Organic Heritage Turkeys

At the farm we are now taking pre-orders for Elmwood Stock Farm's organic specialty breed turkeys. We take orders by phone or email prior to the holidays, and payment is made at pickup. Turkeys can be picked up the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving (Nov. 17th) at the downtown Lexington farmers market, or make arrangements to pickup at the farm on Friday or Monday (Nov. 19th or 21st). Shipping is also available within the Continental US (an additional $20 for packaging plus shipping charges). All of our turkeys are processed under USDA inspection and will be freshly frozen for food safety.

As one of only a few farms in the US to raise organic certified heritage breed turkeys, we are proud to have these special turkeys to offer. We appreciate your interest in serving a locally produced, organic turkey – you can taste the difference and you will know you are serving the best! 

ALL TURKEYS at Elmwood Stock Farm in Scott County outside of Georgetown are Organic Certified free ranging turkeys that are raised outdoors on grass pasture. They are raised the old-fashioned way, on fresh green grass and clover pastures with wholesome grains, resulting in moist, flavorful turkey. Not only are Elmwood turkeys raised naturally, free from any synthetic inputs, flavor additives, or stimulants, but everything that every turkey eats is organically raised grain or grass pasture.

Pasture-based grass farming has recognizable health benefits resulting in a product with good saturated fats and high omega-3 fatty acids. The use of certified organic grain means our turkeys are more expensive to produce, but you can take comfort knowing no GMO grain and no synthetic chemicals are used in your food. Organic Certification ensures third party verification of our production practices and ultimately results in better health for you and your family this Thanksgiving season.

HERITAGE Breed -- A heritage turkey is not one particular breed, but made up of a group of breeds. At Elmwood, we care year-round for our own breeding flock in order to raise Bourbon Red (named after Bourbon County KY), Narragansett (the oldest known American turkey breed), and the Slate turkeys (also found on Slow Food’s Ark of Taste that promotes the survival of near-extinct foods).

Some characteristics that distinguish these very rare Heritage turkeys from the standard broad breasted variety are slower growth, more proportionate breasts to legs, and the ability to naturally breed. There is a better balance between the dark meat and white meat, which means roasting a bird to perfection is much easier, and the meat has a richer flavor. Heritage turkeys will never be as large as broad breasted turkeys though they eat certified organic grain for 28 to 30 weeks resulting in the healthiest, most flavorful, best turkey you will ever taste.

Heritage Breed Organic Turkey
Expected dressed weight: under 7 pounds - $69.00 available as of 11/18
Expected dressed weight: 7 – 8.9 pounds - $109.00 available as of 11/18
Expected dressed weight: 9 – 10.9 pounds - SOLD OUT $129.00
Expected dressed weight: 11-13.9 pounds - SOLD OUT  $149.00
Expected dressed weight: 14 - 16.9 pounds - SOLD OUT $169.00

 

STANDARD Broad Breasted Breed – These broad breasted bronze turkeys are similar in size and shape to a supermarket purchased turkey, but the similarities end right there! Our turkeys are raised outdoors in our pastured system that provides a diet enriched by grasses, fresh air, adequate exercise, and sunlight. Our bronze feathered turkeys free-range on fresh green grass or clover pastures supplemented with wholesome organic grains, resulting in moist, flavorful turkey.

Standard Broad Breasted Bronze Organic Turkey - SOLD OUT
Expected dressed weight: 12 – 13.9 pounds - $109.00

Expected dressed weight: 14 – 16.9 pounds - $115.00
Expected dressed weight: 17 - 20 pounds - $119.00

The costs of cheap food are hidden in healthcare, environmental cleanup, and dependence on pharmaceuticals. You might have heard the phrase “Visit the farm, not the (f)pharmacy,” to establish a personal path between good nutrition and good health. The many months to care for heritage turkeys and the use of certified organic grains for better animal health results in high production costs. The resulting high purchase price for specialty turkeys reflects the true costs of safe and wholesome food.

When Slow Food USA added American heritage turkeys to its Ark of Taste, it tremendously helped to spread the knowledge that eating these turkeys is necessary in order to support the maintaining of breeding birds and moving the breeds to lesser degrees of endangerment.

 

To learn more about Heritage Turkeys visit the website for the American Livestock Breeds Conservatory. As more is known about vanishing breeds of heritage livestock, efforts are underway to promote awareness and prevent the extinction of animals like Bourbon Red, Slate and Narragansett turkeys.

Week 22, Last week of summer CSA

 

CSA: The Eating Seasons

Scene 1 - Summer Season

With the Autumnal equinox recently behind us, we are officially more than half way to the shortest day of the year. It is also the summer season’s last week of harvest and pick up. We have worked hard to provide you wholesome fruits and veggies for the past 22 weeks. Mother Nature seems to send some kind of character building challenge each year, this one was the hot dry spell in June, which we, and you, are still feeling the consequences of. We appreciate the kind words from many of you about how much you have been enjoying your weekly share. We also appreciate the great many of you that are our ambassadors in the community in support of our relationship, encouraging others to join, and expanding our capabilities.  Although we can predict some responses to our annual CSA member survey, we very much encourage you to respond with what you liked and what you would like to see differently next year. Look for the surveys coming to you by email the end of this week, we read every one.  Many of you are staying with us for the Fall Season Shares, the rest of you we hope to see at the farmers market.

Scene 2 – Fall Season

Monday morning’s harvest moon was adorned with a ring, known as a winter halo. Lore has it that the number of stars inside the ring is the number of days until a big season-changing storm will arrive. It was a little bit cloudy, but we’re going with 8. Eight stars, a storm in 8 days, we’ll see. Soon after, we will begin preparing for the Fall Season Shares. We have harvested potatoes, onions and garlic, while the sweet potatoes and winter squashes need to finish sizing up before we complete their harvest. The weather is good for the greens and root crops. We used to end the season not long after the first frost, but with your partnership longer into the year, we can now proudly say it takes lots of freezing weather to knock us out.  If you have signed up for fall, you should have received an email from us confirming details of your Fall Share.

Scene 3 – Winter Season

The offering for our Winter Share is coming into view as we have been preserving some of the harvest for many of you. The positive feedback from those that signed up for our inaugural season last winter has encouraged us to offer it again. There will be a Pantry share that consists of items like dry beans, cornmeal, marinara sauce, popcorn, salsa, etc.  The ‘freezer‘ portion of the Regular Vegetable share will have tomatoes, greens, broccoli, peppers, corn, etc. preserved in appropriate size bags for easy use. The recently planted greens, lettuces, and broccoli in the greenhouse are the headliners for the Regular Vegetable share to be accompanied by storage potatoes, sweet potatoes, and winter radishes including a cameo appearance from the watermelon radish. These shares will be available January thru March.
 

Scene 4 – All Seasons

We are always a little puzzled when people at the market ask us if we are going to be set up the following week or how long we are going to be there this fall.  Elmwood has not missed attending an official Lexington Farmers Market Saturday market in over 15 years. The streak continues this year as we will be downtown Lexington every Saturday, at Cheapside Park, until the Saturday before Thanksgiving and then in Victorian Square each Saturday in December, and all winter. We are not sure what the market’s Holiday schedule is yet. We will have meat and poultry, eggs, pantry items, and any veggies that are not needed for the Fall Share and Winter Shares, as the weather allows. The Southland Drive Sunday Market runs from 10am until 2pm through the end of October. 

Scene 5 – Turkey Season

We are taking sign-ups to reserve your Thanksgiving (or any time after that) turkey. The birds are sizing up nicely so get your name to us early to ensure you secure the size that is right for your plans. We are offering both the very special heritage breed, hatched from our breeding flock, and the traditional broad breasted, raised on pasture, as they should be, all Certified Organic.

Closing Scene – Eating Season

This being the last week of the summer season, we want to make sure you know that we greatly appreciate your support. Not just the financial commitment you made last spring, but the relationships we have developed.  Thank you for being a partner in Elmwood Stock Farm’s version of “The Eating Seasons.”

In Your Share

Beet – organic

Daikon Radish – organic

Eggplant

Lettuce – organic

Sweet Potato – organic

Bell Pepper – organic

French Breakfast Radish – organic

Tomato – organic

Purple Top White Turnip - organic

Celery – organic

Cilantro – organic

Garlic – organic

Sugar Snap Pea – organic

Raspberries - organic

Recipes to Enjoy

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Pesto recipe shared by The Wholesome Chef.

 

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 T oil

1 T chipotle chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 T oil

1 small red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 T chili powder

½ tsp sea salt

½ lime juiced

2-3 C black beans, cooked

1 batch cilantro pesto

12 corn tortillas, warmed

1 large avocado, diced

cilantro to taste

lime wedges to taste

red pepper flakes

Toss the sweet potato and onion in the oil, chili powder and cumin, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in a preheated 400F oven until tender, about 30-40 minutes. In a large bowl mix beans with the garlic, 1 T olive oil, salt, and lime. Toss with warm sweet potato mixture and set aside. To prepare tacos serve warm sweet potato mixture on a tortilla topped with pesto, avocado, fresh cilantro, lime, and red pepper flakes for garnish.

Cilantro Pesto

 

1 large handful of beet greens (or spinach or chard)

1 handful cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic

1/3 C pepitas, toasted

1/3 C olive oil

½ lime, juiced

½ tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Puree everything in a food processor.

Pan Fried Daikon Cakes, thanks to a CSA member for sharing this dish from Allrecipes.  She reports that she uses this recipe for any type of radish she gets in her CSA share or turnips and kohlrabi.  Enjoy alone or serve with your favorite spicy sauce or ketchup.

1 ½ C grated Daikon radish

1 tsp salt

1 clove garlic, minced

½ onion, chopped

1 egg, beaten

½ C Italian seasoned bread crumbs

½ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp chile-garlic sauce

1 ½ C oil for frying

Place the Daikon in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Drain Daikon. Stir in the garlic, onion, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, paprika, and chili garlic sauce. Mix well. Form into 8, small round patties. 

Pour oil into a large skillet. Heat over medium heat. Fry patties in the hot oil until firm and nicely brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Pepper Jelly, a lower sugar recipe from Ball Canning.

2 ¼ C finely chopped bell pepper (about 2 large)
¼ C finely chopped jalapeno or serrano pepper (about 2 small), (use gloves when handling hot peppers; include seeds for hotter jelly)
½ C + 2 T cider vinegar
1 ½ T low or no-sugar needed pectin
1 C sugar
½ C honey
3 (8 oz) jars with bands

3 new lids

Prepare boiling water canner. In the meantime, wash jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use. Do not boil. Set lids and bands aside.

Combine bell peppers, hot peppers and vinegar in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down over high heat, stirring constantly.

Add sugar and honey. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.

Carefully ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼  inch headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band on until fingertip-tight.

Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars and allow to cool. Check seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.  If so, refrigerate and use within a couple of weeks.

Celery-Almond Pesto recipe from Harmony Valley Farm

This pesto can be used much like a normal basil pesto. It is wonderful tossed with pasta and topped with grilled chicken or fish. It is also great as a sandwich spread.

4 cups fresh celery leaves

¼ cup raw blanched almonds

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and blend until finely chopped, almost a paste consistency.  Toss the pesto with hot pasta or roasted potatoes. It is even great as a spread on an egg salad sandwich!

Week 21, CSA

 

Sometimes We Can't Just Let Things Go By . . .

Many of you may have seen the headline on a report from Stanford University, “Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods."

A more accurate headline should have been  “Stanford research confirms health benefits driving consumers to organic.”  But would we have learned about the study if the positive sentence were the lead one? 

First, for the record, the report is a review of many different research studies, not its own designed study. It is very difficult to combine studies with differing scopes and draw single strong conclusions. In conversation with agricultural researchers from the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University, they pointed out the conservative statistical tests used in the Stanford report brought the variation of each study into the same range, therefore no differences show up, although many of the individual studies do show a positive significant difference in nutrient content of organic foods.

As we have touched on before in your weekly newsletter, insects do not pressure organic crops when they have such a strong balance of nutrients in them to produce the com-pounds needed to resist chewing and piercing insect-feeders. It just goes to reason that the produce itself would have a similar balance of micro-nutrients, and those often are not included in studies like these. The Stanford report does go on to indicate higher levels of anti-oxidants are found in organic produce, those all-important nutrients, that contribute to a healthy body and offer disease suppression. 

One major conclusion of the report showed clear benefits to consuming organic foods due to a reduced exposure to pesticides. Face it, how well can one wash broccoli or strawberries? All pesticides have a ‘days to harvest interval’ after application, but there are serious insecticides, miticides, fungicides, and growth regulators that really do not need to be anywhere near the foods we consume. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen annual list.  

Not only is organic produce not contaminated with pesticides, but also organic grains are lower in mycotoxins.  Mycotoxins are toxic compounds associated with molds on or in grains. They can invade the grains during production or in post-harvest handling and storage. Because most organic grains are handled in smaller lots, not commingled with many other producers’ grains, and often sold locally rather than stored or shipped great distances, they are less prone to coming into contact with these molds. 
 

The report did find that a benefit of consuming organic meat and poultry is the reduced exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, along with the beneficial elevated levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Many non-organic farms add sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics to the feed to stimulate growth of their animals. Anyone can walk into a farm supply store and purchase them with no restrictions. These antibiotics are not only showing up in streams and rivers, but also in under-ground aquifers. There is evidence that now shows human pathogenic bacteria are becoming resistant to treatment because of this indiscriminate use in food animals.

The higher presence of the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids is a testament to raising the animals on pasture and with grazing systems that naturally expose the animals to the fatty acids in their diets. Important is not just what the animals eat, but allowing their digestive systems to function properly at the right pH level with an optimum balance of nutrients. 

The study itself has added some fuel to the fire of organic versus conventional production methods.  Interestingly, the inaccurate, but attention-grabbing headline for the Stanford research study has generated even more follow up news reports.  This begs the question, why does organic research have to misrepresent the results to get some ‘airtime’?

Nonetheless, a thorough consideration uncovers some pretty clear evidence.  Eating organic food is much better for you and for the environment.

In Your Share

 

Bok Choy – organic

 

Eggplant

Lettuce – organic

Yellow Sweet Candy Onion – organic

White Onion - organic

Sweet Bell Peppers – organic

Hot Peppers - organic

Potatoes – organic

 

Sweet Potatoes - organic

  

Garlic – organic

Purple Top White Turnips with Greens – organic

Raspberries - organic

Sweet Corn - organic

Tomatoes - organic

Recipes to Enjoy

Velvet Chicken with Bok Choy our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this recipe originally from Eating Well magazine, she recommends serving it over cooked brown rice.  If you prefer a little more spiciness, try using one of your fresh hot peppers.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into ¼ -inch-thick bite-size slices

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 T plus ½ tsp cornstarch, divided

2 tsp plus 2 T rice wine or dry sherry, divided

½ tsp salt, divided

3 T peanut oil or canola oil, divided

1/3 C reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

¼ tsp ground white pepper

6 C water

2/3 C chopped scallions, divided

1 T finely julienned or minced fresh ginger

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

12 oz trimmed bok choy, cut into 2-inch pieces

Combine chicken, egg white, 1 T cornstarch, 2 tsp rice wine or sherry, and ¼ tsp salt in a medium bowl. Stir until the cornstarch is totally dissolved and no clumps are visible. Add 1 T oil and stir to combine.  Marinate in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine broth, soy sauce, white pepper and the remaining ½ tsp cornstarch and 2 T rice wine in a small bowl.

When the chicken has 10 minutes to go, bring water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add 1 T oil. Reduce the heat to low. Carefully add the chicken to the barely simmering water; gently stir so it doesn’t clump together. Cook just until opaque but not cooked through, about 1 minute. Carefully drain the chicken in a colander and shake to remove excess water.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the remaining 1 T oil. Add 1/3 C scallions, ginger and crushed red pepper; using a metal spatula, stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add bok choy and the remaining ¼ tsp salt.  Stir-fry until the bok choy is almost crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken.  Stir the broth mixture again, swirl it into the wok and stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through and lightly coated with sauce, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/3 C scallions.

Mashed Turnips with Caramelized Onions, recipe from The Wholesome Chef

2-3 turnips, green tops removed, reserved for another dish

¼ C olive oil

1 small yellow onion

½ C unsweetened coconut milk

3 T butter or earth balance

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

Peel and dice turnips into uniform cubes, add to a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer 25 minutes until fork tender. In the meantime heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Slice onion into thin rings and add to oil, cook until brown and caramelized stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Heat milk with butter over low heat until butter is melted. Add milk/butter mixture to a food processor with tender turnips, puree until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Top with onions and olive oil to serve.

Sweet Potato Hummus, a Sarah Britton recipe

2 cups chickpeas, cooked
zest of 1 organic lemon, juice of ½ lemon
3 small sweet potatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
2-3 pinches sea salt
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic

Note :  Don't get too hung up on the quantities of ingredients with this recipe - it's hard to make a mistake! Use more or less sweet potato than called for, more or less chickpeas if that suits you (or even leave them out!), omit the cayenne or throw in more if you like it spicy. Just work with what you have and what tastes good to you.

Place sweet potatoes (with the skin on) in a baking dish in a 400 F oven and bake until very soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on their size.   Let the sweet potatoes cool down so that you can easily remove their skins - they should just peel off. Place them in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and blend on high to mix.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of cracked black pepper, and whatever herb you have on hand. This is wonderful with raw veggies, healthy crackers, or pita bread.   This dip doubles as an amazing sandwich spread, particularly on crusty sourdough with avocado, sprouts, and fresh herbs. Finally, you can use as a thickener for soups and stews.

CSA, Week 20

Organic Showcase

The organic world will convene in Baltimore, Maryland this week to display new products, discuss regulatory issues, share ideas for the future, and get customer feedback at the Natural Products Expo-East.  There are a series of presentations, educational seminars, and the ever-popular trade show.  The trade show for this convention is so large that there are only a few cities with large enough facilities to host it. In addition to all the food processing and distribution companies, exhibitors will include organic certification service companies, consumer advocacy groups, government agencies, and sustainable agriculture proponents.  Being so close to Washington DC, there will be a large number of government watch dog groups and national sustainable agriculture non-profit groups stopping in to educate attendees on the importance of developing a supply chain that is fair and equitable to organic farmers. Groups like Organic Farming Research Foundation, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and Beyond Pesticides will be working the floor, happy to have some “face time” access with organic product processing and distribution company representatives, all present at one venue.

As the current Vice-Chairman of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), Mac is traveling from the farm to the meeting to give a presentation, along with several staff members of the USDA National Organic Program.  First created by Congress over 20 years ago, and finalized in 2000, the NOSB oversees the organic program including international compatibility issues, new products requested to be allowed, and general guidelines giving certification agencies the tools they need to effectively monitor the operations they certify as organic. Members of the board range from chemists to food manufacturing professionals, consumer advocates, livestock and crop professionals and certified organic farmers.

There will also be lots of discussion about the impending Farm Bill in Congress.  Revisited every five or so years, the federal Farm Bill encompasses things like school nutrition programs, farm commodity subsidies, natural resource conservation programs, agricultural research priorities, and the National Organic Program (NOP).  Many of these programs are authorized by the legislation, yet funding to administer them is a secondary legislative action. While many worthwhile programs have seen cuts in recent years, the NOP has seen its budget grow from $2 million per year just 3 or 4 years ago to over $9 million now.  As organic foods are the fastest growing segment of the food market, there is a need for increased staff at the NOP, and many good organic-thinkers have taken positions within the NOP resulting in improved services to certifiers, and better technical assistance to the NOSB for regulatory changes.

The Farm Bill affects all of us whether in the area of food safety, school lunch, wetland protection, international trade, or even access to credit.  To stay up-to-date on Farm Bill action (or inaction as often occurs in an election year) visit the website for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.  Our representatives in Congress are acting now, so take a few minutes to learn more about the policies that affect our food supply, and how we can ask for changes towards the type of food system we would rather see in our

future.

In Your Share

 

Garlic - organic

 

Lettuce – organic

Onions – organic

Peppers - organic

Potatoes – organic

Stripetti Squash

Tomatoes - organic

Okra – organic

 

Brussels Sprouts – organic

Swiss Chard – organic

Sweet Corn - organic

Recipes to Enjoy

 

Spaghetti Squash and Shrimp or Scallops
This recipe was such a hit, we have included it again this season. Our thanks to a CSA member who shared this great recipe! She was thrilled that her whole family really enjoyed this one-dish meal.

1 med. spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs.)

¼ C olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

½ pound shrimp, shelled and cleaned (or scallops)

2 T lemon juice

1 ½ T fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 sm. tomatoes, chopped

1 lg. bunch watercress or ½ bag spinach, washed

¼ C toasted pine nuts (optional)

1 C crumbled Feta or grated Parmesan cheese

Cut squash lengthwise; bake face down on oiled cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until easily pierced by fork. Cool; scoop out insides. Heat oil and sauté garlic. Add shrimp, lemon juice, and spices. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and watercress or spinach and cook 1 minute longer until vegetables are wilted. Add pine nuts and cheese and toss with squash. Serve heaped in squash shells or individual casseroles. Makes 2 generous servings.

Lentil Almond Brussels Sprout Stir Fry, adapted from a 101 Cookbooks recipe

extra-virgin olive oil
6 to 8 very small new potatoes, cut into 1/2 pieces
2 cups cooked brown or black lentils
12 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, thinned out with a bit of water, and salted with a pinch of salt

2 dates, pitted and chopped

Cook the potatoes along with a generous splash of olive oil and pinch of salt in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover the skillet and let the potatoes cook through, this will take five minutes or so. The water in the potatoes will help steam and soften them. When the potatoes are just cooked through (not mushy or falling apart) remove the lid and give them a good toss. Turn up the heat to medium-high and stir every minute or so (a spatula helps)

until the potatoes look a bit golden. Stir in the lentils, and cook until heated through. Turn the potatoes and lentils out onto a large plate and set aside.

Now cook the Brussels sprouts using the same pan. Heat another splash of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the Brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the sprouts in the pan (single-layer), sprinkle with a pinch of salt, cover, and cook for a few minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for another minute or two. Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized.

Add the lentils and potatoes back to the skillet and add most of the sliced almonds. Turn out onto a large platter and drizzle with some of the yogurt. Top with the remaining almonds and the chopped dates.

Serves 2-3.

Cheesy Bacon Spaghetti Squash Casserole, a Marla Meridith recipe, serves 6-8

1 Spaghetti Squash (3-4 pounds) - about 3 cups cooked squash is needed

splash of Olive Oil

a few pinches Garlic Salt

a few pinches Black Pepper

8 ounces Turkey Bacon (or nitrate free Pork Bacon), cook according to package directions

1 large Egg, whisked

1 cup low fat Cottage Cheese

1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 cup Gruyére Cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F with the rack in the middle. Put whole squash in a baking dish and bake until you can easily insert a paring knife, about 40 minutes to one hour. Remove squash from oven and let cool about 10 minutes. 

Cut it in half from tip to tip (long ways) and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Scrape the sides of the squash with a fork until you have removed all the stringy spaghetti. Toss the strands in a bowl with some olive oil, garlic salt and pepper. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the middle. Prepare bacon according to package directions. In a medium bowl combine squash, cottage cheese, nutmeg, and another pinch of pepper and garlic salt to taste if needed. Add the egg. 

 

In a 9 inch bake safe pie dish layer squash mixture, then a layer of the bacon, another layer of squash then bacon again. Top with Gruyére cheese and bake for about 25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. If you want to crisp up the cheese a little more set the broil on low for a minute or two.

 

Week 19, CSA News

Landscape Architecture

When the Bell family expanded their farming operation in the 1950’s by purchasing the Elmwood property outside of Georgetown, those that farmed it before had set the basic footprint of infrastructure and much of the field layout we work with today. The original home place was built in the late 1700’s, complete with well and spring house, smoke house, out house, cisterns, and numerous other out buildings. The fencerows were established in accordance with the topography and access to water. Hilly areas were fenced off for cattle or sheep, while flat lands lent themselves to cropping, haying and grazing.

Thankfully the value of access to the water in the North Fork of Elkhorn Creek was considered when the farm was platted, so we have some “bottom” land across the highway near to irrigation water. Were this section of the creek not behind one of the many old milldams, it might have been only good for canoeing. The milldam allows a deep pool of water to form so that pump intake pipes can be immersed, and the pool is replenished by normal creek flow between irrigation events. Back in the heyday of Kentucky tobacco production, there was a lot of demand for creek and river water, and the dam pools were often pumped dry during droughty summers. This year was severe for drought, but there are fewer farmers raising fewer acres of crops, so the milldam pool near Elmwood filled sufficiently. 

Trees were allowed to grow along the fencerows to provide shade for livestock and wind breaks for crops and livestock. Years ago large steel tanks were cut into rings, imbedded in concrete with underground pipes supplying water into them.  More modern tanks are made of cast concrete or even heavy plastic.  These water reservoirs are placed in the fencerows so livestock can access them from two, sometimes three fields, and they do not impact field-cropping activities.

Gates to access fields were strategically placed in the fence line.  Some of the older, dry stone laid rock fences had a passageway constructed within the fence to allow people to cross, but not animals; or small livestock like sheep to pass through when needed.  In consideration of animal behavior, more modern gate openings are near the corners, not in the corner. Generally to move cattle or sheep, we open the gate and call the animals. They know fresh pasture awaits and will follow the lead animal that draws the others through the opening. A gate being ten or twenty feet from the corner makes a nice funnel but also keeps the lead animal from turning abruptly after passing through the opening. Were this to happen, young animals that lag behind may see the first few momma cows moving back towards them along the fence (although on the other side of it.)  Young calves want to stay close to their moms, so they are unwilling to leave her to go around through the gate opening, turning a small job of moving the cattle through the gate into a lengthy task.  A gate must also be hung so it folds all the way back against the fence and does not create a blockage sticking out into the funnel area. Some gates rest on a peg or rock when closed so as not to pull the post it hangs from, making it sag and eventually not open freely. Gate latches may range from a chain hooked over a nail head, clips that need human hands to open, or horse shoes on chains, which are fast and easy to open, especially in cold wintry weather with gloves on. 
 

Barns and sheds are strategically placed around the farm to allow easy access relative to slope, wet conditions, and patterns of use. The difference between a barn and a shed is that sheds are open on one side for ease of access into the protected space. Equipment sheds are long and narrow so each implement can be backed into its spot out of the weather but easily re-attached to the tractor the next time it is needed. Livestock sheds allow the animals free access to a protected space in inclement weather. Our produce packing shed has sliding doors along one side to allow multiple trucks to dock as items often go out about as fast as they come in.

All of the sheds in our area are open to the east. Weather systems generally come from the northwest, but the storms along the front come from the southwest.  Usually, very little rain blows into a shed with the east side open.   Look as you drive through horse country and you will see all the horse run-in-sheds face east. Occasionally in late winter and early spring, there are storms that approach from the east and when that happens they are usually doozies, which means we will have bigger storm problems than wet equipment or wet floors.

We continue to develop and maintain farm infrastructure, from planting a few trees each year to renovating old buildings, to putting in new waterlines.  We are appreciative for what was already here to work with, and have learned the importance of sustaining it.

In Your Share

Stringless Green Beans- organic

 

Cilantro – organic

Lettuce - organic

Onion – organic

Green Bell or Sweet Italian or Chocolate Brown Pepper - organic

Hot Pepper - organic

Potatoes – organic

Tomatoes – organic

 

Sweet Basil - organic 

Bok Choy - organic

 

Garlic – organic

 

Cippolini Onion - organic

Recipes to Enjoy

Roasted Jalapeno Tomato Salsa with Cilantro, our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this Rick Bayless recipe

1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes

2 to 3 fresh jalapeno chiles, stemmed

Half of a small white onion, about 2 oz, sliced ¼ in thick

4 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ C water

1/3 C chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed

1 generous tsp salt

1 ½ tsp cider vinegar

Heat the broiler. Lay the whole tomatoes and jalapenos out on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Set the pan 4 inches below the broiler and broil for about 6 minutes, until darkly roasted — even blackened in spots — on one side (the tomato skins will split and curl in places). With a pair of tongs, flip over the tomatoes and chiles and roast the other side for another 6 minutes or so. The goal is not simply to char the tomatoes and chiles, but to cook them through while developing nice, roasted flavors. Set aside to cool. 

2. Turn the oven down to 425 degrees. Separate the onions into rings. On a similar pan or baking sheet, combine the onion and garlic. Roast in the oven, stirring carefully every couple of minutes, until the onions are beautifully browned and wilted (even have a touch of char on some of the edges) and the garlic is soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes total. Cool to room temperature. 

3. For a little less rustic texture or if you're canning the salsa, pull off the peels from the cooled tomatoes and cut out the "cores" where the stems were attached, working over your baking sheet so as not to waste any juices. In a food processor, pulse the jalapenos (no need to peel or seed them) with the onion and garlic until moderately finely chopped, scraping everything down with a spatula as needed to keep it all moving around. Scoop into a big bowl. Without washing the processor, coarsely puree the tomatoes — with all that juice that has accumulated around them — and add them to the bowl. Stir in enough water to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Stir in the cilantro. 

4. Taste and season with salt and vinegar, remembering that this condiment should be a little feisty in its seasoning. If you're planning to use your salsa right away, simply pour it into a bowl and it's ready, or refrigerate it covered and use within 5 days. 

Green Bean and Potato Salad with Pesto a Martha Stewart recipe, you can use basic basil pesto, or experiment with arugula pesto, beet green pesto, or even garlic scape pesto you might have in the freezer.

1 ½ pounds small red new potatoes, scrubbed

1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 – 4 T pesto of your choice (see recipe that follows)

In a large saucepan, cover potatoes with salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon (reserve pan of water). When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into quarters; place in a large bowl.

While potatoes are cooling, return reserved water to a boil. Add green beans; cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain well; transfer to bowl with potatoes. Add pesto, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; serve immediately.

Martha Stewart’s Easy Basil Pesto this recipe uses pecans rather than the traditional pine nuts; you can also try walnuts or omit the nuts altogether

½ C packed fresh basil leaves

1/3 C pecans, toasted

1 small garlic clove, chopped

2 T fresh lemon juice

2 T olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a blender or processor, combine basil, pecans, garlic, lemon juice, oil, ¼ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and ¼ C water; blend until smooth.

Mexican Style Stuffed Peppers, thanks to a CSA member for sharing this internet recipe, she reports using several types of peppers with equal success. 

1 pound ground beef (or cooked chicken or turkey)

1 oz taco seasoning

¾ C water

2 tsp chili powder

½ C cooked rice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

16 oz tomato sauce, divided

3 large red bell peppers

6 (1 inch) cubes Colby-Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. 

Place the ground beef into a skillet over medium heat, and brown the meat, breaking it apart into crumbles as it cooks, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat. Stir in the taco seasoning, water, chili powder, cooked rice, salt, garlic salt, black pepper, and half of the tomato sauce (8oz); mix until thoroughly combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove stems, membranes, cores, and seeds. Place a steamer insert into a large saucepan, and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Place the peppers into the steamer insert, cover the pan, and steam until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.  (This can be done if the microwave).

Place the steamed peppers into the prepared baking dish, and fill lightly with the meat filling. Press 1 cube of Colby-Jack cheese into the center of the filling in each pepper, and spoon the remaining 8 oz. of tomato sauce over the peppers. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.   Bake in the preheated oven until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot, 25 to 30 minutes.