Week 16: fall is the apple of our eye

Week 15: in the news!

Weeks 12 - 14 of the CSA

week 11: help from our friends

week 8: seed savers

week 2: rain or shine, it's harvest time!

how's it growin?

 Edelrot and Juliet tomatoes, fresh from the vine

Onions, potatoes, crookneck squashes, eggplants, tomatoes, beets and more! 

 Peruvian purple potatoes (say that ten times fast...)

 Blooms and herb bouquets

A  CSA harvest from a few weeks back :) 

Despite the hot, dry (very, very dry) weather, we are still growing. A bountiful harvest this weekend, which we were happy to share with Gifford Park market-goers on Friday, Benson market-goers today, our CSA members and also with the locally-minded chefs at V.Mertz and La Buvette! Thanks for your continued support.

xoxo,
Brent, Caitie, Tyler, Matt, James, Dan, Ali, and of course Catalpa!
Big Muddy Urban Farm

summer eats: day lily blossoms

One of my favorite books on foraging, is Euell Gibbon's Stalking the Wild Asparagus. If you are unfamiliar with Gibbons, he is essentially the founding father of modern-day foraging. Though he wasn't the first to forage (obviously there were many before him, prior to the advent of agriculture) but he was one of the first to write about it in the 20th century. In doing so, he shared the art and joy of foraging with the general public.


I love the chapter on the daylily. Most of you are probably familiar with the daylily, as it is often used in landscaping, as it is a relatively low-maintenance plant. The daylily is unique in that it produces new flowers every day. The golden blossoms open in the morning and close at dusk. Luckily for us, their delightfulness does not end at dusk.

The blossoms of the daylily can be harvested in all three stages of bloom: as a bud, as a flower blossom and as a closed blossom. There are many recipes for each stage, but today I thought that it would be best to focus on the initial stage of the blossom's life cycle; the bud. One of my favorite ways to prepare day-lily buds is to bread them and skillet fry them! 

Sauteed Daylily Buds1 egg1/4 cup of flour (or more or less depending on how many little buds you foraged!)Chili powderSaltGarlic Powder1/2 tablespoon of butter

1. Beat egg in a small dish. In another dish, mix flour with other seasonings to taste. Surely you can experiment with different spices and levels of spices. (Just a heads up, the final product tastes similar to a fried zucchini; perhaps this might guide you in the right spice direction!)
2. Dip each bud in the egg, and then in the flour mixture and set aside. In a fry pan, heat butter over medium heat. When all the butter is melted, place the coated buds in the pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until the batter is browning.
I've enjoyed buds along side of some "fajita-tacos". With the remaining flour and egg, we blended them together and cooked them in the same pan we used for the buds. Then, we put the eggs in our tortillas with cooked corn, onions, peppers, avocado, cheese and salsa. Delicious!

Because daylilies blossom for most of the summer, I am hoping to experiment with this delightful flower for many dinners to come. Also, in my research of the daylily, I learned that there is food below the surface as well. In fact, the roots of the daylily produce edible portions as well. I will save for another foraging adventure!

Happy eating (and foraging!)
Ali

Spring eats: Rhubarb

I grew up not liking rhubarb too much. As a kid, the tangy-tartness so characteristic of this springtime treat, was not on the top of my list for favorite flavors. But ask me today if I'd like some rhubarb, and I'd be crazy to say no! I have really grown to love its versatile flavor that pairs well with sweet strawberries or savory spices. Better yet, rhubarb is a perennial crop that produces more and more each year, and has a lengthy spring season with multiple harvests.


The recipe that turned me onto rhubarb was my mom's Rhubarb Cream Pie; the ultimate spring treat! My grandpa has a pretty large rhubarb patch at his farm and conveniently lives adjacent to a pick-your-own strawberry farm, lending itself to many a tasty mom-made pie.

Momma Clark's Rhubarb Custard Pie
Beat slightly 3 eggs

Add 2 2/3 T milkmix together and stir in 2 cup sugar4 T flour3/4 t nutmeg

Mix in 4 cups of cut-up pink rhubarb. Pour into a pie crust. Dot filling in pie pan with 1T butter and cover with thin lattice. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes! Enjoy with friends Another tasty dessert option:Rhubarb cake
1 cup sour milk (1T vinegar + milk to make 1 c--use whole milk)1 t vanilla1 1/2 cup raw rhubarb--cut fine1/2 cup butter or margarine1 1/2 cup brown sugar1 egg2 cups flour1/2 t salt1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon1/4 cup sugar Cream butter and brown sugar and stir in egg. Stir in dry ingredients. Then, add sour milk & vanilla, then rhubarb. Pour batter into a 9 x 13 pan & sprinkle cinnamon & sugar mixture over top.Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.



Other ideas for your rhubarb:
You can freeze it, can it, pickle it!


Happy spring eating,
Ali

rain and shine

So it has truly began; with some of our plants growing vibrantly in the ground, we are feverishly working to prepare the rest of our plots so the soil will nourish any future plants that we plant.

Peas, beets, carrots, onions, garlic, greens, hello little sprouts!

What a fun adventure, we are glad you are on it with us.

Want to help out? Stay tuned! We will be planting lots and lots (over 100 pounds) of potatoes here soon, and your help would be tremendously helpful!

Spring eats

There are about a billion reasons why my body and soul feel revitalized in the spring time. Green trees and flowers. Warm rain, and longer days. Birds chirping everywhere! If you ask me, I think spring is dreamy. Among the many things I love so much about spring, I especially love the burst of new foods in my diet, especially in contrast to the hearty winter foods I have spent the past few months nourishing my hibernating body with. And while 80 degree days make me think of lemonade and fresh greens, there are many other hidden foods that are popping up everywhere, even in our own back yards. Friends, let the foraging begin! 


Urban foraging is one of the most rewarding hobbies, because so many things grow in great abundance throughout the city, and because not everyone is thinking of harvesting these wild edibles, there is generally plenty for the taking. 


Two of my favorite spring eats are violets and dandelions. Weeds to some, but treats to me! With both, I like to use the flowers for jam. Both plants also have edible leaves that are a tasty addition to a salad. Violet jam is very quick and yields a vibrant-colored jelly with a little tang. Some people also like to use violet flowers as a burst of flavor in their salads or otherwise candied. Dandelion jam is a bit sweeter and tastes a lot like honey to me (it even looks like honey!). 

Violet Jam
1 cup of violet flowers, packed
1 1/2 cups of water, divided into 3/4 cups and 3/4 cups
2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 1/2 cups of sugar
1 package of pectin

1. In a blender, blend violet blossoms and 3/4 cups of water. After blended, add the lemon juice (note: the lemon juice changes the color of the violets, so pay attention for some color-changing fun!) Slowly add in the sugar and blend until it is a consistent paste.

2. In a small sauce pan combine the remaining 3/4 cup of water and the package of pectin. Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 1 minute (this is time sensitive, so watch the clock). After one minute, remove from heat and pour into blender, and blend for 1 minute. The jam will begin to set at this point, so be sure to blend for only a minute or your jam will be lumpy.

3. Pour into jelly jars and store in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.

Dandelion Jam
4 cups of dandelion blossoms (removed from the greens of the plant, see photos below)
4 cups of water
4 teaspoons of lemon juice
1 package of pectin

2 1/2 cups of sugar

1. Separate the yellow petals from the base of the plant, saving only the yellows and composting the rest. 

2. Bring the water to a boil, and add the dandelion blossoms. Boil them for about 10 minutes, and then strain the blossom tea, and return to a boil. 

3. Add lemon juice, pectin and sugar, and follow the directions according to the particular pectin's instructions (using pectin is an art in itself, and not following the directions, can cause a failed batch! Be sure to follow the directions.) The cooking jelly should boil up in the pan (careful not to let it overflow!) and this is a good sign that your jelly will set. 

4. Boil until the jam is thickened and then pour into sanitized jars and quickly lid them. Allow the jars of jelly to set in room temperature for 24 hours, so they can set. 

**As for all foraging, you have to be careful that you are harvesting the plant that you think you are harvesting. Be sure to check once, twice even three times, with different resources to make sure you are harvesting the right plant, as some plants may have look-alikes that are not tasty and may even be poisonous. Also, with urban foraging, be sure you are not harvesting from areas that are sprayed with pesticides or herbicides and wash your harvest before using.**

Also, consider these other spring-time urban eats:

Garlic-mustard

Nettles (careful! they sting) 

Day-lily buds and blooms

Clover blooms

... to name just a few. There are many more! 

Happy April and happy foraging!

Ali 

Como estas Big Muddy Buddies?

How's it going Big Muddy Buddies?


Life has been busy and exciting over these past few weeks in our neighborhood with many wonderful developments to talk about. All of us at the farm want to send out a big thanks to everyone who made the Secret Cafe dinner such a success. In case you missed it, this past Friday friends of Big Muddy Urban Farm set up a dinner at a home in the Orchard Hill neighborhood where all proceeds went back to the collective. We were blessed to have donations from Upstream Brewing Company and the Tea Smith, as well as others, making the night as a whole that much smoother. A homemade four course meal, good company, good music, and good brew... what more could you ask for? We'll be hosting another dinner in the next few months, so keep your ears open!


Personally, I'm really excited for the Hootenanny happening this Sunday at the Waiting Room. The event in Benson is going to be a fundraiser ($5 cover) for Big Muddy Urban Farm and Sweet Thyme Urban Farms, with music from Southpaw Bluegrass Band, Matt Cox, Gerald Lee Jr., Lincoln Dickison & Kate Williams, as well as myself. I'm going on early with my friends Michaela and Auto, so come early and plan to stay.


Also, the Localmotive food truck, a new company serving a menu that emphasizes seasonal, locally-sourced products will serve at the Hootenanny. This growing season we are partnering with Localmotive by selling them a special kind of potato called Bintje's. We are always looking for new businesses to partner with, so if you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing local produce for your establishment feel free to email us -- bigmuddyfarm@gmail.com or contact me (Matt Cronin) directly 402-515-2471. 


The last thing on my mind is how I'm just itching for spring to come. I don't know about ya'll, but all of these thunderstorms are making me stir crazy to get my hands in the dirt. I've got a feeling though that mother winter isn't going to pack up and leave for another month, but we'll see. Until next time, take care and we hope to see you soon!


love,
Matt  

Five simple ways to show us your support

1. Come to the "Secret Cafe" our friends are hosting this Friday. It is to be held between 6pm and 10pm and you will not be disappointed: lots of tasty food and even live music! Suggested donation of $5+. We will also have little take home treats (as supplies last) for anyone attending. Stay tuned for the location!

2. Leave us a happy note on any of our posts-- or even an email! We would LOVE to hear from you :)

3. Mark your calendars for March 4th. Our friend Lori is hosting a Hootenanny at the Waiting Room, here in Omaha! It is $5 to attend and well worth it. There will be a variety of different musicians and tasty foods from local vendors. Bring your friends and family (its kid friendly!).

4. Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter for more updates! We will be posting lots and lots of photos throughout the season, and as we start to get our plants going.

5. Sign up for a share of our CSA! Though there is still a bit of time till our registration ends, March 18th is less than a month away. Email us for more details and the member agreement today! Remember, our email address is: bigmuddyfarm@gmail.com

Thanks for your continued support,
Farmer Ali

secret cafe, partnerships, wic, gap, markets, csa, oh my!

Wow! It's a beautiful day outside. The snow is melting, the ground is thawing...it's about time for the days of the muddy boots. We're still working through a lot of details for this growing season, collecting CSA sign-ups, getting prepped to start our work in the greenhouse, and dreaming of mornings in the sunshine pullin' up weeds.  

Here are some updates from the Big Muddy Urban Farm...

• Friends of the Big Muddy Urban Farm are hosting a "Secret Cafe" on Friday, February 24th starting at 5:00pm. Come have a delicious meal and drinks served to you. On the menu: greens, bean and beer soup, potato leek soup, homemade bread by James, rabbit, and homemade pies and cupcakes for dessert. This is a fundraiser to help us buy materials for our raised beds at the 33rd and California Plot. $5.00-$10.00 suggested donation. Also, the infamous Matt Cronin (and perhaps a few other musical guests) will serenade you while you dine. Location details coming soon... but save the date!

• We had a really great meeting with Omaha Economic Development Corporation this week about a potential partnership that would truly be awesome for the Big Muddy Urban Farm. We will reveal more soon, when we can. In the meantime, check them out, they do some cool work in the neighborhood. 

• We're on our way to becoming certified to accept WIC vouchers! 

• Ali and Brent attended the GAP training, which stands for Good Agricultural Practices. This means Big Muddy Urban Farm is officially trained in GAP practices. From the UNL Extension page "Safe, locally grown produce is a important to the producers as it is to consumers. The purpose of providing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) training is to reduce the risks of microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables. The overarching aim is to help increase safety or quality of local foods and this starts by developing a farm food safety plan that is achievable."  

• We mentioned this before, but just so everyone knows we currently have plans to sell at the Benson Farmer's Market and Gifford Park Farmer's Market this season. The GP Farmer's Market is pretty new, and we hope we can help get more vendors and customers traveling through this season. Our friends from the Minnelusa House and GP Teen Market folks also sell there. Let the countdown to Farmer's Markets begin! 

• Don't forget to request a CSA Member Agreement today. One by one our spots are getting filled. 31 days until registration for this growing season closes!

xoxo,

Caitie

We get by, with a little help from our friends

What good would life be, if not for friends? I'm not sure about you, but I am constantly made happier by my dearest friends, and their constant support for me and my crazy ideas... moving to Nebraska for instance, would have been a little less lovely had I not had the support of so many people, both family and friends alike. 


The more I think about it, I see how much this applies to our current situation with Big Muddy Urban Farm. To me, community supported agriculture (CSA) has so many implications; not only does it imply that the producers are directly tied to our customers, in our case it acknowledges the important connection between us as farmers and the continued support of our community; both in the immediate sense of our local community and in the larger sense of the greater sustainable agriculture community here in Nebraska and in the midwest. As we continue to explore the network of other growers, it seems there are more and more inspiring individuals we meet, who are willing to share their knowledge and wisdom (and resources!) with us. I feel so fortunate to be a part of a new business venture that is receiving support from many directions. 

And how exciting it is to join the ranks of others growing food in Nebraska! 

Brent, Caitie, Tyler and I will be at the Healthy Farms & Rural Advantage conference in Nebraska City this weekend, and we look forward to meeting more of our farming friends. 

Thanks for you support,

ali

p.s. speaking of support, our lovely seed garlic donations from various farming friends, have safely made it into the ground before last week's snow! They are nesting in the ground covered with a generous layer of mulch and a tarp to keep them warm in the coldest days of winter. Can't wait to see them in the spring!

Quick facts about the Big Muddy Urban Farm CSA

1.
We offer flexible payment plans. Please let us know if you'd like to work a different payment schedule out.

2.
We're only offering 20 Full Shares this season. (or the equivalent in half share)

3.
As a member you'll get a weekly newsletter with storage tips, recipes, and other quirky things written by us (maybe jokes?)

4.
We have two pick-up locations -- Benson Farmer's Market (Military and Maple) & Gifford Park Farmer's Market (33rd and California)

5.
We are interested in offering add-ons to the CSA (for an additional cost). We'd like to offer a weekly share of local/organic eggs, cheese, and/or meat. We will let you know if this becomes available!

6.
We love kids. Even more we love kids who want to eat veggies and/or learn about growing food. If you have kids and you want to come hang out with us at one of our plots for a morning or afternoon we're totally into that.

7.
Sign-up for our CSA is open now. All you have to do is shoot us an email (bigmuddyfarm@gmail.com). We'll send you a Member Agreement, you can look it over, ask us any questions, and voila! mail that form in with your deposit and we'll save your spot.

seed garlic!

check out those beauties!

inching closer and closer...

Well... we pushed our goal "Find Land" back from January 15th to January 31st, but things are still moving along. We have a few more plots to look into before making our final decisions. I think we all have good feelings about things coming together. It would be nice to have more time, but doesn't it always feel that way before the growing season starts? It seems like you're ordering your seeds, starting your seeds, and mapping our your garden with plenty of time before the last frost hits and everything shifts into full speed ahead. Then it feels like you're in a marathon race all summer long. But perhaps that's why so many of us love growing food... it keeps the blood pumping. :)

In other news...

• The collective decided to make our plot on 35th and Cass (at the Gifford Park Community Garden) a "pizza garden." We'll grow tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions, oregano, and basil with the help of youth from the Gifford Park neighborhood who are interested in learning more about gardening.

• Almost all our seeds are ordered! We even struck while the iron was hot and got a little discount from Baker's Creek. Woo woo!

• We got some great seeds from the "Seed Swap" at City Sprouts last Saturday. A special thanks to Betsy for organizing and City Sprouts for hosting. I also caught a glimpse of the book, Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners, which I've been told is a "seed saving bible" of sorts. I think seed saving would be a great workshop to host toward the end of the season. It is a skill I personally need a lot more practice with. 

• Matt and Brent and working on a composting service that will collect from a few restaurants in Dundee. This is a great way to help local restaurants use their scraps (rather than throwing them in the trash), which we'll stir into our compost, and with some time voila! soil is built. 

• We're getting closer to opening registration for our 20 share CSA. Can't wait to find and meet our members...

• Ali is getting excited about add-ons, a few ideas at the top of our list are -- making our own herb vinegars, definitely jams and jellies, and dried herbal tea mixes.

• A few of us attended a CSA training at Tomato Tomato yesterday. It sounds like they are going to offer 500 shares with their CSA this season (wow!), which they source from many local farms. Our friends from No More Empty Pots will also offer the Market Basket program again this year, which allows folks to purchase a CSA using SNAP (Food Stamps). So Sweet.

xoxo,

Caitie

Big Muddy Urban Farm