This week you’ll find Thai basil in your boxes. Similar to Italian basil but with a sharper, more pungent flavor. Great for Asian food and especially nice in The Salad. Last week we enjoyed these Thai basil noodles, substituting chicken for tofu and Tatsoi for Pac Choi. Tonight we’re having Thai basil fried rice, which for us is great comfort food, full of veggie goodness (easy also to sub out ingredients for what’s on hand). Enjoy 🌱

Kale’s hitting boxes this week!! That’s a great thing, because kale is super healthy and so versatile. If you’re going for five fruits and veggies a day, kale is an easy addition to get you there, from adding fresh smoothies to sauteing for scrambled eggs, adding to burritos, etc.

We always share our favorite recipe for Massaged Kale Salad, which vibes like a Caesar salad and has made many a kale convert. For dinner tonight though, we’re having these house-favorite Oven Baked Meatballs with kale and radishes (subbing turnips). A few more ingredients than our typical recipe shares, but so well worth it! Enjoy!

The recent heavy rains were deep nourishment for food crops in the ground. It’s just not the same as irrigation and everything grew by leaps and bounds! Sweet peas jumped a foot, and you’ll see them in boxes this week. Easy to eat raw, they might not make it home. But if they do, the mint in your box will contribute to a classic spring saute – as simple or as complex as you want. And if all the sweet peas disappear, you’ve got some mint sprigs to place in a glass of water on your counter for fragrant garnishes or a mint simple syrup for refreshing beverages.

First pick up day of the first pick up week of the season 🌱 The Farmer really enjoys presenting the boxes in person. It’s a great time to check in with customers – our investors – about the farm. And Loki loves loudly announcing visitors, tail wagging the whole time!

Both Tatsoi and Pac Choi are in your boxes this week – you’ll know Pac Choi by the bulb at the base. Last year we introduced 10 Minute Pac Choi, which really is a delicious, easy side. Just yesterday we tried this Tatsoi Salad, which turned out great even without the cucumber (not in season 😉) and substituting flax seed for hemp hearts.

Enjoy your first boxes, and we’ll see you next week!

Stop by the Farm for plant starts: Saturday May 13, 9am-2pm. Cash or check only. Updated plant list below.

1/2 off on all 6 packs and tomatoes. Free plant for all Mothers!  See list below.

Lots of peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, zucchini and winter squash.

After Saturday, sales by appointment only.  Call or text 360-338-8654.

Farm Tip of the Week: Don’t put all of your eggs in in one basket.  Plants lots of different things.  And lots of different varieties.  Take notes of what works and what does not.  Adjust accordingly. Become intimate with your microclimate.

Plant list for May 13

Peppers – lots of varieties of hot and sweet – $4 / 4″ pots
Eggplant – Asian style – $4 / 4″ pots
Cucumbers – Lemon, Bristol (slicers) and Summer Dance (Asian -style) – $4 / 4″ pots
Tomatillos – $4 / 4″ pots
Tomatoes – A few left, mostly cherry and Roma style – $5 / 4″ pots
Summer Squash – $4 / 4″ pots
Zucchini – Yellow and Green – $4 / 4″ pots
Winter Squash – Butternut, Acorn and Delicata – $4 / 4″ pots
Dill – $4 / 6 pack
Cilantro – $4 / 6 pack
Cauliflower, Clarify – $4 / 6 pack
Kale, Lacinato – $4 / 6 pack
Pac Choi (Bok Choi), Choko – $4 / 6 pack
Arugula – $4 /6 pack
Napa Cabbage, Wa Wa Tsai – $4 / 6pack
Spinach, Lizard – $4 / 6pack
Basil, Aroma – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Ruby King – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Kilagreg – $4 / 6pack
Swiss Chard, Bright Lights – $4 / 6pack
Kale, Red Russian – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Flashy Trout Back – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Green Forest Romaine – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Adriana Butterhead – $4 / 6pack
Broccoli, Emerald Jewel – $4 / 6pack

Stop by the Farm for plant starts: Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-2pm. Cash or check only. Shop early for best selection. Updated plant list below.

Farm Tip of the Week: Test your soil!  It’s inexpensive and the only way to know what you need to add – or need to avoid – in order for your plants to thrive.  Local testing is available through the Thurston Conservation District.  More information is available at https://www.thurstoncd.com/working-lands/soil-testing/

Plant list for May 6 & 7

Peppers – lots of varieties of hot and sweet – $4 / 4″ pots
Eggplant – Asian style – $4 / 4″ pots
Cucumbers – Lemon, Bristol (slicers) and Summer Dance (Asian -style) – $4 / 4″ pots
Tomatillos – $4 / 4″ pots
Tomatoes – A few left, mostly cherry and Roma style – $5 / 4″ pots
Summer Squash – $4 / 4″ pots
Zucchini – Yellow and Green – $4 / 4″ pots
Winter Squash – Butternut, Acorn and Delicata – $4 / 4″ pots
Dill – $4 / 6 pack
Cilantro – $4 / 6 pack
Cauliflower, Clarify – $4 / 6 pack
Kale, Lacinato – $4 / 6 pack
Pac Choi (Bok Choi), Choko – $4 / 6 pack
Arugula – $4 /6 pack
Napa Cabbage, Wa Wa Tsai – $4 / 6pack
Spinach, Lizard – $4 / 6pack
Basil, Aroma – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Ruby King – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Kilagreg – $4 / 6pack
Swiss Chard, Bright Lights – $4 / 6pack
Kale, Red Russian – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Flashy Trout Back – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Green Forest Romaine – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Adriana Butterhead – $4 / 6pack
Broccoli, Emerald Jewel – $4 / 6pack

Stop by the Farm for plant starts: Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-2pm. Cash or check only. Shop early for best selection. Updated plant list below.

Farm Tip of the Week: When choosing plants, make sure to choose varieties that are appropriate for your climate and micro-climate. The plants we sell at Urban Futures Farm are proven to thrive in Olympia.

Plant list for April 29 & 30

Tomatillos – $4 / 4″ pots
Tomatoes: Lots of varieties of slicers, cherry and heirlooms – $5 / 4″ pots
Summer Squash – $4 / 4″ pots
Zucchini – Yellow and Green – $4 / 4″ pots
Winter Squash – Butternut, Acorn and Delicata – $4 / 4″ pots
Dill – $4 / 6 pack
Cilantro – $4 / 6 pack
Cauliflower, Clarify – $4 / 6 pack
Kale, Lacinato – $4 / 6 pack
Pac Choi (Bok Choi), Choko – $4 / 6 pack
Arugula – $4 /6 pack
Napa Cabbage, Wa Wa Tsai – $4 / 6pack
Spinach, Lizard – $4 / 6pack
Basil, Aroma – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Ruby King – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Kilagreg – $4 / 6pack
Swiss Chard, Bright Lights – $4 / 6pack
Kale, Red Russian – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Flashy Trout Back – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Green Forest Romaine – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Adriana Butterhead – $4 / 6pack
Broccoli, Emerald Jewel – $4 / 6pack

Coming Next week:
Hot Peppers
Sweet Peppers
Eggplant
Cucumber

Stop by the Farm for plant starts: Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-2pm. Cash or check only. Shop early for best selection. Updated plant list below.

Farm Tip of the Week: Never turn or till your soil when it’s wet and saturated. This practice will destroy the structure of your soil and could take years to recover. Patience is a gardener’s best friend.

Plant list for April 22 & 23
Cauliflower, Clarify – $4 / 6 pack
Kale, Lacinato – $4 / 6 pack
Pac Choi (Bok Choi), Choko – $4 / 6 pack
Arugula – $4 /6 pack
Napa Cabbage, Wa Wa Tsai – $4 / 6pack
Spinach, Lizard – $4 / 6pack
Basil, Aroma – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Ruby King – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Kilagreg – $4 / 6pack
Swiss Chard, Bright Lights – $4 / 6pack
Kale, Red Russian – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Flashy Trout Back – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Green Forest Romaine – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Adriana Butterhead – $4 / 6pack
Broccoli, Emerald Jewel – $4 / 6pack

Stop by the Farm for plant starts: Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-2pm. Cash or check only. Shop early for best selection. Plant list below.

Farm Tip of the Week: Due to the unseasonably cold spring, plants like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers should wait to be planted out. We will offer heat loving crops when it’s the right time to plant.

Plant list for April 15 & 16
Pac Choi (Bok Choi), Choko – $4 /6 pack
Arugula – $4 /6 pack
Napa Cabbage, Wa Wa Tsai – $4 / 6pack
Spinach, Lizard – $4 / 6pack
Basil, Aroma – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Ruby King – $4 / 6pack
Cabbage, Kilagreg – $4 / 6pack
Swiss Chard, Bright Lights – $4 / 6pack
Kale, Red Russian – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Flashy Trout Back – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Green Forest Romaine – $4 / 6pack
Lettuce, Adriana Butterhead – $4 / 6pack
Broccoli, Emerald Jewel – $4 / 6pack

The continued cold weather has delayed the plant sale by about two weeks, but come mid-April our baby plants will be ready to go out into the wild world! Next week we’ll have the first plant list out on our plant start page, which will be updated each week as stock turns over. From April 14 until further notice, stop by the Farm Saturdays and Sundays from 9am-2pm. Our supplies are limited, so early bird gets the best selection. Cash or check only please.

Over the winter we discovered crock pot chicken with our Riverbird Farm birds, and wow, is it a game changer! Season your (thawed) chicken, set it in the crock pot (we set it on some canning rings to elevate), turn it to low and walk away for 5-6 hours. So tender and juicy! We get two meals plus stock bones from each bird. While some might argue a certain infamous $4.99 rotisserie chix is cheaper and faster, our response is “at what cost?” Buying local pastured meat creates a smaller carbon footprint, is kinder to the animals and healthier for you. So check out our friends at Riverbird Farm! We are the Eastside pickup location for their CSA, and our members can sign up to pick up a chicken whenever they are picking up their veggie box – one stop shopping for delicious local food!

Speaking of pastured poultry, our laying flock is in full spring egg production mode! $7 a dozen. Text the Farmer at 360.338.8654 for pickup.