Farm Notes

Happy New Years Eve friends!

What are you dreaming up for 2022? This quiet(ish) window of time after Christmas and before NYE is one of my favorite times to be still, reflect, and put some big dreams into the universe. It's time to take stock of the previous 12 months – what worked, what didn't, what gave me energy, what was draining, etc – and start to sketch out what the next 12 months can bring.

I’m also using this quiet time to dig into all the books that have been piling up on my bedside table! I’ve always been a book worm, and back when I first got interested in farming 12+ years ago, there were several books that were absolutely foundational to fueling my passion for growing vegetables. While there’s no question that the best way to get experience with farming/gardening is to just get out in the dirt and learn by doing… it definitely helps to read up and establish a baseline of knowledge! So in case any of you are looking to cozy up with some good gardening-focused books this winter, I’m happy to share a few curated lists of titles that I would personally recommend (a note that I’m sharing Amazon links for these books, but if you can shop at your local bookstore, even better!):

FOR THE BEGINNING GARDENER

Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons
Vegetable Gardening for Beginners by Jill McSheehy
Raised Bed Gardening by Tammy Wylie

FOR FLOWER LOVERS

Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein
The Flower Gardener’s Bible by Lewis & Nancy Hill
Growing Flowers by Niki Irving

FOR HERB ENTHUSIASTS

Medicinal Herbs by Rosemary Gladstar
Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung

FOR THE EXPERIENCED GARDENER / MARKET FARMER

The Market Gardener by JM Fortier
The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman
The No-Till Organic Vegetable Farm by Daniel Mays

Also! A reminder that as a thank you for being part of the Farmbelly Club community, I’m gifting free 15-minute garden consultations in January for anyone who wants to dig in and make a game plan for a thriving garden in 2022. Whether you have just a few pots on your front porch or a big dedicated garden space (and everything in between) – let’s get you growing like a pro next season!

To sign up for your free garden/farm consult, please fill out this quick survey by January 7th. After submitting this form, you will be contacted within 1 week to schedule your consult, which will take place on the phone or via Zoom in January 2022.

Kitchen Notes

Balancing cooking with taking care of a newborn means that there are a lot more crock pot/slow cooker meals happening around here! But even if you don’t have a new baby around, I have a feeling we all can use some go-to recipes that only require a little prep, and then can be totally forgotten about until dinner time. Earlier this week, we were craving something hearty and comforting, so I tried out this slow cooked beef short ribs recipe, which I’ve adapted a bit from Taste of Home, and we are BIG fans.

This dish does have a bit of prep to sear the short ribs and then saute + simmer some onions, garlic, tomato paste, red wine etc in the beef fat – but once you combine everything in the slow cooker, it will just do its thing for 6-8 hours on low. There is a final step of turning the remaining liquid in the slow cooker into a luxurious sauce, but I promise that part is SUPER easy and just takes a few extra minutes…. don’t skip that part, because it is divine! We enjoyed these short ribs with some mashed potatoes, which I highly recommend.

Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups carrots (4-6 medium carrots), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup celery (~2 stalks celery), sliced
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons dried thyme or rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 large yellow onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine (or beef broth)
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water

PREPARATION

Sprinkle ribs generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. In batches, brown ribs on all sides; transfer to a 4 or 5 qt. slow cooker. Add carrots, celery, beef broth, dried thyme (or rosemary) and bay leaf to the ribs.
Add onions to the same skillet, cook and stir over medium heat 5-6 minutes or until tender. Add minced garlic and tomato paste, cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in 2 cups wine (or beef broth). Bring to a boil, cook 8-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add everything in the pan into the slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender and falling off the bone. Remove ribs and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm.
To make the sauce, transfer cooking juices to a small saucepan; skim off fat and discard the bay leaf. Bring the juices to a boil. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth, then stir into cooking juices. Return to a boil, cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Taste and add additional salt or pepper if needed. Serve sauce with ribs and vegetables.

Today’s Stats

Low temp: 58F
High temp: 70F
Sunrise: 7:28am
Sunset: 5:13pm
Moon phase: Waning Crescent
Additional notes: Partly cloudy and unseasonably warm