The Box
Spring CSA Week 4

Farmer Vicki noted in her weekly e-mail that her spring greenhouse crops were not coming in so well. She sez:

"We have been having problems with one greenhouse in that the crops are not all getting ready at the same time. It is frustrating, but so far I have not figured out why. The only clue I have is that we did a poor job spreading the composted manure. In some places it is thick and others, thin. In this case, though I have been a poor diagnostician."

It's not the box came empty, but it brings up some of the weaknesses with CSAs. Essentially, it is a lot of the same: radishes (standard red and long, white icicle), lettuces, a bunch of turnips, larger than last week, and a couple of carrots. Yea, and some green onions. Farmer Vicki recommends using the greens from the radishes and the turnips to extend the stuff. Still, it is not enough to make a week's worth of eating. Another thing that makes it hard, the head of curly green lettuce provided this week wilts very quickly. There is some mescalin that will last longer.

OK, enough with the complaining. Last week we made pasta with our kale and chard, with goat cheese and ricotta salata, our kidz loved it. We also made good use of carrots, tiny turnips, and radishes with home-made aioli. I will say that the green onions are piling up. I have a recipe for braised green onions to try, but green onions are not a favorite of mine. Even if the boxes cannot support a whole week's worth of eating, each meal they support is highly delicious. (And oh so local!)