`”I don’t want to lecture you into the kitchen. I want to lure you into the kitchen.” -Michael Pollan, Cooked (the show)
We hope it’s obvious, but around here we really love food. Great food. We love to grow it, in part, because we love to eat it. And we most love eating food that is full of flavor and has been prepared simply. That way we taste the real flavor of the food. And so, we prepare food a lot. As in, the number of times per year that we go out to eat could be counted on one hand. (Having four children also helps keep this number low, but we know the food we prepare is the best for them, so it all works out.) Among our children, for one to tell the other “You are like a professional chef!” is the highest of compliments. We have no T.V. in our home. Preparing food is a significant source of entertainment. We just recently watched the show “Cooked” via Netflix, the six of us huddled around our small computer screen, crying out in protest at the end of the 4th episode. (“How can there be only four episodes!?!” said our 6 year old.)
Our greatest hope for the food that we grow is that our community will enjoy preparing and savoring it, as best as they are able. Thus, we want to help you as best we can. Oh, how many times we wish we could bring you all to our kitchen counter and around our dinner table! We want to show you: “Look how easy it is! Taste how delicious this is!” But this newsletter will have to suffice.
(Photo above, of kale and legos, by Luke Witt at the Farmers Market @ St. Stephens.)
And so we want to impress a few main points upon you:
Make as much of your plate vegetables! As in, aim for 3/4 of your plate to be vegetables at every meal. Breakfast? Saute greens to combine with egg and toast. Lunch? Prep a salad of as many vegetables as you can and top it with fat and protein (barley, nuts, cheese, meat, tofu…). Dinner? Prepare two or three vegetables and think of the protein/fat/carbs as the accompaniment. Keep it simple and saute the vegetables with butter and salt, or toss with a vinaigrette. Seriously, our vegetables are so good, they don’t need much fuss.
Now, let’s be honest. To take the pressure off of ourselves, we will quote Alana Chernila from The Homemade Kitchen: “Talk to me on a Saturday morning when I’m working at the farmers’ market, and I’ll convince you that a locally grown kohlrabi (cut into fries, roasted with olive oil and salt) can change your life. Walk into my kitchen when the whole family is grumpy with hunger and I can’t figure out what’s for dinner, and I’ll pour you a glass of wine and admit that I , too, just hate making dinner. One perspective doesn’t negate the other.” (pg. 10) Our happiest moments aren’t always while trying to cut carrots, massage kale, toss green beans, fluff quinoa, and stir sausage while also trying to settle an argument between two children, drag along a child who has clung to an adult leg, finish up a work conversation with our business partner/spouse, and beg someone to set the table. It’s often hard. Really hard. We get it.
But we need to eat, and if we eat well, we are happier and healthier. By the time we sit down at the family dinner table, take a deep breath, take a sip of drink (water or wine…your choice) and a bite of food, we are always – always – glad to have gone through whatever we went through to get dinner on the table. We aim to cook enough to make use of leftovers the next day (for breakfast or lunch!). We are better people for it. Thanks for joining us in this experience. Prime season here in central VA for a multitude of vegetables is just weeks away. Get ready to put in your time cutting them up and reap the rewards.
A related event to bring to your attention: A colleague of ours, Becky Crump, is organizing the first ever River City Health Summit on Saturday, April 23. It’s a one-day nutrition-focused event wherein national bestselling authors and experts (Jo Robinson – Eating on the Wild Side, Donna Gates – The Body Ecology Diet, Heather White – The Environmental Working Group, etc.) and the public gather to tackle the most interesting nutrition topics of our time. Weight-loss? Gut health? Food sensitivities? Neurological function? Those and many more, are all on the table. There will be fermenting demonstrations by Dawn Story with Farmstead Ferments, lunch will be provided for free by Goatocado, and the organic cold-pressed juice and kombucha will endlessly flow throughout the day!
Go here to view the website (www.gethealthyrichmond.com) and check out the keynotes and the schedule. You’ll see that after each 60-minute keynote is a 20-minute Q&A. We encourage you to check it out. We wish we could be there.
This week’s harvest includes:
Carrots, Kale, Microgreens, Pea Shoots, Radishes, and our Organic, Naturally Leavened, Hearth Baked Bread…plus Plants for your Garden: Lettuce, Kale, Broccoli, Chard, Cilantro, Dill.
Recipe Suggestions:
Radishes: Dice and mix with cream cheese and a dash of sea salt. Use this as a dip for other veggies or as a spread on bread or crackers. :: Simply smear butter on a slice and dip in salt and pop them in your mouth. It’s amazing! :: Slice thinly and add to any salad or dish for pizzazz, zing, and nourishment. :: Slice thinly and toss with a wee bit of olive oil, rice vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Serve as a side salad.
2016 Market Share CSA Members: Reserve your selection online to pick up Saturday, April 9th at our farm, at Good Health Herbs, or at the Farmers Market @ St. Stephens. Everything remaining after pre-orders will be available for purchase at the Farmers Market @ St. Stephens.
Reminder to our returning and new Farm Share CSA members: weekly shares begin the first week in May.
Enjoy ~
Janet, Dan, and the whole Broadfork crew
Reminder: Plant Sale | Farm Day | Open Barn! Saturday, April 30th from 10-4. Visit our Plant Sale for the full selection of our Certified Naturally Grown vegetable and herb plants for your summer garden, plus tour the farm with us at 3:00 to learn how and why we grow delicious and nutritious vegetables for you and your household using only biological, Certified Naturally Grown methods. Soak in our beautiful farm and meet our staff. See your 2016 vegetables growing. Mark your calendars for a fun day which will also include wood-fired oven treats! Driving directions found on our website.
