Sometimes I need to let you behind the curtain on why our food system is the way it is.

Here at the warehouse we do most of our food pickups on Tuesday. 48 hours prior to that we have been on the phone with somewhere between 20-30 growers for that given week and given them what we think will be a solid order for the week.

Yes, folks, we have come to the end of the line on roots. You have been patient and we thank you for that as we obviously committed ourselves many months ago to many pounds of the sacred roots.

Thanks to everyone for all your support each week as we continue to move through the ups and downs of spring weather and temperatures.

We are just seeing our first flush of asparagus and just like the ramps, we will have just enough for a few people at first, but over the course of the next month, you will get pounds of it no matter what size box you have.

We are closing in on two great holidays...Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day!

For Cinco de Mayo, we partnered with Shagbark to bring you a bag of Corn Cracker Mini to use for your favorite dish. This week I would add these items to my cart to make sure I could at least make nachos.

“Violet, you’re turning violet!

Oompa, Loompa, Loopity, Da
If you like blueberries, you will go far!!

This week we have enough blueberries AND ramps to make sure everybody gets some.

ROOT SLAW!!

What is it??

Rainbow Carrots - 29%

Beets - 29%

Parsnips - 29%

Black Radish - 5%

Chioggia Beets - 5%

Pink Daikon Radish - 3%

This weather has us skeptically hopeful for an awesome spring produce season!

We have an item going in Base’s and Full’s that I have never even actually seen before. They are called Jerusalem Artichoke’s and they look like Ginger and Potato had a baby.

RAMPS!!!

They aren’t quite scallions, they aren’t quite garlic, and they aren’t quite leeks.

BUT, they are a little of all of those things.

They grow wild in the woods and they have one or two flat, broad leaves.

Ramps are only in season for about a month (sometimes less), and both the leaves and the bulbs are edible.

Last week the “Dirty Dozen” list came out.

The dirty dozen are the 12 varieties of produce that were tested to have the highest levels of chemicals on them.

You can check the list at the link, but I wanted to highlight something very important. When I saw this list last Tuesday, I noticed that apples were #5.

HAPPY ST. PADDY's DAY!! White potatoes are featured this week.

Believe it or not, we are getting to the end of our storage crops (I say that sarcastically, as of course, we have all been eating these items for what feels like an eternal winter) like potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, and apples.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS….wait for it….SPRING is right around the corner. There are three items that we are always looking for to signify that SPRING is actually here and this week we heard reports that one of them has been sighted.

Have we made it? Are we out of the woods? Is Winter officially behind us?

I’ll believe it in July.

This week is a radical break from the norm in our boxes as we gearing up for one of our favorite “unofficial” holidays...Pi day.

WINTER SPINACH!!

This is the “sexy” item of the week…

Side Bar...was I right about those yellow tater’s last week? Winter spinach is some of the most flavorful and nutrient dense greens we can be eating this time of year. It also has a “sweet” flavor that only develops in cold temperatures.

When we started this company in 2014, there was one other group that was doing a similar project that was completely local food. They were called Great River Organics and then had a really nice program and following.

Over the years, they decided to do what they do best which is GROW FOOD. They no longer have a membership base, but they sell wholesale to places like Whole Foods, and over the last 18 months or so they have brought us MANY wonderful foods from their collection of Ohio Organic Farms.

What a week it’s been!

Hopefully this email finds you with food, warmth, and health. As you can imagine, when you are in the fresh food industry, bad weather can sure throw a wrench in your plans. Hopefully (as I type this on Tuesday), everything will have gone off without a hitch throughout the week. We continue to bring a mix of greens, roots, citrus, and storage crops. It is such a luxury to walk through the warehouse and look at the gorgeous colors as the food arrives each week. I am keenly aware that we might literally be a part of the most impactful food system (foodshed) in this part of the country.

Keep eating consciously. Keep improving the planet by improving what’s on your plate!

Random fact: Almost everyday, for as long as I can remember, I have spilled something. Trust me, that is a LOT of spills. Spilled my drink twice today already.

Side bar from the random fact: I still get mad almost every time I do it.

Moving on: We are doing a segment each week called “Mailbag Monday”. Here is the first one about plastic usage.

School this week has us learning about SWEET POTATOES! First, what it is NOT.
It is NOT
-part of the potato family
-a yam
-a member of the nightshade family

What it IS
-a bindweed
-part of the morning glory family
-tuber
-one of most nutrient dense vegetables with high Vitamin A, C and a great source of antioxidants

"Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots." ~ Forrest Gump

Carrots folks. That’s what we are learning about this week. The Dutch first domesticated carrot roots to make them sweeter, and they have been selectively bred to be more palatable ever since. Most vegetables are most nutritious when eaten raw, but carrot need cooked to unlock their nutrients. They have tough cellular walls that have to be broken down in order to best absorb through digestion. Heavy doses of Vitamin A, Potassium, and antioxidants. It can help to balance intestinal gas, prevent constipation, and treat indigestion.

Alright, folks...moving right throw our education here let’s look at PARSLEY this week.

Parsley is the most widely used herb on planet earth! It stands up well to heat, makes a great base for dressings and marinades, and is the key ingredient in tabbouleh and salsa verde. Incredible source of vitamins A and K, as well as high in vitamin C (3X’s as much C as oranges!), and twice as much iron as spinach!!! WHAT?!?!

It even freshens breath!

Last week we took a in depth look at dandelion greens, this week I would like to continue the education with onions.

In ancient Egypt the onion was a symbol of eternal life. In ancient Greece, athletes ate them raw and in juice form, even rubbing them on their bodies believing it gave them strength. Onions range in flavor from sweet to spicy and can be pickled, stewed, jammed, raw, and most commonly as a base for many dishes. Onions have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and are high in antioxidants, therefore used in many home cold remedies. I know in our house, 85% of our meals start by dicing and onion...and even if it is purely coincidental, we have VERY FEW COLDS.