Corn Pesto with Rustic Egg Cavatappi

One of my favorite summer meals is fresh corn pesto. On a recent trip to the Mill City Farmers Market my family and I happily stumbled upon an artisan noodle stand. The presentation of the noodles was what immediately drew our attention to the table. I had never seen noodles presented in this manner.  Each variety was laid out in a delicate fashion that highlighted the color, shape, and thickness of the noodle. The couple representing the Dumpling & Strand, Noodlers at Large, were so helpful with the selection of the the perfect noodle for our dish.  Ultimately we chose the  Cavatappi. The spiral shape served as a magnet for the pesto, which resulted in a wonderful burst of flavor in each bite. Without a doubt we will be trying a few of the other noodles in the near future. 

Fourth of July Festivities 2016

This year my family spent our Fourth of July weekend a little differently. Instead of staying in the city for the holiday my family was invited to go camping with family friends at Tettegouche state park which is located on the north shore of Lake Superior. It was a short but eventful and fun trip. We spent the trip going on beautiful hikes through the forests located near Lake Superior, we enjoyed  beautiful bon fires under the star filled sky, and we enjoyed multiple meals, including brats and coffee rubbed skirt steaks from Clanceys Meat and Fish. The brats and skirt steaks were grilled over the campfire which gave the meat a nice smoky flavor.

Working In the Food Industry

I have been working at Clanceys Meat & Fish Market for about two months now, and I never realized how rewarding working in the Food Industry would be. In the time that I have worked at Clanceys, I have realized what goes into preparing high quality food. Every day that I have worked at Clanceys I have learned many new things.  I would truly recommend this job to any teenager. There are many jobs that you can do, you could be washing dishes the whole time like me or you could be making sandwiches. On each shift I have worked with great people, who are willing to share their knowledge. So far I have learned the importance of team work, working efficeintly, and being flexible. I am loving my job and I hope to work there for many more years to come.

Truly Organic

For a few years now our family has been a member of a CSA. What is interesting about this CSA is that the farmer and owner Norm doesn't use any chemicals, pesticides, or chemical sprays. Sometimes being truly organic can pay it's toll. When a blight or the Colorado Potato Beetle strike it can destroy that crop for the entire year. Norm is committed to not using any kind of pesticide or chemical when he is dealing with a species of unwanted bugs. Here is an article that explains what Norm is dealing with and how he is taking action against the army of unwanted pests.

"Colorado Potato Beetle 

The Colorado Potato Beetle is a yearly resident here on the farm. It very much likes both eggplant and potatoes. We find them in all stages from eggs underneath the leaves, to tiny black dots, to big fat slimies ready to pop. The adults are the size of a pinto bean with a hard black and yellow shell.

Our method of control has always been to walk the rows and pinch them. This can take a couple hours for five of us 2x per week for a month or so to keep them in check.   This year I have about a full acre in potatoes and the beetles are out in force. The recommended organically approved insecticide is Entrust at $459 a qt. This would be enough for several applications on my field and would provide quick knockdown from both contact and ingestion. I try to stay away from even organic chemicals if I possibly can.

My latest strategy is to lower my tractor loader and angle it so that as I drive quickly over a row, the potato plants are whipped by the loader and some of the beetles are thrown into the bucket. After a few rounds I proceed to put my foot into the tractor bucket/loader and squish a hundred or so. In ½ an hour I am through the field and I dump a gallon or two of bugs in front of my chickens to enjoy.   I need to do this every couple of days, but it seems to be faster, cheaper, and cleaner than the alternatives."

Good Eats on Road Trip

One great way to enjoy a vacation is to have some quality meals with your family. Home-cooked or at a restaurant, fabulous meals make any trip more enjoyable. Last week, my family took a trip to the North Shore of Lake Superior. The North Shore is not covered with exceptional restaurants. There are two places that I would like to highlight, however.

One of our favorite places to stop is the New Scenic Cafe on Route 61. One of my favorite items on their menu is the Pork Banh Mi. Every great sandwich starts with great bread, and this one is no exception. Their Banh Mi is on a soft and airy baguette. The bread surrounded beautifully seasoned roasted pork, a great pork pate, fresh cilantro, siracha mayo, and wonderfully pickled daikon. It was heavenly. And of course, every great sandwich requires a great drink to wash it down. With my Banh Mi, I had a wonderful creamy root beer, made by Henry Weinhard's Gourmet Sodas.

Another great stop on the North Shore is the Angry Trout Cafe in Grand Marais, Minnesota. The Angry Trout uses fresh fish caught from Lake Superior every morning by local fisherman. One of my favorite dishes at the Angry Trout was the Fish & Chips. The perfectly fried fish--usually whitefish, herring, or lake trout at this time of year--is accompanied by fresh coleslaw and french fries. And when we were there, the daily soup was smoked whitefish and trout chowder. A cup of this soup with their Fish & Chips was a very special meal.

We had a number of meals that were more average than these, but I recommend both restaurants if you ever find yourself on the North Shore of Lake Superior.


New Scenic Cafe: http://www.sceniccafe.com/welcome/
Angry Trout Cafe: http://www.angrytroutcafe.com

Father's Day 2014

     Father's Day 2014 was a day to remember. The day started with a splendid breakfast, then a walk along the Mississippi River which is at record level height. We ended the day with a beautiful dinner to celebrate The Greatest Dad!!! In honor of my father we prepared Quinoa Croquettes with a Roasted Tomato Coulis, and Pan Fried Alaskan Cod served over a bed of Sautéed Spring Greens.

     This meal met all expectations. The Quinoa Croquettes made a great side dish. They were prepared with a mix of  zucchini, carrots, and shallots. The Coulis added an extra special flavor.
    The Pan Fried Alaskan Cod from Wild Run Salmon (http://www.wildrunsalmon.com/index.html) was divine. The bed of sautéed greens accompanied the fish and croquettes perfectly.

    The Alaskan Cod was seasoned  with salt, pepper, butter, and rosemary. A very simple way to cook Cod or any kind of fish. Cooking the Cod this way really brought out the flavor of the fish. 

    I would like to give a shout out to the Wild Run Salmon fishing company, they provided great Fresh Alaskan Cod for this special dinner. So happy we met the Captain of The Blue Ox down at the Mill City Farmer's Market.

The Quinoa Croquet Mixture

The Fish in stage 1  

The fish bathing in Rosemary, Thyme, and Butter

                                                                                             

    

 A perfect plate 

Kohlrabi Slaw from my Birthday

         Kohlrabi Slaw

• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 4 kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and grated
• 2 stalks celery, sliced thin
• 2 carrots, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh onion
• 1/3 cup white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Directions
  
  
  1. Toss the cabbage, kohlrabi, celery, carrot, and onion together in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk the sugar, salt, pepper, celery seed, mayonnaise, and vinegar together in a separate bowl until smooth; pour over the cabbage mixture and stir to coat evenly. Chill in refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

Mozzarella Sticks

Recently I found this recipe that I was eager to make: Homemade Mozzarella Sticks. For many weeks I was trying to convince my mom that this would be a fun dish to make. My original plan was to make them so that during the week when I got home from school I could throw a couple in a pan and have a nice little snack.
My mom had a good idea, she thought we should make the Mozzarella Sticks as a side to Lamb Steak and an Eggplant and Tomato Bake. I was thinking about it and then I realized that this idea would be great for a Sunday night dinner. We hopped in the car and drove to the farmers market where we purchased some very nice Lamb Steaks. All we did to the meat before it went on the grill was sprinkle some salt and pepper and both sides and rub them in olive oil. We put the steaks on for a good 2 1/2 minutes on each side, under high heat. This was just enough time for the steaks to get nice and pink.
My favorite bite of the meal was a small piece of Steak, Mozzarella Stick, and a piece of Eggplant and Tomato Bake. Having multiple bites sent me going to bed feeling good.

Here is the recipe for the Mozzarella Sticks:


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Italian-style dried breadcrumbs
1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
2 (16-ounce) blocks pasteurized mozzarella cut into 4 by 1/2-inch sticks
4 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 cups Marinara Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Stir the bread crumbs, 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl to blend. Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time. Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the fried cheese to plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with the Marinara Sauce.

Marinara Sauce:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Yield: 2 quarts

The Mozzarella Sticks after being Pan Fried

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Burntside trip part 2

       On Thursday Night we rented a Bennington Pontoon for four hours which gave us enough time to visit the whole lake. We saw some really amazing things. Some of the things we saw on the lake were a deer and a foe swimming in the water. This was the first time I have ever seen a swimming deer. I didn't even know that deer could swim. One of the best parts of the ride was going into the north arm of the lake. The north arm was so beautiful. We were the only boat in the area. There were times when we would go about an hour without seeing any other boats. It was hard to imagine that because it was the most beautiful night ever. With a crystal clear lake and the sky without a cloud in sight. We had the timing perfect so that we could be cruising and at the the same time see a gorgeous sunset. 
      One of the highlights for me was the amazing food in the Dinning Room and at the Lounge. I had some very good dishes. I started off the trip with a Walleye Sandwich. On Wednesday Night I had the Burntside Burger. On Saturday the day we were leaving I had the Walleye and Eggs Breakfast. Every meal I had was amazing. After I had the Burntside Burger I had the pie of the day for dessert. The pie was a Cherry and Peach Pie with Toasted Almond Ice Cream. This pie was one of the best pies I have ever had.
   The Walleye Sandwich was pretty simple but the combinations of all of the ingredients made the sandwich heavenly. The sandwich was made with a piece of Walleye sandwiched between a soft and fresh chibatta bread with a roumalade spread. On the side was a leaf of romaine lettuce, a tomato, pickle, and a small serving of homemade french fries. Having this Walleye Sandwich has become a tradition, it is so good that I have to have it.
     The Burntside Burger was the best burger I have had in a long time. It was a half pound burger that I ate most of. Dad helped me by eating a third of the burger. The burger was topped with Bacon, Carmelized Onions, and Cheddar Cheese. On the side there was leaf of romaine lettuce, a tomato, pickle, and a small serving of homemade french fries. What made the burger so good was the fact that it was cooked perfectly and that each flavor of each ingredient mixed together made a great bite. For dessert I had the Cherry and Peach Pie with Toasted Almond Ice Cream. The Pie was crazy good with the mix of the fresh cherry's and peaches and then the Toasted Almond Ice Cream that was not too almondie. The combination of a small bite of pie and then a little ice cream on top made that bite amazing. Having that dessert was the cleanup hitter for me.
     The Walleye and Eggs have also become a tradition for when we have breakfast in the dinning room right before we leave. The cornmeal crusted Walleye was great. The potatoes that were perfectly seasoned and cooked made a great bite with the Walleye. The perfectly crunchy English Muffin dipped in the over easy egg or raspberry jelly spread on top made a fantastic bite. If you wanted to get fancy you could place a little bit of Walleye on the English Muffin with one dip of egg yolk. If you do this you will not regret the decision. 
      This years trip to Burntside Lodge was AWESOME. Many memories were made. Less than 24 hours later I am missing the sound of the water, the slight breeze, and the sound of the loons calling. I am so excited for next years trip.





Links:
http://listeningpointfoundation.org --------- Listening Point

http://listeningpointfoundation.org/listening-point-named-to-national-historic-registry-in-2007/ ------ 
Listening Point Named to National Historic Registry in 2007

http://www.burntside.com -------- Burntside Lodge




      

Me and my small mouth bass

One of the Walleye I caught

The Burntside Burger

Cherry and Peach Pie with Toasted Almond Ice Cream

Walleye and Eggs

Trip to Burntside Lodge 2013

      Recently my family took a trip to the Northern Woods of Minnesota. We were so far north that we were about 10 miles from the Canada/U.S. Border. Our family was staying at Burntside Lodge. Burntside Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes I have seen. What makes it so special is the sunsets, the presence of so many loons, it's clear water, and the occasional  moose, deer, or wolf you might see.  Burntside Lake is also a entry point to the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area). Many people have cabins or houses on Burntside Lake. Some of the houses are really amazing. The only way to get to your cabin is to boat or take a float plane in. Only some residents can access the lake by dirt road. We have been going to Burntside Lodge for two years now. The first year we went for four nights and this year we went big time by going to Burntside Lodge for a week. Going to Burntside Lodge for one week is really a treat. We had a blast.
      We did many things during  our stay. We went for a hike around Bass Lake, we went Walleye fishing on Thursday morning, rented a pontoon so that we could explore Burntside Lake, and had the opportunity to take a guided tour of Listening Point on Friday. The Walleye fishing on Thursday morning was one of the things we did on last years trip. We only went for one fishing outing this year where last year we went for two. We had a very good fishing trip this year.  Our guide to us out on   Garden Lake, which is part of a chain of Lakes with Farm Lake and one other lake in the area. We fished on Farm Lake last year. We put the boat into Farm Lake and sped over to Garden Lake to fish on a beautiful sunny morning. We caught 8 Walleye which gave us 18 smaller sized fillets. Along with the Walleye I caught a big Small Mouth Bass and a few Perch. We made a very good Walleye fish fry on Friday for lunch with the fish we had caught.

Here is the Preparation for a delicious Walleye lunch:

•  Prepare the fish in a simple egg, flour, and bread crumbs coating 
• then we put the fillets in a frying pan and fry the fish until the bread crumbs were golden.

Ingredients:

• 16 small fillets (8 Walleye)
• 2-3 Eggs
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1-2 cups bread crumbs 
• Enough Olive Oil so fish doesn't stick to pan. (Amount of oil will change depending on size of pan)

The amount of flour and bread crumbs will change depending on how big the fillets of the fish 

Before our Fish Fry on Friday we took a tour of Listening Point. Listening Point is located on the South Arm of Burntside Lake which is approximately 4 miles away from Burntside Lodge. Listening Point was a second home to Sigurd and Elizabeth Olson. This second home was their retreat in the woods. On the 36 acres there is a beach, a cove that is bordered with alder and willow, a Sauna that has almost burned down multiple times, and a very cute cabin. This piece of land is truly beautiful. What also makes the land so beautiful is the glaciated greenstone rock on the shoreline. This greenstone is so interesting. When the glaciers were shaping the earth the greenstone was scratched numerous times. Even today you can still see the lines were the glaciers scraped the rock. I was so happy that I got a chance to see this famous piece of land.
    Listening Point is also on the National Register of Historic Places. This happened in 2007. That is also why Listening Point is so beautiful. I will put a link to the article later on in the post.

To read more about the meals I ate including Walleye and the ones that didn't, read my next post!!!!!!
       



Links:
http://listeningpointfoundation.org --------- Listening Point

http://listeningpointfoundation.org/listening-point-named-to-national-historic-registry-in-2007/ ------ 
Listening Point Named to National Historic Registry in 2007

http://www.burntside.com -------- Burntside Lodge




      

Me and my small mouth bass

One of the Walleye I caught

Summer Time Coolers

     After a long, hot day outside do you feel like you need something cold to drink? You want it to be healthy right? This summer I have taken an idea from my brother and turned it into a drink that my we love to make after playing sports all day long. One objective I had was to transform an unhealthy slushy and make a version that would be better for us to drink.
     All you have to have for a 100% more healthy slushy is some fruit juice, ice, and a blender. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can use any kind of fruit juice. My favorite juice to put in a slushy is Orange or Lemonade. If you want a thicker slushy then your best bet is to use a  thicker juice like Orange, Pineapple, or Pineapple Coconut. If you want a lighter slushy than your best bet might be trying a type of Lemonade.
      There isn't a set recipe for the Summer Time Coolers but to make two full glasses of slushy you will need:

• One Cup of juice
• One tray of ice cubes

Once the juice and ice is together in the blender, blend until you like the consistency of the drink. 

This is the simplest recipe ever. Two ingredients. How easy!!!

Freshly made Orange Juice Cooler

Summer Time Pizzas

A few days ago my mom and I made some very delicious pizzas. We had just received  a box from our CSA farm and we wanted to incorporate the produce into the dinner. Which we were able to accomplish. When we had the idea of making a nice meal for a perfect summer night we thought of something easy, making pizzas. We made a Chicken Sausage and Mushroom , a Pesto and Tomato, and last but not least a Pizza with Ricotta Cheese, Dates, and speciality Salami.  I especially liked the taste of the Chicken Sausage because it had Sun Dried Tomatoes in it. The fresh taste of the pesto (which my mom made with Basil from the Kenwood School Garden), mixed perfectly with the ripe tomatoes. My mom thought the Ricotta cheese, dates, and salami pizza was the best pizza on the table. Next time she wants to try to put some basil or arugula on it as well. If you want to make a nice summer meal for the family this combination of pizzas works really well and will provide exceptional tastes for everyone. 

Chicken Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

Pesto and Tomato Pizza

Mongolian Stir-fry

This is one of the dishes that I really enjoyed on our trip to Vermont!

                                                 Mongolian Stir-Fry

1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil (or olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 scallion chopped (for garnish)
fresh lime juice

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch to the tofu in a small bowl and toss to coat.
Add the tofu to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes.

While the tofu is cooking, combine the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, 1/2 cup water and brown sugar. Mix well.
When tofu has browned, add the sauce, stir, then bring to a simmer before reducing heat to low. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until sauce has thickened and reduced.

Serve with brown rice, soba noodles, or green beans, and garnish with green onion and a squeeze of lime.

Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing {vegan, gluten-free}

    Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing 

Ingredients

• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1-2 cups shredded red cabbage, depending on how much crunch you like
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
  
  
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup diced green onions
• ½ cup cashew halves or peanuts (honey-roasted is good)
• Optional: 1 cup edamame or chickpeas
• Fresh lime, for a bit of tang
• For the dressing:
• ¼ cup all natural peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 3 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if desired
• 1 tablespoon honey (use agave if vegan)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Water to thin, if necessary

Instructions

1. To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.
2. To make dressing: Add peanut butter and honey or agave to a medium microwave safe bowl; heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and both sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.
3. Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively you can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however the flavors of the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.
4. Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges if desired.

Vermont 2013

       Recently my family went on a road trip to Michigan and then Vermont. We started the trip by driving to Grand Rapids, Michigan where we joined our grandparents for Michigan State's Grandparent University. After that, we drove 19 hours to Vermont. The driving was long but we made it fun by caravaning with our grandparents and our aunts's family. We started driving at 7:00 a.m. and arrived in Vermont at 12:00 p.m.  
      Once in Vermont we met up with my dad's brother's family. Their house is located on top of a mountain - it is an amazing setting. If you walk up the drive way you can get a spectacular view of all of these mountains including the biggest in it's area, The Killington Mountains. Killington is also the best downhill skiing and snowboarding mountain in the area. Wherever we went we were surrounded by mountains. The driving can be challenging and also quite scenic as they twist and turn through the countryside.
     Now the best thing to talk about: The Food. We made some very good meals at the house and also went out for a few of the meals. One included going to The Long Trail Brewing Pub (I will include the link to Long Trail Brewing Company further on in the post).  Long Trail Brewing is a Company that Brews beers. When you go to the restaurant you can take a self guided tour of the brewery. When I was there I got to see the Pumpkin Ale being put in bottles and then in boxes. It was pretty cool to see. 
     The first morning we were in Vermont we went to Blanche and Bills Pancake House. (I will include the link to Blanche and Bills Pancake House later on in the post).  Going to Blanche and Bills on the first morning of our stay was a perfect way to kick off our stay in Vermont. At Blanche and Bills I had a breakfast sandwich that included bacon, cheddar cheese, and an egg. All of those goodies were sandwiched in-between an english muffin. Blanche and Bills was devastated when hurricane Irene hit. The restaurant re-opened this year on June 14.

      Some of the meals that we had at home included: Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing, Grilled Pizzas topped with sausage, fresh mozzarella, and basil, and a Soba noodle salad with pan fried tofu. One other item that was a big hit for the kiddies was the fresh watermelon juice. To make watermelon juice all you do is put some seedless watermelon in a blender, once the watermelon is blended squeeze some lemon juice into the blended watermelon, and finally blend the two ingredients for about 25 seconds. I will include the recipes for the Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing and Soba Noodle salad with pan fried tofu in different posts.

       On one of the last days of our stay in Vermont we went to the home of King Arthur Flour (I will add the link to King Arthur Flour later on in the post). The building had a gift store that has anything you might need for any kind of baking. The store also sells merchandise and King Arthur Flour in all different sizes. It also just happened to be lunch time. Their was a nice little cafe in the building where we got lunch. All of the breads on the menu are breads made with King Arthur Flour.

     Our trip to Vermont this year was spectacular. What made the memories were the places we went and the activities we did with our family. 

Links

Long Trail Brewing- http://www.longtrail.com

Blanche and Bills Pancake House- http://www.blancheandbills.com

King Arthur Flours- http://www.kingarthurflour.com

Sausage, Basil, and fresh Mozzarella Pizza before
grilling

This is 4th of July spirit at King Arthur Flour

       

My uncle and me grilling Pizzas

Piet sitting in King Arthur's Throne 

CSA Season Reflection for 2012

         

A close-up view of the One Hand of Tomatoes

I Can't handle all of those tomatoes

           













         Joining a CSA farm would be a great thing to do. Not only do you get the freshest food you also have the the chance to help the world. For us we got food all the way from June to December. Nobody would have thought that you would get fresh and local produce in December. But there are multiple ways to do that using Environment friendly methods. For instance using green houses and plant tunnels to grow crops later and earlier into the seasons, allows our CSA farmer to harvest until December. Overall we had a very rewarding year with Earth Dance Farms and then we also had fun in the kitchen making different dishes with the large variety of crops we received. 

             Ever year our CSA Farmer Norm hosts a fall harvest where his members are allowed to come up for half of a day and wander around the farm, take a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, have some nice hot chili, meet some new people, and then get to talk with Norm and ask him questions like he is a celebrity. Our family did not go last year but we did go this year. We had a really fun time. It was a typical fall day in Southern Minnesota, windy, cloudy, and then at the end a little sun which was nice. At the end of the day our whole family came home with 4 very nice pumpkins that we used for Halloween pumpkin carving. Norm’s farm is in a part of Minnesota that is really beautiful every single season of the year. The whole area is very hilly. One thing that I always notice when we go up to Norm’s farm is that there are always many great different skylines. You could be up there for a whole day just studying the skylines and you would not get bored.

With the very warm spring some of Norm’s crops did not grow as much as they have in other years. One crop that did not do as well was his apple crop. The crop was harmed when there was about a week of nice warm weather and all of the beautiful blossoms had come out and then one night a frost landed on his land and all of the blossoms died. Only some of the blossoms survived. Since that frost happened he only had so many apples to give out to his customers. One other crop that did not do as well as he planned were the strawberries. One night an evil group of raccoons decided to come along and eat every single strawberry plant. Not even one plant was left behind. Norm’s wife Laurie found one lucky strawberry but she decided that since all the other strawberry plants were eaten she would enjoy that strawberry all by herself. Hopefully next year that group of evil raccoons will not come back and we will all get to enjoy the strawberries.

 One cool thing that Norm added to his farm where two goats that are really amazing. We got to see them and when we did my brother and I wondered if they like to eat carrot tops, so we gave the carrot tops to them and they were pleased. One other thing that Norm added to his farm is a plant tunnel that allows him to grow plants late into the fall and then he can start growing earlier in the spring. This structure is almost like a greenhouse but instead of planting plants in little cells he can actually plant plants in the ground. 

At one point during the summer, farmer Norm said that he had extra tomatoes and people could purchase an extra hand of tomatoes. My mom did purchase an extra hand of tomatoes thinking that she would be able to handle the amount of tomatoes that came. My mom did not exactly know what an extra hand of tomatoes meant so when the extra hand came she was really surprised. What Norm meant by an “Extra Hand” is that he will send you a whole produce box of tomatoes. With all of these extra tomatoes my mom and I made many tomato sauces, tomato salsas, and a couple of tomato soups. I think that in the future my mom and I will be a little more prepared so when we get a whole produce box of tomatoes. To picture how big the produce boxes are they are about 1-½ feet by 1-½ feet. That’s a lot of tomatoes.

I am so excited for next year and seeing what kinds of new foods we will make with our CSA produce. I will be thinking of Norm as he plans for a new season. I Wonder what our boxes will be full of during 2013. As a family we are committed to support local farmers and eating a healthy diet.