Radically Radish!

Is there any more springlike veggie than the first cheerful bunches of radishes?  Shiny red and white packaged promises of all the veggies to come! It's better than Christmas!

Radishes are one of the earliest spring planted veggies we can bring to market and well today - we are bringing them IN FORCE to the Coupeville market (one more week til the first Bayview market on April 30th)!  And let us assure you, there is nothing quite as good as young, tender early spring radishes.  In fact, this farmer isn't even all that fond of radishes but I still love the early ones.  Especially the French Breakfast radish - a gorgeous elongated red with white pointy top radish.  Apparently so good, that the French even eat them for breakfast! 
In honor of our first lovely crop of tender spring radishes, we found this great recipe which really highlights the joys of crisp young radishes with butter and salt.  Oh heaven...

Spring Radishes with Flavored Butters and Salt

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

• 2.5 tablespoons whole fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
• 2 cups kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground paprika
• 1 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
• 24 French Breakfast radishes trimmed

Directions

1. Toast fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan continuously, until aromatic, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder; grind until seeds are no longer coarse. Repeat with cumin seeds.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir ground fennel seeds into 1/2 cup coarse salt; transfer to a small serving bowl. Wipe out mixing bowl, then mix ground cumin seeds into 1/2 cup coarse salt; transfer to another small serving bowl. Wipe out mixing bowl, then stir paprika and cayenne pepper into 1/2 cup coarse salt; transfer to a third serving bowl.
3. Arrange radishes on a serving platter. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup salt into another serving bowl. Transfer softened butter to a slightly larger bowl. Serve.

Along with radishes we have, of course, LOTS more veggies to be delighting you on this beautiful SUNNY AND WARM pre-Easter day.  So come on down and check out the offerings...
From Willowood Farm:
* Mesclun (this is a new crop planting and is amazingly tender and tasty)
* Baby Bibb Head Lettuce
* Collard bunches
* Chard bunches
* Braising greens mix
*Potato 2 lb bags
* Peregion and Black Coco dry beans
* Nettles (yes, we have recipes too!)
* Arugula
* Carrot bunches
* French Breakfast and Cherry Belle radish bunches

From our farmer friends and neighbors Prairie Bottom Farm:
* Leeks
* Carrots
* Walking Onions
* Beets
* Green Garlic
* Spinach
* Chives
* Rockwell Beans

In addition, there will be some special offerings on dry bean bags today - Rockwell and Peregion beans will be on sale!  So come on down for an extra special savings on our local dry bean selection!

Farmer Georgie
Willowood Farm of Ebey's Prairie
P.S.  Thanks to all our loyal customers at the Coupeville market this past month.  We have set sales records EVERY SINGLE WEEK and are SO super excited about the huge demand for local food that is starting this year.  It is a fabulous, fabulous thing!  So as we say, you keep eating, we'll keep growing!

Beans and Greens!

Beans and greens (plus taters!) are pretty much the story these days at Willowood Farm as we wait for the ever-promised sunny weather and for the spring planted seeds to finally grow and do their thing.  Lucky for us (and you, we hope!), we have learned to best way to survive the winter and, even worse, the cold wet spring is to make sure to have lots of cold and dry stored veggies (like taters and dry beans), not to mention overwintered, cold hardy greens like kale and collards that come to life in the earliest and coldest of spring weather.
And the great thing about beans and greens is well, they go so well together!
Dry beans, as you may or may not know about Willowood, has been one of our endeavors for several years now.  We grow many specialty varieties that are rarely available to purchase except as seed stock for $15 to $20 a lb. Dry beans are not easy to grow in the Pacific Northwest.  Especially years like last one when it decided to rain for a month during the critical "curing and harvest" stage.  Eek.  Yet we have preserved and over the years, found varieties that do well in our cool, wet growing conditions.
One of our favorite varieties - Peregion Beans which we will be offering on special this week for $8 a lb, or two pounds for $15..

Peregion Beans - so pretty!

This particular variety is an heirloom variety found growing wild in a hedgerow in Oregon.  It is a uniquely beautiful bean, small and glossy with mocha colored swirls on a light tan base.  Plus, the "genome" of this seed produces about 30 percent beans that are a solid dark mocha.  Combined together, they are a beautiful melody of chocolate brown.   And Peregion Beans aren't just legume eye candy, this little bean also packs a great culinary punch in addition to keeping their lovely swirled mocha coloring when cooked.  They cook firm, but thin-skinned and tender with a nutty, slightly "wild" flavor that is a treat all to itself.  This bean just needs a touch of onions and garlic, a bit of salt and pepper to shine.
Unlike the recent "store" pinto beans my husband recently cooked up because "we shouldn't waste them," unearthed from our cupboard shelves.  I was shocked how incredibly bad they were.  Tasteless and stale.  Yuck.
But combine some simply cooked Peregion Beans with some quickly braised greens and a scoop of rice (or for a truly local meal, over a scoop of Ebey Road Farm Emmer Farro) and you have a simple, delicious and incredible nutritious meal. This is our simple recipe for Peregion Beans and greens...

Simple Beans and Greens

            The Beans

1 pound Peregion Beans, soaked overnight (or if you forget to do that, simply put them in a pot covered with a water, bring to a boil, them turn them off and let sit for 30 to 60 minutes.  Drain water and then start your recipes.) 

            2 small yellow onions

            4 to 5 cloves of garlic

2 to 4 cups of liquid stock (chicken or veggie) or water.

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine beans, chopped onion and garlic in stock pan.  Pour liquid over top so beans are covered 2x their depth.  Bring to a boil, once boiling lower to a simmer.  Cover and cook for approximately 2 to 3 hours, checking occasionally as you may need to add more water.  Once beans are tender, season with salt and pepper.

The Greens

2 bunches of kale, collards and/or chard

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic

½ cup water or vegetable stock

Wash greens and strip leaves from their stem.  Chop coarsely.  Put oil into large sauté pan and add garlic.  Cook for a few minutes til garlic begins to soften.  Add greens.  Cook for about 30 seconds then flip to other side.  Greens should be slightly wilted on all sides.  Turn down heat to medium low, add liquid, cover and let cook another 10 to 20 minutes until greens are tender.

Serve beans over rice (of Emmer Farro) with greens on the side. Makes enough to serve four. 

Beans at our spring farmer's market booth

 And of course, we have lots more wonderful veggie treats at the Coupeville Farmer's Market today including:
From Willowood Farm:
* Red Bordeaux Spinach
* Chard bunches
* Braising Green mix
* Baby Pac Choi
* Kale bunches
* Head Lettuce
* Baby Potato Bags
* Peregion and Black Coco Dry Beans
From our friends and neighbors at Prairie Bottom Farm:
* Leeks
* Egyptian Walking Onions
* Rhubarb
* Spinach
* Carrots
* Dry Beans - including Coupeville's famous Rockwell Beans
* Green garlic
* Chives
* Sara's famous pie

From Ebey Road Farm
* Emmer Farro

Hope to see you at market!
Farmer Georgie
Willowood Farm of Ebey's Prairie

Finally! The sun!

Spring Garlic Fields

Sure was nice to see a bit of that golden orb we call the sun today.  A few (more) of my freckles even came out! 
It's definitely been a record wet March and early April, but I don't like to complain too much.  Afterall, it always seems like there is even more Mother Nature could dole out.  So I'm happy that while I have lots of wet fields and even some standing water, at least my whole farm isn't under a huge lake of water.  Like lots of farms have been experiencing in the Carnation-Duvall area.  And my farm hasn't been swept away by a huge wave out of the sea, like a lot of Japanese farmers recently experienced during the tsunami. 
Nope, I'll count my blessings.  And today was definitely one of those.  Despite the fact that the field I hoped to prep for planting was still too wet for tractor work, we still planted 800 lettuce starts, 750 row feet of peas, 400 row feet of lettuce mix and about 500 feet of radishes in another spot.  Plus picked a whole bunch of goodies for the Coupeville Farmer's Market tomorrow.  Which is a nice segway into:

FRESH FROM THE FIELDS OF EBEY'S PRAIRIE COMING TO THE COUPEVILLE FARMER'S MARKET TOMORROW...

Baby Pac Choi

From Willowood Farm:
* Baby Pac Choi. Super nice and tender out of one of our early greens hoop tunnels
* Arugula - Limited qty.  Come early if you want it!
* Braising Greens.  Loads and loads of this.  A super yummy mix of kales, collards and mustard greens.  Check out the recipe below.
* Nettles.  Yes, you read that right!  They are very tasty and super healthy.
* Garlic Greens.
* Spinach - Red and Green varieties.
* Pea Vines!  Fabulous in salads or lightly sauteed or steamed.
* Peregion Dry Beans
* Dry Bean seed packs - A selection of several of my dry bean varieties.  In seed packs and ready to grow yourself!
* Kale, Collard and Chard bunches.
* Baby Potato Bags

From Prairie Bottom Farm
* Leeks
* Scallions
* Egyptian Walking Onions
* Chives
* Rhubarb
* Rockwell, Calypso and Tiger Eye dry beans
* Hubbard Squash
* Carrots
* And Sara's famous pies!
And also Lauren will have her great Emmer Farro from Ebey Road farm at our market booth tomorrow.
So, we hope to see you tomorrow!
 Farmer Georgie
Willowood Farm of Ebey's Prairie
P.S.  And a great recipe...

Collards, Kales or Braising Greens with Potatoes

2 bunches collard greens or a mixture of collards and kale

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

3 medium yellow- fleshed potatoes, scrubbed and coarsely diced

3 or 4 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces (optional)

2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil

1/2 olive, finely diced

2 plump garlic cloves, finely chopped

Good pinch red pepper flakes

Hot pepper sauce or vinegar for the table

Strip the collards leaves fro the stems and wash the greens.  Bring a few quarts of water to a boil.  Add salt and the greens, then simmer for 10 minutes.  Scoop them into a bowl.  Add the potatoes to the cooking water and simmer until tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned.  Set it on paper towels to drain, discard the fat, wipe out the pan.

Return the pan to the heat, add oil.   When oil is hot, add onion.  Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Coarsely chop the cooked greens, then add them to the pan along with the garlic and pepper flakes.  Scoop some of the potato water in the pan as well so that everything cooks in the a little moisture, adding more water as needed.

When the potatoes are tender, scoop them out and add them to the greens.  Add the bacon, then toss everything together.  Taste for salt and season with pepper.  Keep everything distinct or mash the potatoes in the greens.  It's messy-looking this way but especially good  Season with pepper sauce and vinegar to taste.

 

It's windy, it's wet....It must be the Opening Farmer's Market Day in Coupeville!

Well, it just wouldn't feel like opening day at the Coupeville Farmer's Market if we weren't soggy wet and windy to boot!  Ah, nothing like springtime in the Pacific Northwest!
(Sorry southenders, the first Bayview Market starts April 30th.  But we would love to see you at the Coupeville Market today...Just follow the signs!)
 But...despite the weather (or perhaps because of it - at least we aren't under snow like the East Coast!), we are bringing to market what I can confidently say is our BIGGEST AND BEST early spring selection yet.

Overwintered Collard Plant

We've been harvesting from those extra hardy plants that survived our cold and snowy winter (thank you kale, collards, arugula, rhubarb, leeks, carrots and garlic greens!) plus some extra tender yummy greens coming out of our hoophouses and plastic row tunnels which provide just enough extra "oomp" to get the job done.
Along with all the early food harvest, we've been SUPER busy at the farm getting ready for what is looking to be our biggest and best year ever.  We already have our entire crew here - five great interns Ben, Jen, Kate, Sabrina and Janiece plus former intern Kevin back to manage the fields and help guide the team and of course our right hand girl at the markets and in our packing shed, Lauren.  The enthusiasm, work ethic and brain power with this year's team is exciting!

Janiece, one of the 2011 crew.  Thinning carrots.

If Farmer Georgie can just keep up with them...
So expect to be seeing some great food this year - and lots of it!
And now, since I know what your really care about is it there is something on the market wagon today to inspire putting on the rubber galoshes and trudging on down to market, here is the list:
Coming to the Coupeville Farmer's Market TODAY! 
From the fields at Willowood:
    * Mesclun Greens
    * Arugula
    * Braising greens - A mix of kales, collards and mustard greens.
    * Kale bunches
    * Chard bunches
    * Mustard bunches
    * Collard bunches
    * Potato bags - 2 lb and a few 10 lb bags of overwintered taters
    * Garlic greens
    * Nettle bags!  (We took the sting, you take the glory...)
    * Peregion and Black Coco dry bean one pound bags
    * Seed packets for Rockwell, Peregion, Black Coco and Cannelini beans - Grow your own!

Meanwhile, our good friends and neighbors Wilbur and Julieanna at Prairie Bottom Farm are bringing the additional great veggies:
    * Red Bordeaux Spinach
    * Leeks
    * Egyptian Walking Onions
    * Scallions
    * Chives
    * Rhubarb
    * Sage
    * Rockwell, Tiger Eye and Calypso Beans
    * Squash
    * Onions
Now, is that an AWESOME list for the 2nd of April or what?  Hope to see you there!
Farmer Georgie
Willowood Farm of Ebey's Prairie

Local produce for South Whidbey Pickup. Order by Feb 23rd!

Late winter farming on the prairie...

WHIDBEY ISLAND EARLY SPRING PRODUCE DELIVERY!

WITH PICK-UP AT THE GOOSE PARKING LOT ON FEB. 26TH!

(Note to Coupeville folks - we will be back doing a pick-up on the farm in Coupeville next week with March 5th pickup). 

Brought to you by the Farmers of Ebey’s Prairie

Willowood Farm * Prairie Bottom Farm * Ebey Road Farm * and Georgina’s Grains!

Place your orders by midnight, Feb. 23^rd for pick-up on Feb. 26^th!

Yearning for fresh, local and naturally grown foods?  Wondering if the Farmer’s Markets WILL EVER open again?  Not to fear…your local Ebey’s Reserve farmers are working together to offer a special selection of overwintered and stored local food crops for your culinary enjoyment!

Read below to see what the farms have to offer.  Send an email to Farmer Georgie at willowoodfarm@gmail.com with what you would like to order.  Please indicate quantities.  If quantities are limited, orders will be filled first come first serve.

Pick-up at The Goose parking lot at Bayview on Feb 26th from noon til 2 p.m.  Stop by at some time during that window to pick up your order.  Farmer Georgie (Willowood Farm) will have your total cost. 

WHAT WE GOT…

Willowood Farm of Ebey’s Prairie.  Farmer Georgie Smith.

Potatoes – All naturally grown (to organic standards).  They have stored very well so far and are still firm and yummy!  Expect them to store up to another 2 months in decent shape kept in the dark and in the 40 to low 50 degree range.

·        All potatoes are sold in 2 lb minimum at $2/lb (or $4),  You can also order a 10 lb bag for $12 a bag and save $8 (except Maris Piper is cheaper, we below). Fingerlings are $5 for a 2 lb bag or a 10 lb bag for $20.

o      * Yellow Finn.  Whidbey Island favorite grown for years in central Whidbey.  Yellow flesh, yellow skin.  A great all-purpose yellow good to roast, make fluffy mashed potatoes or hashbrowns.

o      * Maris Piper.  An Irish heirloom beloved for its fine-textured “floury” flavor.  White flesh.  Super mashed or grilled.  Our  crop of Maris Piper had a fair amount of scab (a visual blemish only, but easily peeled off) so Maris Pipers are priced at $1.50 a lb for 2 lb minimum or a 10 lb bag for $9.

o       * Romanze.  A very fancy red-skinned, yellow flesh potato.  Sweet, waxy flavor.  Good roasted, baked or hashed.

o      * German Butterballs.  A farm favorite.  Very waxy and very buttery (hence the name).  Our favorite roasted.  Also great boiled and fork mashed, baked and makes great hashbrowns.

o      * Purple Majesty.  A very purple potato.  Considered the potato with the highest amount of antioxidants.  Very rich, earthy flavor.  Really good (and pretty) roasted.  Makes cool purple mashed potatoes!

o      * Mountain Rose.  An unusual red fleshed, red skinned potato that many consider to be the best flavored red potato ever!  Very nice color, and like the Purple Majesty, very high in antioxidants.  Great roasted, boiled or grilled.
*  Ozette Fingerlings.  Listed on Slow Food Arc of Taste.  Very old potato from the Salish Indian tribe on Olympic Coast, most likely brought by Spaniard explorers.  Many deep eyes making for knobby appearance.  Very waxy, nutty flavor.  Yellow skin, yellow flesh. 

DRY BEANS – Heirloom dry beans grown all natural on Ebey’s Prairie.

·        Dry beans are $10 for a 1 lb bag including a descriptive topper and recipe.  Two or more bags for $9 each.

·        *Peregion.  Oregon heirloom dry bean found growing in a hedgerow.  Small tan with mocha swirl beans with about 30 percent solid mocha beans.  Thin-skinned and tender but firm when cooked and hold shape.  Great for bean salads, soups or simply as “beans and rice” type of bean.  Very flavorful with great nutty taste and keeps the cool markings even when cooked

OTHER STUFF

·        *Garlic.  Small quantities of our great gourmet garlic left.  Mixed types.  $10/lb

·         * Collard Bunches.  Overwintered collard greens.  Tender small leaves.  $3/bunch

       *Cabbage - Red.  Nice tight red heads.  One to two lbs.  $2/lb.  Very sweet! 

Prairie Bottom Farm.  Farmers Wilbur and Julieanna Purdue.

Dry Beans           

·        Rockwell.  Coupeville heirloom bean.  Great baked bean.  $10 a lb sold in one or 2 lb bags.

Onions

·       *Ailsa Crag onion.  Yellow sweet onion.  Scottish heirloom.  $1.50 a lb, sold in 2 lb, 5 lb or 10 lb bag.

      * Leeks - Overwintered leeks.  $3 a lb.   

Ebey Road Farm, Farmers Lauren and Clark Bishop

·         Emmer – Aka “Farro.”  Ancient grain from the “fertile crescent.”  Percusor to modern-day wheat hybrids.  $5 for a 1 lb bag.

Georgina’s Grains, Farmer Georgina

·         Khorsan Wheat (aka Kamut).  Another grain from the fertile crescent.  2 lb bags available for $10 a bag.

·        Purple (Tibetan) Barley.  2 lb bags available for $10 a bag.

Will we do this again?  Yes depending on the response AND if we have product. We hope to hold several more offerings, including a central Whidbey delivery, prior to the markets opening in April/May.  So as long as we have food, and you want it, I would imagine we will do this several times! 

THANK YOU for your support!

THE FARMERS OF EBEY’S PRAIRIE…

Willowood Farm

Prairie Bottom Farm

Ebey Road Farm

Georgina’s Grains….

Local Produce in February - Coupeville Delivery

WHIDBEY ISLAND EARLY SPRING!

WITH PICK-UP AT THE FARM ON FEB. 19TH!

(Note to Southend folks - we will be doing a Feb. 26th delivery back at The Goose parking lot!).

Brought to you by the Farmers of Ebey’s Prairie

Willowood Farm * Prairie Bottom Farm * Ebey Road Farm * and Georgina’s Grains!

Place your orders by midnight, Feb. 16^th for pick-up on Feb. 19^th!

Yearning for fresh, local and naturally grown foods?  Wondering if the Farmer’s Markets WILL EVER open again?  Not to fear…your local Ebey’s Reserve farmers are working together to offer a special selection of overwintered and stored local food crops for your culinary enjoyment!

Read below to see what the farms have to offer.  Send an email to Farmer Georgie at willowoodfarm@gmail.com with what you would like to order.  Please indicate quantities.  If quantities are limited, orders will be filled first come first serve.

Pick-up at Willowood Farm on Feb 19th from noon til 2 p.m.  Stop by at some time during that window to pick up your order.  Farmer Georgie (Willowood Farm) will have your total cost. 
Directions to the farm - We will email you directions with confirmation of your order. 

WHAT WE GOT…

Willowood Farm of Ebey’s Prairie.  Farmer Georgie Smith.

Potatoes – All naturally grown (to organic standards).  They have stored very well so far and are still firm and yummy!  Expect them to store up to another 2 months in decent shape kept in the dark and in the 40 to low 50 degree range.

·      All potatoes are sold in 2 lb minimum at $2/lb (or $4),  You can also order a 10 lb bag for $12 a bag and save $8 (except Maris Piper is cheaper, we below). Fingerlings are $5 for a 2 lb bag or a 10 lb bag for $20.

o   Yellow Finn.  Whidbey Island favorite grown for years in central Whidbey.  Yellow flesh, yellow skin.  A great all-purpose yellow good to roast, make fluffy mashed potatoes or hashbrowns.

o   Maris Piper.  An Irish heirloom beloved for its fine-textured “floury” flavor.  White flesh.  Super mashed or grilled.  Our crop of Maris Piper had a fair amount of scab (a visual blemish only, but easily peeled off) so Maris Pipers are priced at $1.50 a lb for 2 lb minimum or a 10 lb bag for $9.

o   Romanze.  A very fancy red-skinned, yellow flesh potato.  Sweet, waxy flavor.  Good roasted, baked or hashed.

o   German Butterballs.  A farm favorite.  Very waxy and very buttery (hence the name).  Our favorite roasted.  Also great boiled and fork mashed, baked and makes great hashbrowns.

o   Purple Majesty.  A very purple potato.  Considered the potato with the highest amount of antioxidants.  Very rich, earthy flavor.  Really good (and pretty) roasted.  Makes cool purple mashed potatoes!

o   Mountain Rose.  An unusual red fleshed, red skinned potato that many consider to be the best flavored red potato ever!  Very nice color, and like the Purple Majesty, very high in antioxidants.  Great roasted, boiled or grilled.
*  Ozette Fingerlings.  Listed on Slow Food Arc of Taste.  Very old potato from the Salish Indian tribe on Olympic Coast, most likely brought by Spaniard explorers.  Many deep eyes making for knobby appearance.  Very waxy, nutty flavor.  Yellow skin, yellow flesh. 

DRY BEANS – Heirloom dry beans grown all natural on Ebey’s Prairie.

·      Dry beans are $10 for a 1 lb bag including a descriptive topper and recipe.  Two or more bags for $9 each.

o   Peregion.  Oregon heirloom dry bean found growing in a hedgerow.  Small tan with mocha swirl beans with about 30 percent solid mocha beans.  Thin-skinned and tender but firm when cooked and hold shape.  Great for bean salads, soups or simply as “beans and rice” type of bean.  Very flavorful with great nutty taste and keeps the cool markings even when cooked.

Prairie Bottom Farm.  Farmers Wilbur and Julieanna Purdue.

Dry Beans           

·      Rockwell.  Coupeville heirloom bean.  Great baked bean.  $10 a lb sold in one or 2 lb bags.

Onions

·      Red Marble onion.  Red cippolini type onion.  $1.50 a lb, sold in 2 lb, 5 lb or 10 lb bag.

·      Ailsa Crag onion.  Yellow sweet onion.  Scottish heirloom.  $1.50 a lb, sold in 2 lb, 5 lb or 10 lb bag.

Ebey Road Farm, Farmers Lauren and Clark Bishop

·      Emmer – Aka “Farro.”  Ancient grain from the “fertile crescent.”  Percusor to modern-day wheat hybrids.  $5 for a 1 lb bag.

Georgina’s Grains, Farmer Georgina

·      Khorsan Wheat (aka Kamut).  Another grain from the fertile crescent.  2 lb bags available for $10 a bag.

·      Purple (Tibetan) Barley.  2 lb bags available for $10 a bag.

Will we do this again?  Yes depending on the response AND if we have product. We hope to hold several more offerings, including a central Whidbey delivery, prior to the markets opening in April/May.  So as long as we have food, and you want it, I would imagine we will do this several times! 

THANK YOU for your support!

THE FARMERS OF EBEY’S PRAIRIE…

Willowood Farm

Prairie Bottom Farm

Ebey Road Farm

Georgina’s Grains….

Local Produce in February!

 Remember the days of this...

And this...













And oh my goodness, this....!!!!

  

Well...it might be a few more months yet before we see lettuce, kohlrabi and oh...yes...fresh garlic!  But the good news is we still actually have a few yummy veggies that we have overwintered and stored and are available NOW to a local food hungry public.  Yummy veggies like this....gourmet potatoes! 

And of course these!  Heirloom Dry beans!

And the very best news...we have put together a list of available goodies from Willowood Farm and some of our Ebey's Prairie natives for sale RIGHT NOW!  Order by Tuesday night, Feb. 8th and we will deliver on Saturday, Feb. 12th from 12 to 2 p.m. at The Goose in Bayview.  See below for details...
(thanks to photographer Thom Hall for many of these photos!)

WHIDBEY ISLAND EARLY SPRING!

WITH SOUTH END DELIVERY AT THE GOOSE ON FEB. 12TH!

(Note to Coupeville/North end folks - we will be doing a Feb. 19th delivery in Coupeville!).

Brought to you by the Farmers of Ebey’s Prairie

Willowood Farm * Prairie Bottom Farm * Ebey Road Farm * and Georgina’s Grains!

Place your orders by midnight, Feb. 9^th for delivery on Feb. 12^th!

Yearning for fresh, local and naturally grown foods?  Wondering if the Farmer’s Markets WILL EVER open again?  Not to fear…your local Ebey’s Reserve farmers are working together to offer a special selection of overwintered and stored local food crops for your culinary enjoyment!

Read below to see what the farms have to offer.  Send an email to Farmer Georgie at willowoodfarm@gmail.com with what you would like to order.  Please indicate quantities.  If quantities are limited, orders will be filled first come first serve.

Delivery – We will bring orders to The Goose parking lot in Bayview on Feb. 12 between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m..  Stop by at some time during that window to pick up your order.  Farmer Georgie (Willowood Farm) will have your total cost. 

WHAT WE GOT…

Willowood Farm of Ebey’s Prairie.  Farmer Georgie Smith.

Potatoes – All naturally grown (to organic standards).  They have stored very well so far and are still firm and yummy!  Expect them to store up to another 2 months in decent shape kept in the dark and in the 40 to low 50 degree range.

·      All potatoes are sold in 2 lb minimum at $2/lb (or $4),  You can also order a 10 lb bag for $12 a bag and save $8 (except Maris Piper is cheaper, we below). 

o   Yellow Finn.  Whidbey Island favorite grown for years in central Whidbey.  Yellow flesh, yellow skin.  A great all-purpose yellow good to roast, make fluffy mashed potatoes or hashbrowns.

o   Maris Piper.  An Irish heirloom beloved for its fine-textured “floury” flavor.  White flesh.  Super mashed or grilled.  Our crop of Maris Piper had a fair amount of scab (a visual blemish only, but easily peeled off) so Maris Pipers are priced at $1.50 a lb for 2 lb minimum or a 10 lb bag for $9.

o   Romanze.  A very fancy red-skinned, yellow flesh potato.  Sweet, waxy flavor.  Good roasted, baked or hashed.

o   German Butterballs.  A farm favorite.  Very waxy and very buttery (hence the name).  Our favorite roasted.  Also great boiled and fork mashed, baked and makes great hashbrowns.

o   Purple Majesty.  A very purple potato.  Considered the potato with the highest amount of antioxidants.  Very rich, earthy flavor.  Really good (and pretty) roasted.  Makes cool purple mashed potatoes!

o   Mountain Rose.  An unusual red fleshed, red skinned potato that many consider to be the best flavored red potato ever!  Very nice color, and like the Purple Majesty, very high in antioxidants.  Great roasted, boiled or grilled. 

DRY BEANS – Heirloom dry beans grown all natural on Ebey’s Prairie.

·      Dry beans are $10 for a 1 lb bag including a descriptive topper and recipe.  Two or more bags for $9 each.

o   Peregion.  Oregon heirloom dry bean found growing in a hedgerow.  Small tan with mocha swirl beans with about 30 percent solid mocha beans.  Thin-skinned and tender but firm when cooked and hold shape.  Great for bean salads, soups or simply as “beans and rice” type of bean.  Very flavorful with great nutty taste and keeps the cool markings even when cooked.

OTHER STUFF

·      Jerusalem Artichokes.  Aka “sunchokes.”  Great winter root crop, has “inulin” instead of insulin so good carb for diabetics.  Great roasted or used in soups.  We offer a red-skinned variety with relatively straight (not knobby) tubers.  $5/lb.  One lb minimum.

Prairie Bottom Farm.  Farmers Wilbur and Julieanna Purdue.

Dry Beans           

·      Rockwell.  Coupeville heirloom bean.  Great baked bean.  $10 a lb sold in one or 2 lb bags.

Onions

·      Red Wing onion.  Hard red cooking type onion.  $1.50 a lb, sold in 2 lb, 5 lb or 10 lb bag.

·      Ailsa Crag onion.  Yellow sweet onion.  Scottish heirloom.  $1.50 a lb, sold in 2 lb, 5 lb or 10 lb bag.

Ebey Road Farm, Farmers Lauren and Clark Bishop

·      Emmer – Aka “Farro.”  Ancient grain from the “fertile crescent.”  Percusor to modern-day wheat hybrids.  $5 for a 1 lb bag.

Georgina’s Grains, Farmer Georgina

·      Khorsan Wheat (aka Kamut).  Another grain from the fertile crescent.  2 lb bags available for $10 a bag.

·      Purple (Tibetan) Barley.  2 lb bags available for $10 a bag.

Will we do this again?  Yes depending on the response AND if we have product. We hope to hold several more offerings, including a central Whidbey delivery, prior to the markets opening in April/May.  So as long as we have food, and you want it, I would imagine we will do this several times! 

THANK YOU for your support!

THE FARMERS OF EBEY’S PRAIRIE…

Willowood Farm

Prairie Bottom Farm

Ebey Road Farm

Georgina’s Grains….