Farm letter: Welcome baby chicks

After much thought, calculation, and preparation, the broiler chicks have arrived. They are a feisty bunch,  with some being so bold that they charge and peck at our fingers.  This is what we want, though. Active birds.  Broilers have a reputation of being lazy and prone to health issues, so we do a lot to encourage activity in our birds.

Local foods are the key to sticking to Obama administration’s new dietary guidelines

Today the Obama administration released new guidelines for Americans to eat by. Generally speaking, the guidelines aren’t that groundbreaking: Eat fruits and vegetables, don’t eat too much meat, cut the junk foods and sugar. Sounds easy, but applying these rules can be hard! Nobody wants to eat broccoli all day, and sometimes a hamburger is… well, important! How do we make a shift in our lifestyle that is not only comfortable, but actually enjoyable?

Squash PSA: Pizza Sauce Alternative

It all started with us sneaking shredded carrots into the layer of sauce of our pizzas. We covered this vegetable party with cheese, and not only did our kiddo not notice, we actually found that we loved the taste! We moved on to beetza, which is pizza with shredded beets snuck in. And then we got to thinking… what would happen if we switch out the sauce entirely?

Healthy Winter Squash Muffins [recipe]

I don’t think there anything better than warm bread from the oven. Oh, maybe warm bread with a slab of butter melting on it after emerging from the oven, mmmmm and the crack of the crust, and teeth sinking into a soft crumb.   Ahhh.  But most days, I don’t want to wait for the sourdough starter, and then firm starter to rise, and then playing with the dough and waiting. The quicker path to satisfaction is a muffin. The texture is there and it takes under an hour from opening the recipe to having a warm muffin in hand. And what a great snack for a chilly winter day, sitting with a cup of tea or warm in your pocket as you wander in the snow onto the next adventure.

The Quest for Local Thanksgiving Ingredients

Challenge: At your next holiday dinner, point to something on your plate and ask “where did this come from?”

HAPPY CHALLAH-WEEN (Pumpkin Challah Bread recipe)

We picked up some amazing pumpkins at White Gates Farm and one is just aching to become our jack-o-lantern. The pie pumpkins have been our table centerpieces.  I love pumpkins in the fall and winter because they store well, they can be added to many dishes for a depth of flavor (and vitamins and nutrients).  They make great baby puree and blends.  But the desserts are really why we know and love pumpkins the most. 

Sweet Chocolate Pearple Cake [recipe]

PEARPLE?  Pear and Apple (pearple) are showcased in this lovely chocolate bundt cake.  We were gifted some beautiful pear tree drops from a hundred year old tree in South Tamworth.