Root vegetable salad with Tierra Farm nuts

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep: 20 mins

Between winter and spring

Winter roots and the wait for spring veggies

With the latest spring weather, the first greens and vegetables of the season are just around the corner. Already chives are popping up all across the Hudson Valley and Capital regions. In the next few weeks the tender shoots of wild edibles like stinging nettles and ramps will be tall enough for foraging.

As winter officially comes to an end and spring is starting, the availability of local vegetables is scarce. Only a limited variety of hothouse greens and the heartiest of winter roots can still be found.

While Upstate foodies eagerly await the arrival of spring vegetables, there are handful of farms that still have winter roots, and a few that are ahead of the curve on early season greens. In Columbia County The Farm at Miller’s Crossing and Little Seed Gardens are both growing spinach and arugula. Both will be available in the upcoming weeks at the Chatham Co-op and the Berry Farm who offers their own spinach, arugula and braising greens grown in solar heated greenhouses. Also available at the Berry Farm are quality winter root vegetables from Schoharie Valley Farms and Migliorelli Farm. Look for Migliorelli Farm’s produce at the Schenectady Farmers Market on Sundays.

Tierra Farm

If you’ve ever bought nuts, seeds or dried fruit at an upstate health food store it is likely that they came from Tierra Farm in Chatham. The company is one of the largest private importers of nuts and dried fruit in the upstate area and prepares a variety of roasted and value added products that include Curry Cashews, Chocolate Covered Cajun Cashews, Tamari Almonds, and Chocolate Covered Goji Berries. All of Tierra Farm’s products are certified organic and are available through upstate and Saratoga health food stores, food co-ops and directly to on-line consumers.

Carrot photograph by Jane Feldman