Hunker Down for Winter

Hello!

We hope you're all hanging in there with the first snow of the season! Aside from the chaos it can create when commuting, it does make for a beautiful scenery at Wholesome Valley Farm.

FARMING DOESN'T STOP FOR SNOW, ICE OR COLD TEMPERATURES

In fact, these weather conditions require us to make special accommodations for the animals raised on pasture.

This week, getting winter water setup was a big part of the work. We were hoping that the weather would cooperate enough that we wouldn't have to rig something special up for the turkeys, but last week the temperature dove near 20 overnight and hoses started blowing apart and pipes splitting.

Last week we came up with a new solution in an effort to defeat frozen water lines/hoses. The turkeys have 2 weeks to go so the solution is only temporary. Water can be kept from freezing two ways. 1) Heat, which wasn't an option here, or 2) Keep it flowing. So we opted for flow.

To keep the water flowing, we adapted a garden hose to a cutoff drum. The water flows into the bottom and up and over the edge, where it is caught by the bigger cutoff drum that it sits in. That drum has a valve at the bottom where the water runs out off into a transfer hose that takes it away from the water trough. It's not a perfect fix, but the turkeys still have access to water so we're calling this a win.

For the hogs, we had to get their winter huts back in place. Their shelters are clad in tin siding and packed deep with straw. The hogs pile in there and even on the coldest days you can see the heat rolling off of the roof.

For the beef, we are making the march back across the farm to the winter pasture where they will have shelter from the wind down in the woodlot.

FEATURE RECIPE:

STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite winter squash. It's versatile & tasty. You can scoop the flesh out and uses it like pasta, or as I often do at home, stuff it.

Stuffing it is simple. First, prepare the squash for roasting. Cut it in half, then scoop out the seeds. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approx. 30 minutes on a cookie sheet, flesh side down with a little bit of water covering the bottom of the tray. This is also a good project for a lazy weekend day when you're at home and not in a rush to eat. I like to prep cook things like this over the weekend to save time during the week after work.

While your squash is roasting, prepare the stuffing. This is a good way to use up leftovers in the fridge. Maybe pick the meat from the leftover chicken drumsticks from last week's whole chicken. Or braise down the kale in this week's bag with some diced apple and apple cider, before combining it with some chorizo and roasted brussels sprouts.

I like spice, so I like to incorporate the pickled peppers for both heat as well as acid.

Another option for those who like a creamy sauce, make a basic bechemel sauce and pour it over the squash as you do the final bake. Add some shredded cheese for an extra cheesy sauce.

The final bake is simply taking the filling you prepared and placing it in the cooked spaghetti squash. Bake it at 350 until both components are warm throughout.

FEATURE ITEM:

CRUMB TOP APPLE PIE

This week's bag has the taste of fall trapped in a 6 inch shell. That's right, fresh apple pie. Chef Ashley down at the farm has been busy this week cranking out pie crusts made with lard from our hogs and organic whole wheat flour from Stutzman Farms.

She then takes a mixture of apples from Eshleman Farms and prepares the perfects fall spiced apple pie filling. The pies are then baked off with a crunchy and sweet topping of brown sugar, oats, and butter. What else can you ask for!?

This is the same apple pie that is available for Thanksgiving .

THANKSGIVING

When we first started planning for Thanksgiving back in August (and all the way back to March when the turkey peeps arrived), it seemed so far away since it falls during the last week of November. But, here we are, just about 2 weeks away!

We're taking orders for turkey, produce packages and dessert through November 21st (as supplies last)! Reserve your Thanksgiving feast foods online today!

PLACE AN ORDER FOR THANKSGIVING

BAG CONTENTS

With the sudden drop in temperatures, our farmers are faced with a new challenge keeping the produce in the fields from freezing. While most times they are successful, sometimes the weather can cause more damage than expected, even with the best made plans.

This is a friendly reminder that uncontrollable weather conditions may cause some last minute changes to the bag contents. If this happens, you will be provided with a substitute when you pick up your bag.