The FarmShare Kitchen

Local Food in Cleveland Magazine!

2012-02-06T15:45:00.000-05:00

This month's issue of Cleveland Magazine includes a cover story on local food in Cleveland!

Featured in the story are some of our favorite local farmers and friends including Lucky Penny Creamery, Miller Livestock, Ohio Honey Company, and many others. Congratulations to all on the fine coverage and thanks to Cleveland Magazine for showcasing all the wonderful and delicious foods begin produced in the Cleveland area.

Local Food Makes a Lovely Gift

2011-12-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

We have last minute gift ideas for the locavore on your holiday shopping list!

Our FarmShare gift bags range from $20-$50 and feature our favorite locally made foods packed with love in our FarmShare kitchen:

-Organic multigrain crackers from Crumbs Bakery
-Artisan goat cheese from Lucky Penny Creamery
-Locally made preserves from Spruceberry Farm
-Local apples harvested from Morning Dew Orchards
-Beautifully packaged with fresh holiday greens

Please call us at 216.225.6311 or email info@farmshareohio.com for more information.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

2011-11-03T08:12:00.003-04:00

It’s hard to believe that another season is winding down already. It’s gone by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday we were enjoying summer’s first strawberries. Now we’re stocking the pantry and simmering soup.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little FarmShare journey. My hope for all FarmShare subscribers is that you discover just how delicious and fun it can be to eat along with the seasons; that you taste something new and delicious along the way; and that maybe, just maybe, you also find a deeper connection to your food and where it comes from. I’ve enjoyed getting to know each of our subscribers this season and introducing you to our local farmers and the fabulous foods they produce.

By choosing local, you’re helping Northeast Ohio’s local food economy to grow and thrive. There’s never been such an exciting time to be a local eater. From countryside to cityscape, talented new farmers and food producers are popping up all over Ohio. They’re bringing to market a bounty of amazingly fresh, unique, and delicious foods that keep us healthy and happy and sustain our local economy and communities. I'm thankful you’ve chosen to be a part of the local food movement and hope you’ll continue to seek out and support local producers whenever you can.

As things quiet down a bit, I'm looking forward to spending more time on this blog and in the FarmShare Kitchen. I'll be sharing favorite my fall and winter recipes and local food-flavored news here throughout the cold months ahead. Weather permitting, I also hope to be scheduling periodic FarmShare deliveries throughout the winter months as well. Stay tuned for details.

Thank you again for a wonderful 2011 season. Be well!

We Are Not There Yet

2011-10-18T13:49:00.007-04:00

This is the third in a series of tales from FarmShare folks about their travels and tastes over the past summer and fall months.

“Are we at Oma’s house yet?” says my 2-year-old son at the end of our driveway. The first of approximately 87 times he asked this on the way to grandma’s house in upstate New York. This question must be first in the manual that kids get from the manual fairy when they turn 2, how else would they know? This most charming of questions is also a big reason why, when traveling with a toddler, you always stop to sit down and eat and allow at least 15 minutes for him to run off some steam.

So, we have changed the way we take road trips, for the better, since Theo’s arrival. We used to just cruise on Interstate 80 through the middle of Pennsylvania, which, while beautiful, doesn’t really pass anything resembling a major city. We now take I-90 through New York passing the cities of Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany. More major cities makes it easier to stop at a restaurant in or near a town, rather than a fast food chain along the freeway.

We made a real effort this time, with help from our Garmin, to stop at local restaurants. Diners are always a safe bet for making everyone happy, and we ate at three on this trip. On the way out, at Johnny B’s Glenmont Diner outside of Albany. Patty melt, chicken fingers and Greek salad. Near Oma’s house in Millbrook, New York is our favorite, the Millbrook Diner. More chicken fingers, mac & cheese, and fish & chips. And on the way home, Uncle Joe’s Diner in Hamburg, NY. No chicken fingers, Hot Dog, harvest salad (with apples), and a bowl of chili. So while we weren’t likely eating locally-grown food, we were eating at locally-grown businesses. It’s a start.

That gives me an idea for a guidebook of local-food restaurants near well-traveled roads. The research would be fun- when Theo outgrows the “are we there yet?” phase. Look for the book in about 20 years.

Purple Soup

A big part of vacation for me is making sure there is food in the house for when we get home. I love the break from cooking, but by the time it’s over, I’m ready to eat my own food again. So the Saturday before we left, I was busy most of the day in the kitchen. Like most days that I’m in the kitchen a lot, I just want someone else to cook dinner. Happily, it wasn’t raining that hard and we got to go to the Garlic Festival in Shaker Square, a new favorite tradition.

Luckily, the Farmshare delivery before the break was full of ingredients that made for great freezer food. Cory’s Potato and Corn chowder recipe froze extremely well (leaving out the milk). I also made an Italian-style lentil soup, and the best of all freezer foods, pesto. It is absolutely the easiest meal for the evening you arrive home after a road trip.

The lentil soup looked so pretty before it started cooking: red tomatoes, red-orange lentils, yellow onion, and purple carrots from FarmShare. A rainbow in my blue Le Crueset. As it happens, those purple carrots must have way more purple than they can hold onto over a little heat. Soon my beautiful rainbow was all purple. I’m not sure there is a less appetizing color. But I had a gallon of it, so you have to go with it. It was delicious freshly made, and even more delicious when we returned home.

By Sarah Humm, FarmShare staff

15 Minute FarmShare Fun

2011-10-07T19:05:00.001-04:00

So, the sun is finally shining and it's supposed to be a beautiful weekend. You just picked up your FarmShare bag and you're not sure you want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. What to do?

Well, here are a few ideas for quick, delicious dishes for your FarmShare veggies that can be made in about fifteen minutes or less.

Ready, set, go!

Heirloom Tomatoes
We think they're tastiest eaten fresh. So, why not make a quick Bruschetta? Chop up the tomatoes. Toss them with a little olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a few minced herbs -- this week's chives, thyme and sage would do nicely. Heap onto slices of toasted bread.

Broccoli
Cut broccoli into florets. Steam or boil until just tender. While broccoli is steaming, take a large bowl and mix together 1 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil, the juice of half a lemon, a drizzle of honey, salt and pepper. When broccoli is done, add to bowl and toss.

Mashed Cauliflower
Trim 1 head of cauliflower into small florets; put into pot; cover with water; bring to a boil and cook until cauliflower is tender and drain. While still hot, puree cauliflower with 2 tbsp butter with immersion blender or in food processor. Serve as a low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes.

Potatoes
Nice weather is perfect for potato salad. Cut boiled potatoes into 1-2" cubes and add to mixing bowl. Add diced baby celery and leaves along with minced chives. Make a simple vinaigrette by whisking together 3-4 tbsp olive oil, 2-3 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, 1 tbsp mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

Apples

Just eat 'em for goodness sake! This week's Honeycrisps are tart, crispy, juicy, and delicious. We think they taste best on an autumn day just like today.

Now get out there and enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

Traveling Through the Heartland

2011-10-03T15:52:00.001-04:00

My husband and I just returned from a road trip to Colorado driving through the heartland of the United States on US 30, “The Lincoln Highway”. What an incredible journey!

There weren’t many “attractions” but we did see a lot of country. In Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska there were corn and soybean fields that stretched to the horizon. Cattle grazing in open fields became more numerous in Nebraska. Many times we were the only car on the road surrounded by nothing but farms and fields. Every so often we’d come to a town, some tiny, only 400 residents or so, and some bigger, 4,000 residents. Regardless of size, they all had two things in common – grain silos and railroad tracks (symbols of our globalized food system). We also saw signs extolling the virtues of renewable energy (from ethanol and soy products, of course). And the wind farms! Did you know that Iowa is the second largest producer of wind power? Nebraska has its share as well.

Every so often we’d come across a road side stand in the middle of nowhere with farmers selling some of their vegetables: corn, of course, and lots of pumpkins, squashes, tomatoes, beans, and edamame. When we arrived in Boulder, where my in-laws live, there were farmers markets and stalls set up in parking lots of shopping centers. We bought fresh peaches and my new favorite, roasted peppers. Everywhere we went in Boulder, eating locally and organic or sustainable was at the forefront. Restaurants served grass-fed beef and made a point of stating that many of their vegetables came from local farmers. Local, organic, recycled, biodegradable and sustainable were common topics among everyone we talked to.

On a sad note, as we traveled through Iowa we saw the devastation that still remained from September’s flooding. There were sandbags along Route 30 to protect the road and parts of other highways were totally destroyed by the water. We saw what we thought was part of a small lake or river along the road until we realized there were telephone poles and power lines running across the middle of it. Entire roads and fields were still under water weeks after the floods.

This country is so beautiful and diverse. I’m glad we’re taking the time to see it up close and to sample it’s bounty. It sure looks different than the tiny patches of green and brown that we spy from an airplane window. Flyover country – bah! Folks that say that just don’t know what they’re missing.

By Corinne Beda, FarmShare Staff

Entrepreneur Eats Local

2011-09-30T16:41:00.008-04:00

It seems that nearly every journalist in the country spent their summer vacation writing about local food. A bounty of beautiful images and stories about the local food movement grace the pages of nearly every magazine, website, and blog lately. Cleveland has attracted its share of the press too.

In July, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with writer, Bruce Schoenfeld whose article, How the Farm-to-Table Movement is Helping Grow the Economy, was just published in the October issue of Entrepreneur magazine. Schoenfeld's piece compares the local food scene in two of my favorite cities, Cleveland and Seattle, and explores the opportunities that locally grown food is creating for restaurants, farmers, and other businesses.

As a result of my brief quote in this article, FarmShare has connected with a handful of like-minded entrepreneurs from around the country who are interested in launching similar local food-oriented businesses in their own communities.

Thank you to Bruce and the folks at Entrepreneur for sharing Cleveland's evolving local food story. And bravo to our good friends at Art Farm, Ohio City Farm, Bay Branch Farm, Fire Food & Drink, Flying Fig, and The Chef's Garden (all mentioned in the article) as well as the countless farmers, markets, producers, chefs, cooks, eaters and others who are making Cleveland such a delicious place to live, eat, and thrive.

Locavores at Home and Away

2011-09-30T09:50:00.004-04:00

My husband and I spent the past week taking in some clean, crisp ocean air in Nova Scotia, a place with more water than land and breathtaking coastal views at every turn.

As with most of the trips we take, we always start at the farmers’ market. The Saturday morning Seaport Farmers Market in Halifax was a bustle of activity and discovery. As one would expect in a coastal area, the local foodscape of Nova Scotia includes seafood in addition to the typical fruits and vegetables. Fishermen and lobstermen are as much a part of the local food system as farmers, cheese-makers and ranchers. And while the local seafood is indeed delicious, we were excited to discover sea vegetables (yes, sea vegetables). We returned home with several bags of dulse, an edible, tasty and nutritious red algae gathered in the tidal waters off Nova Scotia’s coast. The market itself was also impressive. Housed in a newly constructed, state of the art, LEED certified building, the market boasts a living roof, wind turbines, permanent stalls for market vendors, and rooftop picnic area with a view! Think West Side Market, only green and all local.

Heading north from Halifax toward Cape Breton Island, we were also impressed to see that, along with gas stations and fast food establishments, produce stands and farmers’ markets get top billing on Nova Scotia’s freeway signage. This is definitely a move that would help grow awareness about the availability of locally grown foods in our own country. (I’ll be penning a few notes to ODOT soon.)

Of course, I’ve returned to the FarmShare Kitchen with a smattering of new recipe ideas as well... chowders, Hodge Podge and fishcakes and poutine. Look for some of these in upcoming editions of the FarmShare Kitchen newsletter and blog.

And this is why we travel. To taste and experience the food of a new place is to understand its culture and its people. The discovery of new ideas that enrich our lives and adventurous new flavors that enliven our meals. Next to the vacation itself, the best part of any trip is what you bring home.

What local flavors, recipes, and food memories did you bring home from your summer travels? Let us know and we’ll include in an upcoming series of blog posts about locavores at home and away.

Green rooftop & wind turbines @ Halifax Seaport Farmers Market.

Lobster flavored potato chips -- a local delicacy.

White Point, Cape Breton Island.

The offerings at the local gas station, Advocate Harbor, NS.

Cape d'Or, NS.

Fishcakes and mustard pickles.

How to Peel Garlic

2011-09-27T10:46:00.007-04:00

We just stumbled upon this nifty way to peel an entire head of garlic in ten seconds...

How to Peel Garlic in 10 Seconds

And the Beet Goes On

2011-09-20T08:55:00.022-04:00

Beets might just be my new favorite vegetable.

It's taken a while, I must admit. I grew up with those jarred, pickled beets and never really liked them much. It wasn't until my mid-thirties that I tasted a fresh, properly-roasted beet. And I never knew what I was missing out on. So, I've spent the past few years developing my appreciation for the beet.

First, I needed to get over that all-too-common habit of neglecting beets. Since they keep like, forever, many of us ignore them in favor of fresher, perkier, quick-cooking vegetables. The so-called lengthy cooking time, the fear of stains -- oh the excuses we can come up with to let those beets languish in the far reaches of the fridge. In reality, what could be easier than boiling or baking up a few beets in a pot of water or a 350F oven? Ok, it requires a little bit of planning ahead but it's certainly not difficult. As for the stains? Don't peel beets until after they've cooked, then their skins will slip right off and won't stain your fingers. Unless you really love pink polka dots though, you do have to take care not to stain clothing or dishtowels. But hey, it's an opportunity to wear that cute apron your sister-in-law made you for Christmas last year!

This summer, the beet has officially become a favorite (as you can tell by the more frequent beet-oriented posts). I'm even thinking about revisiting those pickled beets I despised so much as a child. Perhaps I'll even pickle my own.

Maybe you have to reach a certain state of maturity to truly adore the earthy beauty and flavor of the beet. I don't know. But a simple root that can be pulled from the ground sporting such a gorgeous hue and loaded with this much flavor and nutrition should be loved by all. My only regret is that it took me so long.

In this recipe, beets team up with potatoes to make for some satisfying, seasonal eating.

Beet & Potato Gratin with Gruyère and Thyme

This dish can be prepared family style in a baking dish or in individual ramekins for a bit fancier presentation.

Serves 4

Unsalted butter
2 medium-sized red beets, raw & peeled
2-3 medium-sized potatoes, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely grated
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
Ground nutmeg
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cream

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Butter 4 ramekins or a baking dish.

Thinly slice beets and potatoes, about 1/4 inch in thickness.

Arrange a layer of sliced beets and potatoes in each ramekin or baking dish. Lightly brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with cheese, a little thyme and a pinch of nutmeg. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Repeat layering process until ramekins are full, pressing down lightly.

Pour the cream over and bake in oven until bubbling, cheese is golden and beets are tender, about 45 minutes.

Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and serve warm.

Candied Cherry Tomatoes

2011-08-26T14:33:00.008-04:00

It's tomato time at FarmShare this week.

Green Zebra, Mortgage Lifter, Aunt Ruby German Green, Tigerella, Green Giant, Pruden's Purple, Limmony, Virginia Sweets, Black Zebra, Snow White, Black Cherry... names as colorful as these tomatoes are flavorful.

We're enjoying a bounty of at least a dozen different heirloom tomato varieties from Breezy Hill Farm as well as jewel-like, cherry tomatoes from Art Farm and Infinite Garden Farm.

As if they weren't delicious and sweet enough already, one of our favorite ways to enjoy cherry tomatoes is to roast them in a slow oven until they're sweet and gooey like candy. Cherry tomato candy makes a tasty mix-in for pasta or a wonderful spread for sandwiches or on toasted bread or crackers.

Yum!

Candied Cherry Tomatoes

1 basket cherry tomatoes, tops removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Coarse sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and vinegar and sprinkle with salt.

Spread out on parchment-covered baking sheet and roast for 2-3 hours or until tomatoes are caramelized and sticky.

Toss with your favorite pasta or use as a spread on bread or crackers.

FarmShare Kitchen: Summer Beet & Cucumber Soup

2011-08-18T12:23:00.006-04:00

This is, without a doubt, the most delicious way we've discovered to enjoy our beets. It's simple to prepare (only one item, the beets, actually has to be cooked), perfect summer eating, healthy, and oh so beautiful.

Perfect on its own, this soup was made a bit more luscious with the addition of delectable dairy products from our good friends at, Snowville Creamery cream and a dollop of fresh chevre from Lucky Penny Creamery.

This week's FarmShare delivery includes gorgeous beets grown right here in Cleveland at Central Roots Farm in Ohio City. So, it's the perfect time to make this soup.

Summer Soup of Beets and Cucumbers

1 lb cooked beets, peeled

2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded if you prefer

2 bunches spring onions (white and green part)

4 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped

3 oranges

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 cups or more chicken or vegetable stock, chilled

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup Snowville Creamery cream, optional

Lucky Penny Creamery fresh chevre (goat cheese) for garnish, optional

additional parsley, minced for garnish, optional

Gently boil the beets, covered, about 20-30 minutes. When done, grate them on the coarse side of a grater.

Remove the seeds from the cucumbers and finely chop.

Slice the spring onions and chop the parsley.

Zest and juice 3 oranges.

Combine beets, cucumbers, onions, parsley, orange zest and juice and 2 cups cold chicken stock in a large mixing bowl. Puree mixture in a blender in batches, until smooth. Add more chicken stock, orange juice, salt, pepper, and cream (if you wish) to correct the consistency. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

To serve, ladle into chilled soup bowls. Garnish with fresh chevre and a sprinkling of minced parsley.

For last week's family picnic at Lake Erie, I packed the soup into small half-pint canning jars with lids. Not only was this a beautiful presentation, but the jars eliminated any worry about spills on the way to the picnic.

FarmShare Kitchen: Greek Eggplant Spread

2011-08-17T13:22:00.001-04:00

It's been a bountiful season for heat-loving vegetables like eggplant. We've had some fun plowing through our cookbook collection and perusing the internet for eggplant inspiration to share with you.

We discovered this Greek-style version of Baba Ghanoush in Steve Raichlin's Planet BBQ. It's the perfect dish for enjoying the season's eggplant harvest and the bounty of fresh herbs from the garden. Best of all, it requires minimal time in the kitchen, allowing you to make the most of this summer beautiful weather and enjoy time with your family or your dinner guests.

1 lb eggplant

1 clove garlic

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 scallion, white and green parts, minced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Pita bread or flatbread crackers

lemon wedges, for garnish

Grill eggplants over medium hot grill until skins are completely charred, crisp, and blackened. This will take about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer eggplants to a baking sheet and allow to cool.

Using a paring knife, scrape the charred skin off the eggplants. Coarsely chop the eggplant.

Add garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper to a non-reactive mixing bowl and mash into a paste with a wooden spoon. Mix in the eggplant, dill, mint, parsley, and scallion. Stir in 2 tbsp olive oil, the lemon juice and vinegar. Taste for seasoning and adjust as you see fit.

Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Serve with pita and lemon wedges.

Sunday in the Country

2011-08-12T13:14:00.001-04:00

If you’ve been meaning to get out and visit a farm or two this summer, next weekend offers a great opportunity to do so.

Next Sunday, August 21, 2011, two of our favorite local farmers will be part of Innovative Farmers of Ohio’s summer farm tour.

Here’s the schedule:

11:00am-1:00pm:

Visit Red Basket Farm (who grew our sweet corn this week). Learn from, Floyd Davis, how his specialty sweet corn has evolved to include over 70 vegetable varieties for farmers markets, a CSA, and a public school farm to school program. Also learn how Floyd has extended his growing season with the use of high tunnel hoop houses.

Red Basket Farm is located at 6311 Mayburn Barclay Road, Kinsman, OH 44428, tel: 330-876-9118, www.redbasketfarm.com.

2:00-4:00pm:

Join Aaron & Melissa Miller at Miller Livestock just down the road for a “Pasture Walk” to learn about his sustainable meat production methods. Miller Livestock is proud of their decade-long commitment to raising grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured pork, and pastured-raised chicken and turkeys without chemicals, antibiotics or hormones. Aaron will describe his diverse marketing methods from selling to restaurants and farmers markets to his own farm stand and CSA that allow him to farm full-time.

Miller Livestock is located at: 9590 Kinsman-Pymatuning Rd, Kinsman, OH 44428, tel: 330-876-5655 www.millergrassfed.com

For additional information about the farm tours and IFO, visit Innovative Farmers of Ohio.

Recipe Roundup: Tomatoes, Herbs, Eggplant, Sweet Corn

2011-08-12T09:10:00.007-04:00

We pack as many recipes as we can into our weekly FarmShare Kitchen newsletter that accompanies your FarmShare deliveries. But if you need even more culinary inspiration this week, maybe this week's recipe roundup will help you out.

Tomatoes
Mark Bittman continues to amaze me with his elegantly simple collections of recipes for a singular ingredient or dish. First it was his pasta collection and this past week, tomatoes. His article from last week's New York Times Magazine, The Proper Way to Treat an Heirloom, and the accompanying twelve recipes are required summer reading for any true tomato lover.

Herbs
Bittman's dishing up great advice again this week with a piece entitled The Ungarnished Truth proposing that we treat them "as teeny vegetables" and offering four recipes that showcase seasonal herbs.

Eggplant
Eggplant seems to be one of those mysterious vegetables that we struggle with in the kitchen. We want to love it but find that most recipes just don't excite us very much. Here are a few that might change all that...

Grilled Eggplant Panini
Thai Basil Eggplant Curry
Eggplant Agnolotti with Tomato Sauce

Sweet Corn
This week's corn, from Red Basket Farm, is so good that you'll probably have no problem devouring it one ear at a time. But if you'd like something different, try this Summer Corn Salad recipe we discovered on Heidi Swanson's blog 101 Cookbooks.

FarmShare Folks: Meet Jill Ziegler

2011-08-12T08:31:00.004-04:00

The benefits of subscribing to FarmShare are many: you’re treated to the freshest produce available during a given week; you can broaden your “veggie horizons” by tasting new varieties; you support local farmers, reduce pollution, save time and energy that might be spent grocery shopping, and learn tasty new recipes from the weekly newsletters. And, in subscriber Jill Ziegler’s case, by serving FarmShare at the dinner table, you might just uncover a little piece of family history.

That’s what happened unexpectedly when, with her first FarmShare delivery of the season, Jill invited her family over for dinner. Do you remember the kohlrabi from that delivery? You may have wondered, “what am I supposed to do with this?”, but, as Jill’s mother bit into that crunchy, cabbage-like vegetable, a flood of memories rushed through her mind. She reminisced how her grandmother, Jill’s great-grandmother, an immigrant Hungary grew kohlrabi in one of her many gardens. A love of vegetables, and of kohlrabi apparently, runs in that side of the family. Jill’s mother was so moved by this recollection that she munched the extra kohlrabi all by herself.

Along with using the lettuce, carrots, onions, and kohlrabi from the July 7 delivery to serve a local salad to her family, Jill sliced the zucchini for a chicken and vegetable pizza and sautéed the swiss chard with pasta.

For Jill, her FarmShare delivery serves as the foundation for what she cooks for herself, her husband, and her six-year-old daughter Anna during a typical week. As she explained, every Saturday morning she sits down at her computer with her coffee and plans out the dinners for the coming week.

“My husband and I both work full-time, and we don’t have time to go grocery shopping in the middle of the week,” she said. A self-described “list person,” she said that because of the Thursday FarmShare delivery, items she needs to shop for are mostly protein, grains, dairy, and pasta. And once the shopping is done over the weekend, the Ziegler-Helwig family is all set for the rest of the week. If only we could all be as organized as Jill!

Most of her FarmShare favorites are yet to come later in the season. “The cherry tomatoes are the best, best thing ever – I usually eat them all in the car ride home,” she confessed during our conversation.

She also raved about FarmShare corn and the “salsa basket” from last year, which included peppers and tomatoes. Jill remembered throwing the basket’s ingredients into a food processor to make prepping salsa “fun, quick, and easy.”

Because Jill loves to eat and cook with fresh, local ingredients, it makes sense that her passion for sustainability has seeped into all aspects of her life. She has made sustainability part of her career, as she is the Program Manager for sustainability initiatives at Forest City Enterprises. In fact, it was Jill, who, with Jon Ratner, first partnered with FarmShare after learning about it through Entrepreneurs for Sustainability. Since day one, Jill has been a FarmShare enthusiast.

By Elizabeth Bruml, FarmShare 2011 Intern

FarmShare Folks: Meet The Ross Family

2011-07-14T11:04:00.004-04:00

The Ross Family on the set of the film "Fun Size" being filmed in their neighborhood this summer.

Within the past five years or so, the Ross family has converted—we’re not talking religion, but rather food: Cari and Bill Ross have gone from not thinking much about the source of their food to seeking out the freshest local products. And, Cari credits FarmShare with opening her family’s eyes to the local food movement.

Not only have Cari and Bill become veggie-lovers since subscribing to FarmShare its first year in business, but so have their nine- and eleven-year-old children who both down a “green drink” every morning. This nutritious smoothie has become a breakfast staple in their household and can consist of multiple combinations of leafy greens, fruits, and juices. I spoke with Cari after a morning she blended together kale, oranges, strawberries, chia seeds, and passion fruit juice that marked a nutritious start to the day.

The greatest thing about FarmShare, according to Cari, is that it encourages subscribers to eat not only more vegetables but a greater variety of vegetables, and to prepare them in creative ways. A few nights a week, they sit down to a dinner that’s entirely vegetable-based or vegan. Cari even showed me the “vegenaise” she recently used on a sandwich to replace mayonnaise, which contains eggs. “I actually liked it!” she exclaimed. And, after I caught vegenaise’s aroma, I must admit that though the concept of an egg-free mayo seems dubious, it didn’t smell half bad.

The Ross family’s FarmShare favorites include garlic scapes (which she uses to make pesto) and bok choy, two items which Cari confessed she would never have bought before subscribing to FarmShare four years ago. “I would never have picked out fifty- or sixty-percent of the vegetables we get in the FarmShare bag. Before, I just wouldn’t know what to do with something like bok choy,” she said.

Kale chips were another discovery, and Cari was happy to say that her kids thought those were pretty tasty. The fact that they like kale chips, along with beets, garlic scapes, and the “green drink” are all signs that they are developing habits that will carry into their future and help them make the right nutrition choices. They are also learning to read food labels and understand that if you can’t pronounce an ingredient, it’s not good for you.

Besides garlic scape pesto, Cari also likes to use the vegetables to make FarmShare soup—a colorful mix of onions, tomatoes, celery, tomatoes, beans, fresh herbs, and anything else in season.

The biggest challenge about FarmShare is weaning her family off of the weekly tote bag during the winter months, Cari said. During the summer, she hardly ever has to buy vegetables from the grocery store because the FarmShare bag lasts all week. And because her family has grown accustomed to eating seasonal, she said that she can’t see herself buying a tomato in the winter. Fortunately, the fall pickups serve as inspiration for how to prepare root vegetables. “We still try to eat vegetables all winter long, but it’s not as fun without my FarmShare bag!”

Cari is such an avid FarmShare fan that she saves all of the newsletters in a folder so she can refer back to recipes as needed.

Sustainability has seeped into all aspects of their lives—Bill, who advocates for implementing green building projects at Forest City Enterprises, even traded in his Lexus for a hybrid Toyota Camry.

“Our friends wouldn’t describe us as “earthy” types—we don’t fit the stereotype,” Cari said. “They’re surprised when they see what’s in our fridge, but we’re really living a different lifestyle than we were a few years ago, and FarmShare is a part of that.”

By Elizabeth Bruml, FarmShare 2011 Intern

FarmShare Folks: Meet Doug Katz

2011-07-14T10:51:00.003-04:00

My family has designated Fire Food and Drink one of our “celebration” restaurants—throughout the years, we’ve eaten there to mark birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations—not just because the food is delicious, but because of the restaurant’s atmosphere: Fire exudes an energy that reflects the passion of its owner and executive chef, Doug Katz.

You may be nodding your head in agreement as similar memories of Fire meals flash through your mind—perhaps you are still savoring the seared diver scallops or, one of Doug’s favorites, the Portobello mushroom pizza—but what you may not be aware of is the friendship between Doug and FarmShare founder, Kari Moore.

Doug and Kari have known each other for about six years, sharing a mission of supporting local food producers and collaborating on initiatives such as last year’s RIPE! Food and Garden Festival at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Doug credits Kari with introducing him to the local food scene in Cleveland many years ago, and, as of this summer, he is a FarmShare subscriber.

This summer will also mark the first year of Fire serving as a FarmShare pick up location (east side subscribers can pick up their weekly FarmShare deliveries at Fire on Thursdays from 5:5:30pm).

Doug plans to enjoy his subscription with his family, and he looks forward to the variety it will introduce into meals. “I trust Kari to pick interesting, fresh products. And maybe [the subscription] will introduce me to a new farm I can buy food from for Fire,” he said as we chatted over coffee. Doug likes to make dinner preparation a family affair, and he described a brick pizza oven in his backyard, along with a garden where he grows tomatoes, peppers, and sugar snap peas.

Personally, I would love to see how one of Cleveland’s top chefs uses the treats in his FarmShare tote! The ways in which he plans to use the food, however, are less elaborate than one might think. He likes to stick with simple preparation in order to enhance a food’s natural taste and enjoys eating fresh vegetables raw. He listed sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and watermelon radishes as some of his favorites.

For years, Doug has focused on local food sourcing for Fire, a practice he said allows him to connect with local farmers. He estimates that during the summer, up to eighty-percent of the food he serves is local. Rather than placing an order over the phone and having a truck driver drop off the food, he has genuine ties with the families from whom he buys his food, and by serving the local food, he passes these connections on to his customers at Fire. “Having a ten-year history with farmers is so different from making a distant order—it really is life-changing,” he said.

His involvement in the community is not limited to Fire, which supports not only farmers but has also helped to revive Shaker Square. Doug was President and is now Vice President of Cleveland Independents, a group of locally-owned restaurants, and he has been on the board of Positively Cleveland, an organization that promotes the region to travelers.

Doug discovered the difference in taste and freshness of local food after culinary school, and once he tasted the flavor, there was no looking back. He cares deeply about his farmers, customers, and ingredients: “Local ingredients taste amazing and look beautiful. My passion for cooking makes me want to buy local food.”

Posted by Elizabeth Bruml, FarmShare 2011 Intern

This Week at FarmShare

2011-07-01T18:06:00.004-04:00

Harvesting summer crisp lettuce at Stanard Farm; red, white and blue edible flowers; future tomatoes; Daniel's tractor at Greenfield Berry Farm; and a patriotic mix of "salad reds".

Happy Fourth of July!

FarmShare Kitchen: Pasta with Rapini & Chorizo

2011-07-01T09:08:00.000-04:00

This is how we enjoyed this week's rapini from Breezy Hill Farm. Quick, simple, and delicious, this pairs perfectly with a glass (or two) of red wine on the deck.

Pasta with Rapini (Broccoli Rabe) & Chorizo

1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs bulk chorizo sausage
1 small head green garlic, skin removed and finely chopped
1 large onion, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 (8 oz) package uncooked pasta

1/4 cup water (we just use a bit of water the pasta was cooked in)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed, cut
into 2-inch pieces
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the chorizo, garlic, and onion in the hot oil until the chorizo has browned and no longer pink, and the onion has softened, about 10 minutes. Pour off any excess fat, then transfer to a bowl.

Once the water is boiling, stir in the rotini, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Pour the pasta water and 2 tablespoons olive oil into the skillet that the chorizo was cooked in. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the broccoli rabe, cover, and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Uncover, and stir in the chorizo mixture; bring to a simmer.

Toss the pasta with the chorizo mixture in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese. Stir gently before serving.

FarmShare Kitchen: Garlic Scape Dip

2011-06-24T19:06:00.005-04:00

It's scape time, once again!

The season for garlic scapes is brief, but bountiful. They're perfect for pickin' in early June when farmers trim them from the garlic plant as they start to curl and before they flower. This is done so that the plant's energy can be used to form the more familiar garlic, that we'll see later in the season.

Garlic scapes have a mild, green, garlic flavor that we enjoy in homemade pesto. Another favorite way to enjoy them is stir-fried or sauteed with a little olive oil.

We polled a few of our farmers to find out what they do with scapes and our favorite response was, “Throw a few scapes in the blender, add sour cream and get yourself a couple bags of potato chips”. This may not be the healthiest way to enjoy scapes, but it will make for a tasty weekend treat alongside that grilled burger. And it packs quite a garlicky punch (if you prefer less garlicky flavor, use fewer scapes).

Garlic Scape Dip

3-4 garlic scapes, chopped into 1" lengths
1 cup sour cream (or Greek style yogurt for a healthier option)
Salt to taste
Fresh cilantro, minced (optional)

Chop scapes and puree in food processor. Add sour cream or yogurt (or half and half), salt, and fresh cilantro. Blend until smooth. Enjoy with your favorite chips or crackers.

FarmShare @ Fire Food & Drink!

2011-06-20T18:57:00.002-04:00

We're delighted to announce that Fire Food & Drink will be hosting our east side FarmShare pickup location this season!

Our neighbors on the east side will now be able to take advantage of convenient weekly FarmShare deliveries at Fire each Thursday afternoon between July 7 and October 27. Pickup hours will be from 5-5:30pm (hours may be adjusted and/or extended to accommodate additional subscribers). Fire Food & Drink is located at 13220 Shaker Square.

Don't miss out! Reserve your FarmShare subscription today at www.FarmShareOhio.com.

For more information, please give us a call at 216.226.6311 or email info@farmshareohio.com.

FarmShare Folks: Meet Sarah Humm

2011-06-12T13:45:00.018-04:00

This summer, we're kicking off a new series of posts called FarmShare Folks. We thought it would be fun to introduce you to some of the wonderful people who make FarmShare possible -- our fantastic FarmShare subscribers, our talented local farmers, cheese-makers, bakers and other members of our FarmShare food community. This week, we get to know Sarah Humm and her son Theo. Many of you will recognize Sarah as she helps out with FarmShare deliveries at our Tower City pickup location.

By Elizabeth Bruml, FarmShare Ohio

Bright blue-eyed Theo might be one of the most well nourished two-year-olds in Shaker Heights. He also has a sophisticated palate for a toddler: he’s tried squash and beets, and rather than eating the classic blended carrots from a jar, his mom, Sarah Humm, makes this staple herself from local veggies. Sarah cooks meals consisting of the freshest local ingredients, many of which, during the summer and fall months, come from her FarmShare tote bag.

Sarah first learned of FarmShare three years ago, as she passed by an assortment of produce during a FarmShare pick-up day at Tower City. While the vibrant fruits and vegetables caught her eye, she said that what sealed the deal for a subscription was FarmShare Founder, Kari Moore’s amiability—Sarah noticed Kari’s engagement with her subscribers, approaching them as friends and demonstrating true care and concern, wanting their FarmShare experiences to be the best they could be.

Coming across FarmShare was a stroke of luck for Sarah, who at the time felt frustrated with having to eat produce that may have journeyed many days to get to her (on average, food travels three to five days and perhaps as many states or even countries/continents to arrive at a grocery store). Sarah, her husband Pip, and Theo had recently relocated to Cleveland from Queens, New York, in order to be closer to family, and she missed the farmers’ market that used to be across the street. “I cringe when I see a tomato from Mexico, or Canada, or anywhere outside of Ohio,” she said during our conversation. “Why should our food be more well-traveled than we are?” she posed. While travel is good for us, it's not always ideal for our food.

Sarah loves FarmShare because she is able to once again enjoy local food, as she did in New York. “Local food simply tastes better; it’s fresher, and it lasts longer,” she explained. Sarah has also had a lot of fun with FarmShare, experimenting with the variety of vegetables that come in the tote, such as garlic scapes and beets, two of Sarah’s favorites.

I thought I might have misheard when Sarah started raving about beet cupcakes, but no, she spoke in all seriousness, and now I am curious to taste the moist cake created by adding beets to the batter. And I’ve always loved hummus, but beet hummus is a whole new take on the Mediterranean staple. Sarah has truly embraced FarmShare and always looks forward to trying the weekly recipes she receives in the weekly FarmShare Kitchen newsletter, and she believes that often, the simplest preparation is the best because of the freshness.

Sarah’s passion for eating locally was sparked not only by the increase in farmers’ markets and growing popularity of local food restaurants in New York, but also by a trip she took to Provence, France, with her husband. She recalled a certain day when, after purchasing vegetables at a market, they proceeded to cook a delicious dinner of ratatouille. “This was the best day of our trip—we felt like we were truly experiencing French culture, and I wanted to feel that great about what I eat all the time,” she reminisced.

For Sarah, FarmShare is also appealing because it saves her time: rather than having to trek to the grocery store, list and Theo in hand, to make dinner by 5:00, she can now focus on what is in the FarmShare bag. Because of FarmShare, she no longer dreads going to the grocery store and having to face the overwhelming displays that overflow with food. In her words, “FarmShare makes everything so much easier!” Now, it is easier to help Theo stay on the path of local eating that will help him grow and develop healthy habits that will stick with him in the future. By buying local, Sarah is helping Theo begin to understand and appreciate the journey food makes to get on his plate.

Get cookin' with recipes for Sarah's delicious Chocolate Beet Cupcakes and Beet Hummus.

It's Not Too Late to Join Us!

2011-06-10T15:43:00.001-04:00

Yes, the FarmShare signup deadline was on June 1. But no, it's not too late to join us for the 2011 season.

Choose an affordable Full-Season subscription OR a flexible week-to-week order option that allows you to choose the delivery weeks that work best for you.

FarmShare weekly deliveries begin July 7 and continue through October 27.

FarmShare 2011 pickup locations are as follows:

Downtown @ Tower City: Thursdays 4-6pm.
East Side @ Fire Food & Drink (Shaker Square): Thursdays 3-4pm
Independence @ Vantage Financial (Rockside Road): Fridays 12-3pm

FarmShare subscribers enjoy guaranteed weekly deliveries of all the season's finest local produce. So, you won't miss out on delicious Northeast Ohio strawberries if you decide to spend Saturday morning sleeping in instead of rushing off to the market!

Our June 16 Special Delivery is now sold out. However, we do still have availability for our FarmShare Fourth of July delivery on June 30.

We're looking forward to a great season! Join us!

If we can answer any questions about how FarmShare works, we're available by email at info@farmshareohio.com or by calling 216.225.6311.

Cleveland Vegetarian Week 2011

2011-05-24T13:54:00.001-04:00

Hey Cleveland!

Did you know it's Vegetarian Week? We thought we would pass along the line-up of the week's veggie-focused events which include donation days to raise funds for Farm Sanctuary, yoga classes, coupons, and a variety of dining opportunities!

Learn more about Cleveland Vegetarian Week here and get out there and enjoy some local veggies.

Let's Talk Sustainability

2011-05-19T11:21:00.006-04:00

We're pleased to introduce Elizabeth Bruml who will be interning with FarmShare during our 2011 season. You'll be hearing from Elizabeth from time to time here in the FarmShare Kitchen and in our newsletter.

Hi! My name is Elizabeth, and I have the privilege of interning this summer with Kari Moore of FarmShare Ohio. I just finished my freshman year at Emory University in Atlanta, where sustainability is a hot topic.

Every Tuesday on my way to class, I looked forward to strolling among vibrant, crisp vegetables, freshly-baked breads, and delicate pastries not typical of college dining. This much-appreciated break from cafeteria food was courtesy of Emory’s weekly farmers’ market, an event meant to promote sustainable food practices. Initiatives designed to fulfill similar “sustainability”goals include campus gardens and a student-run, fair trade coffee stand. And, my introduction to sustainability during my freshman year was not limited to the farmers market; in fact, I even lived in LEED-certified housing.

The word “sustainability” seemed to pop up everywhere on campus. But what exactly is sustainability? The word gets thrown around a lot these days, and for me, its precise definition is a little fuzzy.

So, there was no better way to kick off my internship than to attend an Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) event on the language of sustainability. The panel which led the discussion made the word “sustainability” make sense; in fact, one conclusion that everyone seemed to reach was that sustainability involves a lot of common sense.

It makes sense to buy locally because that money is reinvested in local economies, and it makes sense not to waste scarce resources because our actions should not compromise the needs of future generations or the health of the environment. This common sense view reflects the “triple bottom line”: our actions impact the people, the planet, and prosperity (aka the “three Ps,” as I learned at the E4S event). As members of the panel communicated that we should consider where supplies, resources, and everyday objects come from and where they’re going, guilt crept upon me as stashed in my purse was – dare I say it – a disposable, plastic Dannon water bottle. It looks like I will have to start changing some of my habits.

While everyone may not agree on the exact definition of sustainability, there is a general conclusion that sustainable practices involve a common-sense approach to problem-solving. After all, with one bite from the fresh, local produce in your FarmShare tote bag, you can taste how it simply makes sense to eat locally!

Reserve Your FarmShare Today!

2011-05-18T18:19:00.004-04:00

Now is the time to reserve your FarmShare for the 2011 season!

Choose an affordable full-season FarmShare subscription (16 weeks July 7-Oct 27) OR take advantage of our flexible U-Pick option and order week-to-week (or choose the weeks you'd like to participate).

We'll also be featuring two FarmShare Special Deliveries on June 16 & 30. These can be ordered individually or added to your full-season subscription and are a great way to give FarmShare a try.

Our main FarmShare pickup location is at Tower City on Thursdays from 4-6pm. (Additional locations in Cleveland Heights and Independence are also in the works. Please email us if you're interested in these locations.)

To reserve your FarmShare:

1. Check out our 2011 season information and choose the option that works best for you.
2. Sign-up online at FarmShareOhio.com.
3. Mail your deposit by June 1, 2011.

Don't see an option that works for you? Give us a call and let's explore how to tailor a FarmShare to meet your needs.

We hope you'll help us spread the word about FarmShare to your colleagues and friends in the downtown Cleveland community! If you'd like to order FarmShare postcards or a marketing kit for your office, please let us know. We can also schedule a FarmShare presentation at your workplace, please email us for more information.

If we can answer questions or provide additional information about FarmShare, please let us know.

FarmShare Recipe in Today's Plain Dealer

2011-05-18T18:16:00.002-04:00

Thank you to Debbie Snook at the Plain Dealer for sharing one of our favorite FarmShare Kitchen recipes in today's Taste section of the Plain Dealer. Our recipe for Komatsuna Spinach Salad accompanied Debbie's annual spring listing of farmers' markets serving the Northeast Ohio region -- nearly 60 of them in all, conveniently scheduled throughout the week. Very impressive! Be sure to bookmark this list (or keep a copy in your car). That way, you'll never be far from a local market filled with seasonal, farm-fresh foods and fun.

FarmShare for Mom

2011-05-03T22:26:00.003-04:00

Looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift?

Give mom a FarmShare gift subscription and she can enjoy fresh, local fruits and vegetables all season long.

Choose a 16-week full-season subscription or a schedule a FarmShare delivery for a week or two that works best for mom.

For more information about FarmShare subscriptions, visit our website, email us, or give us a call at 216.225.6311.

It's FarmShare Sign-Up Season!

2011-04-26T12:53:00.003-04:00

Winter flurries have given way to showers and spring is finally here! We know you're as happy as we are to see the trees blossoming and the many shades of green emerging once again.

And spring means it's also FarmShare Sign-Up season!

A FarmShare subscription offers you a delicious, affordable, and convenient way to enjoy fresh, Northeast Ohio-grown fruits, vegetables, and artisan foods.

We're looking forward to our fourth season serving the downtown Cleveland community and we hope you'll join us!

You can check out our 2011 subscription options and sign up now at our website www.FarmShareOhio.com.

What's new for FarmShare 2011?

FarmShare 2011 Season: Our 2011 season will run 16 weeks, Thursdays, July 7 to October 27, 2011 (no delivery Thursday, Sept. 1).

Subscription Options: Full-Season FarmShare subscriptions have always been the most popular and affordable way to participate in FarmShare. If a weekly delivery is too frequent, consider sharing a FarmShare subscription with a colleague, friend or neighbor. If you need a bit more flexibility, check out our week-to week U-Pick option which enables you to place a FarmShare order whenever it's convenient for you.

FarmShare Special Deliveries: We're introducing a series of FarmShare Special Deliveries that will celebrate festive times throughout the season with great, local produce and specialty foods tailored to the occasion. Special Deliveries may be ordered individually or added onto your full-season subscription to extend your season. Our first two Special Deliveries, Discover FarmShare and FarmShare 4th of July, will be offered on June 16 & 30 respectively. Additional deliveries are planned throughout the season and for the fall harvest, Thanksgiving, winter months. We'll announce Special Deliveries via email and on our website.

Pickup Locations: Our downtown pickup location will once again be conveniently located at Tower City on Thursday afternoons from 4-6pm (hours may be adjusted slightly depending on needs of this year's subscribers). Cleveland Heights and Independence pickup locations are in the works and will be confirmed in the next few weeks based on how much interest we have in these areas. If you're interested in picking up in either of these locations, email us and we'll keep you posted on details.

Sign-Up Deadline: June 1, 2011.

Convenient Payment Options: Full-season subscribers can now pay in advance or take advantage of our monthly payment plan. FarmShare accepts payment by check or credit card.

FarmShare Kitchen Blog: In addition to the FarmShare Kitchen newsletter you'll receive along with weekly deliveries, we've also spiffed up our blog, The FarmShare Kitchen. This is where we'll share more of our favorite recipes, seasonal cooking tips and farm-fresh news. We also invite you to follow us on Facebook & Twitter for more FarmShare fun.

We'll be in touch with updates as the season kicks in and FarmShare delivery dates draw near.

If we can provide additional information or answer any questions about FarmShare 2011, please give us a call at 216.225.6311 or send us an email.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Signs of Spring

2011-03-15T18:28:00.006-04:00

Winter Trees

2011-02-25T18:24:00.004-05:00

FarmShare Kitchen: Beet & Chickpea Hummus

2011-02-22T14:20:00.005-05:00

If you’re on the fence about beets, try this recipe supplied by FarmShare subscriber and staffer, Sarah Humm. The hummus is delicious, healthy and extraordinarily beautiful. We like to serve it as an appetizer with toasted pita bread and veggies.

Beet & Chickpea Hummus

3 medium beets
1-15 oz can chickpeas (aka garbanzos), drained
1/8 cup flaxseed, ground (optional)
3 or 4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
(up to) 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350º. Wash beets well. Do not peel, cut in quarters. Place on foil and drizzle with olive oil and fold foil into a packet. Bake on a baking sheet for about an hour or until a fork slips easily into the flesh.

When beets have cooled enough to handle them, remove the peel, combine them with all other ingredients except the oil in a food processor or high quality blender and pulse until smooth and well blended. Continue pureeing while drizzling oil in a steady stream, to reach your desired consistency. It may take a couple of minutes depending on how powerful your food processor is. Serve as a spread on fresh or toasted pita bread, or as a dip for fresh veggies.

FarmShare Kitchen: Vietnamese Pickled Carrots

2011-02-22T14:08:00.001-05:00

Vietnamese Pickled Carrots

1 1/4 cup water
1 1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded

Mix water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in sauce pan and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.

Fill clean jar with shredded carrots. Pour liquid over the carrots and refrigerate for 3-5 days before using.

Pickled carrots will keep up to a month in the refrigerator.

FarmShare's Superstar Farmers in Today's PD

2011-02-09T15:46:00.003-05:00

Northeast Ohio's 'superstar farmers' honored by Local Food Cleveland

Published: Wednesday, February 09, 2011, 7:06 AM
By Debbi Snook, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Peter McDermott, head of the networking group Local Food Cleveland, didn't need the plunging graph behind him to explain the importance of new farmers.

From 1910 to now, his census figures showed, people who grow our food dropped from 32 percent of the population to 2 percent.

"We should hold farmers in as high regard as we do celebrity chefs," he told a crowd of more than 200 at Monday's monthly meeting at Great Lakes Brewing Co., the second annual "superstar farmers" night. "We're here to honor the heroes of the local food economy."

Not all of the handful of honorees were "new." Larry Luschek of Infinite Garden Farm in Litchfield in Medina County started organic farming in 1988. His business is still growing, with sales through an Oberlin food co-op, the subscription-basedFarmShare Ohio and the Countryside Conservancy market in Peninsula.

Luschek retired from pipe fitting in 2004, but the benefits were not enough to live on. Farm sales make up the slack, but only after years of investment.

"Start small," he told the crowd. He urged those attending to look for grants and go to farming workshops.

Phil and Mindy Bartholomae took to farming from environmental consulting when they purchased a 23-acre farm in Homeworth in Columbiana County. In January, greens grown under new hoop houses at their Breezy Hill Farm gave them their highest single farmers-market sales day.

"We want people to see what can be achieved," said Mindy. They benefit from owning the mineral rights on their farm, which provides them with free natural gas.

Most of the speakers had one foot on the farm and one off. Chuck Murray of Wakeman owns an advertising agency.

Farming gives them myriad benefits. Tod Mogren, a grass-fed-beef farmer from Millgate Farm in Jefferson in Ashtabula County, talked about the obesity of a friend and the steps he's been able to take to see him eat -- and understand -- healthy food.

Shawn Belt, who heads Green Corps for the Cleveland Botanical Garden, talked about the growth of the high school urban farming program to 80 students in six gardens each year.

And Alan Halko, who has one of the newer revitalized farms in the Cuyahoga Valley, said he recently quit his full-time job to work Spring Hill Farm in Brecksville. It's a risk, he said, but he wants the farm to succeed until he dies -- "like in 'The Godfather' " -- by keeling over in the tomato patch.

Happy Winter!

2011-01-02T17:20:00.009-05:00

We'd like to wish all our FarmShare friends a very warm and happy winter!

On what just might be the coldest and snowiest of winter days, we thought it was high time to check in and send some warm FarmShare greetings your way.

We're using the quiet months of winter to get organized and plan for our upcoming 2011 season. We received wonderful feedback from our 2010 subscribers (thank you to all who completed the survey!). We're hard at work on improvements that will streamline FarmShare ordering and deliveries and make the FarmShare experience even more fun.

This weekend, we're headed to State College, PA for the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) conference. We're looking forward to wonderful and informative workshops on topics such as "Innovation in Local Food System Development", "Getting the Most Nutrition from Your Harvest", and "Save our Seeds (SOS): Strategies to Curb Corporate Control & Promote Local Control" which will be led by Andrew Kimbrell of The Center for Food Safety. We'll pick up loads of new ideas and reconnect with farmer friends from throughout the region. In a couple weeks, we'll be doing more farmer networking and learning at the Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Conference. And in between, we're meeting with farmers and planning the 2011 harvest.

Sadly, we won't be offering winter FarmShare deliveries this year. Relentless winter weather as well as the necessary winter planning we need to do here has hampered our delivery plans. But we will have exciting news about our 2011 season and subscription information available in early April. If you'd like to receive updates, please consider joining our mailing list.

While you might think that fresh produce is somewhat limited during the winter months -- think again. Local farmers have a variety of root vegetables, greens, garlic and other tasty produce available. In addition, winter is a great time to go local with your meat and dairy purchases or try local grains like corn meal or oatmeal (a staple winter breakfast in the FarmShare kitchen). Locally produced jams, honey and maple syrup are also plentiful. We encourage you to support the thriving winter farmers' market scene in Northeast Ohio. Several Saturday markets have sprouted up where you can find all these goodies and more. A couple of our favorites are listed below.

Countryside Winter Farmers' Markets at Old Trail School
Saturdays, twice a month, from 9am-noon
February 5 & 19; March 12 & 26; April 9 & 23
Old Trail School, 2315 Ira Road, Akron

Winter Market at Lucky Penny Creamery
Saturdays, 9am-noon
Lucky Penny Creamery, 632 Temple Ave., Kent

So, it may be cold and (very) snowy outside but we're looking forward to a fresh and fruitful 2011! Stay warm and we'll see you soon.

FarmShare is a Champion!

2010-12-21T16:54:00.008-05:00

We are very proud to have been named a 2010 Champion of Sustainability by Entrepreneurs for Sustainability. We are honored and we'd like to salute all this year's nominees and champions who are doing such great work in our community. Thank you E4S!!!

E4S Awards 2010 Champions of Sustainability by Peter McDermott on December 7, 2010 The 2010 E4S Champions of Sustainability were awarded on Saturday night at the E4S 10th Anniversary Celebration. In front of a crowd of over 200, E4S recognized 10 individuals who are doing groundbreaking work in their field and inspiring others to implement sustainable business practices.

Holly Harlan, E4S Founder and President said, “Champions are those that see the possibilities and work through all the barriers to create value not only for their business but to help their entire industry. Most importantly, Champions inspire others to implement sustainability.”

Holly continued, “Sustainable business strategies are taking hold in many businesses from all industries and of all sizes, hospitals, civic institutions, and universities. It is individuals like the E4S Champions of Sustainability and the other nominees who have been doing this ground breaking work for years, they are changing the way we do business in Northeast Ohio. E4S has been excited to serve these inspiring individuals and companies for 10 years. Together we are building a sustainable economy that will create health and prosperity for the people of Northeast Ohio.”

2010 E4S Champions of Sustainability:

• Sam Bell, The Lusty Wrench (Nomination)

• Ellis Cooley, AMP 150 (Nomination)

• Thomas Kiser, Professional Supply, Inc. (Nomination)

• Aaron LeMieux, Tremont Electric (Nomination)

• Kari Moore, FarmShare Ohio (Nomination)

• Deanna Pickett, ABSMaterials, Inc. (Nomination)

• Special Recognition: Beau Daane, CCSWD (Nomination)

• Schniederman Award: Rich Hoban, CCBDD (Nomination)

• Champions of the Decade: Dan & Pat Conway, Great Lakes Brewing Company (Nomination)

Click here to learn more about the E4S Champions of Sustainability and read the stories of past champions.

Check out FarmShare at Gingerbread Lane

2010-12-20T17:05:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out our gingerbread farmstand at Tower City's Gingerbread Lane located at the top of the grand staircase on Level 2.

The winter-wonderland neighborhood features stunningly decorated gingerbread houses, made by some of the city’s finest “flour arrangers” and promises to delight the entire family! Gingerbread creations will be on display through December 24.

Gingerbread Lane benefits Welcome House Inc., an Ohio not-for-profit corporation that provides residential community-based programs for the care and assistance of adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).

We hope you're enjoying a wonderful holiday season!

Thank You for a Great Season!

2010-11-18T17:15:00.002-05:00

As another season winds down, we hope you’re looking forward to a bountiful Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Tables laden with delicious, locally grown foods form our vision of a perfect Thanksgiving. Our FarmShare deliveries this week provided a good start with a final harvest of fall veggies and a host of hearty recipes. We’ll also be posting recipes on our blog throughout the holiday season and winter months ahead. So, if you need a little last minute inspiration in your FarmShare kitchen, you know where to go.

This time of year, we’re frequently asked what FarmShare does over the winter months. After a short break for turkey, we’ll begin taking orders for our holiday gift boxes. Between now and January we take time to visit with our farmers. Over hot coffee, we assess the past season and make plans for next year’s crops (if there’s a vegetable you’d like us to offer, now is the time to let us know). February is conference time. We attend both the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm gathering and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture conference where we gather a wealth of knowledge and ideas, meet new farmers, and get inspired for spring. Winter is also a time for us to reconnect with our local food community through involvement with organizations such as E4S, Local Food Cleveland, and Slow Food.

And, with Mother Nature’s cooperation, we’ll also be delivering fresh veggies and wholesome local foods to you throughout the winter months. Watch your email for announcements about our winter deliveries. And if you're not already on our mailing list, join now.

We'd like to thank everyone who participated in FarmShare this season. At the top of our list is our subscribers. Without your commitment to fresh, locally grown food we could not do what we do. We hope you’ve enjoyed the past twenty weeks with FarmShare and look forward to seeing you throughout the winter months ahead for more delicious locally grown food and fun!

And thank you to the cream of the crop, our farmers and producers. We’ve worked with over twenty-five small-scale, family farmers over the course of our 2010 season — mostly organic and sustainable; both rural and urban; greenhorns and seasoned veterans alike — to bring you the freshest and the finest produce, artisan breads, locally made cheeses and more. From the potatoes and carrots you know and love to new discoveries like sunchokes and komatsuna, we’re very proud of the quality and variety of foods produced by FarmShare farmers and we're thankful for the hard work and dedication of all who've grown the amazing food we've enjoyed this season.

We are also grateful for our dedicated FarmShare crew, Sarah, Cory & Elysha who make each week's delivery so much fun.

And a very special thank you to our partners at Forest City Enterprises who host our downtown delivery site at Tower City; Vantage Financial, home of our Independence delivery site; and On the Rise Artisan Breads for hosting us in Cleveland Heights.

We wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving. See you soon!

-Kari

“The pleasure of good eating is about much more than the taste of the food.
It is about a deep appreciation for, and connection with, everything on our plates.”
~Pleasure & Process: A Recipe for Good Eating by Fred Kirschenmann, Center for Ecoliteracy (visit www.ecoliteracy.org)

FarmShare Kitchen: Chocolate Beet Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-11-10T12:27:00.001-05:00

Thanks to FarmShare staffer, Sarah Humm, for baking up an intriguingly delicious batch of Chocolate Beet Cupcakes for FarmShare delivery day last week. Now that you've tasted how yummy they are, you can bake up a batch of your own with fresh locally grown beets from Blissful Acres included in this week's FarmShare.

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes.

2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup raw cane sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup beet purée (about 4 small)

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake papers. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the chopped chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a microwavable bowl and microwave on low, at 30 second intervals, until ingredients are melted. Stir often during the melting process. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat remaining butter and sugar together until well combined. Scrape down the sides often. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in beet purée, followed by melted chocolate mixture.

Remove paddle attachment, and using a sturdy spatula, fold in flour mixture by hand. Do not over mix.

Using a lever ice cream scoop to make the job easier and mess-free, divide cupcake batter among muffin cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in tins for a few minutes, then cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

Use a spatula or piping bag to frost cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).

Beet Puree:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Tightly wrap beets in heavy aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until beets are slightly soft to the touch, about an hour. Remove from oven, open packages and cool beets slightly, then trim ends and rub skins off. Slice into quarters. Beets can now be refrigerated for up to two days or until ready to use. Peel and roughly chop beets. Transfer to a food processor and whiz until finely chopped, but not totally smooth. It’s better to still have some texture. Beet purée is now ready to use.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

This rich frosting is the decadent touch that really puts these cupcakes over the top. If you don’t have maple syrup, a half a cup of powdered sugar and a few drops of milk will work as well.

1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp, plus 1 tsp pure maple syrup
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add maple syrup and a pinch of salt and beat again until smooth.

Frost cupcakes as desired. Makes enough for twelve cupcakes.

FarmShare Kitchen: Arugula Pesto

2010-10-26T12:30:00.003-04:00

If you haven't tried pesto made with arugula, you're in for a treat. Enjoy mixed into pasta, spread on toasted bread, or as a dip for veggies.

Arugula Pesto

2 cups packed arugula, washed well and spun dry
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted golden and cooled
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large garlic clove, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup hot water plus additional if desired

In a food processor pulse together all ingredients except oil and water until arugula is finely chopped. With motor running add oil in a stream, blending mixture until smooth. Sauce may be made up to this point 1 week ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Bring sauce to room temperature to continue. Stir in 1/4 cup hot water plus additional for thinner consistency if desired.

FarmShare Kitchen: Komatsuna Salad

2010-10-23T12:56:00.001-04:00

It's not every day we discover a new vegetable. So, when we do it's a celebration. This week we discovered Komatsuna and it has immediately become a favorite.

We love tried-and-true recipes from FarmShare subscribers. Our thanks to Kathleen Gisser for sending us this one. If you have Komatsuna, great. If not, spinach is the perfect substitute.

Komatsuna Spinach Salad

Fry three pieces of bacon in the bottom of your wok, and remove when crispy. Add 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger and garlic, cook for a minute and add 1/2 cup diced red onion, cook until it starts to become transparent add 2-3 C komatsuna or spinach, chopped. Cook until as done as desired. The stems should still be crunchy.

Place into a serving bowl and dress with cider vinegar and olive oil (or sesame oil if you prefer a more Asian flair).

Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Join us at Ripe! Food & Garden Festival

2010-09-14T13:01:00.001-04:00

September is without a doubt the busiest month for local food lovers. We’re celebrating the harvest this time of year and weekends are filled with fairs and festivals of all kinds. For the past six months, Douglas Katz (chef/owner of Fire Food & Drink) and I have served as co-chairs in the planning of the inaugural Ripe! Food & Garden Festival coming up September 23-26 at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. We’re looking forward to a fantastic weekend of local food and farming fun. We hope you'll join us! Below we've listed a number of ways you can get involved in Ripe! To learn more about Ripe! visit cbgarden.org. -Kari

VOLUNTEER at the FarmShare Booth: FarmShare will be collaborating with Slow Food Northern Ohio and Local Food Cleveland to host a booth at Ripe! for the entire weekend – Friday, Sept. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 26 where we'll offer Ripe! attendees a taste of our local food community. In addition to tastings of locally grown and produced foods, other local food organizations will be invited to join us throughout the weekend and supply literature about their initiatives. If you're interested in serving as a volunteer at the booth, please let us know. Anorganizational meeting will take place on Saturday, September 18 to finalize plans.

DINE at the Harvest Moon Dinner, September 23, 6-10pm: An extraordinary dinner will take place on the eve of the Ripe! event. The Harvest Moon Dinner will feature all-local cuisine by Chefs Tony Smoody of Bon Appetit, Douglas Katz of Fire Food & Drink, and Ben Bebenroth of Spice of Life Catering Co. Cocktails begin at 6pm followed by a 5-course locally grown dinner featuring foods from farms you may recognize from your FarmShare tote bags including fruit from Woolf Farms, cheeses from Lucky Penny Farm & Creamery as well as grass fed beef from Miller Livestock and vegetables grown by the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Green Corps Urban Farms. Tickets for the Harvest Moon Dinner are on sale now at the Cleveland Botanical Garden website.

ATTEND the Ripe! Festival: Ripe! Food & Garden Festival is an exciting, new event whose time has come. Ripe! celebrates the edible gardening revolution and our region’s thriving commitment to local food. At the time when nature’s bounty is at its peak, this joyous festival offers you one-stop access to our most prominent local food purveyors and proponents, along with the farmers and gardeners who are bringing fresh food to our own backyards. We will show you what, when and how to grow and eat, and how you and your families can enjoy yourselves enormously in the process. Advance, discounted tickets are on sale now online at cbgarden.org, at the Cleveland Botanical Garden box office, and at all Heinen’s Fine Foods locations.

SUBMIT A HEALTHY RECIPE in the Aetna Healthy Food Fight: We know that we have some fabulous FarmShare cooks among us. Why not show off your talents by submitting a recipe? Aetna’s regional cook-off will be held at Ripe! 10 regional cook-off winners will fly to Los Angeles for the national cook-off judged by Bobby Flay. For more information visit HealthyFoodFight.com.

FarmShare Kitchen: Walnut Raisin Toasts with Lucky Penny Creamery Goat Cheese

2010-06-24T16:21:00.001-04:00

Our favorite for a simple snack or elegant appetizer.

Walnut Raisin Toasts with Lucky Penny Creamery Goat Cheese

Brush thin slices of Walnut Raisin bread with olive oil. Toast under broiler until golden brown, flip and brown the other side. Remove from oven; top with goat cheese and serve.

FarmShare Kitchen: Rhubarbaritas

2010-06-24T16:15:00.005-04:00

This seasonal variation on the margarita is the perfect way to cool off after a hot, summer day.

Rhubarbaritas

Fresh rhubarb, cut into rough chunks
Simple syrup (2 parts water to one part sugar, boiled until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear)
Crushed ice
Tequila or lemonade
Lime

Place rhubarb chunks in saucepan and cover completely with simple syrup.

Simmer until rhubarb falls into threads.

Cool in saucepan, then strain through cheesecloth draped in a strainer placed over a bowl. Squeeze the last of the juice out of the rhubarb pulp and chill the juice.

When chilled, fill a tumbler with crushed ice. Add equal amounts of rhubarb juice and tequila (or lemonade for a fun, non-alcoholic beverage).

Stir and adjust sweetness with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Take glass to the porch, put feet up, and enjoy!

FarmShare Kitchen: Herbed Garlic Scape & Goat Cheese Frittata

2010-06-24T16:13:00.001-04:00

Herbed Garlic Scape & Goat Cheese Frittata

3 tbsp. olive oil
10 fresh, local eggs
2 tbsp parsley and thyme, minced
1/2 c. garlic scapes, finely chopped
Fresh chevre goat cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl mix eggs and herbs.

Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet on the stove. Add the scapes and saute until tender on medium heat for about five minutes.

Pour egg mixture in skillet with scapes and cook over low for three minutes. Crumble goat cheese over the top of frittata; place in oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until top is set. Cut into wedges and serve.

FarmShare Kitchen: Farmer Joan's Baked Rhubarb

2010-06-18T17:38:00.005-04:00

One of our favorite local growers, Joan Bliss grows lovely rhubarb at her farm, Blissful Acres in Lake County.

Farmer Joan's Baked Rhubarb

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut rhubarb into 1” chunks; sprinkle with sugar, and add to buttered baking dish. Roast in oven until tender. Top with fresh, sliced strawberries and a drizzle of cream, a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

And just like that, you have a delicious, summer dessert.

FarmShare Kitchen: Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Pudding

2010-06-18T17:28:00.003-04:00

When strawberries are in season, we just can't get enough of them. Here's a great way to enjoy fresh, Northeast Ohio strawberries.

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Pudding

2 cups organic milk (if bread is very dry, you may need to add more milk)
2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1” pieces
2 cups strawberries, hulled & quartered
1 cup honey

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

10 cups day-old bread (challah, egg bread, baguette, etc.), cubed

Greek yogurt or whipped cream sweet- ened with a bit of honey or Ohio maple syrup (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk milk, eggs and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Fold in rhubarb, strawberries, and bread cubes and let stand for 15 minutes. Add pudding mixture to a 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides. Remove ring from pan and serve.

FarmShare Kitchen: Summer Pasta with Garlic Scapes & Kale

2010-06-18T14:44:00.004-04:00

Summer Pasta with Garlic Scapes and Kale

1 pound dry pasta
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 garlic scapes, cut into 1/2” pieces
Crushed red chile flakes
Sea salt and black pepper
2 large handfuls of kale, chopped
1 sprig fresh oregano
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted for a few minutes at 300 F and chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large pot over high heat, bring water to boil for pasta.

In a skillet large enough to accommodate the greens, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic scapes, chile flakes, a pinch or two of salt, and a vigorous grind of black pep- per and stir. Saute until scapes are sizzling and fragrant but be careful not to let the garlic brown. Add the kale and oregano and turn heat to medium, tossing the greens so that they're coated in the garlic-scented oil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until greens are tender. When the water boils, salt it well; add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Remove 1 cup of pasta cooking water w/ a measuring cup or ladle. Drain pasta and return it to its pot. Add the sautéed scapes and kale to the pasta; add walnuts, and a healthy splash of olive oil and toss. Add enough of the pasta water to moisten the pasta. Adjust seasoning adding salt and pepper if necessary and serve hot.

Pass the cheese and grater at table as well as additional olive oil.

Farmshare Kitchen: Strawberries & Cream

2010-06-17T16:43:00.001-04:00

Finally, it's strawberry season once again. Unfortunately, the strawberry season doesn't last forever. In fact, it's rather fleeting. But we're planning to enjoy them while we can. FarmShare subscribers can look forward to delicious, locally grown strawberries in our inaugural June 18 delivery.

We'll have some tasty strawberry recipes for you too in the first seasonal edition of our Freshfrom the Farm newsletter.

In the meantime, try this simple, delicious (and a little bit decadent) way to enjoy fresh, local berries -- it's a FarmShare Kitchen favorite.

Strawberries & Cream

Strawberries
Sour Cream
Brown Sugar

Dip strawberries in sour cream, then dip lightly in brown sugar and pop them into your mo

FarmShare Kitchen: Braised Lettuce & Peas

2010-06-17T16:00:00.006-04:00

Braised Lettuce & Peas

1 tsp oil, butter or bacon fat
1 small onion, finely chopped
Leaves from 1/2 head of lettuce
Salt
1/4 cup peas (optional)

Heat the oil, butter or fat over medium-low heat in a large skillet.

Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent.

Add lettuce, sprinkle with salt.

Add enough water to come halfway up the sides of pan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover pan and simmer 15 minutes.

If using peas, add them during the last 2 minutes. Remove lettuce from the liquid with slotted spoon or tongs.

Turn the heat to high and boil the liquid, uncovered, until reduced to a sauce-like consistency. Turn off heat; return lettuce to pan and toss with sauce.

Add salt if necessary, and serve warm.

Happy 2010!

2009-12-29T15:24:00.014-05:00

2009 has been an amazing year for FarmShare!

We've made it our mission to encourage local, seasonal eating by delivering you the freshest and finest foods available in our local foodshed. In spite of 2009's challenging economic times, we experienced our second consecutive year of growth. We delivered over 18,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables -- all grown right here in Northern Ohio on family farms located less than 50 miles from Cleveland.

We'd like to thank everyone who made our year a happy one: our dedicated FarmShare subscribers, partners, family, and friends of local food. We can't do it without you. Your support of FarmShare continues to provide local farmers and food producers a dependable, local market which preserves Ohio farmland and strengthens our local food community. For this we are grateful.

We also applaud our local farmers, bakers, cheesemakers, beekeepers, millers, food artisans, and yes, Mother Nature, whose seasonal collaboration resulted in a bounty of delicious, nutritious, local food on our tables throughout the past year.

As 2010 quickly approaches, we have much to look forward to. The first FarmShare delivery of the year is scheduled for January 21. Our Happy Healthy New Year Delivery will feature winter root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, beets and potatoes; kitchen staples such as onions and garlic; and more wholesome, hearty foods to nourish us through winter's coldest days.

If you're not already receiving information about FarmShare please click here to subscribe to our mailing list and we'll keep you posted about our upcoming 2010 season.

Here's to much happiness, health, and tasty local food in 2010!

Happy New Year!

-Kari Moore
Founder and President, FarmShare Ohio

FarmShare Kitchen: Broccoli Tahini Spread

2009-12-21T15:59:00.008-05:00

Winter FarmShare subscribers enjoyed one final delivery of broccoli last Thursday, December 17. It's perfect for this dish which comes to us from the creative kitchen of Heidi Robb. Her recipe for Broccoli Tahini Spread transforms broccoli into a tasty, festive and healthy holiday treat.

Many thanks to Larry Luschek from Infinite Garden Farm for an amazing fall broccoli harvest this season!

FarmShare Kitchen: Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2009-11-13T16:02:00.021-05:00

We enjoyed these cookies at FarmShare delivery day yesterday and received a number of requests for the recipe. So, here it is...

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups oatmeal
1 t. baking soda
1 teas cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 cup butter
3/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 lg. egg
1 teas vanilla
3/4 cut chopped nuts
3/4 cup raisins

Cream together butter and sugars. Add other moist and dry ingredients. Bake 350 on greased cookied sheets for 14 - 16 minutes.