New Photos!

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I've managed to post new photos into the Flickr album (there's a page tab, right next to the Facebook page tab) AND I've figured out how to make it so that the photos there are visible without needing to be a Flickr member or a member of that group.

Lots of new photos on Shearing!  Enjoy!

p.s.  most of those photos are taken by HannaMae and Alli.  Mostly HannaMae as I think Alli is still figuring out the whole focus thing... :)

Spinach: The basics

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Spinach is one of those lovely vegetables that is inexpensive, ubiquitous, really really good for you, and extremely versatile!  Shall we break it down just a bit and give that huge-looking half-pound bag you just bought some ideas that make it suddenly not very much after all?

What to look for: 

The darker, the better.  Especially within a bag or box or other group of spinach.  Those are going to be the youngest, most nutritious leaves.  If you are finding lots of yellow-green leaves, chances are the leaves were some of the older ones on the plant or that bag of spinach may have been on the shelf for a while.  Frankly, it won't taste very good.

Crispy and crunchy.  The way to test?  No, don't squish or pouf or otherwise abuse the bag of spinach.  After that the only thing I can say is that it WAS crisp.

Shearing 2014

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As always, pictures will follow!  (This year, HannaMae took most of them so be sure to check out who took them: you may be surprised!)

Shearing!  Our annual time to catch up with our favorite shearer: Martin, and let our sheep turn on the AC!  And laugh at how silly the alpacas look without any fur anymore!  I actually mistook one for a deer yesterday…

            This year presented even more challenges than usual.  First, we had no barn.  That means, I had no way to guarantee that the sheep would be dry come shearing day.  One very good reason to wait until June to shear.  The second large challenge to having no barn is that now, we had no partially set up facilities for collecting, holding and feeding sheep into the pen with Martin to be shorn: We had to build something.  Luckily, we already have a stash of cattle panels and t-posts around for building various catch pens and loading chutes for sheep and pigs.  It took us a little while to decide on a good place that was flat, close to the house for electricity and big enough to hold everyone but once we did building something proved relatively easy.

            The fun part came when it was time in the morning to collect everyone in the chute.  While the majority of the sheep have been collected and shorn before, this particular setup was new (which equals extra skittishness) and there is always at least one extra skitter individual anyhow.  Add in younger lambs who scatter when herded like an ant nest when you stab it with a large stick as well as the alpacas who simply despise shearing day and never go the way you want anyhow and you have a recipe for sheep anywhere but where you need them to be.  Mix in one panel that wasn’t tied quite tightly enough and you get escaped unshorn sheep too.

            Stir it all together and you get lots of frustration, lots of laughs, luckily a good natured shearer, a great deal of learning and about 60 new fleeces that need new homes soon!  

Keep an eye out: we’ll post pictures soon! (Photos mostly taken by HannaMae!)

Custom Pork Orders Open!

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For those of you that have been waiting, Custom orders are open for pork!

We have about 3 hogs that'll be ready in the next 2-3 weeks for custom orders available.

We also have custom hogs available that should be going in July and more hogs going sometime in August/September.

Talk to us at the markets or email us about reserving a hog for your freezer!

Boneless Ham Steaks

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Omache Farm Boneless Ham Breakfast Steaks

By Jason Parsley

Ingredients:

1 boneless Omache Farm Ham

Instructions:

1. Thaw ham overnight (for a small ham, at least 24 hours for larger hams)
2. Use a sharp knife to slice ham into steaks (we like about 1/8-1/4inch thick)
3. Heat your griddle or frying pan on medium heat
4. Cook slices about 4-5 minutes each side, until fully cooked (165 degrees)

Potential Additions: Sprinkle the ham with brown sugar.  Use the fats in the pan to liquefy the brown sugar.  Or you might use maple syrup.  Keep the temperature of your pan just hot enough to caramelize the sugar on the ham steaks but not burn the sugars!

Bone-in Crock-pot Ham

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Omache Farm Crock-Pot Ham

By Margaret Parsley

Ingredients:

1 bone-in Omache Farm Ham  (any size that fits in your crock-pot, most are 3-4lbs, plenty for a main meal dish for about 6-8 people)
1 crockpot

Instructions:

Frozen: Remove plastic and place in crock pot.  Cook on low 6-8 hours, high 4-6 hours.  Done at 165 degrees measured in the center of the ham, away from the bone.

Thawed: Remove plastic wrap and place in crock pot.  Cook on low 4-6 hours, high 3-4 hours.  Done at 165 degrees measured at the center of the ham, away from the bone.

Potential Additions: Many folks may consider tossing in a can of pineapple with the juice or studding the whole thawed ham with whole cloves. (the spice, not garlic cloves).  For a hint of teriyaki style flavoring (Americanized of course) mix pineapple, pineapple juice (from canned pineapple, or add more plain pineapple juice, brown sugar and teriyaki sauce with the ham.

Pineapple Pork Chops

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Margaret’s Pineapple Pork Chops

By Margaret Parsley           Serves: 2-3, depending on pork chop size

Ingredients:

2 Pork Chops

1 large Can diced pineapple or pineapple rings in juice

1-2 small cans Pineapple Juice

½-1 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup Teriyaki Sauce

Directions:

1. Mix together Pineapple, juice, brown sugar and teriyaki sauce.  Marinate thawed pork chops in sauce several hours to overnight in the fridge.
2. Grill pork chops. (cooking in frying pan or griddle will work also)
3. Grill drained marinated pineapple until caramelized (or use fry pan)
4. Bring remaining marinade to a boil for use as sauce and serve all over rice.

Notes:

I typically use as much as 1 large can of diced or rings of pineapple per 2 adults.

Add as much pineapple juice as needed to cover pork chops.

Adjust brown sugar and teriyaki sauce to taste.  Measurements are approximations as I usually use my nose to determine the right mixture.

Honey Sauteed Radishes

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Honey Sautéed Radishes

Ingredients

1 Lg Bunch Radishes: topped and sliced in half

1 Tbsp Butter

½ Cup Chicken Stock

1 Tbsp Honey

¼ cup minced onions, shallots or spring onions

Salt to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter in pan. Sautee onions until soft.
2. Add radishes, stir until coated in butter.
3. Add stock and honey. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Remove cover; simmer until liquid thickens to glaze.
5. Add salt as desired and serve warm.

New Hoophouse (#3!) Is up!

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