Phyllis's Gingerbread Cake {Recipe}

It's young ginger season again at Swainway Urban Farm! We love growing this beautiful tropical plant and enjoying the mild, clean flavor of the young ginger.

Last year some time, my mom mentioned my Grandma Phyllis's ginger bread recipe. We didn't eat it much growing up so I adapted it with our fresh young ginger and whole ingredients to try. Here's a cake I can love!

I've made this dark, molasses-sweetened cake several times since, including at a recent Seasoned Farmhouse class. Everyone enjoyed the simple, rich flavors.

This gingerbread easy to make, requiring no stand mixer and few dishes. Freshly whipped cream lightens and smooths the rich flavors. Try this recipe for the holidays or any time you want a special autumnal treat.

Grandma Phyllis's Gingerbread Cake

Makes: 8x8" cake, approximately 9 servings Time: 45 minutes

1/4 cup unsalted butter + extra for greasing pan 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1 egg 1 small thumb young ginger, grated 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup hot water Whipped cream, sweetened and flavored to your liking, optional but highly recommended.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Butter an 8x8 glass baking pan and set aside. 3. Melt butter in small sauce pan, allow to cool slightly. 4. Transfer butter to a medium bowl. Add sugar, molasses, egg, and ginger and whisk together until smooth. 5. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Meanwhile, heat water. 6. Alternately add flour mixture and hot water to butter mixture, stirring until smooth after each addition. 7. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until cake tester inserted in middle comes clean. Allow to cool before serving with freshly whipped cream.

Ginger Raw Honey Syrup {Recipe}

It's baby ginger season again!

Swainway Urban Farm is harvesting several dozen pounds of Hawaiian baby ginger each week. Unlike the grocery store stuff, fresh young ginger doesn't need to be peeled and has a pleasant crisp texture when raw. The flavor is complex and well-rounded with an alluring floral aroma.

I enjoy chopped pieces raw in stir fry or soup. A savored slice settles the stomach while making me feel alert*. Sadly, fresh ginger doesn't last long (though you can freeze it) and some members of my family don't like it raw.

So what else can I do to enjoy the delicate aroma and mild flavor? How about syrup?

I started by making a very strong tea of simmered roughly chopped pieces (including the stems and roots). To sweeten, I added raw local honey, a healthy, immune-boosting sugar*, after the tea cooled.

The resulting ginger raw honey syrup is the best thing I've made in months. It is sweet, flowery, and soothing. I 'prescribed' a shot in tea to Alex when he was complaining of an upset stomach*. Combined with soda water, the syrup makes top-notch ginger ale. And I can attest it pairs well with rum and whiskey.

I estimate this syrup will last in the fridge for at least a month. I'll report back on experiments with canning and fermenting some to further extend the shelf life through the winter cold and flu season.

In the meantime, find some baby ginger at the Clintonville Farmers' Market and make this healthful* and tasty syrup for yourself.

Ginger Raw Honey Syrup

Makes: 3-4 cups Time: 45 minutes

2 cups scrubbed fresh baby ginger, chopped 4 cups water 3/4-1 1/2 cups raw local honey, to taste

1. Gently simmer ginger and water in a heavy bottomed pan for 30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. 2. Pour ginger tea through a strainer to discard ginger pieces. 3. Add honey and stir vigorously. 4. Store in the refrigerator. Use as a base for ginger ale, cocktail mixer, addition to hot tea, or sip as a health tonic*.

*Health-related statements have not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration, who is shutdown and can't approve anything right now. Cultures around the world have eaten ginger and honey in various forms to treat a multitude of symptoms so I defer to their wisdom and my personal experience.

Sharing Our Space

Harmonious Homestead was settled by generations of creatures and people before us. If we steward it well, our land will provide for many future families. Put in a historical perspective, "our" land only belongs to us for a moment and is acted upon by many other creatures while we're here.

And that's why we share it with sustainably-minded folks who want to help this space reach its potential.

Eve, whom Rachel met through a parenting group years ago, located a top-bar hive of bees here in the spring. The are thriving, visibly pollinating the vegetable plants and ground-covering clover. If she visits when we're here, she answers our questions about beekeeping and shares in our wonder about all the aspects of the life of bees we can't know.

Joseph and Jen, the growers of Swainway Urban Farm, had a few excess seedlings needing a place to put down roots in June. We offered up our front yard which Joseph tilled and planted in six sixty-foot rows, seen below just after planting. The 'Swainway Annex', as we're calling it, is growing food where there once was grass. We intended to experiment with dry farming two rows of tomatoes but the weather (a rather fickle homesteading partner) had other ideas and the rows are flooded at the moment. Hopefully the sun will dry up the water and ripen the fruit soon.

Our families contribute moral support, creative and hard-working ethics, and occasional planting and harvesting help. Shawn and Gerry at City Folk's Farm Shop provide materials, hoop house help, and a venue for classes. Friends bring good cheer when they cavort in the natural playground and admire the chickens. Neighbors support us with inspiration, watchfulness and gifts of their excess.

We always envisioned a communal homestead. When we work together like Eve's bees, we learn, find joy, and reap rewards that would not be possible if we toiled alone.

We want to share our space with you too. Please come see the goings-on at 1224 E Cooke Rd Columbus Ohio 43224 this Saturday, July 13, from 3-5 pm.

Five Reasons to Join a CSA & Four Recommendations {Friday Five}

I appear to be cursed by evil computer spirits - my brand new laptop, to replace a laptop that died in November, stopped functioning this week. I was prepared to write about our first venison, food not lawns, and winter chickens this week. Instead, because I am sharing time on the family computer, you get a (relatively) quick and dirty post. Be back soon...I hope?

The CSA (Community Support Agriculture) model is one that most people shopping the farmers' are familiar with: for an annual price paid to the farmer, you pick up a weekly share of the harvest. Though it may seem early to think about summer tomatoes, farmers are pouring over seed catalogs and CSAs are already filling.

Five Reasons to Join a CSA

1) CSA shares include the cream of the crop. Farmers truly want to satisfy their customers and usually choose the best produce for their loyal CSA customers. You'll get the freshest picked, highest quality selection every week.

2) No worries about selling out or cash. Thanks to growing demand for local foods, many farmers sell out of their most popular items. A CSA guarantees you the primo vegetables without concern about the timing of pickup or having enough cash to make your purchases. Sleep in - your CSA share will be available.

3) Healthier eating. It's harder to throw away a vegetable that's languished when you've seen the farmers' well-worn hands and noticed their sleepy eyes. You feel obliged to eat or preserve the food more than when you buy anonymously-raised produce at the grocery. Usually, this results in incorporating more vegetables into your diet, which is always beneficial.

4) The varied selection is a culinary challenge. Because CSA farmers know they must have something to share every week, they plant a wide variety of crops. If there wasn't enough rain in a given week for fat peas, the share will include daikon radishes. For a curious eater or experienced cook, this mystery bag of ingredients is a way to expand your cooking methods and palate, all while appreciating the challenges nature throws at farmers. There are no meal planning ruts for CSA shareholders because every week contains a new variety of vegetables.

5) A CSA purchase provides valuable stability to an otherwise manic business. The farmers I know are truly working for a love of earth and good food, not a love of money. The cost of land, equipment, labor, soil, and seeds is barely enough to allow for a modest income, and what does come in is usually highly seasonal. Operating a CSA allows farmers to earn income when they most need it in the beginning of the season for start-up costs and provides a guarantee that some or most of their produce will go to willing customers.

Central Ohio 2013 CSA Recommendations

Sippel Family Farm - I bought produce from Ben and Lisa all summer last year and their food is top notch. All grown on their farm, the vegetables and fruit (apples!) are produced without synthetic chemicals through smart seed selection, crop rotation, use of compost, and meticulous labor. They offer a full share for $680 (can be split into five payments) and pickup locations in Clintonville, Worthington, Westerville or the farm. You can see a bit of the farm in my Kokoborrego Cheese Tour.

 Bird's Haven Farms - Located in Granville, Ohio, Bird's Haven is run by a family of well-educated young farmers backed by the experience of their parents. Bryn and Lee, brother and sister, grow everything they sell (ask farmers about this - some supplement with auction produce) using sustainable practices like high tunnels, hand-weeding, compost, and physical weed suppression. Their CSA offers a stunning array of options from a small 11-week share of produce for $208.55 to a 'little bit more' full 21-week share for $550.96 with coffee, bread, eggs, cheese, meat, and grains optional add-on from other local businesses. Pickups are available in Granville, Bexley, Westerville, New Albany, or The Limited offices. Last year I picked the best strawberries of the season at Bird's Haven and am still hoarding their berries I froze.

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm - In a twist of the CSA concept, Sunny Meadows offers a frequent buyer card. For $120, you get 11 $12 bouquets good at any market. This flexible system offers the same stability to growers Gretel and Steve but with more wiggle room for those who don't want to commit to a weekly pickup. Their beautiful, heirloom-variety flowers are grown sustainably in south central Ohio. They're offering a gift bag of Gretel's soap and herbal tea to those who purchase before markets open in April!

Swainway Urban Farm - This list would be incomplete without the farm I work with. We offer organic mushrooms and microgreens year-round with select field vegetables grown in Clintonville. Our winter CSA is already in full swing and not accepting new subscribers. We are working on a summer offering that will appeal to those who like to sleep in on Saturday mornings, as our mushrooms usually sell out within the first two hours. Here's my Swainway tour from 2011.

Have I convinced you to shop around for CSAs? Or are you already a subscriber?

Learn With Me - Winter Classes 2013

After a hiatus from teaching to work on unpacking at our new home, I am excited to begin offering classes again. This winter I will teach hands-on cooking classes at Franklin Park Conservatory, homesteading discussions at City Folk's Farm Shop, demonstrations at the Clintonville Farmers' Market, and a workshop at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association annual conference. I am also partnering with Joseph of Swainway Urban Farm to offer a season extension workshop at our homestead. One of the reasons I love leading classes is that I learn as much from the participants as I teach. I hope we can share knowledge soon.

Be well,

Rachel

PS. I am thrilled to announce that next season, beginning in April, I will join the teaching staff of soon-to-open The Seasoned Farmhouse cooking school by Tricia Wheeler, publisher of Edible Columbus. Stay tuned for spring class announcements!

Franklin Park Conservatory - $30/members, $35 non-members. To register, visit the Conservatory at 1777 E Broad St, call 614.715.8022 or download a registration form here.

Dairy Delights - January 27 3:30 - 5:30 - A whole world of dairy products can emerge from a gallon of milk or bit of cream. Learn how to turn the basics into cheese, yogurt, kefir, butter, and whipped cream at home. The skills learned in this class can help you transform less-than-fresh dairy into something edible, make a recipe ingredient without going to the store, and have more fun in the kitchen.

Citrus Year-Round - February 24 3:30 - 5:30 - Do more with the fruit of Florida - put up the citrus jewels of winter to savor their tart sunny flavor throughout the seasons. We’ll make and taste lemon confit, candied grapefruit, marmalade, and homemade orange liqueur in this cheery class.

Potent Potables - March 24 3:30 - 5:30 - Beer, wine, hard cider, and mead are all within the grasp of the home cook. In this class we’ll taste samples and talk about ingredient sourcing, measurement, and bottling. Then, each participant will make a small batch of cider or mead to ferment at home.

City Folk's Farm Shop -  $20/person. To register, stop in the store at 4760 N High St. Columbus OH 43214, call 946-5553, or email shopkeeper Shawn.

Edible Medicine - January 24 6-8 pm - Not only can food keep our body healthy, it can help support healing. Learn simple, scientifically-based remedies for winter colds, skin ailments, and more.

Fats - February 21 6-8 pm - The variety of cooking fats is enormous. Learn about how to make and use natural and local fats in your home cooking and when to use butter, lard, and oils. We’ll compare the various health factors in using different fats too.

Odds and Ends - March 23 6-8 pm - Great chefs and thrifty home cooks know how to make the most of stems, bones, roots, and other frequently discarded bits of produce and meat. I will show you how I include odds and ends in her everyday cooking and preserving.

Clintonville Farmers' Market - free drop-in demonstrations 10:30 - 12:30 at St. James Episcopal Church at Oakland Park and Calumet in Clintonville

Jerky - January 26 - Turn local meats into healthy protein-packed bites by making jerky at home.

Fats - February 23 - Make and sample culinary fats from local sources and learn about the health benefits of using natural fats in your cooking.

Odd Cuts - March 30 - Learn how to cook and preserve unusual (but inexpensive) cuts of meat like flank steak, heart, and offal.

Special Events:

Cooking with Cultures: harnessing the power of yeast and bacteria to ferment foods - OEFFA Conference Sunday February 17 1:30 - 2:30 pm - Fermented foods and beverages like kefir, beer, sauerkraut, vinegar, and pickles are not only nutritious and delicious but can connect the cook with local foods and ancient traditions. In this demonstration workshop, I will show how to start or expand making fermented foods and home and share samples. Included with conference registration.

Hoophouse Build and Season Extension Workshop - March 3 10 am - 2 pm. $25 includes locally-sourced lunch sponsored by City Folk's Farm Shop. Register at City Folk's Farm Shop 4760 N High St., by calling 614-946-5553 or emailing shopkeeper Shawn.

Join Joseph Swain of Swainway Urban Farm and the Tayse Baillieul family for a hands-on season extension workshop and hoophouse build. With the addition of a simple hoophouse which can cost around $300, home gardeners in Central Ohio can extend the growing season from early spring to late fall and right on through the winter months. A hoophouse can also provide a warm space to harden seedlings and get a jump on summer crops. In this session participants will construct a hoophouse while learning best practices on growing food for themselves year round. Hoophouse hardware and supplies will be available for purchase at City Folks Farm Store. The workshop will take place at our homestead in north central Columbus.

Buy Local Plants! Swaps and Sales {Friday Five}

Some say the soil is the key to a successful garden while others say the sun. I believe that quality seedlings make a huge difference between gardens that produce strong crops and those that falter.

The healthiest seedlings are raised locally by savvy growers. Seedlings at 'big box' stores are often stressed from lack of care and long transport distances. Small, local farmers and gardeners, on the other hand, baby their seedlings to keep them strong and disease free.

Fortunately for Columbus gardeners, local seedling sources are plentiful. If you are still looking for seedlings and/or have some extras to share, hit up one of these plant swaps and sales:

1. Chadwick Garden Plant Sale -  Friday, May 11, 7 am - 7 pm (Auction begins at 11am) and Saturday, May 12, 8 am - 3 pm (Auction begins at 11am) on the grounds of the Ohio 4-H Center located just east of 315 on the OSU campus at Lane Avenue and Fred Taylor Drive.

2. Worthington Plant Fest 9 am - 4 pm Saturday May 12 at the Village Green, corner of Rt. 161 and High Street (Rt. 23). I'll be here selling Swainway Urban Farm organic seedlings!

3. City Folk's Farm Shop Seedling Swap - 9 am - 5 pm Saturday May 19. Bring your labelled seedlings to City Folk's Farm Shop at 4760 N High St Columbus OH 43214 to swap with other growers.

4. Como Yarden Heirloom Plant Sale - 11 am - 4 pm Saturday May 19. Fantastic culinary varieties grown in organic Ohio soil.

5. Central Ohio Plant Swap - 10 am Saturday May 19 at Shelter A - Aspen (formally called #5), Hilliard Municipal Park, Hilliard, Ohio. Details on the gardenweb page.

Farmers' Market Fresh - How to Store & Preserve Produce

Choosing delicious seasonal fruits and vegetables from farmers' markets and CSAs is an investment of time and money, a commitment that keeps dollars in the local economy, supports sustainable agriculture, and helps people have a healthy diet. There is much to learn about what's available when and who to buy it from. I recently contributed 'How to Shop A Farmer's Market Like a Pro' guide on Once a Month Mom with my top tips for feeling comfortable at farmers' markets.

The dedication to local food doesn't stop at the farmers' market or CSA pick up. Once the hand-picked produce is home, cooks want to use the fruits and vegetables to their full potential without waste.

Farmers' Market Fresh

Sensing a need, I created Farmers' Market Fresh, a guide to storing and preserving Midwestern seasonal produce. My one-page chart details how to keep fruits and vegetables freshest, how long you can expect them to last, and suggestions for long-term preservation.

Click on the icons in the top right to expand Farmer's Market Fresh on your screen. If you want a print copy (how exciting to think this might end up on someone's fridge!) download the seasonal produce guide as a printable .pdf.

Will you use the Farmers' Market Fresh guide? How do you get the most out of farm fresh produce?

PS. My farmers' market (Clintonville) starts tomorrow from 9 am to noon! I am so excited to be selling seedlings, microgreens, and mushrooms with Swainway Urban Farm. Stop by our booth at Dunedin and High (on the side of Global Gallery coffee shop) and say hello.

Want to Buy the Homestead? And Other Updates

Homestead for Sale

We are finally putting our Clintonville house on the market very soon. In the meantime, life is a blur of paint and trim and organization.

The new buyers of the hound homestead will move into a home complete with:

• two rainbarrels
• seven fruit trees
• dozen perennial edibles
• seven raised beds with organic soil
• compost bin
• wood stove and what's left of the ash wood pile
• kitchen designed for serious cooking and canning
• new insulated windows and doors
• two car garage with built in workbench

If you are in the market for a house and want to choose finishes like paint and a little bit of flooring, let's talk ASAP.

In Other News

In addition to my role as chief house stager, I am working with three social media clients: City Folk's Farm Shop, OCS Logistics, and C-PAP Central Online. It is exciting to guide small businesses in the world wide web.

I also accepted a role with Swainway Urban Farm to assist at farmer's markets. Our first date is the Clintonville Sprout Swap on April 28! I am a huge fan of Joseph's growing philosophy and can't wait to help him share organic seedlings, produce, and mushrooms with the Clintonville and New Albany market shoppers.

As if life couldn't be more busy, we decided on our last trip (this past weekend to Indianapolis) to start a family travel blog. Lil will take videos, Alex contribute quick posts on the road, and I'll manage the whole thing. Check out Curious Wanderlust for our very first updates.

Thanks for hanging in with the website updates during the hosting transition. I'm in the process of transferring to a new-new host with the old-new theme and everything will look normal again soon.