Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable with red or green stems and dappled leaves from the same family as beets and spinach. Despite what the name may tell you, it comes from the Mediterranean, not Switzerland. Similar in nutrient density to kale, Swiss chard has a mild flavor. Its leaves are more tender and quicker cooking than kale, making it a great weeknight swap. To prep chard, wash thoroughly, then cut the stems from the leaves. The stems can be cut into sticks and roasted or even pickled for a nutritious snack. The leaves can be rolled and chopped finely, or left whole to use as wraps. You can also chop the stems thinly, like you would celery, and sauté with the leaves, making sure to cook the stems longer.
Chester, NY
Sun Sprout Farm is located on New York’s famous black dirt in Chester, NY. The land is being leased from the Chester Agricultural Center as part of an innovative farmland preservation project that provides long term, stable leases for high quality farmland.
Sun Sprout Farm is co-owned by Simon Ziegler and Madeleine Banulski who met in 2006 as volunteers at Camphill Village Kimberton Hills in Kimberton, PA, a living community that includes adults with developmental disabilities. Simon worked on the bio-dynamic dairy farm and Madeleine worked in the CSA garden, apple orchard and village cafe. After their two-year service, Simon returned to Germany in 2008 to study and obtain his bachelor’s degree in Organic Agriculture Science in Witzenhausen, Germany while Madeleine started going to nursing school in Philadelphia, PA. Simon came back to farm during his summer breaks every year, and worked on Riverbank Farm in Roxbury, CT with Madeleine as well as various CSA and community gardens in Philadelphia. Simon moved permanently from Germany to the US in 2011 and worked for six years as the field manager at Riverbank Farm, a fifteen-acre organic vegetable farm in Roxbury, CT.
They always dreamed of starting their own farm together. They have been in love with the Hudson Valley for a long time, and after several years of looking for the right place, found our destination in Chester, NY. Madeleine is a nurse and works on the farm part time while continuing her nursing career.