April 8

Farm Notes

And just like that, the first week of our Spring CSA is in the books! Yesterday was an awesome day – the weather was cloudy and cool, which was perfect for harvesting heaps of greens for all our CSA members. These first few weeks will be heavy on the greens… our boxes were filled with lettuces, swiss chard, bok choy, radishes, and even some local honey for our Full Share members.

A peek at a Full share for Week 1 of our Spring CSA!

Between all the wild (and especially chilly) weather we’ve had this spring, along with navigating how to run the farm with a 6 month old baby, I’m feeling especially proud of all the veggies that went out into the world yesterday… and I’m especially grateful for all the families who trust me to be their farmer!

It always brings me so much joy to see folks out here enjoying the farm, and I’m so excited to share that next week I’ll be announcing some upcoming workshops and tours here at Farmbelly HQ! Stay tuned for all the details… and as Farmbelly Club members, y’all get first dibs on all our upcoming events at the farm.

While we are overflowing with gorgeous spring greens at the moment, we’re already in summer mode and over the next few weeks will be flipping beds and planting out our tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, etc. All of these summer crops are frost sensitive, so I’m just waiting about 2 more weeks, after which I’m pretty confident that freezing temps will be behind us till the fall. And I’m sending all the positive green thumb vibes to all y’all growing gardens this year… as always, if you have any questions about planning out your summer gardens, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Kitchen Notes

Now that all the greens are BACK for spring, I thought it would be a good time for a refresher on the art of making your own vinaigrettes / salad dressings! I definitely didn’t grow up making my own dressings, but once I learned how simple it was to make, I’ve never looked back. If you’re more of a visual learner, here’s a fun video tutorial I made showing you how to make your own vinaigrettes with just a few ingredients you surely already have in your pantry. Below are a few helpful tips for making your own vinaigrettes, along with a very simple recipe for a homemade lemon vinaigrette!

VINAIGRETTES 101

1) Remember Your Ratio (1:3)

  • The traditional ratio for vinaigrettes is 1 part acid to 3 parts oil – but if you prefer more acidic dressings, use a 1:2 ratio of acid to oil (ie twice as much oil as acid).

  • When making a vinaigrette oil is typically extra-virgin olive oil (ideally cold pressed, in a dark glass container), but you can also use grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc. 

  • The acid can be either vinegar (white/red wine vinegar, apple cider) or citrus (lemon, lime)

2) Balance Your Vinaigrette

  • Salt is crucial to temper the acid while amplifying flavor. Don’t be shy!

  • Sweeteners like sugar, honey, maple syrup, and agave are optional, but help temper acidity.

  • Aromatics like spices, fresh herbs, shallots, garlic, ginger, and lemon zest add tons of flavor.

3) Emulsify + Stabilize Your Vinaigrette

  • Tahini - made from ground sesame seeds, pairs well with lemon, olive oil, garlic and honey.

  • Miso - Miso is a fermented soybean paste that is widely used in Japanese and Korean cuisines.

  • Mustard - lends a creamy and delightfully tangy flavor to vinaigrettes. 

Simple Lemon Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

  • Juice of 2-3 lemons (if you don’t have lemons, use 1/4 cup white wine vinegar)

  • Olive oil

  • Dijon or Whole Grain Mustard

  • Maple syrup or honey

  • Salt and Pepper, to taste (don’t be shy with the salt!)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Juice your lemons and pour the juice into a mason jar. Add twice as much olive oil as lemon juice to the jar. Add a good squeeze (a tablespoon or so) each of mustard and maple syrup (or honey). If you'd like, add some minced garlic, fresh herbs, and/or lemon zest for added flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste and shake, shake shake! Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning - you're looking for a good balance between sour, sweet, and salty.

Todays Stats

  • Low temp: 38F

  • High temp: 64F

  • Sunrise: 6:53am

  • Sunset: 7:45pm

  • Moon phase: Waxing Crescent

  • Additional notes: Mostly sunny and lovely