Fresh from Wellspring Charitable Gardens - March 27, 2025

Fresh Today… Arugula, Artichokes, Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Fennel, Carrots, Butter Lettuce, Spinach, Celery, Radishes, Rosemary, Chives, Dill, Oregano, Cilantro, Lemons, Navel & Blood Oranges

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

We have more arugula coming this week. This spicy green is related to turnips and radishes, but with a crisp and tender leaf. The peppery bite balances well with rich foods like cheese and nuts, as well as meat and eggs. You can use it instead of lettuce in a sandwich. Or try it as a topping to pizza or chicken. Toss a handful of leaves with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve this mini salad as a garnish. Or feature the arugula in this salad recipe with bacon and eggs.

Arugula Salad with Bacon & Eggs

2 thick slices of bacon, cut into strips

1 large shallot or ¼ red onion, thinly sliced

6 cups arugula

2 eggs

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

    (optional, depending on how much

     fat comes from the bacon)

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

* Bring a medium pot of water to a boil for the eggs. In a skillet, heat the bacon over medium-low heat, slowly rendering the bacon. When the bacon is about halfway done, add the shallot and cook until it’s translucent and the bacon is crisp. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into individual small bowls or ramekins. Lower the water to a simmer and carefully add the eggs one at a time. Cook gently until the white is completely set but the yolk is still runny. Put the arugula in a salad bowl and spoon the bacon-shallot mixture over the greens. Toss together to evenly coat. Add oil if desired then sprinkle the arugula with the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the poached eggs and serve immediately.

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 it takes a whole hour!

Let us root, root, root for the Farm Team,

When crops don’t grow, it’s so hard,

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

And there ain’t no chard!

Welcome, Sacramento A’s!

The Boys of Summer,

begin baseball play today! 

Cheese and Greens…

In my unscientific opinion, when I eat enough vegetables, it’s okay to eat more fat and dairy products. In this recipe for creamed spinach, I add extra greens to the Swiss chard leaves. They are in the same vegetable family, so they taste nearly the same. You’ll want about 2 pounds of raw greens for the amount of cheese.

Creamed Spinach (and Swiss Chard)

3 tablespoons butter, divided                  

1 cup button mushrooms, chopped          

½ cup onion, thinly sliced                         

2 cloves garlic, minced                           

1 bunch Swiss chard leaves, stems         

    removed, roughly chopped                  

½ teaspoon salt                                                 

6-8 cups spinach leaves, roughly chopped

¼ cup dry vermouth or white wine

½ cup heavy cream

4 ounces cream cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

* Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and cook until softened and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan over medium heat. When melted, add the onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat about 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add the Swiss chard and salt, cook until wilted. If it won't all fit in the pan, add more as it cooks. After the chard, add the spinach, stirring until wilted. Add the wine or vermouth and cook until it’s just evaporated. Add the cooked mushrooms, cream and cream cheese. Stir and cook about 2-3 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if you like.

Metaphors of Soil and Soul …

Stinging Nettle

Ronda May Melendez & Keith F Martin

Weeding the rows this week, I was reminded of a painful reality. Unseen forces - forces we think we have learned to manage – can cause startling pain. “Who is the instructor?” you ask. Stinging nettle! In past newsletters, I have extolled its health benefits; stinging nettle leaves are useful when handled properly but exceedingly painful when encountered unexpectedly. Today, I focus on the sting.

I had not seen stinging nettle in the garden for some time. Besides, I thought my skin was properly protected to engage the weeds in battle; I wore long sleeves, long pants, thick socks, rubber boots, and I gloved up. What I had not considered, however, was how my movement among the plants would expose my vulnerability. Focused mainly on the pulling, I set myself up for the assault; glove and sleeve parted, tender wrist was exposed, and contact made - sting, pain, OUCH!

It took mere moments to identify the unseen culprit, the familiar pain immediately betraying its cause. That is also life with others, at times. While engaged with friends or family, we may feel a familiar sting to the heart that enlivens a long lingering hurt. The nettles are there lurking – innuendo, teasing, criticism - yet they elude our immediate notice, like those unseen in the garden. Knowing our own vulnerability, we had “armored up” for the engagement, but somehow a nettle finds a chink in the armor and inflames a long-forgotten but familiar pain.

My pain-filled reminder is two-pronged: Armor up and assess the scene for nettles that could inflict pain. During engagement, be mindful of vital protections that slip out of place, leaving tender areas – wounds, doubts, fears, failures, and faults – exposed. I need not avoid the nettles, but to properly protect myself, I gird my limbs and diligently guard my heart from their sting.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.    Ephesians 6:13-17