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March Producer Notes
High Tides & Green Fields
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Happy Spring!
Just a quick note to let you know that we will be attending the Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 6th. Stop by and sample some microgreens and pick up your copy of the tomato and pepper plant descriptions for this year.
Dominic and Joshua, our OSU farmership students, planted a wonderful selection of bulbs that should be blooming by Easter. Look for them under Garden>Live Plants>Flowers. They also have marked the pansies way down and remind everyone that we will be shipping the strawberry plants this month. Anyone with a previous strawberry order should type in item #3629 to generate a delivery slip for their plants.
Parmesan Micro Salad
Last month we purchased some dressing from The Prairie Gypsies called "The Parmesan Gypsy" to try on our microgreens. We used a box of our Gourmet Blend micros, snipped off right at the grow pad, to make mini salads. Sprinkled a little extra parmesan cheese, and topped with the Parmesan Gypsy. WOW! What a great little salad. Just what your palate is looking for after a long winter.
Here's one of our favorite meals:
Buffalo Burgers
Makes four burgers
Mix together and cook in a cast iron pan over medium heat (don't overcook!)
1# Wichita Buffalo ground meat
1 egg (Co-op producers, of course)
4 crumbled crackers or some bread crumbs to glue it all together
splash of Worcester sauce
Buns: Granny's Honey Whole Wheat buns (lightly toasted)
Cheese: Hardesty-- Prairie Fire or Ranch Cheddar (placed on each burger after turning over the first side)
Gourmet Blend microgreens -- a generous pile
See you at the meeting!
Dev & Kip & Dom & Joshua |
Winning Photography Solutions
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Dear Coop Family,
Spring will be here before you know it. We have a great line of Note Cards that can be used for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Birthdays, or just to say hello. Purchase your cards now and you will be ready for any occasion that may come up. Just go to the Paper Arts: Note Cards, find Winning Photography Solutions and you will see our unique selection of Note Cards.
On an exciting note, we have been busy taking many new and interesting photos and our resident artist has been busy designing a new line of cards. I’m excited to say that many new sets will be coming soon! I will let you know when they are ready.
You can visit us online at www.winningphotoscanning.com
Thanks for your support of Winning Photography Solutions!
Denise Winn |
Hardesty Cheese
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Hello Everyone,
Thank God for the moisture we have gotten in all this snow. The cold wind, frozen pipes, breaking ice for the animals, snow covering everything, OK so I am ready for warmer weather. Got my seed potatoes and onions ready to start planting as soon as it is dry enough to till the garden.
We have made the commitment to move the cheese plant closer to the center of the state. We are not going to release any details at this time because we still have some things to confirm before we start the move. We have a fair amount of cheese on hand right now and hope the be able to fill all orders in the future. We will have a limited amount of production until we move. We are working on some new products as well. We will release information as we can confirm exactly what we are doing. If you have any questions or want to just call and discuss what we are doing just call 580-525-1700, we would be glad to talk to you. If there are products you would like to see us produce, please e-mail me at cheese@hardestycheese.com. We are going to do everything we can to give the best service possible during this transition. If you feel you are not getting the service you deserve, please let us know, we are human and very busy.
We have lots of cheese on our shelves, so order all you want. Thank you for your support in the past and as we make changes in the future we hope to fill your needs better.
Buy what you want, use what you can, share the rest, we will make more.
Thank You
The Gift Family |
Cordero Farms
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Greetings, OK Food Co-op members! We are busy, busy, busy with lambing right now, but by the time the rescheduled annual meeting rolls around, we should be just about done. We are processing a really nice set of lambs just after the order opens, so we will update quantities about a week into March, and we should have a pretty complete inventory of all of our cuts before the order closes. We also have our new lamb stock available this month.
It looks like we're going to get at least one more round of snow before spring arrives. Here's a hearty lamb stew guaranteed to take away some of the chill of winter.
Lamb Stew with Winter Vegetables
2 pounds lamb stew meat
Sea salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
3 T olive oil or lard
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
2 rutabagas, peeled and cubed
2 turnips, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups lamb stock
1/2 cup red wine (or use an extra 1/2 cup of stock or water)
4 med redskinned potatoes, cubed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
Wrap the meat in a paper towel to dry, then season it with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil or lard in a heavy casserole dish or dutch oven and gently brown the lamb on all sides.
Add the onion, rutabagas, turnips, and carrots, cooking until the onion is translucent.
Add the lamb stock/red wine and potatoes, and raise the temperature to bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom and sides to loosen the browned bits.
As soon as the mixture boils, lower the heat to med/low, cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour at a low simmer, until the lamb is done and the vegetables are fork tender.
Make a roux: Melt butter in a small saucepan on low, and add flour, stirring to mix. Let the flour bubble, but do not brown, for 3-4 minutes.
Scrape the roux into the stew and stir to combine. Simmer until the stew has thickened, about 5 minutes.
Serves 4-6
http://www.facebook.com/corderofarms
http://corderofarms.wordpress.com/ |
Barker & Friends
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Abby, my lab, doesn't mind the snow or cold out. I think she really enjoys it! However, my Jack Russell and Chihuahua have to be coaxed a bit with my liver jerky, Tail Waggers! It works like a charm. If your pets need some motivation invest in a bag of our Tail Waggers, your pets will thank you!
Remember, we keep your pets healthy and happy!
Thank you for your support this and every month,
Susan B. |
Cattle Tracks
Nolton and his farm gator in the snow |
As I prepare these producer notes I'm also enjoying the Winter Olympics. There are been several statements made by the announcers and clever advertising slogans have gotten my attention. Here are a few that have captured my thoughts:
1) "There's nothing like 200 camels" -- hey, try a couple of hundred cows and calves -- you will be busy! 2) "Piled high with flavor" -- that describes the terrific taste of clean beef, Cattle Tracks. 3) "Our little friend here spent 10 years to get your attention" -- it took us 10 years to get everything together to produce Cattle Tracks Organic Beef. 4) "Apollo uses the word journey" -- certainly that describes John's Farm, Cattle Tracks and Go Organic; we're on a journey with Oklahoma Food Coop and lovin' it. We're so pleased many of you are on this journey with us. As you've learned who we are, what we do, and how our products are produced, you've continued to encourage us and provide us with input that we greatly value.
Cattle Tracks is continuing some of your favorite specials for March; this will give each of you opportunity to get your favorite cuts at a savings :) Check out the listings! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and THANK YOU for all. |
Wagon Creek Creamery
Crains Farm Family |
Greetings from the Crain Family at Wagon Creek Creamery.
The days are getting noticably longer and the sun is feeling warmer--although the air is still quite chilly most of the time. But we know that spring and lush green pastures are not too far away. Our milk production is still very limited right now, so we will likely sell out of butter and cream quickly. If so, please check back later in the cycle to see if we've been able to add to the inventory. We are still offering a number of "bulk" packages of our products including: 1/2 gallon sizes of Greek, lowfat Greek and Original Yogurt Cheese; multipacks of creamline and nonfat yogurt; multipacks of ricotta; and family packs of ground beef. Buy in bulk and save!
Looking forward to seeing many of you at the annual meeting! Thank you again for your support of Oklahoma farmers.
Barbara Crain |
Snider Farms
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Happy Spring (almost) from Snider Farms!
We're ready for Spring here at Hollis. Sorry about not getting a note out last month but we were off the air, plus everything else being off, for a while during the ice storm. I've heard several people that have lived all their lives in Hollis say that was the worst storm they had ever seen here. The electric companies here and crews that came from other places to help were amazing. I have a lot of respect for those electric company employees and their work.
We've got plenty of peanuts and peanut butter for snacking. You could even put peanuts in those Easter eggs instead of candy for a change of pace. We do have a couple of changes -- we're getting new jars in the 32 oz. size that use the regular type screw-on lids and we're going to begin heat-sealing our jars of peanut butter with the silver foil seals. Hopefully we'll have that set up and going by Deliver Day.
Hope to get to meet a lot of you at the Annual Meeting!
Jamie and Stephanie Snider & family |
Oklahoma Garden Planner
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March is time to get the last of the cool-season veggies in the ground: beet, broccoli, carrot, radish. Also start your main warm-season transplants inside -- cucumber, eggplant, pepper, squash, tomato, etc. Most folk direct-seed melons, but you can really get a jump on harvest by starting this crop inside (mid- to late-month). This is part 2 of a brief look at the Appendix portion of the planner. This section is reviewed annually & updated as changes occur. It contains many resources to help with several aspects of gardening -- research, shopping, planning, & production methods. Raise the freshest home-grown vegetables as efficiently as possible without using harmful chemicals! Items covered in the Appendix include:
* suggested tools & equipment list
* references for doing your own research on gardening:
books, magazines, radio & TV shows, Central Oklahoma
garden club(s) contact info, etc.
* a gardeners dictionary
* how to attract beneficials to help control pests
* tables & conversion formulas to assist with the use of math in
the garden
* custom-made forms to help with planning & record-keeping
Remember, the Garden Planner can help you develop a routine designed BY you, FOR you. Flexibility & personalization are built-in.
I appreciate your business. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please contact us. HAPPY GARDENING!
Bill & Trudy Smith |
Sandy Creek Pecans
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Guess what a daily handful of pecans can do for you? According to research just finished by the University of Massachusetts, the daily intake of pecans can provide neurological benefits. Specifically, data for the study suggest that the antioxidants in pecans may help delay the progression of motor-neuron degeneration, including Lou Gehrig’s disease. The study has been published in the medical journal Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. Wow!
As always, we appreciate you allowing us to provide you with our best! Please remember to store your pecans in the refrigerator or in the freezer. We ship them in airtight bags and they are a “fresh” product. They will not store unopened in those ziplock bags for long.
Happy March Everyone!
The Garone Family
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G-J All Natural Beef
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My favorite smells….freshly turned soil for spring planting, fresh bread, fresh cut hay, and diesel and dirt! My daddy was a dozer operator and that’s his smell. Lots of warm and loving childhood memories!
I was outside with Kailyn and I told her to listen. “What’s different tonight than what you heard a week ago?” “Ahhhh…The frogs!!!” The sounds of nature are so relaxing…..with the exception of a screech of a hawk at sunrise and the chickens are out early!!! LOL
Someone recently told me I need to tell of our ranching practices, because evidently we are a little different. So here’s the short version.
100%...Yep…100% HOMEGROWN!!! Our calves are born and raised here on the ranch. We do not buy from anyone else. Our herd consists of 90 mama cows and a registered Black Angus Bull. A new bull is purchased approximately every 4 years because of retaining heifers from the old bull. One of the factors affecting our decision on which registered Black Angus bull to buy is based on technology. We have an ultrasound of his ribeye. This will display marbling, which is a desired featured in top quality steaks. Our cattle graze herbicide and pesticide free pastures. Herbs are used to promote exceptional health. The cattle graze on native grass, but also on red clover and dandelions. Red clover helps with hormone regulation and is a blood cleanser and dandelions cleanse the liver. The cattle have not had antibiotics, added growth hormones, vaccinations, animal by-products in the feed, nor chemical wormer.
We offer TWO kinds of top quality beef.
Certified Naturally Grown (grass finished) these calves are like the one pictured. They are allowed to stay with the mom nursing and grazing the pastures. Notice the CNG nursing calves are as big as their mother. Approximately once a month, they are called into the catch pens for (literally) just a handful of feed. This sweet feed contains herbs which help control internal parasites and it gives the animal a “nice, warm fuzzy feeling” about being in the catch pen. Our goal is to have minimal stress on our animals.
Grain Finished is the second option. The calves are placed in a weaning field, close to their mothers. The calves are introduced to a molasses sweet multi-grain feed with additional herbs, including sea kelp. The grain finished calves will have a slightly sweeter taste.
New Farm News:
1.) The Oklahoma Weight Loss Clinic in Poteau has recommended our beef to their clients. Dr. Brooks was so impressed with our program, he is working on the requirements to sell the meat directly in his clinic. Until all paperwork is finished, our beef can be found in individual proportional sizes at Weavers Meat Market in Poteau.
2.) You’ve heard the commercials for Mathis Brothers Furniture and to “stop in for lunch.” There is a café inside the enormous furniture store in Tulsa. The chef was so excited about our program and the flavor of our meat…G-J All Natural Beef is the beef of choice and is being served in the café.
Prayer request:
My apologies to our co-op family. I write a farm update each month and I send a story and recipe out with each order. This past month with the ice storm, no electricity for 5 days (this was truly enjoyable) and a couple of days at the hospital with Greg’s mom, I was unable to complete this objective. Greg’s mother was diagnosed in February with stage two breast cancer. The breast has been removed and she will begin chemo and radiation treatments in the next couple of weeks. Please join me in praying for her strength to fight this devastating disease.
Thank you for your patronage and more importantly for your friendship. |
Calvan's Feathered Friends
It's spring, and everyone gets excited!!! |
Ima Layer Jr. eggs will be offered again this month.
These are Rhode Island Red pullet eggs loaded with nutrition, color and flavor. The pullets are housed with Ima Layer. Ima Layer is my pet chicken. She loves mealworms, fresh veggies, green grass and my multigrain feed. Ima and her friends are bug chasin, worm pullin, all grain eatin’, pure country chickens laying farm fresh, free range, brown eggs. I hand gather and wash eggs every evening.
Goals for spring break..
1. Move the chicken tractor out to pasture. It has been parked on mom’s garden area all winter. Chickens will be able to enjoy some winter wheat.
2. Clean out all the nesting boxes and move the old nesting material to the compost.
3. Design an automatic door for the chicken tractor. I have one on the pullet house, it operates using a car door lock. I open it each morning with a car remote opener.
4. Welding project for old trampoline frames for chicken condo hoop house. Recycling!!!
5. Check and mend electric fence. Chickens are free range, but I do not want them to be free food for the coyotes.
New News:
* Rock Creek Health Food Store in Sapulpa is carrying eggs from
Calvan’s Feathered Friends.
* House of Health in Shawnee is carrying eggs for CFF.
* Another batch of 50 little Ima’s will be arriving March 17!!!
If you haven’t had the chance, check out my website, www.Imalayer.com and my youtube video.
Thanks,
Calvan Parker and Ima….Ima Layer |
Cocina San Pasqual
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Happy March and to all the sunshine we will probably be getting. This month's feature photo is Thunder the Bobcat at 3 weeks old.
This month's feature recipe will be the Southwest White Chile with samples available at the Annual Meeting, Saturday March 6th. A recent conversation with a new customer shed light on the subject of the meeting. She did not realize all in the coop are invited to the Annual Meeting. Please do not let this filter into your thoughts. This is a great chance to see, feel, and touch coop products, ask questions, etc. All are welcome, it is FREE and we look forward to seeing you there.
Leah & Bobby Aufill |
Cleer Creek Lavender
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We've been busy in our greenhouse potting up little lavender plants, which takes a toll on our hands. This time of year always has us reaching for our Lavender Shea Butter which is wonderful for the skin and has a bit of lavender essential oil to it. (But it's not overwhelming. We don't do overwhelming.)
There are also three new yarns for sale in small quantities. You can see them knitted up in projects at www.lostcityknits.com, which is Denise's website and blog about our farm.
Thank you for your business.
Chris and Denise |
Anichini - Moore Ranch & Farm
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We love recycling! Presently our farm is working on more composting plans including writing business plans and helping write grants for on farm composting equipment and building new public/private collaborations related to composting. In the process we have even become reconnected to old friends we'd lost touch with, a pleasant bonus!
Since we have several recycling/composting meetings scheduled in OKC on Friday, March 5th and our Coop's Annual Meeting is on the 6th, we will not be preparing lamb as we'd planned in January. Instead, Sequoia, my 16 year old grandaughter plans to make 3 carrot cakes while I'm in OKC attending meetings. So please forgive us for not bringing a dish prepared with our pastured heritage lamb breeds and/or pork from our Large Black Pigs!
Speaking of meat, we still have pastured lamb and pork stock in our freezers. With your help we plan to sell out this month with even lower prices! Our plan is to empty our freezers so we can have more processed at our local family owned farm processor, Ray's Meats and Processing. We anticipate we will all benefit from their new vaccuum packaging!
We also have plenty of roving or wool from Shetland, Finn or their crosses for hand spinners available.
We invite you to check out the farm and recycling links below too! New information is posted regularily on these websites by another great collaborator, Wanda De Bruler.
We apreciate your support and for being our customers! We hope to see you at the Annual Meeting!
Kathy Moore
Anichini - Moore Ranch & Farm
www.anichinimoore.com
OK Composting Council
www.okcompostingcouncil.org
OK Recycling Association
www.okrecyling.org |
Skyridge Farm
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We are finally into March – after a long hard dreary winter there is the promise of sunshine and gardens. We are offering for your herb garden the hardier plants this month and the tomatoes, peppers and basils for next month. Then we will move on to summer time and butterfly gardens. For a list of all the plants, to include the tomatoes and peppers and basils, email me at monica@skyridgefarm.net and I will forward you the complete list. This month for your culinary garden you can plan to plant the oreganos, sages, rosemaries, hardy lavenders, chives, mints, and French tarragon. They are just needing lots of sun and good drainage which we have not had for a while so a raised bed in a sunny area would be great. For the medicinal/tea garden we have catnips, Valerian, both good for bedtime tea to relax and sleep well. We will have comfrey available later this spring. The Valerian has overwintered in my garden which gives it this year to bloom. The plant itself is a big leaved vigorous plant and the blooms are white and very fragrant. For a bright spot in your house we offer scented geraniums, silver dollar eucalyptus, and patchouli.
Under “Health/Herbal Pillows," we have sleep pillows again for pleasant, sweet dreams and restful sleep put together with hops, mugwort, rosemary, catnip, chamomile, and lavender! These are great for children. I have a grandson who takes his to bed at my house along with his favorite stuffed animals. These are also good for nursing home residents and hospital/rehab patients for comfort and a bit of a relaxing fragrance. No other fragrance has been added, just the natural fragrance of the dried herbs. So check out Skyridge Farm in the live plants/herbs section. In Paper Arts/Greeting Cards, I have added a few of my seeded cards for Easter, some made with rye grass seed for a “living grass Easter basket”, some with cutflower/ wildflower seeds for spring. I am offering a St Therese’s Prayer card and St Therese’s Little Flowers card, and an Irish Toast card that is fun. Also, a few “Bless Your Heart “ cards, good for any occasion. Inside it has a note that says, "In the South you can say just about anything about someone as long as you preface it with or end it with 'Well bless their heart.'” I make paper in a blender in a tub in the yard when it is warm and sunny and breezy. Hard to find days like that lately. But spring is around the corner and won’t it be sweet and appreciated when it gets here.
Monica |
Fluffy's Compleat Boutique
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This is the Co-op order for Easter.
Fluffy's has new listings for cotton and bamboo socks in Men, Women and Children Apparel Accessories.
More fun Easter Apparel includes colorful shoe laces for the boys, velvet scrunchies for the girls, and gorgeous scarves for Mom.
Under Kitchen Miscellaneous, Easter is the perfect time to go sustainable with dinner naps in the colors you choose. Just add a Note To Producer after you add them to your shopping cart, with any clues that will guide me in colors and designs, (Tuscan kitchen, Fiesta Ware pastels, 4 rainbow swirls, blues and browns, etc.) You'll be so glad you're not running to the store for paper napkins! These towels will last and stay brilliant to brighten your kitchen or your Farmers Market display.
Producers, if you're wishing for a bright tie-dyed table cloth or durable washable table quilt for Market Day, email me and I will list one for you that matches your booth and table size.
Kathy Tibbits |
Turtle Rock Farm
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As everyone is getting ready - and eager for - spring planting, we offer two workshops: building a four-by-four raised bed and building a turnable composter. You can come for a full day and build both, or half a day and build one or the other. Or, just come for the day, learn how and then go home and make them there. You'll also have the chance to tour our gardens and take the "poop tour."
Our Earth Dinner: Learning to cook in an environmentally-friendly way is a fun way to change eating and cooking habits. We'll talk about how the way we grow our food affects the planet and learn a new system of cooking. Most of the day is spent in the kitchen and we eat everything we cook! It's fun, healthy and delicious.
In this multi-tasking, constant communicating, frazzled existence, getting into the habit of Keeping Sabbath is a sane as well as sacred practice. At this retreat, individuals or couples can take a look at their lives and begin to plan how to slow down and celebrate life one day a week.
Find our retreat and class offerings under "Events" then "Classes."
Peace,
Ann and Pat |
Whitmore Farms
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Thanks to everyone who ordered beef from Whitmore Farms in February. Because of such great customers ordering our beef, we are currently out of a few cuts. We have calves ready for harvest so all cuts will be available in April. We still have several Steakhouse Quality T-Bone steaks that are just Awesome! These one-inch thick steaks have such great flavor and are so tender they do not need to be marinated. But, if you would like to try “The Perfect Steak Marinade” from Aunt Purple's Cookbooks, we recommend our fantastic Sirloin steaks.
We are looking forward to meeting everyone at the Annual meeting. We will have samples of our Steakhouse Quality Beef, Minute Steaks, featuring another recipe from Raquel Haggard, author of Aunt Purple's Cookbooks.
The Perfect Steak Marinade
Garlic powder to taste 1 tsp. Thyme
¼ tsp. Cayenne ½ C. Soy sauce
4 TB. Worcestershire sauce 1 TB. Olive oil
1/3 C. Lime juice 2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Black pepper
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Place meat in a pan; add marinade, let set over night. Remove from refrigerator one hour prior to grilling. Good for 3 lbs. of steak.
Thanks again,
Wayne and Connie Whitmore |
Renricks Farm & Garden
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Spring is almost here. I have added and updated all of our seed. All of the seed is from the 2009 harvest and ready to germinate. We have also listed several perennials that are dormant. We have lots of bedding plants and veg, tomato and perennial plants growing in the greenhouse.
Looking at the long range forecast, it looks like it is going to be a cold wet March. Of course the weather forecast could be wrong. We will be listing everything for April since the last average frost is April 15th. If you email me, I will send you a list of everything that we will be growing. Email me at renrick@earthlink.net.
If you have any questions call me at 405-222-2800 or 405-204-1822.
Thanks,
Renee |
Guided By The Light
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Lots of new photos. I look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.
We have cards for all of the holidays (Mothers Day, St Patrick's Day, Easter, Birthdays, Anniversaries, etc.) including graduation (OU, OSU and TAMU.) Some of our photos and cards are still listed in Renricks. |
Renrick's Family Recipes
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Lots of great treats for the games and March Madness. Check out what Renee has listed. All good and all necessary for the sweet tooth.
The photo is of one of our rescue dogs. Puggles was dumped at the Chickasha Post Office as a 6-9 month old puppy. We saw the lady dump her. She is part schnauzer, naturally upright ears. |
The Prairie Gypsies
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Thoughts of spring are in our minds. We are looking forward to planting our gardens and moving the fresh herbs off the window sill. As you are doing the same, add an additional thought, convenience! We offer a large selection of casseroles, lasagnas, pizzas, soups, dips and appetizers to make life a little easier and save you a little time.
Many of you are wonderful cooks! It’s time to try our jams, jellies, mustards, salad dressings and fruit butters. We say “jam isn’t just for a biscuit anymore”…wonderful sauces for chicken, beef, pork or lamb are just a jar away. Some folks prefer our Apple Basil Jelly with roasted lamb…so think about Easter. Now about those deviled eggs…we always add a little of one of our mustards, Apricot Mustard, Chipotle Lime Mustard or Tarragon Mustard. It’s a nice touch and a nice taste! Check out our many recipes on our website www.prairiegypsies.com. Remember, we also include recipes with your order of any of our jams, jellies, mustards, salad dressings and fruit butters.
See you at the annual meeting!
B. J. and Debbie |
Earth Elements Market & Bakery
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Before I tell you about the wonderful ingredients we have in our featured products this month, I'd like to spend a little time telling you what we DON'T use. None of our products have any preservatives, chemical stabilizers, or artificial food colorings. We've also made sure that corn syrup has no place in our products. The only time we use white sugar is in our jams and jellies, and those differ from what you'd find on the shelves of the grocery store by having a fruit content of almost 50%. Otherwise we only use turbinado sugar, honey, or stevia to sweeten our products. In general, less sugar in your diet is better, but the more natural form it takes, the better.
So now that I've told you what you won't find in our food, what DO we use? Right at 45% of all our ingredients in 2009 came from 24 different Oklahoma producers. So buying from us supports not just our business, but two dozen more local farm/ranch owners in the state. Carry that over to all the others that work for those business ventures, and you can start to see the importance of supporting a local food system.
Now on to our featured products for March. It seems like winter is still hanging on, even though we're all wishing for spring to hurry up and get here. In the meantime, for those chilly days and nights we have 3 different kinds of soup to warm you up. Our Garlic Tomato Basil, Tomato Squash, and Tomato Zucchini Soup come in 16 oz. and 32 oz. sizes, ready to heat and eat. (For a neat twist on dinner, try using the Garlic Tomato Basil soup when you're baking chicken or pork. It adds terrific flavor, and makes a wonderful sauce too!) You can find all these soups in Food: Canned Foods: Soups.
A great addition to our soups are any of our breads or rolls. You can choose from Whole Wheat Jalapeno Cheddar, Whole Wheat Oatmeal, or Whole Wheat Tomato Basil, all listed under Food: Bakery: Breads. If you look in Food: Bakery: Rolls, you can choose from our Onion Cheddar Rolls, Fluffy Yeast Whole Wheat Rolls, Whole Wheat Rolls, or Yeast White Rolls. You can also try our crackers, a perfect partner to any soup. These are located in Food: Bakery: Crackers.
Part of getting ready for spring here at EEMB is doing some rearranging in our freezer. In the course of that, we discovered the last batch of Breaded Okra. You can locate this item in Food: Vegetables: Frozen Vegetables. But don't wait too long to order, since quantities are limited and will probably sell out fast!
Are you looking for a healthy snack as you try to meet your goals for this new year? Have you considered Pumpkin Seeds? According to a recent article in "Men's Health" magazine, eating pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to consume more magnesium, a vital mineral in anyone's diet. These little gems have been used for hundreds of years by Native American tribes to help combat a number of health problems. We get ours from processing Oklahoma-grown pumpkins for puree, then soak the seeds in salt water and slowly roast them. You can find these listed under Food: Vegetables: Pumpkins.
Don't forget that Easter is coming soon after the order closes. If you're looking for something special to serve your family and guests for the holiday weekend, consider our delicious Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies. A traditional shortbread cookie, half dipped in melted chocolate, then dusted with chopped pecans, these are beautiful and melt in your mouth. For this taste of old-fashioned goodness, check our listing in Food: Bakery: Cookies.
That's enough for now. Stay warm and safe, and enjoy the time you can spend with family and friends!
April Harrington |
World Cup Coffee
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Thanks to everyone for all the kind messages and taking the time to post a note! It's nice to hear from you and I'm happy you like our Coffee and Chocolate! :)
Does not look like we will be able to attend this years annual Producers Meeting due to a schedule conflict with this new time. I'm so sorry, it was so much fun last year to meet everyone!
This will be our last month listed under the name of World Cup Coffee, we will be changing our name to KAF Roasters for the April order. We just finished our annual Organic Certification and the name change is final with the USDA.
Have a Happy and Blessed spring!
Scott and Raiya Jensen |
708 Cupcake Lane
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Hello Everyone!
We've made it to March! Hooray! It is a sweet time of year with new births around every corner! If you know an expecting mother consider giving her an original but useful gift, such as a "diaper cupcake" as a way to say congratulations. There is a detailed account of my diaper cupcakes under the "Baby Gifts" heading on the website... OR, you can see one up close and personal at the coop annual meeting.
Speaking of new births, we've had a couple of brain children in our line of re-usable bags. We believe both of these newbies would be great for the upcoming farmers market season, or for carrying your Coop orders home on delivery day. We're calling the first new arrival the "Turnip Bag." Similar to its parent the "Happy Scrappy Bag," these little guys will also be made primarily out of scrap fabrics. However, it has an exciting trait of its own. The "Turnip Bag" is made to fold and scrunch into itself to form a happy little turnip shaped tote that is easier than ever to stow away for impromtu shopping.
As you may know, siblings often have vastly different traits from each other. Such is the case with the second new arrival, our re-usable bag family. Brain child number two is called the "Cool Green Bag." Please note, I mean green as in eco-friendly, not necessarily the color. This bag is not one for being stashed away; you'll want to invite this trusty bag along so it can help you keep your perishables cool with its insulated lining. |
Happy Rabbit Acres/Main St. Photo-Video
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Greetings Co-op Family!
All of us at Happy Rabbit Acres are anxious for the Springtime! Very soon we will be putting in 10-13 raised beds. We have overwintered some garlic, but are unsure of the yield yet. We are keeping our fingers crossed!
I had the opportunity last week, to visit Cross Timbers Farm, and learn, for future reference, how to trim goat feet. Cross Timbers is a wonderful farm, especially during kidding season! As I am an animal enthusiast, being surrounded by goat kids was a joyful experience! The Nubian goat kids are some of the cutest babies in the animal kingdom, because their long floppy ears barely fit their faces. As I have said before, visiting these farms and meeting the people that produce your food and other products, is a powerful thing. It brings consumerism full circle and allows you, the co-op member to see that your order matters to Real Oklahoma families and businesses! You are making a difference!
We are really looking forward to the Annual meeting! Main St. Photo-Video's booth will include a small portrait studio set up, and we will be taking portraits of the co-op board members and producers. Our portrait studio will be open to any members and their families, who would like to have their picture taken, and we will have packages available to order. If you are producers, don't forget to stop at our booth and see a sampling of what we can do for your products, farms and businesses using examples from other co-op producers! We can't wait to see you all at the annual meeting!
I have re-listed last years Easter cards! With all of the preparation for the annual meeting, I may not be able to add new cards before the order is up, but I will try to find the time.
As always, thanks for supporting Oklahoma farms and families,
The Thomas Family
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Pork & Greens
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We want to introduce ourselves. We're a new Coop producer. Our farm is called Pork & Greens, and is located in Okmulgee County on the banks of Snake Creek. We raise a rare breed pig known as the English Large Black and cross them with Spot pigs to produce our pork. We raise the pigs in rotation with our gardening (we sell fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets in the Tulsa area) that allows our plots to have a year in vegetables, a year in cover crop (a clover/alfalfa mix) and a year in pigs. We're not certified organic due to the unavailability of feed, but we raise our pigs and vegetables along organic standards.
You can visit our website at www.thehaywire.typepad.com and see how we raise our animals. We have videos, photos, recipes, and stories, just look around and see for yourself. We're very grateful to be members of the Coop, and as we get our feet wet we'll provide some specifics in the producers notes.
Stephen Green |
Hardesty Cheese
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UPDATE:
We are going to offer shredded Parmesan with Italian spice or Alfredo flavor. These are 1/2 pound bags and sell for $6. Please put what kind you want in the notes to producer.
Having some good meetings, hope to have more information soon. Like to hear any comments you may have. Thanks for your support.
The Gift Family |
Downing Family Farm
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Greetings Coop family,
Thanks for your continued support of all the producers on the Oklahoma Food Coop. We certainly appreciate you and are humbled by your choice of our products for your family. We have a few new exciting products to tell you about.
A full line of pork is available. We have several beautiful barrows that are being harvested and they look wonderful. We are offering pork Andouille sausage this month, as well as all of the standbys, Italian, & breakfast. Chops, loin roasts, and spare ribs are in full supply as well.
The beef shelf is fully stocked as well, Black Angus ribeye, strip, roasts, ground and brisket. Raised on pasture with a taste only Angus can deliver. No feedlots here.
The French Cou Nu GRASS FED chickens are a big hit and we are glad you are enjoying them. We are encouraging other producers to start pastured poultry this season, or if you're a consumer and want to "grow your own" let us know, we will help any way we can. Look for all you favorite cuts in stock. Raised humanely on pasture and the taste reflects it. No huge chicken houses here, just chickens on grass.
From the kitchen, you will find cheese biscuits featuring Hardesty Cheese. We love 'em and know you all will too. Also, Whole wheat biscuits featuring Johns Organic wheat, these things are HARDY! Can't go wrong when you start your day off with one of these biscuits featuring his wheat! Also his wheat is featured in the whole wheat chicken and noodles. Cream of mushroom soup in GRASS-FED chicken stock featuring the Hewitts Shiitakes and Miatakes from the Mushroom Planet in Tulsa. We love these folks and what they do with their organic mushrooms.
As you can see, we take great pains to include the FINEST ingredients from our fellow producers in our entrees, and the taste reflects it. We hope you enjoy.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to attend this weekends meeting due to a livestock show that our children are participating in. But come visit the farm and visit our you tube channel. Thanks again and HAPPY SPRING!!
Wes Downing
http://DowningFamilyFarm.com |
Winning Photography Solutions
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Hello Coop Family,
We are not able to make it to the Annual Meeting this year but we have donated Note Cards and Christmas Cards to be given as door prizes. We have also sent some brochures and business cards. Take the time to check us out, we have a really nice quality line of Note Cards and Christmas Cards.
On another note I am very excited about the spring and all the wonderful flowers that will be blooming. That is the great thing about Oklahoma - we have 4 definite seasons, most places are not that lucky.
Denise Winn
www.winningphotoscanning.com |
Wagon Creek Creamery
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Warm and sunny greetings from Wagon Creek Creamery.
At last, winter is beginning to loosen its grip and the temperatures are creeping up. Time to start thinking about gardening. We're trying an experiment this year by making use of leaky stock tanks. One has been converted into a great sandbox for little William and another is being prepared as a raised bed for planting some tomatoes and peppers. My theory is that I can work in my stock tank garden while William plays in the yard and sandbox. We'll see....
We've added more family packs of ground beef as well as a new flavor cheesecake; Blackberry wine cheesecake. We are also wanting to hear from any of you who might be interested in pasture raised veal. All of our calves born since mid December have been left with the mothers (we sort off the calves when we milk, then send the mamas back out to rejoin the babies.) Please contact us roncrain@kanokla.net if you'd like to find out more.
Thank you to all of you for your support of our family's dairy.
Barbara and Ron Crain |
Cordero Farms
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We've updated the product inventories to reflect the lambs we just took to the processor. It was great to meet many of you at the annual meeting yesterday! We'll post recipes for the lamb meatballs and lamb ribs to our Let's Cook section of our blog soon. Thanks again for all your support.
Nancy Osborn and Sue Young
http://corderofarms.wordpress.com/ |
Cattle Tracks
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THANKS to each of you for coming by our booth at the Annual Meeting. It was great meeting so many of you plus it was great having our daughter, son-in-law and niece/nephew helping in the serving line. John had a prior committment (the first Saturday of each month) so he was unable to attend which he regretted.
Did you enjoy the roast you sampled? If so, that was a striploin roast and striploins are listed this month. I'll include the recipe I used with an order of a striploin -- just about as simple as you can get!
THANKS to the judges for placing Cattle Tracks at the top in the cook-off. Perhaps it was our Oklahoman's Meatloaf that helped earn a few points -- other than the salt and pepper, the meatloaf was made from all Oklahoma producsts. We have updated inventories to reflect the striploin roast, rib roasts (prime rib), and a few other favorite cuts. I've got a few ideas rolling around in my head for next year's Annual Meeting -- looking forward to meeting more folks and serving you, as well. Check out the savings on organic ground beef -- a terrific price for a fantastic product. |
High Tides & Green Fields
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A reminder to anyone with a strawberry plant order from January or February-- please enter item # 3629 on your shopping cart to generate a delivery order for March. We can't ship without it!
Thanks!
Dev & Kip & Dom
http://hightides.wordpress.com/ |
Rowdy Stickhorse Wild Acres
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Rowdy Stickhorse family had a great time at the annual meeting. So many wonderful people and great food. A long week getting ready, but so worth the time. I want to thank the customers, guests and all the producers that made the day so enjoyable.
After we drug ourselves out of bed this morning we spent the day cleaning out the hen houses, and mulching the herb beds and vegetable gardens with the chicken litter and compost. The smell of fresh dirt is like heaven. I can't wait to plant veggies and flowers. Dad has been hatching 100 chicks every 2 weeks. Chicks here, chicks there, chicks everywhere. We culled our old hens and had them processed for our customers. So now we can fill the chicken condos with fresh pullets. I hope to have my flock back up to 500 hens again soon. I just love my chickens, they are so much fun. Here is my latest chicken story.
Last week while tending to my hens, cleaning waters, checking nests, feeding chicks, putting out hay, with Penny my little black Turken hen on my shoulder and several of my favorite hens following me everywhere waiting for me to put out some kitchen scraps. A young barred rock hen was bound and determined to get my attention so she went between my legs. Needles to say we became tangled, trying not to step on her I lost my balance, tripped over a feed tub an down I went face first, Splat! I looked up and all I could see was all these little heads looking back at me. Here came Penny pushing her way through the herd. As she came up to my face. I could tell she was looking me over. I sat there for a moment checking myself over, nothing but chicken poop down my front with feathers stuck to it with a touch of dirt, and my fan club cheering me on. Penny came up to me and sat on my lap. I still wonder, was she truly concerned about my well being or was she more worried about where her next meal would come from? I went to the house and cleaned up a bit. I headed back to the soap shop and there was Penny waiting for me on the steps. She stayed in the shop most of the day with me until Oscar my midget cow dog decided it was time for his nap, then Penny went out to the barn.
Rowdy Stickhorse Obituaries:
The farm king, "Elvis," had a fatal accident last month. Elvis was a 7 year old 12 lb. beautiful Brahma rooster. He had years of enjoyment on the farm. He was featured in many news articles and most of the farm and family photos. (He was a ham.) For the past 6 years he was CEO of the chicken house, and the proud father of hundreds of our Brahma chicks. He was always alert and protective of his hens. Elvis was a happy chicken. He enjoyed being with people and meeting new customers. Elvis died in a tragic and unfortunate accident while racing Bailey (in her car) up the drive to greet her. Elvis was ahead of the car, a bug caught his eye and he stopped. Unfortunately Bailey did not have time to stop. Elvis will be greatly missed by all. All memorials may be made in honor of Elvis Presley Rink to the "Educating chickens about vehicles organization."
I am heading into Enid now to pick up meat at the processor. I will try to get it all inventoried and uploaded on the coop site tonight.
We processed all our older Certified Naturally Grown hens and have them in the freezer. If you think we need to put them on the coop site let me know. We will try to accommodate your need for home grown chicken.
Paulette |
Rowdy Stickhorse
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Rowdy Stickhorse Laundry Powder
Uses and Instructions
Laundry
*In the laundry our RS/LAUNDRY POWDER is used to destain, deodorize, and whiten. It is very effective as a laundry presoak for heavily stained articles. For light soils add 1ounce of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER with your laundry per load. For moderate soils use 2 ounces and for heavily soiled articles use 4 ounces.
*To whiten and deodorize diapers or to destain cloth menstrual pads add 4-6 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER into the soak cycle. Soak in hot water for at least 30 minutes, or overnight, then complete wash cycle.
*For whitening old linens and yellowed window shears, deodorizing and cleaning tennis shoes, or to get rid of yellow armpit stains on shirts: soak in 2 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of water for at least one hour, or overnight, then rinse.
Kitchen
*For stained plastic ware, dishes, dish rags and dish towels add 1-2 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER to the container to be cleaned or to the dishwater and soak for at least 15 minutes.
*To keep your drains and disposals clear and smelling fresh add 1 ounce of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER in 8 ounces of hot water and allow solution to sit in drain overnight.
Bath
*For septic systems add 4 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER to toilet and flush into the septic system twice a week.
*For toilets add 3 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER, wait 15 minutes then scrub.
*For shower curtains soak in 1 ounce of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of hot water; for mildew stains soak overnight.
*For bathtub and shower use make a paste of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER with hot water, scrub with a cloth or sponge, wait 15 minutes then rinse or use.
Yard
*For deodorizing garbage cans add 1/2 ounce of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of of water and let soak.
*For lawn furniture add 2 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER to hot water, scrub, wait 15 minutes, then rinse.
*For all weather carpeting add 4 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER to a gallon of warm water scrub with a stiff broom, wait 20 minutes then rinse.
Household
*To destain and deodorize carpets add 1 ounce of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of carpet shampoo prior to cleaning.
*To remove mold and mildew from carpeting add 2-4 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of hot water, apply generously to stain, wait 10 minutes, then vacuum with extractor.
*For acoustic tiles add 6 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of hot water, spray on tiles, wait 15 minutes then rinse.
*For mops add 3 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER to a gallon of hot water, soak overnight then rinse.
*For mildew removal or to clean baseboards or basement floors after water damage from flooding add 4 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER to a gallon of hot water, scrub surface, wait 30 minutes then rinse.
RS/LAUNDRY POWDER is safe for use in a closed environment.
*To clean and deodorize cat litter boxes soak them in 3 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of water for 20 minutes then rinse.
*For urine, feces, or vomit stains on carpets or upholstery, add 1 teaspoon of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER to 8 ounces of water, wipe onto stain, wait 10 minutes then rinse.
Camping
*To clean and deodorize coolers add 2 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER per gallon of hot water, soak for 20 minutes, then rinse.
*For boat sails, cushions, ropes, camping gear, tents, tarps, etc. add 4 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER ounces per gallon of hot water soak for 30 minutes then rinse.
Wood Decks
*RS/LAUNDRY POWDER is excellent for cleaning and restoring wood decks. It removes organic stains from leaf stains to BBQ grease, removes mold and mildew as well as sun faded and discolored wood layers. Makes your deck look almost new!!! It doesn't harm your plants, grass or landscaping in any way!
*To clean your deck first remove any loose soils or other matter. Dissolve 6 ounces of RS/LAUNDRY POWDER in a gallon of hot water (generally takes about 5 minutes). Apply to wet deck.
*For railings a hand pump sprayer does a really excellent job. Wait 10-15 minutes. Scrub with a stiff broom or brush, then rinse.
RS/LAUNDRY POWDER is not suitable for use with silk or wool.
RS/LAUNDRY POWDERwill not remove rust stains or mineral deposits from hard water....
We have spent years developing our laundry powder -- multipurpose cleaner. We hope you find many more uses for our laundry powder.
Paulette |
G-J All Natural Beef
Windeater Acres
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Greetings, OFC Members!
Thank you for being an member of the Oklahoma Food Coop and for supporting Oklahoma farmers and food producers! We appreciate you choosing to spend your food dollars with us!!
The ducks are happy to have this nice weather again and are returning to more productive laying. I have added a few half-dozen cartons of duck eggs (item # 9274). If you are allergic to chicken eggs, need to rotate protein types, or like to bake, try duck eggs. (People with severe allergies should check with their physician first.)
Eat healthy, be safe, buy local!
Deb Willis and Lydia Zackery |
Downing Family Farm
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Our layers have gone MAD! They are laying like crazy in this great weather we have been having! We have a surplus of eggs so we HAVE MARKED THEM DOWN!!! This is our way of saying thanks for all of your support throughout the years. Look for a substantial savings on these grass fed eggs. We were the FIRST producer (and only to my knowledge) that have the facts to back it up that these eggs are GOOD for you. They have been analyzed by the Food and Science Center at Oklahoma State University. Shoot us a quick email and we will be glad to discuss the results!
Still a full line of Black Angus Beef and pastured Pork. Look for a special treat from us next month in the meat department. We are VERY excited about these new editions to our gourmet line of meats. Also, great dishes in the entrees SOURCED BY NAME from fellow coop producers like Johns Organic Wheat, Mushroom Planets Organic Mushrooms, and of course, our all natural line of meats, eggs, and poultry.
There are many new producers on the coop, welcome them and lets keep it GROWING!
Wes Downing
http://DowningFamilyFarm.com |
DARP
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Hey folks, we're happy to have been approved as co-op members. Many of you know us from the infamous "Chicken Runs!"
We've listed a few products for sale, so please check out our producer page. You can also check our website at www.greatchickens.com.
If you have any questions, shoot us an e-mail to info@greatchickens.com.
We look forward to supplying you with great chicken! |
Earth Elements Market & Bakery
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It looks like Spring is finally on its way! We've been able to throw the doors open in the Bakery the last couple of days, and everyone has been enjoying the warmer temps and fresh breezes. With this nicer weather, we all want to be outside as much as possible, and we have a few suggestions to help you on your way.
BURRITOS: Listed under Food: Entrees: Burritos, these are the perfect "on the go" food, heating quickly in the microwave and ready for you to enjoy in minutes. Our varieties include Bean, Rice & Cheese; Beef, Bean & Cheese; Chicken & Rice; and Spicy Bean, Rice & Cheese. If you're looking for a quick breakfast, try our Egg, Potato & Cheese, or our Spicy Egg, Potato & Cheese burritos. For our Vegan customers, we also have Vegan Bean & Rice burritos, as well as Spicy Vegan Bean & Rice burritos. You can find these in Food: Entrees: Vegan.
POCKETS: We also have a selection of Tortilla Pockets, made with Whole Wheat tortillas, Oklahoma cheeses, and the best produce we can find. If you look under Food: Entrees: Pockets you can choose from Egg, Cheddar & Breakfast Sausage; Egg, Cheddar & Summer Sausage; Broccoli & Cheese; Cheese & Tomato; Potato & Cheese; or Chicken & Potato. All of these are very portable, delicious, and perfect for breakfast or a light lunch.
Don't forget Earth Elements also offers a wide selection of casseroles and lasagnas, in sizes that are perfect for 2, just right for 4-6, or plenty for a big crowd. You can find them listed under Food: Entrees: Casseroles, Food: Entrees: Entrees, and Food: Entrees: Lasagnas.
Now, let's all go out and enjoy the beautiful weather!!
April Harrington |
Rowdy Stickhorse & Wild Acres
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We would like to let everyone know that we have reduced the price of our round steaks form $6.25 to $4.00. You can find them under our Dexter Beef category Freezer special. We have decided to no longer carry round steaks. instead we are having it processed into Ground Round. We should have some to offer by next month and will list it under our Dexter department.
We have uploaded new inventories on our Dexter Beef. We finally got if from the processor and into the freezer.
To answer many emails about what flavors of soaps we gave away at the annual meeting, the sample with rose petals on top with a little pink through it was our new one Buffalo Gals. The gray soap with a eucalyptus smell was Camp Fire. You can find these under our soap department
Don't forget to order your Rowdy Stickhorse Laundry Powder/Multi purpose cleaner. We have had such a good response to our Country Clean anti-bacterial cleaner that we decided to create a Country Clean concentrate. This 8 oz bottle should refill 3-32 oz bottles. all you need to do is add water. Its a good thing.
Wild Acres Meat Loaf
2 RSWA eggs
2 lb. RSWA ground pork
2 lb. RSWA ground beef
1 sm. can tomato paste
2 Tlb. prepared mustard
3 C. old-fashioned oats
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 C. Finely chopped onion
1 1/2 C. finely chopped celery
1 1/2 C. beef broth
1. In a large bowl, beat eggs; stir in ketchup, mustard, oats, salt garlic, thyme and basil.
2. In a small saucepan bring broth to a boil, add to oat mixture and mix well. Stir in onion, celery.
3. Press into 2- 9x5x3 loaf pans or 1- 9x13 pan bake at 375 for 1 hour check with meat thermometer.
Thermometer should read 170 degrees or bake til juices run clear
4. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving
Serves 12
Paulette |
High Tides & Green Fields
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We have six people who pre-ordered strawberry plants that have not generated a delivery order. We cannot ship without it. Please enter item # 3629 (balance due on plant order) in your shopping cart and we will ship your plants next week.
Thanks!
Dev Vallencourt
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