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Apricot-Glazed Ham
Ingredients:
5lb fully-cooked boneless ham
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cups apricot nectar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
1. Place ham in shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degree oven for one hour and fifteen minutes (or until thermometer reads 140 degrees).
2. With 15 minutes remaining on ham, prepare glaze. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in apricot nectar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly - stirring constantly.
3. Brush ham with glaze. Continue baking ham, brushing occasionally with glaze, for another 15-20 minutes (until pork is 145 degrees throughout).
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Boneless Pork Loin with Herbed Pepper Rub
Ingredients:
1 - 3lb boneless pork loin roast
2 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Pat pork loin dry and coat all sides with dry-herb mix.
3. Place in a shallow roasting pan and roast in 350 degree oven for about one hour or until center of pork is 145 degrees.
4. Remove pork and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Minnesota Grown Gift Ideas
The Minnesota Grown Directory is full of fun, unique, warm and tasty gift ideas. here are just a FEW of the ideas!
WILD RICE
Wild rice has a long standing part of Minnesota history. Wild rice has been grown and harvested in Minnesota long before the first Thanksgiving meal occurred. With 13 wild rice producers in the Minnesota Grown Directory, you can order a 1/2 pound or more and sharing this iconic food with your friends and family. Supplement the wild rice (it's fairly inexpensive!) with a cook book full of ways to incorporate wild rice into meals. Try "Wild Rice, Star of the North: 150 Recipes for a Gourmet Grain" by Michael Dempsey, available at Barnes & Nobel or Amazon online. You can also check your local bookstore, after all, it's Minnesota - there should be tons of cookbooks with wild rice recipes!
MEAT & CHEESE
Meat, cheese and cracker plates are as common as lights and decorations this time of year. Minnesota boasts a wonderful selection of both meat and cheese product. The Minnesota Grown Directory has over 20 dairy producers, including some have cheeses, even goat cheese! The Directory also has nearly 200 meat producers with a wide variety including buffalo, elk, cow, pork and more! Some of these farms offer gift baskets that are perfect for the holiday season.
WINE
Were you invited to a friend/family member's house for dinner? Wine makes the perfect host.hostess gift! Minnesota wine is one of the fastest growing segments of Minnesota agriculture and the Directory now has more than 30 Minnesota farm wineries. Minnesota produces several white, red and dessert wines. Most wineries are open and you can browse their selections online or visit one to find the perfect wine. Some wineries offer tasting rooms, a great way to spend the afternoon.
GIFT BASKETS
The Minnesota Grown Directory has over 20 places that sell gift baskets. Make your holiday easy, order a combination baskets filled with other great Minnesota items. These baskets would be a great gift for both in and out of town guests.
SPECIALTY GIFTS
Do you want to be more creative with your gift? The Minnesota Grown Directory has something to offer for everyone! You can fill someones stockings with homemade jams, jellies, breads or baked goods, honey, maple syrup, or even soup mixes.
Don't forget the over 30 Minnesota Grown members who sell yarn for knitters or warm socks, hats, mittens, sweaters and more made out of local fiber products.
We also have over 10 Minnesota Grown members who make hand-crafted soaps, lotions, candles, decorations and other personal care products!
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Minnesota Grown Facebook
Don't forget to like us on Facebook and to add us to one of your interest lists! An interest list is a new way to organize your friends, fan pages and sort your news feeds. Adding us to one of your interest lists will make it easier for you to follow our page and see our posts. Of course, the best way to stay in touch is to like our comments and photos, participate in our conversations and post to our page. The more active you are with us, the more active we can be with you and also, the more likely you are to see information from us!  If staying up to date with relevant information about what is in season now and Minnesota Grown's activities isn't reason enough, pay attention to our page for FREE GIVEAWAYS! This week, we are giving away a gift basket full of Minnesota Grown items our fans are requesting! So log onto Facebook, tell us what you want to win and pay attention to learn how it can be yours! |
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2012-2013 Minnesota Grown Directory
Find your local Christmas tree farm, meat producer, farmers markets (winter markets too!) and more in the 2012-13 Minnesota Grown Directory. Make sure you get your FREE copy today!
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THANK YOU!!
We appreciate every person who reads this newsletter and supports Minnesota Grown. If you have something related to Minnesota Grown foods that you'd like to know more about- please tell us! :)
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Why should you cut your own Christmas Tree?
The holiday season approaches quickly and rushes by us. If you haven't already, make sure you get out to part take in the festivities of picking out your real Minnesota Grown Christmas tree. A family-friendly, fun and affordable way to get your tree is heading out to the farm and cutting one down yourself. Now don't get scared off right away, it's not completely rugged and is actually enjoyable for people of all ages!  At a cut-your-own farm, you and your family can wonder through the field enjoying the scenic view and fresh air. Some places will have plowed rows and even take you out to the field by tractor ride. Most farms will provide rope and saws to making cutting and transporting your tree easy. Most places will shake, bail and help load your tree for free.  If using the saw and cutting down your own tree doesn't sound fun, you can still enjoy the farm! Most places have pre-cut trees set out on the lot or even in warming houses. Many places will also offer spruce tips, garland, wreaths and some will even make a custom wreath while you wait! Many also have hot coco and cider, cookies, decorations, animals, tractor/wagon rides, and even Santa visits.  By getting out and cutting your own tree, not only are you supporting a sustainable local industry, but you will create a long-lasting memory with your family. Many families say picking out their Christmas tree is their favorite family tradition. Many farms encourage you to stroll through the fields, enjoy the clean fresh air, search for the perfect photography spot of background for your annual picture. 
The Minnesota Grown Directory has over 60 Christmas Tree Farms located across Minnesota. Many cut-your-own Christmas tree farms provide more than just a tree. They provide a wonderful family-friendly experience that everyone will remember.
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Varieties of Trees
There are new and exotic varieties being tested and grown everyday in Minnesota. For example, the Korean Fir is becoming more popular for its full shape, soft needles and unique pine and citrus scent. The list below shows the most commonly grown varieties in Minnesota. Contact your local grower for their specific varieties. They will be happy to talk about varieties that will suit your life style best. You can also hear more about trending styles and preferences for trees! BALSAM FIR A very common tree for Christmas. The needles are .5-1.5 inches long, soft and dark green. Balsam's have a very fragrant pine scent with good needle retention. The branches are layered allowing for good placement of decorations.
FRASER FIR
This tree tends to be the most popular for Christmas trees. The needles are 3/8-1 1/4 inches long, soft dark green in color with a silvery underside. The branches are more open and strong which is great for decorations. Fraser's have one of the best needle retentions and wonderful scents.
SCOTCH PINE This pine has stiff needles that are 1-3 inches in length and that grow in clusters along the branches. Scotch Pines are very full trees with dense foliage. Colors can vary from green to blue-green. They can have crooked trunks, which makes them harder to make stand straight in tree stands. 
CANAAN FIR
This is a newer tree that is often described as a cross between the Balsam & Fraser Firs. The needles are about 1 inch in length and look similar to the Fraser as they are dark in color with a slightly silvery underside. They are also very fragrant like the Balsam Fir.
NORWAY PINE
The Norway pine is the state tree of Minnesota. It's needles are 3-5 inches long and are dark green. Norway pines are very full trees that have great needle retention. 
WHITE PINE
This is a slightly more delicate, but beautiful pine. The needles are very soft and about 2-4 inches in length. White pines have a great scent and excellent needle retention. The branches and needles are not as strong, so this tree should be decorated with length ornaments. 
COLORADO SPRUCE
The needles are about 1 inch in length and are stiff and pointed. The branches are layered and stout, making it a great tree for heavy ornaments or decorations. The color ranges from powdery blue to dark green.  WHITE SPRUCE
Often referred to as the ideal Christmas tree for both full or table-top sizes because of its symmetrical size. The needles are about 1/2-1 inch in length and can be very prickly. 
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Christmas Tree Care Tips
Caring for a real Minnesota Grown Christmas tree is pretty easy - mainly it just takes water! Here are a few tips to get your tree into your house, set-up properly and keep it looking healthy and beautiful throughout the season.
1- If you already got your tree, but aren't quite ready to bring it inside and start decorating - that's okay! Most fresh cut trees can store for several days. Make sure you keep them out of the sun in an area protected from most wind.
2 - Always, always, always make a fresh cut! Most of our farmers recommended cutting off the bottom inch of the trunk right before you put it into the tree stand. They say its always best to make a fresh cut, no matter when the original cut was made. The tree drinks water through the bottom of the stump.
3 - Avoid shimming or tampering with the trunk. (Some people widdle away the sides of the trunk to make it fit in a stand.) The outer layers are the most efficient at taking up water, so it's best to leave them alone!
4 - Drilling a hole into the bottom of the trunk does NOT increase the tree's ability to intake water. Many new tree stands require drilling a hole in the center of the trunk to hold it up, this is fine!
5 - Once your tree is set up, don't forget to water daily! Just plain tap water is fine, there is no need to add any chemicals to the water. Most tree stands should be able to hold about one gallon of water at a time.
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Sponsors
Minnesota Farmers union is the lead sponsor for The Minnesota Grown Directory. They work to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities. They are a nonprofit membership-based organization. Did you know you don't have to be a farmers to be a member?
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