 It is that time of year that most of us are needing a big boost of vitamin C in our diet, so how about trying some daikon radishes! Thanks to the folks at Roots Down Organic and Patchwork Gardens for storing these relatively unknown gems in their cold storage over the winter.
Daikon Radishes (aka Chinese Radishes) are packed with Vitamin C. They look a bit like a very large carrot in shape with a crisp texture, and are a bit sharp to taste when raw. When cooked, Daikon become sweeter. Diakons are very versatile: they can be prepared raw, cooked, thinly sliced in a salad, shredded or grated in a slaw, pickled, or braised. A little creativity and the options are endless. One of our focusses at Furnace Falls Farm will be introducing people to the many uses of the wonderful produce we have available to us through our cooking classes. Most of our ancestors canned, pickled and preserved a lot in the fall at harvest time. But fall is not the only time for preserving: you can preserve things all year long. Winter is a great time for taking unusual items and coming up with something simple but exciting. Let's add some variety to the winter months, when we are tired of our everyday ideas of what to do with root vegetables. The following recipe will enhance any meal that needs that fresh, salty crunch. Pickled Daikon and Carrot Serves 6 as a side 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup white sugar 1 Carrot cut into matchsticks – Patchwork Gardens 1 large Daikon Radish peeled and cut into matchsticks – Patchwork Gardens and Root Down Organic 2 tbsp cilantro chopped – Burt's Greenhouses 1 thai pepper chopped – Wendy's Country Market
Enjoy! Have a Great Week. Rick & Wendy & Leigha Thanks for supporting Local Producers. Visit us at the market. We're open Thursday through Saturday 11 am – 6 pm, Sunday 'til 5 pm
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 It might be dull and dreary outside, but it looks a little like spring in the greenhouse. Since we try to grow a lot of our flowering annuals from seed rather than cuttings, we have to start them extra early. We find when we start from seeds rather than cuttings we can get better varieties with lots of heritage choices. One of the other reasons is this way we have control over the start of their life so to speak. A good start means better success later on. Even after all these years, I never get tired of watching those little sprouts shoot up almost over night.
We have also started lots of veggie and herb plants as well, along with a great selection of heritage tomatoes many from seeds we had saved from last summer. Of course, what are tomatoes with out basil? So we've made sure to have lots of basil varieties to choose from. We will be updating the lists on the Wendy's Country Market website, so you can plan out your gardens as well. What better way to spend a winter evening then planning a garden? Mark Sunday, April 30th on your calendar. It is our first event of the season. Hard to believe it is only a few months away. We will have lots of bare root crops, hardy perennials, herbs, heritage seeds for sale and more. AND down on the farm, the real work has begun. We have the house building permit and can move ahead with our plans for one of the many barn structures! As the layers are removed we've seen history unfold, and got a real insight into a house that was built over 100 years ago. We've found wide wooden boards covering some of the walls, hard wood floors, and a 10 foot ceiling. We've also been exploring our own local history, and have posted some photographs of Furnace Falls on the Farm's Facebook page. Have a look! I find my favourite places to be are all over 100 years old (like our market which is an old school house also over 100 years old.) Can't wait for the rebirth of this wonderful farmhouse as a place for guests to stay, with great kitchen and dining spaces for celebrating local food. Considering I love heritage plants and heritage homes, I think this week's recipe should be heritage sourced. Recipe of the Week Wild Berry Cornmeal Scones Makes 8 servings 1 1/4 cup Red Fife Wheat Flour or Spelt Flour – Ironwood Organics or Sonset Farm 3/4 cup Cornmeal – Against the Grain 1/4 cup Maple Syrup – Gunnebrooke Farm 2 tsp Baking Powder – Purest 1/4 cup Baking Soda – Purest 1/3 cup Whey Butter – Stirling 2/3 cup Milk – Limestone Creamery 1 cup Mixed Berries – Brierlea Farm, Wendy's Country Market 1 tsp Vanilla Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Enjoy! Have a Great Week. Rick & Wendy & Leigha Thanks for supporting Local Producers. Visit us at Wendy's Country Market. We're open Thursday through Saturday 11 am – 6 pm, Sunday 'til 5 pm  Who doesn't like the smell of fresh ground coffee? Over the Christmas holidays we had the pleasure of introducing coffee roasted locally by a small artisanal roastery in Seeleys Bay: Rideau Coffee Roastery.
Mary Whitney and her husband John Barker roast and sell Fair Trade Organic Coffee. This coffee has been a big hit at our market. We buy it from them in small amounts at a time, so it is roasted fresh. Since their coffee is so good, we thought we had better do it justice by getting a coffee grinder so our customers could grind their own at our market. That and we just want to smell the fresh ground coffee! If you ever can nab John to talk about coffee it is worth it. He is a walking encyclopedia of coffee knowledge. Mary and John are very consientious of what beans they use. I have already asked them if they could set aside some time when we have Furnace Falls Farm open this summer to host a coffee-inspired workshop. They can share their knowledge and we can supply the tasty treats to accompany the coffee. We will keep you posted on updates and scheduling through our weekly emails. This week's recipe: a tasty afternoon bar to be served with a fresh cup of coffee and a good book. Maple Coffee Glazed Apple Crumb Bars Serves 9 (an 8 x 8 in pan) 4 cup apples, peeled thinly sliced - Halls Orchard 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 nutmeg 1/8 tsp ginger 6 tbsp maple syrup - Gunnebrook Farm 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 cup spelt flour - Sonset Farm 1 cup oats - Ironwood Organic 1/2 cup sunflower oil - Kricklewood Farm Maple Coffee Glaze 1/2 cup fresh brewed coffee - Rideau Coffee Roastery 2 tbsp maple syrup - Gunnebrook Farm 1/2 cup raw nuts Salt to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 by 8 inch dish with parchment paper.
Glaze
Enjoy! Have a Great Week. Rick & Wendy & Leigha Thanks for supporting Local Producers. Visit us at the market! We're open Thursday through Saturday 11 am - 6 pm, Sunday 'til 5 pm  Welcome to Eastern Ontario winter and a new weather system. Word of the week "Freezing Fog"! Not only can't you see the road, but you get to have everything coated in ice!
To distract me from the weather and the fact the market is kind of quiet these days I turn my thoughts to Flowers – in lots and lots of colours. We are expanding our selection of flowers at the market this year. Since it is Canada's 150th, there will also be a focus on more heritage plants, and a variety of plants with a red-and-white theme. No worries though for those of you that favour hot pinks, purple and orange; since these are my favourite colours, we won't leave them out! We also carry a long list of herbs and vegetable plants, and I will have more about them in future notes. Today its all about Flowers . Along with heritage plants for sale in our greenhouses, we will have a selection of bee-friendly annuals and perennials, and a kid's area with a focus on attracting butterflies (we like to encourage kids in the garden). We have a great culinary selection of edible flowers, and of course the tried-and-true drought resistant, and favourite low maintenance. Have you got any favourites we should start for you? Let us know in a comment. The hard part for us is to limit ourselves, because when you start looking at all the great reasons to have flowers in your life (aside from the obvious that they are just good for the soul) it is hard not to go overboard. I think part of our solution for that is that we grow them for multiple uses: culinary, customers, market, and the farm. Across the road form the market at Furnace Falls Farm everyone will be able to enjoy a kalaidescope of colours in our cutting garden. There, you will be able to sit back and smell the flowers. The Furnace Falls Farm Garden will also showcase perennials so you will be able to see first hand how they grow and what they look like in a garden. The gardens will also provide fresh-picked, colourful bouquets for that someone special. Can't wait for planting season to be started! But for now I have to be patient and dream. The recipe of the week is full of colour and a bit of zip to brighten up any day – even one with Feezing Fog! . This is not a slaw and not your typical salad. Fire and Ice Salad Serves 6 people 1/3 lb of mixed greens – Burt's Greenhouse 1 cup baby kale – Forman Farms 1 cup micro greens – Patchwork Gardens 2 cups carrots, cut into matchsticks – Patchwork Gardens 3 cups mix watermelon and daikon radish, cut into matchsticks – Patchwork Gardens 1/2 tsp salt Jalapeno Cilantro Dressing 1 tsp jalapeno paste (or more if you dare) – Wendy's Country Market 1/4 cup chopped cilantro – Burt's Greenhouse 3 tbsp lemon juice 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar – Hall's Market 1/4 cup sunflower oil – Kricklewood Farm Directions 1. Make the dressing by mixing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. 2. For the salad, put all the greens mix in a large bowl. Combine with veggies and toss. 3. Toss with dressing just before serving Enjoy! Have a Great Week! Rick & Wendy & Leigha Thanks for supporting Local Producers Stop by Wendy's Country Market. We're open Thurs - Sat 11am - 6pm; Sun 'til 5pm
Recipe of the Week – Fitting for a Mad Hatter's Tea Party
Alice in Wonderland "Eat Me" Biscuits 8 oz - butter – Stirling Creamery 6 oz maple sugar – Gibbons Farm 1 tsp baking powder – Purest 2 tbsp orange squash – Corn Acre Farm 1 tsp vanilla 10 oz flour – Sonset, Purest, Ironwood Organics, Against the Grain Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Enjoy!  This month went by so quickly! It is hard to imagine that our Apple Event is just one week away (Sunday Sept. 25th from 11am – 3pm). We will have a great selection of apple products available from our vendors (apple theme baked goods, apple jelly, apple preserves, apple butter, apple cider, apple vinegar, and more).
Chef Mark will serving up an all apple theme lunch menu for the day . While mulling around (no pun intended) at the Apple Event you will be able to enjoy music by The Andrew Mack Duo. We are really happy to say that Jasper Apple Farm will be on site with a selection of their apples and apple products for sale. This is the time to load up on bulk apples! We will also have a limited selection of heritage and organic apples as well. ' Come watch how to make apple cider the old fashioned way at our antique apple cider press demonstration. For the kids and kids at heart we have an apple scavenger hunt. Bring the kids and family out for a fun filled fall day in the country. Have A Great Week! Rick, Wendy & Leigha Thanks for Supporting Local Farmers Interesting Facts about Apple Cider The production of apple cider used to be one of the most important uses for the fruit. It had great economic benefits as a great fresh cider drink, a mild alcoholic drink (hard cider), a potent alcoholic drink called AppleJack (an apple brandy was made by freezing rather then distilling), and as vinegar. Many pioneers who immigrated to Canada in the 1880s feared drinking the water and believed alcohol killed the bacteria (a least that's what they said HAHA). Every small village had its cider mill operating during the late summer and fall. The farmers brought their excess apples to the mill in lumber wagons and the cider was stored in barrels in the cellar. Recipe of the week to warm you on a cool fall day: Apple Cider Cheddar Soup 1/2 cup finely chopped onion – Corn Acre Farms 1 tbsp butter – Empire 2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced – Corn Acre Farms 2 cups apple cider – Halls Apple Market, Jasper Apple Farm 1 tsp fresh thyme – Wendy's Market 1/2 tsp salt 1 dash cayenne – Wendy's Market 1 medium cooking apple peeled and coarsely chopped – Jasper Apple Farm 1/2 cup milk – Limestone Creamery 2 tbsp flour – Purest 4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded – Wilton Fresh apple slices – Halls Apple Market, Jasper Apple Farm
 Wow were did the time go? It seems like only yesterday we were starting seedlings in the greenhouse and now it is harvest time. Fall is a good time for routines to start again, and it has been a while since an update about life at our market. So here goes!
As most know it was a crazy year for all local farmers – the lack of rain was hard on our crops. In every challenging year though, some things do seem to thrive: this year our hot peppers and heritage tomatoes seem to have came out ahead. This is the first year in 4 that blight did not ruin the tomatoes. So we will have lots of sauces, salsas, hot sauces, chilis, and stewed and canned tomatoes for everyone during those winter months when we all wish for the taste of summers again. We will also be saving some of these dynamo tomato seeds to start new plants over the winter. There are so many things to do with tomatoes. Here is a simple salad that lets you enjoy the full spectrum of colourful heirloom tomatoes. Have a great week. Rick & Wendy & Leigha Thanks for supporting local Farmers Recipe of the Week Heirloom Tomatoes with Zucchini and Blue Cheese 1 1/2 lb of mixed heirloom tomatoes – Wendys Country Market 1 medium yellow or green zucchini – Corn Acre Farms 2 ounce blue cheese crumbled – Glengarry Cheese Company 1 green onion sliced – Corn Acre Farms Vinaigrette Dressing In a screw top jar combine and shake well: 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar – Halls Apple Market 1 clove garlic minced – Frontier Farm (Organic) 2 tsp fresh thyme – Wendy's Country Market 1 tsp mustard – Cressy Mustard 1/3 cup sunflower oil – Kricklewood Farm
Makes 6 servings |
AuthorI am Wendy Banks a 6th generation farmer from Lyndhurst, Ontario. I have been selling farm produce since the wee age of five when my parents first set me up with a corn stand at the end of the driveway. I have always been focused on providing quality products and providing customer service with a smile. Archives
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