of the Spring CSA will include a mix of the following: Spinach, Mesclun Mix, Swiss Chard, Onions, Parsnips, Apples, and possibly Radishes, Carrots, or Fingerling Potatoes.  Please note that the weekly photo is not an exact depiction of what is in your share, but rather a reference image.

The weekly letter will be coming to your inbox the day before your pickup, and is also available at stillmansfarm.com/blog and stilllifefarm.wordpress.com.  Most of the letters will be composed by Halley Stillman, though Genevieve Stillman may jump in from time to time.

Weekly Featured Item: Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard is a member of the Goosefoot Family (along with beets, spinach, purslane, and amaranth) and is extremely nutrient rich – filled with a healthy dose of vitamins A, C, and K.  Soft enough for salads and sautés, but hearty enough for braises and bakes.  For me, swiss chard is really a complimentary cooking green that can go into just about anything and be great.  If you love beet greens, then Swiss Chard will be right up your alley.  And don’t forget about those glorious stems.  Often times I separate the stems from the leaf, and cook them separately.  The stems can also act as a substitute for cooked celery or asparagus.

Partners for Swiss Chard: marjoram, parsley, lovage, savory, nutmeg, allspice, and paprika.

Lentil Lemon Soup

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

6 cups water

1 small onion, peeled and diced

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs Italian flat leaf parsley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

4 cups water

1 ½ cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained

1 ½ pounds Swiss chard – rinsed, stems removed and cut into 1/2 inch slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup lemon juice

salt to taste

1 lemon, cut into wedges

In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, 6 cups of water, 1 small onion, bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Strain, and reserve 4 cups of the broth for the recipe. Reserve the remaining broth for other uses.

Pour the 4 cups of broth into a large soup pot, and add 4 cups of water to it. Stir in lentils, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 1 hour.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the large onion, and cook until transparent, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, and cook for just a minute, until fragrant. Place the chard in the pan, and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. The smells here are delicious!

Transfer the chard and onion mixture to the pot with the lentils. Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Season with salt and additional lemon if desired. Simmer covered for an additional 15 minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

 

#cookingwithStillmans

Making an amazing dish with Stillman’s or Still Life Farms produce??? Take a picture and post it to your social media with the #cookingwithStillmans.  Every week a winner will be chosen at random and receive a fun farm prize!

The Week Six winner of our #cookingwithstillmans challenge goes to @mollypjarman, for turning her Spring CSA ingredients into salmon with white bean and kale ragout (adapted from www.finecooking.com).  She’ll be receiving a little extra farm prize this week at CSA pick-up!

Farm Dirt

Stillman’s Farm.  As you can see, all that soil prep from last week paid off.  Rows and rows and rows of spring peas – snap peas, shell peas, snow peas – have been transplanted out into the field!  Spring is definitely here.  And speaking of spring, if you have a hankering for garden plants, we can help. While it’s too early to plant summer favorites like tomatoes and peppers, it’s not too early to start planning. Want to make sure you get all your favorite varieties before they sell out? Visit Stillman’s Farm at the New Braintree Farm during our early shopping days Saturday April 17 through Saturday April 24 (including Sunday April 18) from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm and pick out all your favorites. We will then put them aside for you and continue growing them in the ideal conditions in our greenhouse. You can then pick them up (or have them delivered to a closer location) later when the weather is suitable for planting in your garden.

Still Life Farm.  At Still Life Farm we are delighted with how the garlic field is looking this year.  Seems like we had just the right type of winter and a moist (but not wet) spring, to set these alliums well on their way.  Another exciting activity that took place on the farm this week was turning over our medium greenhouse from winter greens to zucchini!  So fun to get an early jump on the zucchini, we usually expect to start picking this crop around the beginning of June.  Work on the new building continues.  This week foundation work began and our four foot frost walls are curing as I write this.

Eat well & love your food,

Halley Stillman (Still Life Farm) & Genevieve Stillman (Stillman’s Farm)