"This magical, marvelous food on our plate, this sustenance we absorb, has a story to tell. It has a journey. It leaves a footprint. It leaves a legacy. To eat with reckless abandon, without conscience, without knowledge; folks, this ain't normal."
- Joel Salatin, Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World | In the previous Harvest Haven Happenings, many of you expressed appreciation for and could relate to Martin and Jeannie's encounter with the stray dog that attacked our sheep. Thank you for your kind comments and hugs. Such events as related in that "Down On the Farm" story are part of what it takes to get wholesome food to your plate. We all need to take time to soberly consider what has gone into that morsel about to go into our mouths and be sufficiently, knowledgably thankful. We highly recommend reading anything by Joel Salatin. He's a present day legend; take advantage of the precious, highly rewarding opportunity. Some excellent points in this review of Folks, This Ain't Normal: "From farmer Joel Salatin's point of view, life in the 21st century just ain't normal. In FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL, he discusses how far removed we are from the simple, sustainable joy that comes from living close to the land and the people we love. Salatin has many thoughts on what normal is and shares practical and philosophical ideas for changing our lives in small ways that have big impact. "Salatin, hailed by the New York Times as 'Virginia's most multifaceted agrarian since Thomas Jefferson [and] the high priest of the pasture' and profiled in the Academy Award nominated documentary Food, Inc. and the bestselling book The Omnivore's Dilemma, understands what food should be: Wholesome, seasonal, raised naturally, procured locally, prepared lovingly, and eaten with a profound reverence for the circle of life. And his message doesn't stop there. From child-rearing, to creating quality family time, to respecting the environment, Salatin writes with a wicked sense of humor and true storyteller's knack for the revealing anecdote. "Salatin's crucial message and distinctive voice--practical, provocative, scientific, and down-home philosophical in equal measure--make FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL a must-read book." | They're ready for picking! | Visit us at the Downtown Farmers' Market located in Festival Square, 3rd Avenue and 6th Street South Wednesdays from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Come early to get our freshly picked raspberries and strawberries. Baby potatoes, baby beets with greens, sweet onions, green garlic, and garlic scapes, along with a super selection of lettuces and lettuce mixes, herbs, and greens are ready for your summertime enjoyment. Freshly extracted Harvest Haven honey is a favorite. We use absolutely no chemicals on our bees, in their hives or in our fields. And you must try the "finest jam in all the land" – Strawberry and Raspberry, of course. | Because we're at the Downtown Farmers' Market every Wednesday from July 5 to September 6, the store is closed those days. Catch us at the Market on Wednesdays. | Organic BC Cherries, Blueberries, and Apricots are here. Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, and Pears to follow. We can order cases for you, but won't know the prices until the list comes from our supplier. Let us know what you would like and we can get the price to you when it is available. | Flank Steak - $7.99/lb Reg. $9.29/lb (See Recipe Box) Boneless Leg of Lamb - Sale $14.99/lb Reg $16.89/lb (See Recipe Box) Smoked Garlic Sausage- Sale $10.99/lb Reg. $12.99/lb Bone-in Chicken Breast-Sale $9.99/lb Reg. $10.49/lb Harvest Haven Garlic Scapes- Sale 10 for $3 Reg. 5 for $2 (See Recipe Box) Walla Walla Onions- Sale $2.99/lb Reg. $3.59/lb (See Recipe Box) Brown Basmati Rice, 700 g- Sale $6.49 each Reg. $6.99 each Mini Seedless Watermelon- Sale $5.99 each Reg. $6.99 each (See Recipe Box) | Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic. | Barbecued Leg of Lamb 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 Harvest Haven garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Greek), crumbled
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 (4 1/2- to 5-lb) Harvest Haven butterflied boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of fat Special equipment: a large (2-gallon) heavy-duty sealable plastic bag; 3 or 4 (10- to 12-inch) metal skewers Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in sealable plastic bag. Add lamb and seal bag, pressing out air. Turn bag to coat lamb, then put bag in a shallow baking pan and marinate, chilled, turning bag over occasionally, at least 8 hours. Bring lamb to room temperature, about 1 hour, before grilling. Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas). Remove lamb from marinade (discard marinade) and run 3 or 4 skewers lengthwise through lamb about 2 inches apart. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, turning over occasionally and, if necessary, moving around on grill to avoid flare-ups, until thermometer registers 125 to 128°F, 8 to 14 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and remove skewers. Let lamb stand, loosely covered with foil, 20 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to 135°F while meat stands.) Cut across the grain into slices. Note: the boneless leg of lamb roast may come in netting. Cut off the netting and lay open the roast before marinating. Recipe courtesy of: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-marinated-leg-of-lamb-234655 | | Flank Steak with Watermelon Salad | 1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2–2 lb. Harvest Haven flank steak
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups arugula greens
1/4 cups chopped onion
1 cup croutons
2 cups watermelon, cut into chunks
1/2 cup feta
Sea salt In a small bowl mix brown sugar, garlic powder and chili powder. Massage all over steak. Preheat grill or cast-iron grill pan on high heat. Grill steak for 5 minutes on each side, then let meat rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss in arugula, onion, croutons and watermelon. Slice the meat against the grain. Serve steak with watermelon panzanella salad and top with feta and a sprinkle of sea salt. | Garlic Scape Pesto 10 garlic scapes, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/3 cup slivered almonds
About 1/2 cup olive oil
salt to taste Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend. The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days or packed airtight and frozen for a couple of months. | Onion Rings 1 large Walla Walla or other sweet onion
1/2 c flour
1/4 c cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c beer
Flour for sprinkling on rings
Coconut oil for frying Preheat oven to 250°F. Set a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Cut onions crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices and separate into rings. Reserve smaller inner rings for another use. Sprinkle rings with flour in a large bowl. Toss and let sit 30 minutes. When ready to fry, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir in beer. Heat at least an inch of coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it registers 350°F on a deep fry thermometer. Working in batches to prevent crowding, dredge onion rings in the batter and immediately drop into the oil. Cook onion rings, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes total. Transfer cooked rings to the cooling rack set over the baking sheet. Keep warm in oven while frying remaining batches. | At the end of the day after weeding carrots, picking strawberries, and getting ready for Farmers' Market, Martin and Jeannie like to take a few minutes to relax with a cup of tea before bed. As part of the action in the store, Martin is often asked to comment on various topics of concern to our customers. Recently, he's been asked about the new documentary, What the Health. So, while having their evening tea, Martin and Jeannie decided to watch it. Well, watching What the Health was not the most relaxing thing for them to do before bed. Martin shares a few of his thoughts with us. | I've had a few people approach me recently asking what I thought about the latest "food film" to come out, "What the Health." I had a general idea from some previews that it was lackluster, but I had no idea how bad it was until I sat down and watched the whole film. It lacked any sense or substance. The main theme was, "all animal products are bad." The film even goes so far as to say that eating an egg a day is as bad for you as smoking and that eating cheese is tasty suicide. It was ludicrous. One fellow in the movie says that you don't need animal protein to build muscle and points to cows, rhinos, and elephants as evidence for this. His rationale was that the strongest creatures on earth grow all that muscle by eating a strictly vegan diet. He completely leaves out mentioning the totally different intestinal tract that ruminating herbivores utilize. Ruminating herbivores possess a unique digestive ability to break down incomplete proteins into their smallest components and reconstruct whatever amino acids their body needs for growth. Humans have an extremely limited ability to perform this same function, which is why we rely so heavily on diets that contain the essential amino acids, particularly the scarce ones. The "scientist" interviewed also goes on to say that all meat, including organic, is toxic because animals are at the top of the food chain and environmental toxicity bio-accumulates. And yet, nowhere in the film is there any emphasis or even mention of eating organic fruit, greens or vegetables. Apparently, organic meat is toxic but a methyl bromide-saturated strawberry is just part of a healthy "plant-based" diet. Another segment of the documentary shows footage of some filthy dairy barns after which is stated that cheese is basically coagulated cow pus and is straight up poison. I'm sure there's bad cheese out there, but why not mention the alternative? What's wrong with the clean cheese from clean barns that's been nourishing people for several millennia? What the Health is just a piece of vegan propaganda utilizing graphic imagery and language to distort reality. The movie blended straight up nonsense with enough truth to get people confused and concerned. The producers condemn all meat because of how factory farms raise and process their animals and casually toss organically raised animals in the same category, without any substance or evidence. All the while, they fail to take a firm stance against the use of chemicals that are saturating the vegetables they're recommending you eat. This was all mixed in with a self-righteous dialogue from the narrator of the film who spent his screen-time calling up different organizations and assaulting the poor employees who picked up the phone with loaded questions that couldn't be answered. Don't get me wrong - the organizations and societies he was calling are corrupt, but his bombastic phone calls didn't serve any clearly constructive purpose. The fact that the people he was calling refused to talk to him was only potential evidence that he was a jerk, not that they were hiding something. I wouldn't want to talk to him either. I finished watching the movie disgusted and angry. What the Health is more dangerous than any piece of Big Ag propaganda. It is perfectly designed to seed confusion and doubt into the hearts of people who are looking for answers to healthy diet. Ironically, my reaction was quite similar to the title of the movie. "A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and he carries his banners openly. But the traitor moves among those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not traitor, he speaks in the accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their garments, and he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared." - Cicero, 42 B.C. | |
