Farm, Sweet Farm

We’ve been counting the days leading up to this happy occasion and today began our Summer CSA Session at Jubilee Farm. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect with the sun shining and a soft breeze blowing. Farmer Wendy welcomed us with open arms (the kids practically knocked her over with hugs), we saw old “farm friends” from years past, we brought new friends that we are thrilled to have coming with us this summer, and it felt absolutely wonderful to be back.  For 20 weeks we’ll get to take home an amazing bounty of freshly picked produce, and best of all we’ll get to enjoy the picturesque, serene surroundings in the heart of the Snoqualmie Valley. Every week we pick up items that have been picked, washed and neatly arranged for us plus we get to walk around the farm and pick a few things ourselves. Today, so early in the growing season, we only picked sorrel (a tart leafy green herb that the kids were eating as fast as we were picking) but we brought home pounds of various greens and a bunch of lovely little white turnips.

This is our third year at Jubilee and I can’t say enough about the farmers, the produce, the experience, and how great it feels to be part of something that is so healthy for our family and the environment.  It can be challenging to use all the veggies we bring home but this is exactly the kind of healthy challenge we joined the farm for. I especially love that farming has become a regular part of our daily conversations. We aren’t taking our food for granted, we see how hard the farmers work, we experience (a little bit) how hard it is to harvest, we feel great affection for Farmers Wendy & Erick, and we genuinely respect and appreciate the efforts of all the people who work to provide our food.



For more information about finding a CSA in your area check out Local Harvest. 

Oh, and if you are looking for inspiration for all those greens, here is a wonderful idea for kale. This is my version of Massaged Kale Salad from Cynthia Lair’s cookbook, “Feeding the Whole Family.” LOVE her cookbook, by the way, and her website Cookus Interruptus.

Massaged Kale Salad

1 bunch kale
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup roasted & salted sunflower seeds (or pepitas or any toasted nut really)
¼ cup diced red onion
1/3 cup raisins (or chopped apricots or dried cranberries or currants)
¾ cup diced apple (or pear)
1 TBSP olive oil (optional--it still tastes great with no oil)
1 or 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
Cut kale into thin strips, as thin as possible (chiffonade if you want to be French about it), and place into a bowl. Sprinkle salt over the kale then massage it in for a couple of minutes.  Add onion, dried and fresh fruit, and toasted seeds into kale. Dress with oil and vinegar and toss.  Taste for salt and vinegar, adding more if necessary.