Many of this weeks plants started their journey inside in April when there was still snow on the ground and nighttime temperatures well below zero. Following wisdom older than any of us, we don't plant outside before the May long weekend, and this year that wisdom showed it's quality.
Our earliest crops are those that typically thrive in cool spring temperatures. Plants like Radish, Kale, Lettuce, and Spinach are all fantastic during this time of year. When the weather gets much warmer, some of these become trickier to grow well. Sometimes it's because a warm-season insect appears that views a crop as an all you can eat buffet, and sometimes the heat simply accelerates the plant's life-cycle and it "bolts", going to seed too quickly.
This Week's Share
This week's shares include: Lettuce, Red Russian Kale, Bok Choy, Spinach, Radish, and Pea Shoots. Our cucumber plants have started to produce but are not yet in high gear. Some shares will include cucumbers this week and those that don't will see cucumbers next week.
We've also included a packet of seeds for flowers and plants that help support beneficial insects like pollinators and butterflies. There's enough seed in each share to cover 50 square feet. Gently broadcast the seed on clear soil, lightly rake, and then play the waiting game. If you're short on space, you can try a denser seeding in a large pot.
Preparation Ideas: Kale, Bok Choy, and Pea Shoots
We're all likely familiar with Lettuce and Radish, but Kale, Bok Choy, and Microgreens (Pea Shoots) may be new to some. If you're not quite sure how to prepare these, here are some ideas to get you started:
Pea Shoot microgreens can be eaten in a variety of ways, such as:
Added to a sandwich - try it with egg salad!
A fresh garnish atop eggs - especially eggs benedict.
Add to your salads
Eat them alone as a snack
Try adding them to a casserole or lasagne
Let us know if you have a recipe that includes microgreens and we'd be happy to share it with our CSA members!
Thanks again!
Thanks to all of our CSA members for their support this season! We've been working hard and are eager to share the literal fruits of our labour. We're also getting ready for our first food bank harvest and will post an update next week after our delivery to the Kawartha Lakes Food Source.