Thursday, January 31, 2013

Tasty and Healthy - January 31, 2013

Our best wishes for an enjoyable week. Hope you and yours are doing well and taking pleasure in the little things.

Sometimes we are in such a hurry, we forgot to stop for one minute to admire a bird or a flower or a child's latest endeavor. It's a fascinating world if we take the time to appreciate it.

Isn't the Kale GORGEOUS! I'm smitten with the Beasley Farm Kale!

Red and White Swiss Chard!

Pesticide-free Swiss Chard is now being harvested!

Please phone to special order pesticide-free Swiss Chard.

We do not want to over cut this wonderful plant, because we like to keep our greens as fresh as possible.

They are nutritionally poweer-packed so we prefer bringing you freshly-cut produce.

Winter Salads are delicious!

I've been enjoying salads consisting of romaine, swiss chard, baby bok choy and kale, and all the accompanying goodies. Add a little Feta or Goat cheese, olives and olive oil, or your favorite dressing - mmmm! Yummy! Recipe below

Now is the time to freeze the pesticide-free leafy greens for use all year long. Add them to stews, soups, pasta dishes, and other sides.

NOTE: Many of the winter crops on the farm are struggling with unseasonably warm temperatures. We may have a short season if these very warm temperatures continue.

To see which Winter Crops are currently being harvested on Beasley Farm, please see the highlighted areas below.

How about freezing our pesticide-free greens while they are in season so they can be enjoyed all year long? See our web page for more information on how to freeze greens.

Collards belong to the Cruciferous Family. They are extremely healthful and versatile, full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Please click here for information about Greens.

Because Greens are extremely perishable, we ask our customers to special order them if picking up at a satellite location. At the farm, we keep them in children's swimming pools of water.

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

Broccoli
Spinach
Beets

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

Are you seeing Red?

Tomatoes are nutritional, flavorful wonders - more so than most of us realize - both in their raw state, and when cooked.

Tips about Tomatoes:

Choose ripe tomatoes for maximum vitamins.
For the most antioxidants, including lycopene and beta-carotene, choose the red tomatoes.
Cooking tomatoes releases lycopene, which has a powerhouse of cancer-fighting properties. Because Lycopene is fat-soluble, try using olive oil, or foods rich in omega 3 fats like avocados to more easily absorb lycopene.
Eating several tomato-based meals each week is a healthy gift for your heart and circulatory system.
Try using a tomato sauce over other raw and steamed vegetables for maximum nutritional absorption of both veggies and tomatoes!
Tomatoes are one of the few fruits which can become more nutritionally beneficial after being heated.

For more information, please see our web page here.

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!

We Support Our Troops

Being Harvested on the Farm:

Pesticide-Free Turnip roots

Pesticide-Free Collard Greens

Pesticide-Free Kale

Phone for fresh-frozen Black Eye Peas

From the Farmers Market:

**new** mushrooms!

Florida Tomatoes

Florida Green Tomatoes
Grape Tomatoes
Eggplant

Cucumbers

Green and Red Bell Peppers

Cubanella Sweet Peppers
Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes

White Skin Potatoes

Yellow Onions

Red Radish

Beets

Green Beans

Green Cabbage
Baby Bok Choy
Zucchini
Yellow Squash

Florida Romaine

Lemons

Limes (recipe below)
Bananas

Mangos

Tangelos
Pineapple Oranges

Apples - Green and Red
Honey Dew Melons
Cantaloup Melons
Pineapple

Everyday - until 6PM Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will man the Produce Barn.

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.

(links are in the words under the photos)

Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

Kale, Romaine, Baby Bok Choy Salad with Feta

Fruit Cobbler (try bananas in place of butter)

Tomato Gravy (use over meats, starches and other vegetables)

Quotes for this week:

The way to be respected is to be respectful.

The way to be heard is to listen.

What do you wish to experience? Give it to others,

and you will surely find it appearing and

growing stronger in your own life.

~~Ralph Marston

Be what you are. This is the first step toward

becoming better than you are.

~Julius Charles Hare

We can't say enough how much your encouragement and support mean. Without you, we wouldn't be able to do what we love most - FARM!

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

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.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Are You Seeing Red?

Some General Information about Tomatoes

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?

Tips about Tomatoes:

Choose ripe tomatoes for maximum vitamins.
For the most antioxidants, including lycopene and beta-carotene, choose the red tomatoes.
Cooking tomatoes releases lycopene, which has a powerhouse of cancer-fighting properties. Because Lycopene is fat-soluble, try using olive oil, or foods rich in omega 3 fats like avocados to more easily absorb lycopene.
Eating several tomato-based meals each week is a healthy gift for your heart and circulatory system.
Try using a tomato sauce over other raw and steamed vegetables for maximum nutritional absorption of both veggies and tomatoes!
Tomatoes are one of the few fruits which can become more nutritionally beneficial after being heated.

Raw Tomatoes contain:

Vitamins A, C, K, with smaller amounts of Vitamins E, B, Thiamin, Choline and Folate.

Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Photosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Fluoride

They also provide water, phytosterols, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acides.

Adding cherry tomatoes to salads, sliced tomatoes to sandwiches, and munching on grape tomatoes as snacks is a good way of adding healthy goodness to one's diet.

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, atop meats or potatoes, and mixed with vegetable side dishes. 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!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Tasty and Healthy - January 24, 2013

Bringing you sweet wishes for an enjoyable week. Hope you and yours are doing well and taking pleasure in the little things.

To the left, Kale and Grilled Chicken Breast sandwich, recipe below.

Winter Salads are delicious! I've been enjoying salads consisting of romaine, baby bok choy and kale, and all the accompanying goodies. Add a little Feta or Goat cheese, olives and olive oil, or your favorite dressing - mmmm! Yummy! Recipe below

NOTE: Many of the winter crops on the farm are struggling with unseasonably warm temperatures. We may have a short season if these very warm temperatures continue.

To see which Winter Crops are currently being harvested on Beasley Farm, please see the highlighted areas below.

How about freezing our pesticide-free greens while they are in season so they can be enjoyed all year long? See our web page for more information on how to freeze greens.

Because Collards (shown below) belong to the Cruciferous Family, they are extremely healthful and versatile, full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Please click here for information about Greens.

Because Greens are extremely perishable, we ask our customers to special order them if picking up at a satellite location. At the farm, we keep them in children's swimming pools of water.

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

Red and White Swiss Chard
Broccoli
Spinach
Beets

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

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!

We Support Our Troops

Being Harvested on the Farm:

Pesticide-Free Turnips

Pesticide-Free Collard Greens

Pesticide-Free Kale

Phone for fresh-frozen Black Eye Peas

From the Farmers Market:

Florida Tomatoes

Florida Green Tomatoes
Grape Tomatoes
Eggplant

Cucumbers

Green and Red Bell Peppers

Cubanella Sweet Peppers
Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes

White Skin Potatoes

Yellow Onions

Red Radish

Beets

Green Beans

Green Cabbage
Baby Bok Choy
Zucchini

Florida Romaine

Lemons

Limes (recipe below)
Bananas

Mangos

Tangelos

Apples

Everyday - until 6PM Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will man the Produce Barn.

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!