It is that time of year when the pickin’s from the farm focus on nutritious roots. We have spinach growing very, very slowly in the unheated greenhouse…mostly it is just waiting…waiting for a sunny day, like the rest of us, to feel inspired to stretch out and grow a bit.

There are a few little patches of holdouts of kale and collards in the fields (occasionally you stumble across a few handfuls that still look delicious-a few lucky customers were on the receiving end of such a find last Saturday!), but mostly  there are potatoes, carrots, beets,  onions, parsnips and some cabbage in the cold storage.   The roots.  The last vestige of energy and nourishment in the plant kingdom.  Our winter sustenance.

Winter is a time to hunker down, curl up, turn in, retreat inside.  We almost make like a plant and draw our energy deep inside us to store it and protect it and keep it alive so that in spring…! Well that’s another story!  For now, we are rooted in the earth and appreciating it’s grounding balance to the airiness and boundlessness of summer.  Savour your deep and quiet moods just as you savour  the comfort and deep flavour of warm stews and soups and chicken gravies, all made with potatoes and carrots and beets and onions and parsnips!  Roots to keep you rooted.

Down at our market shop, Selwood Green-Norbert’s Good Food,  we have root vegetables for sale for your soups and stews and roasting.  Norbert has also been cooking up some super delicious Beef Stew w/ Rosemary on Wednesdays, using beef from Getaway Farm.  This stew meat practically melts in your mouth and it seems to LOVE root vegetables too! He made a beautiful Sweet Potato with Roasted Root Vegetable Soup last week too.  Stop by, he might be willing to share his recipes!

Do you have a favourite root vegetable recipe that you think would knock our socks off this winter?  Stop by or drop us a line!