September is fast approaching.....

NOFA-NY is hosting its first ever Locavore Challenge to run throughout the month of September 2010. The Locavore Challenge serves multiple functions for NOFA-NY and for the organic movement in NY State. The first is as a general awareness builder, the second is as a membership recruitment initiative and the third is as a major annual fundraiser for the organization. The goal is to have more than 4,000 participants throughout the state involved in this event. I have signed up for a month, but why not sign up even for one day!???

Glucavore

We had a really fantastic evening last Wednesday. A kitchen full of great friends and great food! One of my very good friends was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Our goal for the night was to have a completely local and gluten free evening. We started with an extravagant appetizer pictured, prepared by my husband John, followed by Prime Rib, fresh dug potatoes, swiss chard and for dessert, a beautiful creme brulee, prepared by Ben. WOW

Peeps-One Week Old

The peeps have started getting their wing feathers!

Watermelon

The watermelon are getting big! I planted an heirloom variety named "Astrakhanski Watermelon". It is a Russian variety named for a city near the Caspian Sea. Can not wait to try!

Golden Beets

I had to thin our Heirloom Golden Beets last week. We had the small beets with the greens for dinner. They were super tender and really great tasting. What a pretty yellow color too! Next time I going to slice them and serve cold with oil and vinegar.

The Peeps Are In!

This morning I drove to our post office and picked up a box of chicks! Every year I order birds from Murray McMurray. This batch is a box of meat birds. They are truly adorable! Everyone should hold a peep in their hand at least once in their life! These peeps will grow into meat birds, for the freezer, for us and also for sale. I'll try to post their growth once a week on the blog so you can see them change. They won't stay this cute very long!!

The Pennsylvania Yankee Mercantile

Yesterday I got to visit the Pennsylvania Yankee Mercantile, a new store on Main St. in Penn Yan NY. The store is full of local foods produced all within 100 miles. I bought several items, including lettuce, yogurt, cheese and tomatoes. They had frozen local meats, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, pasta , bread and much much more! Really a nice store! Go support your local farmer and check it out!!!

Summer Squash Pickles

A great way to use up your endless number of Summer Squash is to make pickles. I made these last week with yellow squash, zucchini, Hungarian peppers, and onion. Everything out of the garden!! This will be great while I'm on the Locavore Challenge for snacking! They are really good served with cheese and an awesome appetizer when someone drops by unexpected!!

NY Locavore Challenge

I’ve taken the challenge – have you?
Join me this September as I pledge to eat fresh, local, in season, and organic foods for the month. NOFA-NY [the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York] is hosting its first ever NY Locavore Challenge to run throughout the month. The challenge is set up as a personal challenge for individuals to make a commitment to eat only locally and sustainably produced foods. There are three challenge options available for participants: 1 Day, 1 Week or 1 Month. Participants who choose the Day or Week challenges may select the specific day or week during the month of September that they would like to complete the challenge. The Month challenge runs from September 1st to 30th and all challenges must be completed by September 30th.
Participants register to complete the challenge and pay a nominal fee to participate. The Day Challenge is $5 for NOFA-NY members and $7 for non-members. The Week Challenge is $10 for NOFA-NY members and $15 for non-members. The Month Challenge is $25 for NOFA-NY members and $45 for non-members.
Upon signing up, challengers will receive various amounts of resources and NOFA-NY gifts including buttons, bumper stickers, and bags depending on their registration level.
To see the complete list of resources, challenge rules, and registration details – visit the challenge website: www.nylocavorechallenge.com
Sign up today and learn more about how your food choices affect your health and the environment!
As an added challenge I will be eating only local for the month of August too! I hope to post places, items and ideas to help others get ready for September!

Quotation

"For many decades, humanity has cheated the laws of nature through the hubris of its own intelligence. Or, at least, what we've come to perceive as intelligence, and the technology it has brought forth. We've forgotten that every economy is ultimately an economy that exists only with the blessing of the sun and the land; without these, we have nothing" Ben Hewitt-The Town That Food Saved

Veggie Dinner Last Night

With no kids home last night, John and I decided to have an all vegetable dinner. We picked everything from the garden just before eating! What a meal. Eating food grown in your own backyard is about as local as it gets!!!

Quotation

"The participatory nature of local food systems holds tremendous power, not merely to secure and understand the cycle and source of our nourishment, but to reawaken a sense of responsibility for and toward the communities in which we live. To assume accountability for our food is to assume accountability for our lives." Ben Hewitt, The Town That Food Saved

Dinner Last Night

I love summer! The warm weather is great but more importantly the fresh food! We really enjoyed the local potatoes last night. I served them with our lamb, carrots from last year and Swiss Chard and Zucchini picked from the garden! It really was fantastic!

Organic Potatoes

I had a great surprise yesterday when I visited Galen Farms to purchase Raw Milk. Another milk customer was selling Local Organic Potatoes, Squash and Yellow Beans! I purchased the Organic Yukon Golds! -Having them for dinner tonight with Lamb!

Homemade Black Cherry Icecream

This was fantastic! I'm not a huge fan of Black Cherry ice cream, but this won me over! I made jelly with the juice that I drained off the cherries John had picked me a couple weeks ago...pictured a few posts back. I used the jelly with heavy cream and our eggs! I also saved some of the whole cherries in the freezer and threw a large handful in! Beautiful!!

Thinning the Turnips

I went to thin the turnips yesterday and realized I should have sooner! We had several large ones. I thinned out the larger ones and served them boiled with butter. If anyone has a great turnip recipe, please share!! They are nice boiled, but I would really like another way to prepare them.

Costata Romanesco

I harvested our first summer squash plants this morning. Very excited to try the Italian heirloom green striped zucchini, Costata Romanesco! It is said to be the best tasting squash in the world! We will see.......

Swiss Chard

I harvested more Swiss Chard this morning for the freezer. Our goal is to have a green item on the plate once a day! I have seen several road side stands in Penn Yan with Swiss Chard and Spinach. If you have not had Chard before, you should really give it a try! It is fantastic! This version doesn't get as tall or stalky either-Bietola Da Coste Riccia Da Taglio.

Sweet Black Cherries

Summer is truly flying by too fast. It seems I have not had even a minute to post any news! I will try to make up for it:) Recently John picked me a large bowl of sweet Black Cherries. We have several Cherry trees on our farm. I froze a bag and cooked and drained the rest for jelly!

10 Reasons to Drink Raw Milk

Great article....check it out on-line at.... http://nourishedkitchen.com/10-reasons-drink-raw-milk/ Purchase raw milk from Galens Homestead Acres, located in Clifton Spring New York!
http://www.galenshomesteadacres.blogspot.com/