Prairie Pantry

Introducing....The Prairie Pantry!

The cover and back page of the Prairie Pantry

The Prairie Pantry is a seasonal compilation of recipes, historical tidbits and (hopefully) inspiring notes from the farm.  We are now offering it complimentary with $10 purchases at the Willowood Farm farmer's markets booths at Bayview and Coupeville markets. 
It is our hope that this little journal will become a collected and handy tool in the kitchen (notice the ruler on the back cover edge!), a place for inspiration for seasonal recipes featuring the great veggies that Willowood is often bringing to the farmer's markets. 
The inspiration for the Prairie Pantry format was the John Deere farm journals I am lucky to have that were used by my great-grandfather Harry Smith in the 30s, 40s and 50s.  They were handed out of the farm equipment shops, a great little tool for a farmer to record planting dates, weather notes, harvest yields, addresses of buyers and contacts and whatever else might be of note.  A few of my favorite quotes from my grandfather's journals (and yes, he often wrote his own name into the notes.  Never "I"):
                              From April, 1936

§  27^th - Harry S. Smith started sowing alfalfa on 27 April 1936. Weather very wharm (sic) and dry just one little sprinkle of rain during April.

§  May 3^rd – Finished sowing on the 3 Mar the ground so dry when rolling would float out in front of roller

§  May 4^th – to day May 4 rained hard for 4 hours

  Like any farmer, Harry spent a lot of time noticing the weather!  Too dry, too wet, too cold, too warm!
The new version of our "Prairie Pantry" focuses on recipes and uses for our great seasonal abundance.  Why?  Because we know that recipes and inspiration for using unusual veggies like Japanese Salad Turnips, or Kohlrabi, or Garlic Scapes are greatly sought after.  So...we are putting them into a handy-dandy little journal that will hopefully be easy to use in your kitchen.  We plan to put out at least three Prairie Pantry versions a season, so look for later ones featuring the height of summer goodness and then the fabulous fall abundance version. As we move forward with additional "marketing" plans for the farm, we will start also include the Prairie Pantry online on our website. 
But for now, stop by the market, pick up a Prairie Pantry and tell us what you think!
And of course...coming to the markets in Coupeville and Bayview today:
From Willowood Farm:
* Arugula
* Spinach
* Mesclun
* Baby Lettuce
* Purple Baby Pac Choi
* Braising Greens
* Kale Bunches
* Radishes
* Garlic Greens
* Mustard Bunches
* Dry Beans - Peregion and Black Cocos
* Potato Bags
From our friends at Prairie Bottom Farm:
*Arugula
* Green Garlic
* Dry Beans - Rockwells and Tiger Eyes
* Chives
* Sage
* Lemon Balm
* Oregano
* Sara's famous pie (Coupeville Only)
And, Bayview only, Mikey from Whidbey Green Goods is bringing fiddleheads!
Hope to see you at market today!