Flutterbies are self-propelled flowers. – Robert A. Heinlein | The cooler weather and light rain have been a welcome relief for livestock and farmers. It's given the guys the opportunity to continue transforming the original farm house from a storage building to a music studio, which is needed as our resident musicians like to jam and jam loudly. On the dry days, the gardens are being harvested and brought into the store. The garlic is gorgeous, onions are huge and delicious, beets are beautiful, and potatoes are rich-flavored and earthy. The carrots are long and slender because the summer was so hot, and they were growing deep to reach the cooler soil. They'll be left in the ground until the first frosts to get thicker and sweeter. Talking about sweet… As we were stepping out of the backdoor of the store last week, Jeannie exclaimed, "What's over there? Over by the root cellar. It looks like chicks." Sure enough, there was a broody hen with 12 little fluff balls following her. Our free-range hens seem to be doing quite nicely in the barnyard. They're older hens, which don't lay eggs everyday, so are free to roam. It's a pleasure to see these little families wandering around the yard, along with a motley collection of roosters and a couple dozen farm cats of all sizes and colors. | Holistic Grazing's Impact on Water Being in a semi-arid part of the world means conserving water whatever way we can. And this hot, dry summer has shown us the value of being water-wise. When we bought the farm in the fall of 1995, the pastures were bald prairie with heaps of gophers, even though it had irrigation. After a few years of better livestock management, the grasses and forbs grew taller and thicker. But, when we changed to using smaller paddocks for the livestock and running poultry on the grazed pasture, there was a huge difference in the fields – dramatic increases in the varieties of robust vegetation, tall, thick, and luscious! And fewer gophers. The following information is from an article by Adam Li Khan: "When grassland has either been overgrazed or grazed unnaturally, bare ground starts to show. The bare ground is hard and dry, and when it rains, the water doesn't soak in, but washes away. "When the grassland has been grazed in a way that mimics nature — large herds bunched up and moving frequently— the hardpan is broken up, the grass is fertilized and the dead grass is tramped down rather than blocking the sun from the sprouting grass below it, and grasses thrive, filling in the bare ground and restoring life to the soil. "Healthy grassland is full of diverse plants and other organisms: Earthworms, fungi, bacteria, tiny insects, etc. One teaspoon of healthy soil contains more living organisms than there are people on the planet. All these living things and all the decomposing (formerly living) things allow the soil to hold many times its weight in water when it rains. "All of this material is made of carbon. The restoration ecologist Steven Apfelbaum says that for every 1 percent increase in soil carbon, the soil holds and extra 60,000 gallons of water per acre. "With less of the water washing away, there is less erosion, of course, but it also means that there is more water for everything else — the plants, the many living things in the soil, and the aquifers down below ground. "Healthy grassland resists erosion and reduces the impact of droughts…
"Healthy grassland absorbs and holds more water. It doesn't erode when it rains. And when it is dry, it doesn't blow away as dust either. And, of course, more plants means the soil is more shaded, which means it cools the soil and helps prevent evaporation. "One thing that is absolutely necessary for healthy grassland to thrive is large grazing animals (as long as they are grazing in a way that mimics nature, or in a way that is natural — that is, with large wild herds being relentlessly pursued by pack hunters like lions, hyenas or wolves).Or using holistic planned grazing." We've gone a step further by having our poultry follow the livestock and adding more fertilizer to the pastures. It's a beautiful setup. | Harvest Haven lamb is raised on lush pastures, quality, non-synthetic minerals and salts, and Grander Living Water, which produce a tender, flavorful meat you will be delighted to serve. We're taking orders for whole or half lamb, cut and wrapped, or just the cuts you like. Whole lamb, cut and wrapped, is about $500 depending on the size. Half a lamb will be approximately $250. There is a $10 fee if we must freeze your lamb for longer than one week. Lamb will be available on the following dates: Thursday, September 30
Thursday, October 14
Thursday, October 28 Order here. Call 403-329-9157 or email: solutions@harvesthaven.com | We raise the chicks in the barn for about 3 weeks until they've grown enough feathers to survive cooler nights. At this point they're ready for pasture. The birds are split up into 10-foot by 10-foot cages starting at one end of a pasture that's been recently grazed by sheep. The shorter, trampled grass provides more suitable bedding and renders the bugs easier to catch. And the tender pasture regrowth is much easier for the birds to digest than mature grasses. Every morning after the dew comes off, we move each cage ahead by a full ten feet, providing the birds with a fresh salad and a side of bugs, which they take full advantage of before resorting to their grain feeders. It should go without saying that we provide exclusively organic grain and clean Grander Living Water. This system also moves the birds away from their manure which means they are never exposed to any pathogen load. It keeps everything and everybody healthy and clean. Our birds have full access to sunshine and fresh pasture breezes that are 100% free of ammonia. The healthy pasture grasses make immediate use of the nitrogen in the manure to prevent any odors or runoff. The whole system is beautiful and clean, naturally providing meat that is clean, flavorful, and nutritious. FRESH WHOLE CHICKEN WILL BE READY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, CHICKEN PARTS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH. ORDER YOURS TODAY. | The Chi Machine and HotHouse (Far Infrared Dome) provide highly effective, easy to use cutting-edge technology that stimulate healing on the most fundamental level. We've been using these devices for over twenty years and love them. The Chi Machine provides a relaxing, therapeutic massage that leaves you with a wonderful tingling sensation, the result of increased oxygen and blood flow. These two fundamentals do several things to improve your health and quality of life. The HotHouse (Far Infrared Dome)radiates a gentle, healing frequency that deeply penetrates and slightly elevates body temperature. The resulting stimulation is in harmony with the body's own heat generation and internal processes, providing benefits that have been found to be helpful for many health conditions and overall wellbeing. Learn about the other wonderful HTE products here. Experience better health! | Harvest Haven Pastured Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – This recent addition to our product line has been a big hit. These boneless skinless thighs are juicy and tender, with loads of flavor. Harvest Haven Garlic – Fresh off the field, large aromatic, tender bulbs ready for your favorite dishes. Garlic has many proven health benefits, besides being nutritious and delicious. Mans Organic Red and Yellow Watermelon – Mans Organic grows the best watermelon! It's sweet, juicy, and so refreshing. Did you know watermelon is a healthy fruit? It has many important nutrients for a healthy you. L'Ancetre Organic Herbed Feta – A Greek Feta made with organic sheep's milk and packed in a vacuum sealed package without brine, giving it a bold flavor that isn't too salty and enhanced with oregano and thyme. It's a tasty addition to salads, pasta, and even hamburgers! Organic BC Nectarines – It's time to enjoy the fresh, sweet flavor of nectarines with all their juiciness. Here's an interesting tidbit: at the stem end, you find a yellow stripe across the top that is indented. As the fruit ripens on the tree, it pushes against the branch. This creates the indent and shades it from the sun, preventing the skin from turning red. Tree-ripened nectarines will have a yellow mark from where it ripened on the branch, which means the fruit will soften and have good flavor. Organic Black Amber Plums – These large black plums have juicy, sweet flesh with tangy skin and a tiny pit. Nice for fresh eating, but used primarily for puddings, pies, and sauces. Great with other fruits in a salad or as a dessert, as a topping on a cheesecake or flan, and with savory dishes such as curries or roast chicken. | Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic. | Garlic Chicken Thighs 6 boneless skinless Harvest Haven chicken thighs
2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 Harvest Haven garlic cloves crushed
1/3 cup Harvest Haven chicken bone broth
1 teaspoon salt or use according to preference Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with a kitchen towel, trim off excess or visible fat and set aside. Let chicken thighs be at room temperature before cooking, this allows even cooking. Add paprika, salt and black pepper to a small bowl and mix to combine. Add to the chicken thighs and mix to combine. Place a pan on medium heat, add olive oil and butter and heat until melted. Add crushed garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes until it releases fragrance and looks soft. Add the chicken thighs to the hot garlic oil and sear on each side for about 4 minutes. Add the chicken bone broth and move round to deglaze the pan if need be. Flip the chicken thighs once so all sides are covered with the pan sauce. Continue to cook until done. Take it off the heat, and garnish with chopped parsley, lemon slices and serve immediately. NOTES
To bake chicken thighs in the oven, preheat the oven to 400 F and bake for about 30 minutes. Test with a meat thermometer if unsure chicken is done. The internal temperature should read 70 C. Alternatively, cut the thickest part of the chicken in half and the inside should be white and water runs clear. | Watermelon Feta Salad 1/2 watermelon, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 English cucumber (or 2 mini cucumbers), chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Harvest Haven basil, torn/chopped finely
Crumbled feta, to taste
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Olive oil, to taste
Salt & pepper, to taste Prep your watermelon, cucumber, and basil, and add them to a salad bowl. Add the feta as well (start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed). You can either add the vinegar and oil to a jar and shake it up or just drizzle a bit on top of the salad and toss. I didn't put quantities because everyone's tastes vary, but I would start with 1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar and a tablespoon of olive oil and go from there. Season with salt & pepper as needed (feta is pretty salty so you may be able to skip the salt) and serve immediately. | Nectarine Plum Tart Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups (280g) flour
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cups (170g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1 inch cubes
3-4 tbsp ice cold water For the filling:
2 1/2 large nectarines, halved, de-stoned and sliced thinly
3 small plums, halved, de-stoned and sliced thinly For the glaze:
2 tbsp apple jelly; make sure it's smooth
1 tbsp water Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease a 9-inch tart tin with butter. Place the flour, sugar and salt into your food processor. Drop in cubes of cold butter around the whole bowl. Pulse for a few seconds at a time until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add in water, 1 tbsp at a time, pulsing in between for at least 20 seconds. (You need to pulse for at least this long because you may think you will need more water, but it will come together if you keep pulsing.) I normally need 4 tbsp of water. Pulse until your dough comes together and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl. Alternatively you can place flour, sugar, salt and butter into a large bowl and use a pastry blender or your fingers to rub the butter and flour mix together until you have breadcrumb texture. Then add water 1 tbsp at a time and mix with your hands until it comes together. I would advise the food processor method. Once your dough is ready, lightly flour a silicone pastry mat or your work surface. Tip the dough out and pat into a circle. (At this stage you can wrap the dough in beeswrap and place in the fridge to chill if required.) Lightly flour the top and then roll once with a large rolling pin. Turn the dough 1/8th of a turn to the right and roll once, then turn it another 1/8th of a turn and roll. Continue until pastry is around 1/8th of an inch (3-4mm) thick, just over is fine. Re-flour the dough as required. Place rolling pin at one edge and then loosely fold the pastry dough up around the rolling pin. Take it over to your prepared tin and start unrolling it at least 3 inches further forward than your tin (in order to have enough to press it into the tin). Be gentle when un-rolling the dough. Let it fall into the tin. Remove a small piece of dough from one of the edges and roll into a ball. Lift and press the dough into the pan using the ball of dough to press it against the side and create a smooth, flat surface. Use your rolling pin to roll over the top of the pie tin gently, to cut away the excess pie dough. (Dough will shrink in the pan, but this is what you want with this recipe as otherwise it will be too tall for the filling.) Take a fork and prick holes in the bottom of your crust. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the tin, ensuring it's big enough to come up the sides of the crust too. Tip in baking beans or pie weights and make sure they cover the bottom of the crust. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is just starting to colour. Remove baking beans (I tip them into a bowl to cool) and then place the pie crust back in the oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 2-3 minutes. Then start with your filling! I started with plums in the centre; find the centre of your pie and then move outwards slightly. Place slices of plum, overlapping each other in a clockwise circle. You can either go the same way or opposite way with the slices of nectarine, but follow the same process, overlap each slice and turn slightly so the slices will go all around the pie and meet each other. Place in the oven for 17-20 minutes until the fruit looks soft and ever so slightly browned. Crust will be golden. I always use a pie crust shield around the edges of my pies to make sure the edges don't get too brown. If you don't have one, roll up some foil and then shape it around the tin to cover the edges. Leave pie to cool completely before adding glaze. Place apple jelly into a small bowl and add in water. Mix until well combined and smooth. You want a fairly runny mixture. Brush the mixture all over the fruit and crust to create that glossy finish. Tart will keep covered, in the fridge, for 3 days. | Free-Range Kids It's always a delight to visit with Martin and Jeannie's children. They have such interesting lives. Don't you enjoy seeing wild horses galloping over the hills? That's what it's like stepping into the lives of these free-range kids. They all have various chores and responsibilities, such as watering the flowers around the house, doing dishes and cleaning up, gathering eggs, and helping in the gardens with weeding and harvest. But, in between there's time for exploring and being creative – free ranging. Mathijs loves his guitars. He has three of them, two acoustics and one electric. He's often walking around with one of them stuck under his arm or is strumming a tune he's heard. Konstantijn, who is an accomplished pianist herself, enviously exclaims that her younger brother has a gift for hearing a piece of music and being able to play it on his guitar almost immediately. It's entertaining watching the two of them as K has been charged with teaching Mathijs scales on his guitar. She has an intense interest in piano scales and is able to transpose those to the guitar. It appears that K is a capable teacher and Mathijs a willing student. Konstantijn enthusiastically describes scales that most of us have little knowledge of and uses them to write her own music. And the faster the piece the better. Apparently, her piano teacher always tells her to slow down as her fingers fly over the keys, rarely missing a note. Martin related to us that when Konstantijn was 4 years old, she had an intense interest in dinosaurs and was able to identify nearly 500 of them and even correctly spell most of their names as he found pictures of them on the internet. She had taught herself to read with some help from Jeannie and was able to read all the dinosaur books she could get from the library. That interest faded and now it's music. Fortunate us. Then, there's Mathijs' twin sister, Marseilles. She's the naturalist of the family with a knack for hearing conversations and recreating the stories in hilarious cartoons with stick figures. She also taught herself to read and has had an extensive vocabulary from a very young age, amazing everyone with her remarkable discourses and humorous stories. Marseilles' current interest is insects. She made sure no bees were killed when extracting honey with her dad. She even feeds crumbs to the colony of tiny ants at the front door of their home to her mother's chagrin. While in the garden, she caught two different types of caterpillars, put them in containers, and researched what they were and what specific environments they needed. And lo and behold, they spun cocoons on the sticks Marseilles provided for them in their respective containers. Now, she's researching what conditions are required for them to develop into flutterbies (the original word for the misnomer "butterflies"). She believes one is a Monarch and the other, a Tiger Swallowtail. I found a big green worm in the lettuce I was washing for dinner. I sent a picture of it to her, hoping that I wouldn't have to keep it. It was just a White Cabbage flutterby, so no need to save that. Phew! So, besides the free-range chickens at Harvest Haven, we have free-range kids that provide us with much entertainment and joy. | |
