Hello Growing Season!

May 13, 2023 – 3:52 pm

Welcome to Spring. The farm is starting to burst with lambs, buds, flowers, new products and even pasture grasses for our livestock to graze!

The Farmstand will open for the season on May 31st and we are looking forward to the start of the Northfield Farmers Market on Tuesday, May 16th. This summer we are participating in both the online summer market where you can conveniently order from home & pick up your order at the Market on Tuesdays 3-6 pm AND we will be in person (most weeks) during market hours with a range of our pasture-raised meats, soups, broth, lard, canned goods, pickles, veggies as well as some easy supper starters!

Starting May 31st, the Farmstand will be all self-serve this season, though Wednesday afternoons you’ll find Donna there to help you out! Hours are Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays 11am – 7 pm and Saturdays 10 am – 6 pm.

We’ve been prepping some great new offers this Spring to satisfy your regenivore eating! We look forward to you tasting our new sausage varieties and styles as well as the Fricandeaux — a baked charcuterie that we learned from an amazing coach, who learned from a farm matriarch in Southwest France. So tasty! Fricandeaux is great at room temp with pickles & wine [French style] OR heated and served like meatloaf, or even with a fried egg [Vermont farmer style].

Some of our new sausage and baked charcuterie

And then there is our ongoing and expanding partnership with Field Stone Farm. Wait till you see and TASTE some of the new items…hard to tell which is more exciting, an expansion of our joint regenerative hot sauce line or the possiblity of amazing localvore ramen…hmm or rather yummmm! Always thrilled to be teaming up with Farmer Hannah for veggies, hot sauce and so much more!

Seaberry hot sauce has a new friend
Hannah & the Hot sauces
Ramen

Come see us on the Northfield Common Tuesday 3-6 pm to see what else we’ve prepped for you and taste a bit of the future. We haven’t even mentioned the no packaging regenerative dog treats……

By Laura | Posted in Stories from the Farm | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Hello Growing Season!

Available from the Farm: Mid-May

May 13, 2023 – 3:44 pm

Time to refresh your fridge and freezer with our regenerative, pasture-raised meats and so much more!

New on offer, our own grass-fed, organically managed lamb and new pork sausages!

The farmstand doesn’t open until the end of May, but you can shop from us via the online Northfield Farmers Market or in person on Tuesdays 3-6 pm at the Northfield Farmers Market.  

Our website is always stocked with lots of recipe ideas.  You can scroll or search!
When the farmstand opens, it will be stocked with our products and those from our partners and other local regenerative farms. Stay tuned for some fun new collaborations and offers.

Meats

Lamb

• Leg of Lamb, bone-in
• Rib Lamb Chops
• Loin Lamb Chops
• Ground Lamb
• Lamb Shanks
• Lamb Shoulder Roasts, bone-in
• Lamb breast/ribs
• Lamb bones

Pork

• Bacon
• Beer Brats
• Breakfast Sausage Links
• Chorizo links
• Farmhouse Cumberland Bangers
• Farmhouse Chorizo coils & quick links
• Farmhouse Maple Breakfast quick links
• Farmhouse Toulouse Sausage coils
• Fat
• Ground Pork 
• Garlic & Parmesan Sausage Links
• Fresh ham roasts (not-smoked)
• Ham Steaks (smoked)
• Italian Sausage Bulk (Sweet & Hot)
• Pork Chops
• Pork Loin Roast, Bone-in
• Pork Boston Butt Roast, Bone-in
• Pork Shoulder Roast, Bone-in
• Pork shanks
• Spare Ribs

Poultry

• Chicken, Roasting Whole

Other Bits
• Soup & Stock Bones, Pork & Lamb
• Offal & Odd Bits – chicken feet, Trotters, hearts, liver, kidneys, Pig Heads, etc.
• Raw bones for Dogs

Pantry & Prepared Foods

• Hot Sauces
• Applesauce
• Beet Puree
• Chicken Bone Broth
• Dog & Cat Treats: dehydrated liver, hearts & more!
• Fricandeaux – baked charcuterie
• Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix
• Maple Bread & Butter Squash Pickles with Artesano Vinegar
• Maple Bread & Butter Cucumber Pickles with Artesano Vinegar
• Mexican Pickled Carrots with Artesano Vinegar
• Dilly Beans with Artesano Cider Vinegar
• Curried Green Tomato Pickles
• Leaf Lard
• Pâté, Chicken Liver 
• Pesto: Garlic Scape
• Red Pepper Sauce
• Ramen Soup Starter – Broth & Pork

By Laura | Posted in Available at our Farm Stand | Tagged , | Comments Off on Available from the Farm: Mid-May

Chicken Stew with Ricotta-Herb Dumplings

May 13, 2023 – 9:49 am
chicken stew with herbed dumplings

In the this in between season and with some cool evenings coming up, it can still be nice to enjoy a good stew.

Recipe by Diane Fish as published in the Kitsap Sun Farm to Fork blog

Place a large (or two small) stewing hen in a pot with 1 onion, 3 stalks celery or some celeriac, 3 large carrots, two bay leaves, sage, thyme, parsley and 1 Tbsp peppercorns.  Cover with water. Simmer 2-3 hours on low. This can also be done in a crock pot on high for 4-5 hours or 8-10 hours on low. Strain stock, discard vegetables (our dog finds them delicious), shred chicken off the bones and reserve. To capture the lovely schmaltz you will want to cool either the whole pot or strain and then chill the stock to skim off the lovely schmaltz fat!

For the Stew:

2 Tbsp chicken fat or olive oil

2 small onions, diced

1 pound carrots, diced

3-4 garlic cloves thinly sliced

4 c stock

4 c shredded chicken

2 Tbsp fresh thyme (1 Tbsp dry)

Salt &  Ground black pepper

Saute veggies in oil or fat until onions are tender, add stock, bring to simmer and cook until vegetables are tender.  Add shredded chicken and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Dumplings:

2 cups ricotta (or homemade chevre) cheese (make your own)

1/2 c fresh chives, sage, thyme or other herbs, chopped

1 egg

1 c corn meal

1/2 c flour

3 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together, do not over mix.  Drop by spoonfuls into the simmering stew.  (Tip: use an ice cream scoop for nice round dumplings.  Cookie-sized for small ones, regular-sized for big ones).  Simmer small dumplings 4 minutes or until tender, larger dumplings will take 7-9 minutes.  Turn them over and simmer for 2-3 minutes longer.  Serve hot.  You will be tempted to lick the bowl.

Winter Variation:  Add Potatoes to the stew, sage in the dumplings instead of chives is also good.

By Laura | Posted in Eating from the Farm: Cooking Ideas | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Chicken Stew with Ricotta-Herb Dumplings

How to Enjoy Winter Eating from our Farm

November 22, 2022 – 3:02 pm
Some gorgeous fall sheep grazing

Deep gratitude to all who are shopping, cooking and eating from local farms this holiday week and ESPECIALLY all of you that eat from local farms throughout the year!

Whether you have a chaotic week ahead or a slow one, you may want to think about stocking up on your favorite, tasty, healthy meats and more from our farm for this winter. You have 3 options!

Pre-order from the comfort of your home!
Shop our online farmstand, this week & next week (order by Tuesday midnight for pick-up Wednesday) and get the widest selection of meats, veggies, soups, stocks, canned goods, etc.

Shop our farmstand by December 3rd!
Our farmstand will close for the season on Saturday, December 3rd. We are open for self-serve shopping Thursday, Friday, Saturday 9 am to 6 pm this week and next week! We look forward to seeing you in 2023!

Shop from us via the online Winter Northfield Farmers Market
We are part of the Northfield Farmers Market and since COVID, the market has moved online! So you can shop from us and LOTS of other local vendors and your order will be pulled together for pick-up or delivery!

The winter online market is EVERY week! Order Thursday – Monday for order pick up on Wednesday evenings at Good Measure Pub & Brewery in downtown Northfied, and yes Good Measure is open then for shopping, tasting & dining!

We hope you have a wonderful winter full of cooking, rest, reflection and snow enjoyment — that is our plan!

By Laura | Posted in Stories from the Farm | Comments Off on How to Enjoy Winter Eating from our Farm

Available from Farm: Winter

November 21, 2022 – 12:24 pm

Stock up for joyous winter eating with our range of pasture-raised meats and more.

New on offer, our own grass-fed, organically managed lamb!  

Through December 3rd, Pre-order through our online farmstand, or stop into the Farmstand Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays from 9am to 6 pm for Self-Serve Shopping. 

Or shop from the online Northfield Farmers Market, weekly through April. 

Our website is always stocked with lots of recipe ideas.  You can scroll or search!

Check the online Farmstand for more up to date availability.

Veggies & Fruit

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery (Field Stone Farm)
• Chard (Field Stone Farm)
• Garlic
• Ginger, Baby (Last Resort Farm)
• Kale, Fresh & Frozen
• Onions
• Salad Mix (Field Stone Farm)
• Salad Turnips (Field Stone Farm)
• Spinach, Frozen
• Sweet Potatoes
• Swiss Chard (Field Stone Farm)
• Winter Squash (Field Stone Farm)

Meats

Lamb

• Leg of Lamb, bone-in
• Rib Lamb Chops
• Loin Lamb Chops
• Ground Lamb
• Lamb Shanks
• Lamb Shoulder Roasts, bone-in
• Lamb breast/ribs
• Lamb bones

Pork

• Bacon
• Beer Brats
• Breakfast Sausage Links
• Chorizo links
• Farmhouse Chorizo coils
• Fat
• Ground Pork 
• Garlic & Parmesan Sausage Links
• Ham Roasts (smoked)
• Ham Steaks (smoked)
• Italian Sausage Bulk (Sweet & Hot)
• Pork Chops
• Pork Loin Roast, Bone-in
• Pork Boston Butt Roast, Bone-in
• Pork Shoulder Roast, Bone-in
• Pork shanks
• Spare Ribs

Poultry

• Chicken, Roasting Whole
• Bones, Pork & Lamb
• Chicken Necks
• Offal & Odd Bits – chicken feet, Trotters, hearts, liver, Pig Heads, etc.

Greenfield Highland Beef
• Ground Beef
• Steaks:  Strip & Eye of the Round
• Short Ribs
• Beef Roasts

 

Honeywilya Fish
Alaskan Fish, line caught by a Vermont fisherman

• Coho Salmon Sides & portions
• King Salmon portions
• Smoked Coho Salmon
• Lingcod 
• Halibut

 

Pantry & Prepared Foods

• Seaberry Hot Sauce
• Applesauce: Pure or Maple Cinnamon
• Beet Puree
• Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix
• Maple Bread & Butter Squash Pickles with Artesano Vinegar
• Maple Bread & Butter Cucumber Pickles with Artesano Vinegar
• Mexican Pickled Carrots with Artesano Vinegar
• Dilly Beans with Artesano Cider Vinegar
• Curried Green Tomato Pickles
• Pâté, Chicken Liver 
• Pesto: Garlic Scape
• Red Pepper Sauce
• Crushed Tomatoes

 

From our Farm Friends

• Maple sweetened Jams from Lightfoot Farm
• Organic Black Beans, Morningstar Farm
• Organic Pinto Beans, Morningstar Farm
• Honey Mead Vinegar, Artesano
• Cyser (Apple & Honey Mead) vinegar, Artesano
• Vermont Apple Cider Vinegar, Artesano (2 sizes)
• Maple Syrup, Brookfield Bees
• Cider Syrup, Brookfield Bees

 

 

Check out our ONLINE Farmstand to make your Order

Call us with any questions 802-505-9840

By Laura | Posted in Available at our Farm Stand | Tagged | Comments Off on Available from Farm: Winter

Simple Roast Chicken—from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything

November 21, 2022 – 8:14 am

Roasted Chicken

Roasted Chicken

This remains our go-to recipe for roasting chickens.  Years ago, we tried several different recipes, but ALWAYS come back to this one because it is easy and reliably great. And our chickens are reliable done in about an hour (in our convection oven). Just make sure your chicken is fully defrosted and best if it comes to room temperature before cooking. In his updated cookbook he does a version heating the pan first..we haven’t tried that yet, but sounds intriguing, but this has worked so well, why mess with success.

And yes, we always roast 2 at a time…same work/time and it makes for plentiful leftovers for the fridge or freezer for those days when cooking time is short!

1 or 2 whole chicken, rinsed & patted dry

3 Tbsp Fat (If we don’t have lard, poultry fat or bacon fat on hand, we use olive oil)

2 tsp chopped herbs (any mix or just thyme)

Salt & ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450-500°F.  Place Chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.  Begin roasting.  Mix together the oil, herbs, salt & pepper.

After the chicken has roasted for about 20 minutes, spoon some of the oil mixture over it, then turn the bird breast side up and baste that side.  Put back in hot oven for 7-8 minutes; at this point the breast should be beginning to brown (if it hasn’t, roast a few more minutes).  Turn heat down to 325°F, baste again (on side that is up) and roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160-165°F.  Total roasting time will be about an hour. We use convection, and recommend it if you have the option.

Before removing chicken from pan, tip the pan to the let the juices from the bird’s cavity flow into the pan (if they are red, cook another 5 minutes unless you are confident in your meat thermometer).  Remove the bird to a platter and let it rest for about 5 minutes.  While it is resting, pour the pan juices into a clear measuring cup, and pour or spoon off some of the fat.  Reheat the juice, carve the bird and serve with pan juices.  And save that amazing roasted chicken fat for starting the next bird, veggies, potatoes or whatever requires delicious pasture-raised fat.

By Laura | Posted in Eating from the Farm: Cooking Ideas | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Simple Roast Chicken—from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything

August = Agritourism

August 7, 2022 – 2:34 pm
Farmstay guests finding joy while trimming crops for pigs on pasture

Governor Scott has declared that August 2022 is Agritourism month drawing attention to this week’s Vermont Open Farm week as well as the upcoming global agritourism gathering in Burlington. We are excited to welcome folks from near and far here at the farm and to be part of these statewide and global efforts!

As we get warmed up (heat wave humor!), we hope some of you can join us here Thursday, August 11th for a tour that explores “Growing the Changes We Want to See in the World”. Or take part the exciting and diverse Open Farm Week offers around the state.

We have had a blast supporting conference planning efforts (through multi-year COVID delays) to host the 2nd global gathering of agritourism experts and practitioners and welcome the world to Vermont.

And whether you will be with us in Burlington August 29 – September 1st or not, anyone interested can learn from colleagues from more than 45 countries via the hybrid online option, which will also enable this wealth of content to be accessed over time.

We are especially excited to welcome dear friends from the Design Studio for Social Innovation to the farm and the conference where we together present Radical Welcoming! Sensing, questioning and reimagining agritourism’s existing arrangements. We will ask What makes guests feel welcome…or unwelcome? How do we stay true to our roots while also tending to those with very different ones? This interactive workshop begins with the premise of their book, that “ideas are embedded in social arrangements, which in turn produce effects.” Together we will explore the physical and social arrangements of agritourism as a rich terrain for inspection and meaningful change. AND leading up to this workshop WE ARE KEEN TO HEAR FROM ANY AND ALL OF YOU ANY REFLECTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THESE THEMES!

PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY!… There are several pre and post conference tours which are now being opened to the public. Our dynamic friends, Origins of Food  have organized to welcome fellow agritourism colleagues from around the world to the Green Mountain State and showcase a wide variety of Vermont farms and food producers and we are excited they are able to share open slots with a wider audience.

Origins of Food is hosting a series of day trips departing from Burlington with a variety of themes, including Wild Foods, Regenerative Agritourism and Fruits of the Champlain Valley the last week of August and first week of September. These tours showcase some of the best of agritourism in Vermont with a variety of farms, food and fiber producers. With a focus on small and medium scale working farms, these tours offer a behind the scenes peek into producers you may know and love, or don’t know but will soon love! Tours have limited space; registration closes August 12th.  

Oxford says August = adjective “respected and impressive”. Meriam-Webster says, “marked by majestic dignity or grandeur”.

We think Governor Scott’s message captures the augustness of Agritourism and we know the global spotlight on agritourism can help not only Vermont and small farms but all of us at this moment in time. Food brings us together. Farms ground and nourish us.

Here’s to #people2farms & #farms2people!

By Laura | Posted in Stories from the Farm | Tagged , , | Comments Off on August = Agritourism

International Workshop on Agritourism in Vermont

August 7, 2022 – 2:00 pm

We were thrilled to be a part of welcoming folks from around the world to experience Agritourism in Vermont!

By Laura | Posted in In the News | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on International Workshop on Agritourism in Vermont

Tomato & Fennel Salad

August 7, 2022 – 12:24 pm

It is always lovely to get a new idea and another reason to eat fresh tomatoes in this season.  So refreshing, and something about this combo created an amazing fruity taste, as if we had added peaches or something.  And with just 20 minutes or so of marinating with the tomatoes and dressing the fennel mellowed and softened to a delightful mild, crunchy addition.  Thanks Eating Well Magazine for this recipe inspiration.

Ingredients

2 small bulbs thinly sliced Fennel

2 lb ripe, fresh tomatoes chunked or sliced

about 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

about 2 Tablespoons (or a bit more) light vinegar — Artesano’s Honey Wine vinegar is ideal here

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

ground pepper

smidge of maple syrup

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or other (optional)

Directions

Whisk together dressing ingredients (Olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper & a smidge of maple syrup).

Thinly slice fennel (by hand, in food processor or with a mandoline) and chop or slice the tomatoes. We used the food processor.

Toss fennel & tomatoes in dressing, add parsley and nuts if using them.  Taste, add more salt & pepper to taste.  Serve & Enjoy!

By Laura | Posted in Eating from the Farm: Cooking Ideas | Tagged , | Comments Off on Tomato & Fennel Salad

Farmstand Opens June 15th

May 30, 2022 – 4:45 pm

We reopen the farmstand with an ongoing committment to growing nutrient dense, regeneratively grown food. We are thrilled to be continuing and deepening our partnership with Hannah at Field Stone Farm to ensure a wide variety of delicious, fresh, regeneratively grown vegetables, meats and fruits.

In addition to our regeneratively grown food, the farmstand stocked with items from some of our favorite producers and farmers including Field Stone Farm (Veggies AND Pizza), Brookfield Bees syrups, Lightfoot Farm jams, Honeywilya Fish, Blue Goose Farm raw milk, Morningstar Farm beans, and Greenfield Highland beef. 

The Farmstand will re-open for pre-orders on June 15th and for Self-Serve Shopping June 16th! 

  • Pre-order shopping for pick-up or delivery will be available Wednesdays 4-6 pm (order through our online Grazecart Store)
  • Shop self-serve from the Farmstand Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 9am -6 pm.
  • New, simplified Farmstand Membership offers & discounts right in grazecart
  • Farm Tours & workshops July – September. Details to come.
  • Details below & on our website

Details for Shopping from our Farmstand 

Pre-order shopping for pick-up or delivery

Order through our online farmstand/Grazecart from Sunday through Tuesday Midnight and pick up your order at the Farm Wednesday 4-6 pm or have it delivered to Montpelier Wednesday evening 5-7 pm.  

Self-Serve Farmstand

Hours: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 9am – 6 pm

Shop from our full farmstand, frozen items, fresh, canned & dried.  You can preview what is available at the online farmstand, and then pick and choose & self-checkout. 

We are re- implementing self-checkout, you’ll just need to write down what you take. For those with an account in the online store it should be super easy, just write down your items & volume and we can put it on your account and it will automatically bill your credit card on file! Or you can write it down, do some math and leave cash or a check or pay via credit card.

Farmstand Memberships

We are simplifying our Memberships! If you commit to shopping at the farm throughout the season, we offer the following discounts. 

If you spend at least $200/month, you’ll get a 10% discount applied as a credit to your account for the next month. 

If you spend $400 or more in a month, you’ll get a 20% discount applied as a credit to your account for the next month. 

The discounts will be calculated for each calendar month and then the credit will be applied directly to your online farmstore account in Grazecart. If you don’t currently have a credit card associated with your account, we’ll ask you to do that.  Your card will be charged for each transaction at the farmstand whether it is a pre-order or a self-serve purchase.  Your purchases will earn you a credit to that account at the end of the month, which will be applied to your first purchases the following month. 

For existing members, you’ll see this means, no waiting on statements from Laura and all accounts will stay current! 

To sign up as a member, fill out the sign-up form.  Existing members, you just need to start shopping and we will apply the appropriate discount each month. 

FAQ & Notes

Will you have everything available throughout the week?

We will have the best selection for pre-orders made by Tuesday midnight.   Hannah is harvesting with an eye to us packing orders on Wednesday and stocking the farmstand for the self-serve days. While there are no guarantees for particular items we anticipate an abundance of items in their prime season.

Do I have to pay by credit card?

No, but it will be easiest and preferred. For membership or retail shopping, it will allow auto payments for pre-orders & self-serve shopping.  

Do I have to pre-order online?

Only if you want us to pre-pack your order for pick-up on Wednesdays!

What if I can’t pick up by 6 pm on Wednesday?  

We can put orders out in Coolers to be picked up after 6 pm.  

Can I add to my order when I pick up on Wednesday?

Yes, if you are picking up a pre-order on Wednesday, you are welcome to self-serve additional items and add them to your order. 

By Laura | Posted in Stories from the Farm | Tagged | Comments Off on Farmstand Opens June 15th