FARM HAPPENINGS
After a few years of dry springs, we can't complain too much about all the rain we have enjoyed this year. Pasture growth has been spectacular and we are looking to start making hay at our Wisconsin farm in the next week which is very early for us. As I was moving the beef herd this evening the fresh pasture was so lush and fragrant I wanted to grab a mouthful myself. Those beeves are happy!
After months of quality issues with the No Corn/No Soy feed for our laying hens, we have decided to switch our main flock at the Dundee farm back to a soy-free organic feed mix that does contain corn, to give them enough energy and nutrients to stay in peak producing form. And since the switch we have noticed our egg production has been steadily increasing. But for now we no longer have soy free/corn free eggs available in the farm store.
However, we do have a new flock of 500 organic laying hens at our Wisconsin farm, and we plan on continuing to feed them the No Corn/No Soy organic feed through the rest of the year. They are just starting to lay a few little pullet eggs, but we expect their production will pick up over the next few weeks and then we can get those No Corn/No Soy eggs back in the store, where they will be labeled differently and likely with a higher price tag reflecting the increased cost of the NC/NS feed.
FARM CAMP SEASON IS APPROACHING
Our first farm camps start in a few weeks, and we still have some room available for the younger groups aged 7-12 years old. If you want to get those kids or grandkids outside in the fresh air and sunshine at the farm this summer be sure to reserve space now. And don't forget we just started the weekly Saturday farm tours so grab a ticket now and join us for this fun and educational outing in the coming weeks.
FREE SHIPPING MEAT BUNDLES OVER $250
We are now offering free shipping on all online orders of $250 or more. We ship 1-day ground to all locations within Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana. Check out our new selection of grass-fed/pasture-raised meat bundles. Most orders are shipped on Monday from the previous week.
FARM STORE UPDATE
We are excited to welcome our first local produce in the store, from Karolina's garden we have fresh radishes and rhubarb this week. As always, grown with certified organic seed, in real organically-managed soil with no chemicals or pesticides.
Other products of note in the farm store:
- Seedlings to get your garden off to a good start, this week we will have tomatoes, sweet and spicy peppers, and herbs. We also still have a good selection of organic fruit and vegetable seeds from Seed Savers Exchange
- Fresh batch of pickled asparagus from Bushel & Pecks
- New in the store Bee Venom products with terrific healing properties.
Karolina still has openings for new members in her CSA program, where you can get a bag of fresh-picked local produce every week. Learn more about her CSA.
WHAT'S UP WITH THE BIRD FLU HYSTERIA?
The media has been all over the most recent outbreak of "bird flu", in particular with reports of a jump of the disease into dairy herds in eight states (Illinois is not one of them). And of the report of one dairy worker that possibly came down with the "bird flu" supposedly due to contact with an infected dairy cow. After seeing this in the headlines I did a little digging and found that the "infected" dairy worker suffered from a pink-eye like condition similar to conjunctivitis and after his one doctor visit was back at work a day later feeling fine. He's not in a hospital, not on his deathbed, no he is feeling fine.
Now a week later the FDA Commissioner is testifying in front of a Senate appropriations committee claiming the bird flu could be "10 times worse than Covid" with a fatality rate of up to 25%? And of course looking for billions of dollars to get ready for the next "pandemic". No doubt funds he would like to dole out to his friends in Big Pharma and the academic researchers trying to figure out how to enhance the bird flu virus to more easily infect humans so they can then make billions from the vaccine that will supposedly stop it. Sound familiar?
Our veterinarian was out to the farm earlier this week doing some pregnancy checks on our dairy herd (yea they are almost all pregnant!) and we talked about the symptoms of the bird flu in dairy cows. He said all the infected cows simply had a drop in production for a few days then recovered and were fine. He said the milk would be very yellow and thick like colostrum which is what the cows produce when they have a calf. So, I'm not worried except losing more of my hard-earned tax dollars to wasted government spending and corruption.
STUFFED GREEN PEPPER WITH FARRO & SAUSAGE RECIPE
Sungold cherry tomato sauce with Italian sausage and farro stuffed into roasted green peppers to make a garden-fresh dinner everyone will love!
Ingredients, for oven
Stove Top Ingredients
For Peppers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Combine all oven ingredients. Lay in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast until caramelized, 20-25 minutes.
- In the meantime, heat 3 tbsp Olive oil in a Dutch oven. Fry the rosemary sprig, around 2 minutes. Set aside. Keep an eye on oil, no smoking.
- Add the smashed garlic, moving around for around 45 seconds. Set aside with rosemary. Leave oil.
- Brown the Italian sausage. Set aside.
- To the Dutch oven, add all contents of the roasting pan, oil and all. Add destemmed rosemary along with the garlic, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato paste, oregano basil, Italian seasonings, Ajika (or Red chili flakes). Cook until mixed well and fragrant.
- Add 2 cups beef broth. Blend all contents.
- Add parmesan rind to blended sauce. Simmer sauce for 2-2.5 hours
- During the last hour of cooking, cook the farro per package instructions but with 2 cups broth rather than water. Drain and put back into the pot it was cooking in. With the heat off and lid on, let the farro steam for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To peppers, tops and bottoms, rub with oil then liberally salt and pepper. Roast until softened but holding their shape, 12-18 minutes.
- Add farro to sauce along with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir to melt. Remove parmesan rind. Pack the peppers with the farro sauce. Top with more cheese and roast in oven until cheese melts, just a few minutes.
For more pictures and tips on preparing this dish, please visit our recipe guru Jackie's food blog My Roots and Recipes
That's all for now, stay healthy out there. We hope to see everyone out at the farm soon!
Cheers,
Cliff, Anna, and the Farm Team
18 comments
It’s not an airport. You don’t need to announce your departure.
Thank you for being truthful about the bird flu nonsense. I have heard/read the same as you about it being a nothing burger but the media hyperbole will be pushing the propaganda, as usual. Don’t let those monsters bring you down!
How to you fight it, though!
You lost me with the big pharma/tax dollars/pandemic denier bs. Unfollowed.