Are
you Signed Up for the FALL SEASON? Go online or call us at the farm to organize
your Fall shares today.
Elmwood
Stock Farm is honored to have received the “Farmer of the Year Award” at the
CRAVE Festival this past Sunday in Lexington. The award, sponsored by Good
Foods Coop, is one of five civic awards given each year to recognize folks in
the community that have helped to develop a stronger local food scene in the
Bluegrass. The CRAVE Food + Music event, in its second year, has already
outgrown its location in South Lexington with the tremendous turn out of local
chefs, restaurants, and food businesses, and the organizers are bound to figure
out how to make it bigger and better next year. Our thanks to the award selection
committee for recognizing the value of local, organic food production.
Also this past Sunday, The Organic
Association of Kentucky (OAK), hosted the first annual “Dirt Revival”, a
fundraising event for the non-profit organization. The farm field day, held on
an organic farm outside of Louisville, featured an Elmwood Stock Farm organic
grass-fed steer. Some 250 people got to see Dr. Gregg Renfro, from the UK
College of Agriculture, de-construct an entire side of beef for the nine chefs
standing by to prepare each in their own style for guests to enjoy. The rib-eye
and porterhouse steaks were raffled off as another form of fundraising. OAK has
a mission to educate growers about organic farming techniques and to educate
consumers about the value of organic foods. Thanks to Rhona and Ramsi, organic
farmers and owners of Ramsi’s Café on the World on Bardstown Road in Louisville
for opening their farm, and educating folks about the availability of organic
food.
Over the years, we have volunteered our
time to organizations like OAK in an effort to grow the availability of and
knowledge about organic foods in the area. A big part of attaining that goal is
increasing demand for organic foods, not only locally grown foods. We encourage
you to become a member of OAK and attend some of the field days and educational
events throughout the year. The 5th Annual Conference will be the
first weekend in March with top shelf speakers and workshops planned for
growers and consumers. OAK maintains an active Facebook site and website.
You may also be interested in supporting
the Lexington local food scene by spending time at the Lexington Farmers Market
(LFM) as a “Friends” Ambassador of the Lexington Farmers Market (FOLFM). The
staff of the LFM can only be in so many places at once, so the volunteer Ambassadors
assist vendors and customers at the busy weekend markets or attend special
events around town. The Friends also plans special promotions on behalf of the
market. We gladly can get you connected with them.
Another way you might enjoy helping
organic farming is to make a donation to Organic Farming Research Foundation
(OFRF). This organization funds organic farming system research projects in the
US. Good organic research projects are often left out of mainstream funding
sources as there are more variables to consider and several growing seasons may
be required for the systems to develop. Agricultural research dollars have
trended to new technology or new chemicals, rather than ecological systems
development. OFRF has a board of highly respected organic farmers and consumers
that direct the research priorities, award grants for on-farm research, and
educate policy makers in Washington DC.
The Southern Sustainable Agriculture
Working Group (SSAWG) is another non-profit organization active in our area.
SSAWG brings together organizations throughout the Southeast around the issues
of farming, local food, and food security. There is a benefit in sharing each
other’s successes, and building coalitions is important in building stronger
local food economies. SSAWG hosts a four-day event every winter where 1200-1500
farmers and local food advocates convene to share ideas, learn sustainable
production techniques, reconnect with like-minded folks, and have fun. The next
conference will be in warm Mobile, AL in January.
This past weekend was very unusual for us to
have such an active social afternoon off the farm in the middle of the season, but
we do appreciate the recognition at CRAVE and the opportunity to participate
with OAK. It means a lot. We’ve told you before, but we really mean it: we
appreciate your support of organic through your CSA farm share and your loyalty
for Elmwood Stock Farm. There is still a lot to do to increase awareness about
the benefits and availability of local organic food. There are a lot of good
people working for the cause. We look forward to continuing working with you along
the way!
In Your Share :
Dried Beans
Celery
Cucumber
Garlic
Kale Greens
Hot Pepper
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Patty Pan
Squash
Eggplant
Green Onions
Recipes:
Potato and Kale Soup with Sausage, makes 6 servings
2
T extra-virgin olive oil
6
cloves garlic, minced
1
large leek or bunch of green onions, sliced and cleaned
2
carrots, diced
2
stalks celery, diced
¼
teaspoon salt, or more to taste if desired
freshly
ground pepper to taste
1½
tsp dry marjoram
½
tsp anise seed
½
C dry white wine
4
C chicken or vegetable broth
1½
pounds new potatoes, cut into 1 ½ -inch chunks (about 4 C)
6-8
oz andouille sausage (or Elmwood brat or sausage) halved lengthwise and sliced
1
bunch kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped (about 8 C)
Heat
oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic and
leek/onion and cook, stirring often until the leek/onion is starting to soften
and the garlic is fragrant but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in
carrot, celery, salt, pepper, marjoram and anise, increase heat to high and
cook, stirring often until the vegetables are starting to soften and the bottom
of the pot is starting to brown slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine and cook until mostly evaporated, 2
to 3 minutes. Add broth and potatoes, cover and bring to a boil. Stir the
stew, then layer the sausage on top followed by the kale, cover and return to a
boil. [Note: There will be what looks like a LOT of kale on top that will
gradually steam down.] Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and continue cooking
until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir and serve.
Chop Suey, thanks to a CSA member for sharing this
recipe that she loves when using fresh celery! Of course, we have to recommend using
Elmwood’s organic beef if you don’t have pork on hand already.
2
lbs pork
2
T oil
1
C diced onions
1
bunch celery, including leaves, sliced
1
bunch green onions, sliced
1-5
oz can water chestnuts, chopped
3
T soy sauce, or to taste
1
tsp ground ginger, or to taste
2
C boiling water
Cube
pork and dredge in flour. Warm a pan with oil, then brown pork in the pan. Once the pork is brown, add remaining
ingredients. Simmer covered for one and one-half hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over
rice.
Roasted Celery & Blue Cheese, adapted from an online recipe
1 bunch celery, leaves trimmed
and set aside, stalks halved lengthwise
½ C diced celery
1 ½ T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T honey, divided
Salt
1 C apple juice
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
¼ C walnuts, toasted and chopped
¼ C fresh celery
leaves, chopped
Pepper, freshly ground
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring
a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge celery halves in boiling water
for 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a baking pan. Drizzle oil, then 1 T honey, over celery.
Season with salt. Pour apple juice into pan and roast until celery begins to
brown, about 20-25 minutes, watch carefully if using narrow celery stalks that
it doesn’t burn. Transfer celery to a
platter. In a small bowl, mix blue cheese, walnuts, celery leaf, and remaining
celery. Season with pepper. Spoon over roasted celery, drizzle with remaining 1
T honey, and serve.
