PrairiErth Farm

Attention! We've got a new blog

2010-06-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! We've created a new blog because Blogger just doesn't suit our needs and is NOT user friendly. Check out our new blog and make sure to subscribe via the RSS feed!

www.prairierthfarm.com/PrairiErth_Farm/Blog/Blog.html

It's also accessible from just going to our website and clicking on the link at the top titled "Blog." www.prairierthfarm.com.

Let's do it again!

2010-05-20T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hello! Can’t believe it’s already time for the Farmer’s Market again! The week flies by with farm work, wedding planning and our full time day jobs! Luckily we’re able to squeeze in lots of family time too since that’s the fuel that keeps us going!
What we’ll have at the market this week:

Salad mix

Romaine lettuce

Radishes

Mustard Greens

Green Garlic (this may be the last of the season!)

Chives

Tarragon

Mint

Free range eggs

Pasture-Raised Beef (various cuts and ground)

Potted plants and herbs

Can you believe the temperature is going to be in the 90’s on Sunday and Monday!?! I’m kind of excited since it’s a sign summer is coming… but I’m dreading all the weeding that will have to be done in the sweltering heat. Guess it’s time to just get use to it! Unfortunately the lettuce doesn’t really like the 90 degree weather so to circumvent the possible loss of flavor, (this happens when spring lettuce experiences summer temps) we’re going to have a major harvest this weekend and have TONS of bagged salad at the farmer’s market on Saturday. Look for some fun recipes too! We REALLY enjoyed the market last weekend! Maybe it was sleep deprivation, but I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time we were down there. The people that frequent the farmer’s market are so awesome and friendly and interesting! Plus there’s just this satisfaction that shoots through my whole mind and spirit when I can share healthy food that Hans and I grew. Come see us this weekend… downtown Bloomington, across from the Courthouse! 7:30-Noon rain or shine. (FYI… we pretty much sold out by 9am last week so get there early for the good stuff!).

(Hans and I at 5:45am on Saturday before the first farmer's market (part ecstatic... part exhausted!).

One last thing… if you haven’t heard Kelly’s Bakery and Café is hosting a Local Flavors night next Friday the 28^th. It’s a 3 course meal made with local fresh food. She’s making strawberry shortcakes with our eggs! Kelly is a huge supporter of local farmers so it’s time we show her our support as well! Here’s a link to more info and how to reserve your spot!

http://kellysbakeryandcafe.blogspot.com/2010/05/friday-local-flavors-may-28th.html

A recipe out of the vault (Will also be available at the market this weekend)!

Herbed Romaine Salad with Strawberries

1/2 cup raw (unsalted) pistachios10 to 12 oz. romaine lettuce hearts, cored and roughly chopped
1/3 cup fresh tarragon, torn into small pieces
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
12 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced shallot (about 1 medium)
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons mild olive oil
6 ounces good-quality mild feta cheese (see Notes), cut into triangles

Preparation1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spread pistachios on a large baking sheet and bake until very lightly toasted (they should still retain some green), 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, tarragon, mint, and half of the strawberries. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, shallot, honey, and salt. Drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly, until mixture is emulsified. Drizzle dressing over lettuce mixture and toss well.
3. Divide lettuce mixture among plates, and then top with remaining strawberries, toasted pistachios, and feta triangles

2010-05-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

Our first farmer’s market is only 3 days away! It’s so hard to explain the range of emotions Hans and I are feeling. We’re excited to meet lots of people and talk to them about food and the farm and hear their stories and recipe ideas! We’re anxious about how we’re going to get everything harvested, transported and set up in time (you should see us trying to put up the tent)! We’re frustrated there aren’t more things ready to be picked but hopeful what we do bring to the market will be high quality and the absolute freshest! Stop by and say hi! We’d love to meet you!

Here’s what we’ll have this Saturday:

Asparagus

Green Garlic

Mustard greens

Salad mix

Chives

Potted tomatoes, peppers, herbs and perennial flowes

Free Range Eggs

Pasture-raised Beef

Here's a tasty idea for weekend brunch using fresh PrairiErth eggs and our green garlic!

Green Garlic Scrambled Egg Toasts

· 1 stalk green garlic for every 3 eggs

· butter

· milk or cream

· dense wheat bread or levain

Chop green garlic like you would a scallion. Feel free to use all the green part as well as the white part. Beat eggs and add 2 tablespoons milk or cream to eggs. Slice bread thinly and leave near toaster.

Sauté green garlic in desired amount of butter over medium flame for a minute or two. Add beaten egg mixture to pan and reduce flame to its lowest possible setting. Stir constantly. As the eggs heat up they will start to steam a little and maybe stick to the bottom of the pan. Add some salt and pepper. Take the pan off direct heat to slow the process down. . The longer it takes, the better it'll taste. It should take at least 10 minutes to cook 3-5 eggs this way. Throw the bread in the toaster. As the eggs finally congeal, spoon onto toast, and cut to desired size.

***Bloomington Farmer's Market Info***

Downtown Bloomington THIS SATURDAY on the Square (our stand is right in front of the old courthouse). Hours are 7:30-noon rain or shine!

Questions To Ask Your Farmer

2010-04-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Good evening! It's almost time for the Farmers Market and with all of the information out there on sustainable farming, organic food and buying local I thought I'd offer 5 questions that responsible farmers would LOVE for you to ask! See... here's the deal: we love to talk about what we do... almost as much as we love to share our food with you and your family. So ask away... to know where your food comes from!

1) Are your cows 100% grass fed? Were they ever given antibiotics or hormones? This is important because when cows are raised on pasture or in fields, they graze outdoors and have plenty of room to roam. They also have a variety of diverse grasses to eat. Cow's stomachs are designed to digest grasses, so it’s best to find farmers who allow their cows to graze on pasture.
2) Is your farm certified organic by the USDA? When a farm’s products are certified with a third party label, such as the USDA, some of the work is done for you in terms of investigating into their sustainable growing methods. Being Certified by the USDA involves an annual inspection of not only the farm, but the farmer's records, seed suppliers, and the entire farming process.
3) How many different types of produce do you grow? Many sustainable farmers rotate crops among different fields, allowing those not under production to lie cover under a cover crop just as clover or oats. This keeps the soil healthy by providing a natural fertilizer when it's tilled under and lessens the chances of potential diseases and pest problems.
4) How are your Chickens raised? On a pasture outside? Caged? Confined inside?There have been studies that have shown the healthiest meat comes from animals raised on pasture, so you ideally want to find poultry that has been raised outdoors in a natural state. The most important factors are the number of animals raised together, the size of the space they live in, and if they are provided with straw and other materials they would naturally have access to outdoors. Ask your farmer to describe the enclosure the hens are kept in, and how much room they have to move around. Don’t rely on labels for your answers. Many egg cartons say “cage-free” or “free range,” but those labels can apply to birds that are packed into a crowded building, with little or no access to the outdoors.
5) Can I come visit your farm? Sustainable farmers are very open about how they raise their animals and grow their fruits and vegetables. Consider asking to visit their farms to see exactly how the animals are raised and how their produce is grown. Many farmers welcome visitors...PrairiErth Farm sure does!

Come visit us at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market this year! It opens on May 15th! Here's the link to their webpage... they have weekly updates on what tasty stuff you can find each week: http://www.downtownbloomington.org/index.php?id=6

Herb and flower Highlight!

2010-02-14T19:22:00.000-08:00

This spring I’ll be starting a new organic perennial herb to plant along our vegetable gardens. Echinacea Tennesseensis! Its a beautiful pink coneflower with thin petals that curl inward rather than droop outward like other coneflower varieties. What’s so exciting is that this rare beauty is on the Endangered Species list and is only grown in very few parts of the country. It’s very useful for organic vegetable gardens because it attracts beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies. Our untreated, organic seeds will be started indoors and in our transplanting house on the farm. Once they develop into seedlings we’ll plant them in our perennial gardens and also in larger pots for sale at the Bloomington Farmer’s Market.

If January is this busy what's July going to be like?!

2010-02-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy January full of conferences and meetings. Dave spoke at the Indiana Horticulture Congress in Indianapolis and the whole family was invited to come with! Hans has been meeting with local vendors to introduce our upcoming crop and has gotten great reception! We've had the chance to meet lots of really awesome, knowledgeable people and be a part of some really worthwhile groups this month. So I'd like to take a moment and say thanks for the constant advice and information and all the hard work to propel the local and sustainable way of living forward further and further!

Have you seen Food Inc or Fresh? Excellent movies, very passionate and informative! Dave, Hans and I were able to join our Slow Food of Springfield friends for a viewing of Fresh last weekend and really enjoyed the community spirit and willingness to support local farmers! We hope movies like this will educate the public and shed some light on why we need sustainable agriculture and to support small farmers.

A final note... Hans has been working SO hard getting seeds started for our onions and leeks! I see new green sprouts every morning when I wake up and creep downstairs for a cup of coffee. Seeing bright green growth in the cold dark mornings of February leaves me very excited for the coming Spring and planting season! (I type this as the snow is falling.. we're suppose to get 3 inches tonight!). I've been ordering lots of fun culinary herbs and gorgeous flowers from the mountains of seed catalogs we've been getting. I have to say Johnny's and Baker Creek have been so wonderful to us. Lots of help getting the right tools and varieties of plants. I posted some video of Hans working on setting up row hoops and also the ongoing construction of our large hoop house. I can't believe it's almost built! Whenever Hans leaves to go work on it I always hug him goodbye and thank him for building our future!

Take care!
Katie

New YouTube videos:

2009-12-11T20:49:00.001-08:00

Check them out!

Happy holidays from Prairierth!

2009-12-11T20:44:00.001-08:00

It's been a busy Fall but a very exciting one! Dave and Hans are continuing work on the hoop house construction and overhauling the Praireirth website (www.prairierthfarm.com). Hans and I are pouring over the seed and plant catalogs dreaming of all the flowers, veggies and herbs we're going to grow. We're also happy to announce our engagement... I will soon become Katie Bishop! I'm overwhelmed with excitement and pride! It's an honor to join this family and this farm. Hans and I were just talking about how wonderful it will be to put all of our love and commitment into the soil and the plants and I honestly believe the family bond and commitment between all of us will be evident in the quality of the plants we will grow and sell. There's so much purity in that... it's priceless.

We're gearing up for a pretty exciting spring season and plan to update the blog with what we have each week at the Farmer's market and updates on our slow food inventory on www.praireirthfarm.etsy.com. Don't forget we'll have chicken, beef and eggs with us too!

Finally, I hope this holiday season finds you all warm with tasty feasts, good times with family and gratitude for God's most precious gifts. Best wishes to all!

Katie

A busy time of year...

2009-11-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

Hans and I are sitting down to a tasty cup of hot tea while winding down from the day. Hans and Dave have been in the fields getting the corn and beans out all week and will be busy working this weekend too. Then it's time for the hoop house construction! (Can't wait to start digging in that dirt!) Hans took this picture while in the combine. I thought it was a great perspective right from the driver's seat... and I think this picture really touches on the idea of KNOWING WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM. We want you to see it firsthand because we're proud of the way we farm and love sharing that with people. Thanks to everyone taking the time to read this and for all the support we get every day. We feel the love and appreciate it!

New stuff happening at the farm!

2009-10-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that we are adding onto our production operation with a season-extending hoop house. This will allow us to bring you delicious salad mixes and other hardy crops in the cold months of winter. Please follow closely as we will be bringing photos and videos of the progress of the hoop house construction.

We are planning to sell our products this next year at the Bloomington IL Downtown Farmer’s Market. We are looking forward to the opportunity to meeting you and establishing a relationship with you as your farmer and grower. If we aren’t offering something you would like, we would love to hear from you by either emailing Hans or Dave, or you can look us up at the Downtown Bloomington IL Farmer’s Market.

At Prairierth Farm we are proud to bring you the freshest, best tasting, USDA certified organic vegetables all grown locally on our farm. Be it tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, salad mixes, or culinary herbs; we take pride in what we offer and we guarantee that our quality and wide selection will not be matched

Crop News:

This fall we have planted next year’s Garlic crop consisting of three different varieties:

German White porcelain -- Hardneck. Large, bright white bulbs with 4-8 very large cloves. Easy to peel, Stores very well, and grows very well in cold weather. excellent flavor

Music Porcelain -- Hardneck. Large, bright white bulbs with 4-6 very large cloves. Especially hardy in cold climates. Easy to peel, Stores very well. excellent flavor.

Inchelium Red Garlic - from the Colville Indian Reservation in Inchelium, Washington, this garlic is a large and beautiful softneck artichoke variety. The dense bulb, can have anywhere from 9-20 cloves and an outer bulb wrapper that is thick for the purpose of protecting the bulb. The flavor of the Inchelium Red is softly robust but not so strong as to be overwhelming; the flavor often sharpens in storage.

**Keep your eyes peeled for updates on planting news and as the beginning of spring approaches, more news on when we will harvest. It will be early and we are expecting to be able to provide Carrots, Radishes, and Salad Greens.**

Dave covering the rows of planted garlic

GARLIC!

2009-09-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

It's a good day in Central IL when Autumn is on it's way. The leaves are starting to change and the cooler nights are perfect for sleeping with your windows open. It's also an excellent time to harvest garlic. We've got organic garlic ready for drying! We'll be selling some dried herb blends and rubs on www.prairierthfarm.etsy.com soon. If you're local and you'd like to purchase some fresh garlic please call or email. We're offering it for $2.50 for 1/2 pound.

Call or email Hans Bishop at (309)824-0484 or write us at Hansbishop@gmail.com

PrairiErth featured in Farmweek Article: Solar power fueling alternative farming options

2009-09-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Check out this great piece on our farm's contributions to solar power by "grazing off the grid":

http://www.farmweeknow.com/story.aspx?s=31280

Welcome to PrairiErth Farm

2009-09-19T19:46:00.001-07:00

Hello! We've created this blog to keep everyone up to date on the happenings of PrairiErth Farm! If you don't know much about us here's some brief info about who we are and why we believe organic farming is so important. Please... take a look around. Take a virtual tour of the farm. Get to know your food producers and share this very special way of providing a sustainable future for everyone.

WHO WE ARE: Dave Bishop and family have been farming their 300-acre farm for about 30 years. Located in the center of Illinois about 160 miles from downtown Chicago, the Bishops operate a diversified farm and raise a bit of about everything.

WHAT WE HAVE TO SHARE: Prairierth crops include corn, soybeans, oats, alfalfa and grass hay, and a large assortment of vegetables. They also have 25 pasture-raised beef cattle and about 750 free range chickens each summer for meat and eggs. We find the bond between the land and those who live and work on it to be very important. Prairierth farm also has an acre of native prairie plants including flowers and grasses.

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO: Having farmed conventionally, we've seen firsthand the detrimental effects on the soil, and to the farm and rural communities. It is our goal to play a part in limiting our ecological footprint by caring for the earth, not just for us, but future generations as well. Organic farming is very special to us, we enjoy working with the land and sharing our products with customers, with whom we develop a very special relationship with, because together we believe organic is more than just a practice, it is a way to influence a healthy life in our community, and provide a sustainable way of producing food.

Currently our products are available on farm and at natural food stores in stores in Bloomington, Champaign, Peoria, Springfield, and Arthur Illinois.

***Also, we've started a slow foods store on http://www.prairierthfarm.etsy.com/. Look forward to enjoying dried herb blends, soup mixes, dried fruits and vegetables, seeds, bulbs and dried flowers. Please let us know if there's something special your family is looking for!