Fresh from Wellspring Charitable Gardens this Week - May 7, 2026

Fresh Today… Snap Peas, Summer Squash, Spinach, Cucumbers, Broccoli, Carrots, Arugula, Artichokes, Lettuce, Dill, Chives, Basil & Parsley

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

Snap peas are the edible pods that are eaten whole, raw or cooked, after removing the tough string that runs down the edge. I like to remove the string by hand, twisting at the stem and then pulling the stem down the length of the pod with the string. The process will take some time, but it can be done ahead and then store the pods in the fridge for up to a week before using. You can eat the pods raw or quickly sauté them. In this recipe, they are blanched quickly in boiling water and then dunked in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Enjoy the salad right after preparing. Once you add the dressing to the peas they will change from a bright to dull as the acid in the dressing “cooks” the vegetables.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

with Mozzarella and Mint

3 cups sugar snap peas, tough

    strings removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed

    lemon juice

1 teaspoon whole-grain or

    Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced shallot or red onion

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cubed fresh mozzarella cheese 

5-6 radishes, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh

    mint leaves

* Fill a large bowl with water and ice; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the snap peas and cook until just tender yet still crisp, 1-2 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer them to the ice water. Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, and shallot in a large bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Drain the snap peas and slice each in half on the diagonal. Add the snap peas, mozzarella, radishes, and mint to the dressing and toss to evenly coat. Enjoy right away.

It’s Never Too Late to Fiesta!

Did Cinco de Mayo slip by without your notice? It’s not too late to satisfy your craving for spicy Mexican - Salsa, Chile relleno, mole poblano, serrano, jalapeno, habanero… To celebrate, here are Cinco Hechos (Facts) para El Cinco de Mayo:

1. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day celebration.

2. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is known as El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, a celebration of Mexican resistance to French invasion.

3. In 1862 at Puebla, Mexican soldiers defeated French troops sent by Napoleon III who attempted to establish a monarchy in Mexico. Facing fierce resistance, fearful French troops were overheard whispering, “We're in deep mole!”

4. The most popular traditional dish in Mexico for Cinco de Mayo is mole poblano, a rich sauce made from chilis, chocolate, nuts, seeds, and more.

5. There are about 54,000 Mexican restaurants serving mole in the U.S. Olé mole!

Mole Poblano

A deliciously rich sauce

made from chilis, chocolate,

nuts, seeds, and more

Quick Cooking Squash…

This recipe is just about the fastest and easiest way to eat our vegetables. The squash only needs to be washed, sliced, and then cooked in a hot pan for about 5-6 minutes. Adding the garlic and parsley at the end allows the aromatics to stay fresh and fragrant, without burning.

Sautéed Summer Squash and Parsley

2-3 medium pieces of summer squash, sliced

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup chopped parsley leaves

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, grated

* Preheat a large sauté pan over medium high heat, then add the oil and squash.  Sauté the squash for about 2-3 minutes on each side, then add the garlic, parsley and stir until fragrant.  Remove from the heat and serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Eat right away.

 Metaphors of Soul and Soil…

A Season, a Time, a Purpose for Weeds

Cindi J Martin

“Deep as we are now into the exuberance of spring, let’s take a moment to celebrate weeds.  That word may be enough to stop your breath for a moment or set the spin of worry over weekend to-do lists into hyperdrive. But stay with me; weeds may offer more than you thought. Perhaps you have seen some of our native bees out lately, having emerged from their ground nests to feed on the nectar of early spring wildflowers. When we forget to leave some “weeds” to bloom, we also lose pollinators like these. Or have you seen ladybugs or fence lizards crawling out from the protective cover of winter grasses? Losing “weedy” patches also takes away the home of many garden residents. Maybe you have a hunter in your family, maybe even one who can remember when fence-line weeds went un-mowed, and pheasants or quail could still be found in pastures. Those birds too, have left with the weeds. Weeds offer us so much of value - wildflowers, soil fertility, nutritious greens, biodiversity, cleaner water and air. They are, after all, just plants growing outside of human control. So, while weeds may or may not be completely compatible with a front yard or a vegetable garden, remember those benefits, and perhaps for a moment, celebrate the beauty of weeds.”   

Above are the words of Anna Hazen, our Market Gardener. We owe her a debt of gratitude for the delicious and nutritious produce you find in your WCG Purple Bag. Anna has taught me about farming and continues to be patient with the manicured, suburban side of me so averse to weeds. Weeds do serve a useful purpose. They enhance soil health, provide habitat for wildlife, and attract beneficial pollinators and useful insects. Some weeds are edible (mallow), and others are valued as herbal remedies. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:1-2: “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven…” 

There are myriad purposes for weeds on the farm, but is there a purpose for weeds in the garden of the heart?  I define weeds of the heart as any unwanted negative feeling or thought.  My first response to their appearing is to manage them with a toxic spray of behavioral or cognitive “Round-up”.  But what if there is an unrecognized and unrealized benefit to having such weeds spring up in the heart’s soil? 

We are made in the image of God who feels a wide range of emotions; some we consider positive, joy and delight, and some negative, anger and jealousy. Unexamined or misunderstood, emotions can be harmful when they grow unrestrained, like Schadenfreude – joy in another’s harm.  Examined and understood, emotions offer indispensable value. They can signal the presence of a threat - anger when boundaries are not respected. They can be a sign of wild, unruly elements rooted deep in the heart: for example, long-held resentment lingering after an offense or injury. Our emotions are meant to inform and direct us, not control us. Rather than immediately dismissing them as toxic weeds of soil and soul, let us take time to consider them and access their value - They reveal the condition of the heart and influence the course of our mental health and well-being.