Week #48 - Raising supper

There is no end of debate both online and off about the ethics of raising animals for food. Our approach has been to listen to all sides and decide based on what seems right for our family and business with a view to a sustainable approach for our earth.

We are blessed with space and time to raise animals in a manner that provides them with a good life, an ethical death and a modest impact on the world.  I appreciate that not all will agree but it is a choice that we feel good about. As we choose to include meat in our diets, it feels right that we should take responsibility to nurture the animal kindly with affection, sunshine and natural food sources. In return, we are blessed with food that is free of chemicals and has a superior taste and nutrition.

If we were not able to raise our food in such a way and we had to rely on commercially raised animals produced in factory like settings, I may make different choices about how we eat. 

Of course we all have a choice to seek out and purchase food from local producers who take the same type of care and concern with their animals. I encourage everyone to get to know where and how your food is raised whether its animal or vegetable. Get to know your farmer, producer, baker, butcher and small business owner and ask questions and visit farms. What you put in your mouth is important! Be aware, informed and engaged! 

Week #11 - Around a table...

Many good things happen around a table! A table is a place where we share... food, conversation, decisions and time, a table is often the place we gather and celebrate as well as mourn.

We got into farming because we cared what we were putting on the table for our family and wanted to know where our food came from, how it was raised and processed and how it traveled to our home. Over time our passion for putting good food on our table expanded to other tables...and well the rest as they say, was history. 

This weekend, I sat around the table with others who are just as passionate about putting good, local foods on your table. 

I was proud to participate in the first official board meeting of the newly formed Direct Farm Marketing Association of Manitoba, a group that hopes to create a mechanism for the voice of small scale farmers in Manitoba to be heard. Time, energy and shared goals will lead us forward and I'm excited to see how things progress. Something tells me that there will be many shared tables in our future. 

Week #2 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Kale Chips!

Welcome to week #2! We hope you enjoyed your first box of goodies and are anxiously awaiting some more.

Despite the weather, the veggies are doing alright although a few are showing signs of stress (yellowing at the roots). Luckily the fact we have hilled our rows and plant primarily in mulch or straw bales, means that the plants are not sitting in water! Our animals however, are not as lucky! Everyone's looking for high, dry ground! That being said we are soooo much better off than people along the Assiniboine and other tributaries so we are grateful for that and hope that everyone gets through the next few days safely and with minimal damage. 

Today I thought I would talk a little about kale. It is often a leafy green that some people are not familiar with. Kale is a brassica, so in the same family as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. This means that the cabbage moth/worm love kale and we have to grow it under cover to save it from being eaten! After last week, you will know that kale is very good for you and is considered one a powerhouse vegetable. Fresh, tender kale leaves can be used like lettuce in a salad, can be cooked or steamed like spinach or my favorite... can be made into Kale Chips! This healthy but tasty snack is even a hit with our kids. 

Rip the kale into bite size pieces, toss with oil until fully coated, lay out on a cookie sheet or dehydrator tray and then season with whatever combination of spices you wish - garlic & salt and pepper are good or add some cayenne pepper for a little more zip! If you want to get creative, try curry! Pop in the oven at 250F for 4-6 hours or until dry and crunchy or in the dehydrator (if you have one).  While the dehydrator is the healthier choice as the plant remains "alive" and the nutrients don't degrade, my kids actually enjoy the oven dried version best! 

So... What's in the Box this week?

• Radishes
• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Turnip
• Kale
• Basil
• Oregano
• Chives
• Parsley (flat and curled)
• Cilantro 

As always in the beginning of the growing season you will again enjoy a lot of fresh greens this week. A note about the best way to preserve the life of the greens as if you don't take some care you may find them wilted! As you will have discovered we put everything we can (with their ends) into water to keep it as fresh as possible. When you get home, be sure to put the greens in the crisper or in a plastic bag in the fridge as soon as possible. To freshen up any greens, submerge completely in icy cold water. I find adding some lemon juice to the water also helps. Keep the greens there for a while - 5-10 minutes and it should freshen things considerably. If you can be sure to spin after in a lettuce spinner or dry off as well as you can before putting back in the fridge. The dryer the better if you are storing in a plastic bag. 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

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