Missouri Beginning Farming: Online Learning Community

Here is a good resource. I know it is called Beginning Farmer, but it has lots of great information for producers of all levels.

Missouri Beginning Farming: Online Learning Community: "The Missouri Beginning Farmer Program’s Online Learning Community is a tool to help beginning farmers learn from each other, essentially it..."

Let me know what you think.

MRHA is all about networking. I use facebook, e-mail, website, and blogs to get the word out on what we are doing, who we are, our farm dinners, grant information, and sharing member information. To help our networks grow, share this with your network and help me get the word out.

Have a local food and fun filled week!
Lisa Palmer, Coordinator

Farmer's Market Find.

Most of you will recognize the wonderful cucumber, the gorgeous tomato, and the bright yellow squash; however, do you recognize the bean looking thing in the bowl? I found these at the Farmington Farmer’s Market last Saturday. Raised by a producer from Perry County, I was told they are “Roma” green beans. A quick look on Goodsearch.com and I decided I should be familiar with these beans.

For those in the dark (like I was) they are an Italian bean, also known as a variety of pole bean. But with as many beans as I have bought at the farmer’s markets over the past few years I must have skipped over these. My adventurous food spirit tickled my fancy and I quickly grabbed up the only bag she had on the table.

Now with bean in hand what do I do? I’m learning that the best expert to ask in how to cook a farmer’s market item is the farmer who produced the product. So I asked for, and received, the producer’s choice for preparing my flat, green, bumpy, bean-looking thingy. That evening, I followed her suggestion and was wonderfully surprised. They are so yummy! Different from the standard green beans I get at the market, these have a nutty flavor. I’m glad it was a generous size bag. With Doug and I being empty-nesters, we will have several chances to enjoy this “Roma” green bean.

If you come across these beans at your farmer’s market, here is the simple recipe the producer gave me.

Roma green beans
Onion
Olive oil (I added a little butter)
Salt & pepper

Clean and snap the beans. In a pan, just cover the beans with water and set to boil. Cook until tender crisp (don’t overcook), drain, and set aside. In the pan sauté the onion in olive oil until tender. Add the beans, a little butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to sauté for a few minutes allowing the onion and olive oil to blend with the beans. Then serve. (Or if you are like me – start munching from the pan!)

Get on out to your farmer’s market and discover your “taste of place” this season!
Lisa J. Palmer, Coordinator

PS: for a list of Farmer’s Markets in the MRHA region, visit our website by clicking on the MRHA logo.

Terroir in the Mississippi River Hills?

Terroir (pronounced “tare-wahr”) is a French term that can be translated as “the taste of place.” It has been used for centuries in Europe to enhance appreciation for products based on the ecological and cultural characteristics of an area.

So what does terroir have to do with Missouri? In his book, American Terroir, Rowan Jacobsen describes this taste of place as “a partnership between person, plant, and environment to bring something unique into the world. The soil and climate set the conditions; the plants, animals, and fungi respond to them; and then people determine how to bring out the goodness of these foods and drinks.” Our great State of Missouri has several areas, mainly around the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, that have distinct soil and climate aspects which make the products grown in those areas different from products grown in other areas. Combine the distinct ecological aspects with the heritages of the regions and you have Missouri terroir.

The distinct ecological region of the Mississippi River Hills starts in the Imperial/Kimmswick area, where it travels down river to just south of Cape Girardeau, and stretches west to Farmington. Many of the region’s producer families have been farming the same piece of land for over 150 years. The Mississippi River Hills Association (MRHA) is a group of people who recognize these differences in their products, be it wine, tomatoes, or beef. During the 2011 growing season, you can experience the terroir of the Mississippi River Hills through a series of culinary experiences from dining among the vines of Cave Vineyards to enjoying the company of Miracle and Fiona at Connie Blechle’s Breezy Ridge Alpaca Farm.

The first of the 2011 Culinary Experiences – Summer Breeze – will be enjoyed under the grape vine arbor of Sainte Genevieve Winery, in downtown Sainte Genevieve, on the evening of June 18. Guest Chef Jason Evans and Winemaker Elaine Hoffmeister Mooney will be pairing the wines of Sainte Genevieve Winery with fresh lamb from Meier Horse Shoe Pines of Jackson; artisan goat cheese from Baetje Farms of Bloomsdale; fresh leaf lettuces from Show Me Fresh Farm of Cape Girardeau; and fresh vegetables from County Line Farms of St. Mary. A pre-dinner tasting of wines from The Barrens Winery, Chaumette Winery, Cave Vineyards, Hemman Winery, Tower Rock Winery, and Twin Oaks Winery will also be featured.

Fresh foods and artisan wines equal a great time. Seating is very limited for this event. Please visit the MRHA website at: www.MississippiRiverHills.org for additional information and for a schedule on the remaining 2011 Culinary Experiences.