Caring for our next generation

As many of you know, I am awaiting the birth of  my first grandchild.  I am so excited!  After all, an organic farm needs as much help as it can get! (kidding of course)  The important issue here is to make sure my grandchild and everyone’s grandchildren receive safe, healthy, nutritious food that is free of pesticides and genetic engineering.

www. kidsorganics.com has listed “17 Most Important Foods to Eat Organic”. We don’t and can’t grow most of them (some I do) but it is important to be aware and at least try to avoid or buy produce that is safe.

17 Most Important Foods to Eat Organic

 

1. Baby Food. The very young are extraordinarily susceptible to pesticides. Here are some organic baby food brands, Earth’s Best, Tender Harvest, and Healthy Times, which are available for your baby’s safety and health. Or better yet, make your own baby food by cooking and pureeing organic produce. See “Make Your Own Baby Food”.

2. Strawberries. Enjoy them while they are in season from local organic farms or buy frozen organic strawberries from your local whole market.

3. Rice. Domestic rice has mega-doses of pesticides, and now, the chemicals companies are producing “pharm” rice a crop used to produce and store pharmaceuticals. Buy organic rice where you can find it! Store it in an airtight container. It stores very well.

4. Green and Red Bell Peppers. Super sources of Vitamin C, but wrought with pesticides if grown “conventionally”. Buy organic, or, better yet, grow your own.

5. Got Milk? We hope not, at least, not from conventionally raised cows. Today’s commercial brands are loaded with antibiotics and growth hormones. Make sure your milk and other dairy is from organically-fed cows without the extra rBST, rBGH and antibiotics.
6. Corn. Corn is typically not a scale tipper when it comes to pesticide residues. But, take into account that 75- 90% of all domestic corn has been genetically-modified, that the average American eats 11 pounds of it, that most cooking oils include corn oil, and that most everything is sweetened with corn syrup, and suddenly, buying organic corn and corn products, makes more than a little sense. Eat local organic corn in season and freeze some for later, or, leave some kernels to dry, and plant them in the spring.

7. Bananas. This tropical favorite has a short window of ripeness and a very long distance to market (quick, how many local banana farms does your town have?). All of which adds up to a lot of heavy chemical dousing along the way.

8. Green Beans. Over 60 different pesticides are used on green beans. Even beans used in baby food have been found to be contaminated.

9. Peaches. Nothing beats a peach. Until you realize that they often have the highest rates of illegally-applied pesticides. Isn’t that just peachy . . .

10. Apples. A decade after the dangers of Alar were exposed, apples are still soaked in pesticides. Put only organic apples in your pie.

11. Cherries. Cherries, so expensive, so rich, so fabulous, . . . so heavily doused in poison. Make sure that the cherries in your Cherries Jubilee or Bing Cherry Ice Creams are as clean and wonderful as they were meant to be.

12. Celery. Why would anyone think of spraying the heck out of that innocuous little stem vegetable?! But they do. Stay organic, the taste of organic celery will amaze you and make you a celery-nibbler once again.

13. Apricots and Grapes. Apricots, Peaches and Grapes, what would summer be without them? Less toxic! Keep conventionally grown fruits and veggies, and their pesticide residuals, out of your system or minimize them with a vegetable rinse, such as the one by Healthy Harvest.

14. Soybeans.
If you are not yet a label-reader, it is time to start.
Everything you buy, from bread to cookies to crackers to margerine to dry mixes, has some sort of soy product in it. Most soybean in the USA is genetically-modified.
So, why the fuss over modified soy?
Monsanto, in an effort to increase the use (and profit potential) of Round-Up Ready, spliced the herbicide into soybean plant DNA. Two problems with this action.

1) No matter what you or I do, we can never wash RoundUp Ready herbicide off the soybean–ever. It is “permanently imbedded”.
2) It appears that soy increases production of estrogen. High estrogen levels facilitate the potential for contracting various cancers and for hastening puberty in young children.

The jury is still out on whether soy consumption, in general, is beneficial, or whether only fermented soy should be consumed,

15. Potatoes.
Mashed potatoes are delicious and worth the calories, unless they’re laden with pesticides or have been genetically-modified.
When genetically modified, potatoes impair the immune system and shrink the brain, liver and heart.
So, mash a clean, real, organic potato and forgo the new-fangled monstrosity.
Got soft, green-sprouting organic potatoes? Don’t throw away those sprouting, wrinkly potatoes,bury them! They will grow wonderful potato plants! To get more of a yield, quarter the “old” potatoes before you plant them and you will get FOUR new potato plants! !

16. Raisins.Concentrated little grapes, concentrated levels of pesticides.

17. Cucumbers. Ever wonder why this delicious crisp vegetable was loosing its appeal on your palate? Yep! The answer is, once again, pesticides. The answer to pesticides, is, once again, go organic, or grow your own.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorrel

So lets talk about sorrel.  A lot of you probably never heard of it.  Is it a vegetable?  Is it an herb?  Well its both. Sorrel is a perennial herb that is cultivated as a leafy vegetable.  It is used in soups, sauces and in salads.  It is similar to spinach but much more acidic with a stong lemon taste.  Nutritionally, sorrel is very high in vitamin C.

I said in my last post that it was my mother’s favorite.  The reason why was that it was the first thing to grow in her garden.  We are Russian Ukranian. Sorrel in Russian  is called “shchavel”. Following tradition, a spring borscht is served at Easter.  This soup is made with sorrel but because sorrel is very acidic and has a strong lemony taste, Mama always mixed it with a little spinach.  If anyone wants to be Ukranian for a day, I have posted the recipe in the recipe file.

Sorrel tastes best in the spring.  It becomes increasingly bitter as the season progresses.  If you have the opportunity, try to get some. Expand your horizons and embrace sorrel!

Here We Go Again!

Well, we survived the winter–if you can call it that!  Weird weather.  Trees are blooming, berry bushes are getting green, lettuce is popping up by itself, rhubarb has identified and is going strong–spring is here and we are loving it!

 

With spring comes Bob’s passion for hoop houses.  One of his make shift ones has gone up and is now housing all the seedlings that need to mature for planting.  Trees are getting cut down around the perimeter where a new high tunnel will go.  This one is funded with a grant that we received from the USDA and will remain in the same location for 3 years. Nothing make shift about this one.  Once up, I will post a picture.

Once again we will be at the Middletown Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and have the stand open on weekends.  Hours and dates of opening will be posted once we know what will be ready to sell.

Some new additions this year are garlic which we planted in the fall.  It is loving this weather and will probably be ready earlier than mid summer.

  Also added is sorrel. (More about sorrel in another post–my mother’s favorite green!) 

Can’t wait to see all of you again this year!

Spring is coming…..

 I know that my little website has been dormant for a while and I apologize for that.  But once the holidays ended–which for me seem to go on forever–the seed catalogues started arriving!  Together with this unusually warm weather, I feel like planting something already.  Can’t wait to get on the tractor or start digging in the dirt!

Speaking of planting, we planted about 200 garlic plants in October.  We chose 4 varieties–German Red, Spanish Roja, Silver White and Elephant Garlic. All except for the Elephant Garlic have popped up.  It turns out Elephant Garlic is not really from the ”allium” family.  Maybe that’s why it isn’t up  yet.  It’s really exciting to see them all popping up.

I am also working on making custom labels for my jams, salsas, and other preserves.  I got canning crazy in the fall and made some awesome jams. My friend James was over and canned with me.  What fun!  The hot pepper jam was a hit at Xmas.  Put it on some softened cream cheese and serve with a salty cracker.  Awesome!!!  I only can things that I actually grow and  have been searching for other recipes.  I have found one for lemon balm jelly and carrot cake jam.  Doesn’t that sound good?

So back to the catalogues.  I just found Stivia!!!  Gonna order some—gotta go!  Talk to you later.

We’re still here!!!

Sorry that its been a while since we posted anything.  Things at the farm have been hectic.  In the middle of winterizing the property and putting things away for the winter we had a snow storm!  Can you believe it!  We did not have as much damage as some people did.  A few broken branches and our hoop house caved in with the weight of the wet snow.  We straightened it out and it is barely standing but hopefully it will hold out for a few weeks.

 

The hoop houses beautiful spinach, red and green leaf lettuce, spring mix and gorgeous japanese turnips.  There is nothing like fresh home grown lettuce this time of year.

We have also been busy canning and preserving.  The Caramel Pear Jam came out great.  I actually picked the last of the rhubarb and made Gingered Pear/Rhubarb Jam.  Oh, did I mention the Hot Pepper Jam!  Boy is that great on cream cheese as an appetizer.

We are here every weekend and most afternoons.  Stop by or call if you want any of our great offerings (especially with Thanksgiving around the corner).  Have a great holiday!

Its not over yet!

Even though the stand is closed for the season the farm still has produce to offer.  The pears are ready and they are HUGE!  The rain this season just plumped them up so nicely–perfect for canning.

We have Kale that we are still selling and acorn squash.  The lettuce in the hoop house is about a week away from harvesting. 

Saturday and Sunday is the best time to find us on the farm if you stop by.  But if you need something during the week call first to make sure someone is here.

Summer’s Over

It is hard to believe that Fall is here.  Looking outside is seems more like it is April with all the rain we have been having.  But, one of the cold frames (hoop houses) is up and the lettuce and spinach and turnips are coming along just fine (protected from these downpours).

The stand will be open this weekend and next weekend on Saturday and Sunday. It will officially close on October 9th.  That does not mean that we will not have produce available for anyone who may need some.  Kale, Swiss chard, acorn squash, and the new veggies that are growing will be available into November.  Also, the pears will be ready toward the end of October.  Keep checking the website for information on what is ready.  Call the farm if you need something and we will make sure we get it ready for you.