5/13/26 Slow Foods Snail of Approval
This week we’re honored to share that Singing Frogs Farm has received a Slow Food Snail of Approval from our local Slow Food Sonoma County North chapter. The Snail of Approval is both a locally awarded and internationally recognized designation, placing us among more than 400 farms, restaurants, and food businesses across the country committed to building a better food system.
Founded in 1989, Slow Food is a global movement working to ensure food that is good, clean, and fair for all. We were genuinely surprised by the rigor and thoughtfulness of the application process. Beyond our growing practices, we were asked to share about soil stewardship, ecological impact, fair labor practices, education, and community involvement.
We appreciated that the application looked at the farm as a whole system, not just the food we grow. So much of what we care about happens behind the scenes — caring for soil health, supporting our crew, creating habitat for wildlife, and helping strengthen local food systems over the long term.
Thank you for supporting this kind of farming and for being part of our community.
1st Wednesday’s Farm Walks
Last week we were thrilled to have 9 mostly new CSA families join us on our 1st Wednesdays Farm Walks. Since starting the CSA in 2008, having our members out to experience the farm has been of paramount importance. In fact, our farm has international acclaim because we share about our farm. And all of the sharing began with sharing with our CSA members.
Last week we did talk some soil science, about the land and the animals, but we also harvested Strawberries 🍓 and small flower bunches. Each month we’ll focus on new crops to explore.
If you weren’t able to join last week, put one of the next dates on your calendar: June 3rd, July 1st…
How to Read “This Week’s Box”
This week we have a LOT of rotations. It’s how we’re able to fill 150 boxes every week with a diversity of seasonal produce in rotation.
SR OR WC rotations (Santa Rosa vs West County): Sometimes we break our members in two for a rotation that we know we’ll come back to. This week we have two that we plan to finish next week. These will always be denoted as Santa Rosa in blue and West County in green.
Classic OR Family rotations: In past years we’ve done these less, but this year we have farm more Family members. Family Boxes are larger and that often manifests in more items (this week they have Strawberries and Scallions) or bigger items (we might give them the big Cauliflowers or 4 instead of 2 little gems). But we’re also looking for diversity: since Family boxes had Cabbage last week we didn’t want to give them that again. Also we may use this for a rotation we will not be following up on. These will always be denoted Classic in yellow and Family in red.
Although we try to get everyone as much diversity as possible, it is also a reality that weekly members have more diversity than bi-weekly members and Family members more than Classic. We try our best to get everyone some of the best. As always, reach out with any questions.
This Week’s Box
Lettuce: Red Butter (SR) OR Panisse (WC)
Little Gem Lettuces x2
Kale: Toscano (SR) OR Red Russian (WC)
Chicory: Escarole (Classic) OR Frisée (Family)
Cabbage (Classic) OR Broccoli (Family)
Summer Squash (SR) OR Mixed Beets (WC)
Herb: Parsley (SR) OR Genovese Basil (WC)
Family: Strawberries & Scallions
Produce Notes & Recipes
We’re excited to have our first Genovese Basil going into West County boxes this week as well as Summer Squash on a basic Santa Rosa/West County rotation. We plan to continue both of these rotations next week. Both of these crops are rocking along in our hoop houses and the sunny warm days on the forecast will certainly help them along!
Families have Strawberries today. We will then start rotating them through other groups as they continue to come on. This year we have three beds of overwintered strawberries we’ve babied, plus 3 more that are just starting plus 2 more we are just planting.
We have some beautiful spring Cabbage for you. You can absolutely make a coleslaw, grate onto tacos or sauté but with this beautiful weather I’m going to recommend charring. We enjoy doing this on the grill!
Charred Cabbage is a versatile, flavorful dish that transforms humble cabbage into a smoky, tender, and caramelized delicacy by searing it in a hot pan or on a grill until blackened in spots. It is often finished with butter, miso, or acidic sauces like lime to complement the bitter, charred edges and soft interior.
Methods for Charring Cabbage:
Skillet (Stovetop): Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high for 3 minutes until very hot. Add oil and cabbage wedges cut-side down, cooking until charred, roughly 5–7 minutes per side.
Oven Roasted: Preheat oven to 425°F–475°F. Toss cabbage chunks with olive oil and seasoning on a baking sheet. Roast for 30–45 minutes, turning once, until tender and charred.
Grill: Grill cabbage wedges on medium heat for 8–10 minutes per side until deeply blackened and tender.
Favorite herb pairings:
Parsley: Toss generously with chopped parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and flaky salt after cooking for a bright, fresh contrast to the smoky cabbage. Especially delicious with a little garlic or parmesan.
Basil: Basil gives charred cabbage a softer, summery flavor. Try finishing with torn basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and perhaps fresh mozzarella or goat cheese for an almost Italian-style side dish.
Scallions: Grill or char scallions alongside the cabbage, then slice over the top with soy sauce, sesame oil, chili crisp, or miso butter for a deeply savory version with lots of umami.
You can also finish charred cabbage with browned butter, miso, yogurt sauce, chili crisp, or a squeeze of lemon or lime to balance the smoky richness.
We have two wonderful kinds of Kale this week. Toscano Kale and Red Russian Kale. Here are some basics on the three main varieties we grow (+ WinterBor in Autumn).
Toscano Kale (aka Dino Kale / Lacinato)
Dark blue-green textured leaves with rich flavor and a hearty, almost silky texture when cooked. Less bitter than many kales, especially after frost. Excellent for sautéing, soups, braises, kale chips, or massaged raw salads. Holds up beautifully in cooking and has elegant bunch appeal.
Red Russian Kale
Tender, flat leaves with purple stems and a sweeter, milder flavor than most kales. Especially delicious raw in salads or lightly sautéed. Frost brings out even more sweetness. Its soft texture and colorful stems make it a favorite for salad mix and quick cooking.
Rainbow Kale
A beautiful open-pollinated mix of Toscano and red curly kale genetics, with plants ranging from blue-green to purple and lightly to heavily ruffled leaves. Combines the sweetness and tenderness of red kale with the vigor and texture of Toscano. We use like Toscano. You will not find this at any other farms in Sonoma County.
Kale and Parsley Salad (modern farmer)
1 bunches ‘Lacinato’ kale, stems and ribs removed, leaves cut into ¼-inch ribbons (about 4 cups)
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves removed and finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
5 ounces good-quality feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
¼ cup walnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tsp za’atar
½ tsp coriander seeds, lightly toasted and crushed
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cumin
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine kale, parsley, feta, and walnuts. In a small jar, combine oil, shallot, lemon juice, za’atar, coriander, allspice, and cumin; shake well to emulsify. Add a few tablespoons of dressing to salad and mix well with your hands; continue to add dressing and toss until desired flavor has been achieved. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Elizabeth’s note: I would absolutely add roasted sliced Mixed Beets to the salad!
Extra Shares
Flower Share: 🌸 Pink Baby’s Breath Focus
Lettuce Share: Romaine & Kolibri 🥬
Bunched Greens Share: 🌈 Rainbow Kale
Herb Share: Dill
Egg Share: 🥚