A sustainable farm that provides for the land, the farmers, and a community committed to connecting to their source of food and eachother.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Share in the work to create a farm that is economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable
• Share the risk and share the bounty
• Make decisions together
• Ensure that the size of the farm holds in balance considerations of land, community, and farm viability
•  Work together to nurture a friendly and creative community

How is Spring Hill Adjusting for Covid-19?

After talking with the Core Group, participating in several national and regional on-line sessions with fellow farmers and food system experts, and reading the CDC guidelines, we believe we can safely and reliably grow food for Spring Hill members. As of now, the CDC has concluded that “food is not a likely vector” of the corona virus. Paying attention to already established food safety recommendations with extra care in sanitizing surfaces will guide us in producing safe, healthy food.

For the time-being, we are cancelling on-farm community activities, including Spring Hill’s beloved member-based harvest/delivery system. Instead, for the 2020 season, only Patty, Mike and Erin (perhaps with some limited hired help) will be working on the farm. They will pack the bags on delivery days using recommended safety protocols, and all the vegetables will be delivered to pick-up sites by one driver in a single van. 

Pick-up Site Protocols
As we care for ourselves and each other in this time of COVID-19, we ask you to observe the following:

1) Read all e-mails from the farm so you are aware of any updates.

2) If you are sick, STAY HOME!!  Some options if you are sick:  cancel your bag, re-schedule the delivery, or request that a Spring Hill volunteer make a contact-free vegetable delivery to your home.

3) Wear a mask while you are picking up vegetables.

4) Sanitize your hands with the provided sanitizer before entering your Spring Hill pick-up site.

5) If at all possible, we ask that only ONE person from a household pick up a share.

6) Practice social distancing while at the site, including one person at a time in porch/garage, and allow for a minimum of six feet between people while waiting.

8)  When you check off your name at the pick-up site, take a pencil from the “new” container and place it in the “used” container.  You are of course welcome to bring your own pencil/pen.

9) If you touch it, please take it!  Only touch and take one bag.  Same deal with any extras!

10) A box for empty bags from the previous week will be provided at each site.  Place your empty, washed bag in the box.

12) We ask that this year, only Spring Hill members pick up vegetables.  If you are unable to pick up your bag (vacation, out of town, etc.), e-mail the farm to cancel your bag.  We will bring those vegetables to our local food shelf or a food shelf in the Twin Cities. (As always, we are happy to change weeks for the every-other-week share or shift the day in a given week for the weekly shares.)

Please refer to the e-mail sent on June 30^th that will have any additional protocols relative to your pick-up site. 

Thank you so very much to Kristin Dyrhaug who shares her love of cooking with us each week— gathering recipes and resources. What a gift!!

THIS WEEK…

Perfect Roasted Carrots – 3 Ways (cookieandkate.com)

• 2 pounds carrots
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Optional garnish: 2 tsp. chopped fresh chives, green onions, parsley or dill

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel carrots and cut on the diagonal so each piece is about ½” thick at the widest part.  Place carrots on a baking sheet, add olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Toss until carrots are lightly coated in oil and seasonings.  Arrange in a single layer and roast carrots until caramelized on the edges and easily pierced by a fork, 25 to 40 minutes, tossing hallway. Toss fresh herbs over roasted carrots if using before serving.

Spiced Roasted Carrots

• ½ to 1 ½ tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Add chili powder and cinnamon with the olive oil and salt.

Honey Butter Roasted Carrots

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. honey

When carrots are nearly done baking, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Once melted, cover the pan to avoid splatters and continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, just until you start seeing golden flecks at the bottom, about 2 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey.  Once the carrots are done, drizzle the mixture over them and toss to coat.

Potato and Collard Green Hash – serves 4 to 6 (cooking.nytimes.com)

• 1 large bunch collard greens, about 1 ½ lbs., stemmed and washed 
• Salt to taste
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced verry thin in half-moons
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• ¼ to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• ¾ lbs. yellow-fleshed potatoes

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Fill a bowl with ice water.  When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the collard greens.  Blanch for 4 minutes, and transfer to the ice water with a slotted spoon or skimmer.  Drain and squeeze out extra water.  Chop coarsely.  Set aside the cooking water.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium heat in a wide, lidded skillet or Dutch oven, and add the onion.  Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.  Continue to cook, stirring often, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the collard greens.  Mix together for a few minutes, add 1 cup of cooking water and salt to taste.  Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often and adding more cooking water from time to time, so that the greens are always simmering in a small amount of liquid.  
3. While the greens are cooking, scrub the potatoes and add to the pot with the cooking water.  Bring back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.  Remove the potatoes from the cooking water and allow to cool slightly so that you can peel them if you wish.  Cut potatoes into large chunks.
4. Uncover greens and add the potatoes.  Using a fork or a wooden spoon, crush the potatoes and stir into the greens.  Add a tbsp. of olive oil and salt & pepper to taste, stir over low heat until greens and potatoes are well combined.  The potatoes shouldn’t be like mashed potatoes, just crushed and intermingled with the greens, like hash.  Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts – serves 4 (wellplated.com)

• 1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
• 1-2 Tbsp. raw pine nuts, chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans (optional)
• Chopped fresh herbs like parsley, mint, or cilantro (optional)
• A handful of parmesan, feta, or goat cheese (optional)

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, heat until hot and shining, swirl to coat the pan, and add the halved brussels sprouts cut side down.  Let sit undisturbed for 5-8 minutes, until they develop a dark, caramelized sear.  Add salt & pepper, stir the sprouts, continue cooking, stirring every few minutes, until the sprouts are browned all over and just tender inside, about 6-8 minutes.  
2. Remove the pan from heat, stir in the vinegar and nuts, allowing the nuts to toast, stirring occasionally.  Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with fresh herbs and cheese if using.  Serve hot.

Recipe Links: Soups and Chili – Many of these recipes are adaptable to the vegetables you have on hand or your preferred taste.

• Vegetable Stock:  https://nesfp.org/world-peas-food-hub/world-peas-csa/produce-recipes/vegetable-stock
• Vegetable Soup:  https://cookieandkate.com/vegetable-soup-recipe/
• https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/fall-vegetable-quinoa-soup/
• Cabbage Soup:  https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-the-easiest-most-delicious-cabbage-soup-254146
• https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a21581173/best-cabbage-soup-recipe/
• https://food52.com/recipes/82951-cheesy-cabbage-and-white-bean-soup-recipe
• Butternut Squash:  https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-chili/
• https://nesfp.org/world-peas-food-hub/world-peas-csa/produce-recipes/creamy-squash-soup
• https://www.denisonfarm.com/curried-winter-squash-soup/

More Recipes Featuring Vegetables We Grow…

Arugula | Basil | Beets | Bok Choy | Braising Mix |Broccoli | Broccoli Raab | Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage | Carrots | Cauliflower | Celeriac | Chard | Cilantro | Collards | Cucumbers | Eggplant | Fennel | Garlic | Green Beans | Jalapenos | Kale | Kohlrabi | Leeks | Lettuce | Melon | Onions | Parsley | Parsnips | Pea Vines | Peppers | Potatoes| Pumpkins | Radishes | Rhubarb | Rutabagas | Scallions | Spinach | Sugar Snap Peas | Sweet Potatoes | Tomatillos | Tomatoes | Turnips | Winter Squash | Zucchini  |