FYI: This newsletter is being sent to all shares. Both A and B week half shareholders will
receive
the weekly newsletter, even on weeks they do not receive a CSA box.
Week Ten - August 11
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In this section of the newsletter, we provide a weekly update about issues we're facing in the field, as well as the successes we would love to share with you.
Tomatoes, Melons, & More!
Hey there Shareholders! We started harvesting some exciting new things like hot peppers, arugula, and melons. The melon is called Sun Jewel and is a really cool variety which originated from Korea. It has a crisp,
sweet flavor and a fun football-like shape.
Here's one of our awesome worker shares, Michelle, getting ready to pack the Sun Jewel melon into the CSA boxes this morning!
In addition to these, you will also see more tomatoes in your box this week. They are loving the sun and even the bigger tomatoes are ripening quite nicely in the field. A lot of love and hard work has gone into growing the tomatoes and we are thrilled to be able to share them with you!
Going on Vacation?
Do you have an upcoming trip planned? Please remember to give us at l
east 2 weeks notice so we do not make a CSA box for you if you're unable to pick it up. With notice, we can make arrangements for you to receive it a different week or two in one week or of course, you can always have a friend or family member pick it up to enjoy.
Holes in Kale and Arugula Leaves
You will notice some holes in the arugula and kale leaves. This is caused by an insect called flea beetle. These pests are very common in vegetable fields and love to munch on things like kale, radish greens, and arugula. Though they are small, they can cause a lot of damage in a short period of time. We try our best to keep their favorite veggies covered with remay cloth. This helps, but doesn't prevent the damage all together. Both the arugula and kale are safe to eat and still delicious! Organic veggie production ensures you don't have harmful chemicals or pesticides used in producing your veggies. Unfortunately, it does mean they may not look picture perfect when these little guys have eaten their share.
Below is a picture of the flea beetles on a kale leaf.
Have a wonderful week shareholders!
Caleb & Theresa
Co-Farm Managers
Executive Director Angie - Quick Notes
As always, we would love to have you come out and see how we grow YOUR food and the love and hard work that goes into every bit of it.
I am quite proud of our full team at Wellspring which is finally at full strength with the addition of Christine (more on her below).
I also want to remind you as you eat this wonderful food that your support of Wellspring, through your share investment helps us to continue to REALLY, not just words, but REALLY develop and train the next generation of organic farmers. Co-Farm Managers Caleb and Theresa are taking their skills to new levels as they grow for all of you and they are training first time interns Sam and Daniel. They are out there every day, in this humid heat, in the rain, and on those glorious warm days growing all of this safe, nutritious, flavorful food. I invite you to come out and see our 4+ acre production to really appreciate all that is done. And I also thank you for understanding that sometimes flea beetles give your food a lacy affect or you might get a 2-legged carrot. This is REAL food and all grown right here, locally. We hope you are enjoying your produce as much as we do growing and ensuring that you can value the investment you make in the work and mission of Wellspring Education Center and Organic Farm.
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Hello Everyone!
I am extremely grateful to be joining the amazing staff here at Wellspring!
While I am not directly involved in the growing of the delicious crops that find their way into your CSA boxes, I will be involved with a lot of the day-to-day workings of Wellspring and will hopefully be seeing many of you at some of the great events we hold on the farm! But, let me tell you a little bit about what brought me here and why I love Wellspring!
I am currently about half-way through my Master's Degree at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, studying Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems. This past January, I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship to attend the 2016 Wisconsin Local Food Summit and became enthralled by the incredible work happening around the state to improve our food system and the quality of life for Wisconsinites. Everywhere you turn in Wisconsin it is easy to find good food, good friends, and good scenery. At the Summit, I discovered that Wisconsin is also full of unique organizations that are working with their neighbors to use food and environment to create thriving communities. When I saw that Wellspring had a position open to help coordinate the next Summit, I knew that I wanted to become a part of this movement. Now that I am here, I feel like I have found a new home. Every day I am grateful for the peace and solitude of the fields and woods, for the vibrant flavors of the food grown on the farm, and the interesting people I get to interact with including staff, visitors, program attendees, and our B&B guests-and the chickens too, of course!
Thanks for being a part of this amazing community!
Christine
Fast Facts about Christine
- Ice cream is one of my favorite things in the world. If I could pull it off, I'd eat ice cream twice a day, every day!
- I am an avid reader. I have boxes and boxes of books just waiting for the day I own a house and can have a personal library.
- I love music and have a very eclectic taste. I also love to sing and have performed in over 20 choirs, most recently with River City Brass at the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh, PA.
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Sign up for your Fall/Winter Share Today!
We're half way through the CSA season and believe it or not, we already have winter on our minds!
If you've enjoyed your summer CSA boxes, we hope you will join us for the fall/winter season with our storage crop shares! These
shares consist of a larger, 1 1/9 bushel box of various storage crops (onions, carrots, winter squash, etc) as well as our frost-sweetened winter greens.
Boxes will be delivered to your pick up site every other week - Thursday, October 27th, Thursday, Nov. 10th, and ending TUESDAY, November 22nd (3 boxes total).
These make great shares for storing and eating through the winter OR cook a Thanksgiving feast! We provide storage tips like "store carrots in a box with newspaper in a dark corner of a closet or basement". Delivery will NOT be available at West Bend Farmers Market.
The price of the fall/winter share is $180. The delivery fee is $12-16 in total for all three deliveries depending on your location, or free if you are picking up on the farm. To sign up, please email Theresa at [email protected] and include your name, phone, and preferred pick up location. She will follow up with payment details and answer any questions you many have.
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| Name of Vegetable/Fruit |
Quantity in Box |
Storage |
| Red Head Lettuce
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1 head |
Fridge
Hint: If lettuce begins to wilt, soak for 10 minutes in ice cold water. Spin in a salad spinner or let sit in a colander until dry enough to store in container
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Chard
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1 bunch
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Fridge
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Fresh Garlic
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2 bulbs |
Fridge, Store in airtight container or plastic bag.
This garlic is not cured and
must be refrigerated.
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Arugula
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1 bag |
Fridge
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Sweet Onions 
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3-5 depending on size |
Fridge
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Eggplant 
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1-2 eggplant, depending on size
|
Fridge
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Lacinato Kale
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1 bunch |
Fridge, Store in airtight container or plastic bag.
Hint: If leaves begins to wilt, soak for 20 minutes in ice cold water. Let sit in colander until dry enough to store in container
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Zucchini
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3-6 zucchini depending on size, mix of varieties |
Fridge |
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Cucumber
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2-3 cucumbers |
Fridge
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Parsley  |
1 bunch |
Fridge, store with bottom of stems in jar with 1-2" water.
Do not submerge leaves.
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Basil  |
1 bunch |
DO NOT REFRIGERATE, store on kitchen counter top with bottom of stems in jar with 1-2" water.
Do not submerge
leaves.
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Sweet Marjoram  |
1 bunch |
Fridge, store with bottom of stems in jar with 1-2" water.
Do not submerge leaves.
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Sun Jewel Melon
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1 Melon |
Fridge
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Tomato
 |
4-6+ depending on size |
Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight |
Serrano Pepper
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2 |
Fridge |
Jalapeno Pepper  |
2-3 depending on size |
Fridge |
Head Lettuce - Excellent for a salad or lettuce wraps!
Chard - Check out those beautiful colors! Chard can be prepared similarly to spinach and eaten raw or cooked. Try adding to a salad or sauteing will herbs and oil.
Fresh Garlic - Slightly different than the green garlic you saw in your CSA box in spring. The cloves are fully formed and have a nice strong garlic flavor. The papery skin between the cloves is not dried and the bulbs have not be cured, so they need to be refrigerated.
Sweet Onion - We're so please with the amazing flavor of the onions we've been harvesting. This variety is super sweet and is great raw or cooked.
Eggplant - Purple and beautiful! We're growing four different varieties of eggplant at Wellspring. Each can be used interchangeably in recipes. Try sauteing, baking, or grilling. Check out the fast and easy baba ganoush recipe below!
Lacinato Kale - It is delicious fresh, sauteed, or baked. Great in frittata recipes and soup too.
Zucchini - Super versatile and can be added to warm and cold pasta dishes. Try making zucchini chips or zucchini noodles (zoodles)! Don't know how to make them? Email Angie at [email protected] for info or Google it :)
Cucumbers - The varieties we grow are great for salads, slicing, and refrigerator pickles.
Giant Italian Parsley - Parsley is one of the best know herbs and is also very
versatile
. Add it to pasta and meat dishes
Basil - It smells so good! Try using it in Italian dishes like pesto, lasagna, and caprese.
Sweet Marjoram - A sweet, flavorful herb that is in the same family as oregano. It is quite versatile and pairs well with chicken, tomatoes, and beef roasts. Try adding fresh marjoram to salads. It has many medicinal properties and is known to calm upset stomachs and help with migraines. It also smells great and is often used in soap and lotions.
Sun Jewel Melon - It's melon season! Sun Jewel is a sweet tasting Korean melon variety. Slice up like you would any other melon and enjoy! Also very tasty with a little cinnamon sprinkled on the slices.
Tomato - Look who made it into this week's box! We know you've been waiting patiently and it's officially tomato season! We had just enough to sneak 1-2 red tomatoes in each box. Don't worry, you will be seeing a ton more in the coming weeks!
Serrano & Jalapenos Pepper - Add a kick to any recipe with these spicy pepper! Great in hamburgers, salsa, or spicy pickle recipe!
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Recipes
Cucumbers with Arugula Caper Dressing
3 cups cucumber crescents*
Arugula Caper Dressing:
2 slices French or Italian bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
1 cup fresh arugula leaves
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*Peel 3 medium cucumbers, halve them lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Slice crosswise into ½-inch thick crescents.
Place the cucumbers in a serving bowl and set aside. Put the bread in a separate bowl, pour the vinegar over it, and let it soak for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the arugula, capers, and olive oil in a blender. With your hands, gently squeeze the excess vinegar from the soaked bread and add the bread to the blender. Blend on high speed until the dressing is uniformly colored and very smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender, if necessary.
Add about half of the dressing to the cucumbers and stir gently to evenly coat. Serve chilled.
Heirloom Tomato Concassé with Wilted Swiss Chard
1
pound fresh, sweet, ripe heirloomtomatoes, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 to 2
garlic cloves (to taste), minced or puréed
Salt to taste
1
teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Several fresh basil leaves, cut in slivers or torn
Freshly ground pepper
1 or 2
bunches Swiss chard (about 1 1/4 to 2 pounds), stemmed (keep stems if they are wide and fleshy), leaves washed in 2 changes of water
Feta for garnish (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes with their juices, garlic, salt, vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and half the basil. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or longer. Stir, taste, adjust salt and add pepper.
Meanwhile, wilt chard by blanching in boiling salted water for about a minute or by steaming above 1 inch of boiling water for about 2 to 3 minutes, flipping the bunch top to bottom using tongs halfway through. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water, taking up the chard by the handful. Chop coarsely.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chard and heat through, stirring, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove to a platter or to plates, spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle t remaining basil over the top and serve.
Jalapeño-Serrano Hot Sauce
2-3 medium jalapenos, roughly chopped
2 serrano chiles, roughly chopped
1 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cups distilled white vinegar
 Place jalapenos, serrano chiles, garlic, and salt in the workbowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add in vinegar through the feed tube. Process until smooth.
Transfer chile mixture in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour mixture in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and let stand in a cool, dark place for 3 days.
Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Pour into a clean glass jar, discarding drained solids, and store for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
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with Chef Greg & Orry
León
315 E Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Enjoy seasonal cooking while seeing the re
cipe prepared and having the opportunity to taste it and then go home with the recipes. Fast and easy is the mantra for these classes so that
you can find ways to incorporate these healthful, delicious veggies into your busy life.
Monday, September 12
-- Carrots and Fennel!
Monday, October 17
--
Winter squash and Cauliflower
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Seven area chefs create an enticing menu for your pleasure.
"Farm Chic" is the attire for this evening of fun on the farm! Walking "salad bar tour", hayrides, silent auction and games, and of course, the flavorful Wellspring produce featured through the talents of these chefs
Eric Fix - Out & Out Catering - Cedarburg
David Jurena - The Soup Market - Milwaukee
Gregory Leon -
Amilinda - Milwauke
Peter Sandroni -
La Merenda & Engine Company No. 3 - Milwaukee
Karen Gill -
Down to Earth Chef - Wauwatosa
Stephanie Ulma -
The Grasshopper - West Bend
Tony Koebel -
The Norbert - West Bend
Out & Out Eatery and Catering
1 Ticket for Farm to Table Event at Wellspring Farm - $75
 2 Tickets for Farm to Table Event at Wellspring Farm - $150
Taste of Wellspring Friend Sponsor includes 2 Tickets - $250
Taste of Wellspring Bronze Sponsor includes 4 Tickets - $500
Additional sponsorships ranging from $1000 to $4000 are also available. Please email [email protected] for a sponsor menu.
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Save the Date for our Agri-Culture Fest
Saturday, Oct. 8
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
FREE Festival with music, games, workshops, hay rides and more!
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