Happy Hill Farm is an organic family farm nestled in the rolling hills of central Ohio. Husband and wife John and Ruth founded Happy Hill Farm in 2010 as a produce farm, raising organic vegetables using sustainable and environmentally sound farming principles. The farm is also powered by a team of draft horses and solar power as we strive to work in harmony with nature.
If the temperature is droppin', don’t come a knockin'…
(That doesn’t even make sense but I couldn’t think of anything to relate to the cold, gray, wet weather moving in.)
EXCEPT maybe comfort food!
Think squash, sweet potatoes, beets, and apples...slow cook, oven roast, add some spices like cinnamon and cardamom and nutmeg and you will start to smell and taste the flavors of the season.
North Country Charcuterie handmakes cured meats and salamis. A Chef, his brother and their mother. North Country Charcuterie is a family-owned company, handmaking cured meats in Columbus, Ohio. They source humanely raised pork from nearby farms, use ingredients from Ohio makers including craft beer, cheese, wine, herbs and spices, and cure everything at our own USDA inspected facility.
Let’s highlight 3 really cool food items this week.
1. The poblano pepper is a popular Mexican chili pepper, very dark green in color, ripening to dark red or brown. They are mild, large, and heart-shaped.
Honey Crisp Apples...the stuff of legend. Traditionally the most expensive apple on the market...opinions differ widely as to whether they are the absolute best apple out there or just an overpriced, overhyped, overmarketed flash in the pan?
Give us your thoughts as you try them this week.
First, thanks for letting us join you each week in your homes.
We realize that you are entrusting us with your hard-earned money each week and asking that we bring you the cleanest, closest, tastiest, healthiest food we can find.
We never want to waste your time with meaningless chatter, (except on Instagram stories when we put up meaningless chatter)(oh, and the Friday 5 which is really just my diary of meaningless chatter) but other than that (oops, just remembered the podcast), but really folks we try and limit the amount of SPAM we put out.
Caprese Box...we are a little late to the party, but let’s call it a “Saying Goodbye To Summer” party.
Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella...it’s like a holy trinity. This also gives you the opportunity to drizzle some of that new balsamic oil we picked up from The Olive Scene.
The First Fall Squash of the year is here to say "HI". Spaghetti squash is so versatile that you can literally use it as a spaghetti noodle substitute. It's a squash that dreams it's a pasta...(or maybe spaghetti pasta is dreaming it could be a squash??)
I usually cook all my fall/winter squash the same. Cut them in half and turn them upside down on an oiled pan and back until fork tender. From there you can season and use however you desire.
Welcome to week 37 of the year 2020...it’s been a good one huh? (snicker snicker)
What can we do but laugh? Answer: Cry...probably should be doing both at times.
Each week I write this newsletter, I try to check back into my optimistic self to talk about the good things we are seeing in terms of food security, personal health, and changing the world one bite at a time.
This week I want to highlight the “Italian Frying Peppers”.
Have you ever stood in the middle of 2000 cannabis plants? It smells pretty good.
I only had to travel 5 miles from YB headquarters to get to Jeff Gabric at Honey Bee Acres and his 1-acre plot of hemp. He is growing over 2000 plants that will be processed for the cannabinoid CBD and CBG.
It’s starting to feel like fall outside, and it’s starting to feel like fall inside (the boxes).
When we start to see new mixes of hot peppers, sweet peppers, cabbages, and beans rolling in on a regular basis we know it’s time to start thinking about another season shift.
That shift will bring with it...apples of all kinds and of course cider. Fall and Winter squash, the muscles from brussels, cabbage, nice fall greens like spinach and lettuce mix again, and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
We’ve finally got some 2020 apples in from Quarry Hill Orchard. The story about the “zestar” is as follows...
Finally, an early season apple with a crisp, juicy texture, and an exciting zesty flavor with a hint of brown sugar!
For generations, the University of Minnesota has taken great pride in developing high quality apples. Since 1878 when our breeding efforts began, we've brought you 24 new apple varieties including Haralson, Fireside, Honeygold, Regent, Sweet 16, Honeycrisp, and SnowSweet®. Zestar!® was introduced in 1999 from a hybridization of State Fair x MN 1691. We're confident that you will be pleased with this flavorful, crisp apple.
I didn’t know I could say “WOW” this many times in one conversation.
JBoston grew up in Stuebenville, OH on the eastern edge of the state, about 33 miles from Pittsburgh.
The story takes off out of the gate with her mom getting stabbed 27 times right in front of her...WHEN SHE WAS 9!
From there we journey through her life...
-Doesn't graduate high school
-Get’s pregnant
Folks, can you feel the shift in the seasons? I feel it most in the height of the sun...it must have something to do with the way the shadows change. What that means as always, is that our food is shifting again.
Out ahead of us we have hot peppers, sweet peppers, melons, peaches, plums, apples, grapes, beans, and brussels!!!
Corn and Blackberries again…#sorrynotsorry
These blackberries are the example of how each year is different. The strawberries were a bust this year for a few different reasons but these blackberries just keep on giving so we are just going to let them...keep on giving.
Sweet Corn, Peaches, Blackberries, and Cantaloupe. Seems like we could just end the newsletter right there.
2 big items on the docket for today.
1. Still backed up on Eggs so it’s time to give them away...Spend $65, enter promo code “EGGS”, and get a FREE DOZEN Sweet Grass Dairy Mobile Pastured, NON-GMO eggs
Photo cred - YBFS subscriber @graceejones
Kendyl and Andy run a tight ship at 3 Creeks Produce. Being PRACTICAL has enabled them to grow a 7-acre farm from just a dream to a fully functional food economy.
When we sat down, it was hot and dry. My wife and I had been given the tour and we let that “wow” factor of what we had seen propel us into this conversation.
Last Monday I went to Groveport, OH to meet with Kendyl and Andy who we also know as Three Creeks Organic Produce. They live on 7 acres right in the middle of a bunch of warehouses and have carved out a serene food growing space. We had a discussion that we will release next Monday as a podcast episode.
Friends….Lend me your ears!...(so corny)
Cobbs in every box this week but you can also add more for next week right here.
Judging by people’s posts on social media, it looks like the summer boxes are finding their way into your belly in all kinds of fantastic ways.
This time of year I start to shift into eating a lot of “ratatouille” type dishes. For those of you that are not familiar with Ratatouille…
