Growers and Grocers

We recently returned from a trip to Maine with new foodstuffs, thanks to a stop at the Stonewall Kitchen headquarters in York, which is a cute town right on the water with at least three candy stores. If you’re a fan of condiments — dips, dressings, jellies, jams, sauces, salsas, marinades and mustards — then […]

One of my tomato plants with silver mulch underneath (photo: author)
If you garden, you no doubt know the wonders of mulch: it moderates soil temperature, conserves water and helps to build the soil. But silver reflective mulch, as opposed to plain old bark or other organic matter, can also repel pests, including thrips and aphids, […]

I’ve been telling people grass is good for years. As The Organic Chef and an organic grass fed beef farmer, it’s only natural that I’ve heard just about everything a person could tell me about grass fed beef.Here I’ve chosen three “myths” about grass fed beef to debunk:
1) All beef is grass-fed
2) Grass-fed beef is […]

In a moment both shimmering and tantalizing, ramps have arrived.  Signifying the return of the fairy tale bounty of the summer Union Square Greenmarket, in flavor, ramps are a delightfully delicate cross between garlic and leek.
Trim off the bulb, and wash, pying attention to where the leaves separate.
Zucchini Ramp Omelet

Sauté one small diced zucchini in […]

As someone who doesn’t eat a lot of red meat to begin with, I find it really interesting when I hear friends talk about buying half a steer that has been grass fed.  Recently, a friend of mine checked into doing this and I decided it was time to learn more about the benefits of […]

Spring weather may finally, finally be here, and that means here in the Northeast, ’tis the season for Farmers Markets, and I, for one, cannot wait.  In the “green” issue of Domino magazine (March 2008), Cynthia Kling gave her top tips for getting the most out of visits to your local farmer’s market:

Arrive early - before […]

One thing my husband and I have been searching for in our new home is someone who sells whole sides of beef.  I think we’ve found someone, which is excellent news.  Beef from cattle raised on small farms is at least an order of magnitude better than what the grocery store carries, even those with […]

Some people without a Safeway grocery store may be getting access to its wonderful line of organic products called O Organics. Market Watch informs us that Safeway is “striking partnerships to sell its “O Organics” line in Asia and South America” due to a deal with distributing giant Sysco Corp. The line was introduced in […]

Do you recall a time before beef recalls?  As an organic grass-fed farmer, I know the origin of 0157:H7, the e-coli bug that is the source of nearly every beef recall in the past decade.  Yet I’m still shocked and amazed that the American public has no idea at all why beef is recalled and […]

With all the recent promotion in the produce aisle for buying local and buying fresh, even city dwellers can get in on the sustainable food choices movement. Over the past decade, a growing number of urban agriculture projects (let’s just call them farms) have sprung up in America’s major cities. Typically not more than an […]