We get this every year. "I keep forgetting to signup." Well, we expect it and order some extra product so we can accommodate the last minute signups.

We have 50 extra shares available this week.

To get in for this week:

1) Please reply to this email. State what share option you want and where you want to pickup.

2) We will add you in and set up your account.

*Featured items listed below, and other items in the online shop, are available to current season subscribers only.

At my farm - Wholesome Valley Farm in Wilmot - I specialize in grass-based livestock production.

What does this mean? It means I focus on growing healthy organic pastures that feed my cattle, hogs, and chickens. Each breed has a different management technique, with the beef on an aggressive pasture rotation, the hogs utilizing the cool shade of the woods, and the chickens "mowing and fertilizing" my pasture.

I like to advertise that there is a season for chickens. Most chicken in the US is raised inside large barns with 0.7 to 1 square foot per chicken. That's fairly tight but some researcher figured out that's the optimum stocking rate to create cheap food. There are plenty of local chickens raised that way. We don't buy those type of birds.

I raise chickens only during the summer growing months only and freeze inventory for the winter. I believe that a frozen chicken in the winter that was raised outside with grass and exercise is far superior to a chicken raised in a barn.

Some would say I'm a glutton for punishment. At Wholesome Valley Farm my western pastures look like some form of encampment (photos above). We have 31 drag pens for the chickens - each must be moved daily, feed added, and water lines moved along. This takes a few hours each day, 7 days per week.

This structure has no floor, and the birds are on grass. Each day we move the drag pens forward to a new piece of grass. This helps to uniformly mow down the pasture and spread the manure evenly. Some growers even call these "chicken tractors" because of how the grass is mowed down behind the pens.

In the end, our birds have a better texture and more flavor than a commercial chicken. Further, the fertilizer they spread in the form of their manure helps to strengthen my pastures which will in turn create more plentiful and healthy grass to feed the beef.

I learned years ago from my friend Chef Parker Bosley that a whole chicken is the best value in food. It can be prepared whole for an easy family meal or broken into parts (breast, thigh, drums, wings, and bones) for several different dishes.

If you are new to working with a whole chicken, we suggest simply roasting the chicken and saving any bones/scraps to make chicken stock (recipe below).

Here I'll answer two common questions about whole chicken:

Should I brine the chicken? Brining is the technique of seasoning a piece of meat inside and out by either submerging it in a bath (liquid brine) or rubbing it with seasonings (dry brine or a "cure" or a rub, depending on how hip and fancy you want to sound).

The brine does two important things: 1) It exchanges water in the meat for seasoned water from the brine, and 2) I think of it as an insurance plan on meat. The added and retained moisture helps prevent you from drying out the meat.

Summary: I recommend brining. It is, however, not necessary. Check out our Brine Recipe + Video HERE for more details.

How to Roast the Chicken -- ROASTING GUIDE HERE.

If you have brined your chicken, you will want to remove the chicken from the brine a few hours before you want to cook it (ideally) and pat the skin dry with a paper towel.

Taking Temperature = insert your thermometer into the thigh of the bird but not into the bone. You will feel the bone. It will give you an inaccurate reading. The juices should run clear from the thigh.

Carve your bird and enjoy!

Photos Below: Where to insert your thermometer and the other, a beautifully roasted whole chicken.

I think my cooking changed big time when I learned the importance of rich stock in the kitchen. It is both flavorful and nutritious.

Chef Parker Bosley first taught me about stock. He is very particular about it and can wax on poetically about the nuances he has picked up over the years.

More bones available in the online shop. In fact, I just finished up a batch of stock last night. I packed it into quart containers and stored in the freezer. I'll have quite a bit available for easy use now. I like making soup as a way to clear out the fridge some days -- because yes, I can get behind on my produce from time to time and soup is a great way to use up a lot of ingredients!

Bok Choy is a unique plant classified in seed catalogs as a Chinese Cabbage. It's a reliable early crop, taking well to cool nights. The tender greens are edible raw in salads or quickly stir fried. They are slightly sweet with a strong peppery background similar to mustard greens. The white stems are the best part in my opinion. They are crunchy and full of flavor.

While a simple stir fry is the easiest way to use your bok choy, we tested a few recipes to feature below.

BOK CHOY STIR FRY WITH CRISPY TOFU OR CHICKEN

1. Cube tofu (or chicken) and cut it into small pieces and place into mixing bowl carefully.

2. Sprinkle the cornstarch (or flour) over the tofu and GENTLY hand toss cubes in cornstarch to cover. Set aside.

3. Heat large sauté pan with oil over medium high heat. 

4. Carefully place tofu cubes into the pan and fry on all sides until crispy. Once crispy reduce heat to medium. Remove tofu from pan and set aside. 

5. In the same pan, over medium heat, add the mushroom, onion, carrot, and bok choy stems. Sauté until tender.

6. Add bok choy leaves, garlic, ginger, and chili flake. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat.

7. Just before serving, toss the beautiful crispy tofu (or chicken) bits in the soy sauce, lemon, and vinegar and serve on top of the vegetables.

8. Season with salt to taste.

NOTES

·        TOFU- Must be extra firm! Or it will fall apart.

·        To get firm tofu, press the tofu by wrapping it in a towel and placing it in a tray with some weight on it (jars of Wholesome Valley Farm Salsa work great, or a few dinner plates). Let it rest in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. (or just use chicken)

·       If using chicken, you can cook the chicken cubes first in a saute pan with oil. Cook all poultry to a minimum of 165°F. 

LEMON & GARLIC ROASTED BOK CHOY

1. Clean the bok choy, cut in half length wise. Then rinse and let soak in cold water for ~15 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon zest, garlic, vinegar, chili flake and stir.

3. Drain and dry the bok choy very well. Once dry place on a oiled or lined baking sheet.*

4. Drizzle the lemon-garlic sauce over the Bok Choy and place in 450°F oven for 7-10 minutes, or until stalks are tender.

5. Season with salt once out of the oven and enjoy!

*NOTES

·        If you have larger heads of bok choy they are great for grilling halves

·        Larger bok choy can be baked with individual leaves on a single layer of a baking sheet, which makes a tasty crispy “choy chip” on the outside with a tender stalk!