One Year Annivesary!

I can't believe I've had a blog for a year! Where did the time go?

Last year about this time I started with posts about starting seeds (I did this, this morning) and raking rocks (I did this, this afternoon). A lot of details have changed in my life but the broad strokes are the same. Will I be able to say the same next March?

March Can Jam: Raspberry Garlic Jam

When I first discovered the ingredient of the month I didn't know what to think. Heck, I didn't even know what an allium was.

But once I found out, I was really excited. I've wanted to make garlic jelly for a long time. Since I don't grow it (I finally am this season!), I never had a reason to. Now I finally do! And, I found a recipe with wine. Oh how I love to add liquor to my jam!

The first step is roasting the garlic. This was super easy. Cut the head off, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, enclose in foil and roast!

The next step was making the juice for the jam. This was also super easy. Squeeze the garlic out of the skin and into a sauce pan. Add the wine, water, more vinegar and pepper. Bring to a boil and let steep. Then drain over cheese cloth.

While the garlic juice is draining, mash the raspberries and put three cups of the puree into your jam pot. My jam is not garlicky enough. Next time I'm only using two cup of raspberries.

Then measure two cups of the garlic juice. If you don't have two cups, add enough wine to get there. Next time I plan to make a double batch of the garlic juice and use three cups.

Combine the garlic juice, pectin and a bit of butter with the raspberries and bring to a boil. Add the sugar, return to a boil and boil for one minute.

Pour into jars and process. Voila! Isn't it gorgeous!

Recipe adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and the Ball pectin berry jam instructions.

3 medium heads of garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup dry white wine

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, crushed

3 cups red raspberry puree

1 pouch pectin

7 cups sugar

Cut the tops off the garlic, place each in a separate square of aluminum foil. Top each head with one teaspoon of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roast at 425 for 45 - 60 minutes or until soft and golden.

Squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a saucepan. Add the wine, water, balsamic vinegar and peppercorns. Bring to a boil for five minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes. Drain through dampened cheesecloth, undisturbed for a half hour. Measure two cups of the liquid. If there isn't two cups, add enough wine to make two cups.

Mash the raspberries with a potato masher. Measure three cups into a large stockpot. Add the garlic liquid, a teaspoon of butter to reduce foaming and the pectin. Bring to a rolling boil. Add the sugar. Bring to a rolling boil for one minute.

Remove from heat, put in jars and process for 10 minutes.

February Can Jam: Carrot Rhubarb Jam

I was a little skeptical when I read the February ingredient. I had no idea what to do with carrots.

I found a carrot jam recipe with brandy and almonds. I'm known for adding liquor to jam so I thought about it. That is until I cleaned our my freezer and found loads of diced rhubarb from the past two seasons and a recipe for carrot rhubarb jam.

It smelled really good cooking and they're very pretty but I'm not sure what to expect. The recipe didn't call for sugar, just one small cup of honey. It also didn't call for any lemon juice. Not wanting anyone to get sick, I added a couple tablespoons just in case. It was chunkier than any jam I've ever made, more like a chunky salsa consistency.

Carrot Rhubarb Jam

Adapted from www.ifood.tv

3 cups carrots, grated
6 cups rhubarb, diced

3 oranges, juice and grated rind
1 cup honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Pour boiling water over rhubarb.Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain. This reduces objectionable oxalic acid. Mix all ingredients and let stand overnight. Next morning, bring to slow boil. Cook only until rhubarb is transparent and mixture thickened. Pour into hot sterilized jars. Seal.

Thoughts on Pollan and King Corn

A few months ago I was introduced to Michael Pollan - not the man, just his writing.

I was reading one of my favorite blogs and was shocked and disheartened by some of the conclusions the author was drawing about farming, specifically corn farming, from her research on whole foods and healthy eating.

Her post reviewing the movie King Corn and introducing me to Pollan inspired some dialogue and caused me to dig into a genre of writing I otherwise would have never exposed myself to.

Here are my thoughts on The Omnivore's Dilemma as well as the movie King Corn:

1. Pollan is a brilliant writer.

His ability to give corn anthropomorphic qualities as he weaves his tale of corn domination is second to none. But let's be real. Hybrid corn came about to raise yields to feed the masses, increase consistency and improve farm profitability. Food is a necessity and there are a lot of hungry people in our world. Corn is an efficient source of food energy, it can be stored and transported long distances without spoiling and there are many ways it can be used in the food we eat. By including corn in livestock feed rations we are increasing the availability of quality protein sources.

2. People should be more conscious of what they eat.

This includes reading labels and a balanced understanding how their food is produced. How does this happen? We desperately need to start placing more value on the life skills classes and lessons taught in our schools. This includes home economics and agriculture classes. The lessons I learned in my ag classes, I carry with me to this day: how plants grow, how animals grow, how to work hard, responsibility, and leadership. The Ag in the Classroom program is a great way to integrate these important lessons into science classes but we can't only rely on science classes. How do we do this in urban areas? Check out the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences.

This is also a matter of personal choice. Once people have a balanced understanding of how their food is produced, let them make their own decisions.

I do not buy organic produce at the grocery store. I understand integrated pest management (IPM) and how overuse of pesticide affects the bottom line. As a farmer, I trust the produce farmers to make good IPM decisions and the government regulations that are in place to protect against those who don't. Same goes for antibiotic use in livestock.

In my own garden, I avoid pesticides. Mainly because I don't want to go into the house and wash my produce before snacking on it in the yard.

I also buy local when it's in season and available - that's only five months at best in the Midwest. And, I would rather the people I know benefit from my purchase. These are choices I'm happy I have the freedom to make.

3. We all need to look at the bigger picture.

We are a food insecure nation and world. There are too many people who can't afford enough food or simply don't have access to it. Before we begin a campaign to raise food prices so people eat less, let's improve people's ability to get healthy food.

Obesity and the diseases that accompany it are also part of the bigger picture. Why are people obese? We eat too much and move too little. I love Michelle's Obama's new Let's Move initiative. And, I love what she said, "Our kids did not do this to themselves..." We need to be parents. We need to say "NO" to all the snacking, turn off the televisions and game systems and encourage our kids to get outside and move.

I understand there are environmental concerns. We can always do better. Locally, I am not alarmed. Because of the efficiency of hybrid corn, fertilizer and pesticides, we can produce more corn using less fertilizer and nitrogen than ever before. And, advances in technology and practices are continuously being made. We know that we must be good stewards of the land we farm, with no exceptions. Our kids and grand kids will one day rely on the very same land to make a living and a life.

I am concerned about the conflicting, agenda based science that is out there. I am also concerned with people's ability to discern science from opinion. No wonder there is so much confusion.

4. The Farm Bureau advocates for farmers.

Just like a union. And, because so many people are so far removed from the farm is it crucial that this grassroots organization continue to be a strong link and source of information to those making policy decisions in our capital cities. The Farm Bureau absolutely represents our family's farming operation.

5. I believe in personal responsibility.

I recently did The Quantum Cleanse. I had to give up gluten for two weeks. I read every label before eating. Even with the High Fructose Corn Syrup, I eat loads more gluten than corn. Is this the government's fault or some evil wheat plant's? No. It's my fault for not choosing to eat a more balanced diet. Something that I will strive to change since my return to normal eating.

6. Agarian romaticism is alive and thriving. Thank you Mike Wilson for naming it for me.

This theme was challenging for me to wrap my head around. Why in the world would anyone want to return to the labor intensive, low yielding ways of the past?

Then it occurred to me. People are so far removed from their farming roots that's all they remember or have read about in children's story books. They want to return to their fairytale version of farming and the perceived simplicity that comes with it, not the reality of modern farming that feeds our world.

They also want to feel connected to their food, just like we do. We know where our meat comes from - it's the farm down the road. We know what it takes to grow the lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, etc. we eat. We plant, nurture and harvest it. I fed my family a balanced diet of mostly whole foods before ever reading Pollan or seeing King Corn, because that is what most farm families do.

People also want to feel connected to their neighbors. Our community may not look like it did 50 years ago but it still a agriculture based community with businesses that support a strong farming industry. It is a community where everyone knows your name, cares about your well-being and helps out others in need.

Pollan was an interesting, compelling read. The young men in King Corn were endearing. I don't disagree with the underlying theme: People need to eat better. I just disagree with how they get there.

The Quantum Cleanse

Completing the Quantum Cleanse was on my 35 things to do before I turn 35 list. Last weekend I wrapped up my version of the cleanse, returned to normal eating and took inventory of what I learned from the experience.

The cleanse requires that you give up five things: Alcohol, Caffeine, Sugar, Gluten, Animal Products for three weeks. I didn't think I would be able to do it all at once so I added one category each week spending only one week without all five.

Here's what I learned:

#1 - I have an enormous amount of self-control when I set a goal.

#2 - I eat an enormous amount of gluten.

#3 - I love cheese. I could probably be a vegetarian but never a vegan.

#4 - I'm not a big dessert person. Not eating sugar didn't bother me too much.

#5 - I need to moderate everything that I eat and drink. I overindulge way too much. Once I start it's hard too stop. I need to set rules for my eating and drinking.

#6 - I will not be returning to my morning coffee or rekindling my love affair with Diet Pepsi. I am just fine drinking my decaf green tea in the morning.

#7 - I will probably do the cleanse again this summer. This time I will do it the right way instead of my version.

My Jan. 31 - Feb. 6 Menu

Alcohol, Caffine, Sugar, Gluten Free Week for me so the rest of the family gets to eat from the freezer,

Sunday: Chicken Rice Soup

Monday: Baked Ziti

Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas

Wednesday: Swedish Meatballs

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Homemade Pizza

Saturday: Leftovers

Alcohol, Caffine, Sugar, Gluten, Animal Free Week so more freezer eating for the family

Sunday: Lemon Garlic Tilapia with Baked Garlic Rice

Monday: Mexican Casserole

Tuesday: Baked Ziti

Wednesday: Vegetable Pad Thai

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Homemade Pizza

Saturday: Leftovers

Key Lime Pie Martini Jam

I've never worked with limes. I've never made a marmalade. And, although I've added vanilla, schnapps's and chambord to certain fruit jam recipes, I've never created my own recipe. From scratch. How hard could it really be? Twice as much fruit as sugar, boil until you reach the gel point, do the plate test, can...

Little did I know the secret to my jam would be in how I prepared the juice.

I started with a bowl of key limes.

And made juice. I decided to try slicing the limes thinly while removing the seeds, just like this recipe described. This worked famously.

Next, I boiled the slices with five cups of water for about 30 minutes. After letting it cool a bit, I tasted it. The juice was extremely bitter and pithy tasting.

So I started over. This time I sliced all the rinds off the limes.

Cooked the fruit with another five cups of water to extract the juice.

Then, I tasted the juice. Much better. So I made a key lime pie martini. Once I had my drink to taste the jam against, I was good to go!

Key Lime Pie Martini Jam

2 cups of key lime juice

3 cups of pineapple juice

3 cups of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/4 cup triple sec

1/2 cup citrus or vanilla vodka

Mix fruit juices and sugar in a large pot and bring to a boil until gel point is reached. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, triple sec, and vodka. Pour into jars and seal in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

I've been enjoying the jam on homemade bread since Sunday. It is a touch bitter but it's growing on me. I think I may try mixing it with cream cheese and eating it with graham crackers.