It was a cloudy, rainy day here on the farm last Thursday.  We were
honored to be hosting US Rep. Richard Hudson, NC Senator Gene McLaurin
and NC Rep. Mark Brody at our farm  to discuss farm policy with the small farm
and food policy with education of  consumers on how and where their food
is produced.  Due to all the rain we were blessed with we had to postpone the
farm tour. But we had a great time  sitting around our den discussing farming
and food policy with US Rep. Richard  Hudson, NC Senator Gene McLaurin
and NC Rep. Mark Brody. We had area local  farmers, Jared with CFSA and
Dustin NC Extension Agent all here talking local sustainable farming!  

Being given the opportunity to talk with these gentlemen is how our country
was founded; that it is to be heard.  We were able to share our passion
about providing healthy and nutritious food to our community.  As well as,
the problems we face because of laws and paperwork that put us at a desk instead
of outside growing food.
 
This is how our country is suppose to be governed -that all Americans have equal and
fair representation - being given  the chance to talk with Our Representatives and
informing them on how bills and laws they pass will effect us.  Now, I  know this does
not mean we will always get what we want  but being allowed to talk with them so
that they can make informed decisions when passing bills and laws that effect those
of us back here in their community, the ones they are representing. Because when it
comes to US policies, what will be best for California or New York may not work for
North Carolina or what works for Raleigh or Charlotte or what works for Big Ag
may not work for the small family farm.  Our Representatives and Senators need to
know what we face so that they can debate issues for us.  If we are not talking with
them, how can we expect them  to make informed decisions when they go to vote on
issues that we hold dear to our community and that will make a difference here in our
community.  Talking with those that represent us, letting them know how and what
we are facing and what our needs are so we can provide the best meat, produce and
dairy we can for our community.  Like I said yesterday "No, I can not feed the world
but I can feed my community healthy, nutritious food and if we make it possible for
more small local farms to farm easier- we can feed this country."

I feel these gentlemen really listened and took to heart what our area
farmers where saying.  I know that they can not know everything
about everything so for that reason, communication is the key
here.  I look forward to staying in touch so they can make me
aware of what is going on political in the Ag industry.  Because
I don't and can't stay up with every bill and law that  is going before
this session.  Rep. Brody said that there is already over 400
bills being introduced this session.

It was a great honor for us to host these gentlemen in our home, I look forward to
having  them back and taking them out on the farm.

Chicken nuggets are the 2nd most requested food by kids right behind cookies.

Now, my kids were not big chicken nugget fans because we didn't eat out at
fast food restaurants a lot when they were little.  I am so thankful for
that because now that I know how some places (like the one with the arches)
make their nuggets will make your head spend.  Or it should
because the reason they are so white, as I am told, is because they use bleach
to make the meat look so white.  There are places that do use real white
meat in their nuggets, I will say this, if we are going to eat fast food it will
be with the cows with real white meat in the nuggets. OK, I did not plan on
getting in the nugget fest when I decided to do my nugget recipe this week. 

This is a basic home made nugget recipe that allows the chicken to be the
star.  If you want to add some onion powder, parsley flakes or oregano
please do so.  I want you to take this basic recipe and add whatever
seasonings your family likes and make it work for them.
 
 
Ingredients: 
   1 lb. ground chicken 
   2 eggs 
   1 T. water 
   1 1/2 teaspoon of salt 
   1 1/2 cups of flour
   1 teaspoon pepper
   2 cups of canola oil
 
  1.Take a small scoop (one that makes balls the size of large gumballs) and scoop ground chicken
     into balls.  This should make about 36 balls. 
  2.In a small bowl beat 2 eggs with 1 T. of water. 
  3.Then in a shallow dish mix flour, salt and pepper. 
(Steps 2 & 3 make up your dredging station.) 
 
Now let’s start dredging.   
1.Take chicken balls and roll in flour. 
2.Dip chicken ball in egg mixture.   
3.Roll chicken balls in flour for the second time.  
4.Place on tray and flatten ball.  
   You now have a nugget. 
5.Repeat until you have done all your chicken balls.
 
  Heat oil to  365’.  Place the nuggets in the oil and cook for about 4 minutes
  and flip and cook 4 more minutes or until cooked all the way thru. 
  Place on cookie cooling rack with paper towels underneath rack to
  drain.  Ready to serve.
 
Just eat plain or pick your favorite dipping sauce, either way they are tasty
little  bites.
 
See, they are not hard to make at all. 
You can make them ahead and freeze them and take out only what you need. 
Just thaw and heat in the oven.  I'm going to go make a pot of
coffee, that ground hog sure did get it wrong.  I don't think these are
spring temps!! 

This is a very easy recipe. You can incorporate it to several different dishes.  Let's go over the basic recipe first.  Then I tell you how by using this one simple recipe you can come away with several new dishes for your family's table.

You will need:
* 2 cup Shiitake mushrooms sliced thin
* 6 T unsalted butter
* 4 T finely mined fresh ginger
* 2 T finely minced garlic
* 1 tsp. kosher salt
* 3 T sweet Marsala wine
* 1 cup unsalted butter

1. Melt  6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and
   ginger, cook gently until fragrant and translucent, about  2 minutes.
   Add the shiitake mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until softened, 3 to
   4 minutes. Pour in the sweet Marsala wine; reduce by half.


2. Stir  in remaining 1 cup of butter. Once melted, reduce heat to medium-low and
   continue to cook until the butter turns a dark golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
   Season to taste with salt and pepper. You are reasdy to serve.

This is so simple!  The taste is amazing with this earthiness accompanied by the zest of the ginger with a hint of sweetness from the marsala.

Now, what to do with it:
1- Just place over rice and serve. (This could be a side dish or you could have it for a complete meal.)

2-Add thinly sliced beef cooked with a little salt and pepper.

3-Add to a pot beef broth with rice noodles and beef tips.  Top with chives and you have a fresh soup.

What do you like?......Think, explore and try.  You might be amazed at what you can create.
When you come up with your new amazing dish, please share.

That's us or at least one of the titles we claim.  We chose shiitake mushrooms for three reasons: we love to eat them, they grow on cut logs in the woods, and NC State had the spores.

These hearty mushrooms have a rich and meaty flavor.  While often prepared and cooked like a vegetable, they are actually a fungus.  Now for some people, like my mom, they can't get past the thought of it being a fungus.  While there are those who use them to replace the meat in their dishes to add flavor and texture.  Then there are people like me who just love mushrooms.

I have to admit that button and portabella mushrooms are the ones I have cooked with for years.  Last year was when I first used shiitake mushrooms.  I fell in love with these wonderful earthy, meaty flavored mushrooms.   Their heartiness makes them an excellent choice for soups, stews or to stand alone on their own.

So, when Gary told me that we had the opportunity to get some spores and inoculate our own logs to do a shiitake mushroom  forest  farm.  I was excited.  Well, after I went what??.......How do we do this?.......Inoculate?.......What?......How?.......Are you sure?......Well, then I did what any other wife would do....I googled it.  Then, I was excited!

OK, here is the jest of how we are growing our shiitakes.  Gary and Carson cut down hard wood trees on our land and cut them into 4 ft. length logs.  Once they were cut we took and drilled holes in the logs 1 1/4"  deep in a staggered pattern around the log.  We then used this little tool (I don't know the name for it) to put the spores into the logs.  Now the spores looked like sawdust with white and brown dirt looking stuff mixed in with it.  Next, we took melted wax and sealed the spores in and also covered the ends of the logs with wax.  Once, the wax was dry the logs where then soaked in water.  After that they were stacked in a crib like formation for 10 months (this is usually done any where from 6- 18 months).  We cleared a 8 ft. wide trail in our pines to place the stacked cribs.  The pines offer shade to the mushrooms which will help them thrive. Once they start fruiting, ( I know that sounds like a crazy term for a fungus but that is the appropriate terminology.) we unstack the logs and put them into a leaning formation to make harvesting easier.  For harvesting we are trying both methods this year 1-all you do is twist and pull the mushroom off the log  2-take a sharp knife and cut the mushroom off flush with the log.  We are doing one method on one half of our lean and the other on the other half.  We will watch and see which one we feel works best for us.

Now, storing the harvested mushrooms is easy.  You take a very damp cloth and wipe anything off on the surface of the mushroom.  Next, place the clean dry mushrooms in a paper bag and store in the fridge.  By placing them in the fridge you can extend their shelf life from 4-5 days to 2-3 weeks.  Another way is to dry them and place in a freezer bag, remove all the air from the bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.  When you remove them from the freezer, just place in a bowl of water to rehydrate them.

When we had that warm spell in last week following the rain, we harvested over 7 lbs. of mushrooms.  We are keeping a daily report on harvesting and weather info to follow how our season goes.  This way we will know if we need to add the "soaking method" to our mushroom production.  We should harvest any where from 100-175 lbs. of mushrooms this year.  

Last year, we did over 200 logs.  We will pick up our spores for this year next week.  We will be doing another 200 logs this year.  The logs production life is 5 years.

There really is not a hard part to mushroom farming.  The inoculation process, the drilling, filling and waxing of the logs is the most time consuming.   Everything else is pretty simple.  OK,  Gary I'm sure would say cutting and moving the 200 logs is not easy.  But that's why it is great that we are a team.

Well, that is shiitake mushroom farming.  It is not that hard.  The reward of fresh shiitake mushrooms right out of my woods is pretty cool.

I'm going to head out and get the car loaded.  We are doing a family road trip out to Little Rock for the Southern SAWG conference and then onto Kansas to visit with Frank Reese  at The Good Shepard Poultry Ranch.  Looking forward to time with my family, not like I'm not with them all day every day LOL!  Feeling excited and blessed to be able to do this.  And Yes, I packed coffee.

Growing up, I can remember many days standing in my Mawmaw Walls'
kitchen on the stool Pawpaw made out of tin cans.  Thinking back now
of that time in my life, just brings all of those amazing smells of her cooking
back to me.  I loved spending time with her in the kitchen.  I would
sometimes be torn though, as whether to stay with her and cook or be outside
with Pawpaw.  Decisions, decisions, as a child it was so hard to decide and
you know it has not changed for me now that I'm older.

But one of the memories I have is of watching her cut up a chicken.  She
made it look so simple and easy.  It was snip snip, cut cut, and done. 
Now, I know this may seem crazy but I don't have a vivid memory of my mom
doing this at all. (I think I may have to ask her about that.)  But even
though I watched Mawmaw do this many many times, I never did it.

I had not really thought about it and to be honest, because after I married I
always bought a cut up chicken if I didn't want a whole one.  Until the day
I went to Jennifer's, my roommate from college, and there in her kitchen she was
cutting up a chicken.  Now, some of you may think why was that my ah-Haa
moment........well, when we first started out Jenn (that's what I called her)
was not a wheeze in the kitchen.

Example- the first time she had Gary and I over for dinner after she married
Paul.   Here is how the story goes:  When Gary and I arrive, he goes
off with Paul to watch a game in the den. I find Jenn in the kitchen starting
dinner.  She had browned the hamburger and was adding the sauce.  In
another pot she was starting to boil the water for the noodles.  She put in
the noodles and we continued to talk. I didn't realize the water was not boiling
yet. A few minutes later, she was like that's not right.  She poured that
one out and started over, as we where talking, she did it again- put the water
in the pot on the stove and threw in the noodles. Not again. Luckily, she had
more noodles.  This time, we stopped talking and concentrated on getting it
right the 3rd time.  We did and had a wonderful dinner and a great evening
together.

So, now you know that when I walked in Jenn's kitchen that day and to see her
cutting up a chicken- I was like I want to do that to.  I got some
instructions and with practice, I got it down just like Mawmaw.

Now, if you don't know how to cut up a chicken yourself and want to learn, it
is real easy.  Follow these simple instructions and after a few practices
you'll be just like Mawmaw Walls snip snip, cut cut and done.

Now let's get started:
So grab a  heritage chicken, a cutting board, and a sharp knife, and you
are ready. (if you have kitchen shears they work great- that is what I usually use)


Step 1: Place your chicken on its back on the cutting board.
Step 2: Using a sharp knife, slice the skin in between the drumstick and body.
           Pulling the leg away from the body of the bird.
           Find the joint and pop it out of it socket with your hands.
           Finish the cut to remove the leg and thigh  from the body.
           Cut through the joint between the thigh and the leg.
           You can also use your hands to pop this joint out of its socket first.
           Repeat on other side.
           You should have 2 legs and 2 thighs.
 Step 3: With the chicken on its side, pull the wing away from the body.
             Cut through joint and remove wing.
             Repeat on the other side.
             You should have 2 wings.
 Step 4: Starting at the rear of the bird,
            Slice down each side of the ribs.
            Continue to cut to remove entire  spine.
            (SAVE THE SPINE- this is a great piece to use for making chicken stock!)
             You should have 1 spine to save for stock. 
Step 5: Place knife on the breastbone and apply pressure to cut the breast into two halves. 
           You should have 2 breast.
 
Yay!!! You are done.
 
Now, that was not to bad now was it?!..........you should have 8 pieces of
chicken to fry, roast or grill. Some people will stew them but for me if I'm
going to stew it I just put the whole bird in and don't bother to cut it up. 
You should also have a spine to use for stock.  I'll post my stock
recipe for you to use.
 
Now, I have not had my coffee because of working on cutting up this
chicken. 
NOTE: Please be careful when handling raw meat.  Gather everything you
will need before you begin.  Don't answer the phone or have something to
drink or touch your computer to look at the directions after you start unless
you WASH YOUR HANDS!  If you wipe your hand on the dish towel  in
between cutting the chicken with out washing throw it in the dirty towels and
don't leave it out. Yuk!  I want you to be safe, I don't want you to end up
sick or getting someone else sick. 
Hope this is helpful.  Because if you buy a whole chicken you can save
money and I'm all about saving where I can.  I think we will have fried
chicken  tonight now that I have a whole cut up chicken in my kitchen. 
But what will I serve with it.........Well, it is time to go grab a cup of
coffee and go work on my grocery list.

Great tasting nutritious farm fresh eggs......each time I crack one open it is like sunshine in my kitchen.  Just the thought of these little jewels brings a smile to my face. (Even after spending 2 hours cleaning and packaging 20 dozen eggs.) Inside these little brown bundles lies a precious little ray of sunshine filled with so much healthy goodness.


The egg..... when you hear those two words, what do you think of first?....to some this means breakfast, to others they think of Easter and believe it or not there are those that think - yuk!   Well, I'm out to change those that have that last opinion of the egg.   I hope to have y'all thinking of eggs daily and not just for breakfast.


First let's talk chicken- we can't talk about the egg unless we first talk about the chicken.  I believe the heritage breeds to be the starting point for the best egg possible.  These hens come from reliable heritage breeds and are allowed to grow and mature at their natural rate.   A hen has to be in premium health to produce the best egg.  The quality of life she lives, housing and of course feed, all contribute to what we will one day eat.   We provide plenty of pasture for them to roam so they can forage for worms, grubs and other insects while eating the best grass with no pesticides.  Raising them in a humane and natural way.  That's why our chicks are healthy happy chicks providing excellent eggs..


Now let's talk nutrition-  a farm fresh egg, from a hens  that are allowed to eat bugs, seeds, grass and other goodies from our pasture.  This produces an egg with a dark rich color more than that of factory-eggs. This deep color indicates higher nutrition;  rich in choline, selenium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, beta carotene,  lutein, vitamin A, vitamin E, omega-3, vitamin D and iodine,   which equals an egg with more nutrition for your family.

• Choline – particularly important for brain function and health.  Egg yolks are the richest form of choline. (More than 90% of Americans are choline-deficient.  This is a concern for pregnant woman as choline is necessary for brain and memory development in the fetus.)
• Selenium – A mineral that is a powerful antioxidant and that our bodies need for a strong immune system.
• Folic Acid – Helps in the prevention of birth defects
• Other B Vitamins – converts foods you eat into energy
• Beta carotene- good for vision, immunity, and overall health
• Omega-3- boost heart health and lower triglycerides; to helping with inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis) to  brain function 
• Lutein – found in the yolk, protects against age-related muscular degeneration and cataracts
• Vitamin A – important for night vision, healthy skin and bone tissue
• Vitamin E -prevents cell damage by inhibiting oxidation of lipids (fats) and the formation of free radicals (helps to prevent cancer)
• Vitamin D- aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones
• Iodine- needed for the normal metabolism of cells; Metabolism is the process of converting food into energy.

Wow!  Now, why are you not eating an egg a day?............I told you these little bundles were a jewel.  Now lets go a step further: conventional store bought vs. pastured free range.

 pastured, free range eggs have-

• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• Two times more omega-3 fatty acids
• Three times more vitamin E
• Seven times more beta carotene – converts to vitamin A
• most recently noted, 4-6 times more vitamin D

Are you thinking....I should be eating these every day......

Now for reason that will surely hook you on at least one a day.

Taste...now this is one that is easy.  Just try ONE.  Fix it your favorite way, doesn't matter, whatever way you enjoy it.

As for me, I like omelets myself.  Yesterday for New Year's I fixed an asparagus, mushroom and onion omelet with a little parmesan cheese for breakfast.  Oh my!  It was rich and cream with a soft fluffy texture that makes my mouth water just thinking about it now.  Gary and Carrie love to eat them hard boiled with a little salt.  Mekayla loves deviled eggs- hard boiled eggs chopped with mayo, salt and pepper.  Carson is a boy after his Mom's heart, he is an omelet guy but he likes bacon and cheese.  Which ever way you fix your egg, I know once you have tasted one from the farm you will never go back to store bought.

I just want to take a moment to thank each of you for becoming friends of Bountiful Harvest Farm and Heritage Farmgirl.

When we stepped out on faith and started our farm, we had no idea where it would exactly take us.  We have been amazed at the people we have met and the connection that have been formed all across this beautiful country.  Let alone the world?  From the farmers getting chicks to grow in North Carolina, Rhode Island, Montana, Washington, Missouri and Oregon, to having Larry Kissell for a farm tour & lunch, to making a lasting friendship with Jonathan &  Joe with Chicks for Change project through The Forsaken Children's organization, to farm tours with pre-schools, county extension offices and other organizations, to Gary being asked to speak at the Organic Growers School and several other educational workshops and finally to the many many customers who have bought our chicken and turkey to put on their family table.  You see, we have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season.  Even in the shadows of losing our parents in August (Gary's Mom) and October (Kelly's Dad), we can still count our blessings because we would not be who we are without their influences on our lives.

We hope that each and everyone of you had a blessed Thanksgiving.  Remember to cherish those whom you have in your lives........just a little story we'd like to share.......

On the first day of class, a university professor stood in front of his philosophy class with an empty jar.
Without saying a word to his students, he removed the lid of the jar and filled it with golf balls. When no more golf bars fit he closed the jar with its lid. He then asked his class, “Would you say that the jar is now full?” His students observed the jar and concluded that the jar was indeed full.

The professor then proceeded to open the jar up and started inserting marbles into the jar. The marbles started to fill the gaps between the golf balls. After sealing the jar, he asked his class once again if they thought the jar was now full. The class concluded that the jar was indeed now full.

The professor opened the jar a third time and started pouring in sand. Obviously, the sand started filling the gaps between the golf balls and the marbles. He then sealed the jar and asked his class a third time if the jar was full. His class chuckled and replied in unison, “Yes, it is now full!”

The professor opened the jar and emptied two small cups of coffee in the jar. The liquid had completely filled the gap between the golf balls, the marbles, and the grains of sand. He then began his lecture.

“I hope you realize that life is very much like this jar. The golf balls represent the important things in life, like God, family, loved ones, health, things that you care intimately about. If we lost everything else in life, our lives would still be ‘full’. The marbles are the other things in our lives that are important, but our happiness shouldn’t depend on them. Things like our work, our house, our car, etc. Finally, the sand represents everything else; the small stuff.

“If we were to have filled our jar up with sand first, there we wouldn’t have had enough room for the marbles or the golf balls. If we use all our life and energy on the small stuff, we won’t have any room for the important things.”

After a brief moment of silence one of the students asked, “Professor, what does the coffee represent?”
“Ah, I’m glad you asked,” replied the professor.

 “It means that no matter how full your life is, there is always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.”

(Untitled to my knowledge, Author Unknown to me)

Blessings from our farm to you,
Gary & Kelly Sikes
Mekayla, Carson and Carrie

***Sorry that I have not been posting weekly.  
After the loss of my daddy in October, it has been hard for me to find the words to write.  Each time that I tried I would get off track and lost in the thoughts in my head.   I  would write for hours only to go back and delete everything I had just written.  Time does help.......for the month of December I'll be posting recipes and maybe a funny story or two.  After the first of the year, I'll go back to posting weekly on Wednesdays. 
Thanks for your patience during this difficult time in my life.

With coffee in hand,
Kelly
Heritage Farmgirl

Brine:   

• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 4 sprigs rosemary

 To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary. Note: if you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.

**Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.  Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Turkey Stock: (optional)

• 2 tablespoon butter
• Reserved turkey neck and heart
• 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 1 small bay leaf
• 3 cups turkey stock, chicken stock, or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 3 cups water

Heat the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey neck and heart, to the pan and sauté until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the chopped vegetables and bay leaf to the pan and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Pour the stock and 3 cups of water into the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the stock is reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour, adding the chopped liver to the pan during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Strain the stock into a clean pot or large measuring cup. Pull the meat off the neck, chop the neck meat and giblets, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels both inside and out. Place turkey, breast side up, in a large, heavy roasting pan.

Roasting Turkey

•  unsalted butter at room temperature (use as much as needed to cover entire bird)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/8ths
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1/2 bunch sage
• 3 or 4 sprigs parsley
• 2 cups turkey stock or you may use canned chicken or turkey broth

Rub breast side with orange segments and rub on all sides with the butter, stuffing some butter underneath the skin. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the onion, remaining orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string. Pour the turkey broth in the bottom of your pan so that it is about ½ inch deep covering the bottom of the pan.  Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side up.

 Heritage Roasting Times
Weight         325' Roasting Time

8-12              1¼ to 2¼ hours       
12-14           2¼ to 2¾ hours
14-16           2¾ to 3½ hours
16-18           3½ to 4 hours 
18-20           4 to 4½ hours
20-25           4½ to 5 hours
25-30           4½ to 6 hours  
  
  
Done 165 degrees in Thigh

Note: The USDA recommends turkeys be cooked to 160F-180F, but these temperature will dry out a heritage turkey. Heritage birds are much freer of disease and bacteria, unlike commercially raised birds, and do not need extreme temperatures to make them safe for consumption.

• Use a Thermometer when cooking a Turkey. When the Turkey reaches 165 in the Turkey's thigh, the Turkey is done.
• Oven Temperatures vary, so roasting times are approximate.
• Begin checking for doneness ½ to 1 hour before the end of the recommended roasting time. Place a tent foil loosely over turkey when the turns golden brown. Do not seal the foil around the pan.
• Leave tent cover over the Turkey.
• Let the Turkey rest about 30 minutes before carving to allow juices to well up in the meat. This helps preserve the meat juiciness.

Enjoy the wonderful Heritage Turkey with your family!

If you grew up in the south, I know you have heard that saying.  Or the saying my family used, "If you eat one more_________ (french fry or whatever you ate the most of) you're going to turn into a _____________ (french fry or whatever)."  I used to hear that a lot growing up and I would just laugh.  But now that I'm older it concerns me.  Especially, because of what I have learned over the last several years, on how our food is raised and where it comes from.

***Let me go on record here, we have made a lot of changes in the foods we buy.  But by no means are we 100% local, organic.  We still by some processed and pre-packaged food.  Our family does go out to eat and it is not farm to fork restaurants.  We have made a huge change in our buying and eating habits.  I hope in the future as people are educated there will be more options so we can get close to 100%.** Now back to my story:

You see growing up I knew where and how most of my food was raised.  My family had a large garden in our back yard each year.  I can remember many early summer morning garden trips with Mawmaw and Pawpaw Walls to gather the veggies.  We would spend all morning gathering.  Then we would sort and store the veggies in the room off the carport.  Then do the rest of our chores. Late in the evening, we would sit out under the dogwood tree.  My lap would be filled with a large silver bowl.  Mawmaw and I would have a big 5 gal. Bucket between us with green beans, okra or whatever we had gathered that day and spend most of the evening checking, snapping or cutting.  Looking back, I cherish those memories of that time spent under the dogwood tree.  This food would be what we would eat on all summer.  What we could not eat, we would can or freeze to have to eat on during the winter.  Therefore we knew what was in the soil and how it was grown.  As for our meat, we bought most of it at the local butcher in Mount Holly.  Sometimes, we would have fresh fish that my pawpaw and I would catch down on the Catawba River.  Then of course we made our weekly grocery trips to the local grocery store to buy our other stuff like milk, sugar, bread and of course some junk food.  So for the most part, we knew about the food we were eating. 

But today, if you are buying your vegetables at the local grocery store........check that little white print, more times than not it will not be from the US.  Now, just stop and think, Where was it grown?.....What is in their soil?.......Who is checking the soil where it was grown? monitoring and inspecting?.......or do they inspect?...... How many people have touched it before you bought it?....How was it packaged and shipped to get to you?.....How long was the time from when it was picked until it reached the market?....Even if we think we are eating fresh produce.......if it was grown in contaminated soil or harmful pesticides where used.....then those chemicals are in your food. YUK!!!! Did you just have a WOW! moment?......  I know I did when I started this food journey.  So those fresh? healthy? salads and other fresh veggies.....could be as bad as eating processed foods.  I made a decision then to stop and rethink how I was going to feed my family.  

My food journey started back in 2001 when Gary became sick. You see I thought I was providing healthy nutritious food for my family.  I would buy the boneless, skinless chicken, use very little red meat and we always had fruits and veggies.  I never stopped to think of what the animals were eating or how they were cared for either.  It didn't occur to me to be concerned about where my veggies were grown.  As I began to research Gary's disease sarcoidosis I soon realized there was a reason to be concerned, very concerned.  With that research, I found studies on the importance of the soil the veggies come from and how they are handled.  Which lead me to that WOW! moment.  But for me at that time the most alarming study was about the effects of antibiotics & hormones given to animals that are being passed on to us.  I know that for every study that says they can be passed there is another that says no they can't be.  Well, this is my take on studies, I have to take the given info and decide, am I willing to take the risk.  For me, I decided I didn't want to chance my families health that it might not be passed.  If it is not there to start with then I don't have to worry or regret my decision 10 years from now when it may come out that oops, it was passed on, our mistake. 

I am not writing this to scare you.  I just feel that people need to stop and think about what is going on with our food supply.  I know for me, if Gary had not became sick, I don't know when or if I would have looked this close into what we eat.

As I say about any of the things I choose for my family, I make my decisions based on my convictions.  I have to answer for me.  My daddy always said, "There is consequences for your actions, make wise choices."  Good or bad, I am accountable.  But what is right for us may not be for you.  Only you can make that choice.

I am out of coffee so I'm going to go make another pot. If you want to talk more about this drop me a message.  I'll grab a cup of coffee (when it is ready...hopefully soon!) and see what we come up with.  I'm glad you stopped by to visit.  Remember- You Are What You Eat!