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Organic Bytes
An online publication that offers information to help you make informed choices on why you support local natural and certified organic growers!
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The Farmerette

Food Films and Documentaries List

Here are a few movies and documentaries that focus on our US Industrialized food system.
I reccomend everyone who eats!!?!! takes note of the scary consequences of relying on the industrial food system way of feeding the masses. Local is better than anything else. After having the time to watch at least a few of these features, you will be able to make informed decisions where you want your food to come from.

The Real Dirt on Farmer John
The Meatrix

Food Inc.
Fast Food Nation
Food Matters
King Corn

Fresh Shelling Beans

Here are a few links to guide you through the details of fresh shelling beans, and dry shell beans.
Both methods of growing these for yummy eating will be offered through at least the next few weeks of harvesting.

http://www.whistlingtrainfarm.com/4.shellbeans.html

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2005/08/fresh_shelling.html

Cranberry bean featured here!

Green Beans Anyone?

Subscribers get out those green bean recipes cause your getting more than a few servings this week! There are alot of Flat Italian Green beans now.........
They are green, flat, long, and gourmet and yummy.

Here are two of my favorite ways to eat them-
1. Quick boil or steam whole, just until bendy, don't over cook. Let them be bright green, if they are a dull green, they are overcooked. Then I melt some butter and chopped garlic and slather them. To me they don't taste as greeny as a common green bean, more like the richness of an artichoke heart. Some of this week's harvest will have stringy effect due to the immediate bounty I discovered of these beauties. IF the strings are a bug for you, cut the beans in to 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Cut the long gourmet Italian beans in to 1/2 inch pieces, toss in olive oil and cook em real quick on the stove or grill plate til color starts to change. Sprinkle a tad more olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan and sea or kosher salt, enjoy!

Not ready to eat so many different ways this week? Here are two ways to store them for later-
Use the pickling recipe posted earlier on this blog
or blanch them and freeze. Blanching is a process of tossing them in to a pot of boiling water for a minute then drain. Immediately after put them in a bowl of ice water (ice cubes and water together) for 20 sec's then place them in to freezer bags or containers and freeze. The process of blanching makes for a more tender greenbean. When ready to cook toss in boiling water again for a minute to heat up or you can microwave them til done to your liking. One of the great things to having frozen summer veggies to use in the winter is the soups and stews that can be made with them. Don't know about you but for me it is a good feeling to offer my family a wholesome winter meal that has our own produce from that year's harvest. And it tastes better than anything offered from the the store's freezer selection as it has no food miles, no preservatives and was picked and stored at it's utmost nutritional peak!