December 31

Farm Notes

Happy New Years Eve friends!

What are you dreaming up for 2022? This quiet(ish) window of time after Christmas and before NYE is one of my favorite times to be still, reflect, and put some big dreams into the universe. It's time to take stock of the previous 12 months – what worked, what didn't, what gave me energy, what was draining, etc – and start to sketch out what the next 12 months can bring.

I’m also using this quiet time to dig into all the books that have been piling up on my bedside table! I’ve always been a book worm, and back when I first got interested in farming 12+ years ago, there were several books that were absolutely foundational to fueling my passion for growing vegetables. While there’s no question that the best way to get experience with farming/gardening is to just get out in the dirt and learn by doing… it definitely helps to read up and establish a baseline of knowledge! So in case any of you are looking to cozy up with some good gardening-focused books this winter, I’m happy to share a few curated lists of titles that I would personally recommend (a note that I’m sharing Amazon links for these books, but if you can shop at your local bookstore, even better!):

FOR THE BEGINNING GARDENER

FOR FLOWER LOVERS

FOR HERB ENTHUSIASTS

FOR THE EXPERIENCED GARDENER / MARKET FARMER

Also! A reminder that as a thank you for being part of the Farmbelly Club community, I’m gifting free 15-minute garden consultations in January for anyone who wants to dig in and make a game plan for a thriving garden in 2022. Whether you have just a few pots on your front porch or a big dedicated garden space (and everything in between) – let’s get you growing like a pro next season!

To sign up for your free garden/farm consult, please fill out this quick survey by January 7th. After submitting this form, you will be contacted within 1 week to schedule your consult, which will take place on the phone or via Zoom in January 2022.

Kitchen Notes

Balancing cooking with taking care of a newborn means that there are a lot more crock pot/slow cooker meals happening around here! But even if you don’t have a new baby around, I have a feeling we all can use some go-to recipes that only require a little prep, and then can be totally forgotten about until dinner time. Earlier this week, we were craving something hearty and comforting, so I tried out this slow cooked beef short ribs recipe, which I’ve adapted a bit from Taste of Home, and we are BIG fans.

This dish does have a bit of prep to sear the short ribs and then saute + simmer some onions, garlic, tomato paste, red wine etc in the beef fat – but once you combine everything in the slow cooker, it will just do its thing for 6-8 hours on low. There is a final step of turning the remaining liquid in the slow cooker into a luxurious sauce, but I promise that part is SUPER easy and just takes a few extra minutes…. don’t skip that part, because it is divine! We enjoyed these short ribs with some mashed potatoes, which I highly recommend.

Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs

Photo credit: Chelsea’s Messy Apron

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 2 cups carrots (4-6 medium carrots), cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 cup celery (~2 stalks celery), sliced

  • 1 cup beef broth

  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme or rosemary

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 large yellow onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 2 cups dry red wine (or beef broth)

  • 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch

  • 3 tablespoons cold water

PREPARATION

  1. Sprinkle ribs generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. In batches, brown ribs on all sides; transfer to a 4 or 5 qt. slow cooker. Add carrots, celery, beef broth, dried thyme (or rosemary) and bay leaf to the ribs.

  2. Add onions to the same skillet, cook and stir over medium heat 5-6 minutes or until tender. Add minced garlic and tomato paste, cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in 2 cups wine (or beef broth). Bring to a boil, cook 8-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add everything in the pan into the slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender and falling off the bone. Remove ribs and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm.

  3. To make the sauce, transfer cooking juices to a small saucepan; skim off fat and discard the bay leaf. Bring the juices to a boil. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth, then stir into cooking juices. Return to a boil, cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Taste and add additional salt or pepper if needed. Serve sauce with ribs and vegetables.

Today’s Stats

  • Low temp: 58F

  • High temp: 70F

  • Sunrise: 7:28am

  • Sunset: 5:13pm

  • Moon phase: Waning Crescent

  • Additional notes: Partly cloudy and unseasonably warm

December 23

Farm Notes

Happy holidays everyone! I hope you are finding joy, rest, and lots of delicious meals in this season, which I know can also be a pretty darn stressful time of year. While I love getting to travel and celebrate with lots of family over the holidays, this year we’re laying low and spending Christmas here on the farm with a few close family members, and honestly, I’m excited for a quiet holiday at home!

As we look ahead to next year, I want to help YOU set goals + plans for your home gardens! As a thank you for being part of the Farmbelly Club community, I’m gifting free 15-minute garden consultations in January for anyone who wants to dig in and make a game plan for a thriving garden in 2022. Whether you have just a few pots on your front porch or a big dedicated garden space (and everything in between) – let’s get you growing like a pro next season!

To sign up for your garden consult, please fill out this quick survey by January 1st. After submitting this form, you will be contacted within 1 week to schedule your consult, which will take place on the phone or via Zoom in January 2022.

And in case it’s helpful, I put together this printable 2022 Garden Goals Worksheet to help you start thinking about your growing goals for next year. Let’s get growing friends!

Kitchen Notes

If you’re looking for a simple, comforting, and nourishing side dish for the holidays – look no further. This sweet potato, carrot, and parsnip puree is super easy to make and it hits all the flavor notes you could want… sweet, bright, herbaceous, and with a hint of acid thanks to a splash of apple cider vinegar. Enjoy as is, but I like to top it with a vibrant pesto or spiced seeds/nuts for a bit of crunch. A note that if you don’t have parsnips on hand, feel free to sub another vegetable or just use a bit more sweet potato and carrot (about 3lbs total root veggies).

SWEET POTATO, CARROT & PARSNIP PUREE

Serves 4-6

Photo Credit: Peas and Carrots

INGREDIENTS

1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2” pieces

1 lb parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1/2” pieces

1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2” pieces

1/4 cup olive oil

½ cup coconut milk

2 cloves garlic | minced

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION

  • Simmer carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes in salted water until tender, 15-20 mins. 

  • Drain the vegetables and puree with an immersion blender or food processor with olive oil, coconut milk, garlic, thyme, apple cider vinegar, orange zest, salt and pepper.

  • Pulse or puree until the texture is smooth. Add water or more coconut milk if necessary to blend the mixture more easily. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Today’s Stats

  • Low temp: 28F

  • High temp: 49F

  • Sunrise: 7:25am

  • Sunset: 5:08pm

  • Moon phase: Waning Gibbous

  • Additional notes: Cold and clear

December 17

Farm Notes

Let the winter projects commence! In the past week, I was able to place all my seed orders for 2022, order our spring seedlings from Banner Greenhouses, process heaps of excess veggies to fill our freezer, make tons of progress organizing the disaster that is/was our barn, AND we significantly reduced the size of our laying hen flock to make room for a big project that we’re kicking off next year… whew! It’s amazing what you can get done when you aren’t busy outside planting, watering, weeding, trellising, harvesting, washing/packing, etc.

Because y’all get the nitty gritty, behind the scenes look at what’s happening here at the farm, you get to see a before and after of our barn organization workday. As someone who generally tries to keep things tidy and organized, I’m cringing at what a disaster our barn area had become… but after spending a lot of time going through everything and working on a much better labeling system, I’m confident that the barn won’t get this bad ever again… at least I hope not! We do still have some cleaning/organizing to do in there, but it feels SO good to have made some progress this week.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Whew, that felt good!

Another big project that we’re beginning to tackle is bittersweet… after a lot of thought, we’ve decided to downsize our laying hen flock and turn their pasture space into a wild + wonderful perennial garden that will be filled with berries, asparagus, medicinal plants, native wildflowers, etc. Over the past year, I realized it just wasn’t making sense economically to keep a larger flock for selling eggs, and I’m newly inspired to revamp this space to be even more productive and beautiful.

I’m especially looking forward to creating a nice gathering space in this new perennial garden, where we can hold outdoor workshops and classes that we’re eager to start hosting again in 2022. Below are some photos of our smaller flock with their new fencing that has a smaller footprint, and a photo of all the space we can now play with for our perennial garden!

Smaller flock, bigger possibilities..!

Future perennial garden area

Can you tell that I’m excited?! I promise to bring y’all through every step of the process of building out this new garden space, in hopes that it will help inform + inspire some of you in your own home gardens. If you have any specific questions as you start to think about your own growing spaces in the new year, please don't hesitate to reach out! That's what I'm here for. :)

Kitchen Notes

I’m not exaggerating when I say I look forward to making this salad every winter. This shredded brussels sprout salad is colorful, crunchy, a little salty, full of flavor, and it will hold several days in your fridge (so take my advice and double this recipe and enjoy the leftovers)! It does require a bit of patience as you thinly shred all the brussels by hand… but look at it as an opportunity to sharpen up your knife skills. And I know that toasting / removing the skins of the hazelnuts is a bit of extra effort too… but I promise it is absolutely worth it!

SHREDDED BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD WITH apples, TOASTED HAZELNUTS & APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE

Serves 4-6

Photo Credit: Elle Republic

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, thinly shredded

  • 2 Honey Crisp or Pink Lady apples, cut into thin slices

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 3/4 cup hazelnuts

  • Shaved Pecorino (or Parmesan) cheese for topping

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

PREPARATION

  • For the vinaigrette: put all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

  • Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until lightly golden-brown and the skins are peeling away, 10 to 15 minutes (make sure to watch closely so they don’t burn). Transfer the nuts to a clean dish towel, wrap up the nuts, and let steam for a minute. Rub the nuts with the towel to remove as many skins as possible. (Not all of the skins will be removed, which is fine.) Coarsely chop the nuts and set aside.

  • Shave the brussels sprouts as thinly as possible, either by hand with a sharp knife, or carefully using a mandoline to slice as thinly as possible down to the stem, or until the sprout is too short to safely slice. Place the shaved sprouts in a large bowl.

  • Halve and core the apples, then use your knife or mandoline to slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the apple slices in a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning. Pour the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and use your hands to gently massage the dressing into the shaved sprouts, softening them a bit. Add the apples and nuts and toss to combine. Top with shaved Pecorino or Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Today’s Stats

  • Low temp: 55F

  • High temp: 71F

  • Sunrise: 7:22am

  • Sunset: 5:05pm

  • Moon phase: Waxing Gibbous

  • Additional notes: Sunny and unseasonably warm

December 10

Farm Notes

The farm has officially been put “to bed” for the year and dang it feels good! Yesterday we finished cleaning up all the rows, putting away irrigation lines, etc – and then we covered everything up with our silage tarps. These tarps work wonders all winter long, as they smother any remaining weeds, the keep the soil warm and encourage biologic activity underground, and they keep the soil from running away due to winter winds and rain.

Before…

…and after!

Even though there are still a few weeks left in 2021, my mind is already focused on planning for our next season! In recent years, seed companies have been overwhelmed by the growing demand for seeds – which means it’s crucial to get your seed orders in early, or else your favorite varieties may sell out.

This week I placed my seed potato pre-order, which I source from our awesome local farm store. Based on the CSA survey that I sent out to our members, a LOT of people asked for more potatoes in their shares, so we’re definitely going to be scaling up our potato production next season!

Even if you don’t have much space, you can absolutely grow potatoes at home in grow bags – here’s a helpful video tutorial I found online if you’re interested in giving potatoes a try next season.

Listed below are the varieties we’re going to grow (along with info about the number of days from planting to harvest). And if you’re curious about all the nuances of the different varieties, here’s a great catalogue!

  • Dark Red Norland (55-75 days)

  • Red Pontiac (80-85 days)

  • Blackberry (80-90 days)

  • All Blue (100-110)

  • Gold Nugget (90-100 days)

  • German Butterball  (100-110)

  • Terra Rosa (90-100 days)

  • Austrian Crescent (110+ days)

  • Banana (110+ days)

Kitchen Notes

Now that the farm has pretty much been put to bed for the winter, I’ve got a lot more time on my hands to experiment more in the kitchen! Last week some friends got together for a taco party, and I was inspired to make this bright and citrus-y take on a slaw for the meal, and it was a hit! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good mayo-heavy slaw with a big plate of BBQ, but I’m digging how refreshing this slaw was, especially this time of year when I’m craving lots of crunchy + colorful veggies. The recipe below is very forgiving, so feel free to substitute other winter veggies you have on hand for the slaw, and if you don’t have lime or orange juice you can certainly use lemon juice instead.

Winter Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium green or red cabbage, shredded

  • 4-6 carrots, shredded or thinly sliced

  • 4-6 radishes, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions/green onions

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

  • 1/4 cup pepitas/pumpkin seeds (optional)

  • Zest and juice from 1 orange (about 1 teaspoon zest and 1/4 cup juice)

  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, from 2 limes

  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

  • 1/3 cup olive oil

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

  • 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Combine all of the veggies, fresh herbs, and pumpkin seeds (if using) in a large bowl.

  2. In a mason jar, combine the lime and orange juice, olive oil, minced garlic, honey or maple syrup, mustard, salt, and pepper and shake well to make the vinaigrette.

  3. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies and use your hands to toss until well combined. If possible, dress the slaw at least 30 minutes before eating. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed – I often add a bit more lime juice and salt to give the slaw a bit more punch.

Today’s Stats

  • Low temp: 33F

  • High temp: 49F

  • Sunrise: 7:16am

  • Sunset: 5:03pm

  • Moon phase: Waxing Crescent

  • Additional notes: Clear and chilly

December 3

Farm Notes

Well friends, we’ve officially wrapped up our 2021 growing season!

Yesterday marked the last pickup for our fall CSA, and it was a real good one (see photo below for our full share box). In addition to growing heaps of veggies for lots of families this year, we also grew our family by one with this sweet babe and we couldn’t be more grateful. It takes a village to run a farm AND to raise a baby, and we really do have the best village.

While our CSA has come to an end for the year, our work on the farm is never really over! We have a looong list of winter projects to tackle, starting with putting the farm “to bed” for winter. Our process for winterizing the beds is pretty simple… the key – for large farms to small home gardens – is that the soil should never be left bare. Bare soil can easily wash away due to wind and/or rain, and bare soil is much more likely to be drained of its nutrients and underground biologic activity. One way to cover the soil is by planting cover crops that grow through the winter, while we opt to cover our beds with leaves and then tuck everything in under tarps.

Once a bed has been cleared, we collect heaps of leaves from around the farm and put down a thick layer of leaf matter over all the beds. Next, we will lay silage tarps over the leaf-covered beds, and let everything sit until the spring! All winter long, the leaves will slowly decompose and add organic matter to the soil, and the tarps heap speed up this decomposition + will keep weeds from coming back. This same method can certainly be applied on a home garden scale! Winter is a great time to add nutrients back into your soil, especially after a long and nutrient-extracting growing season. A note that if you need any help with winterizing your garden, I’m happy to help advise, just send me a message.

Another favorite winter activity is digging into all the new seed catalogues! I love pouring through stacks of seed catalogues to dream + scheme for the growing season ahead, flush with (maybe too much) hope and optimism. If you’re looking to order seeds for next year, I recommend placing your orders sooner than later due to all the supply chain issues that we’re facing right now. Here are my go-to sources for purchasing seeds:

Kitchen Notes

Every winter, the humble cabbage starts to make more frequent appearances in my cooking rotation. One of my favorite cabbage recipes has gotta be braised cabbage, but I also love whipping up some sauerkraut! Making your own sauerkraut may seem daunting, but I like to think of sauerkraut as the gateway into fermentation… it’s quick to make, requires no special tools, and it is so gosh darn good for you + your gut. All you do is combine some freshly shredded cabbage with salt, pack it all into a jar, and then wait a few weeks! You can also certainly substitute other vegetables in place of cabbage… shredded carrots, beets, turnips, kohlrabi, etc would all work great too. Keep reading for my full recipe + method:

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

Photo Credit: Abra’s Kitchen

INGREDIENTS + EQUIPMENT

  • 1 medium head green or red cabbage (about 3 pounds)

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon caraway or fennel seeds (optional)

  • 1 quart-sized wide mouth jar with lid

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Prepare jar: Wash your mason jar and lid in hot soapy water, rinse and let air dry.

  • Slice the cabbage: Discard any wilted, limp outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into quarters and trim out the core. Slice each quarter down its length, making 8 wedges. Slice each wedge crosswise into very thin ribbons.

  • Combine the cabbage and salt: Transfer the cabbage to a big mixing bowl and sprinkle the salt and caraway seeds over top. Work the salt and caraway or fennel seeds (if using) into the cabbage by massaging and squeezing the cabbage with your hands until it softens and releases liquid, 5-10 minutes. 

  • Pack the cabbage: Grab handfuls of the cabbage and pack them into the canning jar. Pour any liquid released by the cabbage into the jar. Place one of the larger outer leaves of the cabbage over the surface of the sliced cabbage to keep the cabbage submerged in its liquid.

  • Cover the jar: Cover the mouth of the jar loosely with the lid, or with a cloth secured by a rubber band or twine. 

  • Press the cabbage every few hours: Over the next 24 hours, press down on the cabbage every so often with a clean utensil. As the cabbage releases its liquid, it will become more limp and compact and the liquid will rise over the top of the cabbage.

  • Ferment the cabbage for 1-2 weeks: As it's fermenting, keep out at room temperature and make sure the brine always covers the cabbage. When the sauerkraut tastes great, refrigerate!

  • Storage: Sauerkraut is a fermented product, so it will keep for up to six months refrigerated.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

  • Add extra liquid, if needed: It’s very important for the brine to cover the cabbage at all times. If extra brine is needed, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water and add enough to submerge the cabbage.

  • Canning sauerkraut: You can process sauerkraut for longer storage outside of refrigeration, but the canning process will kill the good bacteria produced by the fermentation process.

  • Skimming: While the sauerkraut is fermenting, you may see bubbles, foam, or white scum. These are all signs of a healthy, happy fermentation process. The scum can be skimmed off the top either during fermentation or before refrigerating.

Today’s Stats

  • Low temp: 43F

  • High temp: 69F

  • Sunrise: 7:11am

  • Sunset: 5:02pm

  • Moon phase: Waning Crescent

  • Additional notes: Sunny and warm (for December)!