Something Old, Something New, Something Wild

I was pretty proud of the dinner I made on this past Sunday night. I had a bunch of my chicken's eggs in the fridge, so I decided to make a quiche. Loaded with bacon, cheese, onion and butter, there is nothing that says "comfort food" more than this dish I learned to cook from my mama. We usually reserve it for holiday mornings, but I wanted to splurge a bit (I skipped the crust to reduce a few calories).

Bacon, cheese and onion quiche, acorn squash, and sorrel garnish. Quiche recipe below.

What made this dinner even better was that I cooked up something I never had before, acorn squash. My mother-in-law and good old Betty Crocker instructed me to cut the squash in half, sprinkle with a little sugar (I used Truvia) and salt, add a pat of butter and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. When they halves were done, I scooped the flesh out and served. Can we say, favorite new food!

Now here comes the "wild." I was outside playing with the kids earlier and saw little plants with yellow flowers growing all over the walkway to the house. I was convinced these little greens were edible, so I looked them up. Turns out they were wood sorrel and very tasty. They have a strong lemony flavor. So they were added to the plate as well. I did learn that you can't eat too much because of the high oxalic acid content (which gives them their flavor). Since, I have put some on my sandwiches as well. Love the "free" food.

I'm so glad I am getting more creative in the kitchen. It is such a joy to try new things and try to improve on old favorites. And don't forget to involve the kids. Happy cooking to everyone.

My favorite quiche:

Saute' a cup of onions in one stick of butter and pour into a pie crust (you can just pour into a 8 x 8 baking dish to save some calories)
Add crumbled bacon (about 6 pieces, more if desired)
Add a 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Mix 4 large eggs, 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and a 1/2 cup of milk, salt and pepper
Pour over the onions, bacon and cheese.

Cook for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce temperature to 300 and cook for 30 minutes longer.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

I don't even want to think about how many calories are in one serving!

Incredible Cause for Concern

What is your definition of “farmer?” Apparently to many of the visitors to the Incredible Food Show in Lexington, Ky. this past weekend it is someone who is growing their own food in their backyard or selling at a “Farmer’s” market.

Farm women volunteers, who are part of the CommonGround initiative, went to the Incredible Food Show to engage with the public and answer any questions they may have about how food is produced on their farms. I was able to assist by moderating a panel discussion about food marketing and production concerns, as well as, encourage conversations at the CommonGround booth.

While it seemed everyone was glad we were there, it really shocked me that every time I mentioned to someone that we were there on behalf of farmers to encourage conversation about how food is produced, the instant response was, “Oh, I love that. I visit the Farmer’s Market all the time.” Or, “My sister has a garden. That’s great.”

The Voltaggio brothers - of Top Chef fame - showed the audience at the Incredible Food Show in Lexington how to use every part of local veggies for some very creative and "artful" eating.

Another thing that really got to me was the fact that one of the guest celebrity chefs, Michael Voltaggio (his brother Bryan was also there) made the comment during their show that “produce from local farmers was great, but everything at the grocery store was test tube food grown in a factory.”

Really? Why does everything think that?

I admit 100% that the fruits and vegetables grown right under our noses taste better to the 100th degree. Farmers that have local markets are able to pick the produce at the peak of freshness and can get it to the consumer very quickly. Unfortunately, this makes up a very small portion of the food supply, at least in Kentucky. There is a big push right now to get more local food to our local customers, but it will take some time.

In the meantime, however, the produce farmer in Ohio, or even California, who is large enough to service several grocery stores in our state now has a big “X” on his/her face. Some folks are just convinced that since the farm is not “local” and is producing food on several hundred acres instead of two, that the product is bad, industrial food.

At what point does a farmer or farm become “industrial?” And when did “success” become a bad word in agriculture?

Having visited several Kentucky farms recently, I wish all the best for them. If Mary and Shane Courtney’s vegetable business is thriving, and they are able to add more acres, more labor, and service more customers, I hope that is what they do. And what if they are able to grow enough produce that they can move beyond the local CSAs, wholesale and restaurant markets? Is there a point where they will no longer be considered farmers? Maybe that is when they are able to hire enough help that they can actually take a vacation during the growing/harvest season? Heaven forbid.

We have farmers and farms of all types and sizes, using various production techniques and located in all geographic areas. Some areas are great at growing produce, and other land is best suited for grains or livestock production. I know that it will take all farmers and farms to satisfy the needs of our growing population. Just today I saw the following statistic:

“Up until 1920 more people lived on farms than in cities and it took almost 20 million farms to feed the U.S. population which at the time was about 100 million people. Advances in and modernization of agriculture since then now allows for 6.5 million farms to feed 300 million people in the U.S. and export food to people around the world.”

While some may not like the idea of fewer farmers producing more food, this is our current food reality, and I don’t think it is all bad. Jerome Monroe Smucker of Ohio made apple cider from a few apple trees planted by Johnny “Appleseed” in the late 1800s. As popularity grew beyond the locals, he needed more supplies of fruit and he eventually had to move some of the processing to Washington, where fruit was more plentiful. Now his family’s products are sold all over the world.

Back to Kentucky, many of our grain farmers are selling corn and wheat to the local distilleries for bourbon and other spirits. Those products are also sold worldwide. Our local family grain farmers are selling to the food industry as well. Our wheat ends up in crackers and cookies sold throughout the U.S. at Wal-Mart stores via Siemer Milling in Hopkinsville. Our corn ends up in corn chips sold all over the country via Mesa Foods in Louisville. Weisenberger Mills in Midway has used corn and wheat from local farmers since 1865 to make its baking products.

My hope is that no matter the origin of the food products, the consumer remembers there is a face behind the production of the food ingredients, and that face is local to someone. To me, the term “farmer” goes beyond a person or family growing enough fruits and vegetables for themselves and few folks at a farmer’s market. It goes beyond the person like me with a few chickens in a coop. Farmers are producing food for the masses.

Just a side note before I close – I was also perplexed at literature I saw from Whole Foods at the Incredible Food Show. On the back of a local magazine, they placed an ad that said “Eat Seasonal. Eat Local.” On the front page of their newsletter/coupon book, however, they were advertising a pasta product produced in Italy. To me this is very hypocritical. The whole premise of eating local is to reduce the environmental impact of shipping food all over the place. Why aren’t they selling pasta made from Durum wheat in the good ole USA? Seems like the Pacific Northwest, where Durum is grown by our farmers, is a little more local than Italy. I’m just saying.

Singing the Busy Mom Blues - Dishes in the Sink

It’s been one of those weeks. I’ve been away from my home/office nearly every day this week for work, and as soon as I am home, my family and animals have warranted my full attention. This busy schedule has left little time for blogging, and as usual, the household chores. Toys are everywhere, beds are rarely made, dust dragons lurking in dark corners, and there are a new pile of dishes in the sink every night.

While this may put most OCD moms in a state of panic, I at least can be proud of one aspect of my out-of-order home; more dishes in the sink means less meals out. In fact, every dinner this week has been cooked from ingredients I had at home… no boxes and definitely no fast food cartons and wrappers.

It would be so easy to make the 15 minute trek into town to purchase a ready-made meal for my kids and husband, but I took the high road. This is in no disrespect to moms that choose that route, because I have been there, and still visit that option on occasion. But it has been so rewarding for my soul to cook for my family… and did I mention the fact that I have the “mother lode” of fruits and veggies in the fridge that I don’t want to throw out. It has become harder and harder these days for me to toss food (and money) into the trash.

And while home cooking takes quite a bit more time and gives me a pile of dishes that won’t fit in the dishwasher, this is one chore I have stopped groaning about. I am providing my family nutritious food made from my heart.

Letters to My Food: Dear Chickens

Dear Chickens,

I know you want to get out and enjoy the sun, cool breeze, bugs and lush plant life, but you will stay inside. I am not trying to punish you, but want to keep you safe from the hawk that decided to eat your sister yesterday. In fact, that hawk has eaten several of you the past month, including your most beloved rooster.

Until I can get a nice fence around and over your yard, you will have to remain confined, but I will try to bring you treats for your patience.

Most sincerely,

JE

Broadening My Local Food Horizons

Yesterday my eyes were opened wide to a brand new food world. It was almost like I had been living in an M. Night Shyamalan’s version of a food “Village,” and I had no idea what was on the other side. The best, and most shocking part of this story, is the new world was not too far from my backyard.

My day job took me to Courtney Farms, where we were shooting an educational video series about Kentucky farms, farmers and food. This farm, which recently decided to grow vegetables to replace several tobacco acres, was our first stop for the series. They are growing about 100 different vegetable varieties they sell through CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares and to wholesale markets.

Can you believe it? 100 different types! I think I may eat less than 30 different vegetables on a regular basis. My daughter Eden was able to visit the farm with me, and she also was amazed at the variety. We saw patty pan squash, acorn squash, winter squash, Brussels sprouts, starburst squash, zephyr squash, eggplant, purple peppers, apricot peppers (which were absolutely fabulous, by the way) and more. That was just what had been harvested that morning. In the field we saw Swiss chard, green beans, spinach, radishes and many, many more. I wondered what kind of tizzy the teenage grocery clerk would have been in if I wandered through his/her lane with such fare.

I had the chance to meet and talk with Mary Courtney a couple times before, but this is the first time I was really able to see what she produced. I remembered that she had told me that she and her family will eat the raw vegetables straight out of the field, and my daughter and I were able to do that, too. In fact, Eden almost ate an entire cucumber and was easily coerced into trying one of those sweet apricot peppers. The best part is we were sent home with an assortment of the goodies, and I can’t wait to find recipes so we can enjoy them.

Having been a nearly 100% buy-from-the-grocery-store-chain kind of lady due to convenience and my location, I can now tell you I will definitely be eating more of this fabulous food in the future. If I can’t figure out how to grow my own in the garden I have planned for next year, I will definitely be giving Mary a call. The taste and freshness of her veggies was beyond compare.

But don’t despair, farmers across the U.S. and outside our borders. I will still need you come the first killing Kentucky frost. I have not yet learned the fine art of canning, and I still want my weekly supply of bananas and grapefruits.

You may also be interested in the interview I had with Mary about their production practices – “Why I don’t buy organic, most of the time.”

Eating by Example

When you are a parent, even the smallest milestones make you jump for joy. My most recent jubilation came this past Sunday night; my 2-year-old son ate an entire piece of raw broccoli. What was even more amazing was that I did not even offer it to him. He just took it off of my salad plate and in his mouth it went. I told him that I was so very proud of him and gave him a big hug.

My daughter sat their staring at me wondering why I didn’t give her the same hug, but she has always been a great vegetable connoisseur. I do try to tell her on a regular basis however that I am so happy that she enjoys nutritious food.

My son, on the other hand, has been a bit pickier about his food choices. I was beginning to think that I had done something differently in raising this child since anything green usually hit the floor. I had resorted to “hiding” vegetables in his food. And since I discovered that he is very fond of “salads,” which I am sure is mostly due to the fact there is some kind of dressing masking the taste, I started sharing my salads with him on a regular basis, and he was none the wiser of me including bell peppers and onions in his bites. I also make a chopped broccoli salad quite often that includes many of his other favorites like Craisins, cheese and nuts. And the last few times we have had asparagus, I asked him if he wanted to eat a little tree, and he replied, “Roarrrrr. I eat like a dinosaur.” He did take a couple bites. And carrots and sweet potatoes have also become a few of his more recent favorites.

While these new eating habits did not occur overnight, I am now a true believer that we must show our kids how to eat properly by example. A dose of patience also goes a long way. Now that I feel that I have a true success story, here are a few of my tips to help you steer your kids to eating a larger variety of nutritious foods:

1 – Do not get into the habit of cooking your kids separate meals, especially at dinner time. It’s hard on you and sets your kids up to think they can always eat exactly what they want. And make sure to put a little of everything on their plates.

2 – Do not force your kids to try something new, but bribery works pretty well. Tell your kids they can eat something you know they like if they try what is on their plate. I always try to hold back the bread until after they have eaten an ample supply of veggies.

3 – Dramatize! It may sound silly, but if you make a big deal about how good the vegetables are, they might eventually want try it on their own to satisfy their curiosity.

4 – Get your kids involved in selecting things at the grocery or market. My daughter loves getting her own grocery cart and filling it with all of the fruits and vegetables, especially if she knows she will be eating it later. She is also pretty good at selecting the produce on her own. Nothing makes her more proud then to hear another customer compliment her on her choices. To get my toddler son involved, I make sure to have a conversation with him about all of the different things we buy.

One of the biggest failures I have seen with parents/caregivers is that they think kids won’t like certain foods because they are kids. I have also seen parents/caregivers give up too easily and resort to not-so-healthy choices so the kids have something to eat. But be persistent. If they see you eating and enjoying healthy food choices and also providing good choices, maybe they will learn to love good food as well.

Know Your Story. Write it Down. Share, Share, Share!

I was so incredibly frustrated last night. I had a perfect platform and opportunity to share my “story,” and in my mind, I flopped.

I was invited to be on a panel of women agriculture leaders at a farm women event yesterday. The coordinator wanted us to share how we got to the positions we have today. I was thinking that would not be a problem since I know my life pretty much better than anyone.

I thought it would be good to talk about how I came from a small semi-subsistence farm, my horses led me to an education in agriculture, and the fact that I never thought in a million years I would work for farmers. I also wanted to point out how after so many years, we are finally realizing the importance of empowering women to help share the message of farming and food.

Fortunately I made it through all that, but then my nerves started messing with my head and I completely forgot to share the good stuff, where I and my experience were heading.

Because of this new tool called social media, I am no longer just talking to the local fourth-grade class about grain, creating web pages and trade show displays, or writing content about and for my farmers; I am connecting with people across the country and beyond. While I am not a farmer, my work in the “field” has given me a unique viewpoint, and I now have a way to easily share that with who will listen. Social media also provides a richer learning opportunity. I am more aware of the feelings and struggles of other farmers, whether big or small, modern or traditional. That has helped me lift my blinders to my specific niche and learn to embrace others.

My day job might be “woman in ag,” or as some folks like to call me “corn girl” (which I hate by the way), my most important job is MOM: buyer and preparer of the food. My biggest motivation for involving myself in food and farm conversations is my desire to have the food choices I have today in the future.

Now that I can actually look at what I want to say on the screen, hopefully I will be a little more prepared to share this story when the opportunity presents itself. (FYI: I am one of those visual learners). Or better yet, maybe I, as well as others involved in farming, need to create those opportunities.

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