Sweet revenge!

This week our mulberry tree has really kicked it into high gear and everyone will enjoy freshly picked berries in their shares. I say 'sweet revenge' because most people are only familiar with mulberries after they've passed through a bird and onto their cars--but not this week, we're getting them before the birds! Mulberries are extremely soft fruits and aren't found in grocery stores simply because they can't make the trip without turning to mush. They are packed with vitamins and are a great source of Resveratrol. Enjoy them out of hand, in pies, shakes, fruit salads . . . One last note, no need to discard the stems, just pop them whole into your mouth.

Mulberries

It's almost garlic season in central Ohio but that doesn't mean we can't get a jump on the harvest. Garlic can be harvested early and used as you've always used it. Harvesting garlic early means it cannot be stored for long periods of time and has a more mild flavor than when harvested later in the season. The variety you'll be trying this week is Deerfield Purple whose scapes showed up in your shares earlier this spring.

Deerfield Purple Garlic

Beets have started coming in and this year the bugs have left the leaves alone--they look absolutely luxurious! Beets and Swiss Chard are actually the same vegetable (Beta vulgaris). Beets were selected for their swollen roots and Chard was selected for its bountiful leaf production. Beets don't produce many leaves but the ones they do produce can be used just like Swiss Chard.

To prevent your beets from bleeding too much into the cooking water, twist off the leaves rather than cutting them off with a knife.

Beets, Shiraz Tall Top