Rural Resources Takes Local Teens Out for Pizza--at Barbara Kingsolver's Place

Last Friday, August 2nd, teens participating in Rural Resource's Farm and Food Teen Training Program were rewarded for their work this summer with a trip to Harvest Table Restaurant & Farm. Stephen Hopp founded Harvest Table--which features all local ingredients--after he, his wife Barbara Kingsolver, and daughter Camille Kinsolver wrote the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food for Life, which became a landmark book in the local food movement.

Ranging in grade levels from middle school to seniors, the teens are at different stages in the Rural Resources' program. The first two years are spent learning to grow, harvest, and prepare food, while the next two years are spent developing and running a successful food enterprise. This year also saw a new feature of the program, with seniors having the chance to complete internships at area farms to further build their skills and experience.

At Harvest Table, the teens had a chance to relax and enjoy mouth-watering pizza, soup, salad, and sandwiches at the restaurant, while chef Phillip Newton described the local ingredients featured in their meal. Afterwards, they took a tour of the gardens with farm manager Samantha Eubanks. On the farm, the teens were able to observe harvest storage practices, crop rotations, and pest management.

The event successfully wrapped up a fantastic summer of work and learning at Rural Resources, and provided new insights and inspiration for a group of young people passionate about keeping local food alive. Look for more on this field trip in the Education section of the Greeneville Sun.

I whipped up a dinner tonight for my family that I'm so proud of!  It's not so much that I consider myself a good cook, it's that the ingredients were so great that I just couldn't go wrong!  Of course they were locally sourced from our Mobile Farmers' Market's online ordering system!  Check it out!

Soft Scrambled Eggs and Chard tossed with Pasta and Mozzarella Bites:
I started with this recipe from The Splendid Table website.  Deviating based on what was actually in my fridge, I fried 2 strips of bacon and sauteed green onions that I had purchased from the Rural Resources garden in the drippings.  Next, I wilted some rainbow chard--also from the Rural Resources garden.  I removed most of the chard from the pan and added 6 beautiful, whipped, deep yellow, pasture raised eggs from Kany Farm.  I gently scrambled them and then just before they were done, I added some boiled macaroni and the chard I had set aside.   I topped it with chunks of real mozzarella cheese that was to die for made by The Cows Are Out Dairy nearby.   Wow!  We all gobbled it down and decided that the perfect end to the meal would be:

Strawberry Ice Cream with Bella's milk and strawberries from Harvest at the Bluffs Farm.  Yum!

Thank you to all of the hard working folks--Paul, Cori, Karen, Mike, Amy, Jack, Luke & Tracy--
who made my supper delicious!

Springtime on Holley Creek Farm

We've been busy here on Holley Creek Farm! Some of you may have joined us last week for our Annual Meeting & Birthday Bash (we're 20 this year, in case you hadn't heard!) - in that case, you got to see firsthand how beautiful the farm is looking these days. Staff, board, and volunteers have all been hard at work preparing our land for all the festivities of summer.

Farmer Paul at the Annual Meeting & Birthday Bash

Our tobacco barn is looking good - it got a much needed tidying and will once again host Farm Day Camp this summer. Farmer Paul is in the process of fencing off the garden to make it into a humans-only zone (or as close to it as possible). We have a lot of animal friends who would love to hunt for bugs or scratch in the soft soil, plus those who would be more than happy to harvest everything Farmer Paul has worked so hard to plant. This will help bring us one step closer to GAP compliance.

If you're familiar with the landscape at Rural Resources, you might notice something is missing the next time you come for a visit - our antique barn is no longer there! Due to its age, it was no longer safe to use for Farm Day Camp. Now we have a new sunny patch with endless possibility. We're thinking it might turn into a pavilion space for picnics or summertime events - but who knows? It could be anything!

We hope that you'll have a chance to join us at some of our many events this summer. Coming up soon: Seasonal Suppers on the Farm, every Thursday evening in June and July (excepting July 4th). We'll be serving a local foods dinner prepared by a local chef, enjoying music and fellowship and the great outdoors. Keep an eye out for more details on our Events Calendar. And the Mobile Farmers' Market will reopen for ordering this month - hop on over to our online ordering system to make sure you're set up to receive the notifications of what's on the market.

See you on the farm!

Seasonal Recipes: Kale and Potatoes

It may seem like the dead of winter is no time for fresh produce, but there's good stuff to be had all year 'round! For a simple but delicious seasonal dish, turn to two winter staples: potatoes and kale. Potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium, to name a few. Kale is a vegetable powerhouse: its high doses of vitamins A, C, and K supports vision, bone, and blood health, and its fiber content helps reduce levels of heart disease.

Rhonda's Kale and Potatoes
Serves 4 as a side
Ingredients:
- 2 leaves kale, shredded into 1-inch strips
- 2-3 large potatoes
- 2 T. olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
- Microwave the potatoes on high for 7 minutes until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Let cool briefly, then dice.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add potatoes and kale and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, and ta-da! A gorgeous seasonal dish, ready to serve.

A New Baby

Awww, isn't she cute? Meet ________________, Bella's newest baby. She was born on Friday, February 15th, a little black meteor sent to our farm.  But why is her name blank? you might be asking yourself. What kind of name is that for a cow, anyway?

This little cutey is part Jersey and part Angus

Here's the thing: she doesn't have a name yet, and we need your help! Submit your idea for a name and if we pick your choice, you'll win a prize from Rural Resources. The contest will close on Friday, March 8th.

3 Ways to Submit Your Entry:

- Send it to us via our website

- Send it to us on Facebook

- Send us a postcard! Write your suggestion on the back and mail it to Rural Resources, 2870 Holley Creek Road, Greeneville, TN 37745. Make sure to include your name and phone number so we can call you if you win!

Welcome to the Rural Resources Blog!

Hey there! Welcome to the Rural Resources Blog!

What brings you here? Perhaps you're interested in learning more about local foods and sustainable agriculture. Perhaps you skimmed our website and you want to learn more about what we do. Perhaps you're already a Rural Resources friend, or maybe you just like pictures of pigs (that's Miss Piggy, a Hereford sow, and her first litter). Whatever the reason, we're glad you stopped by.

As you can see, we're just getting started. Soon when you visit, you'll be able to read about what our Farm & Food Training Program teens are up to, what's going on in our garden, and what to do with all that yummy produce you'll be eating this summer. In the mean time, stop by our website or visit us on Facebook.

In the mean time, in case you really do like pictures of pigs, here are a few more to tide you over until next time:

Part of the potbelly crew

Louise, another potbelly, and her litter

Less than 6 hours old!