​The Taste Of Local Root Vegetables

Unpredictable January weather! One day it's minus 20 C and the next it's plus 8 C and in between snow, ice, and rain. Oh yes – forgot the wind, which brings me to thoughts of the power outages which are always in the back of our minds. It makes for a few sleepless nights for the midnight shift (Rick). This is after a long day on some very nasty roads to make sure all of our producers products arrived safely, so that we could put orders together for next day's deliveries.

THROUGH SLEET, RAIN, AND SNOW, LOCAL FOOD MUST BE DELIVERED.

There is a silver lining to the winter weather, though. It gets us a bit more organized for the upcoming year. And now that we have the addition of Furnace Falls Farm, there has definitely been a lot of planning (very exciting planning). Yes folks, Wendy has been actually planning ahead. (I know this suprises some of you – haha!). But this is what happens when others are involved.

We are working on Furnace Falls Farm with another couple: Jennifer Trant and David Bearman. They shifted their focus at the start of this century, and now call Grindstone Island in Big Rideau Lake "home" – that is, when they can get to it! Thank goodness for partners to help keep me in line and focused.

There is exciting news for the beginning of the New Year on the Furnace Falls Farm front: we have received the Building Permit for the farmhouse renovation from the Township of Leeds and Thousand Islands. Now the real work starts: Let the Building Begin!

January is also prep time for our greenhouses. Heating systems have been upgraded, new plastic added for some, and grow rooms cleaned. Plus we have inventory done on all the seeds we had saved. Funny how we say we will clean out the greenhouses every June for the following year and it never happens. This is why we have January!

Winter is also a good time to enjoy those winter stored root crops in a tasty casserole.

The Recipe of the Week:
Roast Root Vegetable Medley
Serves 6

7 cups assorted mix of root crops, cubed
Carrots -- Patchwork Gardens
Beets – Patchwork Gardens
Celeriac – Roots Down Organic
Sweet Potatoes – Burts Greenhouses

1 Butterkin Squash cubed – Corn Acre Farms
1 Onion sliced – Patchwork Gardens
1/4 cup Sunflower oil – Kricklewood Farm
4 Sage leaves – crushed – Wendy's Country Market
4 Thyme sprigs chopped – Wendy's CountryMarket
Maple Syrup to taste – Gunnebrook Farm

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Cut all root vegetables into cubes of equal size
3. Put root vegetables, squash and onion in a large bowl
4. Add oil, herbs and toss well.
5. Spread vegetables out in a casserole dish bake for about 40 minutes. Check if they are done with a fork.
6. Drizzle with maple syrup if you like.

Enjoy!

If you have never had celeriac give it a try it is chock full of vitamins and minerals: K, C, B6, potassium and more, plus its very tasty.

Have a Great Week,

Rick, Wendy & Leigha
Thanks for supporting Local Farmers

Drop by Wendy's Country Market – We're open all winter.
Thursday through Saturday: 11 am - 6 pm, Sunday: 11 am - 5 pm