How wonderful to see the sunshine after a week of ice and snow. It seems we are nearing spring. By next week, our greenhouse will be full of plant starts for the coming season. And as you can see in the photo above, piglets are here! Be sure to follow us on Instagram where we are currently posting adorable piglet videos to our story.
And while it feels like spring out, the garden tells us it's still winter. We'll be sending more cabbages as well as other leafy vegetables like kale, raddichio and radish micro-greens. Raddichio is the bitter red or green (sometimes speckled) lettuce that is delicious if you like bitter greens or you can figure out how to prepare it. If the bold flavor is too much, I suggest drizzling some olive oil on top and baking in the oven for just a few minutes, or a quick sautee with a splash of ACV can help remove some of that bitterness. Other than greens, expect comforting winter squashes and sweet potatoes, as well as those delicious bolero carrots. There will also be radishes, which can be roasted, pickled, or eaten raw in salads.
In the world of livestock, we took a small batch of lambs to the processor this week. Many of our lambs are still underweight, so we will let them put on some weight before taking them in this spring. We are feeling excited and hopeful that 2021 will be a great beef year for us. Last year it was a nightmare trying to get beef processed (most livestock farmers will agree), but a new slaughterhouse recently opened up near us and we were able to take a tour of the facility. We were extremely impressed by the attention to animal welfare design principles. While good meat quality starts with a healthy life on the farm, it ends at the slaughterhouse so we can provide meat for our community. We tour any new slaughterhouse we use to make sure our animals will be in a stress-free environment and in the hands of folks who value and respect them. This is a non-negotiable for us, and also helps to ensure the highest quality meats for you.
What's in the veggie box:
Special note about extras: Harvie will only allow you to order extras if you have a meat CSA share. If you only have a Veggie share, reply to this email to place an extras order. All extras from Greener Roots Farm and Henosis Mushrooms are received on Tuesday - if your delivery is later in the week, we cannot guarantee optimal freshness.
- Beef Bone Broth - from the farm, $15/quart
- Beef Tallow - from the farm, $8.50/pint
- Rendered Leaf Lard - from the farm, $8.50/pint
- Honey- Wildflower honey from TN Artisan Honey
- Mushrooms - Oysters, Shiitakes, Lions Mane from Henosis Mushrooms
- Microgreens - Living Basil, Micro-Rainbow Mix, Chervil, Pea Shoots, Pea Shoot Tendrils from Greener Roots Farm
Sweet potatoes are self-reliant. They can grow in tough soil. They withstand disease. You can eat both the sweet potato vines and the tubers underneath. These smooth and sweet orange jewels are a pleasure to dig and an even bigger pleasure to prepare. Ready to grow a sweet potato? The potatoes themselves are so full of energy that they sprout vines when prompted and nourish these young “slips” until they are removed from the potato and planted in the ground. Then the slips grow their own tubers after a long season of sunshine and water. Sweet potatoes are often considered vegetables, but be careful! They house an enormous amount of energy, and are actually considered a starchy-vegetable. Those individuals who struggle with insulin-resistance may want to balance sweet potatoes with other types of non-starchy vegetables. Balanced meals are a great way to ensure that you are getting the nutrition you need: energy, protein, and vitamins and minerals. Try to aim for a quarter of each meal to have some type of whole-food starch, like a sweet potato. Another quarter should be a protein. Aim for half of your meal to be whole fruits and vegetables. The key is balance, variety and moderation!
**Use the code CANEYFORK2021 to receive $25 off your treatment at HaLé Integrative Health
Recipes
Lamb Meatballs in Broth with Cabbage
Pizza with Pulled Pork, Kale and Goat Cheese
