From the Garden this Week, May 27, 2021...

From the Garden this Week…

Zucchini, Carrots, Red or Green Head Lettuce, Salad Mix, Shelling Peas, Beets, Radishes, Spinach, Arugula, Garlic and Basil

Coming Soon… Onions and Cucumbers

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

This week starts the first of our summer squash. We are still inundated with salad greens, and while there isn’t much that you can do with them besides salad, enjoy them while they last. Our hot summer weather makes growing lettuce in the summer nearly impossible. If you do want to save the greens, the only way I know is to freeze them and then add them to smoothies. If you have other ideas for too much lettuce let us know. With just one piece of squash coming this week I made a salad recipe that is opposite of last week’s recipe. I keep the squash raw, which isn’t my favorite way to eat squash, but it works well and is easy. This recipe uses my favorite kitchen tool the box grater to cut up all of the vegetables. And then just toss everything in the bowl and enjoy right away, you’ll be surprised at how the freshest ingredients can make a salad taste so good.

Simple Spring Salad

1-2 carrots

1 zucchini squash

2-3 radishes

1-2 beets

4-5 cups salad greens

1-2 tablespoons chopped basil

1 tablespoon balsamic or wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Using your box grater with the largest holes grate the carrots, squash, radishes and beets. In a large bowl combine the grated vegetables, salad greens and basil. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and enjoy right away.

Did ya see us at the Oakdale Farmer’s Market?!

Last Wednesday, a dynamic duo of volunteers set up camp at the Oakdale Farmer’s Market to help spread the word about Wellspring to our Oakdale community. As we continue to seek out members who share our mission of nourishing body and soul, we knew that no one could represent us better than our own dedicated harvesters. Thank you so much Melinda and Cynthia!

Pesto…

Pesto can be made with any combination of leafy greens, nuts, cheese and garlic. The lemon and olive oil turn the greens into a special sauce. This week’s arugula makes a peppery addition to the pesto. By using garlic scapes or spring garlic, we can take advantage of the garlic we have in the spring. Chop up the scapes first before blending. This will help to make sure that they are not too fibrous.

Green Garlic-Arugula Pesto

2 cups packed arugula

1 head of spring garlic or garlic scapes, sliced against the grain, about ½ cup

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup toasted walnuts

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ - ½ cup olive oil

Blend all together in a blender, add oil as needed to mix. Enjoy with beans, rice, over seafood or chicken or vegetables.

Driving down a long gravel path, one sees the beauty of an olive grove tucked away off of Orange Blossom road. The light of the California afternoon filters through the trees and peace seems to fill every molecule of the air today. The road opens up to a small warehouse structure housed on one side of the grove. I am here today to meet the owner and to taste her oils. She bounds out, wreathed in smiles and greetings. Such sweetness. It is a balm to my tired soul.

In the course of the afternoon, she poses an interesting question. “Can you smell the trees?” My mind rolls down the list of what I have to this point observed in her trees, but smell them? No, I can’t smell them. I am curious now. She eagerly says, “You wanna go and smell them?” I grin, invitation accepted.

As we walk the edge of the grove, she points out the different growing habits and fruit production of her trees. They are hers and she knows them well. On the left of us, grey green, tall fruit bearers; on the right, small trees with bluish hued leaves. We deepen our walk only slightly into the grove, a slight breeze tickles my face and there it is, the smell of her trees. It is fresh. Clean. Unspoiled by the whole of life that is whirling about it or by the things that I carry into the grove in my heart today. It made my heart glad; the peace experienced here deepens.

I think of God. It seems to me that He is like this grove. I can drive by Him, observing the beauty of His work, but not experience Him through the fullness of the sensory gifts of my being. I can even walk right up next to Him and taste and feel the oil of the comfort of His Spirit. But to know Him more deeply, I need to be willing to walk where He is. To receive and recognize the fragrance of the specific essence of His being, I need to be closer than I have walked before. The invitation is there. Will we accept it?

"O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the one who trusts in Him." -- Psalm 34:8