This week's greens, clockwise from top left: Swiss Chard, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Turnip Rapini, Siberian Kale, and Sprouty Redbor Kale.
THIS WEEK’S SUBSCRIBER MENU:
• “Siberian” Leafy Kale
• “Redbor” Sprouty Kale
• Swiss Chard
• Green Garlic
• Purple Sprouting Broccoli
• Turnip Rapini, or “Broccoli Raab”
• Parsley
Click on the links above for information and recipes about these crops.
We have been anxiously awaiting the first week of the Spring Season for weeks, if not months. The replies to my email announcing the first pick up have been exuberant: “Yippee!”, “Can’t wait for those first greens!”
We were worried a few weeks ago that we wouldn’t be able to glean much for the first week. It was so cold and rainy. But the last week has made up for it—it’s been warm and sunny, and the overwintered crops have thrived. All of the brassica crops have burst into bud—and that means good eating. I love all of the “broccolis”—those flowering tops of “cole” plants. They all do it—make flowers, that is. My favorite is Cabbage broccoli—it’s sweet and tender. Kale broccoli are sweet, too, and you get those little tender leaves to eat with it. Kohlrabi broccoli are tasty, but slightly bitter. But turnip broccoli, or “Broccoli di Rapa” aka Broccoli Raab, is the most bitter. Bitter and sweet, and tender.
Follow the links above to find out more about cooking these spring delicacies. We had them all, and we share them with you this week. Because if the warm weather holds out, the broccolis will burst into yellow blooms like this:
Brassica Bee Fodder.
Whistling Train Farm 
Comment moved for Danielle:
Wow! What a great box to kick off spring 🙂
I have grand plans for the rapini, broccoli, and chard. I’m excited to see all the lovely greens. The last few days I’ve been laid low by a spring cold and reading “An Everlasting Meal” by Tamar Adler. I always use as much of my box as possible, saving anything I can’t eat this week by freezing or preserving.
I’ve been inspired by Adler to “Catch my Tail” and use veggie odds and ends that might otherwise become compost, to make a
spring tonic to help give me a boost. Just knowing I’ve got fresh healthy veggies, so alive with sun and rain, makes me feel better already. Here’s to a great growing season!