So I sit here today looking out at the lousy winter like day and have to wonder how will it get into the 60's this weekend. Well I know the kids and my farmer will be happy for a few more nice days because there is still tons to do before the winter truly sets in.
Although I an not planning a homemade dinner for this evening I thought I'd put out another recipe for all of you. I know the title of Meatloaf will throw off some of you because you all remember your mom's meatloaf, that at least in my house had to be covered in ketchup just to eat it. The recipe I use is moist and delicious and above all easy! I admit I cannot take full credit for it because the base of it came from the Kraft company, but I have adapted a few things to make it my own.
Open Meadow Farm Meatloaf
1 lb. ground Black Angus or Beefalo
1 lb. ground sweet Italian sausage (you can use links and squeeze out the meat)
2 eggs
1/2 c. water
1 package pork stuffing mix- 6 oz.
1/8 c. favorite BBQ sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
Mix all ingredients together well and separate into 2 parts, form into 2 loaves in a 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Spread another 1/4-1/2 c. BBQ sauce over tops of loaves and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve with mashed potatoes or rice and local in season vegetables.
We hope you will enjoy one of the recipes I post and remember to buy local.
The farmers wife
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Picture this..it is a cool fall day (much like today), sweatshirt weather, and you want to feed the family something warm, homey and delicious for dinner. Hmmm...the question is what to have? I have the answer...
A delicious, juicy Roast Chicken from Open Meadow Farm. I do not know about you but there are very few things in this world I like better than the smell of roasting chicken wafting through the house, the best part is that the smell permeates very quickly, filling the house with the wonderful aroma. So I am presenting to you my recipe for Roast Chicken:
1. Rinse your whole pasture raised Open Meadow Farm chicken and then pat dry. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place your chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and smear with olive oil all over, then rub with either your favorite spices or a prepared rub (make sure to get the bottom, under the wings and into the legs as well as under the skin a bit if you dare to reach up there).
3. Cut up some carrots (no need to peel them), celery, 1/2 medium onion (again no need to peel), slice across the cloves of a head of garlic; fill the cavity of the chicken alternately with the vegetables as well as salt and pepper or your rub mixture.
4. If you have a thermometer be sure to place firmly into the thigh of the chicken for the most accurate reading ( I strongly advocate the use of a meat thermometer that has a cord connected to the device outside of the oven [well worth the $20 at Target] so there is no need to open the oven which can alter the temperature of an oven by as much as 25 degrees every time you open it).
5. Place your fabulously prepared chicken into the oven for 15 minutes, when the timer goes off DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN, turn the temperature down to 350 degrees until your meat thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thigh. Note: If you do not have a thermometer like me you can estimate a time of approximately 15-20 minutes per pound before checking on your roasted chicken.
6. After removing the most spectacular roast chicken from the oven let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Discard all the vegetables from the cavity; carve and serve.
Let's just say that the only thing left on my cutting board after our dinner was the carcass of that beautiful bird that was grown with care, tended to daily, spending its days in the pastures here at Open Meadow Farm becoming a mouth watering, juicy tasty dinner for my family and yours!
A delicious, juicy Roast Chicken from Open Meadow Farm. I do not know about you but there are very few things in this world I like better than the smell of roasting chicken wafting through the house, the best part is that the smell permeates very quickly, filling the house with the wonderful aroma. So I am presenting to you my recipe for Roast Chicken:
1. Rinse your whole pasture raised Open Meadow Farm chicken and then pat dry. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place your chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and smear with olive oil all over, then rub with either your favorite spices or a prepared rub (make sure to get the bottom, under the wings and into the legs as well as under the skin a bit if you dare to reach up there).
3. Cut up some carrots (no need to peel them), celery, 1/2 medium onion (again no need to peel), slice across the cloves of a head of garlic; fill the cavity of the chicken alternately with the vegetables as well as salt and pepper or your rub mixture.
4. If you have a thermometer be sure to place firmly into the thigh of the chicken for the most accurate reading ( I strongly advocate the use of a meat thermometer that has a cord connected to the device outside of the oven [well worth the $20 at Target] so there is no need to open the oven which can alter the temperature of an oven by as much as 25 degrees every time you open it).
5. Place your fabulously prepared chicken into the oven for 15 minutes, when the timer goes off DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN, turn the temperature down to 350 degrees until your meat thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thigh. Note: If you do not have a thermometer like me you can estimate a time of approximately 15-20 minutes per pound before checking on your roasted chicken.
6. After removing the most spectacular roast chicken from the oven let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Discard all the vegetables from the cavity; carve and serve.
Let's just say that the only thing left on my cutting board after our dinner was the carcass of that beautiful bird that was grown with care, tended to daily, spending its days in the pastures here at Open Meadow Farm becoming a mouth watering, juicy tasty dinner for my family and yours!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Okay next are the pigs, all 24 of them. We have the big guys weighing in at about 200 lbs and the "little" pigs, who are not so little anymore. They have really been chowing lately on some great local produce like corn, tomatoes, peaches and corn. We have been working really hard lately keeping them satisfied, you would not believe how much a pig can eat!?!
Hard to believe that these are the "little" pigs, they are growing like weeds or like pigs that NEVER stop eating. Getting their fill of some local sweet corn, it is pretty fun to watch how they tear into the husks to get to the sweet yellow kernels.
Alright so here are the last few photos I have to share with you...the cows. They are so happy that some of the summer heat has gone and we have some cool days, but our fields are really needing some more rain.
We recently got a little press in the Sentinel & Enterprise within an article on caging livestock (which as you can see we do not) and yours truly was even quoted, how 'bout that I'm famous. Well signing off for now and reminding you to choose local.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Well as you can tell I am not a very good blogger at this point but I do have legitimate excuses, too numerous to mention here but I will elaborate a little by just saying the word WORK.
Yes we are in the full swing of market season around here, Mondays in Billerica, Wednesdays in Middleton, Fridays are Groton and in Marblehead on Saturday mornings. Now it would seem that markets might be my husband "the farmer's" job..but not this year, we've swapped things up a bit from last season, now I attend all except Marblehead. So 3 times a week I climb into our market truck, kinda looks like an ice cream truck, and head off to the markets to attend to our valued customers. This of course leaves the rest of the family to tend to everything else like feeding and watering animals, collecting vegetable for the pigs, moving chicken tractors and everything else that goes along with daily duties.
Also don't forget we have monthly deliveries to make as well as our monthly Mass Local Food Co-op orders to fill so there is not a day that goes by without the whole family pitching in somewhere. Not sure what is going to happen in a few weeks when the kids go back to school, they are troopers getting into work clothes and grabbing their work gloves and boots to head out the door with either dad or mom. Every market I attend I usually take someone with me, its nice company and their learning a little more about the business end of things.
Cows chowing to their hearts content on the freshest of feed!
Here is our newest little piggies....
These are two of our "employees"- keeping it in the family!
These chicks were just a few days old, they will grow really fast....
Above enjoying a feast of fresh greens and below showing their wooded retreat.
Until next time when I have few hours to myself....remember to buy local!
Yes we are in the full swing of market season around here, Mondays in Billerica, Wednesdays in Middleton, Fridays are Groton and in Marblehead on Saturday mornings. Now it would seem that markets might be my husband "the farmer's" job..but not this year, we've swapped things up a bit from last season, now I attend all except Marblehead. So 3 times a week I climb into our market truck, kinda looks like an ice cream truck, and head off to the markets to attend to our valued customers. This of course leaves the rest of the family to tend to everything else like feeding and watering animals, collecting vegetable for the pigs, moving chicken tractors and everything else that goes along with daily duties.
Also don't forget we have monthly deliveries to make as well as our monthly Mass Local Food Co-op orders to fill so there is not a day that goes by without the whole family pitching in somewhere. Not sure what is going to happen in a few weeks when the kids go back to school, they are troopers getting into work clothes and grabbing their work gloves and boots to head out the door with either dad or mom. Every market I attend I usually take someone with me, its nice company and their learning a little more about the business end of things.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Well it is late right now but since I have not written anything for a while I should update everyone with things going on. This Saturday we will be at the Marshfield Fairgrounds for their winter market from 10-1 if you want to stop by. We have begun organizing our Meat Buyers Club and Farmers Market Club for the summer season if you want info on that please email me. Also we've been busy with our 2012 Pre-order chicken sales, the more you pre-buy the greater the savings, perfect option if you are more the chicken lover than the beef lover.
Well enough about promoting our business, let's just get down to business. In a couple weeks our first group of chicks for the year will arrive and we plan on taking you on their journey here at Open Meadow Farm. We'll introduce you to the little guys and keep you updated on their growth as well as how my little people help around here. I know in classrooms across the country, well at least in Lunenburg, there are chicks getting ready to hatch but wait until we post pictures of the 300 chicks that arrive here on one morning.
Okay I'm done for now but I will be back soon after all a farmer's work or a farmer's wife's work is never really done...it goes on and on and on. Until next time...eat local.
Well enough about promoting our business, let's just get down to business. In a couple weeks our first group of chicks for the year will arrive and we plan on taking you on their journey here at Open Meadow Farm. We'll introduce you to the little guys and keep you updated on their growth as well as how my little people help around here. I know in classrooms across the country, well at least in Lunenburg, there are chicks getting ready to hatch but wait until we post pictures of the 300 chicks that arrive here on one morning.
Okay I'm done for now but I will be back soon after all a farmer's work or a farmer's wife's work is never really done...it goes on and on and on. Until next time...eat local.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
April 12, 20122
Well here is day one of my posts if anyone out there is interested. I will try to keep up to date and please call me out if you have not seen a current post but things are about to get hairy...or should I say CRAZY!
300 chicks will arrive in just over month, summer markets begin in June, the new pigs are still a little skittish (especially around the wild turkey that got in their pen on Easter morning), the summer pasture is not all set yet and there is still burning to do with all the brush we piled up. Not to mention that we still have the Mass Local Coop to do every month and the online store to keep updating, of course I should not complain because I guess if we are busy then business must be growing.
Okay I guess I'll stop for today because just writing about everything has made me tired. The kids are home now and homework, snacks, dinner and soccer must take precedence...a woman's work, excuse me the "farmer's wife's" work is never done.
Until next time, remember to eat local!
Check out our online store
Visit us on Facebook
300 chicks will arrive in just over month, summer markets begin in June, the new pigs are still a little skittish (especially around the wild turkey that got in their pen on Easter morning), the summer pasture is not all set yet and there is still burning to do with all the brush we piled up. Not to mention that we still have the Mass Local Coop to do every month and the online store to keep updating, of course I should not complain because I guess if we are busy then business must be growing.
Okay I guess I'll stop for today because just writing about everything has made me tired. The kids are home now and homework, snacks, dinner and soccer must take precedence...a woman's work, excuse me the "farmer's wife's" work is never done.
Until next time, remember to eat local!
Check out our online store
Visit us on Facebook
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