Tag: local food

Iowans for Sherrie Taha

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date October 8, 2014

Sherrie Taha for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

The fact that Sherrie Taha, candidate for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, supports reduction of food imports to Iowa only makes sense.

“Rather than import the bulk of the food we eat from outside of our state, we need to reintegrate local food production back into our local economies,” said Taha. “We have great farmers markets. Now it’s time to take local food production to the next level and keep the bulk of our food dollars recirculating in our local communities.”

Set aside the inherent risks of recurring drought on the California Central Valley, and turbulent world-wide food pricing, and there remains the commonplace that Iowans can grow more of their own food. If local food production were diversified and scaled up, Iowa could do what it does best to produce more meat, dairy and vegetables for local consumption, and improve the state’s food security.

It’s a message few have heard, and not enough may have heard to tip the general election in Taha’s favor.

Last Sunday, Taha spoke in Iowa City. Her speaking slot followed a number of high-profile speakers that included Rep. Dave Loebsack, Rep. Bruce Braley, Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. After Sanders, a segment of the crowd dispersed, but most would have liked what Taha had to say if they stayed.

“If you eat, if you drink water, if you breathe the air around us, you have a personal stake in how the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) works,” she said. “What that means to me is that along with the corn growers and the soybean association, I’ll invite groups like the Iowa Environmental Council, the Sierra Club, and consumer groups (to get involved at IDALS). We all have to have our interests addressed. Decisions that are made (at IDALS) need to take into consideration the long-term best interests of every Iowan.”

Taha went on to enumerate reasons to consider voting for her, focusing on her experience as a commissioner for the Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District. She said Iowa needs a better process for reducing soil erosion and improving water quality than the voluntary nutrient reduction strategy instituted during the incumbent’s administration.

While Taha faces an uphill battle against an entrenched incumbent, it is hard to concede that global food security can be left to proponents of the industrial model for agriculture. Because of Iowa’s prominent role in agriculture, the person who leads IDALS matters and it should be Sherrie Taha.

Click here to learn more about Sherrie Taha and to get involved with her campaign.

~ Written for Blog for Iowa

Tags local food, politics

Kitchen Garden

Winter Spread

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date October 7, 2014

LAKE MACBRIDE— With approaching cold weather, and the year-end holidays, thoughts turn to entertaining and seasonal, celebratory fare. Spreads and on crackers today.

At the end of the garden there are bits and pieces: bell and hot peppers, tomatoes, kale, garlic and herbs. Today I made a spread for store-bought crackers like this.

Serrano Tomato Garlic Spread

8-ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature
One Serrano pepper thinly sliced
Large tomato cored and seeded
Two crushed cloves of garlic

Put the pepper, tomato and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the pieces are uniformly sized.
Add the cream cheese and run for 30 seconds. Repeat until the spread is fully incorporated.

Serve on your favorite cracker, instead of mayonnaise on sandwiches, or on toasted bread.

Tags homelife, local food, recipes

Kitchen Garden

Growing Kale

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date October 3, 2014

LAKE MACBRIDE— Not knowing what to expect when I broadcast the kale seeds, this year couldn’t have been better.

Over time, the plants were thinned and picked until they look like a grove of palm trees. The leaves are cleaned from the bottom to the umbrella cover on top. The harvest has been exceptional.

There has been plenty to give away, and since the freezer is full, I dried and then flaked leaves to be added to soup during the winter. Since kale is frost resistant, we should have plenty for a few more weeks into November.

On deck is the apple harvest. The Red Delicious are about ready to pick and while we don’t need much apple sauce and apple butter, we’ll need to do something with them. Most likely a big batch of fresh apple juice, and if there are well shaped fruit, some dried apple slices.

I have been waiting for the Bangkok peppers to turn red before picking them. The plan is to dehydrate them and make red pepper flakes for the year’s cooking. It won’t take as many as there are, but when the danger of frost is imminent, there will be a lot of Bangkok, Serrano and jalapenos to pick.

It has been a decent year for the garden. It’s not over yet.

Tags Kitchen Garden, local food

Kitchen Garden

Tomato After Action

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date September 24, 2014

LAKE MACBRIDE— To supply all the tomatoes a household needs, I planted a large tomato patch with eleven or twelve varieties, and two different cages. In all, there were 36 plantings, some with two seedlings in them. I used short cages leftover from previous years, and new ones cut from four-foot wire fencing. The whole plot was mulched deeply with grass clippings.

The endeavor was an unqualified success, and now it’s time to analyze, think and learn.

The seeds came from a couple of sources.

Leftover from last season were Acer and Best Boy. They produced well, however, they matured late. By the time they were ready, the end of the season was upon us, and our tomato needs largely met. Acer is a slicer, the seeds purchased at a grocery store (I think). There are better ones to use going forward.

Best Boy was also leftover from last season, and intended for canning whole. When we organized our canned goods, it became clear we have enough canned tomatoes from last summer to make it another year, so they weren’t needed for the intended purpose. Olivade and Monica are plum tomatoes purchased through Johnny’s Selected Seeds. They will replace the Best Boys going forward.

The organic Beefsteak seeds were purchased at a home center, and they have traditionally been our favorite. They too didn’t ripen until late in the season, and while we used some, a lot went to compost when bugs got into them.

Having a variety of small tomatoes was a joy this year. I planted Cherry, Gold Nugget, Sweet Olive Grape, and Black Cherry. The seed packets were leftover from last season and from Johnny’s. They came in early and were great for salads, snacking and pasta dishes. We froze some whole as an experiment, and look forward to seeing how they eat once thawed later in the year. One seedling of unknown variety was provided by our CSA. The Black Cherry plants grew very tall. Next season, they should be planted in one of the four-foot cages.

Rose and Italian were our early maturing slicers. They were also purchased through Johnny’s, and the Italian seeds were at a reduced price. If they are offered again, both will be purchased for next season. The Italian did well with short cages, and the Rose would do better in four-foot cages. I bought an extra roll of four-foot wire, so some of the old cages can be retired or used for other crops.

Upon reflection, tomatoes are best used fresh, either in the kitchen, or given away as gifts to those who don’t grow their own. Likewise, they are welcome at the food pantry until there is a glut. Fresh tomatoes are an essential part of why we garden, and most of the focus in using them is fresh.

My thinking about canned tomatoes changed. For making pasta sauces, chili and soup, plum tomatoes are the best product to use. Seeded thoroughly, cut in half, and then cold processed, I put up about a dozen quarts which weren’t really needed, although the abundance led me there. They will serve most needs.

I had been canning diced tomatoes, but any application that calls for them could use halved plums, so diced will fall from my repertory. That is, unless there is an abundance of slicers, which is what I used to make canned diced tomatoes. We’ll see how it goes.

A favorite canned product is hot sauce, but like with plain tomatoes, there is an abundance in the pantry ready for use from previous years. I have a gallon fresh in the refrigerator, and there is an abundance of hot peppers for making more, but at some point one has to stop.

There is never a shortage of juice as a byproduct of canning. I’ll continue to can it as it is produced, and any remainders will go to that end as the season finishes.

Growing tomatoes is a highlight of garden life. By using my sketch booklet and keeping track, I have been able to learn what works and what doesn’t— part of a gardener’s outlook in daily living, with lessons to our broader sustainability. Despite all the negative press this year, the tomato crop was excellent.

Tags Kitchen Garden, local food, tomatoes

Writing

Pivot Point in Big Grove

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date September 17, 2014

LAKE MACBRIDE— After nine hours, the yard work came to a halt. There was a lot more that could have been done—picking up grass clippings for mulch, trimming trees and bushes, taking down the second tomato patch—but nine was all I could do.

I left the hot and sweet peppers to grow, and the kale, but that was it. It is time to call it a year for the garden. Between the CSA and our garden, there is no shortage of food in our house. Now comes the processing before it goes to compost.

The pears were starting to go bad, so I salvaged what was good and added an equal weight of apples—McIntosh, Song of September, Blondie, Cortland, Haralson and Jonamac. I was a little short, so I picked enough Red Delicious from the tree in the yard to fill out the weight and made a sauce with the whole lot. The pears sweetened it so no sweetener was needed. It made three quarts and tasted great.

Hot peppers are in abundance this year. Dehydrated halves of jalapenos were ready to bag and eventually be turned into a powder. I replaced them with whole Serranos to see if they would dehydrate to make pepper flakes. The rest of the abundance is in zip top bags in the refrigerator awaiting disposition.

I picked what was good in the tomato patches yielding two full trays. They all produced well, more than we need. With the fresh and canned tomatoes, we will last until next August.

This morning I made soup using kale, celery, carrots, onion, canned diced tomatoes, soup stock, bay leaves and dried chervil. I added a quarter cup of pearled barley. The home grown celery tastes like no store bought celery does, and next year I expect to grow more.

There is so much kale a lot will be composted. Some went to the library friends, and the rest is in large garbage bags in the refrigerator taking up space. Eventually it will all find a home.

This afternoon I put the garage back together and returned the automobiles inside. I need another day in the yard, but am not sure when next that will be possible. It’s back to all of my part time jobs for now, hoping ends will meet at the end of the month. One thing is sure, we’ll have plenty to eat.

Tags cooking, homelife, local food

Work Life

Day of Work Photos

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date September 16, 2014

From sunrise until sunset I made a retreat, preparing for winter.

Preparing to Open the Garage Door Pre-dawn — Preparing for the Day Predawn

Tags homelife, Kitchen Garden, local food, Sustainability, worklife

Writing

In the Apple Grove

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date September 16, 2014

After a shift at the warehouse, I stopped at the orchard to get Honeycrisp apples. Contrary to what one sees in the mega market, they are seasonal, and the season is short. We hadn’t had enough.

The orchard staff was busy with a tour group, so I went straight to the display near the cooler in the sales barn. Sad remainders, absent of value besides pressing into cider, I ventured into the orchard wearing my white shirt, black slacks and blue shoes from the warehouse.

I had directed hundreds of people to the Honeycrisp groves the last two Saturdays. It was uncertain whether any could be found, but following my own advice, I looked near the trunk of the trees and was not disappointed. I picked eight pounds from two trees in a few minutes.

As I headed back, past the pumpkin patch, across the creek and up the hill, it was invigorating to be out in the orchard where ideas meet reality and bear fruit.

Tags apples, local food

Home Life

Fall Arrived Unawares

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date September 15, 2014

LAKE MACBRIDE— The chill in the air is undeniable as summer activities wrap up— ready or not.

The last share from the CSA picks up tonight, and Tuesday is to be a full day of outdoor activities, with Wednesday the rain date. It is time to harvest and prepare the yard and garden for the apple harvest and winter. The neglect of this summer may or may not be overcome with a single day’s work, but that is the time I can afford.

Yesterday I arrived home from the warehouse in time to hear Hillary and Bill Clinton’s speeches at the Harkin Steak Fry telecast on C-SPAN. The finality of this last annual event is one more reason Senator Tom Harkin will be missed. The 2006 steak fry is where I met Barack Obama in the rope line. The full video is archived on C-SPAN and readers can listen and decide the meaning for themselves if interested.

Despite the abundance of food in our house, the amount of cooking has declined over the summer. Sandwiches, soups, stews and other stored fare have lingered in the fridge, and make quick heat and serve meals. Tomorrow is expected to bring in most of the tomatoes, peppers, celery and kale, all of which will require some processing. The Red Delicious apples look quite good this year. Tomorrow will be the first taste test before an onslaught of apple dishes. What food we have prepared has been seasonally fresh and tasty. What more could a person ask?

Tags homelife, Kitchen Garden, local food, worklife

Kitchen Garden

Braised Eggplant with Potatoes

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date September 12, 2014
3 Comments on Braised Eggplant with Potatoes

LAKE MACBRIDE— What to do with all of the eggplant?

The image in this post is a bit of a protest because despite their colorful variation, eggplant is a vegetable that could be absent from life and few would notice. The fact is they are abundant, easy to grow and cheap at the market. Despite their limited nutritional value, they provide interest when they are in season. A saving grace in the deluge of summer abundance.

My repertory of eggplant dishes includes a recipe for eggplant Parmesan, ratatouille, a layered casserole using tomato sauce, zucchini, onions and other seasonal fare, and now braised eggplant with potatoes. Here’s the recipe that produced savory results.

Braised Eggplant with Potatoes

Ingredients

One pound of eggplant, cut into one inch chunks with the skin on
Two pounds small potatoes, halved
3-4 medium onions, medium dice
Quarter cup dried parsley (fresh if you have it)
One cup fresh basil, chiffonade
1-1/2 pounds seeded and chopped tomatoes (slicers or plum)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/4 cups water plus 1/4 cup water
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons flour

Preparation

Soak the eggplant in water for 30 minutes

In a Dutch oven, combine the onion, tomatoes, parsley, 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1-14 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Add the potatoes and the rest of the water, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, or about 20 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, drain the eggplant and season it with salt to taste. Heat the 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Dredge the eggplant cubes in flour and fry until golden brown on all sides. When finished, place the cubes in a strainer so excess oil will run off.

Add the eggplant to the potatoes and sauce, stir, cover and cook another ten minutes or so. Turn off the heat and leave the pot on the stove until ready to serve or store.

The dish serves well hot, warm or at room temperature.

Tags cooking, Kitchen Garden, local food, recipes

Home Life Kitchen Garden

Onions, Garlic, Basil and Tomatoes

Post author By Paul Deaton
Post date September 4, 2014

LAKE MACBRIDE— Yesterday began with two and a half hours of volunteer work at the CSA. The labor in our barter arrangement has already been provided so I’m free to volunteer for general farm chores like working onions.

Once the seedling operation moved outside, the germination house was used to cure onions on the long wire racks. They are ready for the next step, which is cleaning and sorting.

There are five sorting types: big and small storage, ready for distribution, seconds, and those to be composted. I trimmed the tops and roots and sorted. The onion worker got to keep the seconds, so last night was salvaging usable sections of onion. By bedtime, a couple of big bags of peeled onions were in the ice box ready to use.

Basic pasta sauce is of onions, garlic, basil and tomatoes, so as I write, a big batch simmers on the stove. All of the produce is from our garden, or the CSA. Except for the salt, it is 100 percent local. There is always an exception in local food. The tomato sauce will be frozen in quart zip top bags.

Making tomato sauce is elemental. This batch is from the edge between fresh garden produce and compost, where we often live our lives. In cutting away the bad parts of the onions and tomatoes—picking through basil leaves—there was more compost than usable produce.

Between our concept of ourselves and our inevitable transformation to dust is a sliver of life. If we don’t grow food and make tomato sauce, what else would we do? There really is nothing else, except to go on living.

Tags cooking, homelife, Kitchen Garden, local food, tomatoes