Spring has Sprung and It’s Time to Get into the Garden!
By Kelly Lauber
This time of year is filled with new growth, fresh beginnings, and lots of planning. Spring is the time to shed the winter crops, prep and amend the soil, and the part I love best, planning and planting for the late spring and summer harvest.
At Soul Farmer we involve the whole family in the process.
We have a “team meeting” to discuss what we want to plant (and eat after harvest), our timeline and who is responsible for specific tasks. With two young children (conveniently, right at bed height!), they’re usually in charge of weeding, sowing the carrots and radishes, and digging the holes - while the adults follow behind and pop in the plants, fill the holes and label the crops. Early spring, we’re going to focus on lots of root vegetables and leafy greens, while later in the Spring we’ll plant tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions and lots of herbs.
Gardening with kids is incredibly fulfilling for all of us. We get to spend time together outside, playing in the dirt and planting seeds that we will later turn into goodness in the kitchen. Since turning our backyard into a mini farm, the kids have not only taken a more active role in the food they eat but they’re also learning how much work goes into growing a bunch of carrots, sweet strawberries and snap peas. My heart sings every time they take a bite of our carrot just pulled out of the ground (dirt and all) and say, “Mama, this carrot is amazing. You have to try it.”
We’re lucky enough to grow greens year round in Marin County and one of the kids favorites is kale - it’s their “snack veggie!” We keep it planted year round for salads, soups, side dishes and our kids number one favorite - KALE CHIPS! Our son loves making and eating them so we try to keep them around for a quick easy snack that is healthy and delicious. The recipe is super easy and fun for the entire family.
Recipe: Kale Chips
Harvest or pick up any variety of kale at your local market (ideally a farmers market). We really use one of the curly varieties; green or purple.
Tear the kale into small/medium pieces and place on a large baking sheet.
Drizzle a little bit of your favorite olive oil over the kale. (Make sure not to put too much or it will become soggy.)
Add salt or seasoning of your choice. We like to try out different types of salt, nutritional yeast, and garlic salt.
Toss with your hands to coat the kale. (The kids love this step!)
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until crispy. I usually check about 5 mins in and move things around a bit.
Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!
If you’re thinking about starting a garden to enjoy with your kids - do it!
You will not regret it. If you don’t have space outside, you can start inside with a windowsill herb garden or find a community garden in your area. If you can get children involved in the growing of the food, they’re more likely to enjoy it at the table.
“It's about children cooking themselves, growing themselves. When kids grow it and cook it they eat it” - Alice Waters
Visit Soul Farmer and use code CLOUD23 to get an extra special local gift with your bouquet order.
A few cute things for your Mini Gardener