2016 CSA Spring April 23

• Mixed Field Greens
• Field Arugula
• Kale
• Tarragon
• Asparagus
• Green Tomatoes
• Lemongrass
• Lemon Verbena
• Butternut Squash
• Basil

2016 CSA Spring April 23: A taste of spring! Asparagus this week! Brighten your menu with lemony flavors… pound the lemongrass into a green tomato curry or try adding 5-6 leaves of the lemon verbena in butter as you sauté your asparagus. Tarragon and lemon go well together so consider combining the two in your sauté. The herbs in this week’s offering would make a fine tonic tea. I have seen it mentioned that tarragon tea is good for anxiety, parasites, insomnia, as a digestive aid and appetite stimulant.  To be specific, we cultivate French tarragon, different from Russian or wild tarragon. This variety is classically used to make flavored vinegar. We like to use a light vinegar and are partial to Virginia Vinegar Works white wine vinegar. Your tarragon can also be dried and stored for future use. Mike has daydreams of someday figuring out a tarragon chewing gum, but for now, try it in one of our favorite recipes below.

Tarragon baked fish: use a pound of white fish, butter, and chopped herbs. Place fish in a greased glass baking dish with melted butter (approximately 2 tablespoons or more) with one tablespoon each of chopped tarragon and chopped lemon verbena. Be sure to pour the butter over top and then sprinkle with your herbs. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, being sure to secure the sides so as to keep in the moisture. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve over rice with a garnish of lemon.

To your health and your pleasure, always!

Tarragon

2016 CSA Spring April 2nd

• Rainbow Chard
• Baby Salad Mix 8×8
• Baby Arugula 8×8
• Baby Sorrel
• Baby Red Ribbed Sorrel
• Poultry Herb Blend
• Flat Parsley
• Dill
• Cilantro
• Mint
• Rose Geranium
• Butternut Squash
• Sorrel Pesto

Renew or signup for CSA at https://specials.planetearthdiversified.com/pay-online

Yea! Happy Spring! This marks the beginning of the farmer’s market and the spring CSA season. There is so much to celebrate spring for and we had Michael’s birthday just last week in the time many blossoms herald an increase in sun. One of the many reasons i fell in love with Virginia over 25 years ago is her biodiversity…we live in one of the most biodiverse regions in all of the United States.

Gill of the Ground

It was fascinating to come across plants that i had only read about in books. Pictured above with the scallop lobed leaves and small flowers is one of those plants: gill-o-th-ground, or glechoma hederacea. In older years, this plant was used for “painter’s colic”, which was caused by lead in paints at the time. Gather up some of this low-lying herb and enjoy it in a cup of tea. The young leaves are also used in salads.

Violets

At the very top there is a photo of purple violets. The leaves, flowers and root have edible/medicinal uses and the flowers right now are just blooming in our region making for an easy trail-side snack or special garnish. We eat these all the time. There are some violets at higher elevations that are yellow, but because we rarely see them, we do not eat those. Be aware and do not gather in close proximity to roadways as there are toxins that get into the plants.

Redbud

This last photo is the redbud tree, which has crisp, slightly tart flowers coming out, even before its leaves, making it easy to spot.      To your health & pleasure, always, love, leslie.