The student CSA organic farm at Michigan State University

This brings back memories of summer! I took the tour two years ago during the Michigan State Master Gardener Association Summer Conference.
Local, sustainable, organic produce... the wave of the future! Those young people give me hope.
I love my coldframe, but if I could only build a greenhouse. I've got Dr. Biernbaum's plans that he handed out that day, but I lack a willing partner.
Wouldn't you agree, fresh homegrown veggies 48 weeks of the year would be wonderful?

from Kitchen Gardeners International

Hey, ya!
Just a little happy pick me up on an icy gray winter day.
Hope, Michiganders.
Spring, and salads from the garden, will return.
Plant it and salad will come.
Speaking of salads, on Saturday I read The Greens Book by Susan Belsinger and Carolyn Dille. A lot of great recipes, but the part that I really appreciated is a good useful discussion of the cultivation of particular greens.
I will use this book, already did last night, as a matter of fact.
Following not a particular recipe, but rather the spirit of adding greens to everything, I added a half a bag of Cut and Clean EuroGreens (Swiss Chard, Mustard, Turnip and Kale) to chicken ravioli, along with pesto and frozen Roma and cherry tomatoes. Yum.

Back to the video, here is a little hint on washing greens I picked up from the book... add about a tablespoon of vinegar to your water (up to a quarter cup for a half a sinkful) and swish and soak 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove the leaves without disturbing the water too much. The authors claim this eliminates 90 percent of second washings (and we know vinegar is a mild disinfectant and environmentally responsible).

Winter is the time for careful Forethinking

"The chief beauty of the kitchen garden, as well as the reason for its existence, is its utility. Not an ugly utility, let me hasten to say now, at the very outset, but rather the beautiful and homely usefulness which calls to mind the fine, sturdy virtues of thrift and honesty and careful forethought."
--Dorothy Giles, "The Little Kitchen Garden"