What happened last week?

Well, for some reason my post last week did not post. Don’t know what I did, or maybe did not do, but here it is. This is our newsletter we sent out last week with the CSA baskets.

Down on the Farm Notes

Wow, did you get to view the eclipse Sunday night? Many of us over here in Fallon had our welding helmets on to view it. It was a beautiful sight.

Nevada’s Own/Sierra’s Edibles

All of you get to enjoy a treat this week of mushrooms. Nevada’s Own is Northern Nevada’s largest Perennial production nursery.  While their focus over the years has been on ornamental premium hardy perennials, they have been growing and supplying local restaurants, CSA’s and individuals with mushrooms, herbs, edible flowers and greens for a few years now.  They have named their edible line Sierra’s Edibles for easier identification.  Even their small children are involved in every aspect of their business and therefore practice safe and responsible means of growing to ensure the safety of their children and their land. Supporting a family entirely on farming is not for the timid or easily dismayed, but they seem to find a way to do what they love and spend as much time as possible with their children.     http://www.sierraedibles.com/

NOTE:  When you arrive home with your “goodies”, please wash them off and place them into your refrigerator crisper for optimum conditions.

CORRECTION:  It has come to our attention that an ingredient was missing from one of last week’s recipes. The Rhubarb Upside Down Cake recipe was missing 1½ cups cake flour. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Produce Tips

Mushrooms:

• In most cooked recipes, different varieties of mushrooms may be used interchangeably.
• To reconstitute dried mushrooms, cover with warm liquid (water, broth, wine, etc.) and let sit at least 30 minutes. Drain, rinse, and blot on paper towels.
• The liquid used to reconstitute dried mushrooms makes a flavorful addition to soups, stews, and stocks. Strain the liquid through a double thickness of cheesecloth or a clean, unprinted paper towel before using.
• For easy marinated mushrooms, cover cleaned mushrooms with your favorite vinaigrette, cover container and refrigerate for 2 days.
• An egg-slicer makes quick work of slicing mushrooms into uniform pieces.
• Cut edges of mushrooms will turn dark when exposed to air. When they will be served raw, cut just before serving or wipe the cut edges with lemon juice.
• Avoid aluminum pans when cooking light-colored mushrooms. The aluminum will discolor the mushrooms.
• Since mushrooms contain so much water, no additional liquid is needed when cooking them in a microwave. Do not cover.
• Don’t throw away mushroom stems. Trim and freeze them to use in soups and stocks.

 Arugula is a unique-flavored, leafy green vegetable .If you’re limited to patio or balcony gardening, arugula is an excellent plant for growing in containers. Arugula has a very distinct flavor and aroma when crushed. This is an unusual tasting edible plant that most people tend to either love or hate; like with cilantro there’s no middle ground here. Also like cilantro the strong flavor stands out in salads or other recipes and won’t be disguised or lost among other ingredients. The most common kitchen use for arugula is in fresh salads, but it’s also cooked in pasta dishes, omelets, soups, and other recipes.

Sugar Snap Peas Tender, green peas appear in all sorts of spring dishes, from pasta primavera to salads. If you haven’t tried sweet, crisp, sugar snap peas yet, you’re in for a real treat. Sugar snaps are a cross between traditional English peas and snow peas. Available fresh in the spring and fall, sugar snap peas are entirely edible “pod and all” and are equally delicious raw or cooked. Snap off the stem end of each pea pod, pulling down the length of the pod to remove any tough strings. If cooking, steam, simmer or stir-fry briefly-only for a minute or two-to retain their crispness, color and flavor. Serve raw sugar snap peas with your favorite KRAFT Salad Dressing as a dip. Toss raw sugar snaps into your favorite green salad. Add to your favorite stir-fry or pasta dish.

 Tango lettuce is a curly leaf lettuce with a crisp texture. Nevada lettuce forms large leafy heads with glossy, thick leaves. Leaf lettuces have almost double the vitamins and minerals of other kinds of lettuce. In China, lettuce represents good luck.

Country Kitchen Recipes

Italian Veggie Rolls

Prep Time:  1 hour

Cook Time:  45 minutes

Serves:  5

1 cup chopped mushrooms
3 green onions, chopped

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup green peas

1 cup chopped broccoli

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup dry red wine

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 egg

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles

1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Rinse, drain, set aside. Heat oil in a medium sauté pan. Add mushrooms, green onions, carrots, peas, and broccoli; sauté over medium heat until tender. Add wine and garlic; cook five minutes, or until wine has just about evaporated. Remove from heat, and cool for ten minutes. In a medium bowl combine sautéed vegetable mixture, mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and egg. Mix well. Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Spread 1/3 cup vegetable mixture over each lasagna noodle then carefully roll up the noodle. Place seam side down in dish. When finished placing all the noodles in the pan, pour remaining pasta sauce evenly over noodles. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover, and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over noodles. Bake, uncovered, 5 more minutes. Garnish and serve immediately.

Carrot, Turnip and Pea Stir Fry

Serves:  4

2 firm white turnips

3 carrots, about 1/2 pound

1/2 pound fresh snap peas

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped onions

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander or parsley

Scrape and trim the turnips. Cut them in half crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Stack the slices, and cut them into batons 1/4-inch wide.  Scrape the carrots and cut them into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Then cut the pieces into 1/4-inch slices, and then into batons the same size as the turnips. Trim off and discard the tips of the snow peas. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, and add the turnips and carrots. Cook, stirring about 1 minute. Add the onions and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Add the snow peas, salt and peppers, and cook, stirring for about 4 minutes or until tender. Add the vinegar and coriander, cook briefly, toss and stir well.

It is already Week 4 of our CSA Baskets!

Down on the Farm Notes

Hope you are all having a great spring. We are having warmer temperatures than usual here in Northern Nevada, and we have been planting melons, tomatoes and summer produce like crazy! This week have packed the following produce for our basket customers.

Organic Ovation Greens

Organic Carrots

Organic Tango Lettuce

Organic Chard

Organic Green Garlic

Organic Turnips

Organic Cilantro

Organic Rhubarb

Organic Thyme (Salisha’s Delicious)

On a small parcel of land Fallon Grower Salisha Odum makes big things happen. The 35-year-old mother of four and longtime gardener started exploring organic growing methods seven years ago. In 2009, Odum produced $20,000 worth of vegetable and herb crops on her farm called Salisha’s Delicious. With a seemingly limitless well of energy, Odum supplies produce to the Great Basin Community Food Co-op, six different CSAs, and even pulls together her own CSA boxes for 15 or so of her neighbors.

“To me there’s no question between whether to go organic or not,” Odum says. “It’s really important for me to give the community another way to buy food.”

Amazingly, with the exception of a 16-year-old son who pitches in when he can, Odum does the lion’s share of the farm work herself. Sure, Odum is proud that she’s earning a modest living from her organic farm. But she’s especially gratified to play a role in educating her community about a healthy, locally sourced diet.

Odum grows a wide variety of greens, as well as plenty of root vegetables, broccoli, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, and celery. She has four hoop houses, which allow her to keep plants growing through fall and winter.

“I have a passion for digging in the dirt; it’s my higher calling,” she explains. “I’m happy to be able to feed good food to good people.”

For details, 775-427-5167 or whvmkv@phonewave.net.

Article courtesy of Edible Reno-Tahoe magazine

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If you are interested in finding out more about our baskets, please call Ann at 775-351-2551 or email her at:   greatbasinbasketcsa@gmail.com.

 Produce Tips

 What are Ovation Greens?  This organic green mix is a great combination of both mild and spicy ingredients. This mix includes Red Mustard, Mizuna, Tatsoi, Kale, and Arugula. It’s a great mix for braising as well as fresh eating.

Swiss chard is similar to spinach, kale and collard greens. Tall and leafy with a crunchy stalk, chard is slightly salty and a tad bitter, and works well with fish and vegetable dishes. If you are unfamiliar with chard, try substituting it in recipes that call for fresh spinach or other greens. Experiment with different seasonings and you will likely find chard to be a welcome addition to your healthy diet. When choosing Swiss chard look for stalks and leaves that are paler in color, as white chard tends to be the most tender.

Thyme is supplied by Salisha’s Delicious. Thyme is a strong-smelling herb with small grey-green leaves. The varieties used in cooking are common thyme and lemon thyme, which has a mild lemon flavor. Wrap in damp paper towel and store in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Wash, then use whole sprigs in cooking or strip the leaves and chop if desired. Add whole sprigs to casseroles for extra flavor. Remove before serving. Sprinkle thyme leaves and sea salt over potatoes, and then roast.

Turnips are simple to prepare. Remove tops and ends then wash and scrub thoroughly. If they are very young, scrape as for young carrots; when larger, pare thinly. For cooking they may be shredded, sliced thinly, or diced. Small ones may be cooked whole then hollowed to form cups or shells, then stuffed and baked. Cook until just tender, overcooking gives less than tasty results. Add a teaspoonful of sugar to the water to add flavor, this lessens the cooking odor.

Country Kitchen Recipes

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

2 cups fresh rhubarb, diced

2 tablespoons butter

¾ cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup boiling water

Wash and finely dice rhubarb. Set aside. Melt butter in 9×9 inch square pan. Add brown sugar, spread evenly and add rhubarb. Separate whites of eggs. Beat egg yolks until light and slowly add sugar, flour and baking powder. Beat well. Add boiling water. Beat vigorously. Stiffly beat eggs whites and fold into the egg mixture. Pour over rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Remove from pan at once.

Braised Turnips

Prep Time:  5 minutes

Cook Time:  1 hour 10 minutes

4 small turnips – peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1/2-inch thick

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle dark beer, or amount to cover

1 pinch dried savory

salt to taste

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Place the turnips in a pot with enough cold, salted water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the turnips are soft, about 7 minutes; drain. Transfer the turnips to a shallow baking dish. Dot the top of the turnips with pieces of butter. Pour enough of the beer into the dish to cover the turnips. Season with savory and salt.  Bake in the preheated oven until the beer is mostly cooked off and the turnip is tender, about 1 hour. This is a great side for turkey or pork roast.

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cook Time:  10 minutes

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt to taste (optional)

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

The early markets are starting in Carson City….

Good day everybody. How has spring been treating you? Our spring has been a little windy but otherwise beautiful. The hoop house greens are growing like crazy. Our produce is looking just lovely, the birds are building nests and singing sweet songs out here in the Lahontan Valley. Oh how I love crisp, cool mornings and sunny days.

Speaking of sunny days, Carson City has an early season Farmer’s Market for a few Saturdays. This market is at 2450 South Curry Street in Carson City, from 9am to 1pm between May 5th and June 2nd. Stop by and say “howdy” some time.

Here at the farm we do have greens coming on and have been placing them in the CSA baskets and still have some for purchase on the farm. We are currently picking the following items:

Organic Spinach

Organic Braising Mix

Organic Lettuce

Organic Carrots

Organic Green Onions

Organic Arugula

Organic Asparagus

Organic Beets

Organic Turnips

Organic Chard

If you are in the neighborhood and wish to  stop by the farm, we are open Monday through Thursday, 8am to 2pm, or call us at 775-867-3750 to schedule a time to pickup. We always keep some available produce up on the kitchen porch so you can pickup up some fresh, locally grown food for dinner. The type of produce will vary from day-to-day, depending on what was picked that day.

Produce Usage and Storage Tips: 

Spinach:  Something that is our favorite on the farm is cream of spinach soup. When the spinach is new and tender we would rather not use it in soup. We eat it fresh. But after we have picked it several times, we let it get big and beefy which makes perfect spinach soup. Don’t worry if the leaves look a little rough or not too pretty. It cooks up just fine. I hope you try it. Recipe is with the newsletter. Don’t skimp too much on the cream. Give yourself a treat!!! You can use the beefy spinach in salad but you can also enjoy it in soup, a frittata, pasta, or just lightly steamed and tossed with olive oil and vinegar.

Swiss chard is a great braising green. Add chard or any green to eggs, risotto, or pasta!! We received a tip last week regarding chard and kale. Dry them in a food dehydrator then placed the dry greens in a sealed jar. Then you can add some to soups and meatloaf.

Braising Mix can be eaten raw but, as the name suggests, they are perhaps best lightly braised, steamed, or stir-fried. Quickly cooking them until slightly wilted will preserve their vitamins and minerals, as well as their pleasant crunchiness, while mellowing the spicy flavor of the mustards and making the kale more digestible. If you are sautéing or stir-frying, just toss them in at the last-minute when other veggies or meats are finished cooking. Alternately, you can steam them or blanch them for just about a minute and serve them alone as a tasty side dish. They should store relatively well in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for at least a week.

Turnips:  A good way to eat turnips is sliced up, drizzled with olive oil and oven roasted till the edges start to brown up and caramelize. Also use turnips in soup and stew but that only uses a small amount of turnips.

Beets:  You can roast whole beets in the oven (with a small amount of water and covered with foil). Slip off the skins and slice them. Serve them with a small amount of butter. Or steam the beets, but it is a lot of work to dice them and then they steam for up to 30 minutes, depending on how old they are. They are not as reliably soft if steamed vs. the roasting method.

Country Kitchen  Recipes

Herb Roasted Chicken with Braised Greens

3 tablespoons chopped oregano (or a herb of your choice)

2 slices of bacon, diced

1 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 red onion, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Greens (Swiss chard or kale or spinach)

1 chicken

3/4 cup chicken stock

Mix herb, mustard and olive oil in a baking dish. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and turn to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Then roast until done. Sauté bacon about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the greens in batches, and sauté until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cover and gently braise over low heat until tender, about 40 minutes. Serve with chicken.

 Pan-Seared Shrimp and Greens Risotto

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon salt & ¼ teaspoon pepper

3 cups spinach or Swiss chard

1/2 cup green onions

1/2 cup sliced fresh Basil or Oregano or herb of your choice

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

Heat chicken broth. Keep warm over low heat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to pan; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan. Add green onions, garlic to pan; cook until tender. Add rice; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup broth; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next. Stir in shrimp; cook 1 minute or until done. Stir in cheese, butter, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a little pepper. Remove from heat; stir in spinach and basil. If using Swiss chard, chop thin and wilt slightly before adding to rice. Note: You can replace the shrimp with bacon and can sauté mushrooms and add to risotto!

Lattin Farms Cream of Spinach Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion sautéed in butter until tender

1 bag of spinach shredded into thin pieces

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

¼ tsp. garlic powder

Add onion and cook just until spinach is slightly tender. DON’T overcook. At this time you can puree half of the mixture if you like a chunky soup or else puree all of it. Melt 1/4 cup butter in pan. Whisk in ¼ cup flour until smooth. Then add 3 cup half and half (you can add half milk, half cream) and stir until smooth. Add cream mixture to spinach and heat just until warm. Do not boil. Be careful that you do not scorch the bottom. Enjoy!

 

Good day for relaxing in the sunshine!!!

Good day dear friends. The Lahontan Valley is having a lovely day today. Makes me want to dive in and plant flowers in my yard, but it never fails if I do before Memorial day I will lose all my flowers to frost. But you never know from year to year. But don’t flowers just make you smile?

It is that time of year to sign up for the Great Basin Basket CSA Program again. The deliveries of fresh produce will begin on April 24th. We will be delivering on Tuesdays or Thursdays, depending on where you are located. You can sign up for Spring, Summer, Fall or all three. There is also a Summer and Fall fruit delivery option. Each basket usually feeds 3-4 people, which may be more than you need. We will be sharing food storage ideas on the newsletter, or maybe you could share a box with friends. Then everyone will get fresh produce every week.  If you are interested, please go to Great Basin Basket CSA website to find out more.

I know it is very early in the season, but I thought I would share a produce storing chart I have found on the internet from Vegetarian times. No, I am not even close to being a vegetarian, I do like my meat but I know I need to eat more vegetables and some of those recipes looked pretty good. Anyway, back to the chart. I thought we would all benefit from receiving this chart.

REFRIGERATE THESE GAS RELEASERS:

• Apples
• Apricots
• cantaloupe
• Figs
• Honeydew

DON’T REFRIGERATE THESE GAS RELEASERS:

• Avocados
• Bananas, unripe
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Tomatoes

KEEP THESE AWAY FROM ALL GAS RELEASERS:

• Bananas, ripe
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Lettuce and other leafy greens
• Parsley
• Peas
• Peppers
• Squash
• Sweet potatoes
• Watermelon

Fastest to Slowest Spoilers: What to Eat First:

EAT FIRST:  Sunday to Tuesday

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Basil
• Broccoli
• Cherries
• Corn
• Dill
• Green beans
• Mushrooms
• Mustard greens
• Strawberries
• Watercress

EAT NEXT: Wednesday to Friday

• Arugula
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Lime
• Mesclun
• Pineapple
• Zucchini

EAT LAST: Weekend

• Apricots
• Bell peppers
• Blueberries
• Brussels sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Grapefruit
• Leeks
• Lemons
• Mint
• Oranges
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

AND BEYOND:

• Apples
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Winter squash

For the complete article, go to the Vegetarian Times website.

 We we here at Lattin Farms hope you are all enjoying your spring. We can’t wait to visit with you all once the farmer’s markets start-up again. I will share the schedule with you once I find out when they start. Good day!!

Happy Easter…..Happy Spring….

Happy Easter everybody.  Spring in Northern Nevada can be interesting at times. It can snow, freeze, rain, hail, blow, sunshine, warm, etc, etc……needless to say the weather can do anything that it wants to do and we can do nothing about it.

Last Saturday we had gale force winds! Our wind speed was 40 mph, with the high wind gust at 63 mph. That was probably the one that did my roof in at home. And our poor new hoop houses didn’t stand much of a chance. They lost plastic, received ripped holes in their sides, and the cold weather bit at our precious new plantings. But being a farmer, you dust yourself off and continue working away. No worries, you will have fresh produce this spring. No matter what Mother Nature throws at us!

Celia, Donna and Gina have been busy bees prepping and planting the hoop houses since Christmas. I am sure they will be pleased with what “pops” out of the ground this year. They are not pleased with the wind we have been receiving the past couple of months and are ready for it to atleast die down a bit.

Our young goats have been playful lately. And definitely appreciate the feed they are receiving from the girls after pulling weeds in the hoop houses. You might want to stop by when you are in the area to say “hi” to the goats. We don’t have the produce stand open yet, but we may have some lettuce, braising mix or asparagus available for purchase on the kitchen porch this spring. We never know what we will have and how much. So sometimes stopping by or callin is the best option.

Everyone here at Lattin Farms would like to wish you all a peaceful Easter weekend. Hope your family has a wonderful time to talk, laugh and eat.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

Good Day Friends

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of our friends. We have been busy cleaning up the fields and hoop houses out here. And the planting has already begun in the hoop houses. Woohoo!

The weather in Northern Nevada has been amazingly dry this winter. Which is not a good thing for keeping the fields moist. We don’t have winter crops, but you do worry about how the irrigation allotment will be for the summer. Thank goodness there has  been new snow in the Sierra’s now. Carson Pass is our watershed, and they have fresh, new snow up there. Only time will tell if the rains will come in the spring or not.

Hope your winter has been restful, joyful, full of family and fun.

Can’t wait till the markets start back up and we get to see everyone again.

Lattin Farms Sign and scarecrow

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Here at Lattin Farms everything is winding down for the holidays. The wind is cold, clouds are rolling in, there is talk of snow this weekend. So our ground is at rest at the moment. But it is a good time to clean up around the buildings, hoop houses and make notes of next year’s plant and seed orders.

We do still have a surplus of the following produce:

Butternut Squash, Delicata Squash, large and small Spaghetti Squash, popcorn ears (fun for the kids), Speckled Hound Pumpkin Squash, Naples Long Pie Pumpkin, Long Island Cheese Squash, sweet yellow onions and red onions. If you are interested in ordering or have questions, please call us at 775-867-3750 or email at lattinfarmsnevada@gmail.com

Thanksgiving is coming up and it is a very important family gathering holiday. I would like to share a few links for some menu ideas, turkey help and of course don’t forget those pies!

Thanksgiving tips from Home Cooking

Let’s Talk Turkey from AllRecipes

Pre-Thanksgiving ideas and healthy tips from the Better Health Foundation

Holiday Pie Countdown from Taste of Home

Borrowed picture from http://www.allfunpix.com/thanksgiving/

The family and employees of Lattin Farms would like to wish everyone a safe and warm Thanksgiving. Hug your family and enjoy the warmth of the season.

Here is a link about the history of Thanksgiving that will give your family something to talk about at dinner.

How to Cook the Popcorn Cobs from eHow site:

Please pull our corn cobs out of the plastic bag and allow to air dry for 4-5 weeks before trying to pop the kernels.

Popcorn cob

1 paper lunch sack

Microwave oven

Tape

Serving dish (optional)

Salt (optional)

Melted butter (optional)

Place one popcorn cob into a paper lunch sack. Fold the top of the sack over once and tape closed. Place the bag into the microwave and cook on HIGH power for 1-1/2 minutes to 3 minutes. The amount of time will be based upon your microwave’s power and the size of the popcorn ear.  Remove the bag from the microwave when the popping slows down to about 1 to 2 pops per second. Open the bag carefully, to avoid steam, and turn the popped popcorn cob out into a bowl, or just eat the popcorn off the cob from inside the bag. Serve with melted butter and salt if desired.  You can also use this same technique to pop three tablespoons of popcorn kernels per bag.

 

LATTIN FARMS GIVES AWAY FREE, ORGANIC DRY CORN FALLON

Lattin Farms, home of the Nevada Corn Maze, will be hosting its annual Cornucopia of Corn on November 12, 2011. The post season event will include a free dry corn giveaway to the public at Lattin Farms located at 1955 McLean Rd. in Fallon, Nevada. Lattin Farm’s famous corn maze approached the end of the season leaving plenty of dry corn to share with everyone. The Lattin family is inviting everyone to harvest free corn and enjoy a nice day at the farm. “We are excited to share our harvest! It’s going to be a great family event,” said Rick Lattin, owner of Lattin Farms.

Corn Day will start on Saturday, November 12 at 10:00 a.m. and will run until 3:00 p.m. Visitors will have an opportunity to harvest as much corn as they can carry. Lattin Farms will provide several antique corn shellers and grinders for the public to use. Participants will need to bring their own gloves and sacks to carry home their harvested corn or cornmeal.

Dried corn can be used for cooking and baking, bird seed or chicken feed. The event will provide fun and an educational experience to both children and adults. Churchill County resident Celia Azevedo, who attended the event last year, said “My kids had a blast. Nothing beats fresh homemade cornbread muffins. We are excited to come back and do it again this year.”

For more information please contact Rick Lattin at 775.427.3750, or the farm at 775.867.3750 or by e-mail at mail@lattinfarms.com.

Lattin Farms has been farming in the Lahontan Valley for over five generations. The farm is known for its corn maze, hearts of gold cantaloupe jam, and fresh locally-grown organic produce. Current owners, Rick and his wife Bann Lattin, moved onto the family farm in 1977. The farm consists of 300 acres of organic crops in Fallon, Nevada. Lattin Farms grows food and creates family fun—especially during the fall season when a steady flow of visitors weave through the corn maze, pick out perfect pumpkins, and taste the bakery’s delicious creations.

Bann’s Cornbread Muffins Recipe

1 cup of melted margarine

2 cups buttermilk

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups of sugar

2 cups cornmeal

2 cups flower

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon of soda

Mix margarine and eggs together.

Mix dry ingredients together.

Combine margarine and egg mixture with dry mixture.

Bake in muffin pans at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Jack o’Lantern and Scarecrow History

Why Carve Pumpkins?

The story of the Jack o’ Lantern comes from Irish folklore. Jack was a crafty farmer who tricked the Devil into climbing a tall tree. When the Devil reached the highest branch, Jack carved a large cross in the trunk, making it impossible for the Devil to climb down.

In exchange for help getting out of the tree, the Devil promised never to tempt Jack with evil again. When Jack died, he was turned away from Heaven for his sins and turned away from Hell because of his trickery. Condemned to wander the earth without rest, Jack carved out one of his turnips, took an ember from the devil, and used it for a lantern to light his way. He became known as “Jack of the Lantern.”

Toasted and salted, pumpkin seeds have a nutty flavor. They’re even better flavored with sweet and savory spices.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

1.  Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you’ve removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.)

2.  Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat. If you prefer, omit the oil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

3.  Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.

4.   Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

• Pumpkin Seed Recipes
• VIDEO: Roast Pumpkin Seeds in Three Easy Steps

*   Recipe, story and picture copied from the AllRecipe site.

 

History of the scarecrow:

One sure sign of the fall season is the sight of scarecrows everywhere. Scarecrows are used for practical reasons by farmers, and as decorations by many people. You can find scarecrows on farms and in yards, and also on t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other clothing.

Scarecrows were first used over 2000 years ago by farmers who needed to keep birds out of their fields. Crows and blackbirds were always eating the vegetable crops grown by farmers. The farmers had to do something to stop the crows from coming into the fields. They made these human-like objects out of anything they could find. They used sticks, hay, and pine straw, and dressed the scarecrows in old clothing. The farmers tried their best to make these creations look like real people in a field or garden. They hoped that the crows would see the “person” standing in the field and be afraid of it.

Scarecrows are still seen today, but most farmers use other things now to get rid of pesky animals. Scarecrows are more often a decoration, and a way to mark the beginning of fall.

The Tractors and Truffles corn maze will be open on Friday, October 28th from 10a-8p and Saturday, October 29th from 10a-5p.  This will be the last weekend for you to enjoy solving this giant puzzle of a maze.

Fall Festival activities will be in operation on Friday, October 28th as well as Saturday, October 29th.  The cow train, bounce house, hay ride, pumpkin patch, craft show, Country Kitchen and Grower’s Market will be open from 10a-6p both days.

If you have not had a chance to stop by, please try to come on out this coming weekend. We look forward to seeing you. There is plenty of produce in the stand and baked goodies from the kitchen.

It’s happing in Critterville!

There have been a few changes in Critterville. We now have a teepee in Critterville where your kids can go inside to see how the indians felt. It is full-size and pretty awesome!

The bunnie condo has been changed up a bit. Our bunnies are so much happier to be living together in this large bunny apartment now. And your kids will be able to view them easier. As you can see, they are definitely two happy little campers.

The sheep and goats are enjoying the melons and squash this morning.

 

 

 

Mama Llama Fudge and little Hershey are enjoying the morning sunshine. Hershey enjoys playing with the sheep and goats, and Fudge is forever on guard duty to keep Critterville safe and sound.

 

Our large trees are beginning to change for fall. When they are in their green and yellow stage, they make great backdrops for your fall pictures.

 

The chickens and turkey are enjoying the fall warm days too. They are continually scratching around for bugs.

 

 

Corn Maze is in full swing now. The stalks are drying up, but still standing tall for your a”maze”ment and enjoyment.

Hours:

Friday, Oct 21:  5p – 8p

Saturday, Oct 22: 10a – 8p

Friday, Oct 28: 10a – 8p

Saturday, Oct 29: 10a – 5p

Cost:  $5 (4-14)  $7 (15 and up)

Bounce House, Cow Train, Craft Show, Pumpkin Patch and Hayride on October 22, 28, 29.  Scarecrow Factory only on Saturday, October 22, 10a – 4p.

Come on out and enjoy our fall weather, organic produce, and walking through a corn maze.