Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breath the air deeply again. – Gustav Mahler | The interior construction is moving along very nicely. Much of the drywall is in place and will be taped and primed in preparation for American Clay. Recycled barnwood is being installed on feature walls and higher traffic areas. The exterior doors with lots of windows are scheduled to be installed this week. And a local craftsman is building rail doors of recycled barnwood for the interior openings. We're excited to see this coming together so quickly. Like Jeannie said, "It's becoming real!" | "The immediate and long-term effects of synthetic fragrance exposure is hazardous to our health. Simply adding a pleasant-smelling chemical to our bodies and air will not only affect our own health, but the health of the people (and pets!) who share the air with us… "According to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study, 72% of products with the ingredient 'fragrance' contained endocrine disruptors called phthalates. Phthalates have been linked to diabetes, obesity, liver and breast cancer, hormone disruption affecting fertility and development as well as linked to ADHD and Autism in first and third trimester prenatal exposure. The National Academy of Sciences, working with an expert panel, stated that there may be cancer-causing chemicals in fragrance recipes. Unfortunately, because of secrecy and a lack of transparency in labeling, there is really no way for a consumer to make informed decisions about fragranced products." Because synthetic fragrances are so hazardous to our health, we carry only personal care products and cleaners that are unscented and fragrance-free or contain only pure organic essential oils. Fragrance sensitivity is a serious matter. Therefore, we encourage those who use synthetic fragrances to consider others and refrain from using these products when coming to Harvest Haven. Let's all enjoy the wonderful aroma of fresh fruits and veggies. | Expecting company for that special dinner? One of our deliciously juicy whole turkeys is just what you need. Call today and have one set aside for you: 403-329-9157. | Sirloin Tip Roast- Sale $11.49/lb Reg. $13.49/lb Beef Breakfast Sausage- Sale $9.25/lb Reg. $10.99/lb Turkey Drumsticks- Sale $4.29/lb Reg. $5.49/lb (See Recipe Box) Frozen Turkey Bone Broth, 1 L- Sale: Buy 1 and get a 2nd for $10 Reg. $12.99 (See Recipe Box) Yams- Sale $3.49/lb Reg. $3.99/lb Garlic- Sale $1.99 each Reg. $2.99 each (See Recipe Box) Frozen Saskatoons- Sale $5.49/lb Reg. $6.29/lb (See Recipe Box) | Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic. | Braised Turkey Drumsticks 4 Harvest Haven turkey drumsticks
4 cup_s Harvest Haven carrots, sliced
4 cups celery, sliced
2 ½ cups Harvest Haven turkey
2 large Harvest Haven onions, sliced
Parsley, chopped
Harvest Haven_ garlic, minced
Curry powder to taste
Paprika to taste
Salt and Pepper
Butter Brown drumsticks in butter in a large frying pan. Add garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until onions are soft. Stir in broth and seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 2 hours or until turkey is very tender. Note: I prefer to put the browned drumsticks in a roaster with the veggies and sauce poured over them. Cover and bake at 350° F for 2 hours or until very tender. | Julia Child's Garlic Soup 1 head of Harvest Haven garlic — each clove separated and peeled. (about 8 large cloves)
2 quarts of water
1/4 tsp of sage
1/4 tsp of thyme
1/2 bay leaf
4 parsley sprigs
3 tbl olive oil +
3 Harvest Haven egg yolks
an additional 4 tbls olive oil Peel the garlic. Add all ingredients up to egg yolks in the water, and boil for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Beat egg yolks in the serving bowl and slowly add in the additional 4 tablespoons of oil, beating with whisk the whole time. It's like you're making mayonnaise. Just before serving, add one ladleful of the hot soup to the egg mixture, slowly. Beat some more. Pour the rest of the soup broth into a the bowl, through a strainer. Smush the garlic gloves through strainer to squeeze out extra juice at the end. Serve immediately with good crusty bread. | No Bake Saskatoon Berry Cheesecake 3 cups Saskatoon berries, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups whipping cream
16 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
30 crushed graham crackers, approximately 2 cups
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tbsp sugar Whip your whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese with 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 sugar. Add the whipping cream and whip until combined. In a separate bowl, add three cups of saskatoon berries, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 tbsp lemon juice and blend. Combine cream cheese and saskatoon berry mixture. Crush 30 graham crackers and mix with 1/2 cup butter and 2 tbsp sugar. Press into the bottom of a cheesecake pan. Spread the cheesecake mixture and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Serve and enjoy! | With Spring come chicks and lambs. The little layer chicks arrived last week and are exploring their new home in a portion of the hen house separated from the big girls. They have wooden brooder boxes with heat lamps to keep them warm like a mother hen. We call these "wooden hens." The other morning when James came into the hen house, he heard loud cheeping coming from behind a feeder. Investigating the source with his cell phone camera rolling, James shared his discovery: Escapee Baby Chick Finds A Real Mom. | This is an amazing scene. You hear the loud cheeping but can't see what's making it. The hens are quizzically looking in the direction of this unusual sound; weird hair-do hen stretches her neck to see better, but not get too close; then, out pops a chick from behind the feeder. James, "What are you doing here? How did you get over here?" The little guy comes towards him and then takes off in the other direction, cheeping frantically. When it disappears behind the big red hen, you hold your breath anticipating the worst – nasty pecks from another hen. But, what a wonderful surprise! The hen tucks the little guy between her legs, protecting it. Then, proceeds to show it how to peck for food. How lovely! More cuteness. Harriett was introduced to the new lambs. She was beside herself with joy! Sheep are Harriett's favorite companions, being born and raised with them. When she was allowed into the pen with the new lambs and their moms, she rolled on her back with her legs up in submission to them. The moms were very protective, stamping their feet at Harriett and guiding their lambs away from her. Lambs being inquisitive creatures were not deterred and much to Harriett's delight, readily sniffed her. She wriggled in glee. | Not everything is cute down on the farm. There are always two sides to farming. Simon, our Australian friend who has eyes on the flock at night via his computer, called Martin at 3:00 A.M. "Martin, there's a ewe acting funny. I'm not sure what's happening, but she may be lambing." Minutes later, Martin arrived in the barn to find a first-time lamber with a just-born baby that was dead. (Yearling ewes show very few signs of labor, so it's hard to tell when they're going to lamb. Older ewes usually give several signs a few hours before they're about to give birth.) This lamb appeared to have been breached. Realizing another lamb was about to come, Martin hustled the ewe into the barn to help her. Pulling out the next one, his heart sank because it, too, looked dead. But, he saw a slight twitch. Quickly cleaning the lamb's nose of amniotic membrane, he started mouth-to-nose resuscitation, breathing air gently into its nose and swinging it to stimulate its lungs. After a couple of minutes of "sheep CPR," the lamb was breathing on its own. After the mother licked it clean, the little "lost" sheep was up and drinking milk vigorously. Martin was thankful. We wondered if he gave Jeannie a kiss when he returned to bed, and, who would be the one feeling sheepish about it. Some days it's not easy being a farmer, but there's always something to be thankful for. | |
