Integrity from the Ground Up
Over the
course of the year, we will describe the reasoning behind our interest in
organic farming and eating. Here, I will take a moment to explain the mechanics
associated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture organic certification
process itself so you understand what our organic certification means. This
third-party certification is strict, but not rigid. It is based on the laws of
nature, scientific knowledge and transparency of information exchange.
Without nature-based cultivation methods,
we would not have a basis for organic certification at all. Evidence of
evolution shows us how nutrient cycling grows healthy plants. We “fertilize”
our crop fields with the incorporation of plants that release their nutrients
to feed our crops and with the droppings from the herbivores—namely, our cattle
and sheep—that consumed them. Science tells us we are actually energizing the
intricate soil food web that envelopes the roots of the plants. These
nutrient-cycling systems create such healthy plants and animals, there is no
need for toxic, synthetic, chemical fertilization and rescue treatments. How we
carry out all of this is described in our Organic System Plan, a forty page
document that we submit for review and approval each spring to the Kentucky
Department of Agriculture, which is an organic-certification agency accredited
by the USDA.
The USDA has statutory authority to
administer the regulations that inform producers and processors what can and
cannot be done to achieve certification through its National Organic Program.
The regulations, referred to as “The Rule,” allow for individual
interpretation, because all farms are unique, while maintaining strict
restrictions of materials and substances that cannot be used by organic
producers. Our OSP documents source and quantify that the 250+ seed varieties
we purchase are from an organic source, ensuring we are not using genetically
engineered products, synthetic fungicide treatments or countless other
potentially harmful materials. Our plan includes information about buffer zones
between us and neighbors to prevent contamination, greenhouse potting-soil
mixes, pest- and weed-control strategies, poultry-feed sources, individual
animal-ID and animal-welfare strategies, post-harvest produce-handling
practices, and much, much more. Only in the last year has this become an
electronic document, allowing for easier annual updates.
When our OSP is submitted to the KDA for
review, a reviewer, who has passed rigorous training, pours over the plan with
its accompanying documentation and then notifies an inspector to verify our
plan is accurate and thorough enough to demonstrate that we are working within
The Rule. The inspector, also intensively trained, reviews the plan again
before scheduling a farm visit, where they have unfettered access to our
fields, buildings, files and records of the operation. Part of the inspection
includes an audit trail protocol to verify authenticity. This means the
inspector can pick any one of those 250+ seed varieties and ask to see
documentation that verifies that the quantity of crop we harvested matches the
quantity of seed we say we used. The records we keep show when and where they
were planted, how many trays were seeded in the greenhouse, when they were planted
into which field, their harvest yield, and where they were sold. These records
are part of good farm-business management anyway, so we would keep track of
these details even if we didn't need them for organic certification. Inspectors
can arrive unannounced, take samples for pesticide residue, and verify systems
are being employed as described in our plan. We welcome them anytime.
The inspector submits a report to a final
reviewer (often a committee of several people), who sets a third set of eyes on
the plan to ensure a thorough review has been performed to confirm compliance.
Only then will a certificate be issued. The certification agency also goes
through a similarly thorough accreditation process to verify they have the
capacity and capability to administer a sound review of the operations.
The Word Organic
The USDA essentially owns the word
“organic,” or at least how it is used in the market place. Farmers and food
processors must have completed the certification process before they can use
the term. Misuse can result in an $11,000 fine, per transaction, and there is a
well-financed enforcement division within the USDA-NOP. If it is not
certified, it is not organic.
It seems more than a little ironic:
Farmers that are restricted to mined minerals and plant extracts to produce
food for their communities have to spell out every detail of their operations
for scrutinized review. On the other hand, producers that have access to
genetically engineered seeds; formulate chemical cocktails with synthetic
fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides; or confine their animals,
don’t have to report to anybody.
When you see the seal or the term organic,
it’s legit. And our third-party auditor can vouch for us.
In Your Share:
Asparagus
Green Garlic
Fresh Herb
Lettuce
Spinach
Strawberries
Kale Greens
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Recipes
Greens-Filled Dutch Baby
1 lb kale, spinach or
Swiss chard, chopped
4 large eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
pinch nutmeg
4 T. unsalted butter
2 green garlic stalks,
thinly sliced
2 T. freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450
degrees F. Whisk eggs, milk, flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper
and nutmeg in large bowl until smooth. You can also do this step in a blender.
Melt butter in a
cast-iron skillet. Add kale and cook and stir until heated through, about 1
minute; season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and cook for 1
minute without stirring. Pour in green garlic and batter, and sprinkle with
Parmesan. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cut into wedges and
serve with a salad. Serves 6.
Eggs
Over Mushrooms and Spinach,
adapted from Food + Wine, serves 4.
1 T. olive oil
2 green garlic stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T. unsalted butter
1 lb. white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 6 c.)
1 T. soy sauce or tamari
1/4 c. dry red wine
5 oz. baby spinach
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
2 green garlic stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T. unsalted butter
1 lb. white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 6 c.)
1 T. soy sauce or tamari
1/4 c. dry red wine
5 oz. baby spinach
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees F. In a deep
skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add and stir, about 3 minutes. Add
butter and mushrooms. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the
mushrooms are softened and a lot of liquid is released, about 7 minutes.
Uncover and add soy sauce and red wine and cook over moderately high heat,
stirring, until the liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Add
spinach and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Coat four
1-cup ramekins with oil. Transfer the mushrooms and spinach to the ramekins and
crack one egg on top of each. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the white is set and
the yolks are to your desired temperature. Let stand for 2 minutes; serve with crusty
bread.
Shaved-Asparagus
Pizza, adapted from Smitten Kitchen, makes 1 thin
crust 12-inch pizza
your favorite pizza dough
1/2 lb. asparagus
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
black pepper
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
1/2 lb. mozzarella, shredded
or cut into small cubes
1 green garlic stalk, thinly
sliced
Preheat the
oven to the hottest temperature. If you use a pizza stone, preheat that, too.
Laying the
asparagus on the cutting board, create long shavings of asparagus
by drawing the peeler from the base to the top of the stalk. Unevenly thick
pieces are OK. Discard tough ends. Toss peelings with olive oil, red pepper
flakes, salt and pepper.
Roll or
stretch out pizza dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a cornmeal-dusted pizza
peel (if using a pizza stone) or cornmeal-dusted baking tray. Sprinkle dough with
Parmesan, then mozzarella. Pile asparagus on top.
Bake 10 to 15
minutes, or until edges are browned and the cheese is bubbly. The asparagus
might be lightly charred. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with
green garlic, then slice and eat.
Ace Your Salad Dressing
This week’s share includes
lettuce, making this the start of salad season. Using lettuce as your salad
base will never get old if you know how to dress it. Any combination of
ingredients is possible--oils, vinegars, herbs, spices, fruits, dairy and more.
We encourage you to play around to find your favorites. Here are a few basic
salad-dressing tips from The Kitchn
to get you started:
●
The standard ratio for vinaigrettes
is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Use more vinegar if you like a tart dressing
or more oil if you like it richer.
●
Balsamic vinegar will add just a
touch of sweetness. Honey, sorghum and brown sugar are excellent sweeteners.
●
Dijon mustard will help thicken up a
dressing.
●
Olive oil may overwhelm other flavors
in a dressing, so consider using other oils in its place. Sunflower and
grapeseed are neutral-flavored oils. Sesame and walnut oils will impart a whole
new flavor.
●
Whole-milk yogurt, sour cream and
mayonnaise can be used interchangeably in most any dressing recipe that you’re
following.
