"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[LemonMeringue]

This is how we get our recipes and list of what is coming in the box from Inglewood, by email. They send them out on Tuesday before you go pick up the box. Pecan oil!

Can you guess what I will do with that????? Hahaha!!! I don't know how I will convince my kids or my husband for that matter to eat some beets. I like them roasted with olive seasonings.

CSA Newsletter, Week 6

Brussels Sprout Leaves - These look like collards.
Carrots
Beets
Spinach
Kohlrabi
Pecans
Pecan Oil

What am I supposed to do with the beanie, double-layer gloves and insulated pants I bought last week, now, Louisiana? I showed up here 4 months ago expecting palm trees, hammocks and mai-tais and instead I've gotten flash rain storms, fire ant scars and my truck stuck so bad in mud I have to cry for help four, maybe five times.

Farming-wise, this place is a like a hotshot high school basketball player with all the talent in the world but not enough discipline to get a 'D' in algebra so he can claim his free ride through college.

It wouldn't be so much fun if it were easy.

The creatures of the soil that were nowhere to be found for weeks have returned in almost-full force the last couple of days. It's like they know that it's going to be smooth sailing from here. I hope they're right.

It pains me to mention this, but...you can get the cornmeal/corn grits for this recipe in town at Kroger. They've got a pretty decent little organic section at the back with cooking oils and organic/gluten-free Bob's Red Mill products.

There is an alternative, though...

If you're around Alexandria this Saturday you can come by the new and improved market at the barn and pick up some fresh ground grits. James Kirkwood is gonna be here with his vintage "Ye Olde Grist Mill". He did warn us that it is, in fact, old, tends to make a ton of noise, blows smoke and leaks oil. It's gonna be awesome.

Brussels Sprout Leaves with Cheesy Polenta and Crispy Fried Eggs

1 bunch brussels sprout leaves, cut into 1/4 inch ribbons
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup cornmeal/corn grits
3 cups water
2/3 cup ricotta (optional)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup whole milk
eggs
olive oil
sea salt, pepper

1) Bring 3 cups water to a boil and add 3/4 cup sea salt. Add cornmeal and stir well, then lower heat and simmer uncovered. Stir occasionally and cook 10-20 minutes until the grits are cooked through and tender. Add ricotta and parmesan and stir well. Cover and hold on stove.
2) Heat saute pan over medium head and add 2 tbsp. olive/coconut/pecan/cooking oil. Add red onion and saute until it's translucent, about 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add sliced brussels sprout leaves and stir well. Add 2 tbsp. water, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover to wilt the greens. Cook the greens about 10-12 minutes. Lift the lid every couple of minutes to turn the greens or else they'll burn. Be sure to cook them only as long as you have to to get them tender - if you overcook those bad boys they'll get bitter and "sulfury" in a hurry. You want the liquid to evaporate from the pan, so keep the lid off if you've got to.
3) Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil over medium heat in a skillet. Crack eggs, one by one, into skillet, add salt and pepper to taste and cook until the whites are solid and crispy on the edges. Cover briefly with a lid if you like your yolks less runny.
4) Polenta, greens, and eggs, onto a plate with a sprinkle of parmesan. If you got the yolks right you can crack them and use 'em as a sauce.

When I see "Asian" in any recipe's title, I assume it means soy saucy, which is cool, but sometimes it means fish saucy, which is also cool.

Don't shudder.

Allow me to extol virtues of this stuff. Yes, it's made from fermented anchovies, salt and a little sugar, and so, a little nasty. It's also tangy and delicious. You can use it to add some peppery, gingery, garlicy umami to steak dishes, in soups and stir-fry, with fish, rice or in an omelet, and it's flavor mellows quite a bit with cooking.

Asian Kohlrabi Slaw with Carrots and Beets

2-3 small beets
1 medium kohlrabi
4 small carrots
1/2 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1) Peel the beets, carrots and kohlrabi and julienne into long slices. Place in bowl.
2) Mix fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, honey and sesame oil.
3) Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat.
4) Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Peace!

 

[kuntrygirl]

In my opinion and this is from many years of raising them, I would definitely keep them grass fed with minimal grains. I also offer hay for them. It's really easy to raise sheep. I like the Barbado and Kathadin. I breed both for a larger sheep (more meat). Both of these are hair sheep, so you don't have to worry about shearing in our hot Louisiana temps. Just make sure they have something to go in and get out of the rain. Mine don't like getting wet. It's good to process under the age of 1 but you can process a little bit beyond the age of 1. I processed one that was 1 1/2 years old and he was a big old boy and the meat was not tough. Consumers generally show no significant preference for meat from wether, ewe, or ram lambs. Ram lambs are leaner and gain faster than ewe and wether lambs, but some (commodity) markets will discount intact ram lambs. Lamb is great meat and a cheap way to stock your freezer.

Sheep too eh, Kuntrygirl? I too have future plans to add sheep to my property. I just have to find funding for fencing! I like Katadhins for their parasite resistance, heat tolerance, and lack of shearing. I love eating lamb and hope to raise my own someday. Do you still raise them? If so, I may look you up to buy my first ewes or young rams

Yes, I still raise sheep and always will. I have been raising them for about 7 years now. If a person practices good husbandry, most sheep will not have a problem with parasite. You can control that with rotational grazing and having clean living quarters. As long as I have had sheep, I have NEVER had a problem with a sick sheep due to parasites. Just let me know when you are ready. Here are a few pics of some of my sheep/lambs.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

If I was to get a lamb to raise for meat, what do I need to know?  Is there a particular breed that would work better?  Are there any special housing issues or conerns I need to be aware of?  At what age would I process?  Yes, I know I can do my "homework", but trying to decide if it's an avenue I can even go down right now.
Thanks,
Laurie

In my opinion and this is from many years of raising them, I would definitely keep them grass fed with minimal grains. I also offer hay for them. It's really easy to raise sheep. I like the Barbado and Kathadin. I breed both for a larger sheep (more meat). Both of these are hair sheep, so you don't have to worry about shearing in our hot Louisiana temps.

Just make sure they have something to go in and get out of the rain. Mine don't like getting wet. It's good to process under the age of 1 but you can process a little bit beyond the age of 1. I processed one that was 1 1/2 years old and he was a big old boy and the meat was not tough.

Lamb vs. mutton
Lamb is the meat from a sheep that is less than one year of age. Mutton is the meat from a sheep that is older than one year. Yearling mutton is intermediate between lamb and mutton and comes from a yearling, a sheep between 1 and 2 years of age. Mutton has a stronger flavor than lamb and is usually less preferred by consumers.

Age, weight, and sex

The age and weight at which lambs are slaughtered varies. Market weights varies from a 30-lb. hot house lamb to a 160-lb. extra-heavy commodity lamb. While the average weight of a slaughter lamb in the U.S. is about 135 pounds, the ethnic markets tend to prefer lighter weight lambs.

Lambs are marketed between the ages of 2 and 14 months. Two-month old lambs are sold as hot house lambs, whereas some feed lot lambs still have their milk teeth and spool joints at 14 to 15 months of age. A hot house lamb is a milk-fed lamb that is usually born out-of-season (fall or early winter) and raised indoors. Hot house lambs are a delicacy favored by Orthodox Christians, especially at the Easter and Christmas holidays.

There many ways to cut up a lamb carcass and customers will vary in their preferences. The five primal cuts of a lamb carcass are the leg, loin, rack, shoulders, and foreshank and breast. Different retails cuts may be obtained from the primal cuts. Sometimes, whole lambs are purchased for roasting. Sometimes, the entire lamb is cut into chunks.

Consumers generally show no significant preference for meat from wether, ewe, or ram lambs. Ram lambs are leaner and gain faster than ewe and wether lambs, but some (commodity) markets will discount intact ram lambs.

After the lamb is slaughtered, it is cut into halves for easy handling.
With an average market (live or on hoof) weight of 115 lbs and the average yield of 55%, the typical lamb will produce a 60 lb. (dressed weight) carcass, 25% to 30% of this is lost to processing. Therefore, the lamb will yield about 45 lbs. of take-home meat, but can be slightly more or less.

Lamb is great meat and a cheap way to stock your freezer.

Thank you so much. This is the information I can never get enough. This adds greatly in bringing the little I know into line. I learned from a Greek woman, that lamb was max of 17 weeks. You defined ethnic practices. That explains a lot. Thank you again.

What about Goat. I love goat meat, I have had goat meat from the grocery , It was tuff and nasty... Just terrible. I have butchered goats at under a year and an old milker. The old girl aw stuffer, needed to cook differently to be tender. She was a little stronger tasting, but very good. I guess it was the way it was slaughtered, but do not know. I have eaten both Meat Nubian and a mixed bread goats. The store bought I know nothing. Could you in lighten me? Thank you.
--------------------------

lemonmeringue: this year I have broccoli green, I will try your recipe.

My mother killers her greens. Gave them to use, I hatted her greens, any greens. I eat at Cracker Barrel, ordered collard greens. I sent it back. It was dark black green, with the nasty smell, sent it back telling her they were over cooked. My waitress came back and told me that they were not over cooked, chief said they were just right. The chief told her to tell me, you have to cook collards for hours to make them tender, you know it dune when they turn that color.

 

[kuntrygirl]

If I was to get a lamb to raise for meat, what do I need to know?  Is there a particular breed that would work better?  Are there any special housing issues or conerns I need to be aware of?  At what age would I process?  Yes, I know I can do my "homework", but trying to decide if it's an avenue I can even go down right now.
Thanks,
Laurie

In my opinion and this is from many years of raising them, I would definitely keep them grass fed with minimal grains. I also offer hay for them. It's really easy to raise sheep. I like the Barbado and Kathadin. I breed both for a larger sheep (more meat). Both of these are hair sheep, so you don't have to worry about shearing in our hot Louisiana temps.

Just make sure they have something to go in and get out of the rain. Mine don't like getting wet. It's good to process under the age of 1 but you can process a little bit beyond the age of 1. I processed one that was 1 1/2 years old and he was a big old boy and the meat was not tough.

Lamb vs. mutton
Lamb is the meat from a sheep that is less than one year of age. Mutton is the meat from a sheep that is older than one year. Yearling mutton is intermediate between lamb and mutton and comes from a yearling, a sheep between 1 and 2 years of age. Mutton has a stronger flavor than lamb and is usually less preferred by consumers.

Age, weight, and sex

The age and weight at which lambs are slaughtered varies. Market weights varies from a 30-lb. hot house lamb to a 160-lb. extra-heavy commodity lamb. While the average weight of a slaughter lamb in the U.S. is about 135 pounds, the ethnic markets tend to prefer lighter weight lambs.

Lambs are marketed between the ages of 2 and 14 months. Two-month old lambs are sold as hot house lambs, whereas some feed lot lambs still have their milk teeth and spool joints at 14 to 15 months of age. A hot house lamb is a milk-fed lamb that is usually born out-of-season (fall or early winter) and raised indoors. Hot house lambs are a delicacy favored by Orthodox Christians, especially at the Easter and Christmas holidays.

There many ways to cut up a lamb carcass and customers will vary in their preferences. The five primal cuts of a lamb carcass are the leg, loin, rack, shoulders, and foreshank and breast. Different retails cuts may be obtained from the primal cuts. Sometimes, whole lambs are purchased for roasting. Sometimes, the entire lamb is cut into chunks.

Consumers generally show no significant preference for meat from wether, ewe, or ram lambs. Ram lambs are leaner and gain faster than ewe and wether lambs, but some (commodity) markets will discount intact ram lambs.

After the lamb is slaughtered, it is cut into halves for easy handling.
With an average market (live or on hoof) weight of 115 lbs and the average yield of 55%, the typical lamb will produce a 60 lb. (dressed weight) carcass, 25% to 30% of this is lost to processing. Therefore, the lamb will yield about 45 lbs. of take-home meat, but can be slightly more or less.

Lamb is great meat and a cheap way to stock your freezer.

Thank you so much. This is the information I can never get enough. This adds greatly in bringing the little I know into line. I learned from a Greek woman, that lamb was max of 17 weeks. You defined ethnic practices. That explains a lot. Thank you again.

What about Goat. I love goat meat, I have had goat meat from the grocery , It was tuff and nasty... Just terrible. I have butchered goats at under a year and an old milker. The old girl aw stuffer, needed to cook differently to be tender. She was a little stronger tasting, but very good. I guess it was the way it was slaughtered, but do not know. I have eaten both Meat Nubian and a mixed bread goats. The store bought I know nothing. Could you in lighten me? Thank you.

You are very welcome. Goat meat is delicious, if cooked properly . If not, it will taste like you have described.

Did the goat meat that you ate taste like beef? I want to one day get goats for meat and milk.

You may be touching the subject on eating a "buck in rut". I would suggest that anyone eat an unaltered buck. Most bucks that will be used for meat should be castrated. The meat from an intact male will taste game-y.

The USDAs take on goats is to castrate at 7-8 months and slaughter at 9 months.

In addition, a buck in rut will have a "strong" taste. The strength of the taste in the buck meat varies by the goats hormone levels at the time of slaughter. High hormones=strong tasting meat. Bucks should be separated from the others (his girlfriends) if a person is planning on slaughtering him. I suggest butcher in spring when they are out of rut.

One of the most popular goats grown for meat is the South African Boer, introduced into the United States in the early 1990s. The New Zealand Kiko is also considered a meat breed.

Cooking
The method of cooking that you use on market goat meat varies depending upon the type of meat cut. You can cook more tender cuts, including the legs, shoulder, ribs and loin, by roasting, broiling or frying. Less tender cuts, such as the shank cuts and stew meats, should be cooked slowly to produce more tenderness and flavor. Goat meat overall tends to be leaner than other types of red meat, so be careful that it doesn't dry out during the cooking process.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Ok. I'm making myself all stressed out that my almost 9 month old Amercaunas haven't laid. We are in day two of confinement and still no egg. Here are pics of their vents.
This first one is SnowWhite. It is possible she is a bit older than Lizzie. I know she will be 9 months old this month. When she is relaxed her vent is not a round hole, it is a side to side slit.

This is Lizzy's vent. She could be slightly younger but supposed to be from the same hatch. It's a little blurry and I can re-take if necessary. There is yellow stuff, sort of cheesy like, around her vent. She had scratch today if that matters as a treat.

So, experts tell me: has she started laying? I freaked when I read that some hens never lay, but both of them sterile???

 

[foreverlearning]

Snow White is laying. If she is new to it she can take up to a week between eggs from what I have seen. I can't see Lizzy's so I can't tell.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Snow White is laying. If she is new to it she can take up to a week between eggs from what I have seen. I can't see Lizzy's so I can't tell.

Thank you so much as a tear fell from my eye, really. What is that cheesy yellow stuff on Lizzie's vent?? I will put marble egg in the nest and continue confinement. I can go take better pics if necessary. Phew. What a relief. Thank you so much. Also, since she has laid and I never found it, I'm guessing the marble egg and being confined to use the nesting box might help her train to the box, right?

 

[foreverlearning]

Thank you so much as a tear fell from my eye, really. What is that cheesy yellow stuff on Lizzie's vent?? I will put marble egg in the nest and continue confinement. I can go take better pics if necessary. Phew. What a relief. Thank you so much. Also, since she has laid and I never found it, I'm guessing the marble egg and being confined to use the nesting box might help her train to the box, right?

I couldn't see Lizzie's vent so I can't tell until I see a better picture. When my girls decide to find a new spot in their yard instead of the nesting box I put a fake egg in and lock them in the coop for a day or two. They like their freedom and relearn quickly.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Tha

I couldn't see Lizzie's vent so I can't tell until I see a better picture. When my girls decide to find a new spot in their yard instead of the nesting box I put a fake egg in and lock them in the coop for a day or two. They like their freedom and relearn quickly.

Thanks. So I have muddled my way to a good plan. I will try another shot of Lizzie.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Ok. Here is Lizzie's vent and her head. Actually her head is brighter red than the foto shows. So, laying or not? And what's the yellow? The marble eggs are now in their nest box in their coop. After 2 days in the coop they seem calmer and more cooperative. They have settled down.