"Wanna see a bird nest in the lettuce bed?" she asks. "Sure!" I say and she leads me to the place. She points her finger and whispers, "there". My eyes scan the area she's pointing to but I'm unable to see what's right in front of me. It's hidden in plain sight. And then, I see the tiny nest woven into the scattered leafy remains of the harvested lettuce bed. An oven bird has tucked her home of dried reeds amongst the sun baked lettuce remnants, nearly the same hue. We squat down to peek inside, where three brown speckled, impossibly small eggs lay tucked away.
Our interactions with other creatures on the farm are not always as romantic as thise camouflaged bird nest. It's really hard to love the ticks we find crawling up our legs and the groundhogs that munch all the leaves off a row of baby broccoli. But we do our best to listen and to work with the land and the creatures that live here in a harmonious and respectful way.
We celebrate our interdependence: our sense of mutuality and relationship with each other and the earth. We celebrate the microbes in the soil, the bees pollinating the blossoms, and we celebrate you, the eater, who propels this whole thing forward and insprires us keep it all in balance to the best of our ability.
Veggie Tips & Tricks of the week:
- Summer squash dehydrates quickly. Store in a plastic bag or in the hydrator drawer of your fridge for a few days.
- Place radishes in plastic bag after removing the tops and put them in the refrigerator. For some added crispness, soak radishes in iced water for an hour before use.
- Did you know you can eat turnip greens!? They are super tasty when sautéed quickly with garlic in olive oil.
Seasonal Recipes:
Savory Carrot-Zucchini Pancakes (with herbs galore!)
Roasted Red Pepper and Kale Frittata
Quinoa Salad (with black beans, red bell pepper, and cilantro)
