Celebrate the season - Spring!

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Guest post by Hailey Barrow from The Edible Garden in Greensboro

After months of winter, spring has finally sprung!  As flowers begin to bloom and the
weather gets warmer, here are some ways to find a little extra joy this season.

  • Enjoy Spring Salads. Relish local, leafy greens for as long as you can before the summer heat arrives! Add a little freshness to any meal (using your Produce Box!) by creating an interesting salad, perhaps using a type of leafy green that’s new to your family such as swiss chard, arugula, kale, tatsoi, or radicchio.
  • Fill Your Home with Seasonal Flowers. North Carolina is brimming with beautiful blooms in the springtime. Visit your local farmers market to buy a fresh bouquet or take cuttings from your own garden to fill your home with color and fragrance. Lovely, seasonal blooms you may encounter include daffodils, irises, peonies, pansies, hyacinths, ranunculus, roses, and hydrangeas. 
  • Fill Your Plate with Strawberries. Strawberries are a delicious spring treat in North Carolina. Enjoy them in ice cream, strawberry shortcake, salad, jam, or fresh 

  • Practice Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a meditative practice that encourages present moment awareness and can be observed while sitting quietly or during daily activities such as eating or walking. Practicing mindfulness allows us to take in the changes that are occurring in nature more fully and to increase enjoyment of seasonal foods on our table through mindful eating.
  • Plant Your Summer Garden. Now is the time to begin thinking about a summer garden! Visit your local nursery to find transplants and seeds for summer crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, squash, green beans, okra, and corn.
Hailey is the Garden Teacher at The Edible Schoolyard Greensboro. Visit www.ESYgreensboro.com for information on upcoming garden and cooking classes for kids, families, and adults.

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