Fresh from Wellspring Charitable Gardens - March 26, 2026

Fresh Today… Radishes, Swiss Chard, Cauliflower or Purple Shooting Broccoli, Spinach, Carrots, Lettuce Mix, Fennel, Salad Turnips, Beets, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Lemons & Oranges

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

This week I wanted to highlight a simple quick pickle recipe. The vegetables are simply marinated in vinegar. The longer they sit in the brine, the more “cooked” they become. The recipe recommends at least 2 hours, but I find if you can let them sit overnight, they are more flavorful. Beets and red radish skins will color the brine and any vegetables that are with them, but feel free to combine the vegetables to your taste. I would also suggest adding Swiss chard stems and fennel if you like. If you’re not sure about mixing the vegetables, you can make some small batches and keep everything separate. Being a Japanese recipe, rice vinegar was the recommended choice, but you could also use, red or white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or even distilled vinegar.

 Japanese Pickled Vegetables

(adapted from thesplendidtable.com)

1 cup rice vinegar (not "seasoned")

½ teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon lemon zest

About 2 cups thinly sliced

    Vegetables like beets, turnips,

     radishes, and carrots

* In a mixing bowl or a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Slice the vegetables, place in a pint jar and then pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetable just to cover.  Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 2 weeks. Save the pickling liquid to use in a salad dressing.

The recipe can be doubled or tripled if desired. Eat the vegetables as a snack, an accompany-ment to a main dish or over salad greens. 

Play Ball, Farm Team!

Keith F Martin

Take me out to the country,

Take me out to the farm.

Plant me some carrots and cauliflower,

I don’t care if you take a whole hour!

Let them root, root, root for the Farm Team,

When greens don’t grow, it’s so hard,

for it’s one, two, three weeds you’re out,

And there ain’t no chard!

Welcome Back,

Boys of Summer!

More Root Veggies…

This time of year, we have lots of root vegetables. They don’t mind our warm spring weather and will hang out in the ground, until we are able to harvest them. You can mix the vegetables or just focus on your favorite. Since the texture of our beets, turnips and carrots are all similar, they are easily combined and cooked at the same time.

Roasted Root Vegetables

1-2 beets                    

3-4 small turnips     

2-4 carrots                 

1 teaspoon salt                                        

1 tablespoon oil

fresh ground black pepper

* Preheat the oven to 425 °F.  Remove the greens from the vegetables and reserve for another use.  Peel the vegetables if desired. Cut the vegetables into 1-inch cubes.  Place the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with the salt, pepper and oil.  Transfer the vegetables to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until tender.

Metaphors of Soil and Soul . . .

Grape Leaves

Ronda May Melendez & Keith F Martin

The last few weeks I have made more effort to be mindful of the good our Lord brings into our lives – mountain breezes, Sierra snowfalls, refreshing rains, spring blossoms, and soil-rooted vines reaching leaf bearing branches toward the warm spring sunlight.

Watching grape leaves form and unfold has been most encouraging. The first leaf buds timidly appeared weeks ago, multiplied along the branches, and then boldly unfolded as a vast and efficient solar array. Fragile and delicate, the foliage houses a mighty powerplant producing sustainable green energy. The leaves convert sunlight into food that nourishes and strengthens the vine whose branches will soon support sweet grapes. First, though, the buds drew strength from energy stored in the vine’s roots; now the leaves return the favor by supplying energy that extends and anchors the roots. With time, the leaves will develop a lush canopy providing its vine, branches, and fruit cool shade from the searing summer heat. Later, the harvested leaves will enfold tender lamb, rice, lemon and spice to become savory dolma that delights the tongue and satisfies the grower’s appetite. The leaves now nourish the very lives that have cultivated, trellised, and pruned its branches for new, abundant growth.

Grape leaves call to my mind a teaching of Jesus recorded in John’s gospel. We find our being, our nourishment, and our strength by abiding in Jesus, the Eternal Vine.  His Life, Light, and Word transform, strengthen, and sustain us - His branches - for His delight and as a blessing to others. What a sweet and fruitful collaboration the concerted effort unfolds for our good!

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing…. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and prove to be My disciples.  Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” John 15