Hello,
I hope this email finds you well. It has been a busy day on the farm as we gear up for the second week of market season, which includes our first week with two markets. We like to take things one step at a time, which is why our CSA season won't start until the third week. As I write this, it's already 8:30 pm, and I still have about two hours of work left to ensure everything is ready for tomorrow. You may have noticed that on market days, I tend to fall asleep on the couch since I'm always up late working.
This week, we are excited to start our CSA season. To access your account, please use this link: https://www.harvie.farm/login. Your username is the email address you are receiving this email to. If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it using the provided link.
Here are the pickup time reminders for Saturday:
- Lancaster Farmers Market 8:30 to noon
- Dublin Farmers Market 9 to noon
I know we have a lot of greens at the beginning of the season, but don't worry; it won't last long. In a few weeks, we'll have some early season summer crops such as tomatoes, strawberries, zucchini, cucumbers, and peas ready to share.
This week, we're featuring Swiss chard. Swiss chard has large, glossy, dark green leaves with stalks that can range in color from white to yellow, orange, pink, or red. It is a versatile vegetable that can be eaten cooked or raw, and its leaves can be used as a substitute for spinach or kale in a variety of recipes. Swiss chard is also a good source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, magnesium, and fiber.
We love using Swiss chard in our spaghetti sauce instead of spinach, and the stalks are great with peanut butter on them. Here are some other ways you can use Swiss chard:
- Cooked: Swiss chard can be steamed, sautéed, boiled, or roasted. The leaves can be used as a side dish or added to soups, stews, casseroles, or pasta dishes. The stalks can be used in similar ways to asparagus, or pickled for later use.
- Raw: Swiss chard leaves can be eaten raw in salads, sandwiches, or wraps. The leaves can be sliced thinly and used in place of lettuce or other greens.
- Juice or smoothie: Swiss chard can be juiced or blended into smoothies, along with other fruits and vegetables, for a nutrient-packed beverage.
- Pesto: Swiss chard leaves can be used to make a flavorful pesto sauce. Simply blend the leaves with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.
- Wraps: Swiss chard leaves can be used as a low-carb substitute for tortillas or bread in wraps or sandwiches.
- Baked Goods: Finely chopped Swiss chard leaves can be added to bread, muffin, or quiche recipes to increase the nutrition and taste profile.
We hope you'll try this beautiful green and find a way to use it that you love.
Thank you for being a part of our CSA family,
THe Schultz Family
