Market Rocked

Farmers Market today rocked!!! I went home with a empty truck which is always good. The weather was nice, the Broccoli flew as did Tomatoes. At points all I had to do was restock Tomatoes and customers would pick them out as fast as I put them in. That's the MO!

We're getting lots of Carrot inquiry's now, more every week, our customers are clammer'in for 'em.
I can't believe they are so close to diggin time. Actually tomorrow I'm going to raid some for the Beef Short Ribs I'm going to be making. I bought 3 packs from Francis at Alston Farms-Grass Fed goodness, yum, short ribs double yum. First I'll brown the ribs, then saute' some carrots-onions-celery in that fat then add some wine spices and slow braise them for a long slow delicious outcome. That's why since she had them I bought 3 packs.

This week we had our first big rain storm. We had 2' of rain and some wind. So before the storm we had all kinds of chores to get done. We picked all the ripe Tomatoes, covered a couple of rows for Garlic, put lots of bedding in the Hogs sleeping area and put a cover over the entrance. Warm hogs are happy Hogs and happy Hogs are gaining Hogs.

During the rain storm I kept busy by canning 20 quarts of Tomato Soup

Been Busy

Yes I've been busy. Last weekend right after Farmers Market, Lisa and I turned North and went to our good friend and fellow food producer Tyler's wedding. Tyler and his business partner John run Barbarosa ranchers, and sell Grass Fed Beef and Lamb and Pastured Poultry. We had a great time, and it was a beautiful location. It was at the Family ranch, Big Bluff. The food was all local and fabulous, prepared by some of my favorite caterer/chefs, the company was friendly, and the wedding band, spectacular! They played all kinds of great cover tunes, Ramones,AC/DC,everything under the Sun. I was in a very celebratory mood, danced up a storm, and enjoyed myself tremendously.
Congrats Tyler and Holly, wedded bliss to you!!!

This week in the field we've been planting Garlic and working on summer crop cleanup. Now with impending rain, today was a long day. After harvesting for tommorow's market, we started cutting winter squash, and I prepped more rows for Garlic and covered them, then prepped onion rows. This time of year can be dicey. One day warm and sunny, the next a rain storm. The one that's due is sopposed to bring 1-2" of rain so hence the butternut harvest. I don't like it to sit in the field wet, as it dosn't keep as well, so we harvested a bit earlier than I like. It has been cool at night lately and we had one very micro frost so they should have some pretty good flavor and sugar. It's one thing my high standards cost me. Other farmers will have been harvesting/selling for a few weeks and I wait.Waiting costs me money and accounts but I still will not sell out my standards of the best I can grow. The carrots are looking good and sizing up and this week I tasted a few and found them to be sweet. Not December sweet, but really good for Oct. Makes me think.

I probably did my last delivery to Grass Valley this week. I have two restaurant accounts who are the best. Peter at New Moon and Ike from Ike's Quarter Cafe are culinary hero's. Peter has been buying Local Organic produce at least as long as I've been selling it to him which is 10 years. He also buy's the best sustainable meat he can find, and is one of those people who I call a practicing visionary. He always looks forward to my first delivery and laments the last. This week upon my arrival he had the sous chef fire one of their Pork chimichanga's. Absolutely delicious. Pan fried, delicious Pork, scrumptious rice, perfect ratio, and the salad was delicious with a bit of spice in the dressing. Thank you Peter!! Once, years ago I was dining at the restaurant and he knew Peter came out from the kitchen to visit the table and I felt like such a rock star. And this is when Farmers were not hero's but dum bumpkins.
Ike is one of my other hero's. He started washing dishes for Peter in high school and worked his way up to his number 2 when I started selling to New Moon. And now own's and operates Ikes Quarter Cafe with his wife and their really cute kids. He also buy's Local Organic produce and sustainable meats. I really enjoy talking with him and we both don't enjoy it when I stop delivering. I Love these guys and if all chefs were like them I would sell to more restaurants.

So yes I've been busy.