Sugar snap peas, kale, radishes, haukeri turnips, cilantro, parsley, kale, broccoli, broccoli greens, spinach, spicy greens mix, fennel, arugula, lettuce, blood oranges, tangerines, kumquats, limes, lemons, guava

Weeks 1-4 have been tasty!

Farmer philosophy corner

Weeding, harvesting, working the soil- we are always finding ourselves asking big questions while we farm. Meaning of life questions. Why is the world the way it is type questions.

We found a great answer to a big question…. Why do we cook?

For me, (Alyssa), if I have had a long day or a stressful week, I can always rely on baking cookies or cooking up a stew to put me at ease. Sometimes if I am lucky on my day off I can spend all day in the kitchen- no music, no talking, possibly not even eating. Just cooking. I’ve never really thought about WHY more work would actually make me feel better at the end of the day. But while reading “The Homemade Kitchen” by Alana Chernila, she brought up the question and gave an insightful answer.

Why do I cook?
”Not only do I get to eat what I’ve made, I also get to delight in my ability to create it. Small as the act might be, having the power to feed myself and my family makes me feel optimistic about my own resources to create what I want in life.”

To us, this is spot on. Cooking gives us confidence in our own abilities to survive and thrive.

She goes on:
”When I create what I want to eat, the simple task becomes the seed that empowers me to live the life I want, and to create that too. And when I cook and eat in a way that reflects how I want to live, it means I have the opportunity three times a day to make decisions that help me live that life. That’s why I cook.”

It’s a thought that explains the build up of how its feels when you haven’t cooked for awhile… It’s not just about how healthy or unhealthy you’ve been eating, it’s about taking those chances to practice creating. And this practice takes you back to the base, to check in with raw ingredients and learn their qualities. Fresh ingredients remind you of the dynamic nature of the world, how carrots taste sweeter in spring, and how a summer cucumber crunch can brighten your day. Touching base with the raw, practicing your ability to create, is humbling and empowering. Cooking with fresh ingredients grounds you in the present and its promise of change.

Why do you cook? If you have another reason to add please share with us we would love to hear from you!

SOURDOUGH CLASS

The much awaited Sourdough Class is open for sign ups*! Join us for a morning or afternoon of learning how to make sourdough. You will leave with a loaf ready to go in your very own banneton (bowl to help shape your dough into a loaf)! We are hoping that this class can help reduce the noise around bread making and really set you up to make a good loaf.

Current CSA members: please look out for a $5 discount code from Alyssa! If you don’t get it, just give her a text and she’ll share the discount code.

*If you prefer to sign up in person/offline you can tell us at the farmstand or give alyssa a text at 2173694003 with which class want to sign up for.

Recipes of the month!

Orange Orzo Salad: OMG such a delicious salad that highlights winter veggies that make it pop. Highly recommend. If you haven’t tried orzo before its a super easy pasta that is affordable but feels fancy.
Kale Sauce: The beloved Holy Kale Sauce recipe. Its NYT so if you don’t have a subscription its basically sautéed garlic, olive oil, and kale. When I made it I added lime zest and lime juice from 1 lime per recipe. Be sure to cook the garlic well to avoid raw garlic flavor.
Lamb, Chickpea, and Spinach Soup (Harira): From the Ottolenghi cookbook (amazing) this soup is perfect for a rainy day. We used stew beef instead of lamb and broccoli greens instead of spinach. Great with potatoes added in. Get your tomato sauce at the Ranchito Farm Stand to make it even more tasty.

Thank you for giving us a chance to be your farmers.

Need help?

Contact us at 217-369-4003 or send us an email at ranchitomilkyway@gmail.com