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What We Eat Matters

Before I begin, I would like to share an excerpt from “Citizenship in a Republic,” by Theodore RooseveIt, April 23, 1910.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. 

As I think about the market place that Klesick Family Farm serves, I feel much like this famous portion of Theodore Roosevelt’s speech. As a small farmer and small business owner, it can feel daunting to engage in this battle for good food. Good food that nourishes our bodies and is grown in a way that can heal our land and environment or build upon good stewardship.

Our nation at the turn of the 1900s was having a heated debate about Conservation and Stewardship. Those two concepts are used interchangeably today, but they are distinctly different. Conservationists were advocating for no use, to let nature function alone. An example of this would be our National Park System, and John Muir would be a proponent of this thinking. Stewardship advocates would want to see working landscapes that are actively managed for the benefit of the public. An example of this would be salmon fisheries, federal grazing permits on national lands or timber harvest in the national forests.

But when I survey the horizon today, I see less conservation and stewardship to benefit the public. I see well-oiled and well- connected multinational and national food, chemical, and large farms (food factories) protecting  their private interests. And at every turn these groups are blocking my access, our access, to change. We need to change the food system for the good of all, for the health of all.

So we find ourselves in the arena with you, battling for the health of our nation and for common sense to prevail in Congress. We are turning the tide. Every organic purchase sends a clear and definitive reminder that we are engaging in another food system that is a benefit to the environment, the nation’s health and family health.

Thanks for supporting our good food network.

 

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Begin, Again

I recently came across something that I wrote on the first day on 2014. That day didn’t set off to a great start. My oldest, Baron, ended up in an emergency walk-in clinic with an earache that was causing him to shriek in pain. I wrote of the events of the day and how I started to see them as a bad omen for the year. “If this is how the first day of the year started then what’s the rest going to be?” I asked myself.

Thankfully, I quickly stopped that train of thought and realized that, first of all, aches and pains are a part of life and often a reminder of how grateful I am to have most of our days filled with healthy bodies and, secondly, as much as I love a clean start, I don’t need the calendar to tell me when to start. I can simply begin again and again and again.

The same can be said for making and then subsequently breaking resolutions. I’ve made them in the past then broke them shortly after and allowed the guilt I felt from not living those resolutions to hide the fact that each day is a day to start fresh – each hour even. There then is no pressure to hide from failed resolutions because each slip up is simply an opportunity to begin, again. There’s great freedom in that.

When the need arises to begin again, I’d love to suggest you do so with this simple carrot salad. Shredded carrots are dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and a few warming spices that hint towards winter because we need whatever we can to feel the warmth in these months. There’s also a bit of red chile which really warms; the amount is really up to you. It’s a welcomed bit of freshness in the season of long-simmered stews, cream-filled braises, and cupsful of hot chocolate. None of which are bad things, mind you.

While I’m not one for resolutions, I’m okay with seeking more grace in 2015 – for ourselves, for each other, and for the freedom to see each day as a new beginning. May that resolve guide us to more health, joy, and love in the coming year.

by Ashley Rodriguez                                                                           

Chef, food blogger, author and full-time mom. You can read more of her writings at www.notwithoutsalt.com

 

Fresh Carrot Salad                        

This recipe comes from my brand new cookbook, Date Night In, which was the work of resolving to spend more time dating my husband in the comfort of our home. know picnics and winter aren’t synonymous, but I do tend to think of picnicking when I eat this salad. I’m particularly fond of the gentle wisp of cinnamon in the salad that’s warming without making the carrots taste too sweet. Add more jalapeño if you like heat.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

3⁄4 teaspoon ground coriander

1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon sweet paprika (smoked or regular)

1⁄2 fresh red jalapeño pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces / 230 g carrots, grated (2 to 21⁄2 cups)

1⁄2 cup / 15 g chopped fresh cilantro

 

Directions:

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, red jalapeño, and salt. Toss the dressing with grated carrots and cilantro.

This salad can be made 1 day in advance; I’d advise adding the cilantro just before serving to keep it fresh looking.

Date Night In Book Trailer from Not Without Salt on Vimeo.

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Change is 80% Behavior and 20% Mental

If you believe in something that is realistically attainable and have the right attitude (mindset) coupled with realistic goals, you more often than not will be successful at reaching the prize. The challenge comes when our head knowledge (knowing the right thing to do) hasn’t become heart knowledge.

For instance, EVERYONE knows that eating more fruits and vegetables is the right thing to do. Nobody argues this fact. Yet this fact has a hard time travelling the 12 inches from our brain to our heart. Sadly, it usually takes a few rounds in a boxing match with a health issue like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or obesity to provide enough motivation to travel the 12 inches. Those 12 inches are the hardest to travel in every area of our lives, whether it is food, finances, exercise, reading, or not texting while driving.

Or take the world of finance. EVERYONE knows that it is better to start your retirement planning earlier than later.  For example, if you start investing $167/mo ($2k/yr) in mutual funds (avg. rate of return 12%) at age 19, and do that till you are 26 and then stop (investing a total of 16k), at 65 you will have $2.3 million—Wow, 16k becomes $2.3 million! Ahhh, the miracle of time and compound interest! But if you are a late bloomer and start saving $167/mo at age 27 until the age of 65, at 65 you will have $1.5 million. Even though the second person invested 78k, they never caught up! (Adapted from DaveRamsey.com)

It is the same with eating fruits and vegetables. Starting earlier here, however, pays immediate health dividends (unlike finances), with a large payout in our retirement years (like finances). Time is definitely on the side of our children and the 20- and 30-somethings. If they embrace eating well, they will reap a more vibrant and healthy life for years to come. But for the over 40 crowd, we better get after the goal of eating better NOW!

Most of us reading this newsletter have already travelled that first 12 inches because we are getting a box of good, but each of us probably has room to improve our health! How about a goal to do one more thing this week that will improve your health now and in 20 and 30 and 40 years! It could be something as simple as one more glass of water or one less glass of soda. It could be eating a salad a day or going for a brisk walk (even when it is raining!)

Right now, you have already thought of one or two things. Do them and travel those 12 inches for yourself and your family. It will be worth the effort. The sooner you get started, the healthier you will be.

 

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The Year in Review 2014

The Year in Review                                                                                                                 

Supporting Local Farms:  Since the inception of our home delivery business in 1999, we have always focused on purchasing our fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers first. Every week we contact our farmer friends to find out what they currently have available for our boxes. If we need to find more produce, we then source it from farms outside our area. As your personal farmer, I really appreciate your dedication to the local farm community. With your purchases this year, you have blessed several local farm families:

Apple Cart Fruit, Bartella Farm, Bunny Lane Fruit, Earth Conscious Organics, Blue Heron Farm, Edible Acres, Filaree Farms, Garden Treasures, Hazel Blue Acres, Hedlin Farm, Highwater Farm, Horse-Drawn Produce, Living Rain Farm, Middleton Organic Specialty Foods, Neff Farm, Northwest Greens Farm, Okanogan Producers Marketing Association, Madden Family Orchard, Ponderosa Orchards, Ralph’s Greenhouses, Rent’s Due Ranch, Skagit Flats Farm, Skagit Valley Farm, Viva Farms, and Klesick Family Farm.

Helping Local People:  Another core principle at Klesick Family Farm is to give back to our community. One of the ways we do this is by offering our customers the opportunity to donate a box of good to local area food banks. We currently support food banks in Anacortes, Camano Island, Edmonds, Everett, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Monroe, Oak Harbor, and Stanwood. For every four boxes donated by our customers, we donate an additional box. This year, with the generous support of our customers, Klesick Family Farm delivered over 971 boxes of good (approximately $25,000 worth of quality organic fruits and vegetables) to local area food banks! This number includes the donation of 122 Thanksgiving Holiday Boxes and 33 Christmas Blessing Boxes.

Partnering With Our Customers: this year we also contributed over $7,700 to the Oso mudslide relief and $3,800 to the Pateros fire relief.

There is no way our farm could meet these needs without your help. This is one of the most satisfying aspects of our business. I love meeting local needs with local resources! Thank you for partnering with us.

If you would like to join us in helping provide quality organic produce to local food banks, either give us a call or order a food bank box under the Boxes category of the Product page of our website.

Thank you for a great 2014! We look forward to next year!

 

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Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas!

From all of us here at Klesick Family Farm,

A warm and merry Christmas to you and yours this holiday season!

 

“Glad tidings we bring to you and your kin;

Glad tidings for Christmas and a happy New Year!”

 

New Years Week Changes

Alternate Delivery Schedule:

We will be on an alternate delivery schedule the week of New Years. Please check your email for your alternate delivery day. Please contact our office if you are unsure as to which day your delivery will be on next week.

Revised Ordering Deadlines:

If you plan to add or change an order for the week of New Years, please note our revised ordering deadlines:

  • Our office will be closed January 1st-2nd in observance of the holiday.
  • Coffee Orders: Due 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday before the holiday week.
  • Bakery Orders: Due noon on Wednesday before the holiday week.
  • All Other Orders: Due 8:00 a.m. on Sunday of the holiday week.
  • Will You Need to Skip a Delivery? Please let us know as soon as possible.

Orders/changes received after the above deadlines will be scheduled for your subsequent delivery day. Ordering deadlines will revert to normal after the holiday week.

 

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A Merry Christmas Story

Merry Christmas

 

A four-year-old boy was asked to return thanks before Christmas dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food.


He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited … and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t he know that I’m lying?”

 

Well, I guess that little boy hasn’t tried organic broccoli!  (Smile)  In all seriousness, we are tickled to hear all of the comments that we get from our customers with little ones that beg for seconds of broccoli!  Starting the children off at a young age with a love of vegetables and healthy eating habits will benefit them for a lifetime. Give them the gift that will not go out of style, get tattered or torn or break the first day.  Someday they’ll thank you for it!

 

Have an enjoyable Christmas and don’t forget to slow down enough to remember all of the things that you have to be thankful for and thank the Giver of all good gifts!

 

Your friends at the Klesick Family Farm

 

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It’s the Week before Christmas!

How does Christmas always sneak up on ME? Every year it seems we just run out of time and before you know it, it’s here! I know for our family, this season has changed. In a simpler season of life, when everyone lived at home, we used to catch a Christmas Eve service, wake up Christmas morning, have our family time and then load up all kiddos and head to the grandparents, both sets. Oh, things were simple during those days.

Now that many of the Klesicks are grown up, two are married and a third is getting married in January, it is anything but simple. Family time is still ultra-important and gift giving has rightfully regulated itself to more time than material, but just trying to find the time with all the different schedules can, quite literally, be a gift in itself.

One good thing about holidays is that they do serve as family gathering days, and most of our family does gather together then. As our family grows and we add new sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, we have found the need to be flexible, especially when we gather. Gathering as a family is still the goal, but when and who can attend are the new variables. Of course, this isn’t a new phenomen, as it has played itself out through the generations, but it is just new to us.

So as our family grows, so does our need for flexibility with meeting places and times. Some years will be less attended for the usual reasons: work schedules, other family obligations, travel plans, etc. This year we are able to gather with our family the week before and everyone will be there (YEAH!!!).

Some things change, while others remain the same, so being flexible around the holidays going forward, will make this and many more Christmases to come just as special.

This year, it will be only a little quieter as we gather up those who still live at home to go to the Christmas Eve service, wake up Christmas morning, have our family time and then load up all the kiddos and head to the grandparents, both sets.

 

tristan-sign

 

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Know Your Produce: Parsnips

Know Your Produce: Parsnips

Parsnips are sweet, succulent underground taproots closely related to (surprise!) the carrot family of vegetables.

Store: parsnips in a plastic bag and place inside the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator set between 0°C and 5°C. Do not place raw parsnips in the freezer compartment.

Prep: to prepare, wash them in cold water and scrub or gently peel the skin. Trim off the ends. Cut into cubes, disc, and pieces as you desire.

Tender parsnips can be cooked in a similar way like carrots. Do not overcook; they cook early as they contain more sugar than starch.

Use: Raw parsnips add unique sweet taste to salads, coleslaw, and toppings. Grate or very thinly slice when using raw.

Parsnips can be cooked and mashed with potato, leeks, cauliflower, etc.

Slices and cubes added to stews, soups, and stir-fries and served with poultry, fish, and meat.

Used in breads, pies, casseroles, cakes, etc., in a variety of savory dishes.

Try them: sliced and roasted with coconut oil and sea salt. Once you remove from the oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and then drizzle some raw honey on top. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa), Fresh, raw,
Nutrition value per 100 g.
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

 

Principle Nutrient Value Percentage of RDA
Energy 75 Kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 17.99 g 14%
Protein 1.20 g 2%
Total Fat 0.30 g 1%
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Dietary Fiber 4.9 g 13%
Vitamins
Folates 67 µg 17%
Niacin 0.700 mg 4%
Pantothenic acid 0.600 mg 12%
Pyridoxine 0.90 mg 7%
Riboflavin 0.050 mg 4%
Thiamin 0.090 mg 7.5%
Vitamin A 0 IU 0%
Vitamin C 17 mg 29%
Vitamin K 22.5 µg 19%
Electrolytes
Sodium 10 mg <1%
Potassium 375 mg 8%
Minerals
Calcium 36 mg 3.5%
Copper 0.120 mg 13%
Iron 0.59 mg 7.5%
Magnesium 29 mg 7%
Manganese 0.560 mg 24%
Phosphorus 71 mg 10%
Selenium 1.8 µg 3%
Zinc 0.59 mg 5%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-α 0 µg
Carotene-ß 0 µg
Crypto-xanthin-ß 0 µg
Lutein-zeaxanthin 0 µg
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Farming

I know it is December, but farming is never far from my mind. And right now, I am thankful to not be farming, as it is flat out miserable outside. Of course, the frozen tundra that is usually home to chards, kales, cabbages, beets, carrots, etcetera, has limited any harvest opportunities for the moment. If we get a lengthy reprieve from the freezing weather, most of the greens will make a comeback and start re-growing, but for now we will manage the harvested potatoes and winter squash and work inside the packing shed.

In the near future, Maleah, my 10 year old daughter, will publish her first newsletter and will be sharing about her farming venture. As her daddy, it is sure fun to see the excitement in her eyes as she pours through the seed catalogs. I probably have the same excitement in my eyes.

Ribbon Cutting

Last week, Mayor Leonard Kelley from Stanwood, Ken Klein, our Snohomish County Councilmember, and Linda Neunzig, the Snohomish County Agricultural Coordinator, were on hand with several other members of the local business community for the ribbon cutting ceremony of our new packing facility. This was my first ribbon cutting and it was fun to be a part of such a festive event.

Moving to Stanwood has been a goal of ours for several years. Surprisingly, it took about two years to make this move happen—two years of negotiating, planning, permitting and building is a long time. All of the planning and what not, did help us build a really nice facility, but as a farmer this was definitely a long “crop” to get harvested.

Now that we are here, we can better serve you, our customers, and our other farming neighbors as a more efficient food hub. Food hubs are all the rage now, but we have been operating as food hub for 17 years, we just never called ourselves such. But in its truest sense, we are a food hub. We grow food, we source food and we deliver it, and we only do organic and GMO-free.

Moving to Stanwood will help us going forward to comply with what I believe will be a whole new host of food safety regulations. These new regulations will make it harder to farm, but having our packing facility located within the city of Stanwood, will definitely make complying a lot easier for the future.

If you would like to come and see our new facility, call the office and set up a time to visit or just stop by.

Looking forward to 2015 and really seeing our new “food hub” hum!

 

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Simple and Beautiful Holiday Bread

Once again December is upon us. It feels like yesterday when tulips started blooming and rejoiced with their colors, summer heat gave us a good excuse to eat watermelon by the pounds (well, I did), and then the fall air became crispy enough to get us all excited about hats and scarfs. But December has done it again—it surprised us with the smell of hot cocoa and festivities everywhere we turn.

December is festive, fun, colorful, warm, traditional and giving. It gives us the opportunity to reconnect with friends, a chance to indulge on special ingredients, an excuse to get dressed up and a reason to be a little more giving than usual.

This past September my parents came to visit. I am so thankful my husband and I were able to spend almost two months with them. It was like being back home. As expected, most of the time we were in the kitchen cooking, baking, talking. My parents LOVE bread. They have it for breakfast and at tea time, every day. So that sent me into a “bread making kick.” Few things are as good as well-made, fresh bread—the initial crunch, then the softness of the inside. It’s even better when it’s warm and the smell lingers throughout the house.

Artisan bread is my favorite. It’s rustic and very forgiving. I do not own a bread-making machine and I had never made bread in my life until I discovered the 5-minute Artisan Bread. After that I was making bread every day and loving it!

Offering homemade bread is a warm, personal gesture, carrying the best sentiments of the season. Accompanying it with a jar of homemade warm apple compote makes the perfect gift! All you need is four ingredients, parchment paper and a dutch oven (recipe on back). Add fresh rosemary for a more savory flavor, fresh oregano for an Italian twist or even chocolate chips for some sweet fun! It takes almost no time to make but can be a wonderful gift for a party hostess or a neighbor. It tastes and looks good and don’t forget to package it thoughtfully.

But let’s face it, we all get busy and may not have time to make homemade bread for every occasion, but you can add a loaf of Breadfarm artisan bread to your next Klesick order. Make a big batch of apple compote (recipe on back) ahead of time, store in jars and refrigerate. Next time you are heading out to a Christmas party, wrap that pretty bread with parchment paper, grab a jar of apple compote and delight your friends with this tasty treat!

Sara Balcazar-Greene (aka. Peruvian Chick)
Peruvian Food Ambassador
peruvianchick.com
instagram.com/peruvianchick
facebook.com/theperuvianchick

 

ARTISAN BREAD

 

6.5 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups luke-warm water

1 tbs salt

1 tbs yeast

 

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and use a wood spoon to stir together until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Dough will bubble up and rise. After dough is ready, preheat oven to 500 F. Cut half of the dough and place onto a well-floured surface. With floured hands, form the dough into a ball.

Place on top of parchment paper and let rest for 45 minutes. While dough is resting, put your dutch oven into the preheated oven for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes are up, carefully remove the dutch oven. Slice 1/4″ deep cuts into the surface of the dough. Carefully lift the dough and place, with paper and all into the preheated pot. Replace the lid and slip it back into the oven. After 15 minutes of baking, remove the lid. The dough only needs to bake in the steam for that amount of time. now it is time to add a lovely caramel color to the bread. Turn the heat down to 450°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf. Once the loaf is nicely browned, carefully remove it from the pot with a spatula. Peel off the parchment and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Bread will be golden, crusty and delicious!

WARM APPLE COMPOTE

 

2-3 apples peeled and thinly sliced

Coconut oil

Cinnamon

Maple syrup

Apple cider

 

Sauté apples in coconut oil until slightly brown, add a pinch of cinnamon and maple syrup. Let apples caramelize. Add a splash of apple cider for a more runny consistency. Enjoy on hot toast. Spread almond butter if you’d like and enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Feastingathome.com