Precious Eaters -
BEWARE OF THE KILLER CANTALOUPE!!! No really, I'm not joking....
When I opened my laptop to begin the daunting task of composing this riveting "market e-mail", I saw a rather alarming subject headline in my inbox - ****FOOD SAFETY ALERT****. It was sent by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, so I went ahead and opened it despite my disinterest in the "toxic circus" that is our industrial food system. Apparently, there has been a recall on Jensen Farms Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes due to a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis. To date, 35 people in 10 states have been infected with the outbreak strains of Listeria Monocytogenes - 4 of these 35 have DIED! Jensen Farms shipped the recalled cantaloupes to at least 17 states from July 29th to September 10th. The FDA is still trying to determine the root cause of contamination. WOW!!!
Look, I know these food recalls happen all the time in this day and age, but as a small-scale organic farmer (who has a heck of a lot of respect for a melon) I am outraged! How many freakin' people have to die before we get it through our thick skulls that the supermarket is a DANGEROUS place.....not to mention fast food joints, restaurants, and anywhere else that celebrates the Sysco truck. Our food system is a nightmare. Un-ethical AgriBusiness, factory farms, and criminals like Monsanto provide us with three (harmful) meals a day at the expense of our personal health, our precious soil, our water, the very air we breathe, and every single living creature on earth. Is it worth it???.....all of that depletion, waste, and suffering so that a handful of monkeys in suits can make some fat cash. It makes me sick!.....(literally).
Anyway, I'm ranting......I know! I'll simmer down with a few more words. The point is this - an alternative does exist. It isn't convenient, it isn't 24 hours, it isn't lit up with fluorescent lights, and it isn't shrink wrapped - BUT it is REAL and it TASTES GOOD! Furthermore it FEELS good. Small-scale, organic farmers are busting their sorry asses to create a paradigm shift. We believe in a healthy, local food system that heals not hurts. Food is medicine, food is life, food is history.....food is the future. If we continue to eat this poison disguised as food, we are digging our own graves. I became a fanatical, anarchist, organic-farmer because one day I up and refused to let "them" feed me anymore. For me, it was the only way. Luckily, YOU have some choices. You don't have to quit your job for a "life in the dirt" in order to procure wholesome food for your family. Instead you can support the many small-scale organic growers the Kansas City region has to offer. Here in the bread basket, there is no shortage of REAL FOOD. However, there is a shortage of REAL EATERS. Ditch those killer melons, and feed yourself right this Friday at the BADSEED Farmers' Market from 4- 9 PM. The Food Revolution cannot go on without your devotion to a healthier planet and a happier tummy. Eat up!
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Up-coming "Urban Homesteading" Workshops -
Fall Harvest
*(water bath canning, freezing, dehydrating, fermenting and root cellaring)
Sunday, Oct. 9th, 1-5 PM
When the Fall harvest comes, be ready to can, freeze and squirrel away the final bounty of the season!! You will learn it all in this homesteading tour de force. We will water bath can a savory relish or other seasonal dish. We’ll show you how to let nature ferment your cabbage into a wonderful sauerkraut, conveniently in a one quart jar!
Blanching & freezing techniques will be discussed and demonstrated so you can save the late harvest of greens, broccoli and other nutritious veggies. Examples of food dehydrating methods will be shown along with several types of equipment.
Finally, we will discuss how to store the many vegetables that don’t need freezing or canning, but just a good place to rest over the winter like potatoes, beets, carrots, squash, onions and garlic.
Cost of Class: $50.00
Stocking the Herbal Family Pantry
Preparing Your Herbal First Aid Kit+Top Herbs to Have on Hand
It's time to clean out your old medicine cabinet! Toss out those outdated
antibiotics, mysterious cough syrups, and replace them with safe, effective
herbal remedies - all of which can be grown and processed in the comfort of your home! (Look for related medicine-making workshops in the months to come). Find which herbs to use for common household ailments, such as headaches, stomachaches, fevers, insomnia/restlessness, colds, flus and more. Also discover which herbs are a "must" to have on hand for minor medical emergencies.
To get you started with stocking your herbal pantry, each participant will assemble and take home a kit including a 1 oz tincture of individual choice and a trauma compress blend. Other plant-based medicines discussed in class will be available for sale at a discounted price.
~Class cost: $40
~Class size is limited (and space fills up fast!); registration is required.
~To register for classes at the BADSEED in Kansas City, or to inquire about workshop dates in Lawrence, please contact the herbalist, Amy Bousman at herbsfromtheburbs@yahoo.com.
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Sexy Veggie of the Week
This week's Runner-Up is the totally bangin' BADSEED Braising Mix!! This mouth-watering array of gourmet greens will send your taste buds through the roof with a medley of fine flavors and an under-currant of spicy deliciousness. Our quintessential braising mix is composed of succulent baby kale, peppery arugula, baby Japanese Red Mustards, and a few more surprises. On top of that, we throw in some herbal yumminess to complete the flavor spectrum. Saute this sexy selection of "green goodness" by itself, or throw it in a quick stir-fry with veggies, meat, or tofu. It goes great in pastas or soups and even makes a fine Spicy Salad Mix for those who like it HOT & HEAVY. Mama always said "eat your greens"......and I think you'd better listen. Go GREEN this Friday at the BADSEED.
This week's Grand-Prize-Winner is the absolutely wild and wonderful BLUE HUBBARD WINTER SQUASH !! HEAVEN HELP ME!! This is one sexy mama.....and a big one too! This mind-boggling, GIANT, football-shaped fruit originated in South America and first arrived in the US in the 1700's aboard sailing ships from the West Indies. Her rock-hard, bluish-green skin protects glorious sunshine-orange flesh that is thick, nutty, fine-textured and melts in your mouth like butter. Commonly mistaken for an ornamental (and stupidly wasted on Autumn-themed doorsteps across America), the Blue Hubbard has an excellent reputation amongst "foodies" and "squash junkies" alike. She makes superb soups, pies, curries, deserts, fillings, and more. (She also makes great company for those of you without a girlfriend!!). These blushing blue babes are REALLY HARD to grow organically so I only have a few!!! Get em' while supplies last. They wont last long!
Pictures are attached. You know the drill - print them out, blow them up, and plaster them all over the men's room!!
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THIS WEEK'S ORGANIC OFFERINGS -
URBAVORE Urban Farm
A project of BADSEED - Brooke Salvaggio & Daniel Heryer
5500 Bennington Ave., Kansas City, MO 64129
Welcome to URBAVORE - an off-grid, diversified, urban farmstead in the heart of KCMO. Born in 2011, URBAVORE is working towards the creation of an “edible oasis” that brings organic growth, sustainable life, and creative solutions to a city neighborhood. We grow an extensive variety of heirloom vegetables noted for their unique appearance and extraordinary flavor, as well as an array of culinary/medicinal herbs and edible flowers. URBAVORE is a non-certified, beyond organic operation dedicated to respecting both the health of the individual and the environment. It is our aim to build community and collective consciousness through the universal pleasure that comes from eating good food.
OFFERINGS:
*BLUE HUBBARD WINTER SQUASH!!!
*BADSEED Braising Mix
*ARUGULA
*Large & Luscious LEEKS!!
*Green Tomatoes
*Sweet Bell Peppers including Purple Beauty
*RADISHES!!
*Red Velvet Okra
*Gourmet Fingerling POTATOES in Purple Peruvian and Austrian Crescent
*GARLIC!!! (in assorted gourmet varieties)
*SEXY SUMMER SQUASH!! (in yellow crookneck, eight ball, raven zucchini, & french scallop)
*BODACIOUS BEETS (in Cylindra, Chioggia, Detroit Dark Red, & Three Root Grex)
* THAI BASIL
*Purple Ruffles Basil
*HEIRLOOM Cherry TOMATOES (just a few that we snatched away from the deer!!)
Herb'n Gardener
Lew Edmister
17th and Belleview, Kansas City, MO 64108
For the “meanest greens” in town, check out Lew's gourmet selection of urban-grown goodies. He grows a mouthwatering array of lettuces, spicy mustards, arugula, and gourmet salad mixes on KC’s west side. Other tasty morsels include heirloom tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, okra, and filet beans. New For 2011 -RUSTIC BREAD straight from Lew’s hand-built wood-fired oven. YUM!
OFFERINGS
From The Lips of Lew:
"
as i sat to put my list of urgencies together my mind wandered to attend the npr info of yet another intrusion by monsanto on our economical and personal health. i fell into short-term depression and began searching for my copy of "monkey wrench gang". i guess it's going to take some real acts of industrial anarchy to get these bastards away from our tables. yikes!!!
the subject of my story today is actually "observe the squirrel", not "screw monsanto et al" it won't be long that you'll be regretting not freezing, etc some of our treasured greens and fresh edibles. last week two of my favorite customers reminded me of the squirrel when they bought 15 bags of smoked anaheims so they wouldn't run out again in the winter. they actually cleaned me out. i'm bringing my back up stock this week . they just take a small space in your freezer - get some!!!. swiss chard, russian kale, curly kale and basil can all be stored in one form or another. i'll have them until heavy frost curtails me or monsanto has me jailed for growing organically. oh, yeah, don't forget you can make pesto of unbelievable taste from arugula. i'll be toting in those small pots of rosemary for the next couple week. after that, i repot them to hold for my own uses. don't be shy now."
JJ Farms
John & Judy Kaiahua
8531 E. 81st Terrace, Raytown, MO 64138
816-356-3938
John has been growing organically since 1984!! He plants, weeds, and harvests all his own crops on urban land that has been chemical free for over 20 years. Produce includes a wide array of vegetable offerings as well as apples, peaches, and pears in season. John is originally from the far off lands of Hawaii where he comes from a long line of pearl divers!! Now he spends his days out of the ocean and in the dirt, growing righteous foods for the Kansas City community. Lucky us!
*John and Micki will be absent this week and maybe for the next few Fridays. Summer crops pooped out in the excess heat and Fall crops are on the way. Stay tuned for their AWESOME offerings. (John grows one hell of an autumn cabbage!!!)
Bigg Blue Farm
Stan & Carmen Biggs
19801 NE U.S. Highway 69, Liberty, MO 64068
Despite full-time jobs, Stan and Carmen Biggs still find time to organically grow an impressive array of colorful vegetables, greens, and storage crops on 7 fertile acres in Mosby, MO. Stan started out growing nutritious foods for his family as a 4-H project as a small boy. Stan’s passion for gardening was renewed when he met his wife Carmen, who grew up on her family’s 1,500-hectare farmstead in Romania that had passed through many generations. Today they cultivate the earth together, bringing well-fed customers delicious homegrown foods every Friday night at the BADSEED Farmers Market and through their Community Supported Agriculture program.
OFFERINGS:
*WATERMELON!!
*Green Peppers
*Carmen and other Gourment Peppers
*Candy Onions
*Jalapeno Peppers
*Zucchini
*Cucumbers - slicers
*Winter Squash in Acorn, Carnival, Butternut, Buttercup, Blue Hubbard, and Spaghetti
*Jonathan Apples!!!
*Sweet Potatoes? _ (i have to check them to see if they are cured or not)
*Yellow Squash
*Green Beans
*Pinkeyed Purple Hull Peas
*FREE-RANGE BROWN EGGS from Barham Cattle Ranch in Kearney, MO
Parker Farms All-Natural Meats
Tom & Paula Parker
Richmond, MO
"We produce all-natural gourmet beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and eggs. All of our beef and lamb is 100% grassfed. They are never fed any grain, animal by products, antibiotics, or injected with growth hormones. We have been practicing Management Intensive Grazing since 1997. It is our goal to care for all of the livestock that we have been blessed with, in as natural and humane a manner as we can. Our chickens for meat and eggs are also raised on pasture with green grass under their feet as much as the weather in this part of the world allows. Our hogs are fed grain, but do live outdoors with dirt under their feet. We do not use any petroleum based pesticides or fertilizers on our pastures. We believe that healthy people, and healthy animals start with healthy plants and a healthy, biologically active, soil community. Our meats are available at the BADSEED Market or through our Community Supported Agriculture shares."
OFFERINGS:
*Ground Beef & Patties
*Pork Products: Chops, Brats, Breakfast Sausage, Italian Sausage, & Spare Ribs
*Lamb Cuts: Ground Lamb, Shoulder Steaks, Rib Chop (butterfly cut, loin chops), Leg (bone in whole, shanks, lamb liver)
**Pastured Chickens !!!!
*Tea Towels, Hand-made Teas, Candles, and Gourd Bird Houses from the lovely Parker Girls!!
* HOT PEPPER JELLY !!!
Green Dirt Farm
Jacqueline Smith & Sarah Hoffman
Weston, MO
"Life is too short to eat grocery store cheeses! Green Dirt Farm, LLC invites you to try our HANDCRAFTED ARTISANAL SHEEP CHEESES created with milk from our very own PASTURED ewes. You can be assured of a richness and depth of flavor unique to the rolling bluffs of Weston, MO. Also on the menu is 100% GRASS-FED LAMB which is of unsurpassed quality, tenderness, and flavor."
OFFERINGS:
*Grass-Fed Lamb
*Artisan Sheep's Milk Cheese in aged and fresh varieties
New Traditionalist - Artisan Bread
Chris Glenn
Kansas City, MO
Chris produces old-world, rustic loaves from the finest locally-grown and milled flour on the market. His breads are made from a sour-dough "starter", lovingly kneaded, and baked to perfection in a wood-fired oven. Flour and water never tasted so good!
OFFERINGS:
*BAGELS
*other surprises...
Miller's Honey
Les MIller
Independence, MO
Les Miller only produces the best damn RAW HONEY on the market. No joke!! He is an encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to sustainable bee keeping and uses 100% natural and holistic methods for managing his hives which range from 60 to 100 at any given time. His honey is sold in various quantities, and 1 gallon jugs are available on request! Bees wax candles and other by-products are also available for purchase.
OFFERINGS:
*Raw Honey
*Bees Wax Candles
Get Real Food Co.
Sean Henry
Kansas City
"At GetReal Food Company, we’re committed to creating incredible beverages made with real foods that are naturally brewed. Hand-crafted by real people who truly care about the details, from what they make to how they make it, from what they put in their bodies to what you put in yours. The result is a series of beverages that create a new expression of soft drinks and mixers."
OFFERINGS:
*Kombucha
*Micro-Brewed, All-Natural SODA!!
THIS IS THE BEST STUFF ON EARTH!!!!
Oddly Correct Coffee Roasters
Kansas City, Missouri
"Serving the nano coffee needs of the believers in a nano consumer lifestyle"
OFFERINGS:
*Micro-Roasted Coffee by the bag and by the cup
Other goodies include:
The new shipment has arrived and we have a full assortment of artisan flours locally grown and milled. A bakers dream....
Remember:
LIVE NUDE VEGETABLES!! and other organic delights...
EVERY FRIDAY AT BADSEED
Yours Truly,
Brooke
-farmer and MILK mistress of the BADSEED
