Gluten & Dairy Free Cheeseburger Mac 'n Cheese

4 ounces Quiona/Corn Elbow Pasta
1 1/2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1 1/2 tablespoon Gluten-Free Flour Blend (I used Grandma Farmer's Better Than Wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
1 1/2 cup Almond Milk
1/4 cup finely minced onion
4 ounces cooked, grass-fed ground beef
1 med Roma tomato, diced
1/2 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 large egg (I used a tiny pullet egg)
6 ounces Almond cheddar, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper

1. In large pot of salted, boiling water cook the pasta according to directions
2. In a separate pot, melt the oil, Whisk the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about 5 minutes.  Make sure it's free of lumps.  Stir in the milk, onion, tomato, beef, bayleaf and paprika.  Simmer for 10 minutes and remove the bayleaf.
3. Temper in the egg.  Stir in 3/4 of the cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into 1-quart casserole dish.  Top with remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 3-4 servings or 10 toddler servings.  I freeze before baking.

We are now taking applications for 10 "Working CSA" packages until January 1st, 2014.  We are ONLY taking 'working' applications right now and will open up the available non-working applications soon.

Our CSA packages have an approximate retail value of $25 and will contain Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs grown on the farm.  You have to option to choose to add Organic, Free Range Eggs and Grass-fed Beef or Chevon (goat) or Free-Range Poultry.  Often you will also be able to 'choose' what actually is included in your weekly boxes. 

 For more information see our Pages on CSA or PRODUCTS WE GROW.  

'Work' will include:  Planting, Weeding, picking, animal care and more!  Great fun work!

My family and I really enjoy our CSA boxes.  Every week, there is a fresh supply of wonderful food and it often includes a new "treat" for us to try.  We have tried several new foods because of this and have found that we actually enjoy beets, for example (OK, not everyone and we like them best roasted!).  We also appreciate the fact that through the CSA we know who grows our food, how it was grown and how fresh it is!  We've learned that produce bought in a conventional store, no matter how fresh, simply doesn't "last" as long as that in our CSA box, because it has spent most of it's time in transportation and storage somewhere else.  We highly recommend trying a CSA!  BKK, Julian, NE

In 2014 

HERITAGE HARVEST HOMESTEAD 

will offer 

CSA packages

that will be available:

1. Pick-up at the farm  ($20 per box or 2 hours farm work per week plus $6, you pick up your box the day you work)
2. Delivered to Drop-point in Lincoln ($22.50 per box) or (to home in SE Lincoln add $5)
3. Delivered via www.Nebraskafood.org ($27.50 per box)
4. Delivered Nebraska City, Auburn or Syracuse ($22.50 per box)

Not only will you be able to choose what produce will be included in your weekly box, you will have  the option to 'add-on' products to your boxes and a list of your choices and add-ons will be made available to you weekly.

Work hours not limited to 2 hours per week.  You can work ahead on hours if you can't work every week.  'Working for others' hours are also available. If you can do extra hours for someone unable to work or if you have a need for help in that area, let us know.

The 'boxes' will be made available for Spring (10 weeks beginning week of April 28), Summer (8 weeks beginning week of July 7) and Fall (6 weeks beginning week of September 1).  Each box will includes hand-outs with recipes!

The farm will be open for 'pick-up' and work on Tuesday and Thursday, from 8 am to noon and 6-8 pm and Saturday from 8 am-noon Mid-April through Mid-October.  **Weather and daylight permitting

Delivery to Nebraska City will occur on Thursday afternoon and Auburn will occur Saturday morning.

We will accept a MAXIMUM of 30 members per session (max 10 working members) in 2014 so make your reservations early.

Email us to let us know you are interested so we can send you an application.

RESERVATIONS:$20 Season.  If you wish to reserve for all three seasons you only need to pay the reservation fee once.  Reservations are due January 1, 2014 with your application.

SEASONAL FEES:  Seasonal 'cash' fees are due in full 60 days prior to the seasons begin. If you choose work hours, then those hours must be complete BEFORE you get your weekly boxes. (i.e. Spring Package #1: no work $200 or work $60).  Our 'application' will give more pricing details along with a optional 'payment plan'.

If you have to cancel:  Life happens.  Need to cancel 30+ days prior to the sessions starting date?  Full refund will be given.  After 30 days prior to the session you will have to pay a cancellation fee of $25.

Gluten-Intolerant Summit

Are you Gluten-Intollerant?  Celiac? Have friends that are?  Want to know more?  Is it a Fad?  What you should know!

The Truth About Grain

We want you to join us at a 'come as you are' on-line event that you can view on your own time!

This event will give you the truth about gluten and how it reacts in your body, how to shop, what to look for, and how to ask the right questions when you go to the restaurant!

Join Us for This SUMMIT ON GLUTEN!

Using Dehydrated Tomatoes and Peppers

Dehydrated Fruits & Vegetables

We are now offering some of our Fruits and Vegetables dehydrated for your used during the winter months.  All our fruits and vegetables are grown using organic and permaculture practices.  We use ONLY nutrient dense, heirloom peppers to make our dried peppers. Baker Creek Heirloom seeds has tested their heirloom vegetables for nutrient denseness compared to convention hybrids and found the heirlooms to have more nutrients over-all.

Peppers, Green, dehydrated.  Grandma Farmer has dried some of her very own Organically grown Green Peppers to flavorful treats to munch on, add to salads, soups etc. 1.75 ounce bag  $2.50

Peppers, Red, dehydrated. Grandma Farmer has dried some of her very own Organically grown Green Peppers to flavorful treats to munch on, add to salads, soups etc. 1.5 ounce bag.  $2.50

Tomatoes, whole, sliced then dehydrated.  Grandma Farmer has dried some of her very own grown tomatoes to flavorful treats to munch on, add to salads, etc. Grandma Farmer has dried some of her very own grown tomatoes to flavorful treats to munch on, add to salads, etc. These are the same tomatoes she adds to her popular Tomato Basil Bread.  These are the same tomatoes she adds to her popular Tomato Basil Bread. one ounce bag $2.98

Tomato Flakes, dehydrated. Use on salads or add to soups and stews. Grandma Farmer has dried some of her very own grown tomatoes to flavorful treats to munch on, add to salads, etc.   2 ounce package $4.25

Tomato Powder, dehydrated.  Add to hot water in a blender to make sauces and paste, adjusting water amount appropriately for which application you intend to use.  1.5 ounce package $3.25

To me the best benefits of having some of my vegetables are:

• Takes up less space
• Does not us additional energy to keep preserved
• low nutrient loss

I hope you give some of our veggies a try!

These items can be shipped for actual shipping.  EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE IS ALWAYS 20% OFF THE LISTED PRICE.  To order simply EMAIL us by clicking the word Email.  Tell us what you would like to order and your address.    After we get your order , we figure the best shipping (a flat rate box holds a lot more than you think),  send that total to you along with our Paypal account name.  After we get your payment we ship within 48 hours. For a flat $5 we can ship through www.NebraskaFood.org, if you are a part of the coop and in their delivery area.

The Slocum family have been baking, raising and selling eggs, meats (chicken, beef, pork, lamb and goat), raw milk and produce for others for over 25 years.  Grandma Farmer (Jean) has been cooking meals and baking since she was 8 years old and gardening at her mothers knee much earlier than that. The discovery that she is gluten-intolerant was made almost 4 years ago now. We bake in a totally gluten-free, non-commercial kitchen.

Here Is An Idea - Buy Local for the Holidays

We hope that you will show support to your local craftsmen, farmers and the like by supporting US this Holiday Season for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas gift giving.

All our products are now listed on the pages with links at the top of the page.  We have many gifts that can easily be shipped flat rate. Our products can be combined in gift baskets and boxes to make awesome and welcomed gifts.

 Thank You for your support!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes

Test One of our newest product!  

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancake Mix

We prepared the pancakes then topped them with Fried Apples & pure Maple Syrup!

Our Maple Syrup is ORGANIC and straight for a family owned Vermont operation.

The mix is a blend of Grandma Farmer's BETTER THAN WHEAT gluten-free flour blend, buckwheat, deyhdrated Grandma Farmer's (our own) organicly grown dehydrated pumpkin powder) baking powder, Grandma Farmer's pumpkin spice blend, salt.  You add optional egg and some milk or dairy free alternative (we used Coconut Milk to make these).

These pancakes definately passed the Gabby test!

A Grain of Truth!

THE WORLD’S FIRST GLUTEN SUMMIT
COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Dr. Tom O’Bryan of theDr.com has gathered 29 of the world’s experts and opinion leaders on the topics of gluten-related disorders, nutrition and healthy living for a series of online interviews taking place for FREE from November 11-17, 2013.

---

During the summit, you will:

• Learn about the latest research on gluten-related disorders;
• Understand why we MUST call more attention to them;
• Gain improved knowledge of proper diagnosis/treatment methods;
• More frequently ask, “Could this health issue be due to gluten?”

The goal of The Gluten Summit is to shift the scientific discussion and clinical recognition of gluten-related disorders forward by five years. Meaning, we want the conversation between patients and doctors that will be happening five years from now to happen now.

View the Summit 

'on your own time' 

on-line!  

FREE

Sweet Potato Red Flannel Hash

I hope you have some beets in your fall garden because they are so sweet this time of year. If you don't we have a few bunches still available here and you can make this great recipe with just a few.  Now this recipe is power packed with nutrients especially if you use heirloom varieties for your ingredients.  NO GMO'S here!



Red Flannel Hash Serves 4

Ingredients:
 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
 8 ounces small red potatoes, quartered
 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
2 medium (or one large) red beets, roasted, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes (How to Roast Beets)
 1 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced (plus more for garnish)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place sweet and red potatoes in a large pot and fill with water. Place pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Boil potatoes for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are still slightly firm and drain.
3. Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and onions and sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Add potatoes to the skillet and continue to sauté for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir in the chopped bacon, beets and thyme and sauté for 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings.
6. Top with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and serve.

This is perfect served as a side with just about any protein; beef, chicken, pork and even grilled salmon.

Recipe adapted from:  http://www.spoonforkbacon.com/2011/12/red-flannel-hash/, picture from that site.

Heirloom = More Nutrients

Baker Creek (where we get our heirloom seeds) just did a study on the nutrition of tomato varieties, done with the National Food Lab, and we had some surprising results! Ten varieties were tested and the complete study will be release soon! Modern food is failing America!

Blackberries

Blackberry season is almost over here at HERITAGE HARVEST HOMESTEAD.  If you have not taken a chance to purchase Blackberries this season you've, unfortunately, missed out!  Sorry! Next spring we plan to triple our production here so you won't have as much of a chance to miss some really great blackberries for cobbler, in smoothies or your yogurt.



 What berries we have left this year will be Hot Blackberry Jelly,  Blackberry Syrup, Blackberry BBQ Sauce and more.  Want to be one of our taste testers?

Here's one of my favorite recipes for this year:

Blackberry Pound Cake by Martha Stewart

Come back and see how I made it gluten free!

HERITAGE HARVEST HOMESTEAD BEGINS CSA PROGRAM FOR 2014

What is a CSA?

See Our Page - Click Below

Community Supported Agriculture

Cooking in Season

Cooking in the summer when fresh vegetables are abundant in your own garden, from us here at HERITAGE HARVEST HOME, or at the farmers market can be a real budget saver!  Today I looked into my pantry and refrigerator finding: 1 left-over brat, a half pound of small potatoes, a scallion (green onion), a tomato and some fresh mozzarella.  This turned into a perfect anytime meal for the two of us and the baby that was oh so easy on the budget plus quick and easy to prepare.

I sliced the potatoes.  Some of my potatoes had gotten green from sun exposure so I peeled the green part off and sliced them.  They were fried in a tablespoon of coconut oil (but I could have used butter), with the lid on, after I salted and peppered them, until they were just beginning to soften. I then added the sliced scallion and cooked brat and cooked until potatoes were soft.  I sliced the mozzarella and served with sliced tomatoes as a side dish.  You can salt and pepper it and top with a bit of torn basil, if you like.




Want to reduce the carbs and bump the protein?  Reduce the potatoes to just a quarter of a pound and add a small patty pan squash.  To bump the protein add some beaten eggs at the end and cook to scramble.

This meal could have been easily grown by anyone, even apartment dwellers growing in containers.

Fresh Mozzarella is an easy cheese to make fresh from either goat or cows milk, no fancy cheesemaking equipment required.  Yes, you CAN make it with store bought milk but it sure tastes nice when it's made with raw milk from your local dairy (if it's legal to purchase in your area). 

Baby's food can be easily taken from your plate, ground in a baby food grinder and fed that way.  Our 8 month old granddaughter HATES commercial baby food and prefers the 'flavor' found on our own plates.  You can get one like this one on Amazon.com!

Help Wanted!

We are still looking for someone to come help us with the farm for next season. We have an 8 month old now, and next year she'll just be a year old. We'd like to try you out this year to see how we work together. 

THIS YEAR: Help clean up the garden and prepare the beds for next year, some landscaping, do some painting and even help with some building repair. About 10 hours a week. 

NEXT YEAR: General Farm Care-taker, animal care, gardening, lifting of feed and mulch bags and lots of weeding. Besides gardening has to be handy with a hammer and a paint brush and handle a tiller.  

YOU MUST BE: On board with Organic Farming, a self starter, able to work 20 hours per week. Work will be from mid March through October 2014.  Must pass a background check (our granddaughter is a ward of the state), be a legal citizen, and steady worker. Some Experience helpful. Contact Jean

July's Favorite Post - Amish Sweet Dill Pickles

By far the most popular post for July was the Amish Sweet Dill Pickle Recipe.



http://heritageharvesthome.blogspot.com/2013/07/amish-sweet-dill-pickles.html

Have you made any yet?

Roasted New Potatoes and Green Beans

I loved the recipe I posted last week and wanted to try it but there are just two of us plus one that eats tiny bites so I needed a smaller recipe.  I wanted to pare this with green beans fresh from the garden so I just added them to the mix.  This was served with my mini meat loaves that I keep in the freezer for quick meals .........YUMMMMM

8 ounces small new potatoes (cut in 1 1/5 inch pieces if they are bigger than this)
1 cup fresh green beans
1/2 small onion, sliced top to bottom
1 tomato, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, mashed but still in skin (keeps it from burning)
1/8 teaspoon Chili Flakes
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper

Wash your hands and mix this all together until all the vegetables are coated with olive oil.  Place on a baking pan. Roast together at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for 25-30 more minutes (stir after 15 minutes).  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chopped chives and cook another 5 minutes.  SERVES TWO

What To Do With Tiny New Potatoes

Small new potatoes, roasted with onions, garlic, tomatoes, olives, and herbes de Provence.

The garlic cloves are cooked with their peels still on (but crushed) to help keep the garlic from burning or drying out. The peels also help keep the mushy roasted garlic distinct, so that if an individual doesn't want to eat garlic, it can be avoided. You can either remove the skins before serving, or let the individual remove them once served. SEE MY CONVERTED RECIPE FOR TWO

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb small new potatoes (look for the smallest you can find, the potatoes should be no bigger than 1 1/2 inches, if they are bigger, cut them into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 medium onion, sliced in the direction of root to top
• 6 cloves of garlic, crushed with peel on (do not remove peel)
• 2-3 small to medium vine-ripened tomatoes, or plum tomatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 10 pitted olives, green and black (Kalamata and Nicoise)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp herbes de Provence
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives for garnish

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 400°F

2 Put all ingredients (except chives) into a bowl, toss with your (clean) hands to coat completely with oil and seasonings.

3 Spread out in an even layer in a roasting pan.

4 Put the potatoes in the oven, cook for fifteen minutes at 400°F. Then reduce the heat to 375° and cook for 30 to 40 minutes more, until the onions and tomatoes are somewhat caramelized and the potatoes are cooked through. Halfway through cooking, stir the potatoes so that they remain well coated with oil and do not get dried out, and the bottom of the pan stays coated with oil.

5 Remove from oven and let sit until cooled to room temperature.

Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives to serve. Excellent served with steak and a side of greens. (You can toss fresh spinach or chard with the oil remaining in the potato roasting pan and put back into the oven for just a few minutes until just wilted.)

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

From Simply Recipes (including picture)

* NEW * - Buckwheat Pancake Mix

We've combined our 'BETTER THAN WHEAT' flour, freshly ground from our mixture of healthy heritage Gluten-free grains and some freshly ground buckwheat groats to produce a TOTALLY GLUTEN-FREE and scrumptious pancake mix!

You'll love the fresh taste of the freshly ground grains! 

These pancakes are great with with addition of fresh fruits and even shredded zucchini!

You receive a 2 pound bag of Pancake mix that includes the gums and fresh gluten-free baking powder. Recipes for 2-6 servings on each bag.

Available directly from us (contact us) or through www.NebraskaFood.org.

$7.95 for a 2 pound bag.

Elderflowers

Do you have Elderflowers growing near you?

In my area, we are still seeing elderflowers in bloom! These beautiful lacy flowers have more value to them than just their beauty.

Go visit Jill at Jill's Home Remedies for the rest of the story..........

Common Mullein - The Roadside Herb

Today’s featured plant is Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus.

Common Mullein is also known as Great Mullein, Aaron’s Rod, candlewick plant, flannel plant, flannel leaf, lungwort, feltwort, cowboy toilet paper, shepherd’s staff, velvet dock, woolly mullein, torch plant, torches, miner’s candle, big taper, blanket mullein, “Hig candlewick”, “Bullicks lungwort”, “Hare’s-beard”, “Ice-leaf”.”Beggar’s blanket”, “Moses’ blanket”, “Poor Man’s blanket”, “Our Lady’s blanket” or “Old Man’s Blanket”.

(There are more names, but this list is getting pretty long already.  Do you get the impression this thing is pretty widespread?)

Range and Identification of Common Mullein

Common mullein is native to Europe, but it is now found on every continent except Antarctica.  (As I said, it gets around…)   The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides a range map, but it’s really found pretty much everywhere in the U.S..

The plant is known as a colonizer of open disturbed soils.  The Wisconsin DNR lists it as an invasive, but they have an awful lot of plants listed as invasive. Okay – non-native – still, it’s been around so long, does it really matter at this point?  They do say it can be invasive in the plant detail page, but I haven’t found that to be the case in my area.  It prefers dry, sandy soils, but can grow (really HUGE) in rich garden soil, and even grow in marginal soils such as chalk and limestone.  It can be found in neglected meadows, forest openings, pastures, fence rows, roadsides, and industrial areas. (WI DNR)

Plant height is 2-6′ (60-180 cm) (the happy monsters in my garden last year were pushing seven feet).  The leaves are large, oval and fuzzy.  As you can see in the photo below, a large happy specimen in my garden has leaves larger than my shoe, which is a size twelve.   Leaves are 12-15 inches long (or longer) and covered with velvety hairs.  When the flower stalk emerges, leaves cling directly to the stalk – there are no side branches.

FOR THE REST OF THE STORY GOT TO 

COMMONSENSE HOME

Food Preservation - Choosing a Method - Cabbages

Our ancestors devised many methods of preserving their harvest out of necessity.  They did not have the luxury of having fresh food shipped, sometimes thousands of miles, to the grocery nearest them.  Nor did they have freezers that would hold the food cold for months at a time (except in the coldest climates where it was kept in attics or outside).

Food Preservation includes many different methods:  Canning, Freezing, Dehydrating, Cooked and Frozen as meals, Smoking, and Fermenting to name a few.  When choosing a method or methods to use for a particular fruit or vegetable coming out of your garden or bought bulk at your local farmers market you have to decide how you are going to use this product and primarily how you prefer to eat it.  There is no sense dehydrating everything if you don't like reconstituted dried foods or canning if you hate, well canned peas for example.  Sometimes the way you use that particular food will dictate how you preserve it.

Eggs - New Layers Growing in our Chicken Tractor

Our current layers are Red Star Link Hybrids.............they are horrible.  Burned out fast, don't lay in hot or cold weather and I SHOULD HAVE KNOW BETTER but I needed some chickens fast and they were purchased at 5 months old and ready to lay.

Preserving The Harvest 101

PRESERVING THE HARVEST: Food Preservation has many faces and we are going to introduce you to one of them. Whether you are a beginner or need a refresher you'll love our quick and simple Canning Class.

What you'll learn to make:

1. A simple Jam
2. Dilly Beans
3. Amish Sweet & Sour Pickles

We'll give you recipes, introduce you to necessary equipment and you'll actually take something home to enjoy.

Grandma Farmer (Jean Gesch Slocum) has been canning for approximately 52 years, starting beside her mother who worked during the day and canned into the night.

Class Fee is $35, please bring a sack lunch. We will eat outside and tour the gardens.

Class Time: 9 am - 2 pm

SPACE IS LIMITED!!!! Pre-register by sending class fee via Paypal to gramafarmer at gmail.com or giving to Jean Directly and indicate you are coming. We can only work with 4-6 people in the kitchen as it is. All proceeds to towards building our commercial farm kitchen!

Class will be held in my country farm kitchen at the farm near Dunbar.

My Favorite Dish/Wash Cloth Fund Raiser

This is my favorite cloth for Dishes.  It will not only scrub but it dries quicker and doesn't get mildewy as fast during hot summer days.  Many folks love these SPA CLOTHS because they are made from 100% cotton and are gentle on your skin!  However you use them be sure to get some of your own today!

Amish Sweet Dill Pickles

This is a favorite at our house!  We always make them with cucumbers but note that they can also be made with zucchini.  I always chunk up the cucumbers so larger ones can be used and seeded.

Amish Sweet Dill Pickles

Bring to a boil: 3 Cups sugar, 2 Tablespoons salt, 2 Cups pure apple cider vinegar, 2 Cups water.

Place in each pint jar (about 4 pint jars): sliced cucumbers or zucchini,

1 whole garlic clove, 1 dill sprig (1 teaspoon of dill weed is about the same as 4 dill sprigs)

Pour liquid into jars. Seal. Process about 15 minutes in steam canner.

Allow the pickles to cure for a month before eating! 

Plantain - Your Grandmothers Knew How to Use it!

From Alternative Nature Online Healer:

Plantain Medicinal Properties and Herbal Use

Plantain is edible and medicinal, the young leaves are edible raw in salad or cooked as a pot herb, they are very rich in vitamin B1 and riboflavin. The herb has a long history of use as an alternative medicine dating back to ancient times. Being used as a panacea (medicinal for everything) in some cultures, one American Indian name for the plant translates to “life medicine.” And recent research indicates that this name may not be far from true! The chemical analysis of Plantgo Major reveals the remarkable glycoside Aucubin. Acubin has been reported in the Journal Of Toxicology as a powerful anti-toxin. There are many more highly effective constituents in this plant including Ascorbic-acid, Apigenin, Baicalein, Benzoic-acid, Chlorogenic-acid, Citric-acid, Ferulic-acid, Oleanolic-acid, Salicylic-acid, and Ursolic-acid. The leaves and the seed are medicinal used as an antibacterial, antidote, astringent, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antitussive, cardiac, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, laxative, ophthalmic, poultice, refrigerant, and vermifuge.
Medical evidence exists to confirm uses as an alternative medicine for asthma, emphysema, bladder problems, bronchitis, fever, hypertension, rheumatism and blood sugar control. A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of a wide range of complaints including diarrhoea, dysentery, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, coughs, asthma and hay fever. It also causes a natural aversion to tobacco and is currently being used in stop smoking preparations. Extracts of the plant have antibacterial activity, it is a safe and effective treatment for bleeding, it quickly stops blood flow and encourages the repair of damaged tissue. The heated leaves are used as a wet dressing for wounds, skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, stings and swellings and said to promote healing without scars. Poultice of hot leaves is bound onto cuts and wounds to draw out thorns, splinters and inflammation. The root is said to be used as an anti-venom for rattlesnakes bites. Plantain seeds contain up to 30% mucilage which swells in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and soothing irritated membranes. The seeds are used in the treatment of parasitic worms. A distilled water made from the plant makes an excellent eye lotion.

For information on how to use and infuse some plaintain for medical purposes, make salves and more, Go to this link for great instruction:

10 Ways To Love Your Liver

Liver, love it or leave it! We are going to give you some links to some great liver recipes today that may just change your mind about liver.....or at least give you the ability to consume it more pleasantly at least twice a month.

The health benefits of eating healthy liver are outstanding!  One of which it the generous amounts of Omega 3's it contains (see this post on Omega 3's and Depression).  The Weston Price Organization suggests you consume it every week.......we thing every other week might be enough and it's sure to be cheaper than a good piece of Salmon. For the recipe pictured go to: http://heritageharvesthome.blogspot.com/2013/07/liver-onions-with-bacon-and-sage.html

Here at Heritage Harvest Home(stead) we offer liver in 1/2 pound packages from our grass-fed beeves.  CONTACT US on how you can purchase some!


First Note of Caution!



We believe that liver should only be consumed from a organically grown (doesn't have to be certified) beef, lamb, goat or chicken so that it does not contain toxic substances.

Introducing Our Newest Farm Members

Our granddaughter, Gabby, who lives with us now, didn't know quite what to think when grandpa put her on top of the new 2 week old calf that joined us this last week.  All our calves come from a grass-based dairy.  This one is half Angus and half Guernsey.  He is eating goat milk and thriving on it!  This little guy will be raised on grass and milk only until fall of 2014, it's never to early to order your quarter or half beef.

Liver & Onions with Bacon and Sage

Love your Liver!

see original post at http://ediblearia.com/2009/07/23/not-your-average-liver-and-onions/

Pastured beef liver fried with bacon, just-dug onions, brown mushrooms and fresh sage leaves brings this inexpensive, nutritional powerhouse back to the dinner table.  Even the kids will dig it.

Select only the freshest, pastured beef liver, never the frozen feed-lot stuff from the supermarket.  Cut into 1/2 strips and lightly dredge in sprouted flour seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper.  Set aside.

Fry uncured, pastured bacon until crisp and all the fat has rendered out.

Add sliced onions and continue to cook until well browned.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon grease and reserve for another use.

Add 2 tablespoons pastured butter to the hot pan and swirl to combine with the remaining bacon fat.

Add sliced brown mushrooms (I like the dark, earthy-flavored varieties) and sauté until they begin to crisp on the edges.

Make sure that the skillet is still good and hot, then add strips of floured liver and coarsely chopped fresh sage and flat-leaf parsley.  Cook until well browned, turn and brown on the other side.

Arrange on a plate, drizzle with pan juices and enjoy.

Pan-fried beef liver is a good source of Iron and Zinc, and a very good source of Protein (approx. 22g per 4oz), Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12,Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Copper and Selenium.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Lemon Lavender Soda

• pick around five or six lavender flowers, leaving a few inches of stem with leaves on each.
• make a simple syrup by bringing two cups of water to a boil, and adding 1/2 cup of honey.  Taste, to see if you want it sweeter and if you do add more honey.
• Add the lavender flowers and the zest of half a lemon to the syrup, turn off the heat. Let the flowers steep for 10-20 minutes, depending on how floral you want your soda. Strain.
• Pour one or two inches of the syrup into a glass, add ice, club soda, and the juice of at least half a lemon. 
• Enjoy!  (the syrup may be refrigerated for up to a week if it lasts that long)

Saving the Harvest - Green Smoothies - Kale

Today we are saving the harvest with KALE!  Kale is a wonderful vegetable with huge health benefits so adding it to your morning routine is bound to give you a healthy boost!

Gardening with a Baby

I have to admit there were years where I didn't garden.  Those years were when my children were under 2 years old.  It was just to busy of a time.  Now that I'm in the over 60 crowd I never in a million  years thought I'd have a baby when I planted this huge garden (size of two city lots).  Then three weeks ago our 6 month old granddaughter, Gabriella Nicole (Gabby), joined us.  What to do?  Well we've hired a helper and need to hire another one, but Gabby does enjoy going to the garden for short periods of time.

No Garden? You Can Still Preserve the Harvest!

Don't have a garden?  You can still preserve the harvest!  Buy all you can from your local farmer (Have you taken the 30 day 100 Mile Challenge?) and farmers markets, then preserve your bounty for later!

For freezing you will need some necessary equipment:

• Baking Sheets
• Freezing Bags
• Stock Pot
• Knives and good Cutting Board
• Pots to boil water and bowls for cold water to shock before freezing
• Freezer space.

We will cover other methods of food storage in later posts.

Today we are working on some Asparagus.  It is almost time for the Asparagus to disappear from your farmers offerings so better hurry because this is last minute.

Today's Harvest

I just love growing my own food, 

knowing how it was raised and using it fresh. 

We could have harvested some kale, herbs and other things but this was all I was willing to work with right away.

Supper tonight will be Beef & Brocolli (our own grass-fed beef), lunch tomorrow will be a yummy Salmon, Asparagus Quinoa Salad.  Tonight we'll make some Strawberry Ice Cream with our Fresh Goat Milk. The spinach will likely be used in some Green Smoothies and/or a Frittata for Breakfast!

Need some recipes?  I'll send them along soon!

Love to have some fresh fruits and veggies like these?  BUY LOCAL!  If you are local to us (within 100 miles) then contact us to purchase some great organically grown, GMO free food!  CONTACT US

Asparagus Soup for One

2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup diced onion (can use green onions)
1/4 tsp shredded fresh ginger
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 1/4 cup chopped asparagus (abt 6 oz)
1 cup home-made chicken stock
pinch dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsley
1/2 cup Coconut Milk (or other milk product)
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Saute onion in butter over med-low heat for 4 min, add ginger and garlic, saute 2 more minutes. Add asparagus, stock, rosemary, and parsley. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Blend carefully in blender until smooth. Add back to pan with milk, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Enjoy!

Homemade Lemonade

4 cups of very warm water
2 cups of room temperature water
1/3 cup of honey + 2 tablespoons
6 organic lemons + 1 for garnish
fresh sprigs of local organic mint
lots of ice (about 2 cups)

To heat the water, I like to put 4 cups of water in a kettle and place on burner till very hot and starting to steam. Pour the very warm water into heat proof container. Add in the honey. Stir to combine then add in the room temperature water.

Squeeze the juice out of the 6 lemons. Place a strainer over the opening of the water-honey mixture and pour in the lemon juice.

Add in the ice and the mint. Chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, cut the last lemon into slices and place in the jug. The sliced lemons and the mint leaves are beautiful garnishes for this delicious beverage.