Egg Storage

So you have your own chickens and are totally over run with eggs, or the grocery store had a sale that you just couldn't pass, and you stocked up! Now the question is.....what to do with them all????

If you eat alot of eggs or bake a lot, this won't really be an issue. If not, then you want to make sure that these eggs will keep. And it isn't as difficult as you may think! And at the 1840's Farm, the mud room acts as my storage area in the winter for eggs, vegetables and anything else that needs to stay cold. But the temperatures are rising and there are still many eggs, so what to do?

If you have your own chickens, as long as you haven't scrubbed the shell and removed the bloom (eggs natural protective coating), they should keep well, as is. However, store bought eggs will have the bloom scrubbed off, so you need to preserve them for the long storage.

To do this, simply use a little warm mineral oil and using your fingers (many people like to wear gloves), cover the entire egg with a layer of oil. Then, place point down back into the carton. Make sure that the entire egg is covered and sealed with the oil. The eggs may now be stored in the fridge, root cellar (and some even leave on the shelf), for up to a year! Note that the eggs should be turned at least once a month. This is done by simply turning the entire carton over.

When ready to use your eggs, if you want to make sure that they are good, simply place the egg in a glass of water. If it sinks, it's good. If it floats....out to the compost it goes.

Preserved eggs can be used in the same manner that fresh are, however be aware that the older the egg, the less  likely it is that you will be able to use the whites for meringue, as older whites won't whip up well. A small price to pay, however, for the ability to save your eggs long term.

So next sale, go ahead and stock up! You can store the extra eggs now.

Honey

I received a great packet from the Honey Board. Honey related beverages/cocktails/drinks.

The Honey Board is a great place to go for honey related information, recipes and questions that you may have about honey.
www.honey.com

New Logo

Actually, I've had this logo for a while, but it will be new to the blog. Unfortunatly, the entire logo will not show here, but it gives you a good idea!

Keep watching for the change!

Pineapple Update

Well, we have the final piece for the pineapple that we have been watching.

It was harvested (and I forgot to take a picture....) and was so sweet. Now, the pineapple has finished one chapter and started a new one. The top is now going on to become a plant on it's own.

Lunch

Yeow.....was doing some research in St Augustine for a book and stopped for lunch at Meehan's Backyard Island Cafe. Ordered the Monster Burger. HUGE....but so delish!  Slaw, goat cheese, bacon.....not something you'd have daily (or weekly) but what a treat!

Pineapple Update

Checking in on the little pineapple that we have been following on Facebook, it is now actually looking like a pineapple, albeit a "mini me" version. Still a long way to go.

The plant itself is also beginning to sprout "pups" (second pic). These are new little plants forming that will eventually produce a fruit themselves. This plant has 2 "pups starting so far.

A pineapple plant fruits only once.

Plumeria Blossoming

The Plumeria,  or "sticks" as we affectionately call them, are blooming. At least one is.

I just found out that, although the rest of the plant is toxic, the blossom is supposed to be edible. Anyone with experience in this?

Tomato Time

Just processed 22 lbs of fresh picked tomatoes into sauce. So good!

Did you know that an easy way to peel tomatoes is to drop them in boiling water for a few minutes? The skins will crack. Then drop into a bowl of ice water for a minute or so. When you pull them out of the ice water, the skins will peel right off with your fingers, many times in a single piece. (Caution....tomatoes may still be hot even after ice water dip.)

Urban Farm at EPCOT

I went to the Flower and Garden show at EPCOT a little over a week ago. I was very excited about the small urban farm display that they had.

I will be posting some pictures, but what I found most interesting was the aquaponics set up.

I tried getting panoramic pictures of it, but kept getting people's heads in it, even when they tried to duck, so I had to go piecemeal.  But you can get the idea.

New Gadget

I just added a neat new gadget that I found (bottom of page). See what foods are in season in your state. Just hit the blue arrows to bring up the state and month, and see what pops up!

Watch for the Show

As of yesterday, Local Seasons will be on internet radio, starting on July 7 at 3pm, through Healthy Life.net Radio Network. I'm quite excited about this, as I'm hoping this will bring buying locally even further to the forefront.

I plan to have segments talking to farmers, farm market managers, chefs/restaurants (who use local foods), other areas of "buy local" that many might not think about, the heritage "boom" and much more.

There are advertising slots open, and if interested, please contact me. This network averages 3mil listeners per month.

I'll be updating more later.

Franklin Farmer's Market

FRANKLIN FARMER'S MARKET 3RD SEASON A WEEKLY EVENT!

The Franklin Farmers' Market announces that, due to its great success, its third season will be its biggest yet. In its first season, 2007, the Market was held once a month for 4 months. Last summer the Market ran twice a month from Memorial Day to Columbus Day weekend. This year the Market will be held every single Sunday, 10 AM to 2 PM, from May 24 through October 11!

The Franklin Farmers' Market has an especially lovely village setting on the lawn and under the trees in front of the white-columned portico of historic Chapel Hall, 25 Institute Street, Franklin, NY. Twenty local producers offer amazing variety - meat, eggs, cheese, vegetables, fruit, breads and baked goods, plants and flowers, maple syrup and honey, jams and pickles and home grown herbal soaps and lotions - all artfully displayed in white canopied stalls. Among the participating farms are Sherman Hill Homestead, Fokish Farms, Schmitt's Produce, Echo Hills Farm, Olive Tree Herbs, Handsome Brook Farm (all of town of Franklin), Stoney Creek Farm (Walton), Flying Rabbit Farm (Otego), Summer's End Orchard (Unadilla), Betty Acres (Delhi) and Hare & Feather Farm (Laurens). Throughout the season there will be entertainment, special events and demonstrations. Since the very first market, musicians have entertained the shoppers from the portico, while, on the lawn below, there have been demonstrations of such crafts as scything, wood carving, and apple pressing, and special free attractions like horse drawn wagon rides.

"People have told us it is the prettiest market they have been to," says Ellen Curtis, the market manager. "Franklin is a very special place. People love to come here."

Settled in 1792, Franklin is a small, beautiful village of Greek Revival, Federal, and Victorian houses, churches and stores, with lovely tree-lined streets. Virtually the entire village was, in 1984, inscribed in both the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Located 13 miles south of Oneonta, NY, its Main Street is on State Rte 357, which connects Route 28 with I-88.
Sundays are busy in Franklin with services in its three landmark churches. A new restaurant, the Beehive, is open from 9 to 2 for breakfast and brunch. Across the street from The Beehive are two antique stores, The Squires Tankard and Franklin Durable Goods. To coordinate with the Farmer's Market schedule, Franklin Stage Company, whose home is Chapel Hall, has added performances on Sundays Aug.15 thru September 6 at 11:00 AM of AMERICAN FAIRY TALES, its second main stage production of the summer. For more information about Franklin Farmer's Market and the many attractions offered to visitors to Franklin, please see the Visiting Franklin pages at www.franklinstagecompany.org. For information about Franklin Local, the sponsors of the Franklin Farmers' Market, see www.franklinlocal.org

Flying Rabbit set upphoto: Karl Heidenreich

Early morning Mary Dolan of Flying Rabbit Farm setting up.photo: Greg Williams

Musicians tune up on the porch "stage".photo: Bryan Babcock

Ellen Curtis, left, Franklin Farmers Market Manager with Sue Mullen, herb & flower grower.Photo credit: Betsy Babcock

Welcome!

Welcome to the Local Seasons blog!

If you're here, you're probably a foodie, a small farmer, a restaurant owner, or all three. You enjoy farm fresh whenever you can get it, and you support the buy local movement and local farms in your area.

As a companion to a series of books being created under the same name, I will cover local foods, buy local, farm markets, discussions with small farmers, restaurants who source local foods and not to forget, raising one's own food, the utmost in local consumption.


In the Local Seasons blog, discussion and interviews are offered, favourite recipes submitted by farmers, gardeners and consumers utilizing local foods from throughout the 50 states and more. It is my hope that the Local Seasons blog will become a weekly read for you.