This Week at the Farm: Lessons in Growing & Cooking
Through the rain and the cold, our farmers keep plugging along. Planting the cut flower garden, transplanting vegetable and herb starts, and harvesting fresh greens can’t wait for better weather. The work has to get done no matter what.
Thankfully it looks like there’s going to be a break in the rain for the first outdoor farmers market in Norwich today. Stop by our booth and say hello to Chris and Christina – they’ll be there from 9 to 1!
Early Season Greens
What does the farm have this early in the season, you ask? Thanks to the hoop houses, there’s bok choy, mustard greens, chard – to name just a few of the greens we’re growing this spring. While the growing is a lot slower with the sun behind the clouds, we were able to do our first significant harvest this week.
Try this Fluffy Frittata with Greens!
The Perks of Preserving
This time of the year, most of the produce in a grocery store has traveled far to get there. As you wait patiently for this year’s bounty, you can still enjoy local, organic produce that was carefully preserved during the height of the season last year.
Tomato preserves, a delicious combination of sweet and slightly spicy, pair well with a salty cheese. Pickled hot peppers can add a kick to your sandwiches, burgers, enchiladas, etc.
We hope these products inspire you to do some preserving of your own this season!
Growing Lessons
The farm is an incredible outdoor classroom. On Tuesday, our Little Farmers group planted peas in the Education Garden and learned about how the soil needs to be warm in order for seeds to germinate. The kids got to feel the difference between the cooler soil in the garden compared to the temperatures inside the greenhouses, where spring greens are growing. They even got to taste some spinach leaves and baby chard!
Learning While You Cook
It’s no secret that learning to cook teaches a lot more than how to make food. Meredith, our Education Programs Manager, wrote about the benefits of slowing down and savoring the process when it comes to cooking.
Gardening Tips: Bulbs Cont’d
If you’re itching to get out in the garden, you can start planting bulbs – even in this weather. One of our favorites is ranunculus (available in the farmstand). This flower has a long vase life and makes an excellent cut flower. Like freesia, they can be planted in the garden or in a container. It takes 2-3 months for them to bloom after planting. Plant 2 inches deep and 5 inches apart.
Upcoming
May 4 – Norwich Farmers Market, 9-1.
May 5 – Knife sharpening at the farmstand,10-2.
May 6 – Vandana Shiva presents pledge for Poison Free Food (Montpelier), 11-1.
May 7 – Little Farmers drop in class for children ages 2-5, 10-11 am.
May 7 – Start of Cooking for Middle Schoolers spring session, 3:30-5:15 pm. **5 spots left!
June 1 – Last Day to sign up for a Produce Plus Card!
To combat climate change, start from the ground up (with dirt)
–a graphic by Wendy MacNaughton
