Tasty and Healthy - August 30, 2012

Soggy, sloshy, Labor Day greetings from Beasley Farm! We were lucky not to experience the full impact of Isaac, but the ensuing rain and humidity was more than enough, right? We pray that you are safe, and that your loved ones, too, did not have to endure any hardship from the recent storms.

Have you braved the heat to one of our Spring Hill locations in this summer heat? Try visiting in the morning, when temperatures are more comfortable. We are most happy to serve you, and bring whatever you need.

Currently we are clearing our fields to plant Autumn and Winter Crops.

Pesticide-free Okra is currently being harvested. Have you tried grilling it or roasting it yet? (Recipes on the right)

If interested in SHELLED black-eye peas or zipper peas, please phone the farm to place an order. Peas are in our standard two pound bag. $8 per bag.

Did you know...

vine ripened tomatoes turn color from bottom to top?

Did you know...

1 cup diced or sliced fresh tomatoes is full of nutrients?

• Tomato Gravy provides an interesting, nutrient-rich, flavorful boost to many vegetables, meats and starches. 
• Traditionally served over rice, tomato gravy is great (hot or cold) as a condiment on eggs, sandwiches and wraps, atop meats or potatoes, and mixed with vegetable side dishes. When chilled, blend it with sour cream or yogurt and serve as a relish or dip.
• Rather than french fries or baked potato, try fried eggplant or squash with tomato gravy.
• Great texture and vitamin packed!

Recipe below

As always, 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.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services visits to our farm regularly to test our soil and plants. 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!

From the Farmers Market:

Asparagus
Tomatoes

Eggplant

Cucumbers
Green and Red Bell Peppers
Green Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)

Sweet Cubanella Peppers
Poblano Peppers

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes
White Skin Potatoes

Yellow Squash
Zucchini Squash (very tender!)
Butternut Squash

Yellow Onions
Scallion Onions
Red Radish
Beets

Celery
Cabbage
Romaine

Head Lettuce
FLORIDA Avocados
Lemons

Limes
Gala Apples
Watermelon

Bananas
Shelled Zipper Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)

Shelled Black-eye Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)

From the Farm:

• Reservations being taken for our specialty Traditional Southern Field Peas (phone to order please)
• Pesticide-free Okra

Where we will be this week:

Friday -  Rolo will be at our Spring Hill Drive location next to the Chevron location. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders! 

Saturday - Joann will be at the Hernando County Farmers Market on Hwy 19 with 40 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. 

Saturday and everyday - Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will be at the Produce Barn until 6PM. 

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

Recipes for the Week:

Stuffed Tomatoes

Tomato Gravy

Quotes for this week:

“What day is it?” asked Pooh.

“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. 

“My favorite day,” said Pooh.”

Winnie the Pooh

Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are

to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be

alive - it's such an interesting world. It

wouldn't be half so interesting if we knew

all about everything.

~ Lucky Montgomery

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,

10137 Preston Rd

just off Mondon Hill Road between Hwy 41 and Hwy 50.

Produce Barn is open daily until 6PM

Phone 352-799-6752

When we're busy in the field, our cells keep us available:

352-232-3381 and 352-232-0294

E-mail us Beasley_Farm@tampabay.rr.com

For our Produce Stand locations, dates, and hours please click here.

Please phone the farm to special order Southern Field Peas if you would like them brought to one of our satellite locations.

Tomato Gravy

Tomato Gravy provides an interesting and flavorful boost to many vegetables, meats and starches. 

Traditionally served over rice, tomato gravy is great (hot or cold) as a condiment on sandwiches and wraps. 

When chilled, blend it with sour cream and serve as a relish or dip.

Rather than french fries or baked potato, try fried eggplant with tomato gravy! Great texture and vitamin packed!

Ingredients:

6 medium sized tomatoes

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

4 slices bacon

3 tablespoons flour

garlic powder (to taste)

salt  (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

Method:

• Core the tomatoes and dice into small pieces. Set in sauce pan with water.
• Add chopped onions, diced bell pepper, garlic, salt and pepper to tomato & water and bring to boil, stirring often.
• When mixture comes to boil, set to "simmer", cover pan, and check periodically, stirring, for the next hour.
• Add more water if mixture becomes too pasty.

• Fry bacon until done but not crisp. Cut into pieces, setting aside.

• As the vegetables come to a pasty consistency, mix flour with enough cold water to make
• a smooth paste. Pour vegetables into skillet, stirring constantly while adding the flour mixture.
• Stir until thickened to desired texture.
• Serve hot over rice, potatoes, mashed vegetables, or vegetable sides.
• Tomato gravy is delicious on meats.
• Make larger quantities and freeze in small containers for quick and flavorful meals.

Tasty and Healthy - August 23, 2012

Best Wishes and welcome to this week's newsletter! We're celebrating two birthdays this week at the Farm - Nana Phyllis and Gran'ma Angie! Happy Birthday, ladies!

Have you braved the heat to one of our Spring Hill locations in this summer heat? We are most happy to serve you, and bring whatever you need.

Currently we are clearing our fields to plant Autumn and Winter Crops.

Pesticide-free Okra is still slowly trickling in. Have you tried grilling it or roasting it yet? (Recipes on the right)

If interested in SHELLED black-eye peas, conk peas, or zipper peas, please phone the farm to place an order. Peas are in our standard two pound bag. $8 per bag.

As always, 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.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services visits to our farm to test our soil and plants. 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:

Tomatoes

Eggplant

Cucumbers
Green and Red Bell Peppers
Green Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)

Sweet Cubanella Peppers
Poblano Peppers

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes
White Skin Potatoes

Yellow Squash
Butternut Squash

Yellow Onions
Scallion Onions
Red Radish
Beets

Celery
Cabbage
Romaine

Head Lettuce
FLORIDA Avocados
Lemons

Limes
Naval Oranges
Watermelon

Bananas
Shelled Zipper Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)

Shelled Black-eye Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)
Shelled Conk Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)

From the Farm:

• Reservations being taken for our specialty Traditional Southern Field Peas (phone to order please)
• Pesticide-free Okra

Where we will be this week:

Friday -  Rolo will be at our Spring Hill Drive location next to the Chevron location. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders! 

Saturday - Joann will be at the Hernando County Farmers Market on Hwy 19 with 40 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. 

Saturday and everyday - Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will be at the Produce Barn until 6PM. 

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

Recipes for the Week:

Corn and Poblano Lasagna

Chicken Parmesan

Quotes for this week:

"Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, 

but of little things, in which smiles, and 

kindnesses, and small obligations, given habitually, 

are what win and preserve the heart 

and secure comfort." 

-Sir H. Davy

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.

If you have that awareness, you have good manners,

no matter which fork you use.

~Emily Post, author, etiquette expert (1872-1960)

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,

10137 Preston Rd

just off Mondon Hill Road between Hwy 41 and Hwy 50.

Produce Barn is open daily until 6PM

Phone 352-799-6752

When we're busy in the field, our cells keep us available:

352-232-3381 and 352-232-0294

E-mail us Beasley_Farm@tampabay.rr.com

For our Produce Stand locations, dates, and hours please click here.

Please phone the farm to special order Southern Field Peas if you would like them brought to one of our satellite locations.

Chicken Parmesan

Recipes courtesy  of 

Tyler Florence 

and

Giada de Laurentiis

(photos from Jack's kitchen)

Simple Tomato Sauce:

recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 stalk celery, chopped

• 1 carrot, chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

• 4 to 6 basil leaves

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Chicken Parmesan with Marinara Sauce

Recipe courtesy  of Tyler Florence

(photos from Jack's kitchen)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

• 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves

• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed

• Pinch sugar

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1 cup dried plain bread crumbs

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling

• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

• 1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

   

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil, reserve the rest of the basil for finishing the chicken. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, add the 1 cup parmesan, chopped parsley, and garlic powder Season with salt and pepper and stir with a fork until thoroughly combined.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and arrange the mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and remaining basil. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.

Tasty and Healthy - August 16, 2012

Greetings and welcome to this week's newsletter! Have you been shopping for back-to-school items? If so, an easy dinner might be just the ticket for those long days out.
How about a baked potato bar? Let the family members help by preparing assorted condiments and vegetables for toppings. Or even a baked potato and veggie pizza? Recipes shown below.

Have you driven along Mondon Hill Road from Cooper Terrace, Preston Road to Weatherly Road? Both sides of Mondon Hill Road resemble lakes. Between rains, we are clearing our fields to plant Autumn and Winter Crops.

Pesticide-free Okra is still slowly trickling in. 

If interested in SHELLED black-eye peas, conk peas, or zipper peas, please phone the farm to place an order. Peas are in our standard two pound bag. $8 per bag.

As always, 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.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services visits to our farm to test our soil and plants. 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:

Tomatoes

Eggplant

Cucumbers
Green and Red Bell Peppers
Green Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)

Sweet Cubanella Peppers

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes
White Skin Potatoes

Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Butternut Squash

Yellow Onions
Scallion Onions
Red Radish

Celery
Cabbage
Romaine

Head Lettuce
FLORIDA Avocados
South Carolina Peaches (see our recipes on the right)
Lemons

Limes

Bananas
Shelled Zipper Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)

Shelled Black-eye Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)
Shelled Conk Peas 2lb bags $8 (phone to order)

From the Farm:

• Reservations being taken for our specialty Traditional Southern Field Peas (phone to order please)
• Pesticide-free Okra

Where we will be this week:

Friday -  Rolo will be at our Spring Hill Drive location next to the Chevron location. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders! 

Saturday - Joann will be at the Hernando County Farmers Market on Hwy 19 with 40 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. 

Saturday and everyday - Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will be at the Produce Barn until 6PM. 

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

Recipes for the Week:

How about a Baked Potato Bar and Salad night?

Click here for recipe ideas.

Zucchini Quiche or Custard

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Quotes for this week:

Give thanks for what you are now, 

and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. 

~Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros

Only those who risk going too far will ever know how far they can go.
- T.S. Eliot -

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,

10137 Preston Rd

just off Mondon Hill Road between Hwy 41 and Hwy 50.

Produce Barn is open daily until 6PM

Phone 352-799-6752

When we're busy in the field, our cells keep us available:

352-232-3381 and 352-232-0294

E-mail us Beasley_Farm@tampabay.rr.com

For our Produce Stand locations, dates, and hours please click here.

Please phone the farm to special order Southern Field Peas if you would like them brought to one of our satellite locations.