Any share changes must be submitted to lucsa@theurbancanopy.org by Monday at noon!
In your box this week:
ASPARAGUS - RAMPS - CARROTS
SPINACH - PINK LADY
APPLES CARROTS - MUSHROOMS - EGGS POTATOES -
WISCOPOP SODAS
PLUM TREEES IN BLOOM, MICK KLUG FARM, ST. JOSEPH, MI, APRIL 2024
WELCOME!
SOME HELPFUL HINTS FOR OUR NEW LUCSA MEMBERS
NEWS FROM THE FARM:
Spring has certainly arrived on the UC farm! For the past few weeks, it has been a mad rush to get the farm cleaned and prepped for all the late spring and early summer crops. During that time, we were also able to harvest some bouquets of tulips and daffodils from our new flower beds. This is an exciting addition to the farm this year under the direction of farmer Ariel. There is a lot to learn from the flower project, but it is exciting to see what grows well through the coming season. After several hard weeks of seeding, the farm is now beginning to transplant all the seedlings into their beds. Curly kale is all planted and happy - now it means moving on to swiss chard and romaine heads while being vigilant in battling against all the weeds that try their best to crowd out the new growth.
Photo: Beds of newly planted romaine seedlings on the UC farm.
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
If you missed a week and want to see what was in a previous share, we archive a PDF of all our previous newsletters here. You can also use it to look at previous seasons if you are interested to see what crops are coming!
WEEKLY ADD ONS FOR YOUR BOX
Locally-sourced food and home goods to round out your CSA box! Save trips to the grocery store and get what you need delivered inside your LUCSA share.
For returning LUCSA members, we’re doing Add Ons a little differently these days… you will access the Shop through your very own member portal! Link below.
Add On Order form must be submitted by noon on Monday!
THE UC KITCHEN AT THE HATCHERY IN GARFIELD PARK
ADD ONS FROM THE UC PROCESSING KITCHEN
We have been hard at work here in our commercial kitchen space. We aim to utilize surplus food or produce that might go to waste to make a range of amazing products. We work with local farmers and a number of larger distributors in Pilsen to minimize food waste and create handmade goods to fill your pantry and fridge and freezer. We try to offer a number of staples like salsa and fruit jams, but we also like to get creative and dabble with things like chow chow and pickled watermelon rind.
From pickles and jams to fermented sauerkraut and even pre-rolled pie crusts, there is a lot that we can do.
Keep checking back since we add new things all of the time like our handmade dog treats made with sweet potatoes, beef fat, applesauce and flour. We are always looking for new recipes to try and new products to develop so this time of year with new local crops coming in all of the time is really exciting. And we love sharing recipes so check out what we are doing on Instagram each week.
Share Contents
Refer back to this page for updated share contents and photos to help you identify produce!
Please keep in mind that share contents may vary due to market availability so contents may vary slightly from this list. Farming is never 100% predictable. We appreciate your flexibility.
Pro-tip: When your share arrives, immediately unpack your produce and move into proper storage containers!
Wash produce before eating!
Remember to return your wax box, egg cartons, and pint containers during your next delivery. We re-use all of these items!
Beverage:
Assorted Flavored Sodas, Wisco Pop (Madison, WI)
Storage Tip - Keep your cans in the refrigerator.
the first asparagus of the season from mick klug
Bread:
Wednesday: Whole Wheat Boule, FranHer Bakery (Pilsen, Chicago, IL)
Thursday: Country Sourdough, pHlour Bakery (Edgewater, Chicago, IL)
Friday: Pullman Sourdough, Publican Quality Bread (Fulton Market, Chicago, IL)
Storage Tip - Keep your bread cut side down in a bag on your counter for two to three days. At that point you will want to slice or rip/cut your bread into pieces and freeze for future toast, croutons, or panzanella! Because of the olive oil, focaccia can mold much quicker than other breads if kept at room temperature. If it’s particularly hot, you may want to move it to the refrigerator after a day or two (the only time we will tell you to refrigerate bread).
Mushrooms:
Crimini, Portabella: River Valley Ranch (Burlington, WI)
Lion’s Mane: Windy City Mushroom (Chicago, IL)
Storage Tip - Open the paper bag to reduce moisture, and keep mushrooms out of plastic. Smoke, dehydrate, or par-cook and freeze for longer storage.
Eggs: Finn's Steak and Egg Ranch (Buchanan, MI)
Storage Tip - You can freeze your eggs to make them last longer. Crack and scramble in a container, or crack whole into oiled muffin tins, and keep frozen for up to 6 months.
Spinach: Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, IL)
Storage Tip - Remove your greens from the compostable bag and store them in a plastic container with a paper towel covering.
freshly picked ramps at mick klug farm
Asparagus: Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, MI)
Storage Tip - Trim any woody ends from the stems, stand upright in an inch of water in a jar or glass, cover tips with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Change the water if it starts to discolor.
Pink Lady Apples: Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep at a consistent temperature on the counter for up to a week, or in the crisper for up to a month.
Ramps: Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep greens dry and keep in a plastic bag in the fridge. You can also wrap the bulbs with a damp paper towel to keep them for longer.
Potatoes: Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, IL)
Storage Tip - Keep cool, dry and out of direct light, on your counter, in a cupboard or in a perforated paper bag, for up to 6 months.
Carrots: Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, IL)
Storage Tip - Store in the crisper in a plastic bag for a few weeks.
Substitutions
green garlic
Items for those already opting out of beverage, bread, mushrooms, or eggs or having a conflicting allergy - subject to change, even if specified. Please refer back to this newsletter throughout the week for updates.
Green Garlic: Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, IL)
Storage Tip - Keep green garlic and garlic scapes in your refrigerator's crisper drawer in loose plastic or mesh bags so that air circulates around them. They should stay fresh for at least one week and up to two weeks.
Kohlrabi: Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, IL)
Storage Tip - Remove greens, keep in a sealed plastic bag in the crisper for up to a week. Keep root or stem dry in a plastic bag in the crisper for up to three weeks.
Tomatoes: Mightyvine (Rochelle, IL)
Storage Tip - Tomatoes should be kept at room temperature on the counter away from sunlight. Consume within a few days.
Swiss Chard: Down at the Farms (Fairbury, IL)
Storage Tip - Store your chard in your crisper and use within 7 days.
For more recipe ideas, follow us on Instagram! Our recipe reels provide additional information on how to use produce and processing items each week!
