Week 5 Chicky Baby

Week 5

Chicky Baby!

This Week's Shares Contain:

Broccoli
Lettuce
Cherry Tomatoes
Basil
New Potatoes
Green Beans
Cucumbers
Squash

On the home farm the hogs are growing fat in the

woods, with a lot of little piglets scurrying in and out of the electric fence! Our second batch of pastured broilers arrived as adorable chicks, and our new egg layer flock are now outside on grass pasture! With close to 800 chickens on the farm to tend, no wonder the Lord has my mind focusing on the lessons in this blog. There is SO much going on!

Our broiler chickens spend the first few weeks of

their short lives in our brooder. Then they are moved

These little chicks arrived Thursday

and have found a new home in the brooder.

to the movable pens that are pulled daily up and down the field near the house. They get fresh water and feed daily that is augmented by bugs, grass, and worms.
But for now, they're huddled under heat lamps staying warm and getting used to being on the farm.

I have to confess that the main idea for this post is a repost from last fall. I was reading back through my posts and said, "Val, you can see this truth lived out before you again." I have a new reminder scratching around outside as two of our rogue egg layers had made a nest under our porch and hatched 3 chicks. They stick pretty close to the edge of the porch right now as the chicks are only a few days old. But soon they'll venture to the orchard and beyond and the chicks will take refuge under the hen's wings when danger threatens.

Several years ago we let our heritage breeds of

chickens hatch their eggs...our whole pen of chickens thought they were Mommas too! EVERYONE stopped laying, and EVERYONE mothered the new chicks. It was really interesting to watch. One hen could swell up and shelter a dozen chicks under her wings! 

During one of my devotional times this week I read Psalm 57:1. "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be over past" 

My mind went back to those fun days of watching the hens mother the chicks as they scratched here and

there about the farmyard. Many times we couldn't see the "danger" the chicks sensed as they dashed for the nearest fluffy breast of a hen. But that didn't matter...the fact that the security was there mattered. Many times in my life, others don't sense the urgency of a situation as I do. Like one of those chicks learning about life in the farmyard, I seek shelter in the presence of God. All that matters is that I know where my security is! He is MY GOD...He has offered me the protection of His presence, and I often find shelter there. 

It wasn't always like this for me. God ALWAYS has loved me and offered His protection, but I have had to learn to trust. God has never failed to protect...I have failed to trust. Time and again He's been there, and I praise Him for it!

Often I would pray that God would remove the "chicken hawk" from my life. (Figuratively speaking) But instead He wanted me to learn to live victoriously in the midst of the trial...to learn to run to Him for safety. He wanted me to learn to cry out to Him, "Make me like You in the midst of my problems!" I can only do this knowing I am safely sheltered by God.  If God doesn't "shoot down" the "chicken hawk", I should feel perfectly safe and secure under my Savior's wings even while the enemy is hovering over me. That's the kind of trust God wants me to learn!

Daniel, an Old Testament example, lived confidently in the very presence of the enemy in captivity. He spent a long and perhaps dreary night in the lion's den. When he emerged "no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God". Daniel 6:1-24 Oh, that this may be said of us! May God help us to seek His presence that we can rest safely in perfect confidence under the shelter of His wings! 

There may be a voice whispering in your mind right now (I've heard it myself before!) ...If you only knew what I was facing...this trial never seems to end!...I DO know some of what your are facing, for the Word says trials, temptations, hardships, and heartaches are "common to man". We are born into it. And there are times when God in His all-knowing providence knows it's not best for us to be removed from it. He wants to teach us to live victoriously in the midst of the heartache. He knows that great eternal benefits are being accomplished by our being kept in the midst of the calamities...kept in them, as well as from them. We can bring more honor to Him than should He remove all trials and pitfalls from our path.

So, come learn the lesson with me. Let us strive to be less impatient and less discouraged while we seek to be "kept" in whatever trials God may call upon us to live through daily. Let us cultivate, by the teaching of the Spirit, and the sure, unchangeable Word of God that determined trust which will enable us to say, "In the shadow of thy wings I will make my refuge until these calamities be overpast." 

   I've been having fun creating new or inspired vegetable dishes in the farm kitchen. Now that some of our favorite vegetables are regularly rolling in on

the trucks I "sneak" a few for the family. I'm asking myself what is a new way to serve this family favorite. Like the squash I pulled out of a truck tonight...jalapenos came to mind. Our family loves squash and onions sauteed in butter.  So tonight I cut up my zucchini and crookneck squash and a large onion. I sauteed the onion in the butter adding the equivalent of 2 sliced jalapenos to the  butter for the large mixture for this heat loving family. (We can sliced jalapenos, so don't think your missing anything at the market if you haven't seen them yet. It'll be a few weeks still till they are ripe.)  Then as the onions went limp I added the sliced squash and stirred it as it cooked. I've covered it to finish cooking with just the heat of the cast iron skillet while the family packs your shares out on the porch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Another idea to use your squash is to stir fry it with your favorite meat, onions and garlic. (In this picture I've used boneless chicken thighs.) 

1. Cut up your meat in bite sized pieces. Put them into a small bowl with a crushed garlic clove, olive oil, and either Worcestershire or Soy Sauce. The amounts vary according to the amount of meat you have. Don't be shy, just cover the meat. 

2. Slice your squash in 1/4" slices. I like to make sure they fit into my mouth without an embarrassing struggle! :) 

3. Take the outer skin off an onion, and cut off the ends. Cut the onion in half lengthwise. Next, cut a half into wedges, set aside and continue with the remaining half.

4. Pour a bit of olive or grapeseed oil (vegetable oil will also do, but is not as healthy of a choice) into a wok or frying pan. Heat the oil.

5. With a fork or slotted spoon, add the meat to the oil. Stir. The meat will be finished cooking when the color has disappeared. Take the cooked meat  and put it back into the marinade bowl.

6. Next add the onion and garlic to the now empty frying pan and stir. When the onions are limp, add the cut up zucchini and crookneck squash. (You can use one or the other, but we like a mixture.) Stir till the squash is fork-tender. Add the meat along with any marinade that is leftover. Continue stirring until the squash is fork-tender.

7. Serve over rice or Chinese noodles. 

P.S. This also makes a great pizza topping! (When doing this I don't use soy sauce, but Italian salad dressing along with Italian Seasoning.) 

I pray these ideas help you to start thinking "outside the box" in using your share or garden's bounty.

 What is your favorite way to use the summer's bounty of squash? We'd all like to know, so share it in the comments section below! You may be like me and need all the help you can get to be inspired to use your vegetables after a long day. Let's help each other!

Have a blessed week!

Abundant Blessings As You Seek His Face,

The Farmer's Wife,

Val Colvin

Visit our website @ http://www.colvinfamilyfarm.com/

Week 4 The Hot Pursuit!

Week 4

Shares

Crookneck Squash

Zucchini

Basil

Collards

Kohlrabi

Baby Lettuce Mix

Daikon Radish

Red Russian Kale

Welcome to my front porch...the breeze is blowing

This nectarine tree now has ripe fruit on

it!

across the field, the birds are singing in the distance, and it's a beautiful day for relaxing a bit.  While most of the family is off at one of our 4 Saturday markets I get to enjoy the quietness of our farm with Charity (8). There is MUCH to do later, but now is my quiet time!

We had two chickens find a secluded spot under the porch and hatch a chick each this week! The chickens are pecking around the front porch right now. Never far from their mothers, the chicks are in hot pursuit of the protection she gives.

I've been doing a lot of thinking this week on the relationships in my life. This morning, the sweet Holy Spirit sat with me as I read Psalm 34. The theme of the chapter for me is relationship...relationship with Him.

I have friends up north in my home church that I

Charity gave me these flowers this

week!

admire, and am pursuing a close relationship with. One friend is funny, and teases a lot. I try to reciprocate...because they are light-hearted, I am pursing this quality in my life. Both friends desire to be close with Jesus Christ. This encourages me to dig deeper still in His Word, and live my life in a way that reflects God's heart.

I think about my distant friends often. I remember the fun work times we had together last summer as they helped me cleaned out my childhood home. The times of worship, fellowship, quiet talks, jokes told, and pranks played. I have some fond, lasting memoires.

Pursue - to follow after with a view to overtake, to chose, to strive.   ~Webster's 1828 Dictionary~

My husband pursued me...smile...He and I pursue our marriage. We strive to please each other... there is an ideal marriage that we are "following after with a view to overtake". I see what pleases him, and with the Lord's help, become that pleasant thing.

In remembering the definition I looked up of pursue, I wonder if I'm REALLY daily in pursuit of Christ? Are Jesus' delights becoming mine? Do I think of Him often, and even "day dream" of being with Him some day? Do I anticipate reading His letters to me (Scripture) like I do with the letters from my friends or the texts from my husband? Do I "light up" when I'm with Him? Do I seek to be found "admirable" to Him?

I'm encouraging you to read Psalm 34 with these thoughts in mind...are you on a "Hot Pursuit"?

Adam & Allison picked my

favorite heat loving flower

for me this week. (Wild

Milkweed) I am truly

blessed!

It's truly been a hot week here on the farm. I bake for 5 markets, so my kitchen is often "warm". I won't let my mind focus on it though, as it will cause me to grumble.

The heat made it the perfect time for the men to plant okra and other heat loving vegetables. We'll have to wait till late summer though for the harvest.

We saw the first red tomatoes, thousands of pounds of squash, beautiful lettuce, snap peas,beets, greens, and other vegetables being harvested. God's hand of blessing is truly bountiful!

I tried a few new ideas with the vegetables that came into the farmhouse. Here is one of our favorites. I've been making meal-in-a-loaf meals for years, but I love to experiment with fillings. Use what the Lord has put in your refrigerator this week. Use your imagination as you can put just about anything in your loaf! I have even put spaghetti in a loaf and my family LOVED it! Adjust the amounts to feed your family. It's the technique that I'm showing.

Yield: 1 large loaf

Feeds: 6 hungry farm boys

Meal-A-Loaf

1 1/2 lb. bread dough

1 bunch greens (I used Swiss Chard)

1 onion, sliced in wedges

Bacon or Ham, cut up and browned

1/3 C. Shredded Cheese

(This can be put inside the "braid" instead of sprinkled on top.)

Salt & Pepper

Cut up your greens, saving your stems for stir fry later in the week.

Sauté your onion in the last few minutes of browning your bacon or ham.

Using a bit of bacon drippings if needed to stir fry the greens in with the bacon and onion. 

Roll out your dough (frozen bread dough is sold in the freezer section of the grocery store if you're not making it) into a rectangle the length of your cookie sheet.

I switch to a single hand rolling pin (Pampered Chef)

to finish rolling out my dough. I picked it up off the counter and put it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. You could finish rolling it out with a drinking glass laid on its' side. You want it to be the length of your pan.

Lay your greens mixture down the center of the dough. If you choose, you can spread your cheese on top of the filling (not pictured).

Next, make the same number of cuts on either side of the filling using a pizza cutter.

Now comes the fun part!

Simply take a strip in each hand and cross them over the mixture in the center. Work your way down to the end, stopping about 3 strips from the end.

Take the last strips on both sides and cross them over the filling. Then proceed as normal crossing the remaining dough strips. This will give you a pretty and secure finish to your loaf.

Cover the loaf with a dish towel, and let it rise until it's "puffy" looking. Bake at 350 degrees, about 1/2 hour. Watch your loaf, as all ovens differ a bit.

Pull your pan out of the oven and sprinkle shredded cheese down the length of the loaf. Return the pan to the oven until the cheese is melted, but not browned.

Remove the  pan from the oven, and let the loaf sit for a few minutes to set. Then remove it to a cutting board or platter for a special dinner. Serve in 2 inch slices.

It's a pretty meal, so it's a good company meal...

It's portable, so it's a good picnic meal...

It's a versatile meal that freezes GREAT when you have leftovers.

Experiment and have fun using the vegetables in your shares this week! I'm going to try tucking squash, onions, and stir fried chicken in a loaf this week!

Abundant Blessings in Your "Hot Pursuit",

The Farmer's Wife,

Val

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

What man is he that disireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from

speaking guile

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace,

and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,

and his ears are open unto their cry. "

Psalm 34:11-15

Everyday Battles~Week 2 CSA

Everyday battles are in our lives for a reason...

Week #2

Colvin Family Farm CSA

Your share contains:

Kohlrabi

Arugula

Swiss Chard

Radish

Romaine Lettuce

Red Russian Kale

Bok Choi

Howdy Everyone from the critters on Colvin Family

Farm! We've been enjoying sunshine since our bath last week...and it's been downright cold in the morning. Our lil' friends the new chicks were spoiled with their heat lamp for a few nights...Me? Well, I live in the woods and eat the vegetable scraps the Farmer's Wife sends my way along with NON-GMO feed the Farmer brings me each

morning. I've been a naughty pig this week! I sneak out with my roommate and our piglets to visit the Farmer's Wife down at the house. She thinks the piglets are cute, but calls me names! I don't understand her. One day she was babying the chicks (again) and I met her at the brooder door when she came out. She didn't have a snack for me and the kids...harummmmfff!

We're the egg layers that rule the roost around

here! No lil' chick is going to run us out!

We're the broilers...the farm boys are whispering

about a day next week we get to go for a ride!

Then they say we can go to your market!

This is our home. The Farmer and the  boys move us to fresh grass

each morning. We love the bugs and grass along with our NON-GMO

feed and water!

There's always a lot to do on the farm...a quiet moment is always exciting! In the farmhouse this week we made 238 more half-pints of strawberry jam. It's probably the last of this year's crop. With well over 1,000 jars made we're delighted with what the Lord has provided!

 Between the jam simmering on the stove and the bread baking in the ovens, we're thinking of ways to "bottle" the smells of the farmhouse to sell!

Lately I've been doing a lot of thinking on how to do battle...Do battle you say? I'm a farmer's wife, not a warrior. But as a Christian farmer's wife I am in battles every day.

One example God showed me as I searched Scripture was of David. I'm sure there were basic lessons in using a slingshot and sword before the first large animal or giant suddenly appeared. David was found faithful in these lessons of self/flock defense, before he faced the lion and bear and overcame them. With these successes David could be found faithful to take on Goliath, then whole armies! One lesson built on the last one...

Even though I've been saved for 44 years, I feel I have entered into the battle phase of my growth. The battles I face now are not "linear" but multifaceted. ..they rage within, as well as without. There are more than one or two people are involved, and my only recourse is to run to my High Tower, Christ Jesus!

In today's church there is teaching that if/when you come to Christ you will be

happier, healthier, wealthier, and even "carefree". They don't know my God. In the depths of my God's heart there are many lessons I need to learn before I can understand true happiness... long months of bedrest and instability before I will be healthier, many years of doing without before I have money in "abundance", and a lifetime of cares before I see Him, and can "sit down and rest a little while", as the hymn writer wrote. All these "battles" are in my life for a reason, and the number one reason is to know God more fully.

One thing I crave is to abide in Christ. This truth I grasp for is not something I can touch or handle...for me, a concrete learner, these abstract (yet very real to me) principles sometimes trip me up. I want it; even crave it, but I avoid the battles He sends me in fear. But it's those very battles that will draw me into this abiding relationship with Him. "Battles are firsthand opportunities to experience God."

So I'm learning to thank Him for the lessons that are drawing me closer to His side. I know I can't fight the battles in my weakness, so I am learning to ask Him to fight for me. That means I am to be still and quiet...and LISTEN for directions IF He wants to use me in the battle.

So as we go about our week, let's be on the lookout for the "battles" He sends to "turn our eyes" to Him. Hush the complaints and thank Him for drawing us close to Him! Only then will we be more concerned about the lessons than our deliverance from the battles!

"Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy living kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble."

Psalm 143: 1-11

Abundance Blessings,

The Farmer's Wife

Val

Big Val & "Lil' Val

2016 Week 1 CSA Here We Come!

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Tips on Storing & Using Vegetables from a Farmer's Wife~CSA Week 1

 There's a lot of vegetables at Farmer's Markets and growing in gardens this time of year! Come on over to the farmhouse and learn from a farmer's wife with 13 children how to store, and use them frugally in creative ways!

                                                             CSA Week #1

This week's share includes:
Radish
Sweet Hakurei Turnips
Spinach
Bok Choy Cabbage
Red Summer Crisp Lettuce
Frilly Kale
Asparagus

Trucks full with crates of produce are rumbling down our drive as they head to the farmhouse. Here inside the farmhouse we're preparing supper to fill hungry farmer boy's bellies. They've spent the day out in the field harvesting your vegetables...when you get them they'll be less than 24 hours old! 

My front porch looks much different to most people who like the traditional rocking chair front porches. I "decorate" with vegetable boxes, stacks of market tables, green and tan harvest tubs and crates seen in the picture. The porch acts as our packing shed for a month or so 

longer as we wire and plumb our new packing shed...then I know I'll miss all the hustle, bustle, and...mess! 

We've been blessed to add another farmer's wife to the family this winter as Destany and Isaac got married on February 13th! Destany will be Isaac's right hand gal at Market Square on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Between them both they'll be able to meet your needs.

This week's blog is full of business...we'll get back to our regular routine next week.

What is it?

Hakurei Turnips

Unlike the traditional turnips with a distinctive taste, Hakurei is VERY versatile. We've found that these are our favorites...raw, steamed, mashed like potatoes, roasted, whatever way a potato can be used, even in chowders! Our children even love them raw for a quick snack.

As you prepare your turnips this week, don't peel them! There are a lot of great vitamins and fiber in the outer layer. Try using a green scrubbie like these we use. Scrubbing lightly with one of these saves time and leaves the outer skin intact. This is a great job for children that join you in the kitchen! 

If there's not enough for your meal, or you forget to use them during the week, no worry! These tiny treats will keep for weeks in the frig. Just follow my instructions for storing root crops above and you can have plenty by next week.

Bok Choy

It looks like we'll be having stir fry this week! Here is the link to my basic instructions for making a stir fry. My Mom taught me this method as a teen and I still use it today! There's also a Bok Choy salad on that blog entry. You could also try using the leaves for the recipe at the end of the blog. I think I'll create an Asian version this week from my supply! Experiment and have fun!

My phone is already ringing several times a day with questions from shareholders. I'm going to help everyone out and answer the questions you ask in the blog each week. I figure, if one person takes the time to write or call to ask a question, there are several out there wondering  the same thing!

Many of the questions I answer I hear year after 

year. The how-to of taking care of a regular supply of fresh vegetables straight from the farmer's field is probably the most oft' heard...It is really simple, but one you have to stay on top of. It's a different way of living for many folks as we're used to living in this faced paced world! I think it slows folks down, and the work draws the family together. 

Here are my tips to get you started, or refresh your mind after a winter of "sterile" veggies packed in plastic containers.

Tip #1

My most helpful tip would be to clean your vegetables immediately when you get home your market or CSA pick-up. You will be more likely to use your vegetables if you have them clean and ready to pull out of the refrigerator. 

I encourage everyone to run cool water into a clean sink as soon as you get home. As  you unpack your lettuce and other greens simply cut off the stem and drop the leaves into the water. Then go unpack the rest of your groceries, or go about your other chores that need to be done.

When you are settled in, go back to the sink and you'll be amazed! The lettuce and other greens have plumped and crisped up and are ready to spin or lay out on towels on your counter. (A salad spinner or the new microfiber salad bags are a great purchase and will pay for itself many times over during the season!) 

If you have lots of little ones that are eager helpers as I do, make it a family affair...part of the market experience. Little ones love to swirl greens in a clean sink of cool water, and my boys have been my salad spinner operators for YEARS. 

Radishes

I snip off the greens from beets, radish, and turnips  about one inch above the bulbs and drop their greens into the water that is still in my sink. Most folks throw out radish, broccoli, cauliflower and other greens that come with their vegetables. Be frugal and mix them with other braising greens such as mustard, kale, turnip and Swiss Chard in a stir fry or simple saute. In fact, when I steam broccoli, it's unusual for there NOT to be greens mixed in.

Romaine Lettuce

(Saturday shares will have Red Summer Crisp)

I store my root crops and other vegetables during the season in a Rubbermaid wash pan like this. It's nice and deep and since root crops last awhile in storage I can let my supply build up without it flowing over to the shelf. It sits next to the greens container, and makes for a pretty frig since it matches...sorry, but that's important to me. I like orderliness. I also can put squash (coming soon!) cucumbers, carrots, and other vegetables in this tub throughout the season. During the winter it moves to the pantry and is used for storing sweet  potatoes, winter squash, or other storage crops.

 By having everything stored clean and ready for use, I am more likely to use them when pulling a quick meal together.Take time to get it all manageable now so you can enjoy your vegetables at each meal during the week without a lot of repetitive work.

Red Butterhead Lettuce

(My favorite that's available on table!)

Tip #2

It's time to get the refrigerator cleaned out! You will need a shelf and a drawer devoted to storing your weekly supply of vegetables. All those leftovers that migrated to the back of the frig must now be dumped. (It happens to everyone!) If you haven't used those condiments for a while...you won't. So dump them too. It's time to get the refrigerator monster under control before the season moves on! I try and do a quick sweep through the refrigerator each week when I add new vegetables so older treasures don't lurk and grow mold. Make this clean up part of your new routine.

Spring Spinach

This is a link to our family's favorite spinach salad.

Tip #3

Think through how you will store your vegetables in the frig. Several years ago I found rectangle Rubbermaid containers that fit perfectly on my refrigerator shelves from front to back. This is a link for those who will be storing lots of lettuce or other greens this season. While I was searching for that container on Amazon (I do not get paid for any sales to any site.) I found a neat size for smaller families. It's half the size and stackable!  I think you can put two in the space of my biggie! Here is a link to that size that may work for you. I use two of the larger sized containers constantly throughout the season for lettuce and other greens that make their way into my kitchen.

Tip #4

Subscribe to this blog for fresh ideas, tasty farm-to-table 

Spring Pizza

recipes, and farm news. You'll see to the right a place to subscribe by email. DO IT NOW! It's a great way to get to know your farmers, educate yourself, and hold yourself accountable to a new way of eating.

Tip #5

Think "outside the box" in how you use your vegetables. I've come a long way from the simple country cooking...and have a long way to go in "breaking some of the cooking rules" I grew up with. Nowadays there is much more freedom to experiment with flavors. Enjoy the traditional recipes while having fun also with some new ideas you may have. 

While I've been working on the blog this evening, I remember all the worried faces of new shareholders that pick up their first boxes of the season. I hear the same questions year after year...so here are the most often asked questions and answers!

What are all these vegetables and how do I use them?!?

For many families there will be a few vegetables in their share they don't know their names, let alone how to cook them. That's understandable! No worry...Join us on FB, and subscribe to this blog to learn how I'm using what's being harvested each week. I don't mind an occasional call, as it helps me stay in touch with our shareholders needs.

Mixed Baby Lettuce

How do I keep my lettuce fresh? Everywhere I look on the web people have different ideas. What really works?
You're right! There are numerous ways to care for your lettuce, so I'll just share mine. If you've read the rest of the blog you'll see I soak the leaves in cool water until they crisp up. Then I use a salad spinner to dry them. (Laying them on a large clean towel with let them dry also.) Then I pack them whole into the rectangle Rubbermaid tubs I described before. Lettuce keeps in these for more than a week! Rotate your stock if needed, but try to use it up as we'll try to keep it in your share weekly. 

I like to include lettuce into 2 meals each day. Two "outside of the box" ideas I use are:
 1. Serve poached eggs on a salad and top with crumbled sausage or bacon. The lightly poached egg yolk becomes the dressing for the salad and it's a winner in my book!

My lunch one day this week. I save the outer leaves from
heads of lettuce especially for my lunches.

 2. I like to make lettuce wraps for lunch instead of eating traditional sandwiches. I simply lay a large outer lettuce leaf flat on my plate. Lay leftover meat/sandwich meat down the middle of the leaf. Next I'll chop or grate other vegetables fine like onion, asparagus, summer squash, or cucumbers and sprinkle a small amount over the meat. Add a small amount of plain Greek yogurt over the vegetables, then salt & pepper to taste. Lastly fold one side of the leaf over the mixture and roll. Yummm! 

We don't like (fill in the blank) in our share. 

What do I do?

We want happy shareholders! If you've really tried the vegetable in a few different ways that I've described then, and done some research online for new recipes, just tell the person you're getting your share from that you don't care for whatever the vegetable is. We'll try and substitute from the table within reason. We want you to be tickled to be part of our farm! (Home drop-offs will have their own method for exchange.)

I won't be at the market to get my share next week. What should I do?

There are several solutions to this question. First you could find a friend to bless and have them pick it up and use it. We've gained several shareholders by this kind of "advertising". Another solution is to tell the person you are picking your share up from a week ahead of time that you'd like to donate next week's share to the food bank or needy family. Lastly you could go online to your account and redirect your share to another market that is convenient to pick it up from later in the week. This should be done several days before your pick-up. 

          I'm finding I have more vegetables than I can 

use in one week.

We are growing "your garden for you". This is a common problem in gardening also! Find a friend to share with, rethink how you use your vegetables and include them in breakfast or lunches also, or freeze your leftovers for a great supply of healthy veggies during the winter. 

Here's what I fed the hungry crew for supper the other night. Since I didn't have enough of one kind of green to make the many little stuffed green rolls I used Swiss Chard and Cabbage. That's what's so fun about a CSA or buying fresh from a farmer. You get to experiment with what you have in your frig each week. (I'll be making an Asian version of this recipe this week!)

Italian Springy Rolls

1/2 lb. Ground pork (we sell this)

1/2 lb.  Bulk Hot Italian Sausage

1-2 C. Leftover Brown Rice (depending on 

how far you want to stretch the meat.)

1 Medium Onion, diced

Ricotta Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese

Diced Tomatoes with juice

Italian Seasoning

1 t. Minced Garlic

Salt

Pepper

1-2 Bunches of Spring Greens

*Collard Greens, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy Greens, or Cabbage*

Get a medium pot of water boiling. Meanwhile in a medium frying pan brown the meat and onion until the meat is well browned. Add the amount of brown rice that suits you. Next add your seasonings. This is the fun part as you get to taste the mixture to suit your family! Turn off the heat, and let it sit while you concentrate on the fun part.

Rinse your greens and drop them a few at a time into a pot of boiling water.

How long you blanch your greens depends on the type of greens...Swiss Chard takes just a couple of minutes, while Bok Choy or other cabbages will take 4 to 5. When the leaves take on a darker green and are slightly wilted, remove them from the pot, and lay them flat on a cutting board. I wrap 2-3 at a time. Drop the next few in the boiling water.

Usually I use all my stems...but these stems will rip a Swiss Chard roll, so I cut the stem out by making a cut on either side of the stem up into the leaf. (The stems make a good snack for hungry children eagerly watching you!)

Next I take about 1/4 cup plus or minus of the meat mixture and

place it in the middle of the wilted leaf. Add a couple of teaspoons of Ricotta Cheese on top of the filling. Watch your proportions as you will be rolling this similar to an Egg Roll!

 Next, fold the left and right sides of your green over the filling. Starting at the bottom of your leaf, roll the filling into the leaf. Keep the roll nice and tight. (I think these will freeze at this point. Simply tray freeze the rolls, then after they freeze put them into a ziploc bag for quick meals in the future!)

 Place each roll into a casserole dish in a single layer.

Sprinkle diced tomatoes over the rolls, including as much juice as you have available from the tomato.  Lastly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and more Italian Seasoning. Salt once again if you are like us. Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

I served ours with any left over filling to my extra hungry men. Another idea is to freeze the filling for a quick "stuffing" for peppers, zucchini, or this recipe again soon!

News from the Farm

This year at nearly all our markets we will be selling farm fresh bread and cinnamon rolls made from our stone ground wheat.

Our latest addition from the farm kitchen is our growing line of Gluten Free beads, Baguettes, Cinnamon Rolls and Cookies! These products are carefully made in a gluten kitchen, so assess your dietary needs and enjoy! 

 We gather and lightly hand wash well over 100 eggs a day. We sell them at each of our markets.

Our flock of 250 Black Australorp chickens are aging, so we've begun a new flock of 350 Red Sex Link hens to replace them, and will begin to lay this fall

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Strawberry season is winding down. This year you will not see our berries lined up so pretty on our market tables. All our strawberries are being made into the freshest tasting strawberry jam you've ever eaten! (Humble eh?) Give it a try and see if you agree! 

Each jar of our strawberry jam is made with a natural pectin made from grapefruit peels which allows it to jell with MUCH less sugar. This way you get to enjoy the ripe taste of our mountain grown berries!

A busy day in the farmhouse kitchen!

A project of our youngest farmers is the offering of our strawberry infused lemonade at the Dixie Lee Farmer's Market in Farragut! Enjoy!

Ok...it's time for a little Grandma bragging!

Josiah helping Grandpa give a tractor a spring tune-up!

  

We've not had the chance to meet Christina face to face yet, but her smile has won our hearts.

Samuel and Josiah picnicked and played on the farm this spring before returning to South Dakota.

Tiny Michaela is our newest blessing. Caleb and Shelby are sure blessed!

Samuel has loved the chickens since he was a baby...here he's playing with a chick from our first batch of pastured broilers. They'll be ready for market in a few weeks!

Grandma snuggling with Benjamin. 

Asparagus season is winding down, so enjoy it in your shares this week!

We continually plant all season. Each week the men are putting in new crops to meet your needs up till frost (and beyond!)

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

                                 Joshua 24: 15

From all our busy farming family to yours,

Abundant Blessings,

Val, 

The Farmer's Wife