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The New Oxford American Dictionary 2007 Word of the
Year is.........
Locavore.
A locavore is an individual choosing to consume—
exclusively—food that has either been grown, farmed,
or produced locally.
WHY BUY LOCAL FOOD?
- Locally grown food taste better. It’s fresh, crisp,
and loaded with flavor! On average the
distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500
miles. With that long delay sugars turn to starches,
cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality. - Locally grown food is better for you. Fresher food
retains its nutrients! - Local food preserves genetic diversity. In the
industrial agriculture system varieties are chosen
for their ability to ripen simultaneously, withstand
harvesting equipment, and have a long shelf life.
Limiting selection. Local farms grow a huge
variety for a long season, an array of different
colors, and the best flavor. Many varieties are
heirlooms and contain genetic material from
hundreds or even thousands of years ago. - Local food supports local farm families. Farmers
are a vanishing breed. Commodity prices are often
below the cost of production. The farmer now gets
less than 10 cents of the retail food dollar. Local
farmers who sell direct to the public cut out the
middle man and get a better price, while
often selling at below retail prices. - Local food builds community. When buying direct
from the farmer, you are re-establishing a time-
honored connection between the eater and
the grower. Relationships built on understanding
and trust can thrive. - Local food preserves open space. As the value of
direct-marketed fruits and vegetables increase
selling farm land for development is less likely.
When you buy direct from the farmer your doing
something proactive about preserving the
agriculture landscape and containing urban sprawl. - Local food keeps your taxes lower. Farms
contribute more in taxes than they require in
services, whereas suburban development is the
opposite. On average for every $1 in revenue
raised by residential development, governments
must spend $1.17 on services. For each dollar of
revenue raised by farm, forest, or open space,
governments spend 34 cents on services. - Local food supports a clean environment and
benefits wild life. Good stewards of the land grow
cover crops to prevent erosion and replace
nutrients use day their crops. Cover crops also
capture carbon emissions and help combat global
warming. According to some estimates, farmers
who practice conservation tillage could sequester
12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and
industry. In addition, the habitat of a farm is the
perfect environment for many beloved species of
wildlife. - Local food is about the future. By supporting local
farmers today, you can ensure that there will be
farms in your community providing future
generations access to nourishing and flavorful food.
| Recipes |
| Simply Sweet Spinach Salad 1/3 cup mayonnaise 4 tsp. white vinegar 3 to 5 tsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. celery salt 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. pepper 4 cups fresh spinach 1 small red apple Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery salt, and pepper. Let stand. In a salad bowl, combine torn spinach and sliced unpeeled apple. Drizzle dressing over spinach and apples and gently toss to coat. Serves 4 |
| Cucumbers with a kick! 2 medium cucumbers 2 Tbsp. white vinegar 2 Tbsp. sesame oil 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. soy sauce 1 tbsp. sugar 1 jalopeno pepper Peel cucumbers, cut lengthwise in two, and scrape out seeds. Slice cucumbers into half moon slices. Whisk remaining ingredients together and toss with cucumbers to coat them. For really hot salad use complete pepper or for milder use just a couple small slices with seeds removed. Adjust to your taste. |
| Deep Fried Okra Even okra haters will love!) 1 pound fresh okra 2 eggs, beaten 4 to 6 dashes hot pepper sauce (optional) 1 cup cornmeal 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper or ground cayenne pepper (optional) oil for deep frying Wash okra and drain well; cut off ends and discard. Cut okra crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. In a bowl, combine beaten eggs and hot sauce; add okra and stir to coat all pieces well. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, salt and pepper. Dip okra pieces into cornmeal mixture to coat well. Heat oil in the deep fryer to 375°. Fry okra in batches until browned, about 4 to 6 minutes for each batch. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately. Serves 4. |
| Grandma's Best Beans 6 Bacon strips 2 Large sweat onions, cut into 1/2" wedges 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 4 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar salt and pepper to taste In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and drain saving 2 tablespoons of drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. In the drippings cook onions over medium-low heat until tender and golden brown. cover with water;bring to boil. Cook uncovered until cover with water;bring to boil. Cook uncovered until crisp-tender ( 8-10 min.) Drain. Stir vinegar and brown sugar into onions then add beans. Cook for 1-2 minutes add crumbled bacon. Season with salt and pepper. |
| Chocolate Beet Cake 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup cocoa powder 3 large eggs, beaten 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups grated cooked beets 2 teaspoons vanilla powdered sugar, optional Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, soda, salt, sugar and cocoa in a bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and oil. Beat in vanilla and continue beating until well blended. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until well mixed; stir in beets. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cake bounces back when touched lightly with finger. Cool in pan on a rack. Frost cooled cake or dust with powdered sugar. |
| Zucchini Recipe from the Wildeys 1 pound zucchini (about 4 small) 1 can (12 ounces) corn, drained or Fresh 2 medium cloves garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons salad oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese In a large skillet, stir together all ingredients except cheese. Cover; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until squash is crisp-tender. Stir in cheese or sprinkle on top; heat through. 4-6 Servings |
| Farm Fresh All Year! |
| Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Market Favorite!) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine 3 eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract. Mix until well blended. In a small sauce pan melt 2 TB butter, then add 6 TB. cocoa powder and blend together until smooth. Grate 2 cups of fresh zucchini. Add zucchini and cooled cocoa mixture to the large mixing bowl and blend well. In a separate bowl mix 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to batter. Do not over mix. In another bowl coat 2/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 2 tsp. flour, then add to batter. Spoon batter into 2 well greased and floured 9X5X3 loaf pans. Bake for 60-70 min. or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pans 5-10 minutes. Then remove from pans and continue to cool on wire rack. **Freezes well! Let cool completely (important!), wrap in saran wrap, and put in freezer bag. Enjoy all winter! |
| Shannon's Favorite Spaghetti 1 medium to large spaghetti squash 1 pound lean ground beef 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese ½ cup parmesan cheese 1 jar spaghetti or tomato sauce salt and pepper to taste Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and pulp; set aside. Brown ground beef until done. Drain fat, rinse with hot water if desired. In a bowl add cooked burger and mix with 1 cup mozzarella and parmesan cheese while hot (this will help burger stick together) then add seasonings. Place squash cut side up on cookie sheet; stuff cavity with meat mixture, and cover with foil. Place in oven at 375 degrees for 1 to 1 ½ hours until tender. Uncover, top squash with sauce, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Place back in oven about 5 minutes until sauce is heated and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Serves 4-6. (Notes: This works great with zucchini also, just reduce cooking time. Experiment with different spices and amounts. I usually put this together with out measuring, tasting as I go.) |
| PREGITZER FARM MARKET, LLC "Like your own garden without the work!" 6870 Territorial Rd., Munith, MI 49259 (517) 769-2768 yourfarmmarket.com email shannon@yourfarmmarket.com |