From Wellspring Charitable Gardens this Week - December 8, 2022

From the Garden this Week… Winter Squash, Cabbage or Broccoli, Carrots, Kale, Red Bunching Onions, Arugula, Garlic, Fennel, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Meyer Lemons & Hachiya Persimmons

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

We have our first broccoli of the season coming this week. Broccoli is the one vegetable that most eaters know what to do with and how to cook, but I am still full of tips. First, make sure that you serve the stems. The entire broccoli plant is edible, and I suggest eating the stems. They are tender right now, but you can peel the outer layer if needed. If you can’t get your family to eat it when roasted or steamed, grate the stem with a box grater or food processor and use it as a slaw. The simplest way to cook is to steam lightly until bright green, then season with salt, pepper, spritz with vinegar or lemon juice, and a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. For roasting, this is one of my favorites. The browned charred bits add complexity and accentuate the bitter flavors that are naturally in cruciferous vegetables.

Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large head of broccoli, cut into

florets, about 5-6 cups

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place broccoli florets in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss thoroughly. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and toss the roasted broccoli with the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese, serve right away.

Joy to the World!

Next week, Dec. 15, is the last WCG delivery day of 2022. We are taking a holiday break to celebrate Christmas with friend and family. We resume deliveries January 5, 2023, of the new year.

We pray you enjoy the merriest Christmas with your dear family and friends. May the Wonder and Miracle of Christmas – Immanuel, God with us – be your joy, peace, and everlasting delight!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1,14

Fall Persimmons…

Hachiya persimmons are the variety that looks like a tomato. When unripe they are famous for making your mouth pucker. For most recipes, you will want them to ripen fully until they are very soft. If you are short on time, freeze and then thaw the persimmons in a small bowl so you can capture all their juices. Usually, you will see baked goods made with the pulp, but here is an alternative recipe. Use the syrup to flavor sparkling water or create your new favorite cocktail.

Hachiya Persimmon Syrup

2 ripe Hachiya persimmons

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

Let the persimmons fully ripen on your counter. You can alternatively freeze them and then thaw to remove the tannins more quickly. Cut away the stem and then add the remaining pulp, skin, and seeds to a small sauce pan with the water, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then strain, removing the cinnamon, skin, and pulp while saving the liquid.

Metaphors of Soil and Soul…

Unhurried by Design

by Cindi J Martin

As I welcome and celebrate Advent this year, I can't help but notice the wisdom with which our Great Creator designed each season. King Solomon said it well: "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every delight under heaven - a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted... He has made everything beautiful in its time... I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in his labor - it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 11-13). Those of us who no longer live by the rhythms of planting and harvesting may not slow down during winter to delight in the gifts of our labor. “Oh, but the wisdom of ‘down time’!” There was a reason God thought working six days of seven was adequate. There is a reason sleeping eight hours in twenty-four is necessary. There is a reason that plants grow faster in the summer and slower in winter - That is how they are designed, and so are we.

I want to live this ancient wisdom. Christmas time has been anything but restful and slow for me. The hurry and bustle driven by holiday "should do’s" and "have to do's" have always hounded me. Now, I turn and face down these hungry “dogs” that threaten to devour my peace and joy every year. We are buying less (Okay, true, we have no grandkids yet :) and visiting friends and family more. We are decorating our home less (Okay, true, only the outside since I’m not allowed to climb a ladder anymore:) and tending more to the temple of our souls. We are making it an intentional practice to live a less hectic, more unhurried life. Whenever I have an unhurried day during the Christmas season, I feel jubilant! Alan Fadling writes in An Unhurried Life that "...hurry is impulsive, a knee jerk reaction revealing an 'I'm gonna act now because I may never have another chance' mindset. Temptation seeks to shrink the time between impulse and action... In contrast, wisdom calls us to be discerning about our impulses and inclinations. Are they prompted by God's Spirit? Are they the Spirit's leading? Or do they have another source?"

May we all make moments for savoring good friends, good food, and unhurried time this Christmas! We at Wellspring Charitable Gardens wish you a most Blessed Season worshiping the God of the Universe, the Wonderful Counselor, the again coming King, Jesus Christ, who came first as an infant.

We Wish You All an Unhurried Christmas and an Intentional New Year!