Come on sunshine! The lettuce needs just another week before it’s ready for market. Though not available again this week, we are shooting for next week.
It’s almost there!
Lettuce Update
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Category Archives: Farmers Market
Immune Boosting, Stress Relieving Ginger & Turmeric
I thought this was worth sharing again as I’m stocking up on this. I plan to have some available at the farmers markets this weekend.
Our farm still has fresh ginger and turmeric. You can pick up while it lasts, every Saturday at Webb City Farmers Market and Joplin Empire Market.
My friend Mary recently shared with me what she did with the ginger she received in her CSA share. She made Ginger, Turmeric & Lemon Honey Bombs! With the arrival of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I found this to be a timely treat. Add a teaspoon or two to hot water, add it to tea or juice, or slather it on bread. This supercharged mix will nourish your body, mind and spirit.
Cooler Weather Signals Time For Ginger & Turmeric Golden Milk
We are at the end of this season’s ginger and turmeric harvest. The crop has been bountiful this year!
With the temperature dipping to the low 40’s tonight, I thought I would share my recipe for Golden Milk. Think of Golden Milk as an Indian Turmeric Latte. Curcumin, the active component in turmeric, has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries due to its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Other ingredients are ginger, peppercorns, and cinnamon, also packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.
Although delicious anytime, a cup full of golden milk in the evening can relax you into a restful sleep. Whether it helps you sleep or not, it’s a creamy, soothing bedtime snack for you to cradle as you relax at the end of the day.
Golden Milk
Perfect for an evening drink just before bed, these ingredients that have been shown to promote a good night’s sleep.
- Heat 2 cups light, unsweetened almond milk (or coconut or soymilk)
- Add 1/2 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
- Add 1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh turmeric
- Add 3-4 black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Heat all ingredients in a saucepan
- Stir well
- Bring to a simmer and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
- Strain and sweeten with honey to taste (if desired).
We have fresh baby turmeric and ginger available at Empire Market and Webb City Farmers Market every Saturday while the harvest lasts. If you’ve never tried baby ginger and turmeric, you’re in for a treat. No need to peel, it’s not tough and fibrous and contains the highest levels of antioxidants.
Pick some up this weekend and ask me about my favorite way to preserve the rhizomes to enjoy fresh all winter.
Karen
Spring Greens: “Dino Kale”
We had a beautiful snowstorm yesterday and, overnight the temperature dipped to 25 degrees. We were a little worried about the tomato plants in the high tunnel but all is well this morning. Bright, beautiful sunshine is warming it up nicely.
The Lacinato kale did just fine too. Lacinato kale is also known as Tuscan kale, Italian kale, or dinosaur kale. It has dark blue-green leaves with a bit of texture; its taste is slightly sweeter, nuttier and more delicate than curly kale. Especially after a freeze.
It contains many nutritious benefits with tons of Vitamins A, C, and K. and is known for balancing blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Kale Salad: Lacinato can be used like any other kale though my favorite is a very simple fresh salad. To prepare, slice it into ribbons. Toss the ribbons with lemon juice, olive oil and garlic paste. Top with sliced avocados, scallions and parmesan cheese. You can also add freshly toasted bread crumbs.
At market on Saturday, along with Dino kale, we will have more Swiss Chard for you. Plus our lettuce mix, curly petite kale, green leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, cilantro, parsley and mint. All the microgreens and spring greens! Plus beautiful French Breakfast Radishes.
Come see us at Empire Market and Webb City Farmers Market.
You can pre-order from our store here or Empire’s Curbside Pickup here. Call or text me too, 970-980-9395.
Be well!
Karen
P.S. If you know people you think would be interested in news from our farm, please forward this to them and encourage them to sign up at Subscribe Here.
Spring Greens: Swiss Chard
What is it? It’s a beet, minus the root. But unlike regular beets, chard produces big, tender leaves and crunchy stalks. The leaves are a bit milder than spinach but with the same texture. They are mild, sweet, earthy and just slightly bitter. The stalks remind me of celery with a sweet taste similar to beets.
To prepare, I simply rough chop the leaves and finely chop the thicker stalks so that the two parts cook in about the same time. Steam or sauté and toss with butter or olive oil, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper. I like the contrast between the tender leaves and the crunchier stalks. Serve this as a side or toss with cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese. Yum!
We will have Swiss Chard at Empire Market and Webb City Farmers Market for you on Saturday. Plus our lettuce mix, market mix, kale, green leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, mixed petite greens, cilantro, parsley and mint. All the microgreens and spring greens! Plus beautiful French Breakfast Radishes.
You can pre-order from our store here or Empire’s Curbside Pickup here. Call or text me too, 970-980-9395.
Be well!
Karen
P.S. If you know people you think would be interested in news from our farm, please forward this to them and encourage them to sign up at Subscribe Here.
Spring Farming Adventures
It seems like there is always a crazy dip to freezing temperatures right around the time we are ready to transplant tomatoes. We put them out to harden off anyway. Doug tucked the tomato seedlings under heavy row cover last night in preparation for the hard freeze. We were expecting a low of 31. When I looked at the the thermometer this morning, it registered 25 degrees!
Yikes! Did they freeze? That would set us back 6 weeks!
I was very happy to see that the plants were fine. Thank goodness! We’re not out of the woods yet though, there are 4 more weeks until our last frost date. Spring, it’s a raucous adventure.
We’re bringing more spring greens to market on Saturday. Our lettuce mix, market mix, mixed greens, baby kale and microgreens.
See you there!
Karen
Did I write “welcome February” in my last post?
Ok, I’m totally rethinking that.
This is our first experience with sub zero temperatures for an extended period. I haven’t peeked beneath the row covers yet so I don’t know the extent, if any, of damage to our crops. Today at least the sun is shining clear and bright. Right now it’s 60 degrees in the high tunnels. We’ll know more on Friday when temps are forecast to be above freezing. Stay tuned…
It’s also kidding season here at the farm. It seems like those babies decide they want to be born on the absolute coldest days of the year. Two hypothermia babies out of 11 and hopefully no more. They have both fully recovered and have been happily returned to their mamas thanks to Doug’s loving care.
On the upside, the snow cover is providing much needed moisture for spring growth! And we’re seeding tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, scallions, onions, lettuce, kale, chard. Plus, cilantro, parsley and basil. We delayed transplanting seedlings this week due to the extreme temperature. We have a lot of work to do to catch up next week.
For Winter Farmers Market, it’s too cold to harvest this week. We will be back at market (weather permitting) on Saturday February 27.
Stay warm and safe!
Karen
P.S. If you know people you think would be interested in happenings at our farm, please forward this to them and encourage them to sign up at Subscribe Here.
OakWoods Farm News
Farm Happenings
| Hello friends, Welcome February! Now that we have finally passed through the Persephone period, the days are getting longer quickly and our plants will finally return to actively growing. Elliot Coleman named the term “Persephone Days” for the time of year when daylight falls below 10 hours per day referencing the daughter of Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest in Greek mythology. It’s during this darkest time of the year that plant growth essentially stops. Here at the farm, that period starts November 22 and ends January 19. Now in February, we have kicked seeding and transplanting into high gear. The high tunnels allow us to get plants in earlier than we could outdoors. We’re thankful.   At market this Saturday we’ll have all kinds of microgreens, a bit of baby kale and spinach. With longer and hopefully more sunny days to come, I expect lettuce mix to return to market in mid-February. The high tunnels are packed with plants just waiting for the sun to return! Be well, stay well! Karen P.S. If you know people you think would be interested in news from our farm, please forward this to them and encourage them to sign up at Subscribe Here. |
Winter Farmers Markets
Well, winter is settling in now and all our outer gardens have been put to bed until spring. I am breathing a sigh of relief and enjoying the slower pace of the winter season. It’s a regenerative time for both people and the planet.
2020 is behind us and we’ve been planning for 2021. Doug, Stephen, Mark and I are excited about expanding our protected cover growing space this winter by adding more high tunnels. We will be able to grow more produce for you.
As we end 2020 and begin a new year, I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your business and your continued support of OakWoods Farm. I know that you have many options in the marketplace for purchasing produce. Thank you for choosing us. We are committed to providing you with the freshest and best quality organic produce and look forward to serving you in the years to come.
And now on to Winter Farmers Markets…
Although we have slowed down a bit for the winter, and take a break over Christmas and New Year’s, we are tending winter greens in the high tunnels. And believe it or not, there’s still weeding, seeding, and transplanting to do. We’re bringing microgreens, lettuce, spinach and kale to winter farmers markets on Saturday’s at Webb City Farmers Market and Joplin Empire Market. Stop in and chat with us.
Wishing you a new year filled with wonder, contentment, friendship, joy — and abundant good health!
Karen
Kale Yeah Baby!
It’s greens season here at OakWoods Farm and kale is one of our favorite superfoods. It’s one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Kale is loaded with all sorts of beneficial compounds and it works well in dishes from salad to soup. And locally harvested kale is the best! Come visit us this weekend and pick up a bunch at Webb City Farmers Market and Joplin Empire Market.
Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare kale:
Kale Chips. Try lightly crushing the chips and adding them to popcorn. Our farmhouse Cayenne Chili Pepper Salt adds a tasty kick to this recipe. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kale-chips-51186450
Kale Smoothie. You can be as creative as you want with smoothie ingredients. Green smoothies provide fiber, calcium and vitamins A, C and K, as well as powerful phytochemicals. I like to add a scoop of protein powder. https://www.thekitchn.com/kale-smoothie-recipe-23059434
Kale Salad. Substitute your favorite apple and you can use parmesan instead of pecorino. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/kale-and-apple-salad-recipe-2112013
Kale Pesto With Pasta. Use any pasta you like. Mama JoJo’s has fresh pasta at Webb City Farmers Market. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/kale-pesto-with-whole-wheat-pasta
Ricotta, Kale & Mushroom Toast. I like to top this toast with a fried egg. Mushrooms are available from Salt and Light Farmhouse and Mo’ Mushrooms. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/ricotta-kale-and-mushroom-toast
And of course, Zuppa Toscana. Pick up a hearty bread to dip in the soup from The Bearded Baker or Farmhouse Bakery at Empire Market or from Reddings Mill Bread Company at Webb City Farmers Market. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/copycat-zuppa-toscana-5565099.
– Farmer Karen
OakWoods Farm 