Tasty and Healthy - December 6, 2012

Greetings! We hope the preparations for upcoming celebrations are enjoyable and relaxing.

Our Winter Crops are growing and growing. "A little rain would be helpful, Mother Nature." However, the Greens and other Winter Crops are thriving. To see what is "going on" in the fields please see the highlighted areas below. 

ONE WEEK ONLY  

PESTICIDE-FREE 

POLE BEAN U-PICK!

price reduction from 2011:

$18 bushel, $10 half bushel

For more details please phone the farm. Our suggestion is to wear old shoes because the fields are wet in the mornings.

Thanks for voting us "Silver" during Best of Hernando awards again this year!

Now that the holiday season is upon us, it's nice to enjoy easily "rustled up" meals. Prepare sauces, chilis, stews, and soups in large quantities. Freeze some for future meals, or refrigerate leftovers to use 3 or 4 nights into the future. Use all the fresh vegetables in your produce drawer, and even the opened bags of frozen veggies which were not completely used at a previous meal. 

Another time saver: 

A rare moment of
rest and relaxation on the farm.

Place seasonings and meat in the crock pot for slow cooking all day. Prepare vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, or regular potatoes into bite sizes or shaped like french fries. Place in sealed baggie. For dinner, turn the oven to 400F, line cookie sheet with parchment paper, and roast the veggies for 30 minutes (give or take). In this way, you have time to kick of your shoes, set the table, get the meat out of the crock pot, and the veggies will be ready just in time. This insures that the vegetables are not overcooked, and that they retain their nutrients and flavor.

Holiday gift giving

Our friends and family enjoy receiving home made zucchini and banana breads, yeast rolls, herbal and sourdough breads, cookies and even refrigerated "sides" for meals during the week like potato salad, mac 'n greens, and chicken enchiladas. Gifts of breads and sides are particularly appreciated during the holiday season, and are perfect for the family members who already "have everything".

We also try to share "hand-made" gifts as much as possible. These are made throughout the year with specific people in mind.

Our Greens are in! 

Because Mustards and Collards belong to the Cruciferous Family, they are extremely healthy and versatile, full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Please click here for full details.

Currently planted on the farm, but not yet ready for harvest:

• Red and White Swiss Chard (another specialty)

• Kale
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Baby Bok Choy
• Beets

If interested in SHELLED black-eye 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 regularly to test our soil and plants. For more information about our farming techniques, and the testing we undergo, please click here. 

A big thanks from Gran'ma Angie for recycling your shopping bags with us. Please keep them coming!

Being Harvested on the Farm:

Pesticide-Free White Radish

Pesticide-Free Turnips
Pesticide-Free Mustard Greens
Pesticide-Free Collard Greens
Pesticide-Free Baby Bok Choy

Phone for fresh-frozen Black Eye Peas

From the Farmers Market:

Florida Tomatoes

Florida Grape Tomatoes

Florida Green Tomatoes

Eggplant

Cucumbers

Pickling Cukes

Green and Red Bell Peppers
Cubanella Sweet Peppers (BEAUTIFUL!)

Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes

White Skin Potatoes

Acorn Squash

Spaghetti Squash

Yellow Onions

Scallion Onions

Purple Onions

Red Radish

Beets

Celery

Cabbage

Romaine

Head Lettuce

Lemons

Limes (recipe below)

Bananas

Red Navel Oranges (Extra Large!)
Tangerines

Red Grapefruit

Fuji Apples

Florida Avocados

Where we will be this week:

Food Truck Rally This Saturday December 8 at

the Hernando County Farmers Market.

Live Entertainment, too!

Human kids and fur kids both get "Photo with Santa" Saturday December 15 at the Hernando County Farmers Market.

Everyday - until 6PM Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will man the Produce Barn. Note: The Farm will be closed on Christmas Day to celebrate with our family.

Monday - 9AM - 2PM We are now serving our north Brooksville customers in the Cloverleaf Farm Mobile Home Park - just off Hwy 41, across from the Hernando County School Compound and south of Croom Road in North Brooksville. Turn into Cloverleaf Farm's main entrance, on the right side by the golf driving range. 

Friday  -  7:30AM - 5PM 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 - 10AM-3PM Joann and Rolo will be at the Hernando County Farmers Market on Hwy 19 with 40 other vendors! Enjoy live entertainment, wonderful food, 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. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders!

Sunday - 9AM-2PM Rolo will be at The Tarpon Springs Sunday Morning Farmers Market in downtown Tarpon Springs (Corner of Alt 19 and Tarpon Ave). A great Pinellas County addition to our satellite locations. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders!

For our Calendar of Locations please click here, or click on the Calendar Tab at the top of this page.

Brazilian Collards

Collard White Bean Soup

Mac 'n Greens (Collards or Mustards)

Lemon Glazed Cookies

Blueberry pan cobbler - EASY -

and may be used with any berries or apples

Quotes for this week:

For listening to the stories of others ... is a kind of water that breaks the fever of our isolation. If we listen closely enough, we are soothed into remembering our common name.
- Mark Nepo

"I've learned that people will forget what 

you said, people will forget what you did, 

people will never forget how you 

made them feel."

-Maya Angelou

"We must not, in trying to think about 

how we can make a big difference, ignore 

the small daily differences we can make 

which, over time, add up to big differences 

that we often cannot foresee."

-Marian Wright Edelman

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

Beasley Farm

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 GREENS or Southern Field Peas if you would like them brought to one of our satellite locations.