Dear Farm Community -

We’ve been hard at work this past week with none other than MORE WEEDING! It takes a lot of work to keep weeds in check the old fashioned way, but luckily our farmers are up to the task and work diligently to pull out all the nut sedge, chickweed, dock, clover, plantain grass, wild radish, and other unwanted intruders in our planting beds. Lots of time last week was spent on weeding projects, but we also planted quite a bit too. We are so grateful to have had the aid of a handful of Concrete Jungle volunteers who helped turn our spring Ranunculus greenhouse into what will be our summer Cucumber house! If you don’t know about Concrete Jungle, they are an Atlanta-based non-profit with an Athens branch whose primary goal is to bridge the gap between food insecurity and food waste. They do this largely through volunteer efforts - from pick fruits and veggies that would otherwise be left unharvested to collecting would-be food waste at markets, they deliver fresh and nutritious foods to those in need. They also are superstars in support local farms on “Farm Days” like last Wednesday where a little extra boost would help out! So shoutout to the Concrete Jungle crew for their efforts in our ranunculus-to-cucumber greenhouse transformation! If you are interested in learning more about Concrete Jungle or supporting their efforts through volunteer work, head to concrete-jungle.org - there are ample opportunities to get your hands dirty for a good cause!

I sincerely hope you all have been enjoying the abundance of strawberries that April has brought with it. Last week I asked y’all for some favorite strawberry recipes for this ~Strawberry Madness~ and we amassed a small selection of divine recipes for your baking pleasure!

Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Angel Foodcake
Strawberry Crumb Bars
Strawberry Jam for you canning folks out there!
Strawberry Spinach Salad

We’ve also gotten some requests for Dandelion Greens inspo, so get ready to get creative with this springtime bitter green. Dandelion greens are a super nutrient-dense food thats high in potassium, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. These greens are also great for aiding digestion! The flavor of Dandelion leaves is sharp and bitter, similar to chicory or endive, with peppery notes similar to arugula. Like other bitter greens, you’ll want to cook them with plenty of fat to balance the flavor - extra virgin olive oil, tallow, bacon fat, etc. and with acids like lemon juice or vinegar. In this White Beans and Dandelion Greens recipe, the Cannelini beans (or sub chickpeas or lentils) perfectly balance out the sharper flavors of the greens. You can whip up a Dandelion Pesto to pair with pastas, eggs, sandwiches, veggies, or anything else you want to zest up. You could also try using it as the star of your soup as in this Dandelion Greens Soup, or simply try sautéing them in your favorite fat for a simple side dish (find some tallow to cook them up in for a real treat!) If you’re looking for a mellow way to incorporate these greens into your diet, you can also add it to your smoothie!

Looking forward to hearing what you love best!

Happy Eating :)
Diamond Hill Farmers

P.S. This week’s frog count: 7 !!

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