True north? Maybe not…

As soon as the sun begins to shine and the snow stops falling, my job requires that I am on the road visiting farmers. I love this part of the year…and I loath it. There are two fundamental truths I have discovered over the last few weeks:

1. I live in an amazingly beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful area of the country.
2. Despite printing up and following directions, I will get lost.

I told this to the Lemon Drop yesterday afternoon as I asked him to talk me out of the maze of back roads I was on in Rensselaer County. He just laughed and laughed. What makes the entire experience even more funny is that I have a master’s degree in geography.

It isn’t my fault though…

Sure, I have no sense of direction and I second guess any kind of instructions no matter how simple or exact. No, the problem is not on my end, it is with the directions themselves.

Why take me down six back roads when I could easily take a main route the entire way and then a left onto the desired street? Why aren’t roads marked? Or signs twisted so you think you are on the correct road only to realize 3.7 miles later you actually aren’t?

The only thing going for me is that I am not required to find my way around at night. I once had a 1.9 mile night-time journey take me an hour and a half because I missed the one and only left turn I had to make. Yes, a GPS would make my life simpler and my bitching wane, but I don’t think about it until I’m in the middle of nowhere on mile 4.2 when I was supposed to find Barton Road at the 1.6 mile mark. And I’ll forget about everything by the time I hit the road again on Friday.

My faults are many, I’ll admit. I have a problem with any kind of authority (shocker, I know). And I don’t like having to hand control over to anyone or anything (even directions) – I’ll do it, but grudgingly and I am always poised to snatch that control back at the slightest moment of weakness (huh, maybe that’s my issue with men?).

Is that why I keep getting lost? I don’t know and I’m not convinced. I still think Google Maps has it out for me.

A meal full of thanks

This holiday my family will sit down to a delicious meal and give thanks. We will thank the cow that was raised with love and care, the cow that when slaughtered, fed my family for the year. We will thank our friends, also farmers, who raised the potatoes, acorn squash, carrots, corn and beans that fill the table (and our freezer). And we will thank the land that grew the grains we harvested, fed the cows with and helped pay (some) of the bills. We will also thank the local farm businesses that add flavor to the meal – Battenkill Creamery’s amazing eggnog, Cowbella butter, Sweet Spring Farm chevre.

But these thanks are not limited to my family’s table. We are truly blessed to live in a caring, close, farming community in Upstate New York. Across the state and the country families, not familiar with their farming neighbors, will be giving thanks for all that the agricultural community does without even knowing it.

The holidays focus on thanks, grace and love. As you sit down at the table this season to enjoy friends, family and food please take a moment to thank the farmers who made your meal possible as well…

Whether you know their names or not. Whether you know the sound of their laugh, the way they swear and throw a wrench when the tractor breaks or the dirty jokes they love to tell…

You know the warmth of their hearts. Because despite their farming practice, they grow your food with grace, love and thankfulness.

Harvest season in Upstate…

Upstate New York shines in September and October. The air gets crisp, the sunlight becomes pale and the leaves burst with color. Cool nights signal the end of the growing season and the start of harvest. Around the state, yellowed corn stalks are chopped by tractors and packed away for the winter. Combines travel through fields of soy beans doing the same. Both crops will feed dairy cows for the next year.

 The hot, dry summer has caused many farmers a great deal of worry not only in New York but across the country. Articles and news broadcasts have highlighted the concerns throughout the past few months warning about shortages and increases in food costs. Crops like corn and soy don’t germinate, grow, pollinate or produce when the rain fails to fall and the sun bakes down. For example, at my family’s farm the soy beans are about three weeks behind schedule. That means a lot of praying for the autumn weather to hold off a little while longer.

 But, despite all these concerns, autumn brings a renewed energy to the countryside. Pumpkin stands open, apple pies bake and cider doughnuts are enjoyed with renewed pleasure. Autumn is pure pleasure and farmers know how to share the experience with their neighbors. Many County Farm Bureaus across the state are hosting events that introduce families to farm life. Montgomery and Fulton County Farm Bureaus held Sundae on the Farm events in September. These events welcomed nearly 5,000 people to working farms in the counties for a day of educational tours, displays, crafts and wagon rides. Herkimer County will be hosting a similar event on October 6^th in the town of Maheim.

 We all know that the pleasure that is autumn won’t last very long – maybe that’s why so many of us spend all the time we can soaking in the season. Soon, crisp will turn to cold and pale sunshine will be in short supply. Our attention will turn inward, focusing on our homes and our hearths and the plan-making that is winter’s rest. But, while the spectacle of autumn is still in full swing, I encourage you to head to a local farm event, a corn maze, or other local event that celebrates all the wonders agriculture can offer not only at this time of year, but year round.

Hanging on to summer flavors

This summer will go down in the record books as one of the hottest and driest on record. We’ve been lucky in New York. The worry of drought damage hasn’t disappeared, but the summer storms have finally hit parched fields. In my farm family at least, people are breathing a little easier. And while analysts and economists predict a rise in food costs come fall, I’m currently focused on savoring the taste of summer for as long as possible – well into winter.

 Summertime is the peak for New York vegetables and right now farms are ripe with edible possibilities. My family owns and operates a dairy farm. This means that the fields are full of corn and soybeans, both crops intended solely for the animals we keep and care for. Our garden is pretty pathetic too, thanks to a fertilizer mishap by my father. What it doesn’t mean though is that we can’t reap the bounty of fresh veggies summer offers.

 Anyone can easily enjoy the delicious harvest New York farmers provide. Local farm stands, farmers’ markets and produce auctions are great resources for produce – either a few ears of sweet corn for diner or a few bushels of beans to pickle, can or freeze. My father and mother spend Saturday or Sunday afternoons doing the latter. Freezing farm fresh veggies is an economical, convenient and amazingly delicious endeavor. One afternoon’s labor and $25 or so provides green beans as a side dish for nearly a year. And don’t get me started on the corn which tastes just as sweet and summery in January as it does right off the cob in July.

 Taking the time to preserve local produce connects the consumer to the farmer who raised the fruit and veggies. It continues the heritage of agriculture that has shaped New York State and ensures local agriculture continues in our communities. Most importantly though, it brings a smile to your face in the middle of winter as you savor the taste of summer.

 Here is quick and easy pickle. Though it isn’t processed, or sealed tight to keep in the cupboard till winter, it will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a month or so.

 Hungarian Pickles

3 large cucumbers (sliced paper thin)

1 t. salt

¼ c. sugar

1/8 c. water

¼ c. distilled white vinegar

½ t. celery seed

¼ t. paprika

½ medium onion (sliced thin)

1.  In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers and salt. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes.
2.  In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is incorporated.
3. After 30 minutes have passed, squeeze the cucumbers to remove most of the liquid. Add the squeezed cucumbers to the brine mixture. Mix thoroughly. Let sit in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. After the mixture has had time to marinate, remove (with a slotted spoon) the cucumbers and onions and fill canning jars tightly, pressing down often with the back of a spoon. Pour the remaining brine over the cucumber mixture in the jars, filling the jars with liquid up to ¼ inch from the top.
5.  Place sterilized lids on top of the jars and seal.

 Pickles can be kept in refrigerator for up to one month. I also pickle green beans using this quick and easy recipe.