It wasn't until recently that I tasted chicken for what it truly is: a delicate meat that has a sense of terroir, not unlike wine or olives or chocolate. The meat on your plate reflects the bird's life--its breed, what it was fed, how it lived, even the way it was loved (or not) by the farmer. Raising a good chicken, I've learned, is an art.
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]]>Did you ever have to wonder where the foods come from that we eat daily? Do you ever pause to look at the morsel about to enter your mouth, and wonder who raised or grew it, what it was fed, or fertilized with, how many chemicals, preservatives or hormones it has, how it was processed, or how far it has traveled to get to your mouth?
They say the average bite in America travels 1,500 miles before it's eaten. Whether that's true, I don't know, but I think that number is on the decline since the general public is leaning more towards supporting the local grower to get a more nutritious, tastier, and healthier product. That thought pattern should be important to each individual because our bodies are no better than what we eat. At the same time we realize we can't grow all kinds of foods in southern Michigan, so we get our oranges, bananas, etc. from many miles away.
Here in St. Joseph County, there are several opportunities for residents to subscribe in community supported agriculture and several CSA farms are listed in the new, 2009, River Country Local Food Guide. A CSA such as ours at Bubbling Brook Farm tries to fill a portion of the need for local, fresh food. This year, we will supply vegetables, turkeys, chicken and eggs. All of our products are naturally grown and fed. Our vegetables are offered as a CSA project (Community Supported Agriculture). It could be referred to as a "veggie insurance plan". Customers pay at the beginning of the year and receive a weekly supply in the amount of a bushel or ½ bushel of fresh, naturally grown vegetables with minimal fruits and flowers. The season generally lasts about twenty weeks, from mid May to mid October, depending on how soon Jack Frost arrives.
We try to maximize quality and taste by using natural and organic fertilizers, pesticides and minerals to improve the soil.
CSAs are relatively new to Michiana, but it's happening more every year throughout Michigan and the United States. Shoppers that are inclined to eat naturally, or any veggie eaters for that matter, are elated with our plan for the following reasons: They pay a great deal less for a naturally grown product; they have the assurance of a weekly supply of fresh food; they don't have to go shop or walk the market aisles, but come on farm to get a basket already filled with variety; they get to know the farmer who raises the food they eat and see how it's raised or grown; they don't have to be concerned about how many chemicals, hormones, or preservatives are in the food they eat; they get the satisfaction of supporting the local economy and small, sustainable farms; and enjoy the healthy lifestyle of eating more naturally.
An important aspect of Community Supported Agriculture is sharing some of the risk with the grower. For example, a good year for tomatoes may not be a good year for peas, or vice versa. Although hailstorms or unforeseen acts of nature can do extensive damage, it is highly unlikely with over twenty vegetables that there would be a complete loss.
Like many CSAs, Bubbling Brook Farm will offer full shares and half shares this season. Other options are available, including adding eggs or homemade bread to the weekly share. CSA subscribers get a 5% discount on our free-range chicken, turkeys, and eggs for the whole year! You also get a 5% discount if you're laid off at your job, and payment options are available. Cow shares are available as well. Contact me for more information.
Be sure to try our recipe for Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash! I will close in wishing each and every one a happy, healthy 2009 amid the economic downslide, and the good Lord's rich blessings to all.
For a free brochure, call 269-467-4601. Bubbling Brook Farm, Richard and Ellen Yoder, 25374 Wasepi Road, Centreville, MI 49032.
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
1 pound bulk sausage
1 Cup finely chopped onion
1 Cup finely chopped celery
¾ (three quarter) Cup bread crumbs
1 Cup grated cheese
Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place squash cut side down in a baking pan. And ¼ (one quarter) to ½ (one half) inch water and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Meanwhile brown the sausage and remove from pan. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Sauté onion and celery in the drippings for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in bread cubes. Quickly stir in sausage and cheese. Put into lightly salted squash cavities and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Available in Season:
Asparagus Melons
Strawberries* Peaches
Cherries* Pears
Blueberries Summer Squash
Sweet Corn Tomatoes*
Onions Winter Squash
Potatoes Grapes*
Peppers Pumpkins
Beans Apples *
*U-Pick available
Phone: 269-244-5690
12147 Corey Lake Road
Three Rivers, Michigan 49093
Hours: 8 - 6 Daily
Download Brochure: Corey Lake Orchard.pdf
]]>Support our farmers and the local economy at the same time. Consider buying directly from an area producer.
Download PDF: 2009 River Country Local Food Guide.pdf
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Cost: $30 per person / $15 per student (includes meals and display space)
Flyer: Download PDF
Growers
Are you interested in growing food for local institutions and restaurants? Please come to a Roundtable discussion Saturday March 21st at Amigo Centre at 3 pm. Carol Higgins will facilitate a conversation for Growers and Buyers/Institutions to explore the interest, possibilities and roadblocks, and begin a network for local growers and buyers.
Buyers
Do you work with an institution which is interested in serving more locally grown foods? Please come to a Roundtable discussion Saturday March 21st at Amigo Centre at 3 pm. Carol Higgins will facilitate a conversation for Growers and Buyers/Institutions to explore the interest, possibilities and roadblocks, and begin a network for local growers and buyers.
Flowers of the sumac (Rhus hirta), the conical bunches of red berries (or 'pyramidal panicles of crimson drupes', if you like your info scientific) create one of the earliest accents of color as the summer moves toward fall. You can pop these in your mouth for a jolt of tangy, tart vitamin C--refreshing on a long walk through the countryside--or use several bunches of the berries in a sun tea, letting them steep in the summer sun for a day. Mix in some sugar--too much tends to overwhelm the subtle flavor--and sparkling water if you like, and serve a tangy sumac-ade over ice.
We celebrate morel mushrooms (Morchellaceae) in the spring and early summer but during the later, hotter months at least three other edible mushrooms are displaying their tantalizing wares: oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), chantarelles (Cantharellus cibarius), and puffballs (Calvatia gigantea), which can grow to the size of a soccer ball over night, can be abundant this time of year depending on conditions and the whims of these slightly mysterious beings. Cut them up into bite-sized pieces, and sautee them in butter, garlic, sherry, tamari, or whatever you like. Chewey and rich in flavor, they're a fabulous substitute for commercially grown mushrooms, chicken, tofu, fish, and the like. How about a stroganoff with chantarelles and puffballs in a white sauce over spaghetti squash? Of course, if you're collecting wild mushrooms, be sure you or whomever is with you knows these species, since many mushroom varieties are poisonous.
And finally, purslane (portulaca oleracea)--that lowliest (quite literally, as it lies close to the ground), most ordinary of 'weeds'. Turns out there's more to purslane than meets the eye. For one thing, it tastes really great (a purslane lasagna recipe, courtesy of Sylvie Gudin, is at the end of this article) and sports more omega 3 fatty acids than broccoli. It is also reported to be high in vitamin C. It shares a Latin 'root' with porcelain, I imagine because of the smooth, shiny texture of its leaves and reddish stems. It was Ghandi's favorite food, according to Wild Man Steve Brill. As a kid, I remember that purslane could be counted on to grow in the cracks of sidewalks and in bare, sandy patches where other plants dare not tread. I never realized (and as I was an avowed juvenile vegetable hater, it's probably best my mother didn't either) how tasty and nutritious it is. Beware of spurge, a different-looking poisonous creeping wild plant that sometimes grows near purslane. The stem is wiry, not thick, and it gives off a white, milky sap when you break it.
Seeking out local and particularly natural occuring food sources is more than a novelty experience. It is a mistake to minimize 'value' to mean nothing more than the price per pound of a particular food. Remember that eating locally, particularly plants which grow quite happily on their own without any petroleum-based 'help' or any other interference from human beings, is good on many levels. We know that 'it takes a village to raise a child', and that as human beings we live best when we know ourselves to be a valued member of a community; well, the community of which we are a part extends far beyond our human world. Just as it's hard to dehumanize a person if you interact with them personally, the natural world, when we acknowledge ourselves in community with it, becomes a familiar, beloved, and reliable friend.
'Lasagna Portulaca' with White Sauce
Cook the lasagna noodles and set aside
Sautee Purslane with garlic and mushrooms
Add spinach, chard, kale, etc., if you like
Stir in eggs and sour cream into the sauteed vegetables
Layer ingredients in a baking pan, alternating noodles, vegetable mixture and white sauce. Top with parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until parmesan is melted and slightly browned.
]]>As part of the application process, the applicant was required to provide an antidegradation demonstration to show how the potential lowering of water quality is necessary to support important social and economic development in the area.
The DEQ's permit denial is based on rebuttals provided by Leonidas Township, local residents and other organizations to the statements contained in that antidegradation demonstration, which showed that neither the social or economic benefits listed in the antidegradation demonstration would benefit the local community.
One of the assertions in the antidegradation demonstration is that the CAFO will create jobs as a benefit; however, figures provided during the public comment period showed that any jobs provided by the CAFO will lower the median wage level in the township and replace higher paying jobs and family income at smaller farms. Another benefit given is that the CAFO will provide a long-term stable market for local crops and will help preserve rural character, open spaces, and wildlife habitat. This was also disputed by the public comments which demonstrated that hauling the large amount of manure over the township's roads will damage the rural character, and that the presence of the CAFO would result in a decline in property values and be detrimental to the sustainable tourism market in the area.