In Your Box Beets Chard Asparagus (from Full Belly) Salad mix (Hurley) Onions Spinach (from Full Belly) Grapefruit Lemon balm Rosemary

Featured Item: Lemon Balm
Thought to renew youth, Lemon Balm has many wonderful healing properties. The leaves are good for relieving depression and tension, as well as digestive issues, nervousness, and anxiety.
John Evelyn says Lemon Balm, “strengthens memory and chases away melancholy”.
You can use fresh leaves to make  an infusion tea, which is also good for indigestion, nausea, and beginning stages of colds.
Also you can take a pad soaked in the hot infusion and apply it to any painful swellings as a compress.

Recipe: Rosemary Roasted Beets

Farm News
by Cristina Martinez-Canton

“Have no fear, Lady Spring is here.”

My second year at Soil Born Farms is unraveling and I am enjoying seeing things transform and take shape. As the Special Projects Coordinator, Id like to update you on some of the unseen projects that are happening on the farm.

One of the major changes has been our farmhouse kitchen. Our new kitchen coordinator Ali, has taken off full speed turning this space into a delightful place. With the help of the Green Corps, walls are getting painted, things are getting reorganized, and we are a step closer to becoming a certified teaching kitchen. This is a good reminder for me that big ideas cant be realized in a day, but certainly small steps in the right direction make a difference.

Another project underway is the flower and herb garden. This year we hope to jump start a flower bouquet business appropriately named Flower Power. We hope to generate income for the farm by selling bouquets at the farm stand and to a few restaurants. But more importantly the flower and herb garden  will be a colorful place that will attract many beneficial insects as well as people who want to spend time in this space and maybe learn something form it as well.

Something else that I have been working on is hand routed wood signs to direct and mark certain areas of the farm. This is something I did not know how to do before this year and this is another example of how Soil Born truly is an educational farm. Although I am providing a service that is needed for the farm, ‘m also learning something at the same time.

On the topic of learning and teaching, another aspect of working on the farm this year has been the opportunity for me to take what I’ve learned last year as an apprentice apply it to help guide and teach the new apprentices. Simon and Sara call this tiered mentoring. It has been a real treat to be a part of the apprentice experience again, but this time form a different angle. Still, I continue to learn things and build my farming experience.

Finally the weather has become a little more predictable and workable. Things are getting in the ground, drip tape is out and ready, and we all hike up our pants and roll up our sleeves in anticipation for the bountiful harvests to come!!

Dates to Remember
Wildflower Wonders: Sat April 14th, 10am-4pm

Exhibits, plant sales, walks and talks

Day on the Farm: Sunday May 20th 10am-4pm

Workshops, farm tours, plant and produce sales, food, music, and fun!   

Introduction to Beekeeping: Sat April 28th, 9am-5pm

Learn  the basics of beekeeping with Brian Fishback of BD Ranch and Apiary. There will be in class learning and hands on learning in the field.

Pizza Secrets: Sat May 12, 3pm-5pm

Learn how to make hand made pizza in an earthen oven by chef and owner of Waterboy and Onespeed.