Farm Notes

Two days in a row of warm, sunshine-filled weather? I must be dreaming! The past two days, I’ve been able to spend some time in the late afternoon working in the dirt, and it has been absolutely glorious and soul-filling. I’ll be honest that at the end of the 2020 growing season (which for me, wasn’t until mid December), I was left feeling completely exhausted and burnt out. I desperately needed a break from the farm, and I’m so grateful to have had the past few months to rest, watch Netflix on the couch, sleep in, and fill my cup back up.

As I was working out in the garden today, surrounded by air that was warm and filled with the sound of frogs singing in the nearby creek, I was suddenly struck with such happiness and gratitude to be able to do this work. Which was a wonderful feeling after being so utterly tired at the end of last year. I’m continually in awe of the healing rhythm of the seasons – how the winter months can certainly be dark and dreary, but it’s also an essential time to rest and be restored for the growing season that lies ahead.

Time to share a quick seed starting tip, for what to do if/when your seedlings suddenly get way too tall! I had this issue with some bachelor button seeds that I started a few weeks ago. They were still super tiny, but had gotten so tall that they were falling over – mostly because I didn’t realize they had germinated so quickly, so they spent a few days stretching to find light before I turned the grow lights on. So in case any of you have the same problem, I’m going to show you what to do:

First, you’ll need to fill a new seeding tray with fresh, moist potting soil. You can get the soil wet by first filling the tray with dry soil, and then spraying it gently with a hose OR get your soil wet (but not dripping) first and then fill the tray. Then get a chopstick (or a pencil or pen would probably work too).

Next, use the chopstick to make small holes in each cell of the seedling tray. Then take the chopstick again and very gently prick out the seedling, making sure not to cut the stem.

Now gently transfer your leggy seedling over to the new tray that you’ve prepared. This is the part that takes a little practice… you want to lay the seedling over the hole and very gently use the chopsticks to fold the long stem + root end into the hole. The key is to get the stem and roots tucked in the hole, without breaking the delicate stem. I promise, you can do it! Finish by soaking the whole tray in a tub filled with a few inches of water, then put back under your grow lights (if using).

Because these seedlings are still super tiny, I potted them into the same size tray (72 cells) as they were originally in. But as your plants get bigger (and as they have absorbed all the nutrients from the potting soil that they first germinated in), you’ll need to “pot up” each seedling into new potting soil, and typically they will step up to larger cells or pots.

If you have any questions about this process (or any other issues you may be having with your baby seedlings), just give me a holler!

Kitchen Notes

If I could only eat one salad for the rest of my life, this one might be it. It has all the things I’m looking for in a good salad… it’s colorful, has a great crunch, filled with bright flavor, and is chock-full of protein and healthy fats. This recipe is very forgiving (which was first inspired by The Sprouted Kitchen)– so feel free to mix up, add, or omit ingredients depending on what you have on hand. Another perk of this salad is that it’s super hearty and won’t wilt in the fridge, so it makes great leftovers for several days.

Green Power Salad

INGREDIENTS

For the salad

1 bunch of lacinato kale, de-stemmed and chopped
3 cups cooked French green/black lentils
1 green apple, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 english hothouse cucumber (or 3 persian cucumbers), diced
1 cup pumpkin seeds/pepitas
1 pint blueberries
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of ~2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
1 clove minced garlic (1 teaspoon)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION

To cook the lentils: Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add 1.5 cups of uncooked lentils and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente (make sure to taste them to see when they are finished). When the lentils are finished cooking, drain immediately and set aside.
Make the vinaigrette: Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar and shake, shake, shake! Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
De-stem the kale, roughly chop, and set aside in a large salad bowl.
Pour a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette into the salad bowl with the chopped kale. Using your hands, massage the kale for 1-2 minutes, until the it breaks down and turns dark green.
Add the cooked lentils, chopped apples, avocado, cucumber, parsley, mint, pepitas, blueberries and parmesan cheese (if using) to the salad bowl with the massaged kale.
Pour additional vinaigrette over the salad and toss well to combine (you may have some extra vinaigrette). Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Today’s Stats

Low temp: 35F
High temp: 70F
Sunrise: 6:53am
Sunset: 6:08pm
Moon phase: Waxing Gibbous
Additional notes: A bit chilly in the morning, then sunny and warm all day!