Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Bailey's Local Foods ordering ends at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, September 28th

This is your reminder that you should place your order before 8:00 pm Tuesday, September 28th for pickup on Friday, October 1st.
Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Items that you have placed in your shopping cart will be ordered on your behalf on Tuesday at 8:00pm. There is no checkout button. If you do not intend to order, please ensure that your shopping cart is empty.

***Please note - We will be holding weekly pickups on FRIDAYS until October 22nd this year. After that we will be changing the pickup day to MONDAYS until May.

Message from Rachael:
What a change in weather! The leaves are changing the mums are blooming (they need cold weather to bloom). It feel s like it's time to put the garden to bed.

Yesterday our lone pumpkin was picked and is now in the front window (we're worried the squirrels would eat it if it was outside!) Today the very long vine that grew that lone pumpkin was pulled and the flowers were stuffed, battered and cooked for dinner! Mmmmm! What a way to use the chevre!

Here are some things to look for on this week's order form:
  • Elvina Bauman has Hamburg Rooted Parsley for us! It tastes like parsnip but is big like a turnip!
  • Radishes!
  • Beans from Rounds (Some customers were confused, so they are now listed as Rounds Brand instead of Hillbilly Beans!)
  • Apple Creek Apple Cider! Certified Organic! In the 'other' section!
  • Pumpkin Pie (and other varieties) from Lena Horst!
  • Noodles and Pasta from J&D
  • Fusilli and many pickle choices from Barrie Brothers
  • McKechnie taco shells, tostadas and tamales!
  • Chocolate from Anna Tolazzi - for sharing or just for you!
Have fun!
Rachael
Bailey's Local Foods
baileyslocalfoods.ca


Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.


P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.


Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.


You are receiving Standard Notifications because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.


If you do not wish to receive Standard Notifications in the future, please uncheck the Standard Notifications box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Bailey's Buying Club - Ordering is now open for Friday, October 1st 2010

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order. Ordering closes at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, September 28th.
Please be sure to read the wavier on our website when you log in. It reminds you that items placed your shopping cart are automatically saved (there is no 'checkout' button).

Items you order this week are to be picked up at First United Church on Friday, October 1st between 3:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Ordering will end on Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 at 8:00 PM

***Please note - We will be holding weekly pickups on FRIDAYS until October 22nd this year. After that we will be changing the pickup day to MONDAYS until May.

Message from Rachael:

Cynthia makes amazing, mostly local raw food with sauces that are pretty wow. Last night I should have eaten the Celestial Burgie from Divinely Raw for dinner I love them (and her Organic Tex Mex Tostadas). Both are good - and good for you. But I didn't. I must admit that I ate a butter tart (or two) instead. Last week asked a member how the gluten free butter tarts from Magnolia were. She raved. And this week I got to try them. Wow! Maybe I'll have to pack one in my lunch today with that Celestial Burgie. Mmmmm!

If you can eat gluten, I'd suggest trying the pies from Lena Horst. She's baked for market before and wants to start offering home baked goods (from an inspected kitchen) for you! We're starting with three varieties this week, but keep looking for more! We also welcome suggestions. Pumpkin, Dutch apple and Apple and Ground cherry are on the order form this week!

Did you know that the peanut harvest is happening now? Vipul is offering raw peanuts this week and offers this recipe. He tried them with his family and says it is as good as he'd hoped:

Boiled Peanuts
You will need:
  • 1 kg fresh shell peanut
  • 100-150 g salt
It's as easy as:
  1. Cover with water
  2. Bring to a boil
  3. Boil for about 45 minutes 
  4. Drain water, take shell off and enjoy your snack.
Yes, you need to use lot of salt but don't worry it will not be salty only some salt will get in to the shell.

Some highlights for this week:
  • The Nutty Bakers are back! Look for all the old favourites plus a few new ones including sweet and sour meatballs in the 'prepared' section
  • Organic Apple Cider from Apple Creek Farms - you can freeze enough for the whole winter! 
  • Pear Apple Sauce in bulk! We just had a new batch canned!
  • Fenugreek from Vipul is back (the bunnies ate it last week!) - Let me know if you need recipes.
  • Celeriac - so good in soups, but if you slice it very thin, you can deep fry and make celeriac chips!
  • Salad Greens are growing again!
  • Turnips and radishes are ready too!
  • Local flour from Oak Manor for making pie!
Thankfully,
Rachael

------------------------
Message from Nina:
Hello Waterloo Region Eaters,
Don't you just love being alive in southern Ontario when Autumn is this delicious?  The weather is also beyond balmy. I'm so pleased I got three loads of wash hung and dried before it sprinkled.

Harvest Celebration Season
Foodlink had their lovely Taste Local Taste Fresh last weekend and Rachael really enjoyed attending and seeing many of our suppliers there! If you missed that one, don't worry, there are many more harvest celebrations you can join in.  There is the an Organic Week happening in the Guelph and surrounding area in October.  See www.cogwaterloo.ca/events.php. for details.

This is one event that caught my eye.  Organic Oasis is this lovely little farm store on what I call "Erb Street" (just take Erb St West until you hit it).  My kids (and I) would love the wagon ride and they serve Mapleton's ice cream cones.

Friday, October 15
Farm Tour â€"Organic Oasis (*Reserve your spot at least two days prior to the tour date)
2301 Perth Line 43, Stratford â–ª1:00-3:00pm
www.organicoasis.on.ca
Enjoy a wagon ride around this mixed farm to learn about how organic vegetables are grown and organic animals are raised.
See Foodlink's event page http://www.foodlink.ca/index.php?p=events  for more events. 

I'd love to go to Oakridge Acres' Fall Fun Day today but we have a college reunion.  My husband is playing the saw at the coffeehouse - can't miss that.

Straight-up Message from a Farmer
Below you'll find an excerpt from the end of an article by Rebecca Thistlewaite who is a pasture-based farmer in the US.  I found her unapologetic straight-talk refreshing and challenging.  Follow this link for the whole article and a link to her blog.

http://www.grist.org/article/food-do-you-have-the-balls-to-really-change-the-food-system/

"Really put your money where your mouth is:
  • Don't complain about prices. If price is an issue for you on something, ask the farmer nicely if he has any less expensive cuts (or cosmetically challenged "seconds"), bulk discounts, or volunteer opportunities. But don't ask the farmer to earn less money for his hard work.
  • Don't compare prices between farmers who are trying to do this for a living and those that do it only as a hobby (and don't have to make a living from what they produce and sell).
  • Share in a farmer's risk by putting up some money and faith up front via a Community Supported Agriculture share. And then suck it up when you don't get to eat something that you paid for because there was a crop failure or an animal illness.
  • Buy local when available, but also make a point of supporting certified Fair Trade, Organic products when buying something grown in tropical countries
  • Buy organic not just for your health, but for the health of the land, waterways, wildlife, and the workers in those fields
  • Figure out the handful of restaurants that buy and serve truly sustainable food and become loyal to them. Occasionally give them feedback and thank them.
  • If your budget doesn't allow you to eat out often, eat out infrequently but at the places with the best integrity that may be more costly.
  • Ask the waiter where the restaurant's meat or fish comes from, and how it was raised before you order it.  If the waiter gives an insufficient answer, order vegetarian and tell them what you want to see next time if they want your business again.
  • Don't buy meat from chain grocery stores, not even Whole Paycheck (ed: a reference to Whole Foods Market). Understand that for them to get meat in volume with year-round selection and availability, they have to work with large distribution networks and often international suppliers, and don't pay enough to the producers for them to even cover their costs.
  • Get the majority of your produce, meat, eggs, dairy, bread, dried fruit, nuts, and olive oil from farmers markets, CSAs, U-pick farms, and on-farm stands. Try to buy from the actual farmer, not a middleman. Get the rest of your food from the bulk section, dairy case, or bakery of your local independent grocer.
  • Pay for your values. If it hurts, don't have fewer values, just eat less food (sorry, but most Americans could stand to do a bit of this)
I admit, this is a lot to digest.

What I am saying is that we can't be casual about the food system we want to see. If more people don't show some commitment, and take part in some of the hard work that farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers do on a daily basis, then we cannot build a sustainable food system.

You don't have to be a passive consumer. You are part of this system, too. Don't just eat, do something more!
"

End of quote.

Talking Turkeys
This is the second to last order before Thanksgiving so if you can't pick up an order on October 8th, be sure to place your Thanksgiving order now.  I was talking to Kevin about the turkeys from Snyder's Heritage Farm.  No forty pounder birds this season, he didn't let any get that big this year.  His birds really do taste better than factory-raised birds.  He includes instructions for preparing each turkey and even one of those thingies you poke into the turkey and when it is baked thoroughly it pops out.  He was saying how people often don't think of turkey as a menu option unless it is Thanksgiving.  He has taken a brave leap and now offers a variety of turkey parts.  If you have not tried them, I highly recommend them.  The breasts are super convenient for stir fries or baking, the ground turkey is delicious anywhere you'd use hamburger or ground chicken and the meaty bones make the best broth. Kevin always goes on about how good the drums and wings are too. Think of how much more meat you get than when you're eating chicken!

Meals that Heals now Green Table Foods
Meals that Heals held a contest asking people to give them a new name. The name they've decided on is Green Table Foods.  So look for that name when you want high-quality food that is ready-to-eat. See their items on the order form under "prepared".

PS The Sweet Keepers look AMAZING on your cupboard, mom.

In solidarity with farmers,
Nina
Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca

P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.

Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

You are receiving Nina's Messages because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.

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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Bailey's Local Foods ordering ends at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, September 21st

This is your reminder that you should place your order before 8:00 pm Tuesday, September 21st for pickup on Friday, September 24th
Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Items that you have placed in your shopping cart will be ordered on your behalf on Tuesday at 8:00pm. There is no checkout button. If you do not intend to order, please ensure that your shopping cart is empty.

***Please note - We will be holding weekly pickups on FRIDAYS until October 22nd this year. After that we will be changing the pickup day to MONDAYS until May.

Calendars out! Want to know what our schedule will look like for the fall?
Remaining Fridays
Sept. 24
Oct. 1
Oct. 8
Oct. 22

Bailey's Monday pick-ups:
Nov. 1
Nov. 15
Dec. 6
Dec. 20
Jan. 17

Message from Rachael:

This week I'm happy to share the news that Apple Creek Farms is officially Certified Organic!!! Congratulations to Pete and Mary for completing the accreditation process for your farm!

I always send this reminder email and the remember more things that I wanted to share with you! I made a list this week so that I could share the following with you. We have:    
  • Celery from Lester and Irene Brubacher
  • Dried beans from Hillbilly Beans (sorry if you looked earlier and got an error)
  • Honey from Bauman Apiaries
  • Mums in all colours from Lena Burkhart - they have a few blooms, but will continue to bloom for you!
  • Mini Indian corn in bunches of 5 from Sidney and Eva Weber - their son did some experimenting and the kernels even pop!
  • Unsalted peanuts and large tubs of smooth PB from Kernal Peanuts back in stock!
  • Bulk Kale from Lena Horst
  • Celestial Burgie from Divinely Raw - Mmmm!
  • Bulk tomatillos  (for making salsa verde or roasted tomatillo salsa for enchaladas all year round!)
  • 100 mile spelt bread!
  • Pumpkins with 'naked' seeds - ready to roast without the pesky shell as well as jack-o-lantern pumpkins!
  • Gluten Free bread and butter tarts from Magnolia
  • Roma tomatoes in half bushels!
  • Chips and tortillas from McKechnie
  • Radicchio from Pfenning's
  • Spinach from Under Ground Organics
 I don't think I missed anything... =)

Enjoy!
Rachael
Bailey's Local Foods
baileyslocalfoods.ca


Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.


P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.


Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.


You are receiving Standard Notifications because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.


If you do not wish to receive Standard Notifications in the future, please uncheck the Standard Notifications box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Bailey's Buying Club - Ordering is now open for Friday, September 24th 2010

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order. Ordering closes at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, September 21st.
Please be sure to read the wavier on our website when you log in. It reminds you that items placed your shopping cart are automatically saved (there is no 'checkout' button).

Items you order this week are to be picked up at First United Church on Friday, September 10th between 3:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Ordering will end on Tuesday, September 14th, 2010 at 8:00 PM

***Please note - We will be holding weekly pickups on FRIDAYS until October 22nd this year. After that we will be changing the pickup day to MONDAYS until May.

Calendars out! Want to know what our schedule will look like for the fall?
Remaining Fridays
Sept. 24
Oct. 1
Oct. 8
Oct. 22

Bailey's Monday pick-ups:
Nov. 1
Nov. 15
Dec. 6
Dec. 20
Jan. 17

Message from Rachael:

Some of you have been asking what happened to some of our suppliers! Here are some updates:
  • Palatine Fruit and Roses - finished for the season!
  • Polestar Hearth - now only baking on Wednesdays - Join their CSB (CSA for bread) in Guelph if you can  - http://www.polestarhearth.com/
  • The Nutty Bakers - Anna qualified for a marathon in Europe, She's running and vacationing and will be back in October (or a bit sooner) with some new products too!
  • Divinely Raw was on vacation, but now are back! Mmmm!
  • Nuts from Grimo are coming up! Local chestnuts, heartnuts, walnuts (persian and black), hazelnuts, hickory nuts
  • Meals That Heal - Find the same great products and some new tasties from Green Table Foods - their new name! Read their story below:
Green Table Foods: Our Story
We began our journey with hand-made local food six years ago as Meals that Heal, offering nutrient dense customized meals delivered directly to clients. The premise was simple, “You are what you eat,” and we built a loyal clientele who loved how they felt after eating fresh organic food.

Operating from a second kitchen in our home and vending at two farmer’s markets, we signed a lease on a derelict fish and chippery in the spring of 2005. With great help from the talented Jeremy, we renovated and built a pretty decent kitchen. After the dust settled and , there was an immediate demand for take-out, with a steady stream of walk-in customers wondering “…what is that amazing smell?”

Branching out into prepared foods and catering, we got some news from the CFIA about a 2009 World Trade Organization law which decrees that only cosmetics and pharmaceuticals can make direct health claims. Given a deadline, we held a naming contest and here we are, Green Table Foods, with an updated menu and a new fully-outfitted commercial kitchen in Orchard Park, at the Loyola Centre, surrounded by hundreds of acres of certified organic farmland.

Our commitment is to a shortened food chain, sourcing ingredients directly from the local farmers that raise them or grown ourselves. Food inspired by the great cooking traditions of the world, hand made with love.

You can find their products on our order form and complete ingredient lists online at http://www.baileyslocalfoods.ca/ingredients.php.

Best,
Rachael

------------------------
Message from Nina:

Sweet Keepers are Found
I was dreading returning her phone call because I did not want to have to tell her that we could not buy her squash. I got a call from Eva’s sister (Eva the carrot guru) saying she had squash for me and when did I want them?  I had no memory of ever speaking to her sister or saying that I would buy her squash so I postponed calling her back for too many days. Finally tonight I called her and told her I was sorry I could not buy more squash because we were committed to the farmers we were already buying squash from and we wanted to make sure that our members bought as much as possible from them so they would not be left with rotting squash in January.  Then she mentioned that the squash she has are Sweet Keepers. Ohhh! In that case, YES, we’ll buy them.  

We don’t have any other farmers growing sweet keeper for us now. One reason for that is that most seed catalogues do not offer Sweet Keeper seeds.  If you grow them, you have to save your own seeds for next year. Perhaps other farmers don’t grow them because the vines grow extremely long - 30ft!  If you’ve ever wanted to try storing your own squash, these are the best kind to store.  Viola (Eva’s sister) says that hers keep until April when she stores them under the bed upstairs (cool and dry).  I’m going to order 5 Sweet Keepers (they’re about 10 inches in diameter) to put in a row on top of a high cabinet in the dining room. I think they’ll look lovely up there and I won’t forget to use them.  See this link for a photo of their greyish/blue/green beauty (a lovely contrast to the other orange squash). The flesh is orange like most winter squashes. http://www.southernexposure.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?screen=PROD&product_code=53606
Mom, if you’re reading this, they’d look stunning on top of your dark brown cabinet where you put vases of flowers.

I asked Viola how her family likes to eat them and she said they put them in EVERYTHING.  Custards, casseroles, pies, you name a squash dish and Sweet Keeper works well.  She says that her children like it when she cuts a lid around the handle, removes the seeds and bakes rice inside the squash.  She ends up with a rice casserole inside and then when she scoops it out she scoops into the flesh of the Sweet Keeper.  I couldn’t find a recipe like Viola described but did find this one for vegetables and sausage inside a squash (yum!) http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/cinderella-pumpkin-bowl-with-vegetables-and-sausage/Detail.aspx

Thanksgiving
This week I’ve been figuring out the menu for Thanksgiving along with my cousins and aunts. Perhaps you’re planning ahead too.  We will have beautiful turkeys from Kevin and Ann Snyder again (GMO and drug free).  We also have a plethora of gorgeous squash in all shapes and sizes for eating, centerpieces, storing, sculptures or whatever you desire.  A tip for easy pumpkin pie making is to use a squash with orange flesh, cube and boil the flesh and then blend it all - no need to peel it!  Grainharvest makes lovely buns and dinner rolls if you’re looking for those.  I’m going to attempt my first stuffing this year but am overwhelmed by the choices of stuffing recipes on-line. Can someone tell me a tried and true stuffing recipe that you love?

This week look for:
  • Creamy peanut butter (Valencia peanuts - no additives, no fungicides)
  • Sparkling cider - stock up for Thanksgiving
  • Popcorn - to go with the sparkling cider that you’ll finish before Thanksgiving gets here
  • Deli meats for easy lunches
  • Dried beans from Hillbilly Beans
  • Honey from Bauman Apiaries
Nina 
Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca

P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.

Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

You are receiving Nina's Messages because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.

If you do not wish to receive Nina's Messages in the future, please uncheck the Nina's Messages box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Monday, September 13, 2010

Bailey's Local Foods ordering ends at 8:00 pm on Tuesday September 14th

This is your reminder that you should place your order before 8:00 pm Tuesday, September 14th for pickup on Friday, September 17th
Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.


Items that you have placed in your shopping cart will be ordered on your behalf on Tuesday at 8:00pm. There is no checkout button. If you do not intend to order, please ensure that your shopping cart is empty.

Message from Rachael:


Talking to the farmers this week they're very busy harvesting so much amazing food. Paul was out in the field until 11pm on Friday and Brenda was very busy too. It takes extra luck to get them on the phone to find out what is available for the coming week! Farmers are already planning for next year! They likely already have their garlic planted!

Would you like to join in a monthly community potluck? The TransitionKW group has invited Bailey's Members to their monthly potluck dinners. This month's pot luck will be Wednesday, September 15th, 6:00p at St. John's Kitchen (97 Victoria Street North). Plates and cutlery will be available. For more information contact them at info@transitionkw.ca.

I'm just planning for this week and getting my order in soon.

Order now so you don't miss:
  • Ghee from Local Dairy - made the traditional way!
  • Roses (in the plants section) and the last of the grapes from Palatine
  • Romanesco Cauliflower from Soiled Reputation (it's a cross with a broccoli and looks like a fractal!)
  • All the other yummy local food you love!
Some more information about our fruit and roses from Mary Jane:


For the last few weeks of the season we are offering the beautiful cut roses grown out-doors by Eva and Rene. 
 
You can choose from the traditional Tea roses or the Antique rose that is new to North America! The Antique rose is a little different looking then the traditional Tea rose we are accustomed to. The Antique rose is meant to have a large center rose that opens accompanied by several side buds which may or may not open. This offers contrast for bouquets! We will get some of each of two varieties of antique roses available - the caramel antiques (caramel in colour), or 'Piano' which is a smaller red antique rose.

Both the Tea and Antique roses have a lovely fragrance since they are grown our-doors and are bred for fragrance. The roses grown in hot houses, as opposed to out-door roses, have been bred for longevity since they never know when they will be purchased. Hot house roses usually have a thicker leaf/petal to accomplish this characteristic! But when they do this they have to give up the fragrance. You cannot have fragrance and extreme longevity in the same rose!

 
All the fruit we get from Eva and Rene are 'tree run'. We do this to avoid the sorting station that insists on fungicidal baths, fuzz removal (peaches) and paraffin wax coatings!. This means some fruit will be larger and some smaller, some more ripe and some less ripe all in the same box. Eva and Rene let our fruit ripen on the tree much longer than if they were to pick it for the shippers! The shippers want green fruit and we want tree ripened fruit!!

Take care,
Rachael
Bailey's Local Foods
baileyslocalfoods.ca


Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.


P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.


Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.


You are receiving Standard Notifications because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.


If you do not wish to receive Standard Notifications in the future, please uncheck the Standard Notifications box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Bailey's Buying Club - Ordering is now open for Friday, September 17th 2010

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order. Ordering closes at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, September 14th.
Please be sure to read the wavier on our website when you log in. It reminds you that items placed your shopping cart are automatically saved (there is no 'checkout' button).

Items you order this week are to be picked up at First United Church on Friday, September 10th between 3:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Ordering will end on Tuesday, September 14th, 2010 at 8:00 PM

***Please note - We will be holding weekly pickups on FRIDAYS until October 22nd this year. After that we will be changing the pickup day to MONDAYS until May. Ordering will be every two weeks or so until the end of December and every few weeks after that. *** Schedule to follow!
We will have a pickup on Friday October 8th (before Thanksgiving weekend), but will not hold a pickup on Friday, October 15th
.

Today we'll start with a message from Paul Bowman who is one of our organic farmers.

He hand wrote this note and sent it yesterday with his produce:
To our valued customers -
It is our continued pleasure to provide you and your families with quality organic foods. We welcome your opinions and feedback on any of the products that you receive.

As the summer heat had come in August, the corn earworm moth visits the silk of growing corn, which now results in some worms (actually larva) in the tips of some ears of corn. We have made considerable effort to remove most of these, but may have missed some. If you take a knife and remove these before boiling your corn, you can enjoy wholesome organic sweet corn with no concerns about chemical residues. We have taken care to send only the best of what we have. To find enough corn for the order today we have picked several bags of very tender ears and several ears of mature ripe corn. This gives you the choice to choose which you like best. We will include a recipe which we like with ripe corn Enjoy!

It has been a challenging tomato growing season. Late blight has decimated many of our plants. The remaining ones are now ripening slowly in the cooler weather. We didn't have enough Black Krim heirloom tomatoes this past week, but we are sent the best of other varieties we have. We hope you enjoy the tomatoes we sent!

Yours Truly,
The Bowman Family

If corn is well matured we enjoy using this recipe:
Corn Custard
3 well beaten eggs
2 cups grated corn*
1 cup sweet milk
1 cup sweet cream (or 1/2 milk + cream)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp sugar
salt to taste
 
Bake at 300-350 F until set

*cut kernels on the cob open with a knife. Scrape out the pulp into a bowl. This works if you have no corn creamer 

----------------

Message from Rachael:

Speaking of corn, I used a tip from Rachel the other week, one of our members, and froze 35 cups of corn raw this year! It worked much better than the time I microwaved it and then forgot it there for a couple days! If you want to put away bulk corn, this would be a good week to order some. I've asked Paul to give us a deal on bulk organic corn, so look for a bulk deal!

Did you see the bottles of local ketchup from Country Flavour on the spontaneous table this week? Such lovely bottles and tasty ketchup inside too.

With this cooler weather, it feels like time to dress the outside of the house for fall. Looking at our order form, you have every opportunity to get all that you need with your weekly order! We have mini hay bales (that can go on the garden as mulch at the end of the season), Indian corn to hang on your door, and mums or purple fountain grass to plant in the yard or put in a pot on your porch. Add a few winter squash and a pumpkin and they can look good out there too until you want to eat them!

And with this cooler weather, it's the perfect time for making and eating soups and stews. All this week I've wanted to use some of the Vibrant Farms organic beef braising ribs in the crock pot with carrots and whatever else I find in the fridge. Maybe today or tomorrow! Nina has some excellent suggestions below also!

Enjoy the lovely weekend,
Rachael

------------------------
Message from Nina:

Three years ago when I started this buying club (and was running it out of my carport) if I wanted to eat local peaches in January I had to can or freeze my own. Nobody offered local canned peaches, pears, ketchup, soup, apricots, plums, asparagus, salsa, etc... I could find local pickles and jam but that was about it.  Most locally made jams weren't even made with local fruit!  Now if I'm too busy to can my own peaches, I can buy them! We will be offering canned peaches from Country Flavour again this year. If you want to stock up, let us know soon so that we can reserve a case or three for you - they sell out fast!

The selection of local fruits and vegetables that are preserved and available year-round are proof that our food system IS changing - it is relocalizing.  This is a good thing. This means that more farmers have more markets for their produce (they can sell strawberries to the jam-makers), more jobs are created (the jam-maker now has a job), more farmland is preserved, and farm diversity is encouraged (giving farmers more choices than just raising pork or beef).  Did you see the Saturday articles the last couple weeks on local food in Waterloo Region?  That series was a good "big picture" look at what is happening here and how we are seen as a role model for other communities.  There were even a couple paragraphs on our buying club! See this link to read the articles: http://news.therecord.com/article/773207

Local Food Preserved and Available for Year-Round Eating
If you're wondering what preserved foods Bailey's Local Foods offers you can go to the pantry section of the order form and click on preserves.  There you will see a long list of choices.  There are so many jams, you need to click on the sub category of jam to see the jams.  So don't worry if you don't know how to can foods or you did not have time to make salsa this year.  Others are taking local produce and preserving it for you so that you can enjoy local food all year.

Last of the Fresh Local Produce?
After being so reassuring about having enough preserved local foods all year, I don't mean to be an alarmist but do need to tell you that these are the last few weeks to savour many fresh local fruits and vegetables.  We can't even predict when the last week is for melons or grapes because it all depends on the weather and the timing of the harvests.  I guess what I'm trying to say is "get it while you can!"  I ordered a ridiculous amount of melons last week and told my family that this week is "Melon Fest" at the Bailey-Dick house.  We've already eaten three and pick up was less than 24 hours ago!  I also got bacon and tomatoes for our last BLTs of the year.

Grape Juice and Sweet Corn
Today we are making grape juice and freezing sweet corn.  These two items are still not available from local processors so we gotta make our own.  I think the kids are old enough this year to shuck a few dozen cobs of corn but not ready to cut it off the cob.  I bet our eight year old could use that corn cutter we got from Pampered Chef... hmmm.  Perhaps he'd like to earn a few loonies today.

I've got turkey bones that were boiling in the crock pot all night making us a lovely broth for a couple soups.  The turkey bones are soooo long I have to boil them first in our biggest pot for about eight hours and then when they soften enough to squish I transfer them to the smaller crock pot (still the biggest crock pot at Home Hardware).  Those turkey bones are a great bang for your buck.  They are very meaty.  A vegetable/turkey/mushroom soup and a pureed squash soup are coming soon!

This week look for:

  • Beautiful winter squash to put in a bowl on the side table - and then use in recipes
  • Bistro salad mix for easy lunches (just add nuts, cheese and a vinaigrette)
  • Roses for your soul (did you see them last week? They're exquisite.) Under "plants"
  • Bacon for BLTs
  • Turkey bones for broth
  • Grapes for grape juice. Easy canning instructions here where you leave the grapes in the jar and filter it before drinking: http://www.ehow.com/how_5850549_can-grape-juice.html
  • Cheese curds for lunches and salads
  • Raw peanuts from Vipul
  • Erma Martin's BBQ Relish and pickles. She is not making preserves anymore so stock on these while you can.
  • Local ketchup and peaches (not to be eaten together)
In gratitude for the canners and preservers of local food who are taking the risk of starting businesses offering local preserved foods.  (Now we just need someone to start a business drying peaches and tomatoes for us - and freezing local fruits. And sweet corn.  And grape juice.)

Nina 
Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca

P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.

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Monday, September 6, 2010

Bailey's Local Foods ordering ends at 8:00 pm on Tuesday September 7th

This is your reminder that you should place your order before 8:00 pm Tuesday, September 7th for pickup on Friday, September 10th


Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.


Items that you have placed in your shopping cart will be ordered on your behalf on Tuesday at 8:00pm. There is no checkout button. If you do not intend to order, please ensure that your shopping cart is empty.

Message from Rachael:



Hi everyone!


It's feeling like autumn! My husband and son just dug the potatoes and it's cool enough to roast veggies in the oven for dinner. I've made ratatouille (my new fall favourite) for a couple dinners and have some eggplant and zucchini frozen to make more.


Order now so you don't miss:
  • Organically grown apples from Apple Creek Farm!
  • Bulk Peppers, both organic and no spray
  • Herbs from Transpire - Cilantro for salsa making!
  • Antique roses from Palatine Fruit and Roses
  • Bottle Gourds from Vipul
Some more information about our fruit and roses from Mary Jane:


For the last few weeks of the season we are offering the beautiful cut roses grown out-doors by Eva and Rene. 
 
You can choose from the traditional Tea roses or the Antique rose that is new to North America! The Antique rose is a little different looking then the traditional Tea rose we are accustomed to. The Antique rose is meant to have a large center rose that opens accompanied by several side buds which may or may not open. This offers contrast for bouquets! We will get some of each of two varieties of antique roses available - the caramel antiques (caramel in colour), or 'Piano' which is a smaller red antique rose.

Both the Tea and Antique roses have a lovely fragrance since they are grown our-doors and are bred for fragrance. The roses grown in hot houses, as opposed to out-door roses, have been bred for longevity since they never know when they will be purchased. Hot house roses usually have a thicker leaf/petal to accomplish this characteristic! But when they do this they have to give up the fragrance. You cannot have fragrance and extreme longevity in the same rose!
The later verity prune plums are here. They are very similar to the Italian prune plum! The Verity prune plum has a dark blue skin with a tasty orangey flesh. It has a drier flesh and high sugar content which makes them very good for drying. They are also lovely for canning and baking as well as eating fresh!
The Swiss Bartlett pear is a great pear for eating and canning. We have left the Swiss Bartletts on the tree to ripen so they will be sweeter and closer to being ready to can. The flesh of the Swiss Bartlett goes buttery when left to ripen on the tree! The Swiss Bartlett has a juicy creamy texture and gives off a sweet aroma as well. They are great for eating fresh or adding to salads. Along with being good canners they are also excellent cooked and poached!
The first of the table grapes are here. Last year people were thrilled by the amazing flavour of these grapes. We have the Sovereign coronation and white Muscat grapes! The Sovereign Coronation grapes have a vibrant deep purple-blue coloured skin. It is sweet and sour with a distinctive musky flavour! They have a thin skin and are seedless! Uses vary from juicing, preserves, jams and jellies, freezing and eating fresh!
The white grape is from the Muscat family. It's uses include wine, raisins and fresh eating. They have a sweet floral aroma. The French noted the grape's musky character and called it 'Musque'. They are also seedless!
All of the table grapes from Eva and Rene's are grown organically!
All the fruit we get from Eva and Rene are 'tree run'. We do this to avoid the sorting station that insists on fungicidal baths, fuzz removal (peaches) and paraffin wax coatings!. This means some fruit will be larger and some smaller, some more ripe and some less ripe all in the same box. Eva and Rene let our fruit ripen on the tree much longer than if they were to pick it for the shippers! The shippers want green fruit and we want tree ripened fruit!!


Enjoy the short week,
Rachael
Bailey's Local Foods
baileyslocalfoods.ca


Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.


P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.


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You are receiving Standard Notifications because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.


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Saturday, September 4, 2010

Bailey's Buying Club - Ordering is now open for Friday, September 10th 2010

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order. Ordering closes at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, September 7th.
Please be sure to read the wavier on our website when you log in. It reminds you that items placed your shopping cart are automatically saved (there is no 'checkout' button).

Items you order this week are to be picked up at First United Church on Friday, September 10th between 3:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Ordering will end on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010 at 8:00 PM

Message from Rachael:

I learned how to can in small batches this week. Whenever there was something that was ready to go in jars, it got canned! Last week I made blueberry jam when they had sat out a little too long to be frozen. I felt sad that 12 cups of blueberries made only 6 cups of jam. There was much better yield from the tomatoes and peaches (with honey and the skins on!) and today I made plum butter from some plums that were forgotten in the fridge. I always thought canning had to be a huge production with bushels and bushels of fruit or veggies, but putting up 4-8 jars at a time is really reasonable. I froze some pear sauce too (I love my food mill!) and now the only preserves on my wish list from last winter are apple jelly and mint jelly.

Enjoy ordering and capturing the best of this harvest season in jars and your freezer!
Rachael

------------------------
Hi Folks,
Brrr... time for soup.  Have you got the ingredients you need?  Bones for broth, barley, root vegetables and what else?  This chill also makes me want to bake a HUGE batch of granola.

Menu for Summer's last Hurrah
The weather forecast is that it will get warm again so don't despair that outdoor eating is over.  We have a picnic planned for Monday that looks like it may end up indoors.  I wonder if the prediction of a warm Fall will mean that we'll have a later than normal frost.  Even if the frost is late, don't get too excited.  Some food plants just get tired and stop producing.  Like my tomatoes.  Or peaches. They're done already!  If you go to market you'll probably find peaches but the peaches from Palatine are done for the year. Sigh.  If you DO find a few more peaches at the market, I highly recommend a peach and bean salad a friend introduced me to at a potluck. http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1301314-Habanero-Black-Bean-Mango-Salad I substituted peaches for the mango and used sweet corn I cut off of the cob. Mmmm! It has a most delicious mild kick.

Pear season
We picked the pears on Monday.   When I say pick, do not imagine gentle picking, no. Imagine a 200 lb man 2/3 of the way up the tree hanging onto the trunk and shaking it as hard as he can with all of his weight and strength.  Pears come flying and thudding down in a dramatic shower.  We made pear sauce in a kind of unorthodox way.  To make an easy pear sauce, cut the pears in half, take out the core and stem and then steam in a pot until soft (no need to peel! Plus you still get the nutrients from the peel).  After they are soft, put them in a blender or food processor.  Pearsauce!  Add some apples to the pot for a nice tanginess.

Farmer Visit
Did you get a chance to talk to Paul and Salome Bowman and family at the last pick-up?  Paul said that they were going to make a family holiday out of their trip to the big city of KW and go to Doon Heritage Crossroads Village first and then come to buying club.  I told them that Doon Village should pay THEM to come. They would lend such authenticity to the scene there in their black hats, bonnets and plain clothes.  I hope you got a chance to taste their yellow watermelon. I had it for lunch AND supper today. It was perfect.  A lovely dessert.

Dried Peaches
I dried a couple peaches in our food dehydrator and the kids ate them and begged for "more mangoes."  They were convinced I was giving them dried manges (a favourite fair-trade treat from 10,000 Villages).  So I dried more and we'll enjoy them on our road trip this weekend.  Fresh peaches only keep about five days but dried ones will last for months and are so convenient.  I plan to dry more.  I'd love to have enough to send in school lunches.

This week look for:
  • soup ingredients
  • lettuce heads
  • tomatoes (we won't have them much longer!)
  • flours from Oak Manor
  • cheese for the salad you're hankering for
  • roast and potatoes for the crockpot
  • pears and apples for sauce
  • half bushels of sweet peppers for freezing or roasting and freezing
  • half bushels of beefsteak tomatoes for salsa making
In gratitude for the bounty from this rich earth in southern Ontario,
Nina
Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca

P.S. We can use your fruit boxes, baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.

Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

You are receiving Nina's Messages because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.

If you do not wish to receive Nina's Messages in the future, please uncheck the Nina's Messages box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php