In the May 18 Twenty Bag: Tuscan kale, Sea Island sweet onions, broccoli crowns, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber mix, romaine lettuce, summer squash—a little bit of everything in this Bag!

Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farm!

Spring is upon us in full force and this mid-May Bag’s bounty certainly reflects that. I could hardly lift it from the table at my pick-up place, Kudzu Bakery. That said, Towles does a great job of keeping the product interesting, and keeping it coming, even during the leaner winter months. His thoughtful farming includes incorporating regenerative practices recently spotlighted in a documentary, Kiss the Ground, sponsored by Lowcountry Local First and Enlightened Soil Corp.

“We try to keep the mix pretty diverse each week for the Twenty Bag,” says Towles. “Coupled with big weather swings that can force certain crops to mature ahead, or lag behind schedule, we are left with surplus produce that needs a home. Versus putting the same product in the Bag each week, or heaven for bid, letting it go to waste, we've forged relationships with hometown wholesalers like Limehouse Produce and Growfood Carolina to take some of this beautiful product and distribute it to area restaurants, hotels, schools, etc. Friends at the Lowcountry Street Grocery are also very close partners of ours that move a menagerie of local produce to families like yours.”

I can’t wait to hit the stove and whip up (literally) a big batch of creamy cauliflower soup. A little garlic and stock turn the tasty crucifer into a fantastic brunch dish with the help of a handy immersion blender.

And how about pairing that lovely light bisque with a platter of savory zucchini pancakes?

For the rest of the Bag’s haul…a quick search of sweetgrass + grits will take you to plenty more recipes—all curated with an eye toward the weekly Twenty Bag harvest.

Harleston’s storage tips: If greens of any kind begin to wilt at any point or at pick up, put them in a big bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes. Almost all produce is already washed and should go in the refrigerator. Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, pickles, lettuce, and squash should all go in a plastic bag of sorts. Carrots in a plastic bag will keep for months with tops removed. Onions on the counter or in the pantry.