Greetings from the farm. Things are so busy here on the farm I need two of me to keep up. I have thought about asking the local veterinarians about getting myself cloned, but decided that might not be a good idea because most of you would say one of me is more than enough already.
Father's Day weekend has arrived already. And while dad would love a special dinner, he most likely would prefer grilling farm fresh meats at home rather than going to some crowded restaurant. I had extra animals processed this week to hopefully keep up with the demand. I will have my complete line of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and eggs. A good supply of pulled pork has been made. English bacon is ready this week. Janet has started "jamming" so different combinations of strawberry jellies will be available.
For those of you wanting to avoid the Saturday market crowds or get an early start on the weekend, I am at the Grace Community Church farmers market every Friday from 3 until 7 PM. This is just a short hop away, along Alternate Route 40 just before Braddock and next to Trout Liquors. Frozen meats are available early, but I return with fresh meats by 6. We will also have red raspberries, black raspberries, sweet cherries, a few sour cherries, spring onions, and red beets. Sour cherries are in very short supply this year. This is a small market, but there are also baked goods, vegetables, and some crafts available.
Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market,
Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com
Friday, June 18, 2010
Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm
Fresh This Week
- New red potatoes
- Snow peas
- Red Russian kale
- English shelling peas
- Radishes
- Fresh garlic bulbs
... and more!
Notes from the Farm
Busy time at the farm, baled hay yesterday and unloaded in the barn before the rains. Dug some new potatoes till after dark to beat the rain. Our workers picked all day in the rain Thursday to get you fresh produce, by lunch they were drenched! Fresh peas are not easy to pick in the rain. Wet vines all over searching for those pods.
Tomatoes are growing, vines are over 4' tall now. Squash in bloom, beans starting to flower, soon more summer produce will be on it's way. I hope you have enjoyed our offerings so far.
--Farmer Rick
Kale
A member of the cabbage family, kale is a hearty green. As such, it needs to be cooked thoroughly. For best results, blanch kale (boil briefly) before sauteeing with a little olive oil and garlic, or other spices.
Kale is a nutrition powerhouse - 1 cup has 206% the recommended daily value of vitamin A, and 134% of Vitamin C. It's also a good source of fiber--just like many of our CSA items--and has 2 grams of protein per serving. Kale keeps best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. This week's box may have Red Russian Kale (pictured) or Tuscan kale (also known as Lacinato kale), which has a crinkly texture and darker color, earning it the nickname black kale.
Sources: Fine Cooking and NutritionData
Recipe Feature
Crispy Kale Chips
If you think your family won't eat kale, try this. It's important to dry the leaves thoroughly before cooking, or they won't be as crispy.
1 bunch kale
1-2 tbsp olive oil
sprinkle of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder (optional - any combination you wish)
sea salt, to taste (important: add the salt after baking!)
Preheat oven to 350, and line a large cookie sheet (with sides) or baking pan with parchment paper. Wash kale, and dry thoroughly. Cut kale into bite-size pieces. Drizzle olive oil over kale, coating the leaves as evenly as possible. Add spices, if using (but NOT salt yet). Spread the leaves into a thin layer on the parchment, and put in oven for 12-20 minutes. Check at 12 minutes. Kale is done when it is crispy with a texture almost like paper. Do not allow the leaves to brown. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe: modified from Steamy Kitchen
The Week in Farmers Markets
I went to the opening of the North Market Farmers Market yesterday and chatted with both the vendors and the customers. That is kind of my thing. I do volunteer marketing for farmers markets. I like to take the pulse. I chat with people, design logos, organize occasional events like chef's challenges, and post things on facebook. My intent is to help the farmers connect to the consumers with more than just product. So I guess I am kind of a social organizer volunteer. I like to do it. It's fun. I was really excited yesterday because, despite the rain, the vendors were very happy. They were happy with the market location, with the turnout, with selling out of some items on their first day. They were happy with the spot they got in the market, or with the music, or whatever. The customers were happy too. They were happy to have the parking lot of the empty complex full of local food. They were excited about how delicious the cherries were, and were sharing them with other customers because they were so good. In fact, the only feedback I could get about improvements was from my boyfriend, who suggested that the market needed more visible signage and had room for more vendors. This is a really good sign. This market is going to do well. Will Morrow did an excellent job with the variety and quality of vendors that he put together when organizing the market. It really showed. The Market also benefitted awesomely from all of the supporting actors like the Downtown Frederick Partnership, Frederick Tourism, Volt Restaurant, the many bloggers and tweeters and facebookers, and of course all of my friends and their big mouths. And my little sister, who distributed hundreds of door hangers. And my boyfriend, who talked to the restaurateurs and chefs about the market. Thanks to everyone who made it out to the market on a drizzly day, because it had an awesome opening day.
The Shab Row and Everedy Square Farmers Market is today from 3-6. I have been hoping that the North Market Farmers Market will increase traffic to the Everedy Square market. With more people aware that the markets exist, clientele increases for all of the markets. A rising tide floats all boats.
Shannon
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
North Market Farmers Market Opens June 9
Too bad we can't have yesterday's weather today. The air was cool, the sky mostly clear except for a few stray puffy clouds. Today is drizzly with possible thunderstorms...and the opening of the North Market Farmers Market. Will Morrow and I emailed this morning and he is going to go forward rain or shine. People don't melt. Bring an umbrella. The market is at 331 North Market Street in Downtown Frederick, in the lot of the old Carmack-Jays next to Olde Towne Tavern.
The market has 12 vendors, several of which will be familiar to you from the West Frederick and Everedy Square markets. Some will be new to you, and they are new to me too- I am excited to check them out. There is a really good variety of products at the market:
- Glade Link Farm (cut flowers, berries, vegetables)
- Washington Street Gardens (plants and vegetables)
- Tomatoes Etc. (vegetables)
- Lewis Orchard (fruit)
- Bella Terra Farm (vegetables, cut flowers)
- Rettland Farm (Beef, pork, eggs)
- Goose Creek Farm (baked goods, lamb, beef, cut flowers)
- Kiparoo Farms (soap, wool, yarn, handknits)
- Truffle King (chocolates)
- Local Raw Honey
- Pennys Plants (plants and herbs)
- Whitmore Farm (lamb, pork, rabbit, vegetables)
I hope you can make it!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Fresh this Week from Truffle King
Greetings Chocolate Lovers:
What happened to Spring? Seems like we went directly from winter to August. While we can’t change the weather, we can console ourselves; what better way to treat yourself than a box of handmade gourmet truffles?
I am still at the West Frederick Farmer’s Market from 10 am - 1 pm in the rear parking lot of the Physician’s Building at 110 Baughman’s Lane, Frederick (off of US 40) and should be there most Saturdays. Note: I do not attend the Farmer’s Market if it is raining; rain and chocolate just don’t mix.
8 June I will be at the opening Ft. Detrick Farmer’s Market in front of NCIS Library from 11 am - 1:30 pm.
You can continue to stop by the Clustered Spires Pastry Shop (directions on the website) 285 Montevue Lane, Frederick 11 am- 2 pm Tuesday-Saturday and pick some up during the week or call me for alternate pick-up times or for mail orders.
Monthly flavors for JUNE:
DARK (58.5% Cacao)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Heavy Cream Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate
DARK/COFFEE (58.5% Cacao)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Heavy Cream, and Organic Coffee Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate
MILK/RASPBERRY (41% Cacao)
Sweet Milk Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Organic Raspberry Ganache enrobed in
Sweet Milk Chocolate
Yours for good chocolate,
Timothy Miller, Chocolatier
Imperial Chocolate Company
Frederick, MD
301 788-5278
artco@mindspring.com
TruffleKing.com
Friday, June 4, 2010
Local food in the local blogosphere
It's the time of year when the local twitterers and bloggers are posting about their gardens and adventures with local food. Here's a rollup:
frederickfoodie is having a Farmer's Market class at The Kitchen Studio on July 30 & 31 to teach folks how to really work the markets!
April of 1000 pizza doughs posts pictures of her garden that is ACTUALLY GROWING despite fears to the contrary. She also posts pictures of her greens. I am jealous, because I neglected mine so long in my friend's greenhouse that he planted them in his own garden. He said, "you can come visit the farm if you want some lettuce".
Chelsea of figs and twigs is eating greens for breakfast with beans and hot sauce. Sounds very refreshing.
Fred Foodie ate "halibut on a white asparagus risotto with a rhubarb ginger compote for lunch at VOLT last week and it was absolutely the best piece of fish that I have ever had. Just perfectly cooked: moist and flaky. I was sad to finish it. It sounds lame but I actually had a dream about it that night! I don’t usually dream about food. Anybody have food dreams?" I do. I am dreaming of that dish right now. Bryan always does a great job with fish, and the rest of the dish, sprinkled with fresh local ingredients like rhubarb and asparagus, sounds divine. Speaking of restaurants, I learned today that the Tasting Room uses a lot of local produce too. Good to hear.
The Frederick Community Garden Association asks, "What issues do you want to see addressed in our community? " I would like to see greater access of fresh local food to people of all economic backgrounds, particularly in school lunches. I would also like to see a formal connection between the food bank and local farms, and I would like to see a nonprofit food distribution company in Frederick that bridges the distance between farmers and retailers while allowing the farmers to maintain a greater share of profits. Just some thoughts.
House in the Woods is having goat adventures, which you will have to check out for yourself (it's very sweet).
The intermittent gourmet at real food * real life has taken the dirty dozen list of fruits and vegetables (from the Environmental Working Group as published at cnn) that are laden with pesticide residue and has turned it into a cute chart. way to go!
That Farmers Market Chick has joined I support farmers' markets on facebook. Me too! It's a pretty cool page.
Hilda from Volt visited the Elk Run Winery. She goes to the coolest places to learn more about their sources.
I think we are due for a blogger's challenge soon, where we pick a farm fresh product and ask everyone to make something out of it and post pictures. Hmm. I wonder what that will be!
Catching up
Though I haven't been posting much here recently, I have been a busy bee working on farmers market stuff. Here's an update of some cool things that I have been working on that you might enjoy:
“After a 52 year hiatus we're bringing the Farmers Market back to Market Street,” stated Will Morrow of Whitmore Farm, and Market organizer. “The oldest and longest running Farmers Market used to be on Market Street. The original market was established in 1746 and served as the center of agricultural commerce for Frederick County for 212 years!”
Fresh this Week from Cakes for Cause
Farmers’ Market = Good Cause
Each month during the season, Cakes for Cause chooses another local community agency and we donate 10% of our farmers’ market proceeds for the week to them. This Saturday (the 5th) we’ll be donating proceeds to the YMCA of Frederick County to help support their scholarship/campership program. We started out this life as camp counselors…YMCA camp counselors to be exact and we remember how much fun the kiddos had every year (who are we kidding...YMCA camp ROCKS!). Every family in our community can’t give their children that experience so we’d like to support the great programming offered in our cool North End neighborhood. Anyone up to match our portion of the donation???
Cakes for Cause + Baltimore Orioles???
After some good-natured teasing on Facebook about our Executive Director throwing like a girl (ummmmm, she is a girl!), we’re off to a good start for the All Stars Among Us competition from People Magazine. We were nominated to represent the Baltimore Orioles and your vote (multiple votes people…put an intern on it!) will help us bring more exposure to the difficulties that foster care youth face when they don’t have a program like ours. Our program at Moxie gives them 6 months of steady job experience, helps them develop critical life skills, and puts them on a path to successful adulthood. It also puts a new generation of young people out there who take pride in their skills and who love food almost as much as we do. There are too many young people out there who do not have the kinds of positive lasting relationships with adults who can help them transition into adulthood. If you’re a “fan” of what we do in this community and what we would like to do in other communities, please vote for us. Thank you.
The Mission of Cakes for Cause is to empower vulnerable youth and develop social enterprises that engage the community in cultivating meaningful employment and educational opportunities to teach work and life skills. In Frederick, Cakes for Cause operates Moxie Bakery & Café, a social enterprise that trains youth in the hospitality industry.
Cakes for Cause (Administrative Office)
22 South Market Street, Suite 3
Frederick, Maryland 21701
Phone: 301-620-0311
E-mail: info@cakesforcause.org
Moxie Bakery & Cafe (for the sweet stuff!)
629 North Market Street
Frederick, Maryland 21701
Phone: 301-620-0003
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