sosnicki organics

We make the best of every single season around here.  So when there is not much 'fresh' left in the fields and we are stocked to the rafters with storage vegetables, the slow cooker comes out!  There is something soo comforting about coming in from the barn all wet, tired & dirty from sorting storage crops to the warmth of the home and the smell of the slow cooker!!!  A few weeks ago our organic dairy neighbor came by and asked us if we wanted a young bull they had to send to the butcher.  Oh yes, a freezer full of good organic beef for the winter!!  So off Ben and I went to our local butcher over a week later to cut and wrap.  The rules have changed at our butchers, so we now have to 'dress like a butcher' in their white coats, hair nets and Ben had to wear a net on his beard!!  HAHAHA!  We thought we were safe from running into anyone we knew, but no, a friend of ours, Pete, got to see us in our amateur butcher get-ups!  Anyhow, dow...

So it's now a couple days away from December and our 'sprouts are still in the ground!  This picture was taken last Friday and these freshly picked sprouts were sold at the Brickwork's Saturday morning market.  There will be another abundance this week as well!  At any given market I seem to be answering the same questions about Brussels.  Usually a home gardener has tried to grow them with no luck and ask me 'why' their sprouts didn't size up on the stock.  During the growing season it is essential to 'pinch' the top out of the brussel sprouts, allowing more energy to the actual sprouts that start out as little nodes along the stock.  The top you pinch out is like a big brussel 'flower'.  Just head down your row of sprouts and 'twist' them off.  Leave the leaves alone.  They don't bother anything and as you can see in the pic, they wilt and die off as the season progresses.  Folks also want ideas on how to prepare.  This simplest...

I've eaten enough beets lately I swear I'm on a natural beet high!  I love beets, and this recipe is to die for! So Ben and I cruised down to Kensington Market last week to deliver some produce to a great guy named 'Pot's.  He has this groovy little store called "For Life Natural Foods".   We like to buy some organic kefir and other groceries there and Pots gave us a 'beet hummus' to try out.  I grimaced at it but the expression on Pots face about how good it actually was made me curious.  I could not stop eating it!  I altered the recipe a bit adding more garlic and some avocado.  My vegan friend Kera loves it, so I won't be altering the recipe any time soon!  It's been a pleasure to spread the word at market, so for those who asked, here's the recipe: ROASTED BEET HUMMUS 1 quart Sosnicki's Red Kestrel Organic Beets 4 cloves Sosnicki's Organic Garlic, Minced. 1 Ripe, Creamy Avocado 4 Heaping Tablespoons Tahini 1 sma...

On Tuesday, November 8th our daughter 'Smashy' turns  18 years old!!!! The farm is in celebration mode! HAPPY, HAPPY EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY SMASHY!  Yep, and we actually got Panzer to 'settle down' on top the straw bail too! AND freakishly he's looking at YOU!! The farm is exactly the same and not much has changed since last year.  You are definitely not missing out on anything around here - just lots of work!   We've recycled your birthday sign from last year. We use this board around the farm on racks and see it often and think of you ;) Babca is doing great and she wishes you a big "Happy Birthday with much, much love xoxo Love Babca"   "Happy Birthday Austin...Love you Flowers...You have to meet Panzer-Pants who we call Mr. Pants and Ka-Punzer  Love Dad xoxo." So this morning to get ready for the 'photo shoot' Panzer is missing (down hunting at the creek with Rex) we can't find him ....Then we hear him barking his...

Well, we worked very hard this year growing our leek patch!  This will give us another crop to head into winter with along side the bulk cabbage.  We'll have enough obviously for all markets and even some to share wholesale with select retailers and food box shares. Ben and the lifter . We've used the 'lifter' to uproot the leeks to make for easy pick up. Our carrots were a crop failure this year and usually we use the lifter this time of year on the storage carrot crop.  Works like a charm. Our men sorting, knocking excess soil from roots and piling for pick up.  The leeks will be stored in large bins in our cold storage area in the barn. Benny and quality control! They are gorgeous and most are a large size!  He hilled them with the potato hill'r only once this year.  You end up with a longer white, edible part that way. Ben spends a lot of time instructing our young Shepherd, Panzer. One of the smartest pups we've ever had! He absolutel...

The weather has been pretty nice this fall allowing us to be able to attend to the important task of storing our vegetables for winter!  We've worked hard all season growing this cabbage from seed then planting, weeding, cultivating, hand weeding and now harvesting.  Bugs were definitely there, but we did not let them devastate the crop.  The heads are beautiful and plentiful! We've grown a lot more red cabbages this year and about the same amount of green as past years. You can count on this farm for local, certified organic cabbages until well into next year!  This is definitely a crop that does not have to be imported! We've also grown Savoy Cabbages this year and Brussel Spouts and Celeriac (aka Root Celery).  These crops will all tolerate frost. I find the Brussel's get sweeter after a good frost! The celeriac will have to all be topped and binned for the winter.  We leave the roots nice and dirty and cut and clean as needed per the winter months fo...

Ben and I look forward to peppers each year.  It's a long process.  Seeding most peppers begins in February or early March.  A lot of time and care goes into producing these gems.  Now that Organic Meadow is creating some excellent quality cream cheese, 'Jalapeno Poppers' around here are notorious!  So simple: Cut the top out of the jalapenos,  remove seeds and insides while leaving the stem creating a 'boat'.  Fill with cream cheese and either broil or bake at a high temp for the most succulent non deep fried 'poppers' around!  Very addictive!  Our jalapenos throw excellent heat, but all vary in hotness.  One popper will make you tear, while the others only cause a mild shrug.  We grew the usual hot banana's but new this year are chili's, cayenne and habaneros.  Holy hot habaneros!!  Orange fire crackers for sure!  Come visit any market until fall frost to enjoy the hot peppers in plentiful amounts! Another favo...