Tasty and Healthy - March 29, 2012

Welcome to this week's newsletter! We're continuing our "freezing" tips and suggestions, and offering some great recipes for side dishes for Easter, including an inexpensive alternative to traditional ham. Recipes are shown below. Some canning information is mentioned below as well.


Joann and Rolo are doing the usual - harvesting, weeding, and planting! 
In addition to the items listed below, the pesticide-free Spinach is trickling in (at this time, you might want to phone to reserve it). We also have a very small field of Flat Leaf Kale. Reservations are suggested for this pesticide-free crop as well. Usually we plant only the curly leaf. We have found that the Flat Leaf wilts a little more quickly. When you get it home, please plop it in cold water. It will come back as vigorously as our other greens, ready for cooking or back in the refrigerator.

We're still busy harvesting pesticide-free cruciferous vegetables! To read all about Cruciferous Veggies and see our farm photos, just click here.

Please phone ahead if you are interested in canning tomatoes. We will purchase your produce when the prices are best.


Please phone if you would like us to bring greens to the satellite locations. It's our way of ensuring the freshest, best quality produce available.

The Red Rhubarb Swiss Chard have proven very popular. Slightly milder than the "White" Chard, this will prove to be a short-term crop with the way the warm temperatures are going. 





Preparing fresh beets is a colorful experience, so you may wish to use gloves when peeling them. Click here for how to process beets and to learn a little about their nutritional qualities. 

Time's Moneyland Magazine wrote an article last August explaining the pros for freezing meals in advance - for convenience, nutritional value, and to save money. Would you like to learn about freezing or canning meats, poultry, fruit and vegetables? "Food-Skills-for-Self-Sufficiency.com" has some great tips. Click Here to get started.


To freeze greens, please check out the "pick your own" website by clicking here for a brief tutorial. Do you enjoy video "how-to's"? Then please click here for a great three and a half minute home movie. Here is one more person's take on freezing Chard. These tips are great for any of the greens we sell on the farm.


For more information about freezing vegetables, please see our page here. Joann also offers Bargain Boxes - these are flats of vegetables ready for someone to dice, chop, or slice and place in baggies for the freezer. For more information about these flats please phone the farm.

Thanks for always brightening our days by visiting one of our locations every week. It's so good seeing familiar faces, sharing recipes, and hearing about your lives. Please feel free to phone the farm for special requests or special orders. We'll do everything we can to accommodate you. If you need something from the Farmers Market in Plant City, it is best to phone by Wednesday afternoon.

Did you know the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regularly makes "surprise" visits to our farm to test our soil and plants? We always pass with flying colors and tests reveal no trace pesticides. For more information about our farming techniques, and the testing we undergo, please click here.

Gran'ma Angie thanks you for the bags! She hopes you will keep on bringing 'em. Thanks for "recycling" your plastic bags with us! It helps us keep prices down.

From the Farmers Market:

Florida tomatoes
Eggplant
Cucumbers
Beautiful HUGE Red Peppers 
and
Red and Green Bell Peppers
Red and Green Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)
Sweet Cubanella Peppers
Poblano Peppers
Radishes
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Baking Potatoes
Florida Red Skin Potatoes
Red and White onions
Celery
Romaine (sweet and super fresh!)
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Lemons
Strawberries
Nice Honey Tangerines
Wonderful Fresh Herbs in 4" pots


Beasley's Pesticide Free Spinach
Beasley's Pesticide Free Flat Leaf Kale
Beasley's Pesticide Free Savoy Cabbage
Beasley's Pesticide Free Beets
Beasley's Pesticide Free Swiss Chard
Beasley's Pesticide Free Collards

Where we will be this week:

Monday - we will be at the Cloverleaf location. If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with us.

Friday - Rolo will be at the Spring Hill location. If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with him.

Saturday - Rolo and Joann will be at the Hernando County Farmers Market on Hwy 19 with nearly 80 other vendors! Come browse, shop, and visit with your neighbors - it's an all 'round enjoyable time. You'll also be supporting local businesses by visiting their booths. If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with us.

Saturday and everyday - Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will be at the Produce Barn until 6PM. Fresh Cut Pesticide-free Greens will be eagerly awaiting you in their little wading pool.


Sunday - Rolo will be at the Towne Square Market Place in Spring Hill near Chili's on Hwy 19 from 8AM-3PM.  If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with him.

For our Calendar of Locations, and special times and dates for March, please click here, or click on the Calendar Tab at the top of this page.

Some of our favorite "freezeables" are shown below.

Freezer Ideas:

Mac N' Greens

Cheesy Squash Casserole

Beet Top and Tomato Casserole

Meal Ideas

Boston Butt with special rub recipe

Sautéed Red Skin Potatoes

The following recipes may be made in advance and frozen.

Scalloped Potatoes with Celery, Onions, Peppers

Simple Recipe Scalloped Potatoes

Quotes for this week:

“Wake up every morning with the thought that

something WONDERFUL

is about to happen."

~ Unknown 

“Life is full of beauty. Take time to notice it. Notice the bumble

bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell

the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the 

fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."

~ Ashley Smith.”

As always, thank you for your encouragement and support. Without you, we wouldn't be able to do what we love most - FARM!


Looking forward to seeing you soon,