"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." — Henry David Thoreau | At the time of this writing, we were in the lull before the storm…the "strawberry storm." When the strawberries are ready for picking, everything else fades into oblivion and ripe red berries consume us. We consume a few of them, too. We get strawberries all over our faces because we get our faces all over the strawberries! The gardens have been growing nicely with the rains we've had. Fresh greens are in the store now. The guys are putting up siding over insulation inside Cherry's barn, so she'll be toasty warm when winter comes. Always lots to do on the farm. | Martin takes on his favorite subject, again – socialism. He describes how socialism sows the seeds of bitterness with its contempt for the rich AND the poor and it all ends in violence and tragedy. | They're coming! Be sure to have your name on the list for strawberries, so you get some when they're ready. The season is super short. If you live in Calgary, watch for our delivery notice. We're tentatively heading your way Thursday, July 9th and July 16th. Times and places to be determined. | We're excited to be carrying these locally produced 100% organic microgreens, grown from the highest quality seeds on Alberta-made hemp mats. A microgreen is essentially a mini version of a mature vegetable or "green." The seeds are planted in high density and only grow to a few inches before harvesting. Small but mighty, microgreens are incredibly nutrient dense. In some cases, 40 times denser than the adult counterpart. The aromatics and flavours of microgreens are intense and brilliantly fresh. These minis are not bitter or tough, making them perfect for tossing in a salad, spreading in a sandwich or pita, or as an elegant side dressing for a fancy dish.
The eco-friendly containers are compostable plant-based material.
Urban Micro Greens have done their homework to produce a truly environmentally friendly product that tastes great. | Harvest Haven Pastured Lamb Stew – Lamb isn't just for the cool days of fall and winter. In fact, it's a popular Mediterranean and Middle East dish. Check out the Moroccan Lamb Stew recipe brimming with aromatic spices and heaps of flavor. Inari Organic Couscous - Couscous is durum wheat semolina granules that have been mechanically mixed (agglomerated) with water, separated into a rotating drum roller, steamed, and then oven dried. The result is a delectable tiny pasta-like grain. Use couscous in meals instead of potatoes, pasta, or rice. Harvest Haven Greens (Romaine and Leaf Lettuce, Kale, Arugula, Salad Mix) – Isn't it exciting to see tender greens from the garden?! Harvest Haven Strawberries – Here comes summer! Enjoy fresh Harvest Haven Strawberries while they're here. The best! Organic Sliced Almonds - Crisp and crunchy complement to baking and snacking. Clif Organic Zbar Double Peanut Butter Bars - A delicious blend of creamy, sweet and salty peanut butter for an energy boost. Made with organic ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavours, or GMOs. | Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic. | Moroccan Lamb Stew with Couscous 2 tbsp olive oil
2 lb Harvest Haven lamb stew
2 Harvest Haven onions, halved and sliced
5 Harvest Haven garlic cloves, crushed
Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron (or turmeric, to add colour)
1 tbsp tomato purée
600ml hot Harvest Haven lamb bone broth
1 tbsp honey
1 lemon, zested, plus a squeeze of juice
80g pitted Kalamata olives
Handful chopped parsley
Inari organic couscous, to serve Set the slow cooker to low. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and brown the lamb in batches, transferring to the slow cooker as you go. Add the remaining oil and the onions to the pan and cook for 8-10 mins until softened. Tip in the garlic and ginger and stir for 1-2 mins, then add the spices, and tomato purée. Warm through, then tip into the slow cooker. Swirl some water around the pan, then pour into the slow cooker along with the stock. Season, cover and cook for 6-8 hrs. Once the meat is really tender, turn the heat up to high. Add the honey, lemon and olives and cook for 20-30 mins. Top with the parsley and serve with couscous. | Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Dressing For the salad:
2 cups ripe Harvest Haven strawberries
8 cups mixed Harvest Haven salad greens
1/2 red onion
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
Fresh ground black pepper For the balsamic vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil Wash and slice the strawberries. Wash and dry the salad greens. Thinly slice the red onion. Optional: In a small saucepan over medium heat, toast the nuts for a few minutes until they are golden brown, stirring frequently and watching carefully so that they don't burn. Make the balsamic vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and salt. Then gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until fully emulsified and creamy. To serve, spread the greens on a plate and top with strawberries, red onion, almonds, feta cheese crumbles, vinaigrette, and several grinds of black pepper. | Strawberry Cheesecake For the crust:
1 and 1/4 cups chocolate graham crackers
5 tablespoons butter, melted For the cheesecake:
3/4 cup thawed, drained, and pureed frozen Harvest Haven strawberries
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large Harvest Haven eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract For the topping:
1/3 cup Harvest Haven strawberry preserves
3 cups fresh Harvest Haven strawberries, sliced lengthwise For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by buttering the bottom and sides generously, set aside. In your food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they are coarse crumbs. Add the butter and process until the crumbs resemble sand. Using your fingers, evenly press the crumbs in the bottom and up the sides (about 1 inch) of the springform pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, set aside. For the filling: Put the cream cheese and sugar into a food processor and blend until smooth. Blend in the flour by pulsing the food processor. Add the eggs, and process the mixture until smooth. Add 3/4 cup strawberry puree, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, and mix until well-blended. Pour the filling evenly into the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the sides are slightly puffed and cracked. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, let cool slightly, and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. For the topping: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the preserves until smooth (do not boil). Spread the preserves evenly over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Alternatively, you can put the strawberries on first and then use the preserves as a glaze. Decorate the top of the cheesecake with your sliced strawberries, and enjoy. | When I asked if there was anything happening "down on the farm," Martin was excited to share with everyone his recent project. Here's his account. We've been renovating our main livestock barn since last fall and are nearing the end. This spring, before we closed the walls, our two mama cats, Rosette and Bob (yes, Bob, she was named as a kitten before we knew her gender and the name stuck) took turns having their kittens inside the wall cavity that needed to be insulated. Thankfully, by the time we were ready to spray foam, Rosette's litter had matured and left the nest. However, Bob was still happily nestled deep inside the dairy barn wall. Some of you saw Bob and her kittens temporarily rehoused in a cardboard box by the front door of the store while we insulated the barn. The barn project needed to be finished before haying, so we had work to do. Progress couldn't wait for kittens, but we could certainly accommodate the little guys. After the spray foaming was finished in the barn, Bob and her family could be moved back to a comfortable safe home there. I thought, "You know we really need to have a dedicated spot in the barn for a kitten nursery." I've noticed over the years that kitten mortality is almost nonexistent if the mothers have a home their babies can't escape from until they're strong and agile. Their nests inside the wall had been great but the new metal overlay had closed off the kitten cubbyholes. I grabbed the saw, made a few cuts, attached a hinge, and everything was ready. The perfect kitten cubby. The nest has a small access hole for cats and a big opening for people to get to the little fluff balls. We don't like wild, scaredy cats on the farm, so we make a point of handling the kittens when they're young. Plus, kittens are irresistibly cute. There were definitely a few moments during the project where progress came to a halt to play with kittens. A place for every creature and every creature in its place. | |
