Saturday, April 12, 2014

Grow Your Own Heirloom Garden


Family heirlooms come in various shapes in sizes. In my family, our heirloom jewels come in the form of garden seeds. During harvest season, my mom carefully saves seeds from the sturdy plants in her prolific garden. You know what I adore about that? The beans, tomatoes, and dill that I plant today are the same seeds of the same garden goodies that I ate as a kid. The tradition is nostalgic and interesting to me. Each time I bite into a fresh “rattlesnake pole bean” or a “scarlet runner bean” bean from my garden, I think of my hard-working mom, her soil-stained knees, and her beloved garden.

People who are “seed savers” are especially interested in the concept of heirloom varieties. The Seed Savers Exchange defines an heirloom as "any garden plant that has a history of being passed down within a family, just like pieces of heirloom jewelry or furniture. Some companies have tried to create definitions based on date, such as anything older than 50 years."

Heirlooms come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties, from tomatoes to perennial flowers. If you’re really curious about all the heirloom varieties available, check out the heirloom plant resource book put out by the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum–it records all of plants offered by mail order from a myriad of catalogs.

Now you can become part of the ever-growing seed saver/heirloom seed movement. Don’t have a family member saving seeds? No problem. You can still get your green thumbs on some “saved seeds” by visiting a local store with a Seed Savers Exchange rack. Don’t know where to find Seed Savers seeds? Find the store selling them closest to you on the Seed Savers’website.

Perhaps you’re not interested in starting from seed and would rather plant heirloom plants seedlings? No problem there either. From farmers markets, to co-ops, to garden centers, many folks are selling seedlings grown from heirloom seeds. In addition to farmers markets and co-op plant sales, here are a few locations where you can get your green thumbs on some heirloom seedlings:
If you know a person who saves seeds, consult the oracle. In my experience, I’ve found that folks who save seeds are generally fountains of knowledge on the topic, and might even be willing to share a seedling or two with you to help you get started. And if you’re a seed saver and have a great resource to share, please do so in the comments section below.

Cross posted from: Grow Your Own Heirloom Garden - Twin Cities Taste - April 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Prairie Dogs: House-Made Sausages and Charcuterie in Uptown

Twin Cities wurst worshippers have a new joint to add to their must-visit list for summer 2014. Prairie Dogs, to be located in Uptown, plans to combine the best of the Chicago-style hot dog eatery with that of a butcher shop market, using locally-sourced ingredients to make house-made encased meats and charcuterie.

“Think of it as Hot Doug’s of Chicago meets Bavette la Boucheriein Milwaukee,” said Prairie Dog co-owner and sausage maker, Craig Johnson.

Serving sausages prepared for sit-down customers as well as offering a stocked butcher case for home cooks, Prairie Dogs will be cranking out house-made sausages like bratwurst, merguez, chorizo, Polish sausage, and hot dogs using locally-sourced meats from producers like Braucher’s Sunshine Harvest Farm. They’ll also feature local beer, sustainably produced wine, seasonal produce, and locally sourced buns (Johnson’s still on a quest to find the perfect locally made sausage bun).

Johnson grew up in Maple Plain, MN, but he first learned the craft of sausage-making while attending the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. He honed his sausage-making skills back in Minnesota at joints like Papa Charlie’s in Lutsen, Spill the Wine, and most recently at Ike’s in downtown Minneapolis. He was approached by Minneapolis restaurant consultant Tobie Nidetzabout the Prairie Dog concept, and the two formed a partnership as co-owners of the new venture.

Prairie Dogs

PHOTO BY TODD BILLINGS, SQUARE FOOTAGE PRODUCTIONS

“Experimenting with different levels of meat grinds and fat content helps me figure out my own recipes. I’ve been picking butchers brains!” said Johnson, who is a regular customer at many of the local sausage-making shops in town like Clancey’s and Everett’s, and is heading to Chicago soon for a whirlwind tour of well-known sausage establishments like Hot Doug’s, Devil Dawgs, and Franks N’ Dawgs.

Johnson says customer input in vital, so he’s been serving sausages at events and holding pop-ups at restaurants such asFirst Course BistroBirch’s in Long Lake, Monies Bar in his hometown of Maple Plain, and The Zumbro CafĂ©. These events have allowed Johnson to identify recipes that are hits, like the popular, mildly spicy merguez lamb sausage that he tops with light mint aioli, piquillo peppers, and feta cheese. His “Tickle me Chelmo” emerged as a favorite at the Zumbro popup—it’s a chorizo link topped with breakfast potato hash, lime crema, salsa verde, and a sunny egg.  The Seoul Dog has been a crowd-pleasing hot dog topped with house made kimchi, marinated carrots, and shoyu mustard. As for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free folks, Prairie Dogs intends to offer house made, build-your-own vegan dogs, gluten-free rolls, and even a lettuce wrap dog.

Aiming for an opening date of May 2014, Prairie Dogs will be located in Uptown, near Lake Street/Hennepin. They plan to offer lunch, dinner, late night dining, a butcher case for home cooks, and have delivery by bicycle to the Uptown area, to boot.

If you simply can’t wait until May to sample Prairie Dog’s sausages, stop by Ike’s downtown over the next two weeks, where Johnson’s smoked Polish sausage will be a featured menu item, or watch their Facebook page for future pop-up events.


Prairie Dogs currently has a Kickstarter campaign going on to help to reduce investor costs, cover the cost of furnishing the restaurant, and cover labor costs and training. Check out a video about the Prairie Dog concept and their kickstarter:

Posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 in Permalink

Cross posted from: Prairie Dogs will Offer House-Made Sausages and Charcuterie in Uptown - Twin Cities Taste - March 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The ABCs of CSAs: 2014




These freezing temps may have slowed the rest of us down, but Minnesota’s farmers have been busy prepping for the growing season. They’re attending conferences, figuring out how to best extend their growing season in Minnesota’s challenging climate, selecting the best varieties for their land and their customers, keeping their livestock warm and fed, and figuring out the how to boost their bottom lines while being environmental stewards and community-builders. They have been very busy, indeed.

And now it’s our turn to get to work selecting our CSAs for next year. Selecting a CSA can be a bit daunting, but never fear—you have time on your side, and this annual ABCs of CSAs will help you navigate.

The Basics on CSAs

A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation is a partnership between local producers and their subscribers. Before the growing season commences, a CSA farming operation sells subscriptions to members of the public who pay upfront and then become stakeholders in the farm. You, as a stakeholder, receive regular boxes of food (called “shares”) from the producer during the growing season in return for your subscription dollars.

When you subscribe, you enjoy the benefit of having a relationship and understanding with the people growing your food. In a very direct way, you experience both the challenges and the bounties that the producer experiences. And, undoubtedly, you will receive some kind of produce in your CSA box that will challenge you to try something new.

Membership arrangements, delivery locations and frequency, products, opportunities for involvement, and costs vary with each CSA operation, so research is the key to finding one that suits you. There are several CSA opportunities in the Twin Cities area. To make it easier for you to select which CSA opportunity works best for you, Land Stewardship Project releases an annual CSA Farm Directory which provides details on more than 60 Twin Cities area producers and their wide variety of CSA subscription plans.

What if I Can’t Handle a Whole Box of Produce?

An almost-full bushel of produce every week might be too much for some folks. If you’re one such person, consider these options:
  • Many Twin Cities CSA operations offer half-shares which are smaller shares for less money. Some of the farms that offer half shares include Axdahl’s Garden Farm & Greenhouse, Blackberry Community Farm, Broadfork Farm, Fox & Fawn Farm, Growing Lots Urban Farm, Hulgan House Heritage Farm, Jake’s Burr Oak Farm, Prairie Sun Farm, Shepherd Flock Farm, Stone’s Throw Urban Farm, Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm, Uproot Farm, and Wozupi.
  • Split a share with a family member or neighbor. One of you picks up the share, and you split the box each week, or you alternate weeks, so each ends up with a full share every two weeks.
  • Many CSA subscribers save their seasonal bounty for later use through preservation techniques such as canning, freezing, pickling, and drying.  I just made some tomato soup last week using tomatoes that I canned from the my CSA share last summer. The University of Minnesota Extension website has all the information you need if you’re interested in getting started with food preservation.

 

I Want to Make my Choice Based On Pick Up Location

Perhaps you’d like to pick up your share at your community co-op, farmers market, or a pick up site that is closest to your workplace. If you look in the CSA handbook, most farms have listed their pick up spots. Axdahl’s, Big Woods Farm, Blackberry Community Farm, Green Earth Growers, Loon Organics, and Thorn Crest Farm have all listed the co-ops where they do their pick ups. You can also pop in to your neighborhood co-op and ask if they have a list of the CSAs that offer pick ups there.

While this list is incomplete, here are some convenient Twin Cities pickup locations:

  • Seward Co-op: Blackberry Community Farm, Common Harvest Farm
  • Eastside Co-op: Blackberry Community Farm
  • Just Food Co-op: Big Woods Farm
  • Whole Foods, St Paul: Green Earth Growers
  • Valley Natural Co-op: Green Earth Growers
  • Mill City Farmers Market: Loon Organics
  • Linden Hills Farmers Market: The Farm of Minnesota
Seward Co-op hosts an annual CSA fair in spring that showcases area CSA farmers. This is an opportunity to actually speak to the farmers in-person. This spring’s date hasn’t been announced yet, but stay tuned for an announcement on their website.

 

Beyond Produce

CSAs can provide more than just produce—eggs, flowers, cheese, meat, and more are also available through CSAs in Minnesota. As you read through the directory, take note of those additional items that appeal to you—whether it’s pastured-raised eggs or fresh-cut flowers. There are also CSAs that specialize in items other than produce.


Non-Produce CSAs Not listed in the Land Stewardship Project’s CSA Directory





So now that you’re armed with information, feel free to share which CSA you’ve selected and why. We love to hear about all the great CSAs in Minnesota.


Cross posted from: The ABCs of CSAs: 2014 - Twin Cities Taste - February 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]