zucchini's superpower

is multiplication!!

In all farm shares this week! 

Check out gifts for Father's Day below!
Dads deserve local finds too...

Happy Father's Day to All Dads and Grandpas!

With love, from the foodshed

IT'S TIME FOR STRAWBERRIES

In all farm shares this week! 

(Go here for your Strawberry Skillet Cobbler recipe)

Yellowbird Foodshed: On A Mission To Decentralize The Food System One Customer At A Time 

by Benji Ballmer (first appeared inEdible Columbus)
 

The term foodshed is used to describe a region of food flows, from the area where it is produced to the place where it is consumed, including the land it grows on, the route it travels, the markets it passes through, and the tables it ends up on. Central Ohio is shrinking its foodshed – and that’s a good thing. 

We all know that of the money we spend at the grocery store or in a restaurant, very little of that reaches the person who grew that food.  When our foodshed is small, there are fewer people who need to make a profit in order to get the food from field to fork. A smaller foodshed flips our current system upside down, putting the majority of the money back into the pockets of the people who deserve it the most – those that are actually growing the food!  

Spring into spring onions...

Fry 'em up or chop 'em up for salads!
In all farm shares this week...

Please try this Spring Onion-Chive Pesto Pasta with Shrimp recipe for those spring onions this week!  

And check out what's featured and on sale this week in-store for you!

First cukes of the season...

Slice 'em up! In all farm shares this week!

That first refreshingly crisp bite of cukes is coming. Get your hummus ready!!

Here is KHAMANG KAKDI, a crunchy cucumber salad, to showcase your cukes this week.

And check out the AMAZING SELECTION OF CHEESES WE HAVE! IT TRULY IS INCREDIBLE!

ASPARAGII ARE COMING

IN FACT, they may already be here...

in all farm shares this week!

We've got asparagus for you! All for you, all of spring wrapped up into one stalk. Local and fresh, you can count on asparagus being there each spring. Like your grass that needs mowing. 

No pressure, asparagus. But you'd better be good! 

HERE IS SPRING VEGETABLE RISOTTO FOR A BEAUTIFUL MEAL FOR MOM THIS WEEK.

And be sure to check out what our featured vendor, Ohio City Pasta, has in store for you--new flavors like Saffron Linguine, Potato & Cheddar Pierogis, Mushroom Fontina Ravioli, and always local! . 

Serve your pasta with the AMAZING SELECTION OF CHEESES WE HAVE! IT TRULY IS INCREDIBLE!
 
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY FROM YELLOWBIRD!!
MOMS ROCK AND WE ALL KNOW IT!

RAMP IT UP

Who found the wild leeks
That arrived here in my box
How can I thank them

Like a combo of onion, garlic and scallion, ramps will help RAMP IT UP in your kitchen. Where else but Yellowbird can you find this once-a-year foraged green delicacy of the onion family delivered straight to you? 

HERE IS RAMP QUICHE FOR YOUR BREAKFAST OR BREAKFAST FOR DINNER. EITHER WAY.

And be sure to check out what's FEATURED in-store for you. Ideas for MOM below!

GET YOUR GREENS ON

They're call-ered collard.

And they're in your farm share this week! Unless you get swiss chard. But either way--y'all are getting your greens on!! 

Chef Meagan's in the foodshed this week! Check out what she's got here! 

Be sure to check out what's NEW in-store for you.

IT'S THE KALE

of the wild.

There are two kale camps. Lacinato kale is easier on your cheeks, more happy-go-lucky, and not so tickly going down. Red and green curly kale are fun for sauteeing, soup, or salads. Both types fit just about any soup, stir fry or salad recipe you can throw them in! Look for Lacinato, green or red curly kale in your farm share this week!

Basically, you'll be kale-ing it in the kitchen with this Lamb Meatballs with Kale, Cumin Yogurt, and Rice recipe! 

And be sure to check out what's NEW in-store for you.

Fourth winter is almost over! Spring veggies are coming soon!!
 HAPPY EASTER FROM YELLOWBIRD TO YOU--
WE ARE THE FOODSHED!

Lettuce be

thankful for this taken-for-granted, faithful friend.

Our hydro head lettuce. It's always there for us, eagerly waiting for us to open our box, looking up at us expectantly as we unpack it. It waits patiently in the crisper drawer to grace our sandwiches, make up our salads, or get pulverized in smoothies. Will we appreciate this super crisp, super good for your insides weekly vegetable? Will we take the time to say "Hydro, you're a pal?" 

Whisper a quick "thank you" as you find your crispy green bundle in your box this week. And try this Butterhead Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette recipe! 

And be sure to check out our Easter Essentials page. 

Third winter is almost over! Spring veggies are on their way!!

 HAPPY EASTER FROM YELLOWBIRD TO YOU--
WE ARE THE FOODSHED!

Ooh la la 

These French Breakfast Radishes are 1) signature signs of spring 2) GORGE-OUS and 3) going to help you feast like the French!

If you don't believe us, try this easy yet still fancy "Savory French Toast and Breakfast Radishes" recipe!

And be sure to check out our Easter Essentials page. 

Enjoy spring and more veggie varieties coming soon!

Fennel is for springtime

If you don't believe us, trythis recipe!

Scared of fennel? Afraid it will sit neglected in the fridge out of fear of failure? 
It's your lucky week! Check out these fennel tips! 

And be sure to check out ourEaster Essentialspage. 

Enjoy spring and more veggies coming soon!

pak choi is rosy
new eats for your belly
in your box to share

My Sweet Yellowbird Family,

I have not written to you in a while as Rebekah, our trusty customer service gal has been at the helm.  

I wanted to check in and do my favorite 2 things.

1.  Thank YOU!!  You have continued to build our foodshed in a way that is meaningful and sustainable.  You made it through another winter (it seems), and we are just weeks away from fresh foods…think ramps, asparagus, spring onions and garlic…the earth is about to give back fresh life!

2. Poll The Foodshed!!  What are we getting right, wrong, and otherwise? Folks, this is YOUR COMPANY.  Guess what we aim to do?  Whatever YOU want us to do…which is why we need to know.

Send us your thoughts, questions, comments, and requests.

1.  Reply to this email

2. Email me directly at benji@yellowbirdfs.com

3. Call me 419-889-7316

4. Text me 419-889-7316

5. Write me a letter or better yet come and see us!  

Benji Ballmer

13246 Wooster Rd

Mount Vernon, OH 43050

Buying and eating food the way we do is, and always has been, an act of resistance.  You might hear me talking about the price of eggs on Instagram but ultimately, this is WAY BIGGER than an egg issue.  The mainstream food system is still dirty, corrupt, contaminated, and controlled by monopolies that want us to eat crap that is grown with chemicals, by the hands of people that are underpaid and ignored.   

In order to survive and be able to bring you the foods that you buy and eat from your local foodshed, we need you to keep resisting.  It can’t be a “once in a while”, or a “shop small business day”, or “when it’s convenient”.  Make no mistake, our food is one of THEE MOST important parts of our personal and communal health, and we need to keep it as our top priority when deciding both WHAT to eat, and WHERE we are going to get it from.

Keep doing what you are doing.  Tell people about the mission, about our foodshed, and about our continued work to bring food resilience and sustainability to our foodshed…the growers AND the eaters!!

Stay Diligent,

Benji (a fellow member of the Yellowbird Foodshed)

bekana beckons

perfect green for your belly
find some in your box

Check out this Tokyo Bekana miso slaw recipe! Add more veggies for ultimate fun--some of the produce arriving in your farm share this week are TOKYO BEKANA, hydro head lettuce, lemons, Evercrisp apples, navel oranges, garlic, and yellow storage onions.

The luck of bekana to ya!
Happy St. Paddy's Day from Yellowbird!!

Check out this BBQ Pork Glazed Pork Spare Rib Dinnerby Chef Meagan!

Go here for Chef Meagan's entrees and sides this week.

you won't forget these dates

Dates in all farm shares this week! Go to the Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Dates and Olives recipe here!

 See what we have in your farm share FOR YOU this week: Fruits and veggies like DATES, spinach, Granny Smith apples, endive frisee, navel oranges, orange carrots, hydro head lettuce, and All Blue potatoes! 

Look here for Chef Meagan's entrees and sides this week! 

turn up the beet greens

hydroponic leaves sizzle
disco party pan
 

We predict beet greens will be a part of the culinary adventures this week, coming to a kitchen near you. Go to the Beef and Beet Green Casserole Recipe here!

 See what we have in your farm share FOR YOU this week: Fruits and veggies like BEET GREENS, strawberry JAM, Honeycrisp apples, yellow storage onions, rainbow carrots, hydro head lettuce, and sweet potatoes! 
 

Lookie here! Chef Meagan's entrees and sides this week are off the hook! 

Check out what's ON SALE! (Black Cap fermented hot sauce, LITT drinks, Bob's Red Mill, Nooma, Divine Living Kombucha, Snowville sour cream, Randy's Pickles, chocolate chip scones...and so on)

CAN YOU KOHLRABI

To Kohlrabi, as a verb, we are defining as:
1. Being open to suggestions
2. Taking a culinary risk
3. Looking adventurous in the kitchen
4. Letting YB help you try new things

Kohlrabi is translated "su hao" or "cabbage root" in Vietnamese (although it does not grow underground), and has a crisp, sweet texture. This week's kohlrabi from Bradwood Farm is hydroponic and does have leaves, which are totally edible.

See what we have FOR YOU this week: Fruits and veggies like KOHLRABI, Evercrisp apples, red cabbage, rainbow carrots, hydro head lettuce, and purple sun potatoes! Recipe here!

Check out our featured vendor Silver Bridge Coffee Co.!

Check out what's ON SALE! (Black Cap fermented hot sauce, LITT drinks, Bob's Red Mill, Divine Living Kombucha, Painterland Sisters yogurt, Randy's Pickles, wild caught cod...and more!)

What is a parsnip?

It might be easiest to compare it to its cousin, the carrot.

Carrots:
1. orange root vegetable
2. nice in a cake
3. modest in a soup
4. wears headphones on public transport
5. plays the flute

Parsnips:
1. root vegetable of indeterminate color
2. causes cakes to explode
3. showy and gauche in a soup
4. plays music out loud on public transport
5. plays bass guitar

Parsnips can play well with others in soups, stir fries, roasted dishes--just don't put them in a carrot cake!
 

See what CHEF BRIAN AT FOOD EAZE has PREPARED FOR YOU this week. 
 

Check out our featured vendor Minerva Dairy!

Black Cap Fermented Hot Sauce ON SALE!

LEMON TO THE LEMON POWER

A note from Benji...
As we pack boxes this week I think back to when we used to have to put kale, lettuce, and swiss chard in EVERY BOX, EVERY WEEK.

It was awesome because our members (many of them are still with us), would roll their eyes and listen to me talk about local food and how we had to support our growers through the cold months (which is all true)...and then go and make and eat all those yummy greens (which we all grew tired of). 

LUCKY FOR US, our growers have been able to diversify, we have found MORE growers, and the amount and varieties of food that are available to us right here in OHIO, IN FEBRUARY...is astounding. 

If you go to our "Produce Page" right now on our store website, we have 80 different produce items to choose from.  Did I mention it's February?!? Lemons in your box this week came from Sam Putt citrus grove (these do not grow in Ohio unfortunately), and they are beauts!

So here's to:

The Growers - for providing the best gawl dang food in the world!
Our Customers - for eating the best gawl dang food in the world! (even when you've cooked it or served it every way that's ever been tried)

See what CHEF MEAGAN and CHEF BRIAN AT FOOD EAZE have PREPARED FOR YOU this week.

Black Cap Fermented Hot Sauce ON SALE!

Check out our featured items here!

navel idea
unworldly color hits me 
while I peel away

 
Navel oranges are in your farm share this week!
Dig in and enjoy the juicy goodness!

 This Simple Black Bean Soup with a Hint of Orange below will give a navel twist to bean soup! 
 

See what's on SALE in the store HERE.

Check out our featured vendor, STUTZMAN FARMS,
and their amazing grains, here!
 

Watercress
 

Mom shouts, "Look!"
And the car comes to
an abrupt, jerking stop.
Dad's eyes grow wide.
"Watercress!" they exclaim,
two voices
heavy with memories.

From Watercress by Andrea Wang

Watercress is a rich, leafy power green, with gram for gram more vitamin C than an orange, more iron than spinach, and more calcium than a glass of milk. Like Popeye's spinach, it packs a punch! Flavorful and versatile raw or cooked (even in soup!), it has a slightly peppery flavor like its cousins arugula and mustard greens. This Vietnamese Beef and Watercress meal below will express the best of watercress! 
 

See what's on SALE in the store HERE.

Check out our featured vendor, BROKEN ROCKS BAKERY,
and their amazing breads, here!