We found our cow, Star, down this morning and she could not get up. This is a problem faced all too often by cattle farmers. Come along with us as we work to save Star.

Cornbread Beef Pie

Cornbread Beef Pie - A Hearty one dish family meal!

Another great way to showcase economical and versatile ground beef.  Enjoy this easy to make, hearty, nutritious dish

and don't forget to choose grassfed beef and other organic ingredients.  Remember to take care of your body, it has to

last for a lifetime!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef           

1 large onion, chopped                                                                

1/4 cup chopped sweet pepper

3 cups tomato sauce

1 cup corn or grated carrots

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the beef, and break up with a spoon.  Add the onions, peppers, carrots or corn, and saute until the ground beef if no longer pink.  Add the tomato sauce, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, and sea salt and stir until mixed well.  Pour into a 9 x 12 baking dish or pan.

 

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Topping:

1/2 cup cornmeal or Masa

1/2 cup unbleached flour or sprouted wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup milk

1 egg

6 round slices of canned Jalapeno, mashed in small pieces with a fork

First mix the dry ingredients together, then add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Pour evenly over the ground beef mixture in the baking dish or pan.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until lightly brown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pork Chops - Delicious and Convenient

Pork Chops from Uwharrie Farm

Quick, easy pork chops

I enjoy a pork roast or beef roast slowly cooked for several hours with potatoes and carrots as much as the next person.  Sometimes this works very well with my work schedule, however, there are other times when meal time is swiftly approaching and I am not prepared.  This is when pork chops are a good go to item.  I can thaw them out quickly by placing the package in warm water.  Then they can be pan fried on medium heat in a matter of minutes for a delicious meat.  Add a salad or your favorite cooked vegetables and you have a great meal in short order.

Convenient, one pot meal, starring pork chops

You're home from work and your children are home from school.  Homework and household chores are waiting plus you need a family meal.  Its a good time to try this convenient one pot meal.

Place frozen green beans and corn in the bottom of a large pot.  Arrange your pork chops on top of the beans, followed by golf ball size potatoes (cut large potatoes in half if needed) and carrots.  Add your favorite seasonings and enough water to cover the pork chops.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1- 1  1/2 hours until the pork chops are tender while the family takes care of homework and other chores. 

Choose the quantities of vegetables and pork chops that you need to feed your family.  Also, this is a great time to involve the children as they can prep potatoes and carrots for this dish. 

Enjoy creating and sharing a family meal together!

 

 

Grandma's Meatloaf

Meatloaf can be an inexpensive, tasty protein dish with the added bonus of oatmeal, cultured milk (buttermilk), vegies (onions and peppers) and eggs.  When you choose pasture-raised meats with organic onions, peppers and buttermilk in addition to free-range organic eggs you have a winning recipe.

Meatloaf Ingredients  

1/2 pound sausage

1 pound ground beef

1 cup oatmeal

2/3 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1/2 cup onions

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup chopped peppers

Sauce Ingredients:

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoon dry mustard

Soak oatmeal in buttermilk about 8 hours.  Saute onion and pepper.  Mix meatloaf ingredients together in a large bowl (by hand works best).  In a separate bowl mix sauce ingredients together.  Pour 1/2 to 3/4 of the sauce into meatloaf and mix well.  Put meatloaf into 9x5 inch pan and pour remaining sauce on top.  Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

 

Chili Beans: Tasty, Warming and Hearty

Why bother to cook from scratch when we are bombarded with so many quicker, easier ways to feed ourselves?  Good question!  Cooking from scratch is not just a destination - feed ourselves.  It is a journey on which you mindfully choose your recipe, the type of ingredients you will use and the cooking methods you desire, creating an opportunity to fill your home with savory aromas and involve the family in the process:  an opportunity to teach your children responsibility, how to cook and the value of delicious, healthy food while spending time together.  And yes, you could open a couple of cans of organic beans for this recipe and save some effort, but in my opinion they would not be as tasty or nutritious as those that you soak for hours and simmer slowly yourself. 

Although this recipe requires quite a bit of time it does not take that much of your time.  For example:  Try placing the beans in water to soak overnight, then place in a slow cooker to simmer while you are at work or doing other chores.  Then finish the recipe for your evening meal.  As a bonus there will probably be left-overs for another meal, which I always appreciate.

Treat yourself and your family to this hearty recipe.  Remember to use organic ingredients and encourage your children to help. 

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups of dried pinto beans

3  cups water

2  1/2  teaspoons sea salt (separated)

1  1/2 pounds ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2  cup chopped peppers of your choice (optional)

1/2  teaspoon black pepper

3  tablespoons of chili powder

1  1/2 quarts crushed or whole tomatoes

Wash beans and place in a 2 quart saucepan.  Add cold water to cover 2 or 3 inches above the beans and soak 12 to 18 hours.  Drain and discard water.  Combine beans with 3 cups fresh water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender.  Drain and discard water.  Brown ground beef, chopped onions, and peppers in a skillet.  Drain off fat and add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, chili powder, tomatoes, and drained cooked beans.  Simmer another 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

 

 

Lessons from Farm Mothers and their Babies

Pixie with her baby, Star

Meet Star, the last calf born to our Jersey cow, Pixie.  She was born Nov. 17, 2017.  One of the privileges of being a farmer is being surrounded by the miracle of new life, whether it is a new calf, baby chick or seedlings reaching up to capture the suns rays for the first time.  Though I've lived on our farm almost 50 years, I still get excited, like a child waiting for Christmas, anticipating the birth of a new calf, a new litter of pigs or watching a new garden come to life in the springtime.  The farm has taught me many lessons over the years, not the least of which is the role mothers play with their babies in the natural world.

Farmers experienced in animal care know to approach a new farm baby with care least they be charged by a mother cow, or flogged by a mother turkey or attacked by a mother sow.  Nature has created a beautiful bond between mother and baby.  These mothers will cautiously watch over their offspring and immediately react if they perceive a threat to their baby.  

A number of years ago my husband and I experienced first-hand this innate characteristic of our mother turkey.  At the time we had a turkey hen who had one baby.  We decided to move them to another lot.  As my husband and I were walking them along, my husband decided that the baby turkey was too slow so he reached down to pick up the baby.  Big mistake!  Even though we were daily in the lot with them, mother decided this was a threat to her baby and she immediately flew up  hitting my husband in the side of his head, feet first with all the strength her 25 lbs. could muster.  He didn't know what hit him until I explained what I had seen. 

We humans consider ourselves smarter than animals, however, I think we can learn a lot from these farm mothers.  They personally stay with their young, protecting, nurturing and teaching.  Generally speaking, we as a society, have decided that women are too valuable to waste their talents on nurturing, teaching and protecting their own children.  If we spend years and a lot of money getting a degree in order to care for the children of strangers, teach the children of strangers, cook for strangers, or advise strangers on financial or health issues, we are considered successful.  Isn't it a little strange that if we devote ourselves to doing this for our own family it is frowned upon by many?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Crop Greenhouse Tomatoes: Oct. 2010

What's happening in the fall greenhouse?

In spite of the normal problems, the fall greenhouse tomatoes are coming along well.  We expect harvest to begin around November 1st. 

So what normal problems are we dealing with?

1- Whiteflies:  After spotting these tiny white insects on the plants I contacted my supplier and ordered Encarsia Formosa, a parasitic wasp that parasitizes the white fly pupae.  Two releases are necessary for good control with a two week interval between releases.

2- Excessive Heat:  Temperatures in the 90's are not favorable to tomato pollination.  As everyone in central NC knows we have endured many days in August and September above 90 degrees F.  As a result fruit-set was slow initially. 

3- Humidity and Disease:   Any experienced NC greenhouse grower knows our late summer hot, humid days create plenty of night-time moisture in the greenhouse.  Our most troublesome tomato disease, powdery mildew, thrives in these moist conditions.  Even though we have been unable to conquer the powdery mildew we have always been able to produce a good crop in spite of it.

4- Cloudy Days:  The arrival of much needed rain brought with it several cloudy days.  In addition to aiding disease growth, cloud cover is also not favorable to tomato pollination.  Again fruit-set has been temporarily hindered.

5- Cool Nights:  Tomatoes need night-time temperatures above 55 degrees F for proper pollination.  With night temperatures expected  to dip into the 40's in a few days it is time to fire up the wood heater.  Exercise, and plenty of it, will be a side benefit of hauling wood and maintaining a fire that will keep our tomatoes cozy.

 

 

Food for Thought: Constitution Sacredly Maintained

From George Washington's Farewell Address

George Washington - 1796

 ... I shall carry it with me to my grave as a strong incitement to unceasing vows that Heaven may continue to you the choicest tokens of its beneficence that your union and brotherly affection may be perpetual; that the free Constitution which is the work of your hands may be sacredly maintained; that its administration in every department may be stamped with wisdom and virtue; that, in fine, the happiness of the people of these States, under the auspices of liberty, may be made complete by so careful a preservation and so prudent a use of this blessing as will acquire to them the glory of recommending it to the applause, the affection, and adoption of every nation which is yet a stranger to it.

A Guide to Choosing and Preparing Awesome Food

Sally Fallon's book, Nourishing Traditions, is one of my all time favorites.   Sally combines the wisdom of our ancestors and current scientific research to teach us simple methods for preparing delicious, nutrient dense food.  At a time when food based on empty calories is fueling a health care crisis it is time for individuals to wake up.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2000 that obesity-related health care costs alone totaled an estimated $117 billion,  The American Cancer Society reports that many studies have shown links between diet and cancer, and staff at the Mayo Clinic state that diabetes prevention is as basic as losing extra weight and eating more healthfully. Individual responsibility will go a long way toward solving the health care crisis that our nation faces today.  This book can empower you with knowledge to take charge of your health and that of your family.  Remember, your body and your children's bodies are your responsibility.  Please take care of them, they have to last for a lifetime! 

Of the more than 700 delicious recipes contained in Nourishing Traditions these are two of my favorites.

Kimchi (Korean Sauerkraut) made with chinese cabbage, onions, carrots, peppers, ginger, garlic, sea salt and whey from yogurt.  Busy Moms will appreciate the fact that they can just take it out of the refrigerator and serve it on a hot dog or as a side dish, not to mention the fact that it packs a lot of nutrition plus beneficial lactobacilli bacteria.

 


Preserved Lemons - a delicious condiment with a nutritional punch.  This simple recipe gives you the advantage of using the whole lemon to create a superb condiment with the added bonus of beneficial lactobacilli bacteria that aid digestion.  I use organic lemons, cinnamon, sea salt and whey

from yogurt to make this recipe.  Try it on fish or chicken, it is delicious. 

What more could you want?  Both Kimchi and Preserved Lemons are easy to make, nutritious, delicious whole foods and they will keep in the refrigerator for months.

Kimchi, Preserved Lemons, fruits, vegetables, meats, deserts, condiments, and much more - you will find recipes for them  all in Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon.

 

 

 

Eggs: Healthy? You Decide

   My husband and I enjoy eggs from our Barred Rock Hens.  We eat eggs every morning and baked in homemade breads, cakes, pies, cookies and puddings.

   Eggs are a versatile, natural, whole food.  Egg proteins act as binders in your favorite recipes.  They can increase leavening action, especially if they are beaten.  Egg yolks, because they contain fat increase tenderness in baked goods.  They are high in cholesterol, however, they are also high in lecithin, a fat emulsifier that helps break down cholesterol, preventing its build-up in the body.  Eggs contain all known vitamins (except C) and important trace minerals.  They are considered a complete protein because they contain generous amounts of all 8 essential amino acids.  The July Issue of the Harvard Heart Letter explains to us that eggs are a good source of nutrients and that saturated and trans fats have much bigger effects on blood cholesterol levels than eggs.

     As you probably know all eggs are not created equal.  As marketers encourage us to buy eggs, cage-free eggs, organic eggs, omega-3 eggs or free range eggs, what are we to choose?  My pick is free range eggs from chickens that spend at least part of their day outside on green areas where they can peck and eat their natural food - insects and green plants. In my opinion the ideal egg would be organic, free range and  raised locally.  Testing done by Mother Earth News  indicates that eggs from chickens that are allowed to free range outside daily are higher in nutrients and lower in cholesterol.  So what do you think? Healthy or not - you decide.

Help solve the Health Care Crisis:   Be informed - Take care of your body, it has to last for a lifetime.