Tyner Pond Farm

Last night I had to improvise.  Mother Nature was not cooperating as far as grilling with a torrential downpour, and then I had an unexpected extra teenager for dinner...seems to happen quite a bit these days ;-)  Needless to say, the hamburgers I was going to make with my one pound of grass fed ground beef were not going to cut it. 

So I turned to an old favorite from my childhood....with a few more vegetables thrown in.  Its a good way to get veggies in to kids AND stretches the meal a bit as well.  

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 pound grass fed ground beef
• 1  minced yellow onion
• 8 baby carrots, minced
• 2 celery stalks, minced
• 1/4 large red pepper, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz can garlic roasted chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 T worcestershire sauce
• sprinkles of ground thyme, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet and add minced vegetables.  Cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.

2. Add ground beef and brown. (Grass fed ground beef has so little fat, that I didn't even drain the pan)

3. Add tomatoes, ketchup, worcestershire sauce and spices.  Stir to combine and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Serve on sesame seed buns.

Enjoy!

I was pretty sick last week with a bad cold.  This happen to coincide with a visit from my mom.  When I picked her up from the airport and she heard me sneezing and coughing, she said, "well, the first thing I need to do is make you some chicken soup!"  and she did.  Luckily I already had a plump pasture raised chicken in the freezer and veggies in the fridge.  I didn't even get to photograph her making it or the finished product as she tucked me nicely in to bed as only a mother will do and demanded that I rest.    It gave me time to think about this inclination we have to make chicken soup when people are sick.  Is there proof that this helps, or is it a lovely wives' tale that we follow?  So, I did a little research.

For those of you that like to cut to the chase... go buy some chickens as there IS scientific proof that chicken soup helps heal the human body!  For those of you that like a little more proof....

There have been actual scientific studies done on people who have been fed chicken soup and then their bodies, blood streams and respiratory systems have been anaylzed. The most widely known study was conducted by Dr. Stephen Rennard and published in Chest in 2000.  

Eating the chicken soup reduced white blood cell activity as stated in a different article I read from Le Cordon Blue, 

"Specifically, chicken soup helped to stop the activity of neutrophils, white blood cells that attack bacteria and cellular debris caused by viral infections like colds. High amounts of neutrophils often stimulate the production of mucous, which may contribute to stuffy noses and coughs. According to the Mayo Clinic it also “temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus, possibly helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.”

Other ways that it is helpful include the heat from a hot bowl of soup can unclog stuffed up nostrils.

Eating the chicken is a great way to get protein in to your body.  Low protein intake can decrease your immune system response.  

Vegetables in the soup contain lots of vitamins and minerals which your body needs to produce more antioxidents to fight off infection and viruses.

Increased fluid intake is very important when you are sick, so drinking the broth increases your hydration.  

They've also found chicken soup to have anti-inflammatory properties.  

Lastly, because it has traditionally been given to us as children, being given a bowl of hot chicken soup as an adult has soothing emotional and psychological benefits as well.

From my research I can tell you that I ate the soup, it was delicious, and now I am better.  Make sure you order and keep a few Tyner Pond Farm pasture raised chickens in your freezer.  When you hear those sniffles start, don't run to the pharmacy...make chicken soup!

Having friends or family over to celebrate the holiday this weekend?  Make sure to stop by the Indianapolis Downtown Farmers Market today or the New Greenfield Farmers' Market on Saturday to see Tyner Pond Farm and you can be fully stocked to host a tasty gathering.  Here are some easy ideas for a Memorial Day barbecue:

With grass fed ground beef... make up some delicious burgers to grill and serve them with a fixins' bar.  Rolls, Sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, monteray jack cheese, avacado slices, farm fresh bacon, lettuce, tomato, jalepeno slices, pickles and a few condiments.  The meat really speaks for itself as it has such a wonderful flavor, but your guests will enjoy chatting as they create their ultimate dream burger.  Put out a few bowls of gourmet flavored potato chips and a veggie platter and you have a simple, but fun, festive dinner.  

Have a fire pit?  Have a weenie roast.  But use Tyner Pond Farm bratwurst, chorizo and sausages instead of hot dogs.  Par boil the sausages to give them a jump start.  Put out those long marshmallow roasting sticks now available in the grocery stores and let your guests choose their "dog".  Pop it on the end of a stick, cook it over the fire while you visit with each other and then dress it at the fixin's bar.  For this one include sauteed onions and peppers, a few flavors of mustards, shredded cheeses such as mozzerella and cheddar and sauerkraut.   A potato salad would pair nicely with this feast, or even a green salad.  The farmers' markets are bursting with their spring lettuces.  A selection of local beers would make a nice addition as well.  

Have time beforehand?  Slow cook an all  natural pork shoulder for a delicious pulled pork.  There are a few different recipes available on the Tyner Pond Farm blog.  Try a potato salad using sweet potatoes to go with this sweet and tangy main dish.  

Craving chicken?  Get a few whole pasture raised Tyner Pond Fam chickens.  If you freeze them slightly it is easier to cut them into pieces for the grill.  Try this scrumptious jerk recipe.  This could be made on the grill as well.  Serve with some mago salsa and a big fruit salad.  Yum!

One of my favorites are slow cooked barbecue ribs.  The secret is to place a pan of water under the grill grates on top of the coals to let the meat slow cook and steam to make mouth watering ribs where the meat falls off the bone.  Yum! Sweet potato chips or sweet potato packets on the grill would go great with this or some baked beans and coleslaw.  

Lastly, pamper your guests with steaks on the grill.  The farm now has a large selection of cuts from which to choose.  Try this avacado chimmichurri sauce and potato packets with farmers market fresh greens in your salad.  

So much of this prep can be done ahead of time to allow you to focus on visiting with your family and friends.  Head on out to the farmers' market or place your order on line today.   

Have a safe, happy and delicious Memorial Day!

Baseball season sure is challenging me to make some quick and easy meals.  It is ironic that I was just discussing Sandra Lee with some women at work, talking about her semi-homemade recipes.  After an appointment ran late, I didn't have time to make the dinner I had planned, and I ended up having a few of my son's friends at the house-surprise!  I did happen to have a pound of sausage in the fridge.  So as the quote goes, "necessity is the mother of invention."   This recipe feels a little like something Sandra Lee would whip up, but my kids loved it and it got us to the field on time.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb all natural Tyner Pond Farm ground sausage
• 2 cans of crescent rolls ( the semi-homemade part)
• 2 cups, give or take, shredded mozzerella cheese
• dried basil, garlic and oregano to taste
•  

1. Open crescent rolls and lay them flat on a baking sheet.

2. Brown the sausage breaking it into crumbles as it cooks.  

3. Drain on paper towel.

4. Put a heaping portion of sausage on each triangle. ( I did have leftover sausage)

5. Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese.

6. Season with basil, oregano and garlic

7. Layer the second can of rolls on top of the first and pinch around seams to make pockets.

8. Bake at the temperature on the crescent roll can for about 10-12 minutes or until the bread becomes golden brown and cheese is melted.  

After making these pockets I began to see all the possible combinations that could go together for future pockets:

chorizo and cheese

broccoli and chicken 

shredded BBQ pork

ground beef and cheddar

the list is endless.

Enjoy!

If you try out Tyner Pond's newest blogger Michael Tambasco's pork chop recipe, you probably won't have any leftovers.....

but if you find yourself with some pork leftovers from chops or a roast, here is a quick and easy way to whip up a new dish.  I actually cut my leftovers in to bite sized pieces and put them in the freezer to have when I needed a quick meal, as I often do, especially during baseball season!

This recipes can really be modified so many ways using whatever vegetable leftovers you may have in the fridge.  It also works with chicken or beef as well.  Here's just one combination:

All Natual Pork Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 T sesame or peanut oil
• About 3 cups of cooked rice
• 2 Farm Fresh Eggs
• 1 T hoisin sauce
• 3 T, divided, soy sauce
• 5 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 heaping T, minced fresh ginger
• 1 large carrot minced
• 2 stalks celery, minced
• 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup or so (really whatever you have) pork in bite sized pieces
• vegetables, I had some baby corn, about 1/2 cup
• pea pods, sliced, about 1/2 cup (as my youngest has an aversion to regular peas, but eats pea pods)
• chopped scallions would be great (I didn't have those)

1. Using a whisk, beat two eggs with 2T soy sauce.  

2. Heat 1T oil in large wok or frying pan.  Add eggs and scramble.  Set aside.

3. Add another tablespoon of oil.  Add chopped garlic, ginger, carrots and celery and saute for about 5 minutes. 

4. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and corn pieces and saute until mushroom soften.

5. Add peapods and saute for just another minute or two.

6. Add in pork pieces, rice, 1 T hoisin sauce and 1 T soysauce, mix well.

7.  Then add in eggs and cook until pork and rice are heated up and flavors have a chance to meld together, about 5 more minutes.  

Enjoy!

Next time you toss a tasty grass fed beef steak on the grill try these potato packets for an easy side dish with a lot of flavor and very little clean up.

Par boil some small potatoes for about 15 minutes.  I had Yukon Gold potatoes...and not baby ones, but chose the smaller ones from the bunch.  This would work with red or fingerling potatoes as well.

Once par boiled, cut potatoes into quarters or wedeges.  Lay a single serving's worth in the center of a piece of aluminum foil.  (I cooked two potatoes for each person)

Dot with pieces of chopped up butter, slices of garlic, salt, pepper and some fresh rosemary from the herb garden.

Wrap the packets like a present folding underneath each packet to give it a little space from the grill grates.

Grill until cooked, butter melted and garlic is soft.  I put mine on a hot grill about 10-15 minutes before my steak as I like my steak medium rare.  Cook along side your steak until finished.  Serve in the packet for a picnic style dinner, or remove from foil to serve.  

Served this with a simple arugula and tomato salad  using some of the leftover balsalmic glaze from chorizo pizza the other night.

Enjoy!

"When April with his showers sweet with fruit  the drought of March has pierced unto the root and bathed each vein with liquor that has power to generate therein and sire flower." - Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales.

 The passage above is the perfect example to describe my morning at Tyner Pond Farm.  Driving up to the farm and arriving on its gravel path, hearing the familiar crunch under the tires as rubber meets pebbled stone, it gave me a overwhelming calm and soothing feeling. I was excited to get started and check everything out.

One of the first things I noticed was all the green grass,  how lush it was and how vast it extended. As I was geeking out about the grass I heard a guttural murmur of a cow and there they were staring right at me, a newborn calf and his mom. I arrived just in time to watch them being introduced back into the herd-such a cool thing to see. All of the cattle were chopping away on the grass, I chuckled to myself and said "grass fed beef", there it is right in front of me. Maybe this is where I vary from others but I thoughtt-I wonder how they taste.

I was raised by a family that always cooked dinner. No matter how late it was or how tired you were, this is what you did. This has been a long standing tradition that has been passed down from generations. This is family time, this is food! Both of my parents are from small towns in upstate New York, hard working factory towns where the pay was low and the hours were long. My great grandfather owned a butcher shop my grandfather worked there as a teen. My uncle also owned a butcher shop. At that time everything was local they received their meat from the local farmer and even delivered the cuts straight to your home. So now you can understand why grass fed cattle excites me. The business of meat and cooking it has been in my family for some time.

All of this came flooding back to me as I stood on the farm. I walked around for hours taking pictures and coming up with new ideas for recipes. I want to get back to basics, much like Tyner Pond Farm has done. Even with everyone`s busy lifestyles I will show how to prepare and cook simple recipes that are complex in flavor. It's time to do something good for yourself and your family.  It's time to experience food, real food and how it was meant to taste. Here are 3 easy steps.

• Buy it: All of my recipes will feature fresh produce from local farmers' markets. All of the meat will be from Tyner Pond Farm. I recommend everyone to try this.
• Try it: Get out and try new foods, experience new flavors and new combinations of food.
• Make it: Like I said before we live in a fast-paced environment so in order to have a meal that is homemade, it will need to be fast. The kicker is when you cook with fresh produce and meats, everything cooks faster!

Here are some of the pictures & video from my visit:

This summer I went crazy with the raspberry jam making, because I figured my jam-addicted husband would go through a jar a week. I calculated for 52 weeks of jam, plus extras for gifts because they make great hostess gifts or simple birthday gifts. 

However, at the time, I also admonished my husband for his jam consumption and made it clear that just because we had a shelf full of jam, that did not mean he had free license to gobble it all up. 

And now we find ourselves in March with plenty of jam because apparently I put the fear of God into him and his jam consumption has been monk like. And being the opportunistic man he is, he decided he would start selling these jars of jam at work! 

It all started one night when he took an entire jar of jam with him to spread on the bread in his lunch later. That turned into sharing his jar of jam which turned into coworker requests for jars of their own. 

So now he not only sells eggs to his coworkers but my jam too! 

Which just goes to show you once again the power of local food once you've got it. The eggs are a huge hit with whomever buys them, and the feedback is usually that the kids loved the eggs. The Hubby has standing orders for eggs now. And the jam? It's raspberries and sugar and nothing else. No pectin, no addivities, no nothing. The guys can taste the difference. They have no problem handing over $5 for a far of that flavor-filled goodness. 

Me? I think I need to take about a dozen jars and hide them away just in case. And I should maybe hide what's left of the strawberry and blueberry jams too... Just sayin'. 

Here it is national burger month and I'm going to talk about pork chops. Here is a quick, yet simple pork chop recipe for a killer chop.There are some tricks to know when dealing with pork chops. Trick numero uno- you must always select a thick cut, best place to get a thick cut is your local

farmers market or local butcher. Another tip is knowing the importance of the brine, a nice saltwater brine makes for a juicy chop. Essentially you want enough water to sub-merge the pork in and about a half cup of salt.  Also adding

apple juice and a few bay leaves never hurts. You can do all of this the night before or a few hours before you grill. (Personally if you have  the time I am a fan of the night before.) Make sure when removing your pork chops you rinse well. Add salt and pepper with a drizzle of olive oil.

Throw them on the grill for 8-10 minutes on each side. If you happen to be preparing sides while grilling, an easy remedy for keeping your pork chops juicy is to place them into a pan covering them with aluminum foil and leaving them in oven for 10 mins at 225 F.

10 minutes later...pork chop bliss.

We often have leftover baked sweet potatoes whenever I cook an all natural pork roast or all natural pork chops as I love the way this vegetable pairs with pork.  

I was excited to find this recipe that uses leftover baked sweet potatoes to make an easy dessert.  I adapted the recipe below from Self Magazine February 2013 Issue.  Their version is a little more lowfat and makes mini muffin size cupcakes.  The recipe below makes makes 12 regular size cupcakes.  With the sweet potatoes being high in beta-carotene and vitamin C and the protein in the cream cheese, I feel pretty good about my kids enjoying this as an afternoon snack.  To them its just dessert!

So grab some All Natural Pork Chops from Tyner Pond Farm and bake some sweet potatoes.  You'll have a delicious dinner tonight and be able to make this tasty dessert tomorrow.

Ingredients for Cupcakes:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 c sugar
• 4 T butter
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 c baked, mashed sweet potatoes
• 1.2 t pure vanilla extract
• 4 T milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 12 cup muffin tin with liners.

In bowl combine flour and baking soda, set aside.

In another bowl cream together butter and sugar until blended.  Add egg whites, sweet potato and vanilla.  Beat on low until combined.  

Add flour mixture and milk.  Beat on low until just combined.  (My teaching assistant is a pastry chef and she is always reminding me not to over mix cupcakes and muffins or over bake them.  Good advice.)

(Lots of Mother's Day quotes going around these days.  I just love "A good mother lets her kids lick the beaters....a great mom turns off the mixer first!")

Fill muffin cups evenly

and bake until a toothpick comes out clean about 15-18 minutes.  The batter is very thick, not as drippy as regular cupcake batter.

Cool in pan for about ten minutes, then remove and cool completely before frosting.   

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 8 oz bar of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 c confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground cardamom
• 1/4 t ground cloves
• chopped dried cranberries for a garnish

In a bowl beat cream cheese, spices and milk together until smooth.  

Frost cupcakes and garnish with cranberries.

A fun, easy way with quick clean up to frost cupcakes is to put the frosting in a sandwich baggie and cut a small hole in the corner.  Squeeze out the frosting as you circle the cupcake.  Toss the bag when finished.  

Enjoy!

I know my definition in the title is incorrect.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  It is a system allowing consumers to purchase "shares" of a local farmer's produce. Members pay the farmer upfront at the beginning of the season, typically $400-$600 dollars, and then receive a share of the vegetables being grown on a weekly or biweekly schedule.

This early bulk payment allows the farmer to plan for the season, purchase new seed, repair equipment and even make capital improvements. It also allows the customer to become truly invested in buying local food, getting to know the farm and farmer and probably learning about some vegetables and products with which they were not previouly familiar. 

 I really didn't know much about this system other than my dad, who lives in VT, telling me he was thinking of joining a vegetable co op.  Recently my friend in CT contacted me telling me she was thinking of joining a CSA with a local farm specializing in fresh poultry, beef and pork (which is why I titled this post as I did).  I wrote about this farm a few months ago when I visited.  

As I learn more about the care and cost of raising animals humanely and safe from pesticides and antibiotics, I can see why smaller, local farms need support from local food buyers.  Sharon's post about the cost of raising one free range turkey and Chris' guest post discussing the care of animals in other farms, as well as the time it takes to raise grass fed beef speak volumes as to the importance of the need for raising our food locally, but the impact on doing so for the farmer.  Receiving support from a customer base in the form of early payment seems like a win-win situation for both farmer and consumer.

For the CSA at Percy Thomson Meadows Farm, they are asking for a pre-season payment which then gives the customer a percentage off of their meat purchases for the season. The percentage increases with the amount of the payment up front.  

In looking in to this in my local area, I have not seen too many other farms that do percentages rather than a bulk pick up, but the CSA option is more available for vegetable growing farms.  

It is a concept I knew very little about, but as my journey in to focusing on locally grown food continues it is something I plan to learn more about.  Finding healthy chemical free vegetables and free range, grass fed meats raised humanely by people I could actually visit and talk to is worth my time.  If receiving a payment earlier in the season would help these farmers maintain their farms and be able to focus on the business of raising food well...then it is also worth my financial support.   

• Include adult structure?
• involve only kids the same age?
• An organized team?

You get the idea.   Nobody in this audience (aged 21 to about 65) felt like their best childhood play memories included any of the above.  I remember this now because of how Matt and his buddies fed the pigs last night.   

It started with a fishing expedition.   Below you see their arsenal.   You see one of the kids had spotted a giant Carp in the pond and the boys...all ages below 14 decided they were going to catch it.

Yes there was a fishing pole involved...but also a bow & arrow, a couple of Lacrosse Sticks, a pool skimmer, ski goggles and a toy AK47 airsoft gun.   Seems like a good arsenal for catching a giant fish.    And guess what?   

After about 4 hours of unsupervised adventure.....?  Success!

So now we have this giant Carp in a cooler in our yard.   It spent the day being toured around and having all the neighbors marvel at the boys mastery for whatever it was they were doing.   Three boys, no adults, no agenda...just an amazing sense of accomplishment.

And in case you think this fish was sacrificed for nothing....don't despair!   Our adolescent pigs love protein!

Don't forget, Pigs are omnivores just like us.  The greater variety, the better the health of the pig and ultimately of the pork.   I can pretty much guarantee that our pork is the only of it's kind.  Show me another pig in Indiana that eats fresh fish!

You can try some for yourself here....

Tyner Pond Farm has added chorizo to their delicious offerings!  This is a pretty versatile and tasty sausage.  

I tried it on some homemade pizza on Friday night and there were NO leftovers!  

I've often had arugula on fancy pizzas out in restaurants with a balsamic glaze but had never made it myself.  It is actually really easy.  

Balsamic Glaze:

Stir 1/2 cup brown sugar into 2 cups balsamic vinegar in a small pot on stove.  Stir frequently while it dissolves.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat down to a simmer  until sauce reduces by 1/3, about 20 minutes.  It should stick to the back of a spoon.

This made plenty more than was needed for the pizza.  Save it in a container in the fridge for another time.  

For the pizza:

Caramelize a sliced vidalia onion.  Add a little olive oil to a pan and stir the onion around on medium to low heat until it gets brown and soft.  Cooking it slowly caramelizes the onion giving it a rich flavor.  Set aside.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with coarse corn meal.  

Spread out pizza dough to your desired shape ( I can't say this was my desired shape.  I did NOT make my Italian grandparents proud with this creation, but it tasted great!)

Brush olive oil on dough.  

Layer with thin slices of Tyner Pond Farm Chorizo.

Next, add caramelized onions.

Then cover with thin slices of fresh mozzerella cheese.

Bake at 450 degress for about 20 minutes until crust is cooked and cheese is melted.

Remove from oven. Cover pizza with fresh arugula and drizzle with balsamic vinegar glaze.

Slice, eat and enjoy!  

This would be great on the grill as well.  I had hoped to do that..but the rain had other ideas.  If you try it on the grill layer dough on foil and brush with olive oil.  Flip it onto the grill, oil side down and then add ingredients on top.  Close grill cover to cook.  I'm definitely trying this one again out on the patio.  

I know it will seem like I am obsessed with the combination of peanut butter and bacon, since I just posted about the cookies using those ingredients, but I truly am not.

I guess making the cookies just reminded me of this old favorite twist on hot dogs that I found in a barbecue ideas cookbook years ago. I do not even know where the cookbook is anymore, but I remember the recipe.  It is so simple, seems really disgusting and it absolutely delicious.  You have to give it a try at least once, and I bet you go back to it.  Plus, its a cool way to fancy up regular hotdogs if you are having a barbecue with friends. 

1. Soak bamboo skewers in water overnight.

2. Take a hotdog.

3. Slice it down the middle lengthwise.

4. Spread peanut butter on one side and layer other side back on top.

5. Wrap the hotdog with a piece of All Natural Bacon from Tyner Pond Farm and thread a skewer through it to keep it together.  (I have to admit my bacon on this night was NOT from the farm. Their bacon is so much better!!)

6. Grill until cooked. (of course the night I planned this meal, it was pouring outside, so I broiled mine.)

7. Place in a hotdog bun and remove skewer.

It doesn't even need condiments!  

Be brave...give it a try!

Enjoy! 

Tacos are a great food to serve for a quick and easy dinner when everyone cannot sit down all at once. Make the meat, lay out the fixins' and people can help themselves.  We needed this kind of dinner tonight when sports and work commitments had all five of us going in different directions.

 Its also great party food.  Easy to prepare and make for a large crowd, freeing up the host and hostess to mingle with guests.  Plus its fun for people to assemble and everyone loves to eat with their hands!

Ours were made with grass fed ground beef leftover from the Sausage Meatballs I made last night, but I was thinking about the versatility of tacos and all of the wonderful combinations.  Here are just a few:

Have ground beef?

Mince a small onion and saute it in olive oil until it starts to brown.  Add 1 lb grass fed ground beef and 2 cloves minced garlic and cook until brown. Add 2/3 cup beef broth and 2T chili powder, 1 T cumin, 2 t cornstarch, 2 t kosher salt, 1 1/2 t paprika, 1 t ground coriander and 1/2 t cayenne pepper.  Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 2-3 minutes for sauce to thicken.

Have chicken?

Use the recipe above using precooked, shredded chicken, such as shared in this previous post on free range chicken. 

Have pork?

Here's a great recipe for slow cooker pork for tacos from the Food Network:

 http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/slow-cooker-pork-tacos-recipe/index.html

Have steak?

Rub grass fed steaks with a combination of 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 T chili powder, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.  Grill and then slice very thin.

Even chorizo?

Saute 1 lb farm fresh chorizo, out of its casing and crumbled with 1 small chopped yellow onion and 3 minced cloves of garlic.  Remove from heat and stir in 2 T chopped fresh cilantro.  

Serve the meat of your choice with taco shells or corn or flour tortillas, chopped onions, sliced jalepenos, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream, and any other topping of your choice.  

You can make this dish once a week and never get bored!  Enjoy!

I think I am gaining the freshman 15 just by LOOKING at colleges with my daughter.  We made a whirlwind trip of the East coast during her April break seeing 11 colleges in 4 states. Part of seeing the colleges is exploring the local towns the colleges are in to see what the life outside of the classroom will be like for her.  What was so nice was that we saw many lovely restaurants and bakeries that were focusing on local meats and produce. 

One of the most interesting places in Philadelphia was a bakery that had many offerings combining sweet and savory tastes using ingredients from a local farm. I had to try one of their peanut butter and bacon cookies.  I have another recipe that combines both of those ingredients, and its one of my favorites, so I tried it. I also happen to LOVE peanut butter.  Well, I liked the combination, but wasn't a fan of the cookie part.  I'd had better peanut butter cookies.  So, this weekend I played around with a Mrs. Field's recipe I had and it was much better.  Plus, Tyner Pond Farm blog has so many wonderful recipes but no desserts.  Its hard to find a dessert which features meat....but here it is.  Give it a try! 

• 1 lb Tyner Pond All Natural Bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled (here's an easy way to cook it)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 3 large farm fresh eggs
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 t pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine flour, soda, salt in a bowl and mix well with a wire whisk.  Set aside.

Using an electric mixer blend sugars.  Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of the bowl.  Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla, and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.  

Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed.  Do not over mix.  

Carefully fold in crumbled bacon until blended through dough.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until slightly brown around the edges.  Transfer to a cool surface with a spatula.  

Enjoy!

Although I love to cook and make fresh healthy meals for my family and friends, my first passion is teaching.  It is fitting that today as Tyner Pond Farm sets up its booth at the Indianapolis Farmer's Market,  I am reading in Exchange Magazine, a early childhood publication, an article on The Farm-to-Preschool Model.  

This quote is quite alarming, "research from the U.S Centers for Disease Control paint a troubling picture for children in the United States ages 2 to 5: nearly 25% are overweight or obese....The American Academy of Pediatrics associates a range of childhood health risks with being significantly overweight."

An innovative child care organization in Massachusetts, Square One,  recognized this problem and has initiated a movement that is now getting national attention.  It decided to serve the children fresh produce sourced from local farmers.  They call their initiative the Farm-to-Preschool Model.  They worked with a local college to create an entire curriculum called LAUNCH to teach good nutrition habits to the children and their families.  

In their model they are sourcing their food from local farmers in their community, not purchasing it from a commercial grocer.  This is where the local farmer is critical as the article goes on to explain, "there's nothing more important in adopting a Farm-to-Preschool Model than finding a farmer who is interested in taking your organization on as a customer." The farmer they work with provides them with seasonal produce and even has some of his workers do some of the prep work such as snip beans or cut carrots into sticks.  "This prep work benefits the farmer because it creates rainy day projects for his people and can keep them working longer into the season."

Learning to preserve food is also part of this initiative as most of the Unitied States does not have year-round harvesting of fruits and vegetables.  

The other piece to this initiative that I find so wonderful is the farmer bringing a mobile farmer's market to the school setting to help the local families learn to shop and prepare healthy foods as well.  "The children's families can walk through the bus and purchase whatever crops the farmer has that week."  

As we look at the local food movement and try to get back to eating locally grown food at home, we should not leave out the schools.  Inner city school often eat 2 out of three of their meals in school.  Perhaps even their only two meals. Helping to provide locally grown, healthy, fresh alternatives is an important mission.

To learn more about this initiative check out www.farmtoschool.org/index.php

The article to which I am referring is in the March/April 2013 issue of Exchange.  www.ChildCareExchange.com

and make sure to stop by Tyner Pond Farm's booth at the Farmer's Market.  You can see where they will be by checking out their facebook page.  

When faced with the question 'Why are you visiting farms'? I thought it was a silly question. The answer seems quite simple, why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you want to know where your meat is coming from, how it's treated and what it eats? It seems so simple. But when I sat down to write about it I had trouble expanding on that. Not because I don't know the answer but my answer comes from a lot of research into this complex subject and my own personal, emotional journey through breaking free of the factory farming model.

I am the girl that says a prayer for the animals in the factory farm semi-trailers when it passes. I know their entire existence on this earth has been a painful one from beginning to end. In a recent documentary I watched video after video of animal abuse and neglect and I’m not talking small stuff, I’m talking torture. It made me so ill I couldn’t look at meat without tearing up. I hardly ate for almost two weeks and made a drastic change to a vegan diet without knowing the first thing about it. I was not eating properly to get my needed protein as a vegan and was sluggish and tired all the time. It was after those two weeks and lots of studying that I was able to learn to cook vegan food properly and get my needed nutrients. But, like everything else, this is an ever-evolving process.

Once I got the veggie and vegan cooking down, my husband and I decided that the only way we would eat meat, dairy or eggs was if they come from transparent sources. The only way to be transparent is if the farm is available for tours and random visits. So, I set out on a search for farms I could visit. First stop was checking out the upcoming vendor list of my local farmers market. I came across a few farms so I research them further on the internet. I contacted the farms for a visit and off I went with a 4 year old and a 13 month old. I must tell you, I was amazed at the difference between the internet description and the farms themselves. I don’t know WHY I was surprised…it’s a marketing tactic like everything else out there. One of the farms I visited wasn’t awful and the animals were treated fine but I guess I expected ‘naturally raised pork’ to not be raised on concrete slabs. Nothing about that seems natural to me. And then I visited Tyner Pond and I must admit I’ll never buy meat from anywhere else again. Why? I fully support their farming practices, their treatment of animals, the fact that their animals are grass fed and above all, they are completely transparent.

So here are my reasons for getting to know my farmer:

Reason #1 – I wanted to know the animal I am eating was given the best possible life while on earth. I want to know my food is treated with respect as a living being. I want complete transparency.

Reason #2 – I’m building my community and supporting Indiana’s local economy. Over 63% of what I spend locally gets funneled right back into the Indiana economy.

Reason #3 – I want to reduce my carbon footprint. By purchasing locally, my meat is raised here and processed locally. It is not put on a diesel truck and shipped across the country to a plant in North Carolina where it is then processed, and shipped back out to various locations in diesel trucks. 

One of the great things about forming a relationship with your local farmer is that you can discuss and suggest cuts of meat.  Tyner Pond Farm doesn't currently offer short ribs, but Farmer Chris is very open to suggstions of cuts from customers. If there is a certain cut you would like to see offered in the future send him an email.  For example,  I just requested that he might want to offer short ribs the next time some of his beef gets processed.

 I have fond memories of this meal being made as a special treat by my grandmother and mother.  I always order it when I see it offered in restaurants, but have never given it a try myself.  When I saw them offered at my local farmers' market, I decided to give them a try.

This meal is worth the time and effort.  Its not a quick meal, but it is not too difficult and tastes soooo good!!

• 8-10 grass fed beef short ribs
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cups flour
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 whole carrots
• 2 whole shallots
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 grass fed beef stock
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop vegetables but leave herbs in sprigs.

Salt & pepper ribs and dredge in flour, set aside.

Heat some olive oil in a dutch oven or oven safe dish.  (I heated up some bacon grease that I had leftover from the morning to give the meat even more flavor.)  

Sear the meat in the hot oil on both sides.

Remove meat and set aside.  Turn heat to medium.  Add vegetables and saute for about two minutes.

Pour in wine, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.  Add broth, salt and pepper.

Add ribs to the liquid, they should just about be submerged and then toss in sprigs of herbs.  

Put the lid on and place into the oven.  Cook at 350 degress for two hours, then reduce heat and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes.  Ribs should be fork tender and falling off the bone.  Remove from oven and let sit with the lid on for 20 minutes.  Skim fat from top before serving.  

This tastes great served over creamy, cheesy polenta.  Put a generous dollop on the plate, make a well in it, add the ribs and cover with juices,  YUM!!

Here is an interesting twist on meatballs.  Its a bit Italian meatballs meet Swedish meatballs meet Beef Stroganoff. The gravy made with Portobello mushrooms is delicious.  It was great served over a bed of quinoa, a grain I have been trying to get my family to eat more of due to its incredible health benefits.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb grass fed ground beef
• 1 lb. all natural ground pork sausage with sage
• 1 sweet vidalia onion
• 6-8 medium cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 t oregano
• 2 t kosher salt
• black pepper to taste 
• 1 c. herbed breadcrumbs
• 1 T worcestershire sauce
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten with a fork
• 1 lb. portobello mushrooms sliced
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 3/4 cups free range chicken stock
• 1 3/4 grass fed beef stock
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/2 c light cream, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together ground beef, ground sausage, 1/2 onion chopped. 3 cloves of garlic, pressed, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, breadcrumbs, worcestershire sauce, eggs and 1/4 cup of the cream.  Mix by hand to blend ingredients well.

Shape into meatballs the size of golf balls.

Place on baking sheet and bake in oven for about 20 minutes.  You can fry them in small batches, but oven cooking still browns them and frees you up to make the gravy. Shake pan to roll meatballs or turn them over with tongs about half way through cooking.  Drain on paper towel.  

In a large saute pan add some olive oil or butter if you prefer.  Add the rest of the vidalia onion but this time slice into thin wedges and the rest of the garlic cloves, sliced thin.  Add Portobello mushrooms and saute until they release their moisture, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with flour and cook another 2 minutes.

Add red wine and cook for a couple of minutes.  

Add beef  and chicken stocks to pan.  Stir to incorporate all of the flour. 

Add meatballs  to pan and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Gravy should thicken a bit.  Add 1/4 cup cream, simmer for another 2 minutes and turn off heat.  Serve over rice, noodles or quinoa.

Enjoy!