For the freshest Field to Fork moment, skip the fork

By By Sweet Season Farm Co-Owner Ethan Zierke 

Last year, my wife Carly and I launched our vegetable farm as part of a beginning farmer land access opportunity just outside of Decorah at Canoe Creek Produce, owned by Barb Kraus. 

Spring is an exciting (and somewhat chaotic) time on the farm. Trays of plants eagerly awaiting transplant, fields must be prepared, irrigation needs to be installed, all as weeds seem to show up overnight… the daily to-do list grows longer as the days grow warmer. 

As we keep the farm humming, I try to take some time each day to appreciate the magic of spring during this incredible time of year.
One of the ways that I do this is by eating as much of our produce as I can, fresh from the field. It’s important to do this not only to get an idea of the quality and flavors so that I can relay that to customers at the local Farmer’s Market but also to take a moment to appreciate what it is I spend my days doing. 

I love spring vegetables because they require little to no kitchen prep (just wash and go!) and are often best appreciated when used as part of simple meals like salads and sandwiches. 

One morning, during a particularly busy week last season, Carly and I didn’t have time to pack a lunch but we managed to grab a package of tortillas and a jar of homemade salad dressing on our way out the door. 

When lunch time rolled around, we collected some greens we had harvested earlier that morning and a couple handfuls of shiny red radishes and our go-to salad wrap was born!

Sweet Season Farm Co-Owner Ethan Zierke poses with a head of romaine lettuce destined for the Decorah Farmer’s Market.

Sweet Season Farm Salad Wrap

 

-Burrito-sized flour tortillas or some other type of soft flatbread

-Salad greens (lettuce, spicy mix, arugula, spinach — the more diverse and flavorful the better)

-Radishes, sliced

-Goat cheese or other soft cheese

-Salad dressing of choice

-Optional: Hummus

Spread goat cheese and/or hummus on wrap of choice and toss greens with sliced radishes and dressing. Fill wrap of choice with the salad mixture and enjoy!

We find that this simple format for enjoying our vegetables keeps us eating well through all the seasons. In the fall and winter we make a heartier version with cooked grains, braised kale and squash or potatoes, substituting as needed with whatever seasonal vegetables we have on hand.

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