Happy Week #3, Farm-ily!
The first snow of December (and of the year!) wraps households in holiday cheer and fervent hopes for school cancellations. On farms, oddly enough, this delicately frozen precipitation wraps our carefully tended winter crops in warmth. Snow is truly a blanket, a natural insulator protecting the roots and water supply below ground from the colder air temperatures above. Farmers and farm dogs alike welcome the extra layers of white in places like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. On Collin’s previous farm, the 200+ inches of flurries took the place of the row cover, straw, and leaf mulch we use here in Virginia where the winter weather is less consistent. Next year’s garlic and strawberries are nestled comfortably in our Loudoun soil, but without some type of layer protecting these earthy beds, we would see losses with every hard freeze. The Farm crew here at Willowsford says, unanimously, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”
While the weather outside is frightful, our kitchens fill with the smells of stews, roasts, and warm family meals. Soup recipes collect in my desktop files as fast as the mercury in the thermometer falls. This is my favorite season for cooking, when the act of preparing dinner warms me as thoroughly as the first steaming spoonful. I’m sure my cravings for all things savory and hearty show in this week’s meal plan; I hope they give you as much joy as they give me.
Weekly Meal Plan #3
Delectable Entrees
- 5 - Ingredient Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
- Seared Scallops with Bok Choy
- Bruleed Cauliflower & Chorizo
- Healthy Butter Chicken and Curried Brussels Sprouts
- Pressure Cooker Short Ribs with Pumpkin (or Butternut!) Cauliflower Mash
Tempting Vegetarion Options
Going to a Party or Potluck this Week?
Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Extra Veggies
Breakfast Veggies - Extra Credit!
Crustless Spinach and Caramelized Onion Quiche
Whatever you're eating this week, tag us (#willowsfordfarmilyeats) and show us what you've made!
Eat well and be well,
Ashley, Collin, John, Lex, our Winter animals, and their ever-watchful Farm dog protectors
