Finding Balance

My thoughts today kept finding their way to a class I had in college on business ethics.  I minored in entrepreneurship and management.  In the class we read case studies and examined the choices that businesses made.  One case was for a major car manufacturer.  Do not quote me here because I am going from memory on this topic but the bottom line was that the car had problems and the fuel tank could explode causing an accident or potentially killing the occupants.   The car manufacturer was aware of these problems.  On one hand ethically speaking this company should have recalled all the cars because any risk to human life is too much.  But as black and white as it seems ethics should be they tend to be more like a murky grey.  From the company's perspective the chance of the car exploding was X%. The cost of recalling all the cars $Y and the cost of paying the families affected by the malfunctioning cars was $Z.    $Y was SOOOOO much greater than $Z and the chance of the car malfunctioning was low so they made a calculated decision and left the cars out on the road.  People died.

There were more factors that also played into the decision such as who would ultimately pay for the recall and such.  Muddying the decision even further.

On a separate thought, I was at the grocery store today examining juice drinks that would satisfy my new 'no apple juice concentrate from China' rule.  There were other rules to follow in my head too such as:
* no high fructose corn syrup
* organic
* environmentally friendly packaging
* made in the USA (even better: made locally)
* price
* 100% juice
* carbon footprint or carbon offset

And all that was outside of any flavor consideration.  Some of these criteria carried more weight than others and that rubric had to be worked out in my head before I could make my choice.  Honestly, water was sounding pretty darned good because there wasn't one juice that satisfied all my criteria even remotely well.  The best drink that I have found to satisfy these criteria is apple cider from Lohr's Orchard, which I can purchase locally, is made locally, contains no apple juice concentrate from China, is not organic but is from a small diverse farm, the price is right but as far as I know they do not do carbon offsetting and they do not use sustainable packaging.

It is a balance.  For each decision I make at the store regarding the food my family eats and the products we bring into our home, I have to find this balance.  The connection to the story I shared regarding the car manufacturer is that, to me, it is business ethics for my home.  I have to weigh the possibility, even if it is small, of slow poisoning by arsenic or possibly harming a family or endangered species in South America due to slash and burn agriculture.  The black and white decision is that all food should be absolutely safe and cause no harm to the environment.  But the reality is that it is a balancing act of risk and cost.  Some of that information is shared with us, the consumers, but I would say the majority is not and is left to the manufacturers to share with us as they feel it (or the government feels it) is relevant.

Going completely off-grid food-wise is one way to circumvent a number of these problems, but not all and it is mostly unrealistic for my family.  So we are back to balancing the risks versus the outcomes and costs.  No answers here tonight, just a thought process.  I would love to hear yours.

Arsenic in Apple Juice

Studies are showing that apple juice concentrate found in many foods is extremely high in arsenic.  Mostly, the problematic concentrate is from China but labeling makes it unclear where most juice concentrate is from.  Buying organic is apparently not a safe bet as some of the highest levels were found in organic juice.  Even small amounts of arsenic build up over time causing problems similar to lead poisoning especially in children.

I just threw out the juice that we have in the house that has apple juice concentrate.  The labels show it to be from either the US, Argentina or China.  I will be sending juice to school with my children so that they will have juice that I know is safe. 

Here are two studies you can refer to:

http://www.comingalongside.org/Apple_Juice.html

http://www.consumerreports.org/content/dam/cro/magazine-articles/January%202012/Consumer%20Reports%20Arsenic%20Test%20Results%20January%202012.pdf

Note that even juices that are not specifically 'apple juice' could have apple juice concentrate as the sweetener and the same problem applies. 

PLEASE share this with your friends, especially those that have children.  Just another reason to buy local from locally grown sources when possible!

Turkey

I picked up my first turkey of the season from Sunny Hill Farm on Sunday along with sweet potatoes, cheese, honey, butternut squash and a few other things.  I am mourning the end of the season with very little opportunity, because of our kitchen remodel, to preserve food for the winter.  I did manage applesauce and a batch of of salsa along with freezing some of the extras that we received.  Sometimes you just have to rely on the grocery store.  Thankfully, some of the farm markets are open into the winter.  You just have to know where to go!

My second turkey, a heritage breed, I purchased from Rumbleway tonight.  While not quite as big as my 25lb bird from Sunny Hill it did come in at 19 lbs.  Not bad at all.  This turkey will grace our Thanksgiving table on Thursday.  I love that it will not only provide for the meal at hand but plenty of additional meat, a large batch of stock and of course a wish bone for the kids.

I try to keep my Thanksgiving choices as local as possible.  It seems appropriate to honor and value those people in our community that sustain us.  However, I also deeply appreciate a meal prepared by and enjoyed by all the guests attending and feel it is inappropriate to set restrictions on what each individual offers to bring.   So for the most part, I will be setting out local Harford County fare and will anticipate with mouth watering suspense the delicious things my guests have prepared. 

Wishing all a wonderful, thankful day on Thursday.

World Ark - "What a Waste"

World Arc a magazine published by Heifer International included information in their 'Facts and Figures' section of the Holiday 2011 issue regarding the amount of food we waste.  It was truly amazing.  You can view the magazine through this link http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/heifer/worldark_2011holiday/

I think purchasing our food locally and paying a more realistic price for our food has definitely made my family appreciate what we eat a bit more.  It did pain me today to throw out a substantial amount of soup that I made and then left on the stove, forgotten, as the day progressed.  But throwing out wasted food is not the norm in our house.  We try to put the right amount of food on our children's plates.  But still that is probably our biggest area of waste.  EPA estimates that in the US 40% of food gets thrown away and that worldwide 1/3 of the food produced is never eaten.  These figures truly amaze me in light of the fact that hunger and starvation exist.  We are certainly doing SOMETHING wrong. I only wish enough people knew the answer to fixing it that it might actually happen.

Know Your Honey

This is a long article but worth reading regarding honey, it's origins and why you should care.  http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/  You can solve the issue of tainted and illegal honey but shopping at local apiaries and farmer's markets.  I can think of 5 places here in Harford County that sell local honey, it is not hard to come by.  

We when made bigger efforts to buy local food two years ago now we began eating a lot more honey.  There are issues surrounding many foods that we consume but sugar, like coffee, tea, and cocoa, has not only the normal food concerns but also issues of fair trade.  Honey was a switch we could make to reduce the amount of sugar we were importing.  But as you can see, it is only a good switch if you are purchasing it from an apiary you know.

Cooking Pumpkin and Quinoa

Using fresh pumpkin is easy and you can preserve some for later if you cook up too much.  My simple method is to preheat the oven to 350.  Wash your pumpkin, leave it whole.  Use a sharp knife to poke several holes in your pumpkin to allow steam to escape.  Place your pumpkin on a pan with sides all around (a roasting pan works well) and place in the oven.  Cook for at least 1 hour.  It is done when the skin gives to the touch and starts to wrinkle.  You'll have to use your judgement.  Remove and let cool.  The whole thing may slump in on itself and that is ok.

When you are ready, peel off the skin, it should just fall away from the flesh.  scoop out the seeds and then puree the flesh in a food processor.  I like to freeze in 1 c. increments for later.  Here is a great high nutrition dish you can make with your fresh pumpkin: pumpkin quinoa.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

4 c. water, bring to a boil
Add 2 c. oatmeal, 1 t pumpkin pie spice, 1/4-1/2 c. pumpkin puree and 1/4 c. maple syrup. - cook 5 min
Meanwhile - heat a cast iron skillet on low heat.  Add 2 T butter, 1 t salt and 1 c. pecans - roast 'til fragrant - remove, chop and add desired amount to pumpkin oatmeal.

Enjoy!  We like adding raisins, too!

Food Industry Website

This is a European website however there seems to be a US version as well. Seems like a great resource on relevant food issues:

FoodNavigator.com

Applesauce

I am already finished with applesaucing for the year. I usually spread it out over a few weeks but this year I had a deadline to make. In less than a week my kitchen is going to be ripped out and over the course of a month, put back together. It is exciting for sure but I have no idea how we are going to eat!

Back to applesauce. Making applesauce is a very vivid memory of mine from childhood. I remember the smell and the taste of the sauce as it squished out of my mom's Squeezo Strainer. . It is the same strainer that I have used for the past 4 years to make my own applesauce and create the same memories for my children.

I process 1/2 a bushel of apples at a time that I get as seconds from Lohrs Orchard for $10. The smaller amount makes it manageable for me because I don't have half a day to spend on this project at any given time. I can wash and cut the apples and get them cooking (it takes about 30 minutes to do this step) and then later when they are cooked I can process and can them.

This year I put up 1.5 bushels, 33 qts canned. I hope I do not run out quite so soon as last year but the children LOVE applesauce and I love to bake with it so I don't have high hopes. The first two batches were unmixed one of Gala and one of Golden Delicious. The last was a mix of Golden & Red delicious. Most folks recommend a variety of apples for the best flavor.

If you are looking for step by step in canning your own applesauce the ultimate guide is right here. I'd love to hear about how it goes for you!

In a Pickle

I haven't yet delved into canning pickles. However I did find two great, easy pickle recipes on McCormick's website that are worth sharing. They make small batches of pickles that will last up to 3 months in the refrigerator (if you can resist them that long!)

Asian Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator Bread & Butter Pickles

If you were to catch my husband, he would tell you I am not a huge fan of pickles. But I could pull up a bowl of these pickles and just dig in!

Grass Fed vs. Grocery Store

Here is the comparison: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2009/11/battle_of_the_d_18.php

Luckily there are plenty of choices if you live here in Harford (or Cecil) County for great grass fed beef. Check out my favorite farms in the side bar. If you are looking for grass fed beef in your neck of the woods try EatWild.com.

Don't be put off by the price either. For the past five years we have been purchasing meat locally in bulk. We buy a quarter of a cow and a half of a pig. The price is much less than buying cuts individually as needed and we make it last for a year eating each meat type only once a week.

Drying Out

I think it is appropriate that amidst all this rain I would test drive the Nesco Professional Food Dehydrator. It is my little 'rage against the moisture' :-) The dehydrator was a birthday gift from my sister in law and although I had been itching for one for a long time, the 'busy'ness of every day just kept me from opening the box.

This morning was definitely one of those, 'Why didn't I do this sooner!?' moments. There was nothing to put together, I simply had to wash the trays in warm soapy water and then the machine was ready to go. Loading it up was equally simple. I decided to try apples for this first go round. I simply cut them into a bowl of orange juice, let them soak for 5 minutes and then lined them up on the trays. The whole process took about 10 minutes. I did it all before walking my son down to the bus stop. Drying took the whole day. Most of the apples were finished after 10 hours with a couple pieces taking twelve.

When I do this again, I am going to use a corer to make the job even simpler and then slice the apples in rings.

I am looking forward to trying watermelon, tomatoes, sage and cranberries next. Oh the possibilities are endless!

Blueberries

It was a perfect day to venture out blueberry picking and the blueberry bushes were heavy with berries at Spring Valley Farm in Cecil County. The berries are $2.65 a pound. We managed to pick 11 lbs in no time with the three little ones 'helping.' Little J was an expert picker whereas we had to guard our bowls from little E's sticky fingers.

The farm also has ripe yellow and white peaches. After picking I made healthy blueberry muffins for snacks later this week and a fresh open face blueberry pie. My favorite!

I will likely freeze the remaining berries and make some jam. I'll probably need to pick one more time to have enough to last us through the winter.

CSA Season in Full Swing: Radishes and Kale

I guess because of the heat, this growing season seems to have started off with a bang. Already our CSA basket from Sunny Hill Farm is chock full of great veggies. Two that I am not as used to preparing are Kale and radishes.

For the kale, I tend to saute it in olive oil with a bit of red pepper flakes. I add dry white wine after a few minutes of cooking and put a lid on it to steam the kale a bit. There is a great green bean and kale recipe on Giada's Food Network website. You'll even get non-kale fans eating the stuff with that recipe.

As for the radishes they seem to be the 'it' food this season. We received them every week in our early spring share from Brad's Produce. And now that our summer share has started we have received them every week as well. Let's just say I was needing another way to eat them other than with dip and in our salads. They just haven't been disappearing fast enough! So I food this steak recipe from EatingWell.com Which pairs a rare beef with a light radish and carrot salad, yummy! When the radishes came in again this week I sought recipes to use them up even faster and found this one for radish dip. Let's just say the bowl is almost empty and I won't be kissing anyone anytime soon! Jean at Sunny Hill suggested that the radish dip be paired with Kale chips. Sounds good to me! Here is her recipe:

Kale Chips

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 bunches kale, rinsed with stems removed

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

1 Cut kale into 2 to 3 inch pieces.
2 Mix vinegar, oil, and salt in a large bowl then add kale and mix by hand.
3 Try to get all the leaves covered.
4 Place on baking sheets (I like to use parchment paper for easy clean up) and bake at 350 F until they are crispy.
5 After about 20 minutes, if it looks like they are not sizzling a bit or getting a little crispy, turn up the heat

You can also experiment with adding other spices or flavorings of your choice like garlic powder, old bay, poppy or sesame seeds. Pair with your favorite dip or salsa for a great guilt free snack.

Just a note: We just picked Sour Cherries yesterday but they are coming to an end. I hear that blueberries are ripe now. I have picked every year at Spring Valley Farm. Sweet Cherries are coming in, too. I haven't been to this farm yet, but it looks like a lot of fun!

Strawberry Season Flying By

There are seasons I can recall in recent history where I was still picking strawberries at the end of June. This apparently is not going to be one of them. Harmans still has some pre-picked strawberries but their picking season is coming to an end. If you are planning to pick strawberries to make jam or to freeze, make pies and strawberry ice cream, you better head out this week to do so.

Locally, I know that these farms have strawberries:
Brad's Produce (410) 734-GROW
Harman's Farm Market (410) 734-7400
Wilson's Farm Market 410-836-8980
Lohrs Orchard 410-836-2783
Sunny Hill 410-382-0856

Mother's Day

Mother's Day may have been last weekend but we celebrated a week late with our annual family Mother's Day Tea. This is one of my favorite meals to make and I am pleased that each year the food is more local and more seasonal than the last. This year I was able to use local milk, cream and butter which I didn't have available last year. What a joy! Just to make your mouth water...I made dried apricot and fresh sage scones from the cream and butter we receive from Kilby Cream. I only make these scones once a year and I use the sage from my garden, which is a purple/silver variety. So tastey!

I highly recommend my guests do not have their cholesterol checked in the week after this annual tea. The rest of the menu was: Lemon Squares (from my dad), Asparagus Soup, Spring Potato Salad, Clotted Cream, Rhubarb Bread, Salted Butter, Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Dill Egg Salad Sandwiches, Avocado Salad Sandwiches and PB&J for the kids.

I think the biggest items that were not local were the flour and avocados. I helped myself to tasting along the way of cooking and stuffed myself to the gills at the party. I think I am still feeling the effects.

I just love this time of year when all the fresh food is just starting to become available. It is like we have an awaking to veggies and fruits once again and every week there is something new that his available.

If you are local to Harford County, please stop by to the farms that I have listed on the right. If not, check out your state's Department of Agriculture or Local Harvest.

Farmer's Markets opening soon!

After all the cold, it is finally time for the Farmer's Markets to open again. Bel Air Farmer's Market will open on April 9. You can find out more here http://www.belairfarmersmarket.com/

Aside from that many farms are still taking applications for CSA's this summer. Sunny Hill in Whiteford still has openings if you go to http://www.sunnyhillfarmmd.com/ You can request an application.

Also, Kilby Cream is expanding their milk delivery locations and I bet there is one nearby you (if you live in Harford or Cecil County). You can check at there website http://www.kilbycream.com/.

Lastly, in an unrelated food note (but very green note!) Clear Your Clutter Day is on the way to Harford County. Find out more about the day and check out our new sponsors at ClearYourClutterDay.org

A warm day

Wow! It feels like spring. There is still a ton of snow on the ground, in spite of the 60F day but we don't get much sun around our house to melt it. The birds are singing and I can almost ignore the fact that the temperate is going to drop next week again. At least it won't drop quite so low. I am really tired of the 10F days.

Our food journey has not been so intense as last year this time. Last year at this time I was driving around to the remaining hold outs of fresh, local food and hitting the organic grocery store on a weekly basis. Two things have changed. First of all, it seems more local folks have gotten on the food band wagon and so much of the fresh local stuff was gone by the end of 2010. Second, the grocery store is starting to carry more and more organic produce and packaged food.

Our meals at home have been simpler, mostly due to time restraint, so we are eating WAY less meat and aside from onions, potatoes and carrots 100% of our veggies and 75% of our fruits are from our own freezer store. It is nice to just go down to the basement and pick out something yummy to eat. I am still buying apples and oranges at the grocery. Mostly because the kids eat them with abandon.

Sign up deadline soon!

If you are looking to join a local CSA consider Sunny Hill Farm. I am looking for 12 families to join in this co-op pick ups are in Havre de Grace. Email me at nettieann@gmail.com for more information.

Early Spring Share with Brad's Produce

Here is the latest from Brad's Produce in Churchville:

Due to the interest and many requests for the Early Spring Share we have increased the number of shares that we are offering. If you wanted to sign up for this share and missed the deadline you may still do so. Just send your registration form and check to us this week and we will accept it. This share is from April 21st through May 12th and includes the very first produce available such as fresh asparagus, spinach, spring mix lettuce, radishes and bok choi.

Italian Egg Soup

It may seem like there are fewer options in the winter for vibrant, fresh food. It is the land of potatoes, squashes and other veggies that keep well in a root cellar. But, this Italian Egg Soup recipe that is found on Eating Well's website is a cheerful, light soup that really brightens my day. I thrive on local food but I also try to eat in season. In the winter citrus fruits and avocados are in season, they may have to travel a bit and I do appreciate that and take advantage of them only at the right time of year.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out your favorite farm and sign up for a CSA this coming year. Most are already taking memberships and I am sure a few are already full. These days with early, regular and late season memberships you can cover 3/4 of the year with fresh, local food!