At the Farmstand: Dec 15-21

HamWe are restocked with a fresh batch of pork back from the smokehouse!  That means our pasture-raised Maple Smoked Bacon, Ham steaks & roasts as well as some ham hock ends, great for soups and such.  There are also some lovely greens, especially Bok Choy, Kale & Chard.  In addition to yummy food, we also have some great localvore gifts, including gift baskets and our herbal teas with Brookfield Bees honey.

 

This week at our Farmstand you can find:our-eggs-whole-and-in-fry-pan-with-our-schmaltz

• Eggs

 

Fresh/Stored Veggies & Herbscolorful-chard

• Arugula, Fresh
• Bok Choy, Fresh*
• Beets
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage, Red & Green
• Carrots
• Chard, Fresh
• Delicata Squash

• Garlic
• Ginger, Baby (frozen)
• Kale, Fresh
• Herbs (Cilantro, Sage, Thyme)
• Napa Cabbage
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins, Pie (Winter Luxury)
• Shallots (Field Stone Farm)
• Spinach (limited)
• Stir Fry/Braising Greens, Fresh
• Sweet Potatoes*

• Winter Squash: Butternut, Buttercup, Carnival Acorn, Red Kuri & Spaghetti Squash

 

Meats      Pork Cuts by Cole  hand cut chops (1)

• Alsatian Christmas Sausage (bulk)
• Bacon, Maple Smoked
• Bones, Pork & Goat
• Farmhouse Maple Breakfast Sausage (bulk)
• Chicken, Roasting
• Chicken, Stewing Hens
• Country Style Ribs (Sliced Shoulder Roasts)
• Fat, Pork Leaf
• Fat, Pork Back
• Goat Chops
• Ground Pork
• Ham Hocks, smoked
• Ham Steaks & Roasts
• Italian Pork Sausage, bulk
• Pork Jowl
• Leg of Goat Roasts
• Offals – Trotters, hearts, liver, kidneys, necks, etc.
• Pork Chops
• Ribs, Goat
• Ribs, Pork
• Turkey, Whole
• Turkey Drumettes & Drumsticks
• Turkey Thighs

 

Pantry & Prepared Foodsusing lard

Pickled Beets 
Beet puree
• Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix
• Bone Broth, Chicken, Pork and Turkey
• 
Bread & Butter Squash Pickles
• Carrot Sticks, pickled with garlic
 Mexican Pickled Carrots, Taqueria Style
Dilly Beans
• Jalapeños, pickled
• Lard (Leaf & Regular)
• Lemon Pickles
• Pâté, Chicken & Turkey Sage
• Pepperoncini
• Pesto, Arugula, Basil & Mizuna
• Asian Style Plum Sauce
• Roasted Red Pepper Sauce/spread
• Heirloom Tomato Salsa
• Farmhouse Soup, Roasted Turkey Squash
• Dried Hot Peppers
Dried Tomatoes

From our Farm Friends    Brookfield bees maple syrup 3

• Pizza from Field Stone Farm, several varieties
• Honey, Brookfield Bees
• Maple Syrup, Brookfield Bees
• BEANS! – King of the Early from Morningstar Meadows Farm
• Cider Syrup, Brookfield Bees

Ode to Winter Greens

november-spinach-and-stir-fry-mix-in-farmstand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes (OK, often), December and the holidays appear out of nowhere.  Wasn’t it just early fall so recently, yet now it feels like winter has really set in and is here for keeps.  So it is this week.

snowy-winter-farm-hoophouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snow covers the landscape, showing us just whites and browns everywhere and with deep cold temps in the forecast, we are thankful for the snow cover we have.  Because while the vibrant growing season doesn’t seem so long ago, the climate is now decidedly wintry.

So it is a treat for the eyes and stomach to see the deep greens, reds, yellows and purples in the greens in the hoophouses.  The spinach, chard, kale, bok choy, mizuna, tokyo bekana, tatsoi and lettuces are not daunted by the winter at their door and offer all of us the treat of FRESH GREENS despite the cold, snowy landscape.

tokyo-bekana-tatsoi-greens-hoophouse mizuna-bok-choy-hoophouse

colorful-chard

 

 

 

 

 

 

At a conference earlier this week, a fellow Vermont Farmer was relishing in the fresh salad greens being served as she noted it had been some time since hers has finished in the field.  Sometimes I forget what a treat it is to have these fresh greens once snow has settled in around us.  But at that moment, I remembered and noted, “Oh, we are a bit spoiled.  We have thick, lush, delicious greens in the hoophouse right now.”  And I could see, feel and taste the healthy vibrancy of the various plants.

winter hoophouse (2)

 

 

I am deeply thankful for the knowledge sharing, tight hoophouse covers and the team that makes those greens a reality on our farm.  And I pledge to to eat more of them, while they are here, because you never know what winter will bring and how long these great plants can withstand less sun, more snow and the possible thievery from voles!

At the Farmstand: Dec 8-14

bok-choy-greensWhen you look at the farmstand it is nearly hard to believe it is December.  Well, that is if you look beyond the holiday gift ideas to the wealth of gorgeous fresh greens.  Farmstand is well stocked for daily enjoyment as well as holiday prep and meals and we will have a great mix this Sunday at the Northfield Farmers Market as well.

Come, enjoy and eat well!  And our fresh eggs are back from a new batch of hens.  Volume is still a bit limited but back in the farmstand with their deep orange yolks!

 

This week at our Farmstand you can find:our-eggs-whole-and-in-fry-pan-with-our-schmaltz

• Eggs, limited supply

 

Fresh/Stored Veggies & Herbscolorful-chard

• Arugula, Fresh
• Bok Choy/Pac Choi, Fresh
• Beets
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage, Red & Green
• Carrots
• Chard, Fresh
• Delicata Squash

• Garlic
• Ginger, Baby (frozen)
• Kale, Fresh
• Herbs (Cilantro, Sage, Thyme)
• Napa Cabbage
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins, Pie (Winter Luxury)
• Salad Mix, Fresh
• Shallots (Field Stone Farm)
• Spinach, Fresh
• Stir Fry/Braising Greens, Fresh
• Sweet Potatoes*

• Winter Squash: Butternut, Buttercup, Carnival Acorn, Red Kuri & Spaghetti Squash

 

Meats      Pork Cuts by Cole  hand cut chops (1)

• Alsatian Christmas Sausage (bulk)
• Bones, Pork & Goat
• Farmhouse Maple Breakfast Sausage (bulk)
• Chicken, Roasting
• Chicken, Stewing Hens
• Country Style Ribs (Sliced Shoulder Roasts)
• Fat, Pork Leaf
• Fat, Pork Back
• Goat Chops
• Ground Pork
• Italian Pork Sausage, bulk
• Pork Jowl
• Leg of Goat Roasts
• Offals – Trotters, hearts, liver, kidneys, necks, etc.
• Pork Chops
• Ribs, Goat
• Ribs, Pork
• Pork Roasts
• Turkey, Whole
• Turkey Drumettes & Drumsticks
• Turkey Thighs

 

Pantry & Prepared Foodsusing lard

Pickled Beets 
Beet puree
• Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix
• Bone Broth, Chicken, Pork and Turkey
• 
Bread & Butter Pickles
• Carrot Sticks, pickled with garlic
 Mexican Pickled Carrots, Taqueria Style
Dilly Beans
• Jalapeños, pickled
• Lard (Leaf & Regular)
• Lemon Pickles
• Pâté, Chicken & Turkey Sage
• Pepperoncini
• Pesto, Arugula, Basil & Mizuna
• Roasted Red Pepper Sauce/spread
• Heirloom Tomato Salsa
• Farmhouse Soup, Roasted Turkey Squash
• Dried Hot Peppers
Dried Tomatoes

From our Farm Friends    Brookfield bees maple syrup 3

• Pizza from Field Stone Farm, several varieties
• Blueberries, Spotted Dog Farm
• Honey, Brookfield Bees
• Maple Syrup, Brookfield Bees
• BEANS! – King of the Early from Morningstar Meadows Farm
• Cider Syrup, Brookfield Bees

Flaky Beet Biscuits

beet-biscuits-cutWe had plenty of questions and requests for the recipe at last weekend’s holiday market, so by popular demand here is the farm’s (ok really Donna’s) Flaky Farm Biscuit recipe, with a beet twist.  These are delightful to eat and with the beet addition are a treat for the eyes as well!  You can make them with all beet puree as the binder and no milk, but they are not as light, still tasty but a bit sturdier.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 C Flour
  • 3 teaspoons Baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 2/3 C Lard (fridge temperature)
  • 1/2 C Beet Puree
  • 1/2 C Milk

 

Directions

Pre-heat oven to Convection bake 375

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder & salt.

With a knife, cut the lard into small pieces in the flour mixture.

With cold, dry hands, rub the lard into the flour quickly, until it resembles breadcrumbs.

With a knife, stir in the beet puree followed by the milk, to form a soft dough.

beet biscuit mixing dough 2 beet biscuit settling dough

 

With floured hands, bring the dough together into a ball. Divide into 12 smaller balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. You can also roll it out and cut it for a more formal biscuit.

beet biscuits on tray

 

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden & there is a hollow sound when you tap on the bottom.

beet biscuit tapping are they done video

 

Put on rack to cool, then enjoy!

finished beet biscuits

jambalaya with beet biscuit farm dinner

 

Eat, Play, Shop — with purpose!

Rejuvenate yourself, refresh your holiday traditions and recommit to supporting your neighborhood farms. Connect with farmers who grew and made gifts and products to make your holiday feasts and celebrations special. These are full circle gifts. Give your loved ones local foods and crafts wrapped in stories –stories of local ingredients, talents, your own adventures getting them. And take pride that your purchases are investments in our working landscape.

 

 

How about a non-hectic stop in your holiday preparations?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step into the “Red Schoolhouse” (VTC, Randolph Center (I89 exit 4) this weekend for the Floating Bridge Food & Farms Holiday Market and enjoy a good conversation while you sip some cold or hot cider, enjoy farm fresh holiday waffles or a farm sampler lunch, meet some farmers and fill your holiday baskets.

FBFF holiday gift ideas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There will be space for kids of all ages to make potato stamp wrapping paper – demo Saturday at 2 pm and materials available all weekend.

 

potato-stamp-wrapping-paper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday, our own Donna will be doing a lard pie crust demonstration.  Learn her tricks for a delightful pie crust at demo 12 pm on Sunday.

 

Holiday Gift & Entertaining Ideas

Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix, Either serve it up as an appetizer or for a holiday brunch or gift some, you can even make a complete package with the pickles to dress it up including tomolives.

 

Gift Baskets – Give a basket of tasty food treats.  Perfect for both those you love to cook (lots of raw ingredients) and those you just want to eat (prepared soups, salsas & pickles).  Create your own or choose one we put together.

amelia and 2 newborn piglets

A Farmstay – Winter for the snow lovers, Spring to meet the piglets, Summer for vast fresh organic produce or Fall for the Foliage.

 

 Farm Gift Certificates:Leave it wide open for folks to choose a class, farmstay or food from our farmstand
 i love local food and gift certificates

 

 

Holiday Cooking

Whether you are responsible for a big holiday meal and lots of holiday baking, have guests coming for cocktails, or just need some quick meals to get your through the busy season, our farm and many others have some great sustainable, delicious and even easy offers for you.  At our stocked farmstand you can find:

 

  • Pasture Raised meats for the holiday table from animals that have lived a good life outside. Consider a holiday ham, leg of goat roast, or turkey breast in addition to Alsatian Christmas Sausage.
  • Organically managed vegetables from winter spinach to crunchy carrots.
  • Pantry treats, including our own organic Pâté, pestos, and many pickles.
  • Ready to Eat Soups & Bone Broth for a quick meal and to make easy sauces
  • And Don’t Forget the Lard for your holiday cooking and baking.  Learn more about our pasture-raised lard that is perfect for cooking and baking.  Featured on WCAX. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See what is for sale at our Farmstand every week of the year!

At the Farmstand: Dec 1-7

spinachWelcome to December! The farm elves have been busy harvesting and processing and will keep the markets and farmstand stocked as best we can.  Join us at the farm or one of the great upcoming markets for localvore holiday gifts as well as food for throughout holiday season.

A new batch of Alsatian Christmas Sausage is on the way for this weekend and two new batches of Mari’s famous Farm Fresh Pâté are ready!  And thanks to Field Stone Farm, pizzas are restocked and a few new squash offerings and shallots!

This week at our Farmstand you can find:

Fresh/Stored Veggies & Herbs

 kale

• Arugula
• Beets
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage, Red & Green
• Carrots
• Chard
• Delicata Squash

• Garlic
• Ginger, Baby (frozen)
• Kale
• Herbs, (Cilantro, Sage, Thyme)
• Napa Cabbage
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins, Pie (Winter Luxury)
• Salad Mix
• Shallots (Field Stone Farm)
• Spinach
• Stir Fry/Braising Greens
• Sweet Potatoes

• Winter Squash: Butternut, Buttercup, Carnival Acorn, Red Kuri & Spaghetti Squash

 

Meats      Pork Cuts by Cole  hand cut chops (1)

• Alsatian Christmas Sausage (bulk)*starting Friday!
• Bones, Pork & Goat
• Farmhouse Maple Breakfast Sausage (bulk)
• Chicken, Roasting
• Chicken, Stewing Hens
• Country Style Ribs (Sliced Shoulder Roasts)
• Fat, Pork Leaf
• Fat, Pork Back
• Goat Chops
• Ground Pork
• Italian Pork Sausage, bulk
• Pork Jowl
• Leg of Goat Roasts
• Offals – Trotters, hearts, liver, kidneys, necks, etc.
• Pork Chops
• Ribs, Goat
• Ribs, Pork
• Pork Roasts
• Turkey, Whole
• Turkey Drumettes & Drumsticks
• Turkey Thighs

 

Pantry & Prepared Foodsusing lard

Pickled Beets 
Beet puree
• Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix
• Bone Broth, Chicken, Pork and Turkey
• 
Bread & Butter Pickles, regular & Mus-Tang
• Carrot Sticks, pickled with garlic
 Mexican Pickled Carrots, Taqueria Style
Dilly Beans
• Jalapeños, pickled
• Lard (Leaf & Regular)
• Lemon Pickles
• Pepperoncini
• Pesto, Arugula, Basil & Mizuna
• Roasted Red Pepper Sauce/spread
• Heirloom Tomato Salsa
• Dried Hot Peppers
Dried Tomatoes

From our Farm Friends    Brookfield bees maple syrup 3

• Pizza from Field Stone Farm, several varieties
• Blueberries, Spotted Dog Farm
• Honey, Brookfield Bees
• Maple Syrup, Brookfield Bees
• BEANS! – King of the Early from Morningstar Meadows Farm
• Cider Syrup, Brookfield Bees

Delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Brussels SproutsAnother reason to love extended family…they roast veggies to perfection!  My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were linchpins in showing me how delicious two of my least favorite veggies growing up could be  — roasted beets and roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Simple and perfection.  Only way I have had them better was Lee Duberman’s (chef at Ariel’s Restaurant) Fried Brussels Sprouts.  If you add fish sauce and sesame to this recipe it might start to get you closer to hers.

Ingredients

1-2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, however many you want

2-4 Tablespoons of fat of your choice, they use olive oil, but roasted chicken fat, schmaltz or lard would also be great!

2-4 Tablespoons Tamari or Soy Sauce

Salt & Pepper

1 teaspoon Fish Sauce (optional)

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil (optional)

sprouts on the stalk

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut sprouts in half.  Toss with olive oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper.

Place on a cookie sheet or baking pan, ideally with some room for them to brown.  Put in oven and Roast about 15 minutes until the sprouts are tender. Stir or shake pan, raise temp to 400 or 425 and roast for another 15 minutes or until nicely browned. Best to check every 5-10 minutes and shake/stir.

Eat and enjoy.  Just make sure to get some for yourself before all the kids and adults gobble them up!

Tip…if your sprouts are still on the stalk, popping them off and peeling off some outer layers is fun for all ages!

Popping sprouts from the stalk family fun

Coming Together

As if operating on an off-kilt calendar there they came… over the river and through the woods!

Cousin Kelsey reached out and next thing you knew more relatives from near and far wanted to gather and there we were twelve members of our extended family grateful for each other and our meal.

mulching-garlic-with-cousins-and-mari

It is a well known fact that a farm can’t see that much cousin and sibling power and leave it untapped! In Saturday afternoon’s chill we revved up the rented mulcher (looks like something from Dr. Seuss) and Jon, Kelsey and Zack put up with rattle and got the garlic all tucked in under a thick layer of straw and hay mulch.

 

 

 

 

But as the sun rose high and numbers bulked up on Sunday cousin power descended on the hoop houses, unscrewing, unwiggle-wiring, securing scaffolds and ladders, setting the stage to replace the 4 huge (approx 50×84) sheets of plastic which make our winter growing possible.

hoophouse-unwiggling-stu-cousins hoophouse-prep-cousin-zack

hoophouse-prep-cousin-jon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Stuart, Kelly, Kristian and Laurel (all with wing span greater than our farmer average) dismantled, Laura tapped Phoebe and Aron to water — this time shortness was an asset as they were near to the tender transplants!

young-cousins-watering-phoebe-aron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watching Aron (3.5 years) and Phoebe (6), we realized that their family garden is training them well for farm work. And looking at all the middle aged who gathered, we realized that Grandma and Grandpa Fayn’s and Aunt Betty and Uncle Fred’s farms probably helped us all succeed, though all of us were too young to have really been part of those operations.

And how could we be so lucky that for stage 2 of the process, Mark and Donna had cousins Sarah and Betty visiting!

prepping-plastic-community-cousins-hoophouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With our family back at their desk jobs we were 6 professional farmers strong, Mark and Donna have been part of other rounds of reskinning and even cousin Betty had previous experience with wiggle wire!

putting-on-plastic-hoophouseridge-vent-mike-hoophouse

wiggling-at-the-ridge-hoophouse

Farmers, led by Mike, doing the trickiest part, attaching plastic at the ridge vent

 

 

 

video-image-wiggle-wire-video-on-facebook-from-betty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since this is a ritual that occurs only every 5 years or so the cousins and friends gathered had to put up with our planning and communication glitches which could have made progress rife with discomfort. But both days the groups were full of empathy.

 

As Thanksgiving week is now upon us, we are grateful not only for these recent swarms of cousin and community support but we are humbled and thankful for the continuing waves of such support.

wiggling-gable-point-mark-farley-hopohouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite lots of cards being stacked against small farms in our industrialized age, perhaps small farms still have an empathy advantage!

As we all head into our Thanksgiving gatherings perhaps empathy can sit right next to gratitude as our centerpiece because as the wonderful peace-making group the Search for Common Ground asserts

Emotional connections change everything; rational arguments don’t. The experience of being respected – or its opposite: being ignored or humiliated – has a much more powerful influence on people’s opinions and behavior than do rational arguments.”

hoophouse-prep-folding-plastic-as-sun-goes-down-laura-darienne-staff

 

 

Thanksgiving at the Farmstand: Nov 17-27

using lardThanksgiving is just around the corner.  Our farmstand will be stocked and staffed on Thursday, Nov 17th with all the goodness below and then we will do our best to keep it stocked throughout the Thanksgiving week and weekend for your self-serve  restocking needs.  We hope some of our meats and veggies, raised with care and gratitude, will be a part of your celebrations, big and small.

We have some of the holiday stalwarts like turkey (whole and parts) and sweet potatoes are ready as well as some lovely additions to the main meal, leftovers or moments in between including a fresh new batch of Farmhouse Maple Breakfast Sausage & lard for your baking, Roasted Turkey Bone Broth and Heirloom Bloody Mary Mix.

This week at our Farmstand you can find:

Fresh/Stored Veggies & Herbs

 kale

• Arugula
• Beets
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage, Red & Green
• Carrots
• Baby Chard
• Delicata Squash

• Garlic
• Ginger, Baby (frozen)
• Kale
• Herbs, (Chives, Parsley, Sage, Thyme)
• Napa Cabbage
• Onions
• Parsley
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins, Pie (Winter Luxury)
• Salad Mix
• Spinach
• Stir Fry/Braising Greens
• Sweet Potatoes

• Winter Squash: Butternut, Buttercup & Red Kuri

 

Meats      

Roasted Chicken

• Bacon (Nitrate Free)
• Beer Brats
• Bones, Pork & Goat
• Farmhouse Maple Breakfast Sausage (bulk)
• Chicken, Roasting
• Chicken, Stewing Hens
• Country Style Ribs (Sliced Shoulder Roasts)
• Fat, Pork Leaf
• Fat, Pork Back
• Goat Chops
• Ground Pork
• Ham Roasts
• Italian Pork Sausage, bulk
• Pork Jowl*
• Leg of Goat Roasts
• Offals – Trotters, hearts, liver, kidneys, necks, etc.
• Pork Chops
• Ribs, Goat
• Ribs, Pork
• Turkey, Whole
• Turkey Breast
• Turkey Drumettes & Drumsticks
• Turkey Thighs

 

Pantry & Prepared Foodspickled beets in jars

Pickled Beets 
Beet puree
• Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix
• Bone Broth, Pork and Turkey
• 
Bread & Butter Pickles, regular & Mus-Tang
• Carrot Sticks, pickled with garlic
 Mexican Pickled Carrots, Taqueria Style
Dilly Beans
• Jalapeños, pickled
• Lard (Leaf & Regular)
• Lemon Pickles
• Pepperoncini
• Pesto, Arugula, Basil & Mizuna
• Roasted Red Pepper Sauce/spread
• Heirloom Tomato Salsa
• Dried Hot Peppers
Dried Tomatoes

From our Farm Friends    Brookfield bees maple syrup 3

• Blueberries, Spotted Dog Farm
• Honey, Brookfield Bees
• Maple Syrup, Brookfield Bees
• BEANS! – King of the Early from Morningstar Meadows Farm
• Cider Syrup, Brookfield Bees

This Week’s Member Specials

All of the above is available for members and retail shoppers, but we also offer some specials for our members.  To learn more about our flexible, free Choice Farm Share memberships, see the details on our website.
• Pork Jowl (can be used like fresh pork belly)

Nov on Farm in Photos

Some photos from our week on the farm

still-moving-animals-on-pasture-in-nov

 

Still rotating our livestock on pasture even in November. Moving shelters, fences and the animals themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

The sows respond joyously, enjoying the grass first!

 

 

 

goats-enjoying-brassicas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All enjoy brassicas! This year, since the Brussels Sprouts are still in the same field as the spent broccoli and Kale plants, we have to bring the brassicas to our livestock – no self serve.  But these goats are excited for broccoli!  By the way, the chickens and pigs also love their brassicas.

 

 

 

The hoophouses are nearly planted out for the winter with a gorgeous range of greens and other treats!

hoophouse-greens

colorful-chard

Including Colorful Chard

asado-beets-and-potatoes-combined

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week’s Asado Potatoes (or beets) recipe is a hit in our house — decided to just mix a batch in the same cast iron to please the eye as well as the mouth and stomach!

 

 

 

Farm Cat on duty - weasel #2 of 2016, that we know of.

Farm Cat on duty – weasel #2 of 2016, that we know of.