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 Twelve - August 25
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In this section of the newsletter, we will provide a weekly update about issues we're facing in the field, as well as the successes we would love to share with you.
Rain or shine!
It poured on us during this week's harvest, but our awesome crew of
interns and worker shares were not phased and kept working. We are so lucky to have such a great group of people helping on the farm. Even though it was cold and we got soaked, the harvest was a success and everyone was still smiling. Here is a photo of Penny (worker share) and Joe (non-traditional intern) harvesting kale for the CSA boxes this week.
Mid-season Survey - due September 2nd
A mid-season survey was sent out on Tuesday. Please be sure to complete this survey by
8pm on
Friday, September 2, so we know what's going well and what we need to improve. Wellspring is in it's 29th of training farmers. Though our organization has been around since the 80's, this is our first season managing a vegetable farm and we depend on your feedback to help us grow.
We are so thankful for all of the positive feedback we've been receiving about the boxes this season.
We look forward to your honest feedback.
A word about the copious amounts of zucchini...
We know we're sending you all home with a lot, like A LOT of zucchini and many of you have reached your limit. Zucchini is a prolific producer and even though we know its a ton, the alternative is to put them in the compost. We will be sure to adjust the number of zucchini plants for next year, but for the current season, we are super appreciative of everyone for finding creative ways to use them up.
We've been trying to include enough zucchini recipes in the newsletter, but check out this link below for more!
22 zucchini recipes that prove this is the best vegetable ever:
Notes about notes about this week's box:
- You will notice some small brown spots on some on some of the sweet peppers this week. This is caused by calcium deficiency early in the season. You can expect little to no brown spots starting next week.
- Please be careful with the cardboard boxes. As they become heavier as the season goes on, the bottoms aren't as study. Be sure to carry the box from the bottom rather than by the handles.
Have a great day!
Caleb & Theresa
Co-Farm Managers
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Sam Michalek, 2016 Farm Intern
Hey hey! My name is Sam Michalek and I am one of the interns for t
he 2016 growing season. I have lived most of my life in the West Bend area, just down the road from Wellspring, in fact. I first became interested in the Sustainable and Organic Farming world largely through the music I listen to which has a strong concern for the many injustices of modern culture, with environmental degradation and food privilege issues being a few.
In high school I worked for Matt Gall at Evergreen Lane Organic Farm for two years where I fell in love with farming. I worked to further my knowledge of the many facets of sustainable agriculture, being especially interested in Permaculture. I am very fortunate to have gained my Permaculture Design Certificate with my uncle, Bryce Ruddock.
I hope to be able to make a career of some sort out of sustainable agriculture and Wellspring has provided an incredible opportunity to learn the skill sets that this trade requires.
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We receive
frequent questions about the way different varieties of vegetables grow. After responding to these types of questions, we often hear something like "that's how that grows?!". Each plant is unique and grows in its own special way. Somethings grow on vines, others on stalks, bushes, or in the ground. In this section of the newsletter, we will share photos of different crops in the field, so you can see how it grows!
Here is a photo of kohlrabi in the field. Each bulb grows on it's own little stalk, keeping it off the ground. 
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CSA Box Contents
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| Name of Vegetable/Fruit |
Quantity in Box |
Storage |
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Salad Mix
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1 bag
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Fridge
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Orange Sungold OR Indigo Cherry Tomatoes
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1 pint
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Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight
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White Russian 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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Sweet Carmen Peppers - SWEET, no spiciness!
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5 peppers |
Fridge, Alternative storage tips can be found here: http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8004.pdf |
Fresh Garlic 
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1 bulb |
Fridge
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Eggplant 
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1-2+ eggplant, depending on size
*Some of you will recieve the small Fairytale Eggplant. These can be chopped up or cooked whole. |
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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5 small and 1 large, mix of varieties |
Fridge |
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Cucumber
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2-3 cucumbers |
Fridge
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Cilantro |
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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Giant Italian Parsley 
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1 bunch |
Fridge, store with bottom of stems in jar with 1-2" water.
Do not submerge leaves.
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Backtail Mountain Watermelon
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1 Melon |
Fridge
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Tomato
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3-5 depending on size |
Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight |
Serrano Pepper - HOT!
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You will recieve 4 hot peppers this week. The varieties vary by box depending on availibilty.
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Fridge |
Jalapeno Pepper - HOT! |
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Fridge |
Habanero Pepper - HOT! |
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Fridge |
Salad Mix - A nice mix of greens ready for eating (please wash)! Includes various lettuce types and arugula.
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.
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)!
Cucumbers - The varieties we grow are great for salads, slicing, and refrigerator pickles.
White Russian Kale - It is delicious fresh, sauteed, or baked. Great in frittata recipes and soup too!
Basil - It smells so good! Try using it in Italian dishes like pesto, lasagna, and caprese.
Tomato - Tomatoes are looking great and we have some really cool varieties. Enjoy the cherry tomatoes this week!
Serrano, Jalapeno, & Habanero Peppers - Add a kick to any recipe with these spicy pepper! Great in hamburgers, salsa, or spicy pickle recipe! Remember orange and red are even spicier!
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Recipes
Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
Yields 2 pints
Ingredients
2 Sweet Carmen Peppers
9 medium-sized Tomatoes
12 Cloves of garlic (adjust to your taste)
1 Tbsp of unsalted tomato paste
2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of black pepper
1 tbs of fresh parsley
2 tsp of dried oregano
3 tbs of fresh basil
1/2 tsp of rosemary (optional)
4 tsp of extra virgin olive oil (divided into 2 portions)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut the tomatoes and bell pepper into cubes. Tomato skin and seeds can be left intact or removed depending on your preference.
In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except for the salt, pepper and 1 portion of the olive oil
Coat the ingredients well
Place the coated tomatoes and peppers in a casserole dish
Place in the oven and bake them until the tomatoes are brown on the outside
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes
Roughly blend them in a food processor
In a medium pan, add the remaining oil and heat for 30 seconds
Add the blended sauce, salt and pepper
Stir well
Remove from heat and serve immediately or refrigerate for about 1 week.
Zucchini Pizza Crust
PIZZA CRUST:
2 cups grated zucchini (packed), then squeezed dry (see tips below)
2 large eggs, beaten (you can also use 2 large egg whites)
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour (can sub gluten-free flour blend)
1/2 cup finely grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
TOPPINGS:
Whatever you'd like! Pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms and crumbled cooked sausage for this recipe
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a flat cookie sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with nonstick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, eggs, flour, cheeses, oil and seasoning. Mix well.
3. Pat the zucchini mixture into a thin, round pizza crust- 12 to 14 inches in diameter. Bake 30 minutes, or until the crust begins to get golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and flip it over. Return it to the oven for an additional 10 minutes (watch to make sure it's not becoming too browned). Remove the crust from the oven and add the toppings. Return to the oven and heat through until cheeses are melted and everything is heated through. Slice and eat!
Garden Fresh Tomato Soup
Ingredients
4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 slice onion
4 whole cloves
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste
Directions
In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, cloves and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Remove from heat and run the mixture through a food mill into a large bowl, or pan. Discard any stuff left over in the food mill.
In the now empty stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, and adjust to taste.
Herb Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
5 large tomatoes
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 cup grated provolone
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut the tomatoes in half, horizontally. Use a small spoon to gently hollow out the inside of the tomatoes, discarding the seeds and reserving the pulp and being careful not to puncture the outer shell. Chop the reserved pulp and put in a medium bowl. Add the parsley, bread crumbs, cheese, and pepper and mix gently to combine. Place the tomato halves in a buttered casserole dish, and fill with the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle the top of the tomatoes with olive oil. Bake until the tops are browned, about 20 minutes.
Quinoa Stuffed Carmen Peppers
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40-45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 jalepeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups quinoa, prepared
1 pound ground beef or 1 package Beyond Meat Fiesty Beef Free Crumbles
1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning (only if using ground beef)
2 cups cheese, 1/2 cup reserved for top
6-8 Carmen peppers, halved and seeded
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange prepared Carmen peppers in a large casserole dish. If they don't all fit, don't fret! You can use extras for Sloppy Joe's later in the week.
Sauté onion for 3-5 minutes, until it has begun to soften and turn translucent. Add jalepeno and sauté for 3-5 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
If using ground beef, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a teaspoon or two of oil. Place ground beef in the pan, sprinkle with taco seasoning and, using a spatula, stir frequently, breaking apart the pieces and allowing to brown on all sides. This should take 7-10 minutes. If using Beyond Meat Fiesty Beef Free Crumbles, either warm them in a microwave for 1-3 minutes or warm in a pan over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine quinoa, beef or beef alternative, and cheese.
Stuff peppers with quinoa mix and top with extra cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil for the last 10 or so minutes of baking.
Serve with dollop of yogurt and a squeeze of lime juice.
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Upcoming Events
Farm to Table AT Wellspring Farm
Sunday, September 18 - 3 to 7 p.m.
Seven talented area chefs create an enticing menu for your pleasure using the
flavorful Wellspring produce
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
The Menu
Cheese and Cracker platter
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variety of Wisconsin cheese and crackers
Veggie platter
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Wellspring vegetables with dip
Caprese Skewers
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mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, basil, drizzled with basil-flavored olive oil
Butternut Squash Bisque Soup
- creamy Butternut Squash garnished with Crème Fraiche
Autumn Salad
- combination of grated beets, carrots, celeriac, turnips, kohlrabi, cabbage, chopped kale, onion, fennel; tahini dressing
Beef Bourguignon
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French beef stew created with sustainably raised, grass-fed beef
Turkish Stuffed Eggplant
- Vegetarian twist with Swiss Chard, onion, and tomato stuffed in eggplants
Riced Cauliflower
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Cauliflower sauteed with onion and celery
Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding
- served warm with a scoop of specialty ice cream
3 - 5 p.m. - Hayrides, Walking Salad Bar, Milking Cow Competition, Games, Silent Auction, and
Music by Embedded Reporter
5 - 7 p.m. - Dinner and Program
"Farm Chic" attire for this evening of fun on the farm!
1 Ticket Farm to Table Taste Event at Wellspring Farm - $75
2 Tickets Farm to Table Taste 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
wellspringed@aol.com for a sponsor menu.
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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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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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