Tag Archives: Amanda Wunderlich

Mar24

A lot of Sowing and Growing

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SNOW DAY!…(again).  Where was this snow in December when I wanted it?  Now that it’s March, seeds in the ground, it’s hardly the ideal weather.  However, it is giving me the opportunity to catch up on…this?  Yes, this and a few other things that I’ve been meaning to do.  We have had some cool volunteers come and go since January, so let me take some time to let you know about them.

1

This is Evan (Ohio). Megan, and John(California).  They were all here around the same time, late Jan., early Feb.  Evan is still around, but will leave us April 1.

2They did all sorts of planting, seen here putting in potatoes.

3

Jennan came here from Austin for her Spring Break.  Although she was only here for a week, she helped on a lot of tasks around the farm.  4

This is Brian, he’s local, but really interested in the farm way of life.

We’ve been planting, and taking time out here and there because this spring it is actually acting like spring!  It’s been a few years, right Arkansas!  The last few years, it got warm very early, good for crops, not for bugs.  Hopefully this will make our summer more mild…I’m no mystic, but I like to be optimistic.  (rhyme time!)  But we are back to our usual up and down weather pattern typical for this area.

 

 

Dec18

OMG

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I delivered the last round for our fall CSA.  It was sad, for me…that was a great route.  Everyone, although I didn’t see you very much, it was a pleasure.  In case you were wondering, our CSA starts up again in April.  Tomorrow is a new day.  A day to do nothing…but the dishes, and the laundry and cook, and….and….

 

Here is a picture of me on day 1 of delivery…for the fall

Me

 

I was thinking about this moment right now!  It will be a nice break!  See you in April Fayetteville!

Dec17

Wednesday is going to be confusing…

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Today we said goodbye to the last WWOOFers of the season, Sunny and Lan.  What a joy it was having them, as well as everyone else this season.  Without the help of strangers, Paul and I wouldn’t be able to do what we do.  A person can say thanks all they want, and possibly still not get their point across.  I feel like I couldn’t say it enough to prove how much I mean it.  So, I’ll just type it: thank you.

It’s bittersweet, the whole WWOOF-host thing.  All of these people who come into my life, impact it in some shape or form, and then they leave…onto the next farm, or just moving on.  Just so you know WWOOF-pack, it doesn’t get any easier, saying goodbye.  I wish you all now like I did during our ‘See you later’ speeches the best of luck.  And please, come see me.

Tomorrow is the last delivery for the Fall CSA, and Paul and I are going to be very busy harvesting, packaging and delivering food tomorrow, our heads will be spinning.  We’ve been doing the whole CSA thing for 34 weeks straight.  It’s been a lot of logistics, and long days, which turns Wednesday into Friday.  This Wednesday will be interesting, there will be no one else to cook for except my family, no casual conversation except for my family, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!  We still have game night…(which by the way Pat and Pakis, I’ve won 5 in a row, come challenge me!)

hoop3

Dec11

Here it is

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It took me a week to get these photos up, but good things come to those who wait.  If you don’t see yourself here, it’s not because I didn’t care…Thank you too!

It’s been a long season, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of strangers, who turn into friends.  Thank you to WWOOFUSA, as well as WWOOF, for helping farmers and volunteers connect!

 

Dec4

Tic Toc Tic Toc

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Our CSA, Northwest Arkansas Local Harvest, is wrapping up.  We have three more deliveries including today, and then we get a much needed two weeks off (more or less) until we are back out in it growing clean local produce for the community!  A hearty THANKS!!!! is due to the WWOOF pack for all of their hard work and diligence throughout the year, and to our customers, who believe in their local farmer and invest in such a unique relationship!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  I’m going to add pictures, but I have to go deliver, duty calls, but check back in!!!

Nov21

What Are Your Plans For Thanksgiving?

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Here in the United States (I’m having a lot of traffic today from Eastern Europe), we celebrate our Thanksgiving on the third thursday in November.  Well, tomorrow is the big day where we stuff our faces with the most heavy, butter laden foods known to man and amazingly enough we don’t feel sorry for it.  Traditionally the meal consists of a turkey with lots of side dishes, and my favorite part…the DESSERT!  I usually make pumpkin pie, but this year I’m going out on a limb and trying a southern classic…pecan pie?  No, Sweet Potato Pie.  I googled a recipe, and as you know when you do something like that you get thousands.  Everyone has their own spin on this type of pie, and a lot of them had corn syrup as an ingredient.  Now, I don’t care if the recipe has been passed down from your great great great granny, I doubt she used corn syrup, and I personally don’t want to eat it.  So, after a diligent search, I found a recipe that I will use tomorrow for my pie.

Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

(Taste of Home)

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

Directions

  • In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Add milk, sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Nutritional Facts1 serving (1 slice) equals 372 calories, 18 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 86 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein.

 

I added the nutritional content from the recipe, but don’t pay attention to those facts, your mouth will be rejoicing with the flavor!

Nov16

Ode to Cilantro

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There are many people out there who DO NOT like cilantro, there are even websites dedicated to those who HATE cilantro.  Well, I’m not one of those people, in fact I’m PRO cilantro.  I’m glad cilantro only grows in the spring and the fall, otherwise my kids would join the other cilantro camp because it would be a part of every meal!  I want to share today my favorite way to enjoy cilantro: Cilantro Pesto!

All you need to make this delicious concoction is some cilantro, a food processor, salt, garlic, and olive oil.  You might be asking yourself, self, is this like making basil pesto?  And your self will answer back, YES!  If you go online, there are many recipes to choose from, and I say pick one.  If it has too many ingredients, skip it, because the flavor of the pesto will be covered up.  Here is how we make it:

Cilantro Pesto

1 large bunch of cilantro

salt to taste

1 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves

Directions:

Place all ingredients in food processor, blend until incorporated.  Taste it to see if it meets your needs.  More salt?  More garlic?  And oui, là!

Toss this pesto with some freshly prepared pasta, or rice.  We put it on everything!  A dollop on some salad, a smear on a burrito, even on pizza!

Cilantro lovers unite!  Try this tasty alternative to basil pesto, and this yummy way to enjoy the love of my life which is, cilantro!

Nov6

Hoop House Hoopla

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We’ve been really busy here on the farm, our main project right now, on top of EVERYTHING else is re-erecting the Mothership.  If you aren’t a 2-greenthumbs superfan, let me fill you in.  Last march our hoop house, the Mothership, was blown down in what we later found out was a F1 tornado.  Look back into my archives, there were pictures and tears shed.  But NOW we are putting a new Mothership back up, better than ever.  There were lots of hands involved in this, there are some pictures on my other farm blog Ozark Alternatives and I will add some more here as well.

 

I would just like to add that we also pulled the roof up and over!  There are no pictures of that, because all hands were on deck.  FARM LIFE!

Oct24

Feeling the Fall

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Here on the farm we have been really busy.  We wrapped up one CSA season with good company and tall cans, and rolled on into the fall season with more good company.  I tried to think about the number of people who have shuffled through our door this season with the WWOOF program, or otherwise…and I couldn’t get an accurate count.  To those of you who know that you have been here, thanks.  I’ve enjoyed feeding and gossiping with you all.  I’ve really been enjoying this fall weather here in Fayette-town.  So mild, yet not quite coat weather.  For me, this signals apple season.  Apple pie, apple crisp/crumble, apple turnovers, apple sauce, apple muffins, on and on.

 

Here is a recipe for apple turnovers that is easy, and delicious

Apple Turnovers

(Simply Recipes)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large tart baking apple (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 3 Tbsp dried currants
  • 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1/4 cup apple sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed OR 2 pâte brisée dough recipes (enough for a double crust pie)
  • 2 Tbsp butter, cut into bits
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon milk

METHOD

1 Put oven rack in lower third of oven and pre-heat oven to 400°F. Butter a large baking sheet (or use Silpat).

2 In a medium bowl, mix together apples, currants, and walnuts with the sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch, making sure the fruit and nuts are well coated. Mix in the apple sauce and vanilla.

3a Unfold the thawed pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Depending on the size of your puff pastry sheet you are going to want to cut the sheet into either four 5-inch-by-5-inch or six 4-inch-by-4-inch squares.

3b Roll out your pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 16×11 inch rectangle. Trim the edges to 15×10 inches and cut into six 5×5-inch squares.

4 Divide the apple mixture among the squares, leaving a 1-inch border. If you are using an already prepared puff pastry sheet, dot the mixture in each pastry with a little butter. (If you are using a butter pie dough, you can skip adding the extra butter.) In a small bowl mix the beaten egg with a teaspoon of milk. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg mixture on the border of the pastry.

5 Fold each pastry into a triangle, enclosing the filling, and crimp edges with a fork. Brush the tops of the pastries with more of the egg wash. Cut 2 or 3 small steam vents in the top of each turnover.

6 Place the pastries in the oven and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

Cool turnovers to warm before serving.

If you have extra time (because we all have loads of this right?) try your favorite apple recipe and fill your house with the smells of the season!

Sep12

I Like Farm Friends

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The other evening, we were out, and when we came back there was a present waiting for us. A farm friend from down south in the land of Greenwood Arkansas swung by, waited, and left leaving a very nice present.

Thank you David for the home-made soap and the home grow loofah!  Are you trying to tell us something?  For any of you locals, David’s wife makes and sells home-made soaps at Ozark Natural Foods here in Fayetteville.  Her brand is called “Dixie Flower Soaps”  They are exceptionally delightful, for we have received some of them before.  So be sure to check out her products on the shelves.