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Bringing Pork and Greens Together

March 21, 2022 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Isabel Buenaga grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, far away from farming. She went to Lehigh University, where she grew aware of many world problems and was frustrated by a lack of solutions.

Then, she spent the summer of 2016 working at a farm in Vermont. A solution to at least one problem – food waste – started to click. She spent the next few years traveling between Puerto Rico and the Northeast U.S., working at other farms. She started Pork & Greens in 2020.

Two years later, Buenaga is raising pigs and growing pea shoots and other microgreens on leased land in Rensselaer County. The combination brings together animals she loves, foods she likes, and a path toward a more sustainable food system she hopes to help build.

I visited the farm on a mild March afternoon, arriving a few hours after Buenaga brought in the first batch of piglets she plans to raise this year. As the eight-week-old animals oinked excitedly in their new pen, Buenaga and the farm’s assistant manager Emily Liebelt prepared part of the animals’ meal: milk, bread, buns, cookies, and bananas from the Regional Food Bank.

Pork & Greens pigs feast twice a day on such food bank goods along with spent brewer’s grains and whey. This blend gives the animals vital nutrients through food that otherwise would go to waste. As the piglets grow, their consumption increases. They go out onto pastures where they root out grasses and weeds, which can offer future space for the planting of greens and other vegetables.

Buenaga loves her pigs for their silly antics and fondness for belly rubs. She also appreciates how they help eliminate food waste. “Packages get broken or mislabeled, and the food inside them gets thrown out. In addition, a lot of the food we produce generates by-products like whey. Pigs are a good way not to let that all go to waste.”

Buenaga also grows microgreens and hopes to add additional greens. For now, she is starting small. In November, she joined the Saratoga Farmers’ Market as a new vendor and looks forward to her first outdoor season this spring.

This week’s recipe: Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Eating Fresh and Flavorful in the Winter

February 28, 2022 By marketeditor

By Marisa Kerkvliet

We probably all have memories of the farmers’ market during the summer months. Tables stacked full of brightly colored fruits and vegetables and bustling isles full of customers. During the winter, the farmers’ market might not be the first place you think to go on a Saturday morning. If you have yet to venture into the winter market, you may be surprised that there is far more fresh produce than you think! Not to mention the booths full of other kitchen staples like honey, meat, and fresh bread.

Root crops such as beets, potatoes, turnips, and carrots are hearty and do well in cold storage many months after the fall harvest. Winter squash can be kept for months and is still delicious when roasted or baked, even in the early spring. Brassicas such as kale and cabbage are also available. Did you know that kale leaves become sweeter after they withstand frosty weather? You can find fresh, sweet greens like lettuce, spinach, pea shoots, and microgreens.

Saratoga Apple, photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

This week’s recipe features sweet roasted beets and fresh apples complemented by salty feta cheese and a tangy honey dijon vinaigrette. The salad is rounded out with the freshest of greens. The recipe can easily be adapted with ingredients available at the market. If pea shoots are not available, use microgreens instead or stick with the baby lettuce. If beets aren’t your thing, pour this dressing over the greens, apple, and feta to make a light side salad.

Roasting beets in foil is an excellent way to cook them while retaining flavor and sweetness. After roasting, the skin should easily slip off. The exact cooking time for the beets varies greatly depending on the size. Medium size beets, about 3 inches in diameter, will typically take about an hour to fully cook. Winter beets at the market are often much larger, about 6 inches, and can take up to 2 full hours to cook. Roasted beets keep well in the fridge, so consider roasting more than you need so you can use the rest throughout the week.

I am a freelance recipe developer and food photographer with a background in Nutrition and Culinary Arts. I focus on sharing seasonal whole-food recipes for the whole family. You can find me and see more of my work on my Instagram @lemon.thyme.kitchen.

This week’s recipe: Roasted Beet and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Breeds Bring Many Benefits to Local Farms

February 14, 2022 By marketeditor

By Julia Howard

Local farmers, who offer their products at Saratoga Farmers’ Market, raise specific breeds of animals for various reasons: good temperament, ability to improve cropland and wildlife habitat, ability to produce high-quality meat and poultry, and to produce products such as wool.

Ameraucana rooster at Squash Villa Farm, photo provided.

Jim and Himanee Gupta-Carlson’s Squash Villa Farm in Schaghticoke is home to several heritage breeds of chicken, including Ameraucanas. This species lays remarkable green eggs and produces dark, lean meat, an attribute of its active nature.

“Ameraucana chickens take approximately six to twelve months to reach a harvestable size, compared to other breeds that can mature in just weeks,” says Jim. But Ameraucana chickens are well worth the wait. Their flavor is rich and complex and perfect for roasting and simmering in sauce or stew.

Angus cattle at Longlesson Farm, photo provided.

At Longlesson Farm in Buskirk, Angus cows happily graze on 450 acres, rotating between fields. One of the farm’s owners, Christophe Robert, explains that their cows breed with the best Angus bulls. Christophe bases bull selection on calving ease, growth, and meat quality, but they also focus on docility and maternal attributes.

Natural colored Romney fleece from Elihu Farm, photo provided.

Mary and Bob Pratt, from Elihu Farm in Easton, have been breeding sheep for over 30 years.

“We realized that having a greater variety of fleeces would work better for our sales,” says Mary Pratt. “That meant we’d have long wool (from Romneys) and medium wool (from crossbred sheep).”

Pratt notes that the breed does not affect the taste of lamb, which mainly depends on what they eat and how long they hang at the butcher.

Hebron Valley Veal owners Ariel Garland and Matt Campbell attribute the remarkable taste of their products, in part, to their whole-milk-fed calves from the farm’s herd of pastured Holsteins. That breed is notable for its milk production.

At Pork and Greens in Castleton, pigs of various breeds spend their time rooting, grazing, and lazing through their wooded spaces. A mix of species ensures diversity in characteristics and genetics, according to farm owner Isabel Buenaga.

And, at Ramble Creek Farm in Greenwich, Josh Carnes takes pride in his herd of grass-fed Angus and Hereford cattle. It’s also home to forest-raised heritage-bred pigs and pasture-raised poultry.

This week’s recipe: Roast Heritage Chicken with Carrots

Hebron Valley Veal: A Difference You Can Taste

November 24, 2020 By marketeditor

By Madison Jackson

A passion for dairy farming is what fuels Ariel Garland and her boyfriend Matt Campbell every day at Hebron Valley Veal. To maintain Matt’s fourth-generation family dairy farm in North Hebron, the pair decided to start raising veal as well, backed by his lifetime of farming experience and Ariel’s knowledge as a calf and heifer specialist at an animal feed company. This opportunity has offered the couple the ability to carry on family tradition while using their vast knowledge of farming to bring high quality, naturally raised veal to their community.

Hebron Valley Veal prides themselves in the care they provide their animals, which are always locally born and raised. The calves are whole milk fed from the farm’s herd of pastured Holsteins with no added hormones or antibiotics. Using their herd as the milk source for feedings, they can keep their cows once they calve and produce milk. The calves are also allowed to move freely through the farm, never tethered, and are offered free-choice water and hay in addition to milk feedings. This natural style of raising the calves results in the highest quality of veal, a difference you can truly taste.

*Ariel Garland at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, photo by Madison Jackson*

Hebron Valley Veal’s rosé veal, characterized by the meat’s rose-colored appearance, is synonymous with humane veal or young beef. The meat is very lean and tender and has a delicate flavor, making it a versatile meat for cooking. The veal can be purchased as cutlets, chuck roast, ground, sirloin steak, loin chop, rib chop, and many other varieties of cuts.

Joined by their chocolate lab, Gusto, who spends his days watching over the farm and playing with the cows, Matt and Ariel enjoy spending their time working together and watching their little herd grow and develop. They appreciate that each animal has its own unique personality, from the blind jersey Helen who loves neck scratches and grain, to their spunky red Holstein, Mounds. The couple is grateful to help feed the community while also feeding their passion for dairy farming.

Hebron Valley Veal attends the Saratoga Farmers’ Market every Saturday, bringing locally and humanely-raised veal to the local area. Their products may also be preordered and picked up by appointment at the farm.

This week’s recipe: Veal Piccata Meatballs

Thanksgiving Main Dishes: Festive Local Meats & Poultry

November 16, 2020 By marketeditor

By Julia Howard

*Longlesson Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett*

While changing travel plans and opting for small gatherings, we are determined to make Thanksgiving satisfying and memorable this year. When planning your holiday meal, why not make the menu everything you want it to be? Perhaps this means a traditional turkey, or maybe you are looking to make something different like lamb, duck, beef, or pork. At the farmers’ market, local farmers have high-quality meat and poultry options and offer cooking instructions.

Here are some ideas for the centerpiece of your holiday meal.

Beef & Veal
Beef entrees are festive and satisfying and a worthy addition to the holiday table. Roasted beef tenderloin, prime rib, and pot roast are impressive meals that can accommodate small and large crowds. Ethically raised, grass-fed beef is available at Longlesson Farm, Bunker Hill Creamery, and Ramble Creek Farm. In addition to meat is specialty Rosé veal available at Hebron Valley Veal. Rosé veal has a clean, lighter beef flavor and is very tender.

Lamb
Succulent and aromatic, lamb makes an excellent substitute for Thanksgiving dinner. Elihu Farm is bringing more cuts of lamb, picking up from the butcher on Friday, November 20. They’ll have plenty of legs of lamb, leg steak, loin chops, racks of lamb, and more and more. To order, please call or email Elihu Farm directly.

Pork
Smoked pork chops, pork tenderloin, spare ribs, sirloin, and more; pork can make a superb alternative for a Thanksgiving main dish. Unique, elegant, and packed with flavor, leaner and fattier cuts offer various main course options that are easy to prepare and beautiful to present. Pork is currently available at Ramble Creek Farm, Bunker Hill Creamery, and Moxie Ridge Farm.

Turkey, Chicken, & Duck
While turkey is often the main feature of Thanksgiving, duck and chicken make excellent alternatives, especially when feeding a smaller crowd. Poultry is sold fresh at the farmers’ market, and farmers have essential cooking tips as turkey, duck, and chicken cook differently. Ramble Creek Farm is currently taking reservations for their pasture-raised turkey. Fresh, whole chickens are available at Longlesson Farm, Squashville Farm, Ramble Creek Farm, and Bunker Hill Creamery. Duck is offered exclusively at Squashville Farm.

If looking to order specific meats or poultry, we recommend contacting farms directly to ensure availability. Vendor contact information can be found on our Vendor Directory page. Schedule to pick up your order at the farmers’ market this Saturday before Thanksgiving and find fresh, locally-sourced seasonal ingredients for your holiday feast.

This week’s recipe: Pot Roast with Cranberries

Boston Butt with Gravy

August 11, 2020 By marketeditor

Recipe by Longlesson Farm, adapted and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 3 pound Boston Butt (pork shoulder)*
● 2 Tablespoon olive oil, divided
● 2 Tablespoon butter*
● 12 small (pearl) onions
● ½ cup Dijon mustard (may use more) plus 3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard divided
● 1 cup of white wine (Chardonnay) (may use more)
● 1 bay leaf
● Pinch of ground black pepper
● Pinch of oregano
For roux:
● ½ cup butter*
● ½ cup flour

Directions
1. Sear all sides of the pork in 1 Tablespoon of oil. Set aside to cool.
2. In a Dutch oven, cook onions in 1 Tablespoon oil and 2 Tablespoons of butter. Cook over low heat until they start to soften.
3. Baste all sides of the pork in Dijon mustard. Cover with a thick layer. Put the pork in the Dutch oven. Add enough white wine to reach half way up the pork’s thickness. Add a Tablespoon of mustard to the wine. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce to a simmer or place in a 225 degrees oven. Add a bay leaf, ground black pepper, and a pinch of oregano. Cover.
4. Check every couple of hours to see if the pork is very tender and almost falling apart.
5. Remove the pork. Add a Tablespoon of mustard to the gravy to refresh the flavor. Thicken with a roux.
6. To make the roux, melt ½ cup of butter (or other fat) in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, test with a pinch of flour sprinkled in the fat. It will slowly start to bubble. Whisk in ½ cup of flour. It will form a thick paste. Continue to whisk over medium heat. As it cooks the roux will become smooth and thin. It may take about 20 minutes. It’ll smell like toast and will look tan. In a small bowl, I add a few spoonfuls of the gravy that needs thickening and a spoonful of the roux. Whisk together and add to gravy. Continue this process until the gravy is thicken that way you like it. Don’t add the roux directly to the gravy. This way you can control how thick you want the gravy.

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