FOLLOWING SUMMER'S BOUNTY

 

 

I remember, growing up on the farm, what was in season is what we ate. I don’t ever remember my mother buying strawberries, blueberries or any other produce that we either raised ourselves or could go and pick ourselves. It just didn’t make sense.

When you grow your own, you can’t get much fresher and there is no middle man that needs to get his cut of the price so produce is cheaper. I know that everyone is not as privileged as we are to live in the country and be able to grow their own. Folks who live in the city with no space for a garden, those who have physical limitations that prevent them from gardening and those who just don’t have the desire for it are at a loss.

However, they do have options besides going to the local supermarket and purchasing their produce. In recent years, farmers markets are popping up all over. Their produce is locally grown and is fresher than that which has been setting in shipping containers for who knows how long. They are great options and, no matter where you live, there is usually one in your neck of the woods.

As fresh as farmers markets’ produce is, there is another option that is even fresher and even more satisfying…find a U=Pick orchard or farm where you are allowed to go and harvest your own produce. Now, it doesn’t get much better or fresher than this.

We have done this for as long as I can remember. It just didn’t make sense for us to raise every single thing that we wanted to can or freeze for the winter. Apples, blueberries, cherries, raspberries and other fruits and vegetables have their own growing needs and it made more sense for us to concentrate on a few rather than all produce to raise in our truck garden.

In my area, Harvey’s U-Pick of Tekonsha, MI, is well known for the go-to place for picking your own strawberries, blueberries, chestnuts, red raspberries and other produce.

I love picking my own fruit, for a number of reasons. It just comes naturally. It’s pretty much of a no-brainer. However, I learned a thing or two the last couple seasons picking strawberries. I heard comments from others near me such as, “All I can find are small ones” or “The berries just aren’t ripe” or “They have bruises on them.”

 Thinking about those comments, I realized that everything is a learning curve. I was having a great experience finding large, juicy berries right beside those that weren’t. It occurred to me that they were coming to a U=Pick and expecting to just stop anywhere in the patch and find the perfect looking produce that you find in supermarkets. I am certainly not picking on these folks, their ignorance in this area was nothing compared to mine if I tried to ride the subway in the city or many other things out of my norm.

 

So, for all of you who are wondering if I have lost it by writing on how to navigate U-Pick produce, this is why I am lending a few pointers to make this the pleasant experience it should be for all who try it. So, if you have not tried this venture before, or if you feel you are just muddling through, here are a few pointers from a seasoned connoisseur of picking our own produce:

*Even though you can’t get much fresher than picking it straight from the patch, it is straight from the patch which means it has not been graded. The reason you get the big, perfectly shaped strawberries  and other produce in stores is because all the imperfect and smaller ones have been excluded and will go into jams, jellies and juices. People want the biggest and best and they also command high dollar.

So, the U-Pick patch has all sizes and shapes with different degrees of ripeness. This is part of the experience, choosing the ones that are right for what your intent is.

*Don’t just stop and pick any place in the patch. No matter the type of fruit, the farmer has usually planted different varieties. Each variety has its own characteristics of taste, texture and size. In the case of strawberries, some have white centers while others are red all the way through, some have a sweeter taste (which means that variety would require less sugar) and each variety has a distinct taste all its own. It is the same with berries, apples, etc. Stop and eat one, try one from another spot in the patch and decide what suits your palette.

It never ceases to amaze me that when I pick strawberries, most everyone is crowded in the patch nearest the barns. If you take the time to drive to the back, there is less confusion and many of the rows have not been picked as recently so picking is better. Just because everyone is crowded in one spot doesn’t mean it’s the best spot, it just means that many just stopped at the first berries they saw. Check out where no one is at, it just may be the best place in the patch.

*Don’t assume that the bigger something is, the better it is. Many times, I have found that the smaller ones are, be it berries, fish or vegetables, the better the flavor is. Often, the saying, “the best things come in small packages” rings true.

*Decide what degree of ripeness you want. Usually, the darker the fruit, the riper it is. Naturally, you wouldn’t pick green fruit, but overripe ones tend to mush in the containers and spoil faster. Unless you are going straight home to make jam or jelly, you may want to go for middle of the road. I can look at a strawberry and know how ripe it is just by the color of red. This comes with a little experience and, after a little trial and error (by popping one in your mouth), you will know too.

*Know where to look. I have literally followed someone down a row when they were finding very few and picked my container full. Look in the center of the row, most folks just go along the edge and don’t check under the center strawberry leaves. For blueberries, check the lower branches, most folks don’t like bending over so they pick at standing level. The same goes for picking cherries, apples and peaches. The lower branches are usually all picked and the higher ones still have the best fruit to offer.

If you are physically able, going to a U-Pick is so worth the little bit of extra time it takes rather than picking up produce at the local store. It gets you out in the fresh air, you have the satisfaction of choosing your own eats and you can literally taste the freshness! However, be warned, there is one drawback. If you are like me, once you are there, it is hard to quit picking and when you get home with twice as much as you went for, your thought will be, “what was I thinking!”

 

PRESERVING THE FAMILY FARM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family farm. The face of it is changing, like so many other things in our lives. When Mom and Dad decided to retire, it used to be a no-brainer that the farm would be passed to the next generation and then the next and so on. Things have changed.

In the past, future generations grew up learning the family business and carrying on with it. It’s just the way it was. Blame it on the advancement of technology as well as other factors, but today’s youth have so many diverse choices when it comes to careers that many either do not want or cannot afford to carry on the family farm.

Even the ones that do choose to stay on the family dirt, transitioning it from one generation to the next is more complex than it used to be. New federal and state laws make it almost impossible to simply turn over the land to the next generation without seeking professional advice. Perhaps that is why less than one third of family businesses survive the transition from the first to the second generation and another fifty percent don’t survive the move from the second to the third generation.

According to the USDA, two thirds of United States farmland is owned or leased by someone over 55 years of age. Control of a third of that land will change hands in the next ten to fifteen years. When many of today’s farmers took over farms from their parents and grandparents, plots of land were smaller and less valuable and equipment was smaller and less expensive.

 

It’s different now. Family structures and farms are more complicated. Machinery is bigger and more costly but it gives farmers the chance to work larger tracts of land with less help until later in life. Even though they have the ability to work longer, many are tired. They are tired of fighting grain prices, the weather and the rising cost of seed and fertilizer.

 

This isn’t even mentioning the cost of repairs. It used to be that when equipment broke down, farmers did their own repairs. Now, with so much computer driven technology running the equipment, farmers are at the mercy of a skilled repairman. This can get expensive both in time and money. When you are not moving in the field when conditions are right, you lose valuable working time and repair bills can be through the roof.

So, when it is time to pass on the family farm, the dream may come with some baggage such as complicated machinery to learn, increased acreage to farm and many times, outstanding debt. It gets complicated.

On top of that, when there are multiple siblings, sometimes all the siblings want to take over and sometimes no one does. One solution to this would be to forego the idea of splitting it equally between all. Provisions could be made for those that want to take an active role in the business and those that want to be part of it but want to be inactive owners. Also, there should be some liquidity built in for buy-out options.

Today there are many different ways to keep the family farm in the family and to be fair to all involved. The worst thing to do is to not to take into consideration the wants and wishes of all the heirs. Making partners of the ones that choose to stay on the farm and those that don’t has destroyed many a family.

This is really the tough part. Farmers of our generation are a different breed. They likely inherited the farm from their dad or grandfather and have emotional attachments to the land itself. If their kids and grandkids did not actively help work the land while growing up, that emotional attachment is lost. Instead of seeing the family farm as something personal, it becomes just another asset, to be sold, leased or a variety of other options.

This fact is one of the hardest for retiring farmers to accept. Their offspring has a right to their dreams and ambitions. Just because farming is in the senior’s blood, doesn’t mean it is in that of the next generation’s. On the other hand, land is a unique commodity as Will Rogers so adamantly put it, “Buy land, they ain’t making any more of the stuff.”

Perhaps this quote should be changed to read, “Keep the land……” Whether interested or not, the next generation has to realize that once the land is gone from the family, it’s not coming back. This is a one-time shot.

If the family farm stays in the family or not, one thing is for certain, it requires some planning with the help of some professionals. Some of the farms today were passed down informally without wills or proper legal channels so the farmland itself has unclear titles. Some of this land is only titled under “heir’s property” and even today there can be multiple heirs, sometimes upwards of 100! This translates to multiple headaches.

Fortunately, there is help out there. State Mediation Services, paid for by the USDA, has been used for years to settle disputes between neighbors, lenders and creditors. Even more applicable may be the 2018 Farm Bill which made funding available for state mediation programs to work with families specifically on “family farm transition.” Farmers can access free legal advice.

Some states like Nebraska, Vermont and Arkansas offer classes in land transition. Roger Betz, a state agricultural extension agent with Michigan State University, spends hours with farmers helping them make transitions to the next generation. Unfortunately, not all states are able or willing to provide extension specialists who can spend hours helping families realize their dream land transfer.

Michigan State University Extension offices uses core guidelines when providing assistance with succession planning. They can be accessed here, https://www.farms.com/news/five-steps-to-pass-the-farm-to-the-next-generation-160677.aspx.

What makes this such a gray area is that every case is different. Do you need a will, a trust, other papers? Only professionals in their fields can make sure everything is done right. The worst thing a farmer can do is to do nothing. The second worst is to rely on verbal agreements and handshakes; this is not your grandparents’ day. Sadly, too often talk of succession planning begins the day after the funeral.

Perhaps Steve Hamilton, an advisor with the Land As Your Legacy program through Nationwide Insurance, says it best. “The weakest writing is stronger than the best memory.” If it is not written down, formalized and signed, it will not stand up and be legal. Handshakes and verbal agreements are good until someone dies.

An important thing that every farmer can do when considering passing on the farm is to write a legacy letter which is a powerful letter to future generations containing memories of the farm, how it has been maintained and what your wishes are once you are gone. Include things like when and where you laid tile and other important changes. Although it has nothing to do with being legal, it can provide valuable information to the farm’s successors.

Some farmers shy away from letting their wishes be known to the family simply because it may cause friction. Even so, the biggest mistake in succession planning is keeping secrets.

Farm transition and land transfers are some of the hardest conversations that families face today. Farmers know the rewards, emotionally, physically and mentally, of being connected to the land. They want their kids to know this too although farming isn’t right for everyone. When farm transitioning, the gap between the dream and reality can be heartbreaking. 

 

 

 

BITTERS CAN BE SWEET FOR THE BODY

 

 

I had heard the name “bitters” but never knew what they were until I got a severe case of poison ivy while picking wild black raspberries. This particular time was so bad that it got inside my body and I was as sick as I was stubborn. As I lean more towards natural and herbal remedies, I visited a natural healer who suggested I try Swedish bitters.

 Within a couple of days, I was feeling much better. Well, being the curiosity kind, I did a little digging to find out exactly what bitters were and was introduced to a whole new world through them.

Bitters refer to alcohol extracts of bitter tasting herbs such as genetian or yellow dock that are mixed with spices and other flavors. They are used to balance out the taste of a cocktail, which contain primarily sweet and sour flavors. By adding another primary taste, bitters, into mixed drinks, a cocktail is given a more complex and complete flavor profile. 

 

On the flip side, they are used in herbal medicine. Herbal bitters are digestive aids that were once sold as patent medicines. They got their start as medicinal preparations made from many different plants. They became cure-all tonics and were available in pharmacies in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Eventually, they started to be mixed with spirits for pleasure to disguise their bitter tastes.

Herbal medicines are often unpleasantly bitter because they are concentrated extracts of parts of plants that we would not normally eat. However, it was discovered that the bitterness is therapeutic. Bitter taste receptors on the tongue send signals to the digestive tract which cause the release of digestive juices. This process increases the movement of the gut wall and kicks the digestive tract into gear. So, for years, bitter leaves, barks and roots have been employed in many herbal medicines to treat digestive complaints.

 

In the early 20^th century, herbalism was the most common form of healing in North America. Most people knew how to use herbs to heal common ailments. Bartenders also knew this. Bitter herbs were particularly helpful when someone consumed excess food and alcohol. They were a key component in traditional cocktails and are to this day.

 

Bitters are thought to be the origin of the classic British cocktail. Soldiers in India had to drink regular doses of cinchona bark to protect against malaria. To mask the unpleasant flavor, they mixed it with gin and lemon juice, thus the modern gin and tonic drink was born.

The most commonly known cocktail bitter is Angostura bitters. It was developed by a German doctor in Venezuela in 1824 to help soldiers of Simon Bolivar’s army deal with stomach ache. Its interesting flavors became recognized and added to cocktails.

Folks have known for years that plants could be dried and then steeped in alcohol to extract and preserve their medicinal properties. Some bitters are classified specifically as digestive bitters which are ones that are made from herbs which stimulate bitter receptors on the tongue, gallbladder and pancreas. Their primary effect is to promote digestive juices such as stomach acid, bile and enzymes to breakdown food and assist in the absorption of nutrients. Because of the gut-brain connection, bitters can enhance digestion and also reduce depression and improve mood. They also support the liver’s natural detoxification process.

So, even though most bitters are around 40 percent alcohol, are they being promoted as good for your health? They sure are and they are made to drink straight. This is only because, for gas and bloating and other gastrointestinal issues, the dosage is only one quarter teaspoon taken ten to fifteen minutes before meals. They are even classified as non-alcoholic in the United States because of this dosage.

Moderate consumption of bitters is also said to lower body weight, lower total and LDL cholesterol and increase saliva and enzyme secretion. In addition, bitter consumption slows the movement of food out of the stomach and into the intestines, making a person feel fuller faster and prevents gas and bloating through better breakdown of food in the stomach.

They can also prevent acid buildup and heartburn by ensuring a proper seal of the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. Liver and gall bladder functions are supported by kick starting important secretions and detoxification.

Pre-prohibition there were hundreds of bitters companies but by the end of the 20^th century, there were only a handful. However, in the last decade, bitters are making a comeback with craft bitters companies popping up all over North America.

We can now find a wide range of bitters in the form of small distilleries who brew their own alcohol and infuse the herbs in the process, herbalists preparing medicinal grade formulas and a slew of formulators making bitters for culinary uses and popular cocktails.

The best part is that bitters are easy to make right at home. All one needs are some bitter herbs, spices, some vodka, a jar and a little patience!

To make your own bitters:

*Start small, a one-ounce jar goes a long way. Jelly or spice jars are perfect.

*Any alcohol can be used but vodka is popular because it is clear and neutral in flavor, thus you can see and taste the herbs that are infused. Also, it is 40 percent alcohol so, you can get a good extract of a range of constituents and it ensures proper preservation. After you get the hang of it, experiment with bourbon, whiskey and rum.

*Use dried or fresh herbs. Just remember that herbs shrink by half when dried so use only half as much of a dried herb as a fresh one.

*You will need different kinds of herbs. The recommended ratios to use are:

                10 percent very bitter herbs like gentian, cinchona and yellow dock. These are the most                                       intense  ones  

                50 percent medium to mild herbs like dandelion root and leaf, orange or lemon peel (include                         the white pith), bitter greens like parsley, argula or angelica root

                30 percent aromatic herbs such as tea and spice herbs, rosemary, peppermint, ginger, allspice                         and lemongrass. These infuse the flavor.

                10 percent sweet, this pulls together the flavor and helps the uptake in the body. Use simple                             syrup, maple syrup, honey or sweet herbs like licorice root. These are added after the                             liquid is infused and strained

*When making, fill the jar half full for dried herbs and three quarters full for fresh herbs. Top the herbs with vodka, seal and label with the date and contents. It is important to cover the herbs entirely with alcohol. Dried herbs may absorb the moisture, so you may have to top off in a couple of days.

*Place in a dark place, shake daily for two weeks to a month. Taste every few weeks, when the desired flavor is reached, strain through a coffee filter or small strainer then add the sweetener. Generally, one tablespoon of sweetener is added for every cup of extract. Pour in a clear bottle and let age for at least a week.

That’s all there is to it. When using your bitters, remember that they add depth and character. You should not be able to pick them out clearly but you would miss them if they were not present.

Bitters can add not only flavor but also healing to your life. The key is to remember that a little goes a long way!