Thursday, January 3, 2013

Tasty and Healthy - January 3, 2013

Is it really 2013?

Today we bring you Lemony Greetings and Our Wishes for a safe, healthy year, with plenty of take-time-to-smell-the-roses moments.

Why Lemony Greetings? It's a new year, time to start some new, inexpensive, healthy habits!

Have you noticed how unusual our weather has been? Warm muggy days and frost-covered mornings. Still, the best part is living without the drudgeries of clearing snow from walks and driveways. But it's wreaking havoc with farmers throughout the state. The crops don't know whether to bloom or hibernate.

One of the healthiest additions to our diets is to add lemon. Very easy to do, just by drinking lemon water all day. We started a regimen several months ago involving a morning elixir of lemon, hot sauce and warm water (Dr. Oz website). But more than that: lemons have been used medicinally for thousands of years, and they taste good. Here are a few reasons for incorporating lemons into one's daily life:

Balances pH (contains citric acid but is one of the most alkaline foods available. Once the citric acid is digested, it does not create further acid in the bod, but reduces the body's acidity.

Help with weight loss Lemons are rich in pectin fiber with alkaline properties which helps negate hunger cravings. Lemons replace essential nutrients helpful to maintaining a healthy weight.

Aids in digestion and waste excretion by flushing out toxins. It is liver's helpful partner and a natural diuretic, assisting the body's purification process and cleansing the urinary tract. Lemon's natural citrate helps prevent and break down kidney stones.

Supports healthy immune system, circulatory system and digestive system.

Rich in vitamin C, helping us fight off germs and promotes healthy skin through the circulatory system by decreasing wrinkles and blemishes. When our bodies and minds are "stressed", Vitamin C is one of the body's warriors, and is the first to be depleted. Replenish it regularly.
Rich in beneficial minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, copper, zinc, manganese, selenium and potassium. Potassium assists with brain and nerve function, helps regulate blood pressure, and can even help with stress and resulting moodiness. Most of the essential minerals needed by our bodies are found in lemon juice.
Dental Hygiene - Lemons' analgesic properties can help relieve toothaches, gum bleeding and even control halitosis.

Add fresh lemon juice to water, tea, coffee, salads, and on top of fruits, veggies and protein sources. For more details about lemons and their healthful benefits, please read our web page here.

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

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

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

Red and White Swiss Chard
Broccoli
Spinach
Beets

We have ONE box of fresh frozen black-eye peas left. 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!

Support Our Troops

Being Harvested on the Farm:

Pesticide-Free Turnips

Pesticide-Free Mustard Greens

Pesticide-Free Collard Greens

Pesticide-Free Kale

Phone for fresh-frozen Black Eye Peas

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

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.

From the Farmers Market:

Florida Tomatoes

Florida Green Tomatoes

Eggplant

Cucumbers

Green and Red Bell Peppers

Cubanella Sweet Peppers
Poblano Peppers

Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)
Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes

White Skin Potatoes

Yellow Onions

Scallion Onions

Purple Onions

Red Radish

Beets

Green Cabbage
Purple Cabbage

Florida Romaine

Florida Head Lettuce

Lemons

Limes (recipe below)

Bananas

Tangelos
White seedless Navels

Fuji Apples

Florida Avocados
Fresh Oregano
Fresh Mint

Where we will be this week:

Please note: we will not be at Clover Leaf this Monday, January 7

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

Monday - Please note: we will not be at Clover Leaf this Monday, January 7 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)

Baked Kale Chips

Collards - Southern Style

Sour Cream Lemon Pound Cake

Grilled Tomatoes

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Quotes for this week:

If you fill your heart with regrets

of yesterday

and the worries of tomorrow,

you have no today

to be thankful for.

unknown author

When you let go of trying to get more of what you don't really need, it frees up oceans of energy to make a difference with what you have. When you make a difference with what you have it expands.
- Lynn Twist -