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May 2011 Producer Notes
Shady Oaks Family Farm
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Well, well here it is May and as of the time I am typing this we haven’t even had our April showers yet! It certainly is awfully dry right now; I hope you folks are praying for rain. It is desperately needed. As many know there have been many wild fires lately. In fact we had one just to the east of us 6 weeks ago, and just this past week there was one less than a mile to the west of us. With all this lack of rain our apple crop has failed, our orchard simply didn’t have enough water to put out any blossoms.
Let’s move on to more cheery things! As of this writing Andrew is putting the finishing touches on our new coop. His father says he needs to put a sign out front that says “Hilton”! Yes, these chicks are still inside our home, but will be moved out today! They are looking great and have feathered out completely, it is amazing how much they have grown. We look forward to increasing our egg supply.
Our gardens are looking great; thankfully we have good irrigation to them. We have lettuce, kale, onion along with our potatoes growing very well. Also our corn is up and doing well, our mouths are already watering for a bite of fresh corn!
We have a sweet Mama bird that comes every spring and builds her nest on our front porch light. It is great fun to watch her out the kitchen window as she builds her nest with everything from hay to moss to our horses' hair! She has laid five eggs and soon her little ones should be hatching. Our children get great fun and delight at watching the whole process. So for the month of May she is our new addition to share news about. If we can send pictures with our next producer notes we will be glad to do so.
The Goats are doing a great job of keeping us supplied in milk. We still have some available. If you are in need of any read below. We still have not sold our bucks. We may just bring them to auction, but we’ll wait a few more weeks yet. To be honest we just don’t have time to get to the auction right now.
So what are we up to around here that we can’t seem to find time to make it to auction? Well, to be honest spring and summer around a farm as well as early fall can definitely keep one hopping; especially on a diversified farm. If it isn’t time to accomplish milking, one needs to get some new crop in the ground, or harvest it, or weed it of course! The horses need care and of course the livestock dogs want their share! Now add in mowing, updating the electric to the barn building & coops, fixing buildings, updating items in the farm house and oh my! On top of all that our most important crop, our children, need care and attention, and since we homeschool, lessons must go on. Sarah, our oldest, will be graduating later this spring. Our other children will continue on with their studies through the summer. We rarely take the summer off. So as you can see we definitely stay hopping.
Sarah and Caleigh have been busy sewing beautiful matching skirts for themselves and matching dresses for their younger sisters for Easter. Faith has been busy making decorations for that blessed day. Grace and Joshua have been watering our trees and flowers together. (I am sure they get more water on each other than they do the flowers). And we have all been busy preparing for a special event that is coming up soon.
Nary a dull moment, and you know what, we are enjoying every minute of it. At least mom is. I dread the day when all is quiet around here; it just won’t be the same. Well we have another addition coming to our farm, but since it is not here yet, we will wait until it is to share that update. So stay tuned in the coming months and we will let you know.
FARM FRESH GOATS MILK for sale. If you are interested in purchasing any from us call and we will set up a time that you can come out to the farm and pick up your milk. I know for some of you that may be a bit inconvenient, but we must follow state regulations and we can only offer our milk straight from the farm. I believe our prices and the freshness of the milk will make it worth your time!! We would love to have you out and show you around. So give us a call at 405-614-5990 or 405-614-5991 and we will set up a time for you to come out. Don’t delay, we have a limited supply and it will go quickly.
Well, that is all for now, keep a lookout for our June notes, and we pray everyone had a very Blessed Easter.
From all of us at Shady Oaks Family Farm
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Two Tomatoes Veggies
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Thank God we finally got a little rain. We’re offering green onions this month. I was able to keep the irrigation on them and they are really sweet and plump. We also are offering hand crafted soaps.
Phil Young
Two Tomatoes Veggies
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Shepherd's Cross
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Woolly Weekend at Shepherd’s Cross
Friday, April 29 & Saturday, April 30
10:00 am – 7:00 p.m.
- Woolly Weekend is a “sheep to shawl” festival held at Shepherd’s Cross, an authentic working sheep farm, just north of Claremore OK on Scenic Route 66.
- Come to the farm and watch as the sheep are shorn (given a hair cut) for the summer. Sheep will be shorn approximately every 30 minutes. The wool will then be processed on site – washed, combed, spun, and woven into a finished product.
- The farm museum will also be open. The Bible Garden will be available for guided or self-guided tours. Shepherd’s Shop will be open, featuring a host of “woolly” and farm related gifts and wares.
- As a part of the event, samples of farm fresh American lamb meat will be available. This American lamb is raised in the pastures at Shepherd’s Cross. The meat is 100% natural, free range, and grass fed. Shepherd’s Cross supports sustainable agricultural practices and is supported in part by the American Lamb Board.
- Shepherd’s Cross is home to a non-profit Christian organization called Heart of the Shepherd. This event will also discuss the Biblical references to sheep, shepherding and wool processing.
- This is a free event. Donations are welcome -- suggested donations $2 per person.
- Woolly Weekend will proceed even in the case of inclement weather. All demonstrations will take place in the Amish-built gambrel roof tour barn, which houses some of the animals as well as the wool processing, farm museum, and the gift shop.
- Shepherd’s Cross is an accredited Agritoruism facility and a Made in Oklahoma Company.
Shepherding the Flock,
Dr. Diane Dickinson
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Oklahoma Organic Garden Planner
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If you haven't been able to get your Spring garden in yet, there's STILL time. We actually have about 7 months of good growing conditions for main season veggies like tomatoes, corn, okra, peppers, melons, etc. And this figure doesn't include the many crops we can overwinter here in the Sooner State -- some with little-to-no cover! The Oklahoma Garden Planner can assist with getting your seeds sown & transplants in the ground at the proper time to minimize trouble & maximize harvest. But if you're behind schedule, I consider transplants THE way to go. Several producers offer them, so check their listings to see what's being featured this month.
The Growing Guide offers spacing recommendations, how much sunlight is needed, suggested watering & fertilizing amounts, how much of each crop to grow for each member of the family, and so much more. The Appendix also contains many specific varieties to choose that will add new dimensions like color & texture to both the landscape and the table.
As always, contact us direct if we can assist you in any way. HAPPY GARDENING!
Bill & Trudy Smith
midwestsmitty@cox.net
405.732.3361
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The Prairie Gypsies
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Thanks to Rowdy Stickhorse Wild Acres, High Tides and Green Fields, Wagon Creek Creamery and Rose Ranch for helping us with EVOLVE, a local food challenge and art exhibit this last weekend. Much fun and good food.
Check out our list of pizzas…so many varieties, and they take so little time to reheat. This time of year we break out the grill and throw them on for 6 to 8 minutes. Add a salad (with The Parmesan Gypsy or Cherry B Gypsy) and your dinner is ready. They also make quick appetizers for drop in guests or a party.
Our mustards have taken center stage since the mention in The Daily Oklahoman…Sherrel Jones brushes our Tarragon Mustard mixed with olive oil on salmon before she bakes the filet or salmon steak. We tried it. She knows what she is talking about! The combination goes well with a chicken breast also. You will want to try our Apricot Mustard and Chipotle Lime Mustard as well. Remember, we give you recipes with all of our products.
Enjoy!
B. J. and Debbie
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NEW! Classified Ads
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Reach out to thousands of people who visit the coop's website with a classified ad! Announce a significant event in the life of someone you love, look for work, seek employees, advertise your product, business, or service, brag about your kids. Only $5 for 150 words for one month, or $13 for three months. Revenues benefit the operating budget of the Cooperative. Look in the Classified Ad shelf of the Coop Products department.
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American Heritage Family Farm
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RAIN - GLORIOUS RAIN!! We are so happy to finally get some rain! Our pastures desperately needed the rain -- we have even missed mowing our yard! Our selection of beef cuts is limited this month -- and for that we apologize. The cattle we had planned to process this month really need another month on the grass (which would have normally been very lush by now -- but as it is we are barely getting by because of the drought.) The meat would have been good, however our customers expect SUPERB, and we do not want to disappoint anyone! Another month on the grass will bring the meat up to our high quality standards. You just cannot rush a great grassfed steak!
We are continuing our special on 1/4 and 1/2 herds -- advance order for later delivery -- along with the great price, it includes extra FREE ground beef. Keep in mind our pricing is for finished processed cuts -- we pay all processing -- you only pay for the meat you get in your freezer. This is a big difference from buying by the hanging weight carcass -- where you are not sure exactly what you will be paying for when it is all said and done.
We are keeping very busy on the farm these days -- enjoying the Oklahoma weather which keeps life challenging! We appreciate all our customers and would love to hear from you. Drop us an e-mail -- let us know what we could do better for you -- or just say Hello!
Tera Biaggi and Gary Moyer
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Briarberry Farm
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It's turning out to be a busy year so far here at the farm. We just got our briar patch paths pruned and ready for blackberry harvest season which starts around the end of June. I've been working hard this month after breaking ground on the small net-zero energy farm house project I've embarked on. My goal is to build a house using many recycled materials that is efficiently designed and constructed, and which has its power usage 100% offset by solar electric and solar thermal power.
NEW PRODUCTS! I'm exited to bring back two items which used to be quite popular. Some of you veteran co-op members may recall our Indian-style Vegetable Korma and our tasty Red Lentil Dahl from back in '08. We're selling them again in compostable PLA containers by the pound and utilizing any available local ingredients in their recipes. We continue to offer our high quality, gourmet granola here on the co-op at special pricing to promote the habit of purchasing breakfast cereals and snacks through the food co-op. The granola cereal is part of a long term vision to generate local production for oat based products in order to someday create a large enough demand to justify the milling and growing of local or regionally produced oats. Coming soon: tasty Briarberry Farm granola bar snacks.
-David Nordahl, Owner
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Country To Town Market
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It rained on Easter Sunday!!! Prayers were answered and this month of May we have Fresh From the Garden and Totally Free of any Pesticides or Sprays: Spinach, Mustard, Kale, Collards, Salad Mix, Romaine Lettuce, Radishes, Turnips, Beets, Asparagus, Onions, Strawberries (finally), Sugar Pod Peas, and New Potatoes. This is being typed on my phone so it's short but sweet. Please check out our producer page for Country to Town Market for additional info.
Eat Healthy, Live Well,
Connie Thomason (vita-vida-veggie & berry lady)
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Fisher's Produce
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Hello Folks,
We finally got some rain! Way more than necessary (9 inches!!!) But we can't complain. No major wind or hail damage. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost homes and loved ones this week.
Hopefully these April showers lead to some May flowers (and lettuce, chard, broccolli, spinach, and a host of other veggies!) I will be posting a few things at the beginning of the order cycle, and then more towards the end when I am more sure of what all will be ready. Thank you all for your support of Oklahoma farm families.
Luke Fisher
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Pork & Greens
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Hello Coop friends! Things are really hopping with us and the pork has been flying off the shelves now that market season has started. One thing you’ll notice on our listing is we won’t have Arkansas bacon, smoked bacon, pepper bacon, bone-in chops, boneless chops, deli ham, loin, or ribs listed on opening day. All these products will be listed on Friday night, May 6th, after we pick up from the butcher and get the products sorted.
At the farm we had our first litter from one of Dottie’s daughters, Matilda. She had 9 piglets out of our Large Black boar Roscoe Jr but lost one, so she’s going to have to improve on her second go-round. The other pigs are doing fine, and our re-fencing project is almost complete.
We’ve got one new addition to the listing. We’re calling them “Fat Brats” because they’re a thicker, fresh version of our Brat Dawgs. We’re grilling these at the Cherry Street and Broken Arrow markets, and they’ve been a big hit. Try simmering them in beer for 30 minutes before putting them on the grill. This gives them a truly unique flavor!
Thanks again for your support of local farmers and producers!
Stephen Green
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Snyder Farms
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Hi everyone,
Well, Spring is here -- and the wind! Everything not tied down is blowing away, including dust from the plowed fields. Oh, well, that's spring in Southwest OK. Wish some rain would blow in, too. Things are looking pretty bleak around here until we get some rain. But inside the Peanut Barn we're still humming along making peanut butter and flavoring peanuts. Peanuts are a quick and easy snack to carry to summer outings and ball games. If you didn't see them last month, we've got some really cute new gift boxes in case you need one for Mother's or Father's Day or for any special someone.
Thank you for your continued support and hope everyone has a great May!
Happy Spring,
Jamie & Stephanie Snider and family
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naturalfarms
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Now that the rain has stopped and we have SUNSHINE -- lets talk GRILLING OUT! Let naturalfarms again provide you with a grill pack special this month -- enjoy the outdoors. For only $49.95 you will receive a GRILL PACK:
2 - 10/12 oz Ribeyes
1 - 10-12 oz NY Strip
1 - Package of Ground Beef Patties
2 - Packages of Pork Sausages (1 Brats, 1 Italian)
2 - Butterfly Pork Chops
The items in the bundle are processed in our own state processing facility -- Piedmontese Beef from our farm – naturally high in CLA's, low in fat, calories, and cholesterol. The pork is raised locally!!!
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Anichini-Moore Ranch & Farm
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We finally got just an inch of must appreciated rain a couple of days ago, our first rain this year! Didn't take very long for the weeds, herbs and wild flowers and onions to make their presence known by surfacing aided by the moisture!
We have just picked up 10 more lambs from our Certified Organic Processor in Woodward today. Watch for new stock being added to our inventory of Shetland and Finn lambs. This will be the last lambs processed until sometime in fall when we expect to have more from this spring's lamb crop. We've also made an appointment to process three (3) Belted Galloway beeves on June 13th.
We're headed to Blanchard to pick up some tomato and pepper plants from Coop member Dev and will write more later next week with updates on our produce and other activities.
Thank you for being our customers!
Kathy
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Cocina San Pasqual
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Our new items this month include donations to Pumarama San Francisco, a cougar rescue facility we operate just south of Stillwater, Southwest Mango Jam (all fruit, no sugar), Southwest Tuna Casserole, and Posole Casserole.
Pumarama is an amazing habitat, built for cougars who are jumpers and climbers and open for new adoptions and rescues. We are interested in giving the recent cougar found in Tulsa a new home and are working with the Department of Wildlife.
Southwest Mango Jam, All Fruit is a no sugar jam. It is sweetened with white grape juice and has roasted green chiles. Southwest Tuna Casserole is back with a bigger size to choose from!! Posole Casserole is a neat dish using Refried Beans and Posole in layers to make a delicious meal.
Leah & Bobby Aufill
Cocina San Pasqual (San Pasqual is the Patron Saint of the kitchen=cocina)
PUMARAMA - A cougar sanctuary for education, research and preservation.
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Duck Creek Farms
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I want to thank everyone for making my first month in the Oklahoma Food Cooperative a success.
This month I am offering more sweet potato slips along with starter blackberry plants and Brown Turkey Figs.
Can Figs really be grown in Oklahoma? Absolutely...they love sun and would appreciate a site next to a south wall, but it's not necessary. They will begin bearing fruit late summer and fall and are rich and sweet. They might even have a few fruit this year. If not this year, definitely next season. Give them plenty of room as they will make a large shrub. On very cold winters they might freeze to the ground, but will reappear from the roots and still make a crop.
Sweet potatoes are best planted in May and June in Oklahoma. They like it warm and settled. I plant mine all the way till July 1st. They can go in after you have harvested your Irish potatoes and other early spring crops. Purple fleshed sweet potatoes are very trendy right now. I will include a few slips of a purple fleshed variety in the Rainbow Assortment. Purple fleshed varieties tend to be a bit dry fleshed and not as sweet as others, but make interesting side dishes and beautiful sweetpotato pies. They have more phytonutrients than blueberries.
Here's to a great growing season for everyone...
Gary Schaum
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Rowdy Stickhorse Wild Acres
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Why are children maturing years younger than they used to? Why do we have so many 7 foot tall people walking around? Why are children being diagnosed with horrible diseases? Alzheimer's, Bipolar, heart disease, and too many cancers to mention. WHY, WHY, WHY??? I ask myself these questions on a daily basis.
I receive calls from people that say, "I have been diagnosed with ______ and they told me to go home and get my affairs in order." While holding back the tears, I encourage them to come to the farm so we can sit down and get a game plan together. When that is not possible, I will spend hours on the phone with them educating, praying, & giving them the hope that was slapped out of them.
I start by telling them, "God will tell you when your time is up, not a doctor. When you give into the hopelessness, you might as well dig a hole. Obviously that's not what you want or you would not have called. Let’s start with what you eat, drink, and the toxins you apply to your body." This takes some time and some educating on my part. I explain to them the difference between name brand meats, grain fed, grass fed, Organic, & Certified Naturally Grown. I try to set them up with producers in their area so they can really get to know where their food comes from. I work hard to keep up with all the new medical opportunities available, from traditional to alternative. I try and get them started in the right direction, and I stay available 24-7 for the cry sessions needed for the mental healing process.
I sometimes wonder why I allow myself to become so consumed by my work. Then the day comes when I get a phone call and hear, "You probably do not remember me but I called you last year after I was diagnosed with brain cancer and I just wanted to tell you I am doing very well and to tell you that my first grandbaby was born yesterday." After our visit I usually take a moment to myself, then I put a smile on, and holler at my dog, "Let’s get back to work, we have people depending on us."
That's why knowing where your food comes from is a very rewarding responsibility for you and your family’s health.
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Rowdy Stickhorse
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Hello OFC Members,
It seems that natural and organic products are becoming increasingly more popular, thanks to growing consumer knowledge about possible side effects of products which contain synthetic ingredients and unsavory chemicals. Natural handmade soaps are eagerly sought after by people who want to be as natural and eco-friendly as possible.
But you may be asking, “Why should I buy handmade soap? Supermarket soap is just fine, and easy to find during the weekly shopping.” To help you make a more informed choice, please read on:
~The ingredients used in Rowdy Stickhorse soaps are 100% natural. We only use the finest raw ingredients, blending wonderful oils and butters that will really benefit your skin. The additives we use are there because they are beneficial, like herbs, clays & essential oils which nourish and heal your skin. Our ingredients moisturize the skin naturally by fighting dryness, dehydration, and combating signs of aging.
~The big soap making companies tend to add chemicals, detergents, and artificial dyes to their products. Some of the ingredients should prove beneficial on the skin, such as moisturizers and vitamins, however, the presence of artificial and chemical ingredients cancel out all the benefits. All our handmade soaps contain quality essential oils & herbs blended especially for each small batch of soap. There are no synthetic fragrances or colors in our products.
~The natural colorants in our soaps, the Allspice, Paprika, Cocoa, and variety of natural clays also have beneficial effects on the skin. Rowdy Stickhorse Soaps & Body Care Products are tested on family and friends and NOT on animals.
~Commercial soaps have detergents (SLS & SLES), and detergents are not natural. So when you use regular soap your body is absorbing these chemicals and what goes down the drain has an impact on the environment. Our soaps do NOT contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) SLES (sodium laureth sulfate) or paraffin.
~Buying and using handmade products also supports small craftsmen and women. If you buy commercial soaps, you are just helping big companies get bigger, fatter and greedier!
We at Rowdy Stickhorse know that we are all responsible for the health of our planet, and individually responsible for our own general overall health. With this mindset, our product line includes bath and body products, a comprehensive line of all natural facial products: (creams, serums, and masks,) foot care, baby & critter care, a complete line of herbal health pillows, and our proprietary blend of laundry care products. We at Rowdy Stickhorse take our commitment to adhere to good sound environmental principals very seriously. We know that this is imperative for our generation's future and for generations to come. We hope that you, our customers, possess this same ethic.
Paulette & Bailey Rink
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Heaven Sent Food & Fiber
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Hi wonderful members!
Wow, a few dry days! We were saying, "Oh for wet days" just a couple of weeks ago. Up here in Northeastern Oklahoma we got 14" of rain, flooding and hail damage, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. No tornadoes in our area, thank God!
While we are recovering from some damage, we still have some great produce available for you this month. Lettuce, broccoli, mixed mini head lettuces, beets, green onions, and cabbage are all on the menu.
We have also added a new item in soaps. FELTED SOAP, it’s a washcloth and soap all in one. Hypoallergenic felted alpaca from our herd surrounds handmade goat milk soaps. These felted soaps exfoliate while providing natural glycerin for your skin. Great in the shower and in natural colors. Unlike wool, alpaca is mold and mildew resistant. So use it in the shower then leave it there for the next day -- no worries! When the soap inside is used up (which takes a LONG time,) cut it open and put another bar inside -- REUSEABLE!
Here's to a great May!
Coleen Thornton
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Winning Photography Solutions
Renricks Farm and Gardens
Rudbeckia Henry Eilers
Spiritual Corridor Daylily
Big Blue Daylily
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Hello,
We have added lots of new perennials to the site that we have been growing. These include several asters, boltonia, coreopsis, helenium, rudbeckias, soidagos, monarda, sedum and daylilies. A couple of really exciting flowers are the Rudbeckia Henry Eilers and the Day Lilies: Spiritual Corridor and Big Blue. Photos shown.
The refreshing rain is wonderful and the plants are thriving. I have planted almost an acre in cut flowers for the farmers markets, including 11 kinds of zinnia. The elderberries and blackberries are starting to bloom in the field. Nothing better than fresh berries. I have several listed.
We will be at Norman Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am-12pm. We will also be at the Chesapeake OSU market 63rd and Western on Wednesdays from 11am-4:30 pm. The daylilies seedlings are starting to spike and we should have blooms at the end of the month. I am planning on having a big daylily sale the first Saturday, June 4th at the Norman Farmers Market. I plan to have 100+ seedlings and named varieties for sale. It is an opportunity to pick up totally unique daylilies. Email me if you have questions about the listings. Thanks and have a wonderful Mothers Day and Memorial Day this month.
On a somber note: Captain Nate Nylander was one of the 8 officers that was killed by the Afghanistan officer in Kabul. He was my daughter's and son-in-law's best friend. Nate's Merriam and Bob escorted Nate from Dover to Tucson where both are based. My daughter took care of the kids from both families and had to deal with the media this week. It has been a hard week not just for them but all of the families and units on these fallen officers. Please keep all of the troops in your thoughts and prayers.
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High Tides & Green Fields
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It's LEEK season! Young, "teenage" sized leeks are now available. We've already made our first batch of soup with some of this year's leeks and they're very tasty. Find them under VEGETABLES> GREENS & LETTUCES
We'll be listing some lovely BABY LEEKS later in the week along with more greens, fresh from the recent rains.
High Tides still has lots of bedding plants -- tomatoes and peppers -- so if you've been washed out, frozen out, or just need more plants, please give us a call. Remember that plants you've purchased from us will be replaced free if they don't survive your spring planting. Any reason-- neighbor's dog, last frost, dropped on the way to the garden. Free.
Thank you for supporting our little farm!
Dev & Kip
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Wagon Creek Creamery
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Our two orphaned calves are growing well. They've learned to drink from the starter bucket (a bucket with nipples that we can hang on the fence) and that makes feeding much easier--no more bottles to fill and wash. Little William likes to "help" me feed them. His job is to cheer them on, "Good job, calves! Good job!" We tease our older children that we have one last chance to raise a farmer with William so we want him to think that all these chores are great fun.
The continuing drought is slowing milk production during what should be our best time of year. We did get 6/10th a week ago and that is enough to help, but we're very much in need of more. Usually we would be knee deep in grass and alfalfa, but this spring it is struggling to grow.
We have a good supply of grass fed beef this month. If you are not familiar with the benefits of grass fed, you might want to read this article by Jo Robison: http://www.eatwild.com/articles/superhealthy.html. We raise our cattle on the farm and they do not get any grain at all. We supplement with hay during the winter and during drought. We are also one of the few grass fed dairies in the country. By eliminating grain, our cows' production is certainly reduced, but we sacrifice quantity for quality.
We should have plenty of Greek Style Yogurt available this month. Our half gallon size is very popular as it's such a good deal. Butter is still very limited, so you will have to order very early to get any. Good rains would help that situation---as the pastures improve, so will milk production.
Thanks for your interest in and support of our family's farm,
Barbara Crain
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Cattle Tracks
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Please take a moment to check out Cattle Tracks as we’ve updated our inventory and will be updating again just before the window closes. Grilling enthusiasts -- we have ribeye, KC’s, flat-iron, ranch, filets, ground beef patties, and brats. This past weekend our family enjoyed Ribeye, KC’s, sirloin steaks, and filets – YUMMM and more YUMMM. I’ve had the crock-pot going; a tri-tip roast simmered in beef broth and wine is delightful for dinner and the leftovers make great sandwiches.
Last week John’s Farm had several guests, including a group from Oklahoma State University (pictures to follow in our newsletter) and an OK Dept of Ag Organic inspector. Soil samples were taken, records checked, and fields inspected – we welcome OK Dept of Ag to our farm any time; we worked toward certification for several years and are pleased to be inspected and to verify we do what we say we do and are ‘certified’ to do. Please remember that having livestock processed at an ‘organic’ processing facility has nothing to do with processing procedures unless the livestock is certified organic. In other words, if a calf is not certified organic, the processor’s organic certification has no effect on the processing. Only when the calf is certified organic does the organic certification play an important part in processing.
We are THANKFUL for .9 of rain and pray more will fall on our fields in the next days and weeks ahead. THANK YOU for allowing us to be one of your Oklahoma farmers – we appreciate your business and interest! BLESSINGS!
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Hardesty Cheese
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Hello,
Our open house was a great time. We had lots of visitors and we enjoyed giving tours of the plant. We are proud to announce the opening of the first Oklahoma Farm to Fork Market in Fairview, OK. You can buy our cheese as well as other Oklahoma made/produced products. We have lots of cheese and we will have some new products soon. You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also send us messages to let us know how we are doing. We love to hear from you, we can only improve with your help.
Thank You for your support,
The Gift Family
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Rowdy Stickhorse Wild Acres
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ATTENTION OFC customers!!!
We just picked up a Gloucestershire Old Spot pig from the processor. We should have plenty of pork to go around, so be sure and order your delicious CNG pork.
More beef to be added next week.
Remember for every $50.00 order, your name will go into a customer appreciation drawing for 1-$50.00 & 1-$25.00 package of Rowdy Stickhorse products. We will draw after the June order. Our January winners where Erica Rau & Mary Ketch.
RSWA Family
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Rowdy Stickhorse
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Here at Rowdy Stickhorse "Covington's' bubblin little soap shop" we know what health is all about. Having a degree in Herbology and Clinical Aromatherapy, I feel we have something to offer that other soap crafters do not. We actually live what we sell, we use herbs for everything from medicinal to pleasure, nothing better than lavender or chocolate mint ice cream. So when shopping for your family's health, be sure and shop Rowdy Stickhorse.
Paulette & Bailey Rink
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Sugarloaf Farms
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These notes are a bit late due to the recent storms and lots of
welcome rains that have put us behind. We are continuing our previous specials and offering reduced prices on several steaks because we recognize the state of our economy and know that everyone is watching their pennies while still trying to feed our families healthy food.
Our red skin potatoes and red & yellow candy onions will be ready
for the June delivery day. These items are grown in our certified
natural garden and fertilized only with our natural compost. Can't wait for a grilled steak with our potatoes and a salad with fresh onions.
Don't forget, you can save a bundle by buying a half or whole beef
at $3.60 per pound. Give me a call at (479) 461-6605 or email to
jjgardner@windstream.net.
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Anichini-Moore Ranch & Farm
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Our last notes were briefer and written hastily just prior to heading out the door for Middleburg to pick up plants from friend Dev. Always love going to see Dev! She has lots of new projects going on and is always happy to share! We like her so much we're going back on Saturday afternoon for more plants, education, and fun!
We have a lot of Finn and Shetland lamb and Holstein Beef still available and more lamb to add to our inventory when we can finally find a couple of hours to catch up! We hope you will want to try some if you have not already ordered? We have recipes too, so please let us know if you want them when you order. We have sampled the ground beef and round steak and found them delicious prepared in a cast iron frying pan quickly on the stove with a bit of olive oil, garlic and sea salt. My grandkids don't like asparagus which is just now coming on no matter how I prepare it!
We still have CSA slots remaining in the OKC/Moore/Norman region and have started a new CSA delivery route to Clinton. We hope to add many customers along this route (Seiling, Taloga, Putnam, Clinton, Cordell, Burns Flat, Rocky, etc.) and pick up their leaves or other organic matters for a back haul for our composting and mulching activities. The first delivery was made on Tuesday and then we drove on to Rocky to pick up leaves from a 90 plus year old lady who tends her yards and gardens herself and cooks every day! I told Judy I would write about her again, and she told me to give her address to anyone who wants her to write them with gardening advice! This lady is well worth the trip with her zesty wit and intellect as well as gardening abilities! She has many more bags of pecan leaves for us to load so we'll be back next week! Please let others know of this new route so we can grow it successfully! The people in all of Western Oklahoma like produce and we are in the middle of a food desert! The CSA form is available on our website at www.anichinmoore.com.
Speaking of deserts, seems without any rain we feel like a desert in a literal sense! Nevertheless, we are planting tomatoes, cucumbers, rosemary, more cilantro, with other items to follow. The rhubarb and asparagus are slow this year probably confused with two days of over 100 degree temperatures in March and one in April. Still hoping for some rain so we can plant more pasture with legumes!
One of my sons, Jason, is graduating from OU's Law School on May 14th and Sequoia is graduating from Woodward High School on May 22nd so we'll be running around most of the month with these events plus picking up tomato and pepper plants. Sequoia has been invited to several universities and chose OU to follow in the steps of the older four who have attended there. Her brother Eric will join her in August 2012. Then, I'll be childless for the first time almost since I was born! Hard to imagine having no children underfoot!
We've just signed up for an online food safety course, GAP, taught by Cornell University. While this is one of the most hectic times on our farm (planting and weeding,) we thought we could fit this three week course in anyway. We see food safety as a vital part of our education and beneficial for our customers, too, so we took the plunge and signed up!
One last note is that we received a call from the OK Department of Agriculture who read our first post earlier this week resulting in their call. I was a little shocked to say the least! He appears to have thought that I had written that our lambs were "certified organic." There are all sorts of fines and possible jail time for such assertions!
I assured him that I write about what I know which usually is what activities I engage in related to the farm and those I have relationships with such as Ray's Meats and Processing who process our meats. They are a certified organic processing facility, the only one in OK as far as I know, which is what I wrote about. I used the word "our" processor because of our relationship and because I try to promote those I work with since I believe we have a symbiotic relationship! Just to clarify, we use the term "ecologically grown" to identify our growing practices and invite anyone to visit. We are listed on the OK Agritourism Map and website, plus TravelOK.com and Woodward Tourism's website plus our own as using ecological practices. I was asked that I write in my next notes that the lambs are not certified organic. The irony is that after flying to Washington DC and participating with Organic Trade Association, Organic Farming Research Foundation and National Sustainable Agriculture, I was inspired to begin the organic certification process. In fact, I had just received the paperwork from a California based organic certifier to begin filling out the paperwork. I think I may be a free spirit though. I prefer education, collaboration and best practices along with good relationships no matter what to anything else! And, I am convinced that anyone who read our notes routinely would know our lambs and other farm products are "ecologically grown" and not "Certified Organic." Ray's Meats on the other hand is definitely "Certified Organic!"
Just before writing these notes I received a thank you e-mail from a CSA customer in OKC who wrote me about what delicious dishes he prepared with the produce I dropped off including a rhubarb and strawberry rhubarb pie and a sauce made with spring garlic and yogurt from another Coop Producer served over noodles. He made my day! This is what it is all about -- food is also about relationships -- it's social and it's culture and thankfully Coop members and other customers still remember! Thank you all!
Until next time, thank you for being our customers! You make everything we do all worthwhile!
Kathy |
Pork & Greens
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Hello Coop friends!
Just a quick note that we’ve added Arkansas bacon, bacon, pepper bacon, chops, boneless chops, pork loin, deli ham, mild and medium patties, more sausage, and more fat brats to our listing!
Thanks again for your support of local farmers and producers!
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Cattle Tracks
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In between swathing and baling hay and working up wheat pasture, we’ve managed to pick up freshly processed Cattle Tracks beef from our processor. Check out the listings – you’ll find all sorts of cuts, many that are just perfect for Memorial Weekend parties and cookouts. Brats and burgers, steaks of all types, ribs, roasts, and more. Organic beef from our farm to your table – YUMMO! We have organic flour and organic wheat berries, too. THANK YOU for your interest in John’s Farm products, considering the benefits of certified organic products, and for supporting efforts of all Oklahoma farmers by being an active member of the Oklahoma Food Coop. If you are ordering our products but are not receiving our monthly newsletter, please send me an email and I’ll get you on the list. You’ll learn more about our farm, our family, our livestock, our wheat, our recipes – you’ll be connected to John’s Farm. 
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Renricks Farm and Garden
Heaven Sent Food & Fiber
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Finally our hens have started laying! Free range, supplemented with grain for the lysine and methionine, essential amino acids not found in grass, we will have these wonderful eggs, orange yokes and great whites available from this point forward.
Also, we have baby purple kohlrabi now in the garden. Kohlrabi, not well known here is a German vegetable, the tops can be used like cabbage and the bottoms peeled and grated in a salad like radishes or steamed like turnips. The bottoms have just a slight bite, like a radish would. Grown through the major rains, they are more mild than would be otherwise in warm weather. Add these wonderful cool weather vegetables to your options today!
See you on delivery day!
Coleen Thornton
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Windeater Acres
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Greetings, Oklahoma Food Coop Members!
Thank you for supporting the Oklahoma Food Coop and its producer members! We know you have lots of choices about how to spend your money and we appreciate you choosing to spend some of it on the OFC's great locally grown and produced products.
We have added additional duck eggs in these final ordering days. If you are planning on baking goodies for your Memorial Day picnicking, duck eggs will make those goodies even more yummy!
If you find we are sold out when you go to place your order, please email us at duckeggs@windeater.net before Tuesday, May 17th, with your desired size(s) and quantity. We will try to get them added to your coop order.
Product # 15433: Duck Eggs, Grade A Extra Large
A mix of large, extra-large, and jumbo duck eggs to make an extra large dozen by net weight. Please see the description under product # 15524.
$4.50/dozen
Product # 9275: Duck Eggs, Grade A Jumbo
A mix of large, extra-large, and jumbo duck eggs to make a jumbo dozen by net weight. Please see the description under product # 15524.
$4.75/dozen
Product # 15562: Duck Eggs, Grade A Medium
A mix of medium and large duck eggs to make a medium dozen by net weight. Please see the description under product # 15524.
$4.00/dozen
Thank you for purchasing farm fresh Windeater Acres duck eggs! We appreciate you!
Deb Willis & Lydia Zackery
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Harvestyme Bread
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Dear Harvestyme Bread Customers:
We received word from Pat Kelley, owner of Harvestyme Bread, that he won't be able to make his delivery this month. He will be able to make the June delivery day. We have changed all ordes for Harvestyme Bread to "out of stock." On behalf of Harvestyme Bread, we apologize for any inconvenience this causes.
Deb Willis, Manager
Producer Care
Oklahoma Food Cooperative
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Shepherd's Cross
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Shepherd's Cross Lamb Meat - now available
Shepherd's Cross has been selling farm fresh lamb meat at the farm for over a decade. Beginning this month, it will be available through the Co-op.
Shepherds Cross sheep are born and raised on the lush pastures, right here at the farm. We have been raising sheep for over eighteen years, and practicing Sustainable Agricultural principles. Meat Products are 100% Natural.
Chemical fertilizers and sprays are not used on the land. We do not use hormones or feed additives. Sheep are not supplemented with any grain. This is a true pasture raised sheep operation. Our sheep have been selected over many generations for quality meat and wool production. They are a crossbred sheep which resemble Irish sheep, both in appearance and in the taste of the meat.
We are in the process of becoming Animal Welfare Certified. All meat products are USDA certified. Shepherds Cross meat is extremely lean, nutritious and healthy.
Shepherding the Flock,
Dr. Diane Dickinson
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Rowdy Stickhorse Wild Acres
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RSWA has updated our Certified Naturally Grown ground beef!!!
Here is one of our favorite things to do with our ground beef.
Ground Beef Steaks
1 lb- RSWA ground beef
4 slices- RSWA pork fresh side
1/2 cup- cheese-grated or crumbled
1- RSWA egg
salt /pepper
Other ingredients we have added from time to time are:
Cocina San Pasqual- salsa
Hardesty Cheese- prairie fire
Prairie Gypsy- chipotle lime mustard
Its your steak, make it your way!
Mix the ground beef, cheese, egg, salt & pepper.
Make into 4 thick patties.
Wrap each patty with the fresh side.
Grill or bake till done.
Serve with fresh vegetables and a loaded potato.
Enjoy the flavor of farm fresh food from the Rink family.
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Rowdy Stickhorse
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Rowdy Stickhorse Tooth Powder and why you should use it.
One of the fastest ways to absorb anything into the body is through the mouth. This is why certain drugs such as heart medication nitroglycerin and some pain relief drugs are administered under the tongue. Because of this, you should be aware of potentially toxic ingredients in your toothpaste.
The following is a list and a brief description of SOME of the potentially toxic ingredients in your tooth paste. There are too many brands with too many ingredients to list.
1.Fluoride - FDA warning on toothpaste/mouthwash containing fluoride reads: "WARNING, keep out of reach of children under the age of 6. If more than used for normal brushing is swallowed, contact your physician or local Poison Control Center immediately."
2.Triclosan - This antibiotic/antimicrobial agent is used in many products including dishwashing soap, hand soap, deodorants, toothpaste and mouthwash.
3.Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - Using toothpaste without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) may reduce the frequency of canker sores (aphthous ulcers). Researchers speculate that SLS dries out the protective mucous lining in the mouth...making it vulnerable to irritants that lead to canker sores. SLS is a detergent that is in almost all toothpastes, dishwashing soaps, laundry detergents and body washes.
4.Artificial sweeteners - The FDA has vacillated over the years about the safety of artificial sweeteners such as saccharin.
Cleaning our teeth is an essential part of our lives. Washing our teeth prevents cavities and other dental problems. Nowadays there are all kinds of toothpastes, and each of them has different effects.
Our Tooth Powder is an age old recipe. Our herbal tooth powder provides a natural alternative to commercial toothpaste. It may take a little getting used to, but our powder is affective in cleaning your teeth and deodorizing your mouth. Our tooth powder is free of chemicals, sugars, artificial colorings and toxins which are easily absorbed through the lining of the mouth, so it makes sense to switch to a non-toxic formula. Using a proprietary blend of Sodium Bicarbonate, Sea Salts, Myrrh Powder, Cloves, Prickly Ash Bark, Echinacea Root, Tea Tree and Peppermint Oils, provides you a strong anti-fungal, antibacterial blend. We add just a touch of Stevia to give our tooth powder a pleasant, palatable flavor. Wet your brush, dip into the powder and brush your teeth as normal.
P.S. You can pronounce every ingredient in our products.
You can find our Tooth Powder under Rowdy Stickhorse-- Health/Dental.
Paulette & Bailey Rink
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Earth Elements Market & Bakery
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Greetings fellow cooperators.
We are slowly settling in here at Earth Elements. We are completely moved out of the EEMB and have moved part of our production back into the old strawbale bakery on the farm. In March, I started building a bath house to move the potty, washer and dryer and the water heaters out of the kitchen space. This gave us enough room to completely remodel the old facility and fit in 3 workstations. We are a bit cramped going from 2300 square feet to 450 square feet, but things seem to be falling into place. We will keep the baking and cooking product lines here at the farm and hopefully in two months we will be opening our new downtown OKC facility for vegetable processing.
Along with Urban Agrarian, Earth Elements has leased a really awesome warehouse in the Public Farmers Market area of downtown OKC. We are starting construction this week to build OKC's first community commercial kitchen incubator and distribution center for local food. This is an exciting new adventure and we see great possibilities ahead. The kitchen incubator will be available for rent for anyone. Whether you and your friends want to use it for the day to can peaches, or you have wanted to start a food business, this is the place for you! We will be partnering with UCO's Small Business Development Center for the business assistance portion, and will be certified through the Department of Commerce Incubator program for the tax incentives for renters. Exciting opportunities are just around the corner. If you are interested in the community kitchen, please email earthelementsfarm@yahoo.com.
While all these exciting new things have been happening, I have to share with you that the Earth Elements Crew has been so amazing! Without Adam, Thelma and Kevin there would have been no way to keep production going. They have each taken on extra work to cover my duties while I worked on building the bathhouse and remodeling the strawbale bakery, and will continue to carry an extra load while the downtown project is underway. I am honored to work with such great people and am so appreciative of the support during all the craziness.
So please be patience with us a bit longer. If I had to mark out something last month, please forgive. Sometimes I think I can get more done than I can. Right now a good portion of our ingredients are in an off-site freezer storage until we get the walk-in's built. Hopefully next month we will be able to bring back some of the products we have de-listed.
Thanks for your continued support and business, we appreciate you!
April Harrington
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Cocina San Pasqual
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One of our new items this month include donations to Pumarama San Francisco, a cougar rescue facility we operate just south of Stillwater. Pumarama is an amazing habitat, built for cougars who are naturally great jumpers and climbers. We have recently moved to this new location with outdoor rooms large enough for more rescue cats ready to be adopted. We are interested in giving the recent cougar found in Tulsa a new home and are working with the Department of Wildlife and the Tulsa Zoo.
Other new items include Jams and Jellies -- Southwest Mango Jam, All Fruit is a no sugar jam sweetened with white grape juice and has roasted green chiles or with low sugar and red jalapeno powder. Tropical fruit flavor with a zing!! Southwest Tuna Casserole is back with a bigger size to choose from!!
Need to pick up our food daily or weekly? We offer weekly delivery to your town on an OklahomaFarmtoFork.com bus and at both OSU-OKC Farmers' Markets, or in specialty grocery stores like Native Roots and others across the OKC metro area.
Thank you for voting with your food dollars and supporting our kitchen. We make everything in our Perkins' kitchen, no co-packing at another location.
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Cattle Tracks
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Planning a family gathering, weekend at the lake, a road trip to Grandma’s, or a neighborhood cookout during Memorial Weekend? One of our customers is driving a few hundred miles to visit family and is taking several packages of Cattle Tracks brats with him – he wants his extended family to experience tasty, low-fat, all-beef bratwurst. THANKS, Dan! We love the way you think!
It was a steaks-on-the-grill meal for us last weekend; our son-in-law loves to grill and we love to eat what he prepares -- Rib-eyes, KC’s, and Filets. What are your beef needs? GO FOR IT with Cattle Tracks and we THANK YOU!
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