Featured Event: 

Looking ahead to July, think about attending this exciting New England Grain Conference! Click here for more info.

Farm of the Month:
  

Hettie Belle Farm is a local, pasture-based family farm raising 100% grass-fed and organically raised meats and poultry for Monadnock families through a meat CSA!

Located in the heart of the village of Warwick, MA on the New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts border we are raising beef cows, sheep, pigs, turkeys, chickens and ducks on pasture.  Hettie Belle Farm is a true village farm comprised of pasture-land owned and leased, as well as many generous arrangements with neighbors who see animals as a welcomed alternative to mowing high quality food stuff.

Central to our family and farm is the land we steward. Our cows and sheep are 100% grass-fed. They have as much of mama's milk as they want, are moved through our pastures daily May to November and fed local hay throughout the winter. Our pigs are pastured in a large hedgerow where they root day and night. Our chickens, ducks and turkeys spend their entire lives on grass. The animals themselves play a central role in the continual improvement of soil fertility and the overall productivity of the farm as well as adding to the quaint New England scenery we all value.

With a deep commitment to purity of product, we only feed certified organic grain to our pigs and poultry and all of our animals are 100% antibiotic and hormone free. As parents of young children, who have been raising livestock for years, we are incredibly conscious of the food we build our bodies with. Our commitment to local, organic, 100% grass-fed is uncompromising because we believe that good meat actively contributes to a landscape, local economy and community that we want to leave for our children.

Join us and become one of our member families! Shares are comprised of a total of 60+ pounds of meat and poultry distributed over 5 monthly pick-ups (November - March) of roughly 12+ pounds each. Shares are distributed monthly at Hannah Grimes Marketplace.

In total, members can expect to receive:

15 pounds 100% grass-fed beef

20 pounds organically fed pork

10 pounds 100% grass-fed lamb

10-12 pounds organically fed chicken (equal to 2 whole roasting chickens)

6-9 pounds organically fed duck (1 whole duck)

Holiday turkeys available by order.

Lots more details at www.hettiebellefarm.com!

Photo courtesy of Chiot's Run, chronicle of an organic garden

Saag

Delicious Nutritious Creamed Spinach Indian Dish

From Tracie's Community Farm, found in *Seasonal Recipes from CSA Farms of the Monadnock Region*

First wilt 2 pounds of greens with 1 to 4 whole chilies. Puree in food processor.

Heat 2 TBS butter or oil, add 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 onion chopped finely, 1+ clove chopped garlic, and chopped cashews if desired. Saute until onions are brown.

Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes and saute until broken down.

Add greens, 1 cup milk, warm and then salt to taste.

Add fresh cilantro and serve with rice and/or Indian flatbread (I use burritos as my flatbread and fry in pan).

Bok Choy with Hot Bacon Sauce 

From Fertile Fields Farm, found in *Seasonal Recipes from CSA Farms of the Monadnock Region*

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS vinegar

2 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chili sauce

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 TBS cooking oil

3 cups chopped bok choy

Combine all but cooking oil and bok choy in a saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add bok choy and stir-fry until crisp and tender. Place hot sauce over it when ready to serve.

North Country Smokehouse bacon

available at Hannah Grimes Marketplace

*To purchase this great book filled with over 100 recipes from local CSA farms, visit the Tracie's Communitiy Farm website. 

News from Sandor Katz 

By Mary Ann Kristiansen, Hannah Grimes Center

Several years ago Sandor Katz, author of Wild Fermentation, hosted a memorable fermentation workshop for the Monadnock Localvores at Alyson's Orchard -- 80 people showed up to learn how to make naturally fermented sauerkraut, peaches and kombucha.  Here is an update from him and something to do with your juniper berries -- I know I had a bumper crop this year.  If you would like to join his email list, you can send him an email

sandorkraut@wildfermentation.com. 

"I've been in semi-seclusion trying to get my new book written. It's another book on fermentation, more in-depth, more ferments, more variations (many contributed by readers of Wild Fermentation and people who have written to me), more exploration of underlying processes, and more troubleshooting. The new book is coming along, but slowly. I'm currently projecting completing the manuscript by September. I've been doing lots of experiments. Lately I've been malting barley, making saké, hammanatto, and one of my new favorites, smreka, a tonic beverage from Bosnia. Smreka could not be simpler to make: Place about 2 cups (½ liter) of juniper berries in a gallon (4 liter) jug, and fill it with water. No sugar or anything else required. Ferment for about a month, stirring or shaking and releasing pressure periodically. Truly delicious. Thanks to Luke Regalbuto and Maggie Levinger of Wild West Ferments for sharing that one with me, and thanks to all of you who shared feedback, ideas, and recipes for the book. I'll keep you posted."