for Thursday, 5/22 - Open at 9:00, can sell out and reopen, Bounty Farm produce arrives, and more

Hi gang,

I sincerely apologize for Ma Nature’s whims this year and my resulting lack of berries today. I closed and reopened twice! I was about ready to throw in the towel this morning when some of my crew didn’t show up AND I had less than 1/3 of the usual quantity of berries picked for this time of year. I knew the frost would affect us, and now I know when. I’m praying to the ripening gods to allow us enough sun to bring in what you would like for the holiday weekend. I predict it will be challenging and we will sell out often. I promise I’ll keep you updated and do my very best to bring in what I can.

I will open tomorrow, Thursday at 9AM and bring in what I can. Will I have the crew?? Will I have enough to stay open most all of the day?? I simply don’t know.

IMPORTANT
I will change my hours this holiday weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) to open at 10AM. I have to do this to allow enough time to pick and attempt to keep the stand stocked.

Regrettably, I’m unable to take advance orders and hold requests for this holiday weekend. I sincerely wish I could J

Farmers Corner by Amy Rice-Jones
The Bounty Farm is busy becoming a "farm" and its first crops will be available for purchase tomorrow, Thursday, May 22nd at 9AM. The arugula is fully mature and ready to enter your salads this week! This vegetable is a pungent, peppery salad green that has been widely used in Italy since ancient Roman times. It entered American cuisine in the 1970s and is now widely available in the spring time at most farmer's markets. Arugula is a nice addition to a salad mixed with lettuce or as a salad on its own. You can make pesto out of it by simply substituting arugula for basil. Below is a simple salad recipe for you to try out.


Arugula, Orange and Fennel Salad

Salad:
1 fennel bulb, sliced thinnly
1 red onion, shaved paper thin
1 cup segmented navel oranges
3 bunches fresh arugula
1/2 cup walnuts

Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Trim off the top off the fennel bulb. Slice the fennel and onion paper thin.

3. To prepare the vinaigrette, combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk.

4. Toss the arugula, fennel and onion with vinaigrette, divide among serving plates and top with orange slices, and walnuts.

There will also be a handful of Easter Egg radishes and Hakurei baby turnips for those of you that arrive early at the Berry Stand. If you haven't ever had a Hakurei turnip, they are mild, tender and sweet--delicious to eat on their own or in a salad.

The next crops that will be available at the Berry Stand will be spinach, lettuce, rainbow chard, purplette onions and broccoli to follow.

Your purchase of produce from the Bounty Farm will go towards the development of this educational farm and its mission to provide healthy produce to families that need it the most.

Cheers!

Sally Strawberry
Carstensen Farms