Although the temperatures today are a bit on the cold side, we are so pleased to be able to pass along the first of this season's spring share boxes. Our goal is to fortify you; if you are traveling to warmer climes over spring break, try and eat as many of these fresh spring greens as you can before you go! They will surely help your immune systems deal with the stress of travel as well as the adjustment to shifting temperatures. If you are here for spring break with us, the returning song birds and the melting snow banks, eating these fresh greens will strengthen and tonify your whole system. Eating this good, local aliveness will awaken and enliven your cellular memories of fresh foods and prepare you for the opening into another season. Your box today includes: a bag of lettuce mix,a big bag of spinach, a bag of red russian kale(jaggedy edge leaves), beets, butterball potatoes, onions and shallots.

We continue to be amazed by the wondrous space that is the hoophouse. With the coldest winter temperatures on record we were not anticipating that any of the greens that we typically overwinter would survive. And yet, not only is the spinach huge and green and beckoning, but the lettuce mix is abundant as well. Usually, the lettuce dies during the rapidly shifting temperatures that accompany the return of light(mid February around our latitude). This year though, the lettuce mix in the new hoophouse is alive and well. It has a bit of a strange pattern on some of the leaves; a dimpling or dinosaur- like skin that we attribute to the cold. It is sweet and delicious and we hope that many fresh salads will ensue. Remember, all of the greens in your spring share are unwashed. To prepare them for your meal, fill a sink with cold water, place the greens in this full sink and swish, swish, swish. Allow the soil to settle to the bottom of the sink and then spin in a salad spinner. I like to wash all of the lettuce at once and then it's in the fridge and ready to eat. Make sure to spin greens really well before storing. Try these recipes:

WILTED SPINACH SALAD WITH JAPANESE FLAVORS

-8 c. packed spinach, bigger leaves and stems chopped roughly -2 TBL canola oil

-1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced -1 TBL mirin(sweetened rice wine)

-1 tsp. toasted sesame oil -2 tsp. black sesame seeds

Place spinach in a large bowl and set aside. Heat canola oil in medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in mirin, sesame oil, sesame seeds and salt to taste. Toss with spinach until slightly wilted.

SPINACH SALAD WITH INDIAN SPICED CHICKPEAS AND CHARRED ONIONS

-4 TBL olive oil

-2 medium onions, cut crosswise into ½" thick rounds

-2 shallots, minced

-1 ½ tsp brown mustard seeds

-1 ½ tsp. cumin seeds

-2/ 15 oz cans chickpeas rinsed and drained

-2 TBL chopped fresh cilantro

-12 c. packed spinach roughly chopped

-2 TBL fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

Move an oven rack to top position and heat the broiler. Place onions on baking sheet, brush with 1 TBL oil and sprinkle with salt to taste. Broil the onions, turning once until lightly charred about 10 minutes. Cool slightly then coarsely chop onions and set aside. Heat remaining 3 TBL oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, mustard and cumin seeds and cook until seeds pop. Cover pan and continue to cook until seeds finish popping, then stir in chickpeas until warm and coated evenly with spices. Stir in herbs and salt. Cool slightly then toss with spinach adding salt to taste.

Enjoy these first boxes and come back for your next spring share on Friday, April 10th. Please return your flattened and empty boxes then. Love, the meadowlarks

This page last updated on 3/27/2009.

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