Lettuce Talk About Monogrammin'

Hello everyone!  My how the week does fly! Read on to discover a delicious recipe, a new addition to the table and what's in store for our table tomorrow.

And now...drum roll please!, showcasing our prize butter head lettuce - young and tender...succulent heads of brilliant green!  These lovelies go fast when they hit the stand!

lettuce talk...

And for a good reason too!  Eating fresh lettuce leaves are an excellent source of nutrition!  Not only is lettuce a low calorie green veggie - one serving also packs a powerful, nourishing punch!...247% of your daily vitamin A and TONS of beta-carotene (which converts to MORE vitamin A).  It is also rich in vitamins K, C and other vital minerals.  Which all translates to a happy healthy body - improved skin, and vision (vitamin A), resistance against infectious agents (vitamin C) and help to ward off diseases such as osteoporosis and Alzheimer's (vitamin K)...just to name a few.

The salad recipe below is a perfectly delicate addition to your "spring plate" and also uses our deliciously sweet carrots and mildly peppered icicle radishes.

the recipe...

Spring Vegetable Salad....

• serves 2
• prep time: a blink of an eye!

ingredients...

• 2.5 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 butter head lettuce
• 1-2 radishes cut into thin strips
• 1-2 carrots thinly sliced (all from yours truly, of course!)
• 1 oz of your favorite sprouts

method...

1. whisk together vinegar and oil.  season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. tear lettuce into bite sized pieces and add the radishes and carrots
3. toss with dressing.  top with sprouts...enjoy!

gettin' groovy with monograms...

Baby blankets? Towels? T-shirts? Bags? Your favorite tie?...Your kids underwear?....just monogram it!  This week we are featuring some examples of our good friend and neighbor, Breanna Groover's monogrammed items....great for gift ideas (especially for brides & expecting mama's to be!)..we'll have a small sample on the table tomorrow - but breanna does it all from wreaths, to clothes, to towels...you name it - she'll monogram it!  You can find her and her creative, monikered line on her facebook page, "Groovy Groover Monograms" (https://www.facebook.com/GroovyGrooverMonograms)  or pick up her info at the market tomorrow!   

bradford pottery....

Another great source for gift ideas or just for personal enjoyment - Bradford Pottery is now open for business in downtown Bishop.  There you will find an assortment of beautiful, functional stoneware fired on site in a gas kiln and also nearby - on the farm in his hand built wood-fire kiln.

The GRAND OPENING is tentatively planned for the evening of May 11  - we will keep you posted!  It will certainly be a worthwhile and fun event!

Until then - you can find John and his many pots at: 

Bradford Pottery

4860 Macon Hwy Bishop 30621

(575) 224-1369

Hours: Wed - Sat 10am - 6pm

          Sun 12 - 5pm

what we got...

• produce & such...

              - Butter head lettuce

              - Romaine

              - Icicle radishes

              - Carrots (just a few bunches this week!)

              - Kale

              - Pecans - lovingly handpicked and shelled

              - Eggs - pasture raised

* A note on eggs:  Our chickens are temporarily declining in production due to their natural molting cycle.  Have patience with us - our production will be increasing again soon enough.  We would like to continue to offer pre-ordered dozens - but this will be based on a first come, first serve basis.  Let us know via email if you'd like to reserve any - we'll let you know if we can comply.

• pottery from Bradford Pottery...

              - mugs, bowls, vases

              - beautiful, earthy, handcrafted

• baked goods...

               - Cranberry - Almond Biscotti

               - Bourbon- Pecan Tarts

               - Smoked Pecans

We hope to see each one of your lovely faces tomorrow at the market!

For the love of community and all thing farming...

Your local farmers,

Will, John & Dana...and Matt and Francie too!

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

Smoke It Yourself, Gallery Opening and More!

Hello everyone!  Hope the week finds everyone well!  

This Saturday we have an extra special treat for all of you gearing up for the grilling season - enjoying the afternoons lingering to twilight, hanging out with friends and family, brewskie in hand and grill fired up.  This year try grilling out with a "smokin" twist with our pecan wood chips.  And you don't need a smoker to enjoy the delicious smokey pecan flavor added to of your favorite foods. 

Or if you want the flavor sans the grilling - try our Pecan Smoked Pecans this week - a Savage-Power creation the boys "smoked up" while enjoying a relaxing Spring evening and a round of horseshoes down by the pond...you can almost taste the leisure and relaxation - a little sample of the dog days to come...

And read on to discover just how to do SIY ("Smoke It Yourself) and more of what you'll find at our table this week...oh! AND a gallery opening in the wings too!

how to....

Pecan Wood Chips - smoking on the grill....

• THE EASY WAY.... sprinkle some Pastures of Rose Creek Pecan Wood Chips over your charcoals to add that savory pecan smoked flavor.
• THE MORE SOPHISTICATED WAY....

1. Prepare the gas barbecue for the desire temperature. For long slow-cooked meats like baby back pork ribs or beef brisket, use a lower temperature, such as 250 degrees F. For meats that cook quickly, like burgers, steaks and sausages, use medium-high to high heat.
2. Place the wood chips in a disposable aluminum broiler pan. These pans are available at most supermarkets.
3. Set the broiler pan over one burner at one end of the barbecue. Once the wood chips smolder, reduce the heat under the broiler pan to low or turn it off so the wood chips smolder slowly and continually. Keep all the other burners on.
4. Use an oven thermometer or the built-in thermostat on your barbecue to help regulate the temperature of the barbecue.
5. Close the barbecue cover until the desired temperature of your barbecue is reached, then place the meats on the grill at the opposite end from the smoldering wood chips and cook. For longer grilling times, add more soaked wood chips to the broiler pan as needed.

bradford pottery opens it's doors....

Calling all pottery lovers, admirers and enthusiasts!...Bradford Pottery is now open for business!  Stop on by to check out John's new gallery space in the heart of Bishop...can't miss it - right across the street from "Antique Road" on 441...big blue building with "POTTERY" spelled out in neat, white letters.  

The gallery is stocked with beautiful earthy pieces from John's latest anagama wood firing plus some new eye catching pieces from his recent gas firing.  Also, fellow potter and former tenant of the space - Dottie Schaefer - will be showcased there.

In addition to the gallery space, John has a beautiful open studio - where interested parties can view the magical, mesmerizing process of throwing on a wheel and soon will be able to take classes themselves (in the process of acquiring more wheels - anyone out there know of any for sale?).

The GRAND OPENING is tentatively planned for the evening of May 11  - we will keep you posted!  It will certainly be a worthwhile and fun event!

Until then - you can find John and his many pots at: 

Bradford Pottery

4860 Macon Hwy Bishop 30621

(575) 224-1369

Hours: Wed - Sat 10am - 6pm

          Sun 12 - 5pm

what we got...

• produce & such...

              - Carrots

              - Butter Head Lettuce

              - Arugula

              - Mixed Greens

              - Kale

              - Pecans - lovingly handpicked and shelled

              - Eggs - pasture raised

* A note on eggs:  Our chickens are temporarily declining in production due to their natural molting cycle.  Have patience with us - our production will be increasing again soon enough.  We would like to continue to offer pre-ordered dozens - but this will be based on a first come, first serve basis.  Let us know via email if you'd like to reserve any - we'll let you know if we can comply.

• pottery from Bradford Pottery...

              - mugs, bowls, vases

              - beautiful, earthy, handcrafted

• baked goods...

               - Cranberry - Almond Biscotti

               - Apple Cinnamon Tarts

               - Bourbon- Pecan Tarts

               - Smoked Pecans

We hope to see each one of your lovely faces tomorrow at the market!

For the love of community and all thing farming...

Your local farmers,

Will, John & Dana...and Matt and Francie too!

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

Some New Faces....

Hello everyone!  Less than 24 hours until the start of the farmers market season.  You'll find us this Saturday 8 am - 1 pm downtown Watkinsville, on Main St - right in front of the courthouse.  Can't miss us!  We'll be there with about 30 other vendors - selling everything from veggies to baked goods to artisan crafts.  Early birds who stop by our table may even get a little bonus surprise...  

Read on to discover just what we'll have, a yummy recipe and an introduction to some new faces (...reverse that order).

new faces....

By now, many of you already know our farm manager Will Powers...aka Willy P., Chilly Willy, or just plain "Wheel" - the jovial farmer who often is mistaken for Brad Pitt (circa "A River Runs Through It").  :)  Then there is John the Potter and me, the biscotti lady, Dana.  But we're old news.  We do have some additions to the farm that we are excited about and who you may see at the market as well...

We are very excited to now have Matt Savage (Will's cousin...get a load of these last names!) working on the farm.  The "Savage Power" Combo is a dynamic force sweeping the farm and has been a huge asset to our progress.  Not to mention his awesome chef-ing skills.  Matt comes to us from The Branded Butcher and Farm 255 before that - and creates the most scrumptious food creations you've ever experienced.   Try his Bourbon Pecan or Cinnamon Apple Tarts this weekend at the market!  

We are also thrilled to introduce Francie Pastor - who many of you may already know as Francie Powers - Will's sister.  Francie is here lending her bright mind, creative spirit, and diligent hands to the farm that she grew up on.  Her delicious toasted pecans you'll find on our market table come from the very branches she swung from as kids with Will and was married under very recently.  We hope to use her imaginative writing skills in our upcoming blogs/emails...a very special treat for our readers! 

a recipe....

Grilled Romaine with Gorgonzola & Francie's Toasted Pecans

Serving Size: 2      Total Time:  25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 head romaine (cut in half lengthwise) - from the Pastures of Rose Creek, or course!
• 2.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 c. gorgonzola, crumbled
• 1/3 cup toasted pecans - from our market table - where else?

Method:

• Preheat grill to high heat
• Heat 1/2 tbsp of the olive oil in a saucepan on med-high heat.  Add the  pecans.  Heat for 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat a touch and add balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp olive oil.  Stir to combine.  Remove from heat and set aside.
• Brush the romaine with the remaining olive oil. Place on the grill cut side down and quickly sear.
• Serve the lettuce cut side up and drizzle the balsamic, pecan mix.  Sprinkle with gorgonzola.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

what we got...

• produce & such...

              -Escarole

              -Romaine

              -Icicle Radishes

              -maybe some Arugula & Mixed Greens

              -Pecans - lovingly handpicked and shelled

              -Eggs - pasture raised

* A note on eggs:  Our chickens are temporarily declining in production due to their natural molting cycle.  Have patience with us - our production will be increasing again soon enough.  We would like to continue to offer pre-ordered dozens - but this will be based on a first come, first serve basis.  Let us know via email if you'd like to reserve any - we'll let you know if we can comply.

• pottery from Bradford Pottery...

              - mugs, bowls, vases

              - beautiful, earthy, handcrafted

• baked goods...

               - YES!  Cranberry-Almond Biscotti is BACK!!

               - Apple Cinnamon Tarts

               - Bourbon- Pecan Tarts

               - Toasted Pecans

We hope to see each one of your lovely faces tomorrow at the market!

For the love of community and all thing farming...

Your local farmers,

Will, John & Dana...and Matt and Francie too!

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

A Novel Idea...

Hello again!  Just sending out a reminder that this week, in addition to the produce stand, we will also have the KILN UNLOADING!!....Come and check out the beautiful pottery this wood-fired kiln has produced!  Fresh out of the oven... and still warm to the touch - can't get it more exciting and genuine than this!

The Produce Stand will be operating under it's normal hours...9am - 1 pm on Rose Creek Drive...just a hop skip and a jump away from the kiln. 

The Unloading will be at 1941 Colham Ferry Road from 12 pm-1pm...just past Rose Creek Drive...look for the fixer upper and the red scarf tied to the mail box.  Kiln is out back behind the sheds.

This week's harvest includes (but is not limited to)...

farm fresh eggs

pecans

arugula

mixed greens (still a little light on these guys)

escarole

icicle radishes

beets (down to the last of 'em)

And because we have oh so many greens to kick start the growing season (and a good way to put those pecans to use too!), try this delicious (and our favorite) BLUEBERRY BLUE SALAD WITH HONEY MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE......yummm..

Now, (funny story)  I learned the salad dressing recipe from Will's sister Francie - sans the honey.  And I have been making this yummy dressing for about 6 months.  Just last week I cooked my brother a delicious birthday mushroom risotto dinner (also a dish I learned from Francie) accompanied with a lovely garden fresh salad...and that's when it hit me - I had this novel...absolutely brilliant idea - put HONEY in the dressing to give it a little extra sweetness.  Wow.  I thought I was a genius on my way to some sort of esteemed culinary award.  As I was stirring the risotto I was instructing my brother's fiancee on how to make the salad dressing and told her my amazing, never-been-done-before idea....She gave me a quizzical look and said - "Yeah, Dana, I think they call that honey mustard."  Ohhhhh.....

So, it may not be the most original recipe (haha), but probably for a good reason...it's delicious...

Salad dressing:

1/2 tsp crushed garlic

1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard

1/2 - 1 tsp honey (go local with covenant valley farms honey!)

Mix ingredients.  While mixing add ~ 1/2 - 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (we use the white balsamic from trader joe's) and then add, still mixing, 1/2 tsp olive oil

Salad Ingredients:

1 bag of your favorite greens (we have been doing a mixture of escarole and arugula....heavenly!)

handful of Blue Cheese - crumbled  (or try goat cheese, feta, whatever you like!)

handful of blueberries (also good with peaches)

handful of chopped pecans

Toss dressing and salad together - enjoy!

We hope to see you all tomorrow!  And pre-orders on eggs and produce are welcome!

For the love of community and all things farming,

Your local farmers,

Will, John & Dana
--
The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

Pottery...Fresh outta the Oven!

Hello everyone!  It's here, it's here!  The moment that so many of you have been anticipating (and I almost forgot to send out!)....the 3rd batch of pottery from John's anagama kiln will be ceremoniously unloaded this Saturday, March 9 from 12:00-1:00 pm....1941 Colham Ferry Road (We're the little fixer upper with the red scarf tied to the mail box...unloading is behind the metal sheds).

Many of you may ask - what the heck is a kiln unloading?  Or better yet, those of you who drive down Colham Ferry Road may often wonder what the heck that big, brick furnace-y oven thing is thats been burping plumes of smoke and flame every 3 minutes for the past 3 days....

Well, first of all, the over sized pizza oven is actually John's hand built anagama wood-fired pottery kiln.  Anagama kiln literally means "cave kiln" in japanese and will reach temperatures in excess of 2200 F.  It uses wood as it's only source of fuel, going through about 2 cords of wood in 2-3 days.  Burning wood in this way creates "fly ash" inside the kiln...much of this wood ash then settles on the pots inside and creates a complex interaction between flame, ash and clay....often to create an ashen glaze that varies in texture and color.  The final product is beautiful, rustic pottery...with a "born out of the earth" quality that is unique to the wood-fire technique.

We will also have our produce stand up and running just down the road (or a quick walk across the pasture) on Rose Creek Drive from 9am-1pm.

So come on over this Saturday for your one-stop-shop!  Fresh veggies right out of the garden...farm fresh eggs straight from the chicken...and  now, POTTERY - fresh out of the oven...literally!

Hope to see you all Saturday!

Your local farmers...and potter,

Will, John & Dana

If you can't BEET it....EAT it!

Hi-ya folks!  Once again, the Rose Creek Produce Stand will be up and running tomorrow from 9 am - 1 pm.

This week we are featuring our most popular beet variety - an Italian heirloom varietal, known as the CHIOGGIA BEET.  A little off the "beet-en path" - this beet is also known as the candy cane beet.  It's appeal is not only it's sweeter flavor, but it's general aesthetic.  This beet has a beautiful fuchsia-red exterior and when cut open exposes a white and red candy striped inside.  Although these festive rings tend to fade when cooked, you are still left with a beautiful golden-pink beet that is appealing on any plate.   Like any other beet, it can be prepared in the same fashion - steamed, roasted, sautéed, pickled...AND more bang for your buck - you can eat the greens too!  Toss them in a salad or sauté them up! 

And furthermore - just like so many fresh veggies - beets are good for you!  Beets have lots of fiber, potassium, iron, and folic acid, a B vitamin. And betacyanin, the pigment that gives beets their color, is a powerful antioxidant.

And...if you can't beet em....EAT 'em!  Here are 2 delicious recipes to use with any beet variety! 

                       RAW CHIOGGIA BEET SALAD WITH HONEY-LIME VINAIGRETTE:

                       **Perfect for chioggia beets as they are prepared raw and retain their brightly-striped appeal.

                         (4-6 servings)

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salad

4 medium Chioggia beets, washed, peeled and cut into matchsticks 

2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons roasted unsalted or salted pepitas (a type of pumpkin seed found in any major supermarket)

Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Wash and peel beets. (You may want to wear gloves, as the beets may stain your hands.) Using a sharp knife, cut into matchsticks. Place beets in small bowl. Add scallions, cilantro and pepitas, and toss. Add vinaigrette and toss until well coated. Serve at room temperature.

ROSEMARY BEET PANCAKES:

(4 servings)

1-1.5 lbs beets

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp salt

1/4 c flour

2 tbsp butter

METHOD:

1.  Trim the beets and peel as would a potato. Grate the beets (if doing this by hand be sure to wear gloves as the beet juice can stain your hands!).  Begin preheating a medium sized skillet over medium heat.

2.  Toss the grated beets in a bowl with rosemary and salt.  Add half the flour.  Toss well.  Add the rest of the flour.  Toss again.  Pat into 4 patties.

3.  Place butter in skillet and heat until turns nut-brown.  Place each beet patty in the skillet and press down with the spatula.  Turn the heat to medium high and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the beet cake is nicely crisped (6-8 min)

4.  Flip and repeat step 3.

You will also find this week at the stand:

Pasture Raised Eggs

Pecans

Icicle Radishes

Beets

Escarole

And maybe a little kale

Hope to see y'all tomorrow!

For the love of community and all things farming,

Your local farmers,

Will, John & Dana

--

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

Try This Divine Endive!

Hello all!  The produce stand this week will be up and running on Saturday from 9 am - 1 pm.  And this week we have a new addition to the stand table....that delicious leafy cooking green....ESCAROLE.

If you enjoy cooking kale or collards - expand your horizons and experiment with escarole in a dish!  It carries a sharper taste than kale and will offer something new for the palate.  Many people liken it to  radicchio and can be used in salads, however escarole is less bitter than it's endive cousin.  It can also be cooked down to remove some of it's sharp flavor.

Escarole is commonly found in Northern Italian dishes....one of our favorite recipes is escarole and beans - divinely rich and creamy and great with some warm, crusty bread as an appetizer or side dish.  See below for the recipe!

And this leafy green is packed with nutrition...

It has the lowest count of calories of leafy green veggies and is high in antioxidants vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C and various other vitamins and minerals.  Due to it's high nutritional content and low calories - it's a great veggie to add to a low-fat diet.

You will also find this Saturday at our stand...

farm fresh eggs

pecans

kale

icicle radishes

beets (along with their delicious greens!)

escarole

...and maybe even some cauliflower!!

So stop on by 1051 Rose Creek Drive (Wat-town of course!) for your farm fresh fix!  And you now the drill....if you don't immediately see us - give us a honk...we're probably somewhere in the garden.  :)

And here is that recipe (serves 4 bowls):

ESCAROLE & BEANS RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil (divided)

2 large heads escarole

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (16 oz) cannellini beans, undrained

3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped (optional) 

Directions:

1.  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in escarole, turning to coat with oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until tender.

2.  In a separate skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Stir in garlic. Pour in beans with juices, and simmer until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in escarole and parsley; simmer 10 minutes more.

Hope to see you all Saturday!

For the love of community and all things farming,

Your local farmers,

Will, John & Dana

--

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029