We love fall here at the farm and it’s probably safe to say many other farmers enjoy that time of year when the temperature breaks, the tempo shifts, and we can look forward to a home cooked, quintessential comfort meal at the end of the day. That’s right folks...fall means one pot roasts, soups, and crockpot delights are back on the menu. Here are a few of our favorites for the upcoming season.
Part of the reason many people don’t eat liver is because of the flavor, which we addressed in the previous question. Another reason is because the liver is known for being high in cholesterol. Every individual should be conscious of their cholesterol levels prior to making drastic changes to their diet. However, like most natural foods, they are perfectly healthy and should be enjoyed in moderation. It is important to know the source of your meat, no matter what slice or cut you’re referring to, and always best to choose grass fed/pasture raised products free of added chemicals and unnecessary procession alterations of any kind.
When drinking raw milk you’re assuming the same (if not less) risk than you would for any item from the grocery store. In fact, to date, there have been more cases of health issues reported from pasteurized milk than raw milk.
We are working with Real Food Consumer Coalition (RFCC), an organization who lobbies for small farms and has a strong history for helping small family farmers. They are working on legalizing Raw dairy products and also working to get the FDA to stop enforcing on farmers and consumers for transporting raw milk across state lines.We outlined all the history and goals of RFCC below and also the budget on where their fundraising dollars are spent.
If you’ve been visiting and ordering from our Produce Patch you might have noticed the options grow each week and August is on track to be a full house. Here are some of the vegetables you can expect to find (and maybe a few extras you’ll have to find locally), as well as a tip and a simply delicious recipe to go with each option. Enjoy!
If you’re a baker, you’ll especially appreciate swapping in duck eggs for chickens because the duck eggs are higher in both fat and albumen (egg white), which makes for fluffier and richer baked goods. The nutritional benefits are another great reason to consider duck eggs as they contain 6 times the Vitamin D, 2 times the Vitamin A, more Vitamin K2 (as MK-4), 2 times the beneficial, natural cholesterol, and the water-soluble B vitamins are 5 times higher, too.
Just remember, the best “trick” of all, and certainly the most important tip we can offer, is to begin with high quality, naturally raised and cared for ingredients, that are organic and free from soy, GMO, artificial hormones, and antibiotics. Once you’ve mastered that step, take a stab at some of these, too:
Hot dogs (or Sausage Links as we like to call them here at DM) are sometimes dismissed by adults as the official summer treat for the kids but we urge you to step up your grilling game this year and give REAL hot dogs a chance this summer. As always, the key is to start with all natural ingredients that are free from hormones, antibiotics, and GMO-Free. In addition to these healthy features, Dutch Meadows pork is raised in open pastures and fed excess skim milk, which serves as a high quality source of protein. Now that we’ve shared some important information about Dutch Meadows’ hot dog products, here are some additional fun facts to get you excited for hot dog season and National Hot Dog Month - July!
The ability to access fresh and nutritious produce right in our backyard is a blessing and one of the reasons we launched our Produce Patch last year. We try to keep it stocked year round with at least some options (we source some organic citrus from down south) but it’s definitely most abundant from June through November. If you’ve made a habit of visiting that section of the store, you’ve probably noticed it’s evolution since earlier this year. At the moment, you’ll find cabbage, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, asparagus, beans, beets, rhubarb, radishes, greens, and more!
The techniques that the chefs are using in their trendy restaurants can easily be replicated at home with little effort while still delivering a rich and unique snack. One of the best examples of this, and our favorite way to prepare and enjoy this delight, is chicken skin chips. They’re as easy as spreading out on a pan and bake at 350 for about an hour, much like this Bon Appetit recipe.
Sometimes cooks feel inclined to add a marinade, sauce, or juicy to their chicken recipes. We suggest keeping it simple ESPECIALLY WHEN you’re starting with a naturally good product. You can always drizzle the leg-thighs with a little honey for a delicious spin or wrap the leg-thigh up in foil for the first half of cooking so the moisture is retained. A chunky-crispy breading option is a great way to mix things up as well though.
As we all know, chicken is low in fat content, which is often one of the best reasons for incorporating it into your diet. Marinating the chicken in a full fat yogurt or canned coconut milk can do it wonders. Depending on what you’re making, you can even add it into the cooking stage. For example, mixing yogurt into a chicken meatball, meatloaf, burger (you get the idea) is a game changer. If you’re not sold on the yogurt or coconut method, consider adding some chopped bacon or mixing your chicken with another ground meat like beef or pork but be sure to keep it at least at an 80-20 ratio so you don’t defeat the purpose of incorporating more lean meat into your diet.
Like many organ meats, the gizzard is an excellent source of iron and zinc and because our chickens grew up happy and healthy on pasture and the gizzards are flash frozen, nutrients are at their peak when they hit your dinner table. Some of our favorite methods of enjoyment include sauteing them for kabobs, slow cooking for sandwiches/tacos, mixing them in a stew recipe, or even battering and deep frying. That last one obviously negates the health factor a bit, it’s still a fun method to try.
First things first, we hope you caught last week’s blog that covered the importance of true pasture raised chicken, misleading labels, and more. In addition to being a high protein option, white chicken meat is also a good source for zinc, potassium, vitamin B-6, niacin, and magnesium. This time of year, we’re fans of throwing most meat on the grill and chicken is no different but...
Follow along for this next blog series that will explore all the parts of a chicken and feature recipe ideas, too! But first, a quick lesson in pasture raised chicken.
While there’s still a lot to explore about cuts of beef, how to prepare, and the health benefits per portion, this week wraps up our series of steak cuts explained...at least for now. We plan to continue updating our blog with information about Dutch Meadows products and practices, as well as continue to educate our customers and the general public about the importance of grass fed products, be it meat or dairy, free from artificial hormones, soy, and antibiotics.
Grilling season is still fresh here in North America’s eastern region and it’s been quite pleasant this time of year with many blue sky and warm air opportunities to fire up the bbq and relish in the delight of 100% grass fed meat! That’s why we decided to take a moment to share a series of beef cut blogs. We hope we’re able to educate you about one of your favorite cuts or perhaps interest you in trying something new. Here’s Round 2 of Steak Cuts Explained.
The temperatures continue to slowly creep up here on the East Coast in Paradise, Pennsylvania. It's a new week, which means time to try new steaks. This week in our series of Steak Cuts Explained, we're reviewing Flank, Hangar, Flat Iron, and Sirloin Top. Where do they come from? What makes them unique? How should you prepare them? We've got answers to all of that. Enjoy! And remember to tune in again next week.
Just in time for grilling season on the East Coast, we're running through a series of steak cuts each week. These posts explore the part of the animal where the beef is cut from, how that informs the features of the cut, as well as historical facts and tips for enjoying the cut. Stay tuned - each week we'll cover a new 100% grass fed beef cut.
The holidays should revolve around the experiences you have with the ones you love, but that doesn’t mean the “extra stuff", like nourishing food and drink on the table, must be forgotten. In fact, it’s a wonderful time of year to go above and beyond with cuisine, especially when the results are down right delicious and not necessarily dependent upon the amount of time put in. When you start with real, wholesome products and ingredients, the rest takes care of itself.
