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Today is the day we leave for France. Hooray! We’re all quite excited, as this will be my daughter’s first trip to Europe.
Part of my preparations this week included scouting around for great local goodies to take with us on our flight. I generally don’t eat airline meals, and I definitely prefer to bring my own food from home rather than buying something at the fast food restaurants you pass by after you get through security.
Inspired by Food Babe’s recent article about healthy, organic travel goodies, I thought I would share my stash as well.
First it was off to Atherton Mill and Market and Old Store Produce, to see what I could find. Atherton Market was a treasure trove of goodies; it is also a great place to pick up a healthy prepared meal the night before a big trip. You can place an order in advance for Beverly’s Gourmet Foods, or stop in and see what she has.
I love Simply Local, and they definitely met my needs this week. Look at all of the wonderful foods they have! I especially liked the dried apples from Perry Lowe Orchards in Moravian Falls, Polka Dot bakery crackers, and the baby greens salad mix from Tega Hills Farm. You can bring your own salad dressing with you through airport security, as long as it is in a 3.4oz container or smaller. If you are travelling internationally, you will want to eat all of your fresh fruits and vegetables before landing!
Cloister Honey was my next stop, where I picked up some honey sticks for the herbal tea I’m bringing along. I always travel with my own tea (sorry, these aren’t local!), my stomach problems tend to flare when I am jet lagged and herbal tea helps calm it down. My daughter also informed me that honey sticks would be the absolute most perfect treat on the plane for her as well.  They also sell the whipped honey in miniature containers; the nicely wrapped set of 3 would make a lovely gift if you often stay with friends or family when you travel.
While I didn’t buy anything this week, Nelly’s Naturals also has some wonderful options. I am a fan of her Ridiculicious stuffed organic figs and dates. Just pop them into a small ziploc bag, and they would be ready to travel! She also has a yummy selection of prepared salads and vegetable curries, although a few of these might have too much liquied to make it through airport security.
Old Store Produce in Huntersville also had some great snacks. Instead of buying a heavily processed granola bar from the grocery store or the airport convenience stores, I’d much rather nibble on the homemade ones made by A Lit’l Tate of Heaven, and sweetened with honey (and a touch of brown sugar). They also sell Fishel’s Moravian Pies, another great option for a pre-vacation meal.
This is what our stash looks like for this trip.
From left to right:
- Strawberries from our CSA share with Bell’s Best Berries
- Honey Sticks, Cloister Honey
- Granola bars, A Lit’l Taste of Heaven
- Rosemary & olive oil sweet potato crackers, Polka Dot Bake Shop
- Sea salt chocolate bar, Black Mountain Chocolate
- Carrot sticks, from CSA share
- NC sweet potato granola, Polka Dot Bake Shop (this is going into our checked luggage, not to be opened until we reach the Loire Valley and have some fresh, local yogurt in hand!)
- Toffee oatmeal cookie, Mrs. W’s
- Dried NC Limbertwig Apples
Plus some lovely lip balm from Whispering Willow.
And, the rest of our stash, consisting of non-local items, looks like this:
From left to right:
- Organic whole grain fig bars from the bulk section at Healthy Home Market
- Dehydrated green beans, also from the bulk section at Healthy Home Market
- A variety of single serve nut butters: Artisana’s organic, raw cacao bliss and cashew butter; Justin’s almond butter
- Righteously Raw ‘Caramel’ Cacao Bar
- Tea: Bigelow Sweet Dreams, Yogi Ginseng Vitality, Trader Joe’s Peppermint
- Unique brand sprouted splits pretzels
- Tasty Organic Fruit snacks
- Organic Blueberries (not pictured)
- Organic oatmeal packets (not pictured)
Put it all together, and it packs down quite small! I also put the healthiest foods on the top…so we eat that first.
 The first time red beets showed up in my CSA box a few years ago, it took me a few minutes just to figure out what they were. A root, surely…but what kind? Once I figured it out I was shocked I couldn’t identify a beetroot on sight.
You see, I grew up in York County, Pennsylvania, and I’m a PA Dutch girl at heart. As a child, there was often a jar of pickled red beet eggs sitting on our kitchen counter marinating. I love these little pink delicacies, and you would think with beets evoking such a strong memory, I would at least be able to recognize a beet when I saw one.
There’s a simple explanation why I couldn’t, and you don’t have to go any farther than the first ingredient in most PA Dutch recipes for red beet eggs: 2 cans 15 oz. beets.
Aha.
I had only ever seen beetroot as a pre-peeled, pre-cooked soft vegetable in a can on the grocery store shelf. Pennsylvania Dutch folks definitely love their canned vegetables (Hanover Foods corporation is in the heart of PA Dutch country, and happens to be the largest independently owned food processor in the US, specializing in canned and frozen vegetables and beans). Unfortunately, as most of you know, mass-produced canned and frozen vegetables have largely replaced home canning in the American kitchen. Hence my inability to recognize this vibrant root.
Nutritional Value
Fast forward to the present: root, stem, or leaf, I have become quite the expert on identifying a beetroot, just the way nature made it. And fresh from the garden, beetroot certainly packs a nutritional punch. For starters, they contain a unique phytonutrient called betalain, discovered by scientists as recently as 2001. Early research is beginning to show that the betalain (also found in prickly pear cacti) is a powerful antioxidant that might provide protection against various stress-related disorders.
Raw beets are an excellent source of folate, providing 37% of our recommended daily intake in one serving. One cup of raw beets also contains:
- 23% of our RDA of manganese,
- 15% of our RDA of fiber, and
- 13% of our RDA of potassium.
Beets are also a good source of Vitamin C, magnesium, and iron.
Storage and Shelf Life
Look for small to medium sized beets that are firm to the touch. In North Carolina, they are typically available during the spring and fall. Both the root and the leaves are edible, but are best stored separately. Store the roots in the refrigerator in an airtight produce bag for up to 3 weeks. Keep the unwashed greens in a separate bag in the refrigerator; they will stay fresh for about four days.
Take care when peeling and slicing beets, as beet juice easily stains pretty much anything it comes into contact with. A squirt of lemon juice will help remove beet stains from your hands.
Ten of my Favorite Ways to Cook with Beets
1. PA Dutch Red Beet Eggs (recipe to be posted tomorrow!)
2. Take the artificial dye out of your red velvet cake by using red beets instead.
3. Add it to hummus.
4. Use beets, along with blueberries, red cabbage, turmeric, or onion skins to create a beautiful array for naturally dyed Easter eggs.
5. Roast them with carrots and glaze with a honey-balsamic sauce.
6. Give roasted beets an Asian twist with the addition of ginger.
7. Add them to a burger, Aussie style.
8. Add grated, raw beet to your next salad.
9. Juice it with carrot, apple, and ginger.
10. Sauté beet greens with garlic and olive oil.
“Grandma knew best.”
That is how California born Chef Steve Pope began his presentation and heritage tasting at 7th Street Public Market this past weekend. Steve’s grandmother always had a pantry, and that pantry was her backyard. To make chicken soup, she started by going out to the backyard and picking out a nice Buckeye or Jersey Giant. The influence of Chef Pope’s grandmother is undeniable; many of his cooking techniques stem from the traditional methods passed down by his German grandparents.
Before getting to the delicious food, however, we heard a very important message from Jim Adkins, from the Carolina Heritage Poultry Coalition. Once upon a time, Jim Adkins worked in the commercial turkey industry, for a ‘small’ breeder who raised one million turkeys each year. These turkeys were not raised in the idyllic farmland that might come to mind. Industrial turkeys are confined to the indoors in extremely crowded conditions of an often windowless barn, subject to artificial light 24 hours a day.
Have you ever thought about why the drumsticks on a grocery store turkey (and chicken for that matter) are so small? The reason for that is due to the fact that an industrially raised turkey is so fat it can’t even walk! That’s how little exercise they get.
That’s not even the worst part. Virtually 100% of turkeys raised in an industrial setting are incapable of reproducing naturally. It is not sustainable, and if left to their own devices, they would become extinct within one generation. Trained employees work 8-10 hours each day to collect semen from the toms, and then spend the next day inseminating all of the female turkeys. This holds true for Butterball, Jennie-O, Cargill, and our North Carolina’s very own Carolina Turkeys.
Good thing we were being served heritage poultry, or you can bet I wouldn’t have touched any of the meat the rest of the night!
If you’re like me, you already knew that industrial turkey = not so good. But what makes heritage poultry a better choice? The following criteria used to classify a bird as heritage shed some light on that question. A heritage bird:
- Is a breed recognized by the American Poultry Association. It will also be listed in the Standards of Perfection book, which currently contains more than 360 breeds of chicken, turkey, duck, geese, and guinea fowl.
- Is able to reproduce naturally.
- Has a long outdoor lifespan. Industrial poultry are what is known as dead-end birds. All they do is eat, sleep, and poop. On the other hand, a heritage bird pastures and forages for its food.
- Grows slowly. The lifespan of an industrial chicken is 42 days. A heritage chicken needs at least 16 weeks before they are ready for processing. A heritage turkey needs 24-28 weeks.
I’m glad I didn’t eat too much of the yummy Anson Mills popcorn that was available before the meal; what followed was truly a feast that awakened all of the senses.
Chef Pope’s first dish was chicken soup in a bouillabaisse. It was rich, creamy, delicious, and most definitely not your run of the mill chicken soup, despite the fact that it was made with just the carcass. Pope explained that a heritage bird is equal in taste and nutritional value to 2-3 industrial birds! And the rich taste and added sweetness in this heritage soup? That is due to the chicken having the length of time to develop a superior, sweeter, and more nutritional bone marrow.
Next up was a small bowl of Tex-Mex caviar, which could easily be made as a one-pot meal for a busy weekday night.
The sliders served were so delicious I almost forgot to take a picture before I ate the whole thing! Chef Pope’s version was made with roasted chicken in an onion and mushroom sauce. It included a seasoning made with rosemary and sage that his grandmother used in her cooking for many years. While chowing down on our sliders, we are informed of the fact that the problem of obesity in America began in the 1960’s. It just so happens that McDonald’s first opened their doors in 1955, and the Big Mac was introduced in 1968. Hmm.
My favorite dish of the night was Bierock, an Eastern European pocket pastry. This is an old peasant dish passed down from farmers. Tonight’s version was made with a Brown Buckeye heritage chicken, cabbage and onion.
One of the common criticisms leveled against local, sustainably raised meats by the average consumer is the cost. In addition to the old adage, ‘you get what you pay for!’, Chef Pope offers a fresh perspective. He counters that you might pay $18 for one heritage bird, but you can get three meals out of it for two people, if you use the whole bird (you might remember our first course, the chicken soup using only the carcass). That comes down to $3/meal per person, and is very economical.
Chef Pope’s chicken pate was made with roasted dark meat, rather than liver, and was topped with an apple jelly and goat cheese. This was the first time I had ever tried a pate, and while the Ritz cracker remained on the plate, I easily gobbled down the rest of it, and particularly liked the subtle enhancement the goat cheese added to the dish.
At this point, we had a short break between dishes to learn about the nutritional difference between grocery store ground turkey and pastured heritage turkey. I knew that, like other sustainable meats, heritage turkey was healthier compared to its industrial counterpart. However, I had no idea the difference between the two was so great. For example, one serving of Butterball ground turkey has 230 calories and 17g fat. Its heritage counterpart only has 140 calories and 5g fat. Most of that extra fat comes from industrial feed, particularly the animal byproducts added to it, which can include ground up chicken. Ugh! An industrial bird does not naturally have trace minerals like iron and chromium, which is also added into the feed. *
Up next was a little meatball glazed in a sweet chili sauce. Chewy and delicious, these would make a great appetizer at a dinner party.
By this point, I wasn’t sure I could eat another bite, but we still had two more dishes to go. Did I mention that heritage poultry is definitely more filling? The next dish that came out was chicken salad, followed by fajitas. The tortillas in the fajita were made just down the street at Lupita Tortilleria y Carniceria on North Tryon Street. They were a wonderful way to end the night.
In the words of Chef Steve Pope, in the end, Grandma did know best. She learned how to live in the structure of her environment. She learned how to create healthy foods for her families. We should all learn from Grandma.
 Wendy Austin-Sellers and Bo Sellers, Concord farmers who are making plans to start raising heritage poultry.  Interesting reading to take home at the end of the night.  The beautiful dessert was from Gelitas - Clara's Gelatin Art. Flowers were from Herr's Fresh Flowers, near Lincolnton. *Keep in mind that an organic, ‘free-range’ heritage turkey raised solely on grain will not differ from an industrial turkey in terms of nutrition. For heritage poultry to be more nutritious, it must be pastured so they can forage for bugs and grass. That’s why it is incredibly important to know your butcher or farmer, so you can ask them how they raise their poultry. Growers and breeders have a story to tell, and it is important for people to know what that story is.
A few types of heritage Breeds:
Chickens: Dominiques, Mottled Javas, Buckeyes, Delewares, Partridge Chanteclers, Barred Plymouth Rock
Turkeys: Bourbon Red, Narragansett
Further Resources:
Chef Steve Pope, The Heritage Chef – A great source for heritage recipes and cooking tips, his website includes recipes for some of the dishes served at the Heritage Poultry Tasting.
The International Center for Poultry – Promoting and protecting standard bred poultry for sustainable farming, marketing, exhibition, and preservation.
Carolina Heritage Poultry Coalition – A coalition of farmers that are committed to growing local, sustainable flocks of heritage poultry and getting them back to the tables of American families.
Eat Wild – A great resource when looking for pastured and heritage poultry where you live, as well as grassfed beef and other sustainably raised meats, dairy, and eggs.
East of Eden Farm – A Huntersville, NC farm dedicated to creating good food with the welfare of the community and creation in mind.
 I love Mark Bittman. He has never been a chef, worked in a restaurant, or had any formal training. These are facts he is completely open and upfront about. Some may wonder why a person with such a lack of training would conceive of writing the hefty cookbooks ‘How to Cook Everything’, and ‘How to Cook Everything Vegetarian’. However, I find his background is exactly why these cookbooks are so great. He is a home cook; his cookbooks are aimed at home cooks. His simple methods are a wonderful resource for people who are a novice in the kitchen, or those weaning themselves off of packaged meals and frozen dinners. He teaches readers how to make easy, whole food meals, without relying on things like condensed soups, gravy packets, and other packaged mixes.
When I use one of his recipes, it is usually as a base to which I add my own inspiration. One such example is the following recipe, which I have adapted from Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian cookbook. You can substitute dried beans for the canned, but this recipe is one of my fail safe meals when I’m extremely short on time. I can usually get this soup on the table within 25 minutes of walking in the door! Don’t let the large ingredient list scare you, this is still incredibly easy to put together. This recipe is not 100% local (I’m still looking for locally grown white beans), and is 4 servings as a main course.
White Bean and Kale Soup
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon butter (Cackleberry Farms)
1 small onion, chopped (sourced from my freezer, it is very easy to buy onion in bulk when in season and freeze it already chopped!)
2 large carrots, chopped (Houston Farms)
1/2 a small cabbage, chopped (Coldwater Creek Farm)
1 15 oz. can organic Cannelloni beans
4 cups homemade vegetable stock (if you don’t have homemade, I recommend Imagine’s Organic Vegetable Broth)
2-inch piece of Parmesan rind
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
pinch of paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 large bunch curly kale (2-3 cups), chopped (Houston Farms)
Directions:
1. Saute onions in butter until translucent. Add in carrots and cabbage, continue cooking for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the cannelloni beans.
2. Add in the beans, vegetable stock, Parmesan rind, bay leaf thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
3. Add in kale, cook for another 5 minutes, just until the kale has wilted, but still has its bright green color.
4. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf. Serve.
It’s that easy! This version makes a very chunky soup. If you like it with more broth, add in another two cups.
 Kale from Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm Dark leafy greens love cool weather, and this month they are in wide abundance at area farmers markets. One of my favorites is definitely kale, a versatile green that lends itself well to sauteing, steaming, braising, and boiling. Kale is also a great addition to soups, stews, and pastas. If you make your own juices or smoothies, kale can make a powerful addition, especially when balanced by a local apple. For those who have an affinity for potato chips, have you ever tried making kale chips? Delicious!
Charlotte area farmers grow several varieties of kale, including Lacinato, Red Russian, and Scottish curly kale, which is what I picked up this week from the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm at Atherton Mill & Market.
Nutritional Value
Often touted as a ‘super-food’ (a word I typically view with a healthy dose of skepticism), kale definitely meets the criteria for a nutrient-rich food. Kale is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, and many nutritionists recommend including cruciferous vegetables into your diet at least 2-3 times per week (Other cruficerous vegetables include brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and bok choy). One cup of raw kale contains 684% of our recommended daily intake for Vitamin K, 206% our RDA for Vitamin A, and 134% of our RDA for Vitamin C. In case you’re wondering what Vitamin K can do for you, it is best known for its role in helping blood clot properly. Vitamin A is crucial in maintaining healthy skin, teeth, and soft tissue, as well as promoting good vision. Extremely nutrient dense, kale is also a good source of minerals such as manganese, copper, calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium.
Storage and Shelf Life
Kale can withstand temperatures into the high teens, which often makes them available from November through March in North Carolina. Kale is typically cut at the stem and sold in bundles at area farmers markets. Curly kale can be found loose, and is often sold in a similar way to baby greens, by the handful. Kale with smaller sized leaves will have a milder flavor than those with larger ones. Once home, store kale in the refrigerator in a produce bag (I recommend these reusable ones) for up to 5 days.
It is very easy to freeze kale for use in spring and summer meals. All you need to do is remove the stems and blanch the leaves in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove to an ice bath, drain excess water, and package in freezer bags, removing any excess air.
Recipes
Here is a selection of a few of my personal favorite kale recipes from around the blogosphere:
- 100daysofrealfood: Kale Chips – A quick and easy kale chips recipe from a fellow Charlotte blogger. Hint: They also taste extremely delicious crumbled and sprinkled over popcorn!
- Vegaliciousrecipes: Gnocchi with Kale & beans – Kale and white beans make a delicious combination (and are highlighted in my soup recipe that will be posted later this week!), and I love this unique combination. I have made this using Rio Bertolini’s spinach or sweet potato gnocchi.
- The Congo Cookbook: Sukuma Wiki - A Swahili phrase literally translated as ‘push the week’, Sukuma Wiki is a dish often used to push the family budget to the end of the week. Lending itself well to variation, this is a great recipe for using up leftover meat from a previous meal.
- Agricultural Institute of Marin: Curried Kale Omelet – Let me tell you, a light bulb went off in my head the very first time I thought to add curry powder into an omelet dish! This recipe is one great way to do it, and you can find a variety of curry powders at Savory Spice Shop at Birkdale Shopping Center in Huntersville, or at Atherton Mill & Market.
- Food Babe: Kickin’ Kale Juice – I really do not like the taste of celery, so I modify this recipe by only adding in one stalk, instead of half a bunch. This is the recipe that recently converted me to a lover of homemade green juices! If I’m out and about and craving a juice, I will have this recipe custom-made at Earthfare’s juice bar, and it is just as delicious!
January was a rough month for us, so this is long overdue. After dealing with fifth disease in all three of us, a virus that progressed to pneumonia in my daughter, and another mystery virus that was quite mild but incredibly energy zapping for me, I’m glad to say everything is completely back to normal in our household! I am very thankful that illnesses are such a rare occurrence in our household (a fact that I definitely contribute to our healthy eating habits).
CSA’s are a great way to support your local farmer. Here is a list of some of the local CSA farms. Most of the CSA’s below are open to new members this season. Just contact the farm you are most interested in for the most up-to-date information.
If you missed Part 1 and Part 2 of this thee part series, you can find them here and here.
Local CSA Farms
 Photo by Michelle Meiklejohn Union County
Bell’s Best Berries
bellsbestberries@gmail.com
704-441-2810
CSA Type: Produce
Deliveries will be from mid-April until the end of October, approximately 6 months of produce. Starting February 1, membership opens to those on the waiting list. There is a $75 membership fee, this also holds your spot, and $100 payable at the first delivery of each month. Bell’s Best Berries uses sustainable farming methods, and no chemicals or pesticides.
This year’s planned crops include:
Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, figs, asparagus, arugula, basil, beets, black beans, cranberry beans, field peas, kidney beans, butter beans, green beans, wax beans, the infamous yard-long beans, broccoli, braising greens, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, chard, collards, corn, cucumbers, cutting celery, edamame, English peas, eggplant, escarole, garlic, onion, peppers of all varieties, kale, kohlrabi, many types of lettuce, micro-mix, mescaline mix, okra, pac choy, summer squash, winter squash, potatoes, pumpkins, raab, radish, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatillos, many types of tomatoes, turnips, and a multitude of fresh herbs. Eggs can be added on for an extra $3.00 per dozen.
Poplar Ridge Farm
Marianne and Philip
info@poplarridgefarmNC.com
704-843-5744
CSA Type: Produce and Flowers
Poplar Ridge Farm is a Certified Organic CSA farm. The spring/summer season begins in mid-May 2012 and runs for 24 weeks. The full-share produce members will receive a full 1/2-3/4 bushel box of produce during each of the season’s 24 weeks. Half share members will receive a full ½ to ¾ bushel box of produce every other week. They also offer a full and half season flower membership, as well as add-ons such as eggs, bread, goat cheese, organic coffee, and poultry.
This year’s planned crops include:
Arugula, beets, blueberries, fennel, bok choy, broccoli raab, carrots, cauliflower, collards, endive, garlic, kale, leeks, mesclun, head lettuce, mustard greens, spring onions, microgreens, potatoes, radishes, salad greens, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, kohlrabi, strawberries, cucumbers, edamame, eggplant, beans, okra, peppers, squash, watermelons, zucchini, turnips, beets, figs.
Concord, and Cabarrus County
Barbee Farms
Brent Barbee
info@barbeefarms.net
980-521-1395
CSA Type: Produce
Barbee Farms offers four CSA seasons each year. The 2012 shares are: Spring, April 19-June 21, 2012; Summer, June 28-August 30, 2012; Fall, September 6 – November 8, 2012; Winter, November 15, 2012 – January 24, 2013. The cost per ten week season is $225 for a full share, and $125 for a half share. Weekly shares are picked up at the farm on Thursdays.
Planned crops include:
Apples, arugula, asparagus, barley, beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, corn, crowder peas, cucumbers, eggplants, garlic, greens, herbs, lettuce, melons, okra, onions, peaches, pecans, peppers, plums, potatoes, radishes, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes.
Coldwater Creek Farm
coldwatercreekfarms@gmail.com
Eric Williamson 704.796.7795
Brad Hinckley 828.406.0849
CSA Type: Produce
The 2012 CSA information for Coldwater Creek will be released at the end of February. Shares will range between $600-1000 and will be broken up into two 15 week sessions. A $100 discount will be giving to members who sign up for the whole 30 weeks. Pick up locations will be on Tuesday’s in Concord, and Saturday’s at both Atherton Mill & Market and Davidson Farmers Market.
Planned crops include:
Apples, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, garlic, garlic scapes, green onions, herbs, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, melons, mizuna, muscadine grapes, mustard greens, okra, pac choy, peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, spinach, squash, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, zucchini.
Lincoln County
New Moon Farm
Suzanne Ballard
Suzanne@organicnc.com
704-775-639
CSA Type: Produce
Offers two twelve-week shares. The first 12 weeks runs from March 31-June 16, 2012. The second twelve weeks will run June 30-Sept 15. The total cost of each 12-week CSA is $265.
 Photo by Stoonn Rowan County
Rooster Hill Farms
Randy Klocke
randy@roosterhillfarms.net
704-932-7379
CSA Type: Eggs
Consumers purchase an annual subscription for eggs at the rate their family consumes eggs. Then, Rooster Hill Farms delivers ultra-fresh eggs to a Central Distribution Point (CDP) every week at a specified time. Their eggs are not certified organic, but they take pride and care to use only organic farming techniques and practices. The hens (and ducks) are on pasture from sun-up to sun-down 365 days each year; they are truly free-range. Current prices for a 3-month subscription of 1 dozen eggs each week are $39, a 6-month subscription is $78, and an annual subscription is $156.
Rutherford County
Red Dirt Ranch
Aaron and Holly Cookson
reddirtmama@gmail.com
704-517-6954
CSA Type: Poultry
Red Dirt Ranch is offering three different share sizes for their summer 2012 CSA. All chicken in meat shares will have a target weight of 4 pounds. Birds will be whole and table ready. A large share will receive 4 whole birds per month for 5 months, totaling $360. The medium share contains 3 birds for 5 months totaling $270, and the small share is for 2 birds for 5 months totaling $180.
 Photo by Simon Howden Stanly County
Windy Hill Farm
Charles and Dana Burrage
windyhillfarm@ctc.net
704-463-0338
CSA Type: Meat
Windy Hill Farm offers six month full and half shares, as well as a weekly buying club. The half share includes 10 pounds of meat and one dozen eggs each month; the total cost is $480 for six months. The full share includes 20 pounds of meat and two dozen eggs each month, for a total cost of $900.
Items included in the share reflect what is available on the farm for that particular month, and could include ground beef, steaks, lamb stew meat, beef roast, breakfast sausage, pork chops, beef ribs, pork roast, whole chicken, and free range eggs.
On most Saturdays (bi-weekly in the winter), you will find us at Davidson Farmers Market, located only 10 minutes from our home. Typically I will visit Atherton Mill & Market during the week, if I happen to find myself near the South End on a Tuesday or Wednesday. This past weekend, we decided to switch things up a bit, a decision somewhat influenced by my craving for one of Nelly Naturals organic treats! Although not as crowded as I have seen it in the summer, there was still a significant crowd at the market, and plenty of pets around to catch the interest of my dog-loving daughter.
A stop at Bill Averback’s Pickleville stand is guaranteed to provide both entertainment and a sourlicious day. We picked up a container of Texas Red Salsa. The pickle selection that day included dill, garlic, and hot garlic. Everything is the same price, at $6 per container.
It was a pleasant surprise to find that one of my favorite vendors at the Davidson Farmers Market, Coldwater Creek Farm, has a stand at Atherton Market. We loaded up on kale, spinach, and broccoli. Coldwater Creek also sells cheese and butter from Cackleberry Farms; and is one of my go to sources for local butter.
Roundtable Creations touts themselves as having ‘ridiculously tasty gourmet brioche’. They’re not lying. We missed out on their popular pumpkin spice brioche, instead purchasing a container of mini-sized brioche bites. They made a great addition to our Sunday breakfast. We also stopped by Nelly’s Naturals for a delicious small Marzipan cake that was devoured by the end of the day.
We are slightly overloaded on cheese at the moment, so we didn’t buy anything from Cheval Farmstead Dairy. However, her samples were delicious, and we will definitely visit her stand again in the future. Suzanne offers unique varieties of petit choux (semi-soft cheese handmade with local ingredients), such as wasabi with honey rolled in black sesame seeds, and organic veggie with garlic.
There was lots more fun to be had, including a sampling event at The Savory Spice Shop, but it was around this time we realized our daughter had a fever and a swift meltdown ensued, cutting short our visit. If you plan on visiting Atherton Mill & Market next Saturday, Savory Spice Shop will be holding a Grand Opening event this coming weekend. Activities include a curry cooking demonstration by Chef Dawn Maloney, savory tastings by Kobe Kreations and Cardais Gourment, and grab bags for the first 100 customers.
Atherton Mill & Market
2104 South Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203
Market Hours:
Tuesday- 3 pm – 7 pm
Wednesday- 11 am – 7 pm
Saturday – 9 am – 2 pm
 Taking a break from picking beans at our 2010 CSA. If you missed reading Part 1, you can find it here.
Community supported agriculture is a wonderful way to buy food, but it is not for everyone. Here are some tips to help you determine if a CSA farm is right for you.
Types of food grown
The majority of CSA’s grow fruits and vegetables, but even that can vary greatly between farms. Look for a harvest calendar on the website or in the application packet to see what types of food you will receive. A deciding factor when our family chooses a CSA is whether or not fruit is included, particularly strawberries, raspberries, and melons.
Some farms focus on specialty and/or heirloom foods, while others stick to the basics. Additionally, a CSA may offer larger quantities of produce through a U-pick program. Figure out what is right for your family, but don’t be afraid to try new foods!
There are also CSA’s and buying clubs for other types of food such as meat, eggs, dairy, and honey.
Degree of choice
A CSA may prepack a box each week, so each member receives the exact same thing. Others will offer a standard selection, with a choice of add-ons. For example, you might be able to pick one of three different herbs, and one bunch of either bok choy or cabbage.
Delivery times and locations
CSA shares can be delivered to farmers markets, dropped off at other locations around Charlotte, or picked up at the farm itself. CSA farms that serve the Charlotte area are scattered throughout the Piedmont region. Consider how far you would be willing to drive on a weekly basis when making your decision. Of course, there is much to be said for getting out of the city every week, the further away the farm the more scenic the drive!
The days that farms offer delivery and/or pickup varies, and members will usually have different options to choose from. I personally prefer a delivery date in the middle of the week, rather than on the weekend. That way, if we decide to take any weekend trips during the season, I know that I won’t lose out on that week’s share.
Size of share
In the spring, CSA members may be overloaded with lettuce; in the fall, it’s winter squash and potatoes. If you have a small family and the thought of seven heads of lettuce or ten pounds of tomatoes in one week leaves you in a swoon, you might want to consider a CSA that offers half shares, or try to find another individual or family with whom you can split your share. Check the CSA’s application for specific information on share sizes, and if it isn’t listed, call the farm and ask.
There are loads of blogs that can help with meal planning and offer ideas on how to get creative with a box share and/or seasonal produce. A few good ones:
- A Veggie Venture provides vegetable inspiration from Asparagus to Zucchini, and has an A-Z index of vegetable recipes;
- Robin Hom writes about creating meals using fresh local veggies at Seasonal Eating;
- The Year in Food combines beautiful photography with straightforward seasonal recipes;
- You can find many of the recipes featured in the Edible Piedmont magazine on their website, which range from quick and easy meals, to more advanced, gourmet dishes.
The following cookbooks are also a great addition to your collection, and can be very helpful in planning seasonal meals using the bounty of your CSA box. Most of these are in the Mecklenburg public library catalog:
Production Methods
Some farms grow exclusively for their CSA members; others manage a CSA in addition to selling at farmers markets. For those farms that sell in other locations, the priority almost always goes to the CSA members first.
There are a variety of farming methods used by CSA’s; certified organic, transitional, organic practices without the certification, integrated pest management, conventional, or a mix of the above. If in doubt, ask the farmer. You will find that they are typically quite willing to share their farming philosophy with those who ask.
Work Requirement and involvement
Smaller CSA farms may require a small work commitment from members, typically a few hours each season. Even if there is no work requirement, all CSA farms encouragement some type of involvement, and may host on-site events, educational opportunities, and family oriented celebrations.
Part three of the CSA series will take a look at CSA farms available to residents of Charlotte and Lake Norman.
 Picking blackberries.
 Photo by happykanppy. This time of year can be difficult for Charlotte locavores wanting to eat seasonally. There are less famer’s markets than during the summer, and if you haven’t stockpiled summer produce in your freezer or on your pantry shelf, fruits and vegetables are in low supply. Yet, January is when many farms that utilize a CSA model offer applications for new members! This post is the first in a three-part series that will help demystify the CSA concept, and highlight the CSA’s near Charlotte that are currently looking for new members.
First things first. What is a CSA?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Farmers often form CSA’S, but consumer-based CSA’s exist as well (also referred to as buying clubs). When you join a CSA, you form a relationship with both the land and the people who grow your food. You know that your food is grown locally, rather than shipped in from thousands of miles away.
In essence, a CSA membership is much like a subscription to the Charlotte Observer, or Netflix. You buy a subscription to a farm (a great resource is Local Harvest); and in return you receive a weekly box full of whatever was harvested that week. It’s a simple enough idea, and one that has profoundly impacted small-scale agriculture in the last decade.
Why should I invest in a small, local farm?
Eating locally provides a healthier way of life (see my article on the Top 10 reasons to eat locally for more information), and supports the economy of your community. The money you spend on food supports local farmers, rather than the corporate grocery stores, oil companies, pesticide, and trucking companies that profit from large-scale industrial agriculture.
What happens if the farm has a bad year?
In a good year, CSA members enjoy the overwhelming bounty of a plentiful harvest. However, when you buy a share, you are also agreeing to share in the risk as well as the surplus, an economic philosophy known as shared risk. Shared risk is woven into the structure of a CSA, and helps to protect the farmer in case a crop is destroyed due to weather conditions.
The diversity of most CSA farm helps ease the mind of a CSA member. During a rainy season, the greens are happy and plentiful. If it is a dry year, expect a surplus of tasty tomatoes. A storm or bug invasion may wipe out one crop, but there are usually plenty of other crops that will step up to take its place.
Stay tuned for Part Two of this series, which will tackle the questions of how to choose a CSA that is right for you.
In early December, my family spent a wonderful weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, a delightful culinary road trip that was a feast to our senses.
On Friday evening, after exploring the French Quarter neighborhood, we headed to Bowens Island Restaurant. Located in the marshlands, Bowens Island Restaurant serves the freshest seafood in Charleston. The oysters, shrimp, fish, and crabs that make up the menu are sourced from the river and creeks that surround the island. You can’t get more local than that! The highlight of the menu is all-you-can-eat oysters. Claiming a tray full of oysters involves a trip into the rickety, graffiti-covered basement where dinner is served by the resident oysterman, who shovels hot oysters out of a steaming vat and on to your waiting tray. Diners are offered buckets for tossing the oyster shells, which will then be recycled back into the underwater habitat for future generations of oysters.
 The end of a good meal. On Saturday morning, we toured Boone Hall Plantation, first built in 1681. Re-established as a working farm in 1996, the plantation now operates a U-Pick farm, and grows strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, eggplants, grapes, and blueberries.
 The long, oak-lined drive leading to Boone Hall Plantation. After touring the plantation house and property, we stopped by Boone Hall Farms for lunch. The market specializes in South Carolina produce, meats, and gourmet products. Items for sale include: tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation; Boone Hall produce, jams, and preserves; local seafood; and chicken from Ashley Farm.
That evening we headed to FIG for an early dinner. FIG (which stands for Food Is Good) is a local neighborhood restaurant in the heart of downtown Charleston. Mike Lata, the head chef, is self-taught, and is also the winner of the 2009 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southeast. The menu at FIG changes daily, and when we arrived that day’s menu was hot off the press. Ingredients are sourced locally; the result is a straightforward meal that pays homage to the Low country region. We started off with the Gem Lettuce appetizer, served with buttermilk-herb dressing, watermelon radish, and ricotta salata.
All of the entrees we ordered were outstanding. My husband had the Strube Ranch Wagyu Bistro steak with Beluga lentils, parsnip, hen-of-the-woods, and sauce bordelaise. I shared the Sauteed Atlantic Creole Fish with my mother-in-law, which came with caper’s inlet clams, butternut squash, and heirloom peppers, while hubby’s father ordered the Keegan Farms chicken with butternut squash farrotto, Sonja apple, and cippolini onions. Meanwhile, my daughter contentedly nibbled on a little bit of everything on the table. We all agreed that the ingredients complemented each other nicely, and were lovely seasonal dishes. FIG is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston!
 That day's menu at FIG. After a nice sleep, hubby and I took a break from the rest of the family to have coffee and croissants at Kudu Coffee House before heading back to Charlotte. Although I was sorely tempted by the local Charleston Tea Plantation display, I couldn’t pass up what turned out to be the best cappuccino I have ever had in the United States. (Yes, this locavore does have her non-local weaknesses, and coffee is at the top of the list!)
 A selection of local tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation.  The coffee looks like artwork at Kudu Coffee House! Heading into the winter doldrums, Charleston provides a great escape to slightly warmer weather, and a haven of restaurants that cook seasonally and locally!
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