Hot Cider, Anyone? (spices optional).

Wouldn't you just know it? The very day we choose to make the first apple cider pressing has to be one of the hottest days of the year :(

We got as many of the 75 gallons put in a spare refrigerator as we could squeeze in and I delivered orders right away, but we still have about half of the cider in the truck. It is parked in the shade and we keep spraying cold water over the jugs. It's a wet job, but at least it works.

 I have my own  apple cider labels designed, but am really pressed for time and decided to have the cider put in pre-labeled jugs. My labels are not as water resistant as Anthony's, so it is really a good thing that I opted to use his labels. Most people know that it is our cider, but I will put a mailing label on the jugs when I set up just to remind them. 

And the ironic part is that by Friday the high temp is forecast at 68, which is perfect apple cider weather.

Oh, well...that's how it goes in Ohio :)

Here is a recipe from Food.com that I like for Cider Baked Pork Chops. I purchased naturally raised pork chops at The Farmers Wife store this morning.


I also have local honey from Dave Duncan. I *was* going to make the dish tomorrow, but have decided to wait until Thursday when the weather will be (just a little bit) cooler.

 

Marcheta *rolling with the punches

Meet Ida and Localvore Week ~ Day 6

 These pretty apples are Ida Reds. Originally from the famous Spud State, Idaho, Ida Red is a cross between Jonathan and Wagener. 

Ida is a bit of a tart with a measure of sass thrown in, so it only appeals to people who like to eat apples on the tart side. 

So far this year we have harvested Yellow Transparent, Lodi, and Wealthy...and the tartness level goes down with each variety. I'd say, for me at least, Ida Red is on the borderline...there's a hint of sweetness behind the kick:)

If you find that Ida Red is still to tart to eat straight up, try adding them to chicken salad (will really perk up deli salads!), Waldorf, or other salads.

If you like baking apples, Ida Red's for you! And if you are in a hurry, Idas are great as fried apples. I saute apples in (real, of course!) butter. When they are done, I sprinkle them with a mulling spice mix (my own) or a combination of apple pie spice and sugar.

Marcheta *Ida Red's Friend

**********LOCALVORE DAY 6**********

Even though Galion/Crestline Chamber of Commerce was grilling free hot dogs on Galion's Public Square, and I was super busy with a TON of things that had to get done, I pushed down temptation and ate locally harvest meals at home.

We still had enough hamburger from Rus-Men's Naturally Raised Meats to make each of us a fat, juicy sandwich, served on locally baked buns also purchased from The Farmers Wife Store. Fresh tomato and green pepper mustard made the sandwiches yummy. I had some Iceberg lettuce needing to be used up, and really, is a hamburger complete without lettuce? 

Another thing needing to be used up was an eggplant bought at NorthSide Farmers Market on Tuesday. I sauteed it with white onion and yellow squash.

I finished up the home made tomato juice and Jim had iced tea.

Jim was away at supper, so I had an egg sandwich with a side of tomatoes, topped off with an oatmeal cookie bought at NSFM from Bill's Bakery.

Not sourced locally:

Iceberg lettuce

tea

Total Local ~ Localvore Week, Day 5

This picture is of John Charlton and his son, who sell baked goods at both markets that I attend as a vendor. I've gotta tell you, their bread is the BEST EVER. No preservatives means it has to be kept in the refrigerator, but it is well worth the real estate  because it lasts and lasts.

 

Tuesday I was hoping to get a loaf of their maple oatmeal bread because it is the best sandwich bread I have ever tasted. But, alas, they were sold out by the time I was able to break free from my apple stand to shop. I ended up with an Italian herb loaf and all I can say is....

 

 

 

 

 

!!!!!MY WORD!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

!!!!!!MY TASTEBUDS!!!!!!!

 

 

It was definitely a case of Love at First Bite :)

 

 

Now, along with the Charlton's cinnamon swirl bread (great for French Toast), maple oatmeal (for sandwiches) I now have to have their Italian herb on a regular basis. Half my grocery budget is going to be spent on bread...LOL

 

If you have a chance to shop at NorthSide Farmers Market (901 P.W.N. in front of Galion K.F.C./ Tuesdays 4 - 6) or Lil' Farmers Market (1695 E. Mansfield St., Bucyrus, across from Auto Zone, Saturday mornings 8:30 -noon), I highly recommend that you talk with John and try his family's bread. Mendy and I set up at both of those markets, too...so stop by and say "hey" to us!!

 

 

 

**********Localvore Update**********



 

Before supper yesterday, I make a quick trip to Mendy's store, The Farmers Wife. Lucky for me, she had 2 packages of home-made buns left. I nabbed one for tonight's meal, making it  TOTAL LOCAL.

 

 

 

*Y*A*Y*

 

So, what's on the menu for today? Well...we now have nectarines and plums, along with Ida Red apples, plus we still have Red Bartlett pears. Looks like a fruit compote to me!

 

Lunch will be simple, I just need to reheat the roast beef and cauliflower, add fresh fruit, and maybe fry up a few potatoes. Jim won't be around for dinner, which means I'll have something even more simple, like an egg sandwich. Again, it looks like a TOTAL LOCAL day!

 

Marcheta *keeping on keeping on! 

 

 

Localvore Week, Day 2 ~ Breakfast of Champions!

Tuesdays are busy days for me. Along with picking, sorting, and getting our fruit ready by 2:00 p.m. to take to NorthSide Farmers Market, I also do marketing P.R. on Facebook. After I get the press release done in the morning, I check the market's Facebook page several times to see if any vendors have updates for me to add and to answer any questions that customers may have.

That means that Tuesday's meals are usually quick and easy, and more often than not, a repeat of Monday's fare. 

This is Day 2 of my dedication to eating as local as possible. For breakfast, I had apple/pear cobbler that I baked yesterday, served with whole milk from Hartzler's Dairy. The dairy is in Wooster, I am able to buy their products from Mendy Sellman's store, The Farmers Wife.

At this point, I don't know what lunch and dinner will be, I am thinking that we'll heat up the "mess" of green beans/new potatoes from yesterday.

Market Day means Shopping Day. Most of the time, my market purchases are spontaneous ..if something catches my eye, I buy it. Today will be more focused. I am taking $25.00 specifically for this week's fresh groceries to see how far it will stretch. Just imagine the tasty, FRESH meals I'll be able to prepare for my localvore week!

Marcheta * keepin' it tasty!

Corinne Gompf, Part 2, Expanding on the Dream

 

Today concludes my interview with Corinne Gompf, of Heritage Harvest Farm, but it is far from the end of the story. Corinne, Matt, and their two young children are really on the cusp of their journey of becoming market growers and living a sustainable lifestyle.

Corinne and Matt Gompf are proud
parents of Fletcher and Emery.

An easy way to share in the bounty that the Gompfs are working towards is to sign up for their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, where you will receive a weekly portion of their harvest. Other ways are to shop at the farmers markets that the Gompfs participate in, or to stop by The Farmers Wife store where several of the Gompf's products are sold by Mendy and Russ Sellman of Rus-Men Farms.

Here is the rest of my conversation with Corinne, enjoy!

Marcheta *sharing

 OCJ

What is the scariest thing that ever happened to you on the farm?

Corinne

When I was pregnant with Emery, we were having a hard time with chickens pecking each other to death. I think we lost about 12 chickens. I would go to the coop to do chores and find chickens on top on one, pecking her. She might be dead, or close to it. If she were still alive, I would have to do my best to save her. Each time was heart-breaking.

 

OCJ

What was your proudest moment?

Corinne

It makes me so proud that Matt and I had a dream for so many years, and we took a chance and did it. We made things happen. So often, people have dreams and just think, "Oh, wouldn't it be neat if..." Well, we put our dreams into action. Our business tripled in one year, and that verifies, to me, that we are on the right path. Our hard work and dedication to growing chemical-free food is our passion.

OCJ
How do you market your produce?

Corinne

Heritage Harvest farm will participate in two farmers' markets for the 2013 season:
Mount Vernon Farmers' Market, Saturdays, May - October, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Powell Chamber of Commerce Farmers' Market, Saturdays, May - October, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

There will also be CSA pick-ups at:
Heritage Harvest Farm, Wednesdays, May - October, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. at 8546 County Road 46, Galion, Ohio 44833
The Farmer's Wife, Rus-Men Farms, Thursdays, May - October, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Customers can also find Heritage Harvest Farm's specialty items at
Harvest@TheWoodward, Mount Vernon

 

 

OCJ

What is your contact information that you want to share?

Corinne

www.heritageharvestfarm.weebly.com, and we always direct our customers and CSA shareholders to like our Facebook page.

 

John's Favorite Meatloaf

Noel Lizotte is back today with another one of her quick and easy (but very filling and comforting) recipes from her Apron Free Cooking Cookbook.

 

With the cold rain today, which may turn to sleet, ice, snow, or all of the above, this oven meal fits the bill.

 

What is  great about today, for me, is that I just got home from The Farmers Wife store, where I bought hamburger from Mendy for today's lunch of mushroom melt hamburgers. The hamburger I bought is already done up in patties, all I need to do is to fry them  (I start on low heat, after the meat has thawed and cooked I turn the heat up to brown them), then put sauteed mushrooms and a slice of cheese on top.   Healthier and better than burgers from a chain store, and just as fast!

 

For meatloaf, Mendy also has ground beef in bulk packages as well as farm-fresh eggs.

 

Both approaches to a hot meal are fast and easy. What could be better?

 

Marcheta *Y :) M

 

Here is Noel's recipe. Find more like it, as well as advice from Frankly Francine, at Apron Free Cooking. :) 

 

 

One of my husband’s favorite meals is meatloaf. Like many of us, meatloaf was a weekly meal at his house when he was growing up. Meatloaf is a good menu choice today, as it was back then. It’s budget friendly and it’s tasty!

 

John’s Favorite Meatloaf
Ingredients:2 lbs ground beef1 box (12 oz) stuffing mix2 lg eggs½ cup ketchup½ cup brown sugar



Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, break up ground beef with a wooden spoon or your hands. Add unprepared box of stuffing mix. Break eggs into a small bowl and beat, and then add to the large bowl. Mix all ingredients until evenly combined. Transfer mixture into 9×5 loaf pan. In small bowl, mix together the ketchup and brown sugar. Spread over the meatloaf. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Make It a Meal: Serve with baked potato and green vegetable. Also good with a side salad and macaroni & cheese.

Variations: replace ground beef with sausage for added flavor. If you’re cutting back on fat content, substitute ground turkey for all or part of the ground beef.

Approximate Nutritional Value: Servings Per Recipe: 8, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 303, Total Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 123mg, Sodium: 497mg, Total Carbs: 20g, Protein: 24g.

Storage: Keeps up to one week in the refrigerator and four to six weeks in the freezer. Thaw before reheating.
Download a PDF format of this recipe to your computer for printing, click here.

What is your secret to a great meatloaf?

Heart Warming Ham Loaf Oven Meal

There is an old farm saying; "When the days begin to lengthen, the cold begins to strengthen".  Frost on the ground and in the air proved this to be true today. What better day to make an oven meal to warm up the house as well as the spirits?

Today's recipe for ham loaf comes from Mendy Sellman (see "Farmers Wife" on the business page).

to make an oven meal, along with the ham loaf you could

bake potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or squash (I vote for squash)

and

make a green bean casserole or scalloped corn (I vote for green beans)

for dessert

make a fruit crisp, pie, or cobbler (I vote for crisp)

Doesn't this sound yummy? What sides do you vote for?

Marcheta *cast her vote

 

Mendy's Ham Loaf

 

 

1#ground ham

1#sausage

2 cups soft bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp powdered mustard

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp paprika

Basting Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Press into 9x9 cake pan, Bake in oven for 45 minutes, then pour basting mixture over top of ham loaf, bake for an additional 15 minutes. Note: The unbaked loaf freezes very well.

Full-time country woman profile: Mendy Sellman

Mendy Sellman stocks her store's freezers with naturally raised meats that she and
her husband, Russ, raise on their farm in rural Galion

Yesterday I had a nice visit with Mendy Sellman at her farm. I was there to interview her, both for this blog and also for Acres of North Central Ohio newspaper. Maybe the story will be published in the Galion Inquirer, too. I hadn't seen Mendy since before Christmas, so it was good to catch up on things and to see how her business has grown.

Mendy is the epitome of a full-time country woman. She is the sixth generation to farm her family's land and has expanded the grain operation into a naturally raised meat business, a community garden, and an on-site farm store. More on that later.

A Pioneer in Establishing Local Farmers Markets


I first met Mendy about ten years ago when Main Street Galion organized a farmers market on Public Square. I was already set up with apples and pears from our orchard when she arrived. I offered to help her unload and set up, and we've been friends ever since. During our first conversation, I realized that her father is a good friend of my husband. That early farmers market failed, as many do; lack of parking being the biggest issue. In the meantime, Mendy was hard at work, offering garden space to friends. That small seed sprouted Hebron Community Garden. The goal of the gardeners is to grow food for their families in a healthy, organic way. They were so successful that they soon had a produce overload, and were looking for a way to share the bounty. Working with a local church, Mendy helped establish God's Little Acre Farmers Market. At this same time, other area families were starting market gardens. God's Little Acre became the place where these families met and got to know each other. With an abundance of produce, a vendor (Toni Norwood, who will be profiled at a later date) came up with the idea to start a mid-week market and approached me to help her. A quick, informal survey of vendors asking if they would like to participate resulted in a resounding "Yes!" so it was that Toni, Mendy, and I put our heads together. I immediately thought of Galion's K.F.C. as an ideal location because I am friends with the owners, who are extremely community minded. Their store is on a main route that comes into town and has a large grassy area in front, as well as ample parking. Jan and Joe, owners, were quick to agree to the market, and so NorthSide Farmers Market was born. By this time, Mendy and her husband, Russ, had established their naturally raised meat business. To show the type of support K.F.C. has for the market, Jan and Joe put up a barn-shaped storage shed and ran electricity to it, to help run freezers for vendors like Mendy and Russ. NorthSide Farmers Market has become the most heavily attended market in Galion. Mendy and Russ currently set up at four markets. The addition of meat has helped these markets to grow.

 
The Farmers Wife



Mendy and Russ Sellman. owners
and operators of Rus-Men Farms, welcome
customers to their new store, The Farmers Wife

For several years, Mendy had the desire to have an on-sight farm store. With the successes of community garden and farmers markets behind her, she set out to make her dream a reality. In 2012, The Sellmans opened the door to their new store, aptly named The Farmers Wife. The store sells meats, of course, and also their own farm-raised eggs and produce when in season. Bringing people together is something that Mendy does very well. To further help the local economy, Mendy also stocks items made by local women. A trip to her store for a roast for dinner might also have the shopper bringing home hand-milled soap, baskets, aprons, totes recycled from feed bags, hot pads, crocheted dish cloths, spice mixes, and more. The demand for eggs is so large that Mendy supplements her supply with eggs from Corrine and Matt Gompf, of Heritage Harvest Farm. Corrine is a full-time country woman who I plan to profile on this blog. To encourage healthy eating, Mendy also stocks organic sugar, organic coconut oil, and locally produced maple syrup. Looking towards the future, Mendy plans to add more wholesome food products for the health conscious consumer.

 

Inspiring a Younger Generation
 

During my visit with Mendy, a young woman, Carrie Cottrell, and her small child arrived to run the store while Mendy worked on other duties. My conversations with Carrie revealed that Carrie and her husband live on eight acres and are working towards living a sustainable lifestyle. She credits Mendy's mentoring as her inspiration to follow her dreams. When I questioned Mendy, who is far from being "over the hill" about it, Mendy's reply was she loves to teach farm life to others, and that these younger women are a blessing to her because they remind her why she lives the life that she chose to live.

 

Family First

 Mendy's family life runs deep. The sixth generation to farm her land, she was especially close with her grandfather, who she readily admits to butting heads with in more than one occasion because they're, well, built from the same cloth and both had strong opinions as to how the farm should adapt to a new era in farm techniques as well as a new economy. Now deceased, her grandfather is with her in spirit as she goes about her daily chores; feeding animals, collection eggs, helping during grain harvest, running the store, gardening, canning, freezing, preparing for markets...whew! this list is long! Help is not far away, as her daughter Emely and her husband, Dustin Tate, live across the road in one of the Sellman's three farmhouses. Son Jesse, who is active in Future Farmers of America and 4-H is also a farm hand, and younger daughter Elaina, also active in 4-H, helps run the store and works at markets.

Mendy's love of her family is part of what has fueled her desire to provide the same healthy foods that they eat to local families, as well as continuing the grain operation. In all aspects, she has been successful because she has been consistent in making her plans happen, even when they seem to be impossible dreams. To Mendy and other entrepreneurs, I quote Steven Tyler: "Dream on! Dream until your dreams come true!"

My visit to Mendy's farm was pure joy. Shopping at her store is quite the country experience, from seeing the animals that are in the Sellman's care, watching barn cats sun themselves on a roll of  straw, smelling lovely hand-milled soaps, and even coming home with a roast for today's dinner. What could be better?

The Farmers Wife is located at
710 Iberia Rd., Galion, Ohio
(419) 462-5295

Hours are Tuesday 10-2
Thursday 4-8
Saturday 9-1

For updates on the Sellmans and their buisnesses, visit Rus-Men Farms Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rus-Men-Farms-Naturally-Raised-Meats/344044869152


Marcheta *dreamin' on

Scenes from Rus-Men Farms