Any share changes must be submitted to lucsa@theurbancanopy.org by Monday at noon!!!
In your box this week:
- TOMATOES - RUSSET POTATOES
- APPLES - CILANTRO -
- CARROTS - MUSHROOMS -
- MICROGREENS or LETTUCE -
- SPARKLING TONIC - EGGS -
Item Highlight: Finn’s Ranch Eggs
Thanks to the warmer weather, the chickens at Finn’s Ranch are able to produce more deliciously fresh eggs!
Find them in the add-on shop and add more eggs to your next LUCSA box!
WEEKLY ADD-ONS FOR YOUR BOX
Locally-sourced food and home goods to round out your CSA box! Save trips to the grocery store and get what you need delivered inside your LUCSA share.
For returning LUCSA members, we’re doing Add-Ons a little differently these days… you will access the Shop through your very own member portal! Link below…
Add-On Order form must be submitted by noon on Monday!
spinach seedlings poking out from under row cover
NOTES FROM THE FARM:
After the early spring rush to build beds and get seeds in the ground, our days slow down for a whole. Once seeds are in the ground and the beds are covered with row cover, there is little that we can do to help them grow. We use this time to tackle projects that will make our lives a little easier come summer. In the last week we have cut down a tree of heaven that was shading out some of our beds, rebuilt an eroded bed edge with burlap and wood chips, added landscape fabric to a bed edge to suppress weeds, cut up a roll of row cover into bed-length pieces, reinforced the frame on our wash/pack structure, and picked up trash that accumulated along the edge of the farm.
ADD-ON ITEM SPOTLIGHT:
FOCACCIA: PICKLED JALAPENOS & CHEESE
Another new flavor combination for the focaccias from the processing kitchen!
Natural sourdough, hand-rolled and beautiful.
Fully cooked and amazing. Just toss it is the oven still frozen and will be crispy and ready in like 20-25 minutes.
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
If you missed a week and want to see what was in a previous share, we archive a PDF of all our previous newsletters here.
You can also use it to look at previous seasons if you are interested to see what crops are coming!
VENDOR HIGHLIGHT: MightyVine
Tomato season comes early this year thanks to Mightyvine! Although tomatoes are typically a late spring treat, by partnering with Mightyvine we’re able to include them in our shares earlier in the season.
Mightyvine is based in Rochelle, IL where their 30 acre glasshouse is located (That’s over 20 football fields!). The structure uses diffused glass and radiated heat to keep their tomato plants at the perfect temperature to be able to produce tomatoes all year-round!
Share Contents
Refer back to this page for updated share contents and photos to help you identify produce!
Please keep in mind that share contents may vary due to market availability so contents may vary slightly from this list. Farming is never 100% predictable. We appreciate your flexibility!!!
Pro-tip: When your share arrives, immediately unpack your produce and move into proper storage containers!
ALWAYS wash produce before eating!
Remember to return your wax box, egg cartons, and pint containers during your next delivery…we re-use all of these items!
Beverage:
Sparkling Tonic - Fruitbelt (Sawyer, MI)
Storage Tip - Store in the refrigerator.
Bread:
Wednesday: Baguette Publican Quality Bread (Chicago, IL)
Thursday: Multigrain FranHer Bakery (Pilsen, Chicago, IL)
Friday: Honey Whole Wheat Zeitlin’s Delicatessen (Chicago, IL) Storage Tip - Use baguettes quickly to avoid them going stale. Keep your bread cut side down in a bag on your counter for two to three days. At that point you will want to slice or rip/cut your bread into pieces and freeze for future toast, croutons, or panzanella! If it’s particularly hot, you may want to move it to the refrigerator after a day or two (the only time we will tell you to refrigerate bread).
Mushrooms:
Wednesday: Shiitake River Valley Ranch (Burlington, WI)
Thursday: Crimini River Valley Ranch (Burlington, WI)
Friday: Crimini River Valley Ranch (Burlington, WI) Storage Tip - Open the paper bag to reduce moisture, and keep mushrooms out of plastic. Smoke, dehydrate, or par-cook and freeze for longer storage.
Eggs - Finn's Ranch (Buchanan, MI)
Storage Tip - You can freeze your eggs to make them last longer. Crack and scramble in a container, or crack whole into oiled muffin tins, and keep frozen for up to 6 months.
Tomatoes - Mightyvine (Chicago, IL)
Storage Tip - Tomatoes should be kept at room temperature on the counter away from sunlight. Consume within a few days.
Apples - Hildebrand Farms (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep at a consistent temperature on the counter for up to a week, or in the crisper for up to a month.
enhanced eaeth microsgreens
Microgreens or Lettuce - Enhanced Earth (Bolingbrook, IL) / Closed Loop Farms (Back of the Yards, Chicago, IL)
Storage Tip - Your greens will come in a green compostable bag, remove your greens from the bag and store them in a plastic container or bag with a paper towel covering them for up to a week in the fridge.
Cilantro - Wind Ridge Herb Farm (Caledonia, IL)
Storage Tip - Wrap the cilantro in clean, damp paper towels. Place the wrapped cilantro in a zip-top food storage bag, removing any excess air before sealing. Store in the vegetable crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
For later use, up to 6 months you can chop and freeze cilantro. Place the chopped cilantro in an ice cube tray and fill each section with water or olive oil. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag. You can also dry cilantro by hanging it upside down in a dark, dry place. Once dry, store the dried cilantro in an airtight container and use for up to a year.
Carrots - Frillman Farms (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Remove greens to preserve the root longer. Greens can be used within a week and the carrot itself can be stored in the crisper or in a plastic bag for a few weeks.
Russet Potatoes - Frillman Farms (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep cool, dry and out of direct light, on your counter, in a cupboard or in a perforated paper bag, for up to 6 months.
Substitutions
Items for those already opting out of beverage, bread, mushrooms, or eggs OR having a conflicting allergy; subject to change, even if specified. Please refer back to this newsletter throughout the week for updates!!!
Spinach - Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, IL)
Storage Tip - Repackage in a non-biodegradable plastic bag or container with a towel or paper towel for up to a week.
Watermelon Radish - Frillman Farms (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep very dry stored in a perforated bag in the refrigerator for up to a month.
carrots, beets, sunchokes, cabbage, yellow onions & Spinach
Yellow Onions - Second Spring Farm (Cedar, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep cool, dry and out of direct light, on your counter, in a cupboard or in a perforated paper bag, for up to 6 months.
Beets - Frillman Farms (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep dry and tightly sealed in a bag in the crisper for up to a month.
Purple Top Turnips - Frillman Farms (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Remove greens from the root for the root to last in the crisper or a plastic bag in the fridge. Greens should be used within 2 days.
Fingerling Potatoes - Frillman Farms (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Keep cool, dry and out of direct light, on your counter, in a cupboard or in a perforated paper bag, for up to 6 months.
For more recipe ideas, follow us on Instagram! Our recipe reels provide additional information on how to use produce and processing items each week!
