In Season Magazine

Because Living Well is Always In Season

The Summer Issue - Using Herbs in the Coop - Raising Meat Rabbits - Functional Fashion from Duluth Trading Company - Planning for an Extended Strawberry Season - A Living Wreath Project - Maple Peach Barbeque Sauce - Making Great Iced Coffee at Home

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1840 Farm

1840 Farm

1840 Farm

Using Herbs in the Coop Raising Meat Rabbits on the Homestead Helping Our Hens Stay Cool in the Summer Heat Functional Fashion from Duluth Trading Company

Planning for an Extended Strawberry Season A Living Wreath Project For the Love of Heirloom Tomatoes Creating a Hummingbird Garden

& Strawberry Jam with Natural Pectin Maple Peach Barbeque Sauce Simple Syrup Making Great Iced Coffee at Home Blackberry & Blueberry Spiked Lemonade Rustic Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Basil Magical Ice Cream Topping

We believe that our contributors create the best content for their blogs and the pages of our publication. We invite you to visit their blogs, shops, and social media profiles through the links on this page and throughout each issue.

We hope that you will take a moment to see for yourself why we are so proud to work with them. We know that you will love their posts, recipes, and photos as much as we do!

Jennifer Burcke lives and writes at the intersection of family, food, and farming at 1840 Farm in Southern New Hampshire.

Three generations of her family call the farm home along with their heritage breed hens, Nigerian Dwarf goats, and one dapper French Angora Rabbit named Herbert Menninger.

Lisa Steele is the creative mind behind Fresh Eggs Daily速, the popular destination for natural chicken keeping advice and one of the Top 10 Gardening Blogs for 2014 as named by Better Homes & Gardens magazine. She is a fifth-generation chicken keeper and certified herbalist who has been raising her own backyard flock since 2009 and sharing her farming adventures on her blog and Facebook pages.

Brittany May and Penny Ausley have a combined thirty-eight years experience raising and using herbs. Brittany is a certified herbalist through the New England Herbal Academy. Since starting Happy-Days-Farm, this love of herbs has turned into an opportunity to learn how to apply natural and herbal prevention and treatments to our animals to keep them healthy.

Jennifer Sartell and her husband Zach have a passionate goal to enjoy a simple life by creating art, enjoying nature, raising animals and to continue a deep appreciation for homesteading. Jennifer’s written work, illustrations and photography have been published in many books and magazines both in print and online including Grit, Capper's Farmer, Hobby Farms and Community Chickens.

Katy Light has a 44 acre homestead in North Georgia, where she raises goats, rabbits, sheep and chickens. She is passionate about self-sufficiency, natural ways to live, and fiber.

Jessica Robinson was raised on a small farm in Connecticut, where her family raised livestock and grew their own crops, as well as operating a maple sugar house.

Today, Jessica lives on a small farm in Graham, North Carolina with her husband and two sons. She is the editor, recipe developer and photographer of Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen, a blog which features local food and farming, household tips, old-fashioned recipes, ideas for backyard entertaining, and life behind the scenes at the farm.

The Summer Issue

2015

H

ello Summer, we’re so glad to see you! After a winter that seemed like it might never end and a spring that brought seesawing temperatures and precipitation, it is a real treat to finally feel like summer has arrived.

We’re celebrating summer by sharing our favorite seasonal content with you in our very first Summer Issue.

You’ll find articles for the farm that include tips for using herbs in your coop and keeping your hens cool in hot weather.

If you’ve ever considered raising meat for your family’s table, you won’t want to miss our article about raising meat rabbits on your homestead.

Summer is Gardening Season, a truly magical time of year for those of us who enjoy the work of transforming tiny seeds into delicious homegrown meals.

We have plenty of content to share in this issue from methods for extending your strawberry season to making your own living wreath that

can be enjoyed all season long.

You’ll also learn about creating a hummingbird garden so that you can enjoy watching them flit about.

If you’re looking for a little inspiration in the kitchen, then look no further than our Food & Drink section.

You’ll find recipes for strawberry jam and heirloom tomato bruschetta to highlight the best of what’s growing in your garden.

You’ll also learn how to make simple syrup and use it to sweeten a great homemade iced coffee or a delicious blackberry & blueberry spiked lemonade.

No matter how you celebrate summer, we hope that you enjoy every last minute. We plan to fill our weeks with time spent outside in the garden and meals shared with friends and family. In between, we’ll find plenty of time to gather up great content for our Fall Issue so that we can share it with you in a few months!

What would you like to see in our Fall Issue?

We want to know what you would like to see in our Fall Issue. We can’t wait to hear all about it! mail@inseasonmagazine.com

Using Herbs in the Coop Raising Meat Rabbits on the Homestead Helping Our Hens Stay Cool in the Summer Heat Functional Fashion from Duluth Trading Company

Photo by: Jennifer Burcke, 1840 Farm

Using Herbs in the Coop Story and Photos by: Lisa Steele from Fresh Eggs Daily

Studies have shown that wild birds will collect herbs, edible flowers and weeds to line their nests, innately understanding the various benefits these plants offer to the newly hatched baby birds as the essential oils from the herbs rub off onto their skin and the baby birds nibble at the plants. Logically, these same plants can provide similar benefits to baby chicks hatching in nesting boxes under a mother hen. The aromatics and essential oils in various herbs are also proven to calm and relax both animals and humans and to repel bugs and rodents who don't like the heady scent.

A blend of fresh or dried aromatic herbs and edible flowers in your chicken coop and nesting boxes will act as natural insect and rodent repellents, stress relievers and laying stimulants for your chickens. They also have antibacterial properties. Calming herbs help a laying hen feel safe and relaxed while she is sitting. Broodies have a tendency to get mites and other bugs since they don't get out to dust bathe often as they should, if at all, and the warm, dark space underneath them is a breeding ground for

parasites. Certain types of herbs safely and naturally prevent that as well. As an added benefit, your coop will never smell better!

The herbal blend below has been specifically formulated to keep your nesting boxes insect- and rodent-free while providing calming and other health benefits to your hens. The herbs are all edible, so if your hens nibble at them while they are sitting, that’s okay too.

Basil - insect-repellent, antibacterial, aids in mucus membrane health Calendula (marigold) - insect-repellent, antioxidant, antibacterial, soothing Chamomile - repel mites & lice, antiseptic, antibiotic, calming, relaxant, detoxifier Echinacea - aids in respiratory and immune system health Lavender - aromatic, stress reliever, insect-repellent, aids circulatory system Marjoram - laying stimulant, detoxifier, improves blood circulation Peppermint/Spearmint - aromatic, rodent repellent, soothes digestive tracts Red Raspberry Leaf - antioxidant, relaxant, strengthens reproductive systems Rose Petals - aromatic, antiseptic, antibacterial

Sprinkle a blend of fresh or dried herbs liberally in your nesting boxes during regular cleanings or any time you wish. The herbs all have wonderful health benefits, so your chickens will thank you. As an added bonus, your coop will look and smell wonderful!

If you don’t grow your own herbs, you can purchase my custom blend through our Etsy Shop.

Visit my blog to find out more about using Nesting Box Herbs and their benefits. While you’re there, you can learn more about the health benefits of common herbs and flowers for you and your chickens.

Raising Meat Rabbits on the Homestead Story and Photos by: Katy Light from Poppy Creek Farm

Rabbits on the homestead are a controversial subject, because the bunny has lived for so long as the quintessential children’s pet; think Peter Rabbit and the adorable cartoon and sentiment of ‘Guess how much I love you’. But if you can let go of that, and consider rabbits as a low maintenance and high production way to produce protein on your homestead, then you’re on to a winner.

I was discussing my farm with a family at a party last week and, after we had exhausted gardening as a subject he asked me, “So, what do you do for protein?” I explained that we sent extra ram lambs to freezer camp, and that I also raised meat rabbits. Nodding sagely, he couldn’t quite hide his alarm. “See, I don’t think my wife and kids would go for that.” My suggestion was that he could purchase a pet rabbit for his kids, and then explain that the other rabbits were for meat. He remained unconvinced. With respect to the lambs, I didn’t even have to make this suggestion; his concerns were solely directed towards the raising of rabbits.

Meat isn’t the only thing that rabbits are useful for; for several years I raised Angora rabbits for fiber, but as the sheep and goats and garden began to take up more and more of my time, I wasn’t enjoying keeping up with the maintenance

and grooming required to keep their fiber useable. There are people who cull their pet quality Angoras for meat, and find them productive, but I chose not to take that route.

For meat, I chose New Zealand Whites.

They’re a large rabbit, maturing at 9-12 pounds, and I have found them to be good mothers to large litters.

Their temperament, however, leaves much to be desired. Despite extensive handling as kits for the does I intend to retain, I frequently suffer scratches and they would be challenging for a child to handle due to their size. But for me, the pros outweigh the cons, and I simply avoid too much handling wherever possible.

According to statistics from the Penn State College of Agricultural Science, an adult doe can produce 125-250 pounds of meat a year, compared to the average 400 pound dressed yield of a year old steer, and their feed conversion is superior.

From Mother Earth News: “According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a rabbit needs 4 pounds of feed to make 1 pound of meat. In comparison, beef cattle need 7 pounds of feed or more to create 1 pound of meat, reports Michigan State University’s Department of Animal Science.”

Nutrition wise, rabbit is a low calorie, low fat, high protein meat, adding to its appeal as a family meat source for the homestead.

So how best to house them? I tried the colony experiment, with high hopes for success and many happy, family raised litters. It was, I am sad to report, an epic failure.

After losing a simply unacceptable and heartbreaking number of new babies to rats (what WERE my barn cats doing while the massacre was taking place?!), my buns are all now back in cages. I use large, custom built cages and bring them fresh greens regularly, but all the same, I’m disappointed. The colony was so cute and I loved to see them interacting naturally. I am hoping that over the heat

of the summer, when they won’t be breeding, to put them back in the colony for some down time.

Cages can be bought or made; I choose to construct mine from scrap wood I have lying around, pallets, and repurposed wire where possible. This enables me to tailor them to the larger rabbits’ needs, and make sure there is ample room to slide in a kindling box when the time comes for them to have their kits. It’s also significantly cheaper than buying all-wire cages and, if you keep your rabbits outside, you can ensure they have adequate shelter during the colder months by adding solid walls or optional doors.

The

traditional

stacking

cages

that

many breeders use are an option, but they will need to be housed inside in these and, if you look to buy them new, or even lightly used, they’re almost prohibitively expensive to get ones truly large enough for a meat sized rabbit to have a good life. Not to mention, if you are looking to raise rabbits for meat, you’re probably cost-conscious, and this kind of outlay starts your venture off at high cost!

I guess the big appeal for me in the homestead sense, is that anyone has space for rabbits. Many people are now raising an impressive amount of vegetables in a relatively small space, and are also factoring eggs into their self -provision by keeping a few chickens.

Hens could become even more necessary should the avian influenza outbreak spread and cause even wider egg rationing. But this still leaves the average homesteader short a protein, unless they were to hatch eggs and raise up extra birds as fryers.

Rabbits take up so little space, and are so low-maintenance and low odor that anyone, even someone in a more urban setting, can easily keep a couple of does and a buck to raise their own meat.

Babies reach fryer maturity in a matter of 7-14 weeks depending on breed, or can be grown out for a little longer if desired.

There are ample videos and instruction on the internet for those looking for some guidance regarding the processing of rabbits, but suffice to say it is a quick and tidy process once you get the hang of it. It’s not a job I enjoy, and I delegate wherever possible. But the rewards are considerable. The rabbits that you raise are a sustainable, self-renewing source of clean, hormone and steroid free meat, and can also be raised on non-GMO feeds if you select carefully. I feed

Tucker Milling non-GMO multi-species grain, and supplement with hay, grass, fruits and vegetables, and add in Chaffhaye (a non-GMO alfalfa) for those needing extra protein, such as nursing mothers. The cleanliness of the meat is a huge concern for me, and one of the reasons that I finally bit the bullet and got into rabbits.

If you have concerns about whether it will work for you, my suggestion is to start small. Start with a bred doe, or just one buck and one doe. If it works for you, add more. Don’t overwhelm yourself. It can be a rewarding process, but remember if you have any fears about it, there’s no harm in taking it slow.

In the meantime, browse some rabbit recipes online. They’re delicious!

Helping our Hens Stay Cool

in the Summer Heat

Story and Photos by: Jennifer Burcke from 1840 Farm

Here in New England, we spend more of our calendar days with frigid temperatures than intense heat. Yet, we can count on several days above 90 degrees each summer and seem to see more of them each year. Summer only officially began a few weeks ago, but we have already seen several days with temperatures and sunshine that brought temperatures inside the hoop house above 120 degrees.

On hot days, we’ll be employing strategies for helping our animals and gardens to cope with the heat. We’ll make regular rounds to the coop, barn, hoop house and garden with fresh, cold water to help everyone and everything battle the heat. We’ll also utilize the design of our coop and share a few helpful, cooling treats with our flock. Together, these actions will help them to endure the high temperatures.

The hens spend their days outside in their shaded runs. We take full advantage of the cross ventilation we built into the design of our coop. The back vent will be opened to the full position, the front window opened wide, and the side door secured in the open position to capture any fresh, cooling breeze that might pass by. On a day with temperatures in the 90s, even the slightest breeze blowing through the nearby maple tree is helpful.

On my regular rounds, I will replace the water that has grown hot in the goat stall and top off the BriteTap Chicken Waterer that keeps our hen’s water cool and fresh. On a hot day, the volume of water consumed by our animals is staggering. When I freshen the water, I can count on the chickens and goats to line up for a sip of cool refreshment.

As they help themselves to a drink, I make sure that everyone is accounted for and not struggling too mightily with the conditions of the day. When I visit the coop with frozen yogurt, fruit, and vegetables, the hens gather at my feet as if I am a rock star.

Several years ago, I discovered that these frozen treats could help our hens cope with the brutal heat.

Since then, I keep a few freezer bags with frozen healthy treats in our barn’s upright freezer. Small berries, tiny cherry tomatoes, diced vegetable scraps, and cubes of frozen yogurt are at the ready and make a welcome snack on days when the temperature is uncomfortably hot. When I have healthy kitchen scraps to share with the flock, I simply freeze them, add them to the bag, and keep them for the next hot day.

As soon as the frozen pieces hit their bowl, our hens clamber for a prime spot to grab a bite. The frozen treats only last a few seconds. The girls happily help themselves to a bit of cool refreshment and then return to the business of scratching at the ground, making happy hen sounds, and patrolling their run. Cooling them down from the inside out seems to bring them immediate relief from the heat.

Summer weather has arrived here in New England. It’s time for me to restock my supply of berries, frozen vegetables, and yogurt cubes for the hens. If this spring was any indication, we’re in for a hot summer and the hens are sure to be looking for their frozen afternoon treats!

1840 Farm

Functional Fashion from Duluth Trading Company Story and Photos by: Lisa Steele from Fresh Eggs Daily

The phrase ‘nobody here but us chickens’ runs through my head often throughout the day as I putter around the farm doing chores, gardening or just spending time with the animals. After my husband leaves for work, I generally don’t see another human being all day, instead surrounding myself with our horses, dogs, chickens and ducks.

My rare trips off the farm generally involve grocery shopping or swinging by the feed store to pick up feed or hay for the animals.

Instead of fashion magazines, I am more apt to read Hobby Farm or Chickens Magazine, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t care what I look like or don’t enjoy wearing nice-looking clothing. I often snap selfies to use on my blog or Facebook page, or most recently, I filmed an episode of the upcoming reality TV show Coop Dreams (airing beginning July 2nd on Discovery’s Destination America channel) which actually necessitated matching outfits that were appropriately ‘farm-like’!

And that’s where Duluth Trading Company comes in. I have been wearing their clothing for years. Not only are their items extremely well-made and durable, they’re also attractive and flattering. The Armachillo shirt line is a blessing on searingly hot summer days, helping me keep cool with it’s Made-in-the-Jade™ fabric and who doesn’t love a pretty plaid pattern?

The Dry on the Fly capris are my go-to pants. Get splashed while filling water buckets? No problem, your pants will be dry in no time. Get caught in a sudden downpour? No worries, you’ll dry almost as soon as the rain stops! Get pooped on by ducks or splashed with mud

regularly? These are the pants for you.

Literally nothing will stain these pants. A quick run through the washer and they’re good as new. Even blood from a scrape or cut is not match for these pants! Don’t ask how I know that…. I actually spilled an entire cup of coffee in my lap while wearing my Dry on the Fly capris at a conference last winter - and I was due to speak in just a few minutes no less! I stood up and literally flicked the beads of coffee off my pants and that was it. No sign of my clumsiness remained.

Both the Armachillo shirts and Dry on the Fly pants are perfect for travel. They are extremely lightweight, so don’t weigh much or take up much space in your luggage, and don’t wrinkle. So you can

just shake them out and hang them up and you will look great.

Speaking of luggage, the new airline regulations on checking bags are restrictive and expensive, so I travel with carry-ons as much as possible. The Oilcloth Sling Bag doesn’t look that large,

but I manage to fit my netbook, Kindle and cell phone, plus cords for them all, in it along with my wallet and a ball of yarn and my knitting needles! And I packed everything I would need for the three-day trip to film the TV show in the Leather Messenger Bag, including my hot rollers!

I pretty much live in my Duluth Trading Company clothing because it’s just so easy to wear.

I wasn’t sure about the Heirloom Convertible Overalls at first, since it’s probably been a good 30 years since I’ve worn a pair!

But I put them on and realized I had forgotten just how comfortable overalls are! I ended up wearing them all day.

Since I’m also in the garden most days, I also get a lot of use out of the Garden Gloves! They’re so soft and comfortable, that even this girl who is not normally a fan of wearing gloves and has long given up on having perfectly manicured nails, has no problem slipping them on.

If you’re looking for comfortable, durable clothing that will take you from the chicken coop to the barn to the feed store and back in style, do yourself a favor and check out Duluth Trading Company.

Disclaimer: I was provided clothing and other items at no cost to me by Duluth Trading Company for my personal use and review, but my opinions are entirely my own and not influenced by the gift in any way. I had been wearing, and loving, Duluth Trading Company clothing long before becoming an Ambassador for the brand.

Planning for an Extended Strawberry Season A Living Wreath Project For the Love of Heirloom Tomatoes Creating a Hummingbird Garden

Photo by: Jennifer Burcke, 1840 Farm

P LANNING FOR AN E XTENDED

Strawberry Season Story and Photos by: Jennifer Sartell from Iron Oak Farm

Growing Strawberries In our home, strawberries are the quintessential flavor of early summer. If the Fourth of July had a flavor it would be strawberry. Ever since I was a girl, my family and I have gone strawberry picking.

We’d get up early on a Saturday morning with our sun hats and a cooler full of beverages and head out to Middleton Berry Farm where we’d spend the day filling baskets with delicious ripe berries.

I will always remember the smell of the field. Like someone misted a berry scented haze over the area.

We’d bring our pounds and pounds of berries home and my mom and I, assembly-line-style, would wash and stem the berries. Some would go into baggies for the freezer, others would be made into pies, some would be sugared for strawberry shortcake and the rest would be made into delicious strawberry jam.

Grow Different Varieties for a Continuous Harvest Now that we have our own farm, we’ve been working over the past few years to create a substantial strawberry patch.

Right now we have 4 different varieties that we are growing; an early variety, an ever-bearing, a wild strawberry transplant and a new variety for us: Alpine Yellow, which is an heirloom that’s supposed to taste reminiscent of pineapple.

Strawberries are a perennial, which means they will come back year-to-year and spread. They make a wonderful, useful groundcover. Strawberries will continue to spread year-to-year but must be replenished occasionally with new plants to get a continuous crop of berries each year.

An early bearing strawberry variety will produce an abundance of fruit all at once, earlier in the season. For us, in Michigan, that’s around mid June. Around this time our ever bearing fruits will begin to

produce as well. This overlap in fruiting is when I get enough berries to can, freeze and make other foods that require more fruit.

After this, the ever bearing fruit ripens throughout the rest of mid summer and we get handfuls at a time to enjoy as snacks or in smoothies.

The thing I like best about growing our own strawberries is that they have such a short shelf life when you get them from the store. When you grow your own you can pick them as they ripen and enjoy them at their prime.

We also transplanted several wild strawberry plants that grow in our field.

We saved them before we plowed our pumpkin patch last year.

Wild strawberries, while small, are jam packed with sweet strawberry flavor.

Growing Conditions

Growing strawberries is fairly simple.

The easiest method is to purchase starts from a local nursery. They should be planted at least 12 inches apart in full sun. They like well-drained soil rich in organic matter. The soil should be kept evenly moist, especially during fruiting season. Removing runners before the plants set fruit will increase your crop.

A mulch, like straw (hence the name “strawberry�) should be placed between the plants to lift ripening fruit off the ground. This will prevent premature rotting.

Strawberries can also be grown in containers, hanging baskets and vertical gardens to save space.

We grow ours in raised beds, which makes propagating shoots very easy.

Raised beds also make it easy to cover our fruit with netting to protect against birds stealing the berries.

Propagating Shoots

The best way to increase your strawberry plant numbers is through plant propagation.

Strawberries send off shoots which will produce a leaf node several inches away. When this area of the plant settles in dirt, it will send down roots and begin a new plant.

These new leaves can be “captured� in pots and transplanted wherever you like.

We tend to propagate those plants that are trying to escape our raised bed.

In late spring, fill a small pot with potting soil. Place it near a shoot and pin the shoot into the soil with a piece of U-shaped wire.

Allow the shoot to send roots down into the pot. In late summer, snip the shoot to the parent plant and transplant the new plant or give it to a friend.

Growing From Seed Strawberries plants can be easy to find at your local nursery, but you usually only get two choices of variety; ever bearing and early bearing. To grow more rare varieties you can try starting some from seed.

Sow seeds indoors in fine soil. The soil must be kept warm and young sprouts do well in direct light, so a greenhouse or grow light system works best. Feed every two weeks until plants are about three inches tall. Transplant outside.

Strawberry seeds can take a long time to germinate, sometimes up to a month, and are slow to grow at the start! You have to exercise patience. You also won’t get much (if any) fruits the first year.

There are so many delicious ways to use strawberries! I love them mashed in lemonades or sweet tea, blended with homemade ice cream, or right out of the garden. I hope you set aside some room in your garden for a bed of summer’s favorite fruit.

A Living Wreath Project Instructions and Photos by: Brittany May from Happy Days Farm

This wreath is so easy to make. It is a fun do it yourself project that would make a great gift also! If you can't find the forms locally, they can be ordered from Amazon.

For herbs, I picked low growing ones so it will be easy to maintain the wreath shape: I purchased two of each in a carpet or crawling variety.    

Golden Variegated Sage English Thyme Rosemary (the crawling type) Chocolate Chip Ajuga- (not really an herb, but it is edible. Added for color)

This form has a hook made onto the backing to help hang it, but I prefer using a nice piece of rope. It adds a rustic look and makes it easier to move for watering!

Don't worry if it looks a little sparse to begin with, in a couple of weeks it will fill in nicely.

Here is ours one month later!

Step 1: Fill the form with potting soil and pack it down slightly.

Step 2: Put backing on and latch. The form I used and suggested came with the liner and precut holes.

Step 3: Flip the wreath form over.

Step 4: Remove the herbs one by one from their pots and slightly trim the roots.

Step 5: Push fingers into the pre-cut holes and move dirt around to dig a hole for the herb to fit into.

Step 6: Gently place herbs into each hole and carefully arrange.

Step 7: Continue to repeat these steps, arranging the herbs around the form. I tried to place herbs that matched across from each other. Then I placed the rosemary in the center hole at the bottom.

Step 8: These forms will dry out daily, so place your wreath in a location that will be easy to water!

For the Love of

Heirloom Tomatoes

Story and Photos by: Jennifer Burcke from 1840 Farm

I can trace my love of gardening back to a single plant. It was a Julia Child heirloom tomato. When I read about the process of her selecting a plant to bear her name, I felt the need to buy a packet of seeds and embark on the journey to plant heirlooms in our new garden here at 1840 Farm.

I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. It was our first summer living on the farm. We had two small children, a circa 1840 farmhouse that we were trying to bring back from its abandoned state, and a small square of soil next to the barn that seemed like as good a spot as any for a garden. It would have made a lot more sense for me to just pick up a few tomato plants from the local nursery, but I wanted the heirlooms that were accompanied by interesting stories and origins.

Heirloom seeds were nowhere to be found, so I went to the Internet.

I ordered six packets of heirloom tomato seeds online that year. We waited anxiously for them to arrive. When they appeared in our mailbox, we began the process of starting our seeds inside the farmhouse and then tending to the

seedlings that developed. It took months before they were strong enough to plant in the warm garden soil.

I learned so much that year. I learned to heed the number of days for each variety to reach maturity. Here in New England, our growing season is painfully short. I have learned to choose varieties that don’t require more time to produce than our geography allows. While I can slightly extend our season by using our unheated hoop house, I have accepted that I just can’t win that battle with Mother Nature. I learned that supplemental lighting above our seedlings was the key to consistently raising strong, healthy seedlings with vigorous root systems.

Most importantly, I learned that I loved heirlooms, especially tomatoes. I love their histories, the stories that they continue to tell every summer. Their appearance and flavor is every bit as interesting as their names and tales. They are the single crop that I just can’t imagine not growing in our garden. It simply wouldn’t be summer without them.

A Few of Our Favorite Heirloom Tomato Varieties Black Cherry

Costoluto Genovese

Blondkopfchen Cherry

Purple Calabash

Artwork by Jennifer Sartell from Iron Oak Farm

Creating a Hummingbird Garden Instructions and Photos by: Brittany May from Happy Days Farm

Hummingbirds eat nectar, tree sap, and small bugs. Aphids, gnats, mosquito, and spiders are all on their menu. Make sure you do not use any type of pesticides in your garden. Not only do these pesticides remove a valuable food source for your hummingbirds, but it also could kill them if ingested. Once you have a team of hummingbirds in your garden, you will not need the pesticides anyway. They will remove the bugs for you!

Hummingbirds can flap their wings at an impressive 80 times per second. They have an extremely high metabolism, and require lots of food daily, so the more you provide, the more likely they are to remain in your yard and claim it as their territory. Plant lots of beautiful colorful flowers in your yard and garden this year and the hummingbirds will be sure to follow.

There are a few things to consider as you begin to decide where to set up a hummingbird garden.   

 

Make sure you plant your garden in an area that you can see and enjoy!

Make sure that the garden will have sun and shade.

Hummingbirds have amazing sight, and are attracted to bright colors, especially red. So, adding a red hummingbird feeder, as well as brightly colored flowering plants, will help draw them.

Offer more than one hummingbird feeder because they are territorial.

Add a small bird bath so that they have access to fresh water.

Making Your Own Hummingbird Nectar You can buy hummingbird nectar mix at any garden store. However, I prefer to make my own. All the pre-mixed nectar has dye added to make it red, which, in theory attracts them to it, but the dye is actually very bad for their tiny bodies.

Instead, pick a red hummingbird feeder, and mix your own nectar. It is so simple.

Bring four cups of water to a boil. with one cup sugar. Allow to cool.

Mix

I usually mix up a double batch, and keep a container in the fridge to refill the feeder with. Make sure to keep fresh feed in the feeder every couple days so the hummingbirds trust that there will be enough there for them.

It is very important to keep it clean!

The trick is to help them realize they don't need to leave your yard until it is time to migrate again.

& Strawberry Jam with Natural Pectin Maple Peach Barbeque Sauce Simple Syrup Making Great Iced Coffee at Home Blackberry & Blueberry Spiked Lemonade Rustic Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Basil Magical Ice Cream Topping

&

&

Photo by: Jessica Robinson, Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen

Strawberry Jam

with Natural Pectin

Story and Photos by: Jennifer Burcke from 1840 Farm

Most strawberry jam recipes call for adding pectin in order to properly gel the jam. Strawberries have very little pectin, so a source of pectin must be added. I prefer to use the natural pectin in an apple rather than add commercially produced powdered pectin. I find that an apple adds plenty of pectin along with a touch of tangy flavor that offers a nice counterpoint to the sweet earthiness of the fresh strawberries.

The grated apple softens as the jam cooks, releasing its pectin and becoming nearly unrecognizable in the finished jam. The apple peel should be removed before canning the finished jam. At our house, the apple peel coated in rich strawberry jam is a delicacy. It’s like the best fruit leather on earth and is happily devoured by the whole family!

1840 Farm

Strawberry Jam with Natural Pectin yields approximately 4 half pints 1 ½ pounds strawberries, washed, stemmed, and cut into small pieces 2 cups (384 grams) granulated sugar 1 medium apple, prepared as directed below Juice of ½ lemon (approximately 2 Tablespoons) Place several plates or large spoons in the freezer for use in gel test. If you are planning to can the jam, ready your canning pot, jars, lids, rings, and canning equipment. I like to use 4 or 8 ounce canning jars when processing this jam.

Using a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the apple in long strips. Core and quarter the apple.

Use a grater to grate the apple quarters.

Add the grated apple and apple peel to a large non-reactive pot with the strawberries and sugar. Stir gently to combine and place the pot on a burner over medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to boil for 15 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent the sugars from burning. Using a slotted spoon, remove the strawberry pieces from the pot and transfer to a medium bowl. Removing the strawberries will help them to maintain a firmer texture in the final jam.

Continue to boil the liquid in the pot for another 15 minutes. Return the reserved berries to the pot and add the lemon juice. Stir to combine and continue to boil gently for another 15 minutes or until the mixture passes the gel test when allowed to cool on the chilled plates or spoons set aside in the freezer.

While the gel test may sound like a daunting scientific experiment, it is actually a simple, visual method for determining if your jam has reached the ideal consistency. This test will allow you to measure the finished consistency of your jam. If the mixture is too loose, it can be boiled further to allow a bit more of the liquid to evaporate. If the mixture has boiled too long and is slightly too thick, a small bit of liquid can be added to loosen the mixture before canning.

Performing the gel test involves placing a bit of the hot jam on a plate or large spoon that has been chilled in the freezer.

When the mixture has been allowed to cool, the consistency can be accurately gauged. When cool, the jam should form a cohesive mixture, forming a wrinkle as it moves when pressed with your finger. If you run a finger through the small puddle

1840 Farm of jam, it should split apart and then return to a cohesive puddle moments later.

Once the mixture has passed the gel test, remove the pot from the heat.

Remove the apple peel and stir in the vanilla. Ladle hot jam into sterilized 4 or 8 ounce jars leaving Âź inch headspace. Remove air bubbles from the side of the jar. Using a clean cloth, remove any residue from the rim of the jar. Place a lid on the jar and tighten with band. Gently lower the filled jar into the boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars have been added to the pot. Place lid on canning pot. Return water to a boil.

Once the water has returned to a boil, process half-pint jars of jam for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the lid from pot. Allow the jars to rest in the water for at least five minutes. Carefully remove jars to a towel lined baking sheet. Allow jars to cool up to 24 hours before checking the seals and labeling the jars for storage. A properly sealed jar of strawberry jam can be stored and used for up to one year.

Maple Peach

Barbeque Sauce

Recipe and Photos by: Jessica Robinson from Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen

I created this recipe in the commercial kitchen at my parent’s sugar house. Its sweet yet tangy vibrancy pairs well with pork or chicken for a taste of summer. This sauce can also be combined with balsamic vinaigrette in a 1 to 1 ratio (¼ cup barbeque sauce to ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette) and poured over a juicy steak.

Maple Peach Barbeque Sauce from New England Farmgirl Makes about 3 cups ¾ cup cider vinegar ½ cup tomato paste 1 cup 1-inch cubes fresh peaches ½ cup molasses ¾ cup maple syrup ½ cup water 1 Tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 Tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ teaspoon ground mustard ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon paprika In a medium saucepan, add all the ingredients and cook over medium heat, whisking together to dissolve any lumps. Cook until the peaches are softened and the sauce has thickened to desired consistency, about 20 minutes. To check the thickness, transfer a small amount to a small cup, and place it in the freezer until cool.

New England Farmgirl, Recipes and Stories from a Farmer’s Daughter is available at your local bookstore, select Gourmet Kitchen stores, farm stands and through online bookstores or directly from the publisher Gibbs -Smith Publishing. This 192-page cookbook offers readers the freshest taste of New England. With over 100 recipes that share basic values and use simple, wholesome ingredients. Jessica’s deeply rooted farm culinary history provides authentic recipes which include her grandmother’s cream puffs, grandfather’s fudge and great-grandmother’s molasses cookies along with recipes which she created such as bourbon-honey barbeque sauce. New England Farmgirl encourages families to grow their own gardens, spend more time outdoors and go back to their roots becoming selfsufficient.

Simple Syrup Story and Photos by: Jennifer Burcke from 1840 Farm

This recipe is a staple in our kitchen all year long. I always have it on hand in the refrigerator, waiting to be called into action. With a small amount, I can add sweetness to summer berries or cold drinks.

Simple syrup is also my favorite way to sweeten cold drinks and cocktails. Using simple syrup is the perfect way to sweeten and enhance iced coffee and iced tea in the summer without ending up with a pile of undissolved sugar in the bottom of your glass.

Making simple syrup couldn’t be any easier. Equal parts of sugar and water are warmed enough to fully dissolve the sugar. You can halve or double this recipe based on your needs. You can also flavor your syrup with a bit of vanilla extract, a vanilla bean pod, or fresh summer berries. Simply add them to the pot with the sugar and water and strain out the solids before storing your syrup in the refrigerator. The possibilities are delicious and nearly endless!

Simple Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup water Add the sugar and water in a small pot and stir to combine. Place the pot over low heat and bring to a temperature just below a simmer, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.

The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month. I like to store mine in a clean, repurposed bottle with a pourer spout in the refrigerator.

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Making Great Iced Coffee at Home Story and Photos by: Jennifer Burcke from 1840 Farm

During the heat of the summer, I try to avoid doing anything that is sure to raise the temperature in our farmhouse. I do make one exception: the coffee maker. I can live with a cold salad for dinner. I can do laundry at midnight when the temperature has fallen a few degrees. I cannot, under any circumstances, live without coffee.

True, the coffee maker doesn’t generate too much heat. On a hot and humid summer day, I’m not in any rush to drink something hot. Luckily, I mastered the art of making iced coffee at home several years ago.

Making a great iced coffee is easy. You don’t need special equipment and the technique is simple. If you take your coffee black, then you only need to chill the hot coffee and serve over ice. If, like me, you prefer your coffee regular with cream and sugar, then you might need a little trial and error to perfect the amount of sweetener and milk that is just to your liking. Trust me; it’s not a bad way to spend a very hot day.

First, we’ll start with the coffee. Because your iced coffee will be served over ice, the brewed coffee needs to be brewed with different proportions than your usual cup of hot morning Joe. That’s the secret to making perfect iced coffee at home.

While it seems like a simple adjustment, it’s the difference between a delicious cup of iced coffee and one that is watered down and tasteless. Typically, a full tablespoon of coffee is used for every six ounces of water. In this case, we’ll reduce the liquid by half in order to allow for the ice that will be added to the final cup.

By reducing the water, we’ll have removed three full cups of liquid from our coffee. That will allow us to add back the three cups in the form of ice and milk or cream without diluting the coffee.

Iced Coffee 8 Tablespoons coffee (I prefer whole beans that are ground just before brewing) 3 cups (24 ounces) cold water ice granulated sugar start with 1/2 cup and adjust to your liking) milk/cream if desired Using the guidelines above, brew your double strength coffee. If you don’t use sugar or cream in your coffee, you can add a few cups of ice to the hot coffee and chill the brewed coffee in the refrigerator for later use or drink immediately poured over a glass of ice.

If you prefer coffee with sugar and cream, the sugar should be added while the coffee is still hot. This will allow the sugar to fully dissolve before the coffee has been chilled. Add the sugar to the hot coffee and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely.

At this point, the sweetened coffee can be stored in the refrigerator to be enjoyed later. If you wish to enjoy it immediately, add a cup of ice to the hot coffee in order to cool it down quickly. Stir the mixture in order to cool it slightly before pouring over a glass of ice, leaving room for milk or cream to be added. Add milk or cream to the glass and stir to fully incorporate.

If you are making a batch of iced coffee for a group and want to allow guests to sweeten their own glass of coffee, my vanilla bean simple syrup is perfect for sweetening the chilled coffee. It’s also a wonderful way to add vanilla flavor to your iced coffee or iced tea.

Blackberry & Blueberry Spiked Lemonade

Recipe and Photos by: Jessica Robinson from Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen

This refreshing berry lemonade is inspired by my father’s love of blackberry brandy. What better way to quench your thirst than with blueberries and a splash of lemon, with the extra bonus of enjoying each other’s company after a hard day on the farm?

Blackberry & Blueberry Spiked Lemonade from New England Farmgirl Serves 12 to 14 2 cups simple syrup 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 cups blueberries, plus more for garnish 1 (9.6-ounce) bottle guava nectar 1 ½ cups blackberry brandy 1 bottle inexpensive white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc), chilled Lemon slices, for garnish In a blender, combine the simple syrup, lemon juice, blueberries, and guava nectar until the berries are pureed. Pour the blueberry mixture, brandy, and wine into a glass or plastic drink dispenser, adjusting the alcohol as you see fit. Add lemon slices and blueberries for garnish. Serve cold with plenty of ice.

New England Farmgirl, Recipes and Stories from a Farmer’s Daughter is available at your local bookstore, select Gourmet Kitchen stores, farm stands and through online bookstores or directly from the publisher Gibbs -Smith Publishing. This 192-page cookbook offers readers the freshest taste of New England. With over 100 recipes that share basic values and use simple, wholesome ingredients. Jessica’s deeply rooted farm culinary history provides authentic recipes which include her grandmother’s cream puffs, grandfather’s fudge and great-grandmother’s molasses cookies along with recipes which she created such as bourbon-honey barbeque sauce. New England Farmgirl encourages families to grow their own gardens, spend more time outdoors and go back to their roots becoming selfsufficient.

Rustic Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Basil

Recipe and Photos by: Jennifer Burcke from 1840 Farm

This recipe is a family favorite during heirloom tomato season. When the day is long and I’m tired from a full day’s work on the farm, I make this simple, rustic version of bruschetta. I don’t slice the bread and toast it in the oven. Instead, I place the whole loaf in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes to warm it slightly while I prepare the tomatoes. By the time the bread is warm, the topping is ready and we can start enjoying that delicious combination of earthy heirloom tomatoes, bright basil, and a great loaf of crusty bread.

Rustic Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Basil serves four 1 loaf of crusty French or Italian bread 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 ounces fresh heirloom tomatoes 1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil 1 Tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Âź cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped Âź teaspoon sea salt Âź teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 1 ounce ricotta salata or Parmesan cheese Balsamic Vinegar Glaze Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the tomatoes by roughly chopping slicing tomatoes or slicing cherry tomatoes into thirds. Place in a medium serving bowl and set aside.

Place the loaf of bread in the warm oven and set the timer for 10 minutes. As the bread warms, prepare the topping by combining the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes with the olive oil and minced garlic in a small pot. Warm gently over low heat until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Roughly chop or julienne the sun-dried tomatoes before adding them to the fresh heirloom tomatoes. Add the basil, salt, and black pepper to the tomatoes before pouring the warm oil mixture over the top. Gently stir the mixture. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Add the crumbled ricotta salata or shaved Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.

Slice the warm bread and serve with the bruschetta topping, spooning the topping over the bread and eating while it is still warm. Enjoy!

Magical Ice Cream Topping Story and Photos by: Jennifer Burcke from 1840 Farm

There’s something magical about pouring a liquid topping over a scoop of ice cream. It comes out of the bottle as a shiny liquid, hits the cold surface of the ice cream and transforms into a matte, solid topping right before your eyes. I loved it when I was a child and my children feel the same way.

A few years ago, I happened upon a recipe for a homemade version of this magical concoction. It only required two ingredients, both of which I happened to have on hand. The process was as simple as warming the ingredients and stirring them until they formed a congruous mixture.

I take great pride in finding new ways to replace store bought items with simple homemade alternatives. As a family living around multiple food allergies, I am always looking for a new recipe to add to our collection to replace a product that can be difficult for us to purchase at the store and safely enjoy at home. If the process can also be used as a homeschool science lesson, all the better.

In moments, I had assembled my children and the ingredients to make our own version of the crispy, magical ice cream shell topping. A few minutes later, we gathered around bowls of ice cream for the moment of truth. I spooned a bit of the liquid topping over the first scoop. We all waited, eager to see if magic would happen. It did, producing a lovely, solid shell over the top of each scoop. We used our spoons to crack open the shell and take the first taste.

The flavor of the topping was extraordinary. The subtle flavor of coconut paired beautifully with our homemade vanilla extract and the dark chocolate chips we had used. We all agreed that this homemade version was delicious. We couldn’t wait to try it with different chocolates, white chocolate, and other flavored baking chips we had in the pantry. The possibilities were endless and sure to put smiles on my children’s faces.

Now that’s magic!

1840 Farm Magical Ice Cream Topping adapted from Two-Ingredient Magic Shell by Food52

We used chocolate chips in this recipe, but you could use chopped chocolate with equally delicious results.

Both the coconut oil and chocolate are liquid when heated and solid at room temperature.

Should your mixture become too thick to spoon over ice cream, simply warm it for a few seconds in the microwave and stir before using.

3/4 cup (120 grams) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate 1/3 cup (80 grams) coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second increments, stirring each time, until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before pouring over ice cream.

Store at room temperature, warming if necessary to re-liquefy.

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