It’s February, time to sign up for your CSA! Not sure what a CSA is? The acronym stands for “Community Supported Agriculture” a way for farmers and consumers to establish a direct connection, providing an excellent food source for the consumer and a dependable income...
Fall is in the air, and soon it will be time to cozy up in front of the fire, bundled up in plastic and sipping liquid sugar. Wait...what? You were probably thinking more about sipping a pumpkin spiced latte wrapped up in your favorite sweater or blanket. That’s fair,...
When we embrace seasonal eating, we realize the special delight of berries! Where we live, local strawberries appear at the end of May, heralding in summer along with Memorial Day. Following in quick succession are gooseberries, mulberries, raspberries, blueberries...
The tradition of dyeing Easter eggs goes way back, most likely even before Easter itself, to pagan times when spring celebrations included decorating eggs as a symbol of rebirth. For me personally, the ritual goes back to the sixties, a kitchen table covered with...
This post is written by Megan Barr, a true Lady Farmer and co-owner of Abraham's Table Farm in Sandstone, Minnesota. Read more about Megan and her farm at the bottom of this post! I regularly experience tension concerning meal planning. I love it, and at the same...
This week, we're talking about food, but not just any food. We're taking a look at real food, what it is, and why it's important and how you can bring more of it into your life. So what what is slow food to you? Does that mean a home cooked meal? Hand grown veggies? A...
Sourdough gingerbread? This might sound like an odd combination of flavors, but you don’t taste anything sour in this new take on a holiday baking classic. This is a simply delicious, satisfying and nutritious gingerbread recipe. Adding a sourdough starter to the...
What is a slow food practice that you can start right now, with things you already have in your kitchen? Sourdough baking! Sourdough bread is made from fermented dough. The level of fermentation can vary. Basically, the dough that's used in sourdough bread is a mix...
It's time for apples, pears and pumpkins, our seasonal favorites! But how do we choose the most sustainable of these mass produced products? Although farm-grown and pick-your-own options are becoming much more available in certain areas, many people are still...
Nothing says summertime like having a cool drink in the shade. We enjoy a lot of iced drinks here on the farm, especially when the chores keep us outside on hot days. Despite the hundreds of beverage choices on the market, however, there are several reasons we choose...
Making sustainable food choices on a road trip can be a challenge, especially if you really care about sourcing and quality. Options are usually limited to fast food and packaged, shelf stable snacks at gas stations, not even close to the guidelines we like to follow...
One of the biggest challenges in creating a sustainable lifestyle is reducing the amount of plastic we use daily. According to a report cited in this Scientific American article, plastic manufacturing has increased exponentially in this century. Because food storage...
There’s a lot of talk about eating local these days, but as with anything else, it’s not for everybody. Here’s a list of reasons why you might be one of those who’ll want to think twice about this. You should not eat local if; 1) You like your food well traveled. ...
Healthy, hearty winter meal preparation is simple with these “real food” staples on hand. What is "real food"? Real food is organic, seasonal, fresh, non-processed ingredients. Local is best, of course, but getting things fresh from closer-to-home is more of a...
What are microgreens? Microgreens are essentially young, edible leafy greens such as lettuce, beets, sunflowers, radishes, spinach, kale and many more, harvested at 1-3 inches between 2-21 days after planting. Different from sprouts, which are grown in water,...
How do Americans say “I love you” on Valentine’s Day? According to statistics, we do it by spending money - and a lot of it! Here are a few Valentine's Day spending figures to make your heart pound, gleaned from the National Retail Federation’s Valentine’s Day...
Fermented vegetables are not only an easy way to get your probiotics, but a quick way to preserve fresh produce with minimal fuss. Although the foods need refrigeration once they are prepared and last several months as opposed to the year or...
This simple, homemade mayonnaise recipe changes everything! Eating store-bought mayonnaise is like eating chemical goo. Mayonnaise is one of America’s favorite condiments. It’s at the heart of so many of our favorite things. I’m thinking about potato and egg salad,...
Just last week, I was on my way home from a meeting and knew I had limited time there before moving onto the next thing. I was STARVING, my lack of meal planning on both the breakfast and lunch ends had me kicking my low-blood-sugar self. Worst part was - this wasn't...
Folk tradition has it that you should plant potatoes by St. Patrick’s Day. I’m always excited for this early spring task. It’s like opening day for the garden season! It’s easy and fun, too. There’s nothing like sticking a few pieces of potato in the ground and then...
If you read Part 1 of this blog about Eating Wild at the Supermarket, then you know that: Not all fruits and vegetables are created equal. Most of the fruits and vegetables available today are grown, harvested and distributed by large-scale industrial systems. This...
Do you know how to get optimal nutrition out of your vegetables? Everybody agrees it’s a good idea to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Eat as many as possible and you’ll be getting great nutrition. Right? The answer to that is…well maybe, but certainly not always…
We love the four seasons here at the farm and winter is no exception. This year I’ve been hunkered down by the parlor fire working on The Lady Farmer Guide to Slow Living, full of all kinds of ideas, resources, recipes and what have you, due out this spring. (Keep...
This post was originally published a year ago, and we're reviving it because we love butter so much. <3 In all seriousness, in the spirit of slow food and slow living, and heart health (in the month of love!), we love talking about how important it is to include...
What's the Lady Farmer cure for the January doldrums? Planning the next season's garden, of course! There's a jumble of seed catalogs and plant guides that I keep fireside and peruse while visions of veggies dance in my head. This year I'm especially excited to be...
What could be more comforting on a cold winter day than hot chocolate? This delicious winter treat has all the warm and snuggly feels WITHOUT all the sugar, preservatives and chemicals found in most prepared hot chocolate drinks. Even if you’re used to making your...
One day not too long ago during a particularly delicious meal prepared by my eighty-something mom, I asked her how she’d cooked the beans. “Bacon grease,” she said. “...and plenty of salt, on a low simmer all afternoon.” She’d come full circle, at least on the beans....
We were so honored to be a part of the last Makers Meal, a supper series designed to celebrate D.C.'s community of farmers, chefs, florists, & artisans, and to create an opportunity for everyone to gather at the table and explore our area's own terroir and all...
Those of you that have been around here for any time at all already know this, but in case you’re new, I’m telling you now that we are passionate about kefir. You can read all about it and how to make it and why you should be making it here. Anyway, I made a discovery...
Kefir! It’s the superfood you need to know about, a rich, creamy probiotic beverage with the consistency of drinkable yogurt but with many times more nutrients. If you haven’t discovered it yet, then read on. You’re in for a treat! Kefir is an easy, affordable and...