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December 2, 2020

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"The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them... Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will."Michel de Montaigne

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Around the Farm

Pond Work and Chalkboards

Martin and James are using the limited daylight hours for getting the ponds done. The two that they've finished are holding water, which is an excellent sign of success. If the weather stays warm, our ambitious beavers will excavate two more shallow hollows, which they'll fill with water in the spring.
Watch for a descriptive video in the next Happenings.

More elms are being planted around the farm, with spruce trees coming in the spring. Instead of linear rows of windbreak trees, we're planting groupings to be more esthetic and to attract wildlife in a natural setting.

Martin has been reading about the benefits of ponds and trees. They make microclimates, drawing water from underground and creating a more humid climate above ground, which helps everything to grow and uses less irrigation.

There is a couple of additions to the décor of the store, too. When you walk in, you'll see two chalk boards with quotes written on them. Conversation pieces.

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Martin, The Angry Farmer

Socialism: Contempt For Rich and Poor Alike

Socialism is man's destructive counterfeit of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is contempt for God, our Creator.

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Harvest Haven Certified Beef

Conventional

Feedlot beef is a crime. I would say that it should be illegal, but I'm not interested in more government regulations. It should be universally boycotted instead. It is perhaps the most backwards of all agricultural practices. Let me explain.

Industrial poultry houses feed chemical GMO grain to crowded birds, industrial hog operations feed the same. But you see, these animals are omnivores like us. They have digestive tracts designed specifically for digesting large proportions of high energy and varied feedstuffs. Don't get me wrong, omnivores need low energy salads too, but they can't thrive on them, because they don't contain enough protein diversity to balance proper growth. We raise our birds on pasture because fresh greens are fantastic for birds, but the foundation of their diet is organic wheat and peas.

Now here is the crime. Cattle don't need grain to thrive. They have special bacteria in their stomach that can break down the protein in any green thing and rebuild whatever proteins they need for proper growth.

Why on earth are we denuding our topsoil with tillage to grow GMO corn so we can feed it to animals that would be much healthier and happier grazing a hillside without the stink of irresponsibly handled manure and diesel fuel fouling up the country air? Why not let them self-harvest and self-fertilize a crop that never needs cultivation or replanting?

Why does everyone stand idly by, complaining about the foul odour that blows in from these factory farms, while continuing to finance these environmental disasters with their grocery dollars? Especially when there is such a beautiful alternative.

If there were ever an area for shifting financial priorities, few decisions would have as large an impact on your health, your community, and your environment as switching out your feedlot beef for grass-fed beef. And let's not blame the farmers. There are many feedlot operators who would ditch the diesel and machinery bills for walking the pasture again if folks were willing to let their wallets speak on behalf of their noses.

Visit a farm and use your senses. If it's ugly or it smells unbearable, it's bad farming. And bad farming is bad for everybody.

I think we all know where conventional beef comes from. Need I say more?

Certified Organic

And don't think that because you're buying organic ground beef at Costco that you're getting feedlot free beef. Don't think that because it says organic, that the animals aren't being fed gross amounts of grain. Or that the farm isn't polluting local watersheds. Or that the neighbors don't plug their noses when the wind blows their way.

Harvest Haven Certified

Here's the Harvest Haven Certified guarantee. Whether our cows are on pasture for the growing season or in corrals for the winter, visiting our animals is a pleasure.

We are chemical-free and stink-free. We farm responsibly and beautifully.
Our grass feeds the cows, and the cows feed the grass. It's very simple.

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Fresh Harvest Haven Pastured Beef

We're sorry for the empty shelves in the beef section of the freezer. Demand has outstripped our supply. Good news, though.

Fresh Harvest Haven grass-fed beef will be in the store Friday, December 18th.

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Our Farm Favorites

Harvest Haven Beef Bone Broth - So good so many ways! Enjoy as a hot beverage, use to make delicious beef gravy, or use in your favorite soup.

Harvest Haven Cooking Onions - Pungent, savory bulbs that keep well all winter. Stock up now because you don't want to be without the best.

L'Ancetre Organic Extra Sharp Cheddar, 325 g – This lactose-free cheddar, made from organic unpasteurized milk, is aged for a minimum of 18 months. It has a distinctive, fairly strong nutty flavor with a fruity finish. A yellowish, slightly brittle cheese with a smooth, creamy, melting texture is a perfect addition to a cheese platter and makes a great grilled cheese sandwich.

Harvest Haven Beets – Sweet and tender, low in calories, and high in nutrients and fiber, this earthy root vegetable is great as a side dish, in a salad or soup. Roasting fresh beets brings out their sweet flavor.

Organic Salted Roasted Pistachios, 200 g – One of the world's oldest nuts, they are prized for their unique, slightly sweet flavor. Not only do pistachios taste great, but they are rich in beneficial nutrients. Their versatility means that you can eat pistachios alone as a snack, on top of a salad, mixed with dried fruits in trail mix, in baked goods, or as a crunchy coating for fish or meat.

Frozen Wild Saskatoon Berries – These wild saskatoons are hand-picked at the peak of ripeness. The sweet, nutty almond flavored berries are high in fibre, protein, and antioxidants. Sprinkle on your hot or cold cereal, bake in muffins, or make a special dessert. Truly a taste of the prairies.

Eat Wholesome Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 500 mL – This oil derived from coconuts has numerous positive effects on your health, such as boosting fat loss, heart health, and brain function. Eat Wholesome coconut oil is organic, raw, cold-pressed, unrefined, and unbleached. It can be used in cooking, baking, and even for skin and hair care.

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The Recipe Box

Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic.

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French Onion Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

For The Soup

1 bay leaf
6 sprigs fresh thyme
8 tbsp butter
3 lbs. Harvest Haven cooking onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
3/4 cup brandy
2 tbsp Port, Madeira or sweet Marsala
2 cups dry white wine
8 cups Harvest Haven beef bone broth
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

For The Grilled Cheese
1 tbsp butter, plus more for the bread, room temperature
4 slices white sandwich bread
Dijon mustard, for spreading (optional)
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar

Make The Soup

Make a bouquet garni by tying the bay leaf and thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine (or skip this step and just throw the herbs directly into the pot with the onions in step 2, though you'll have to fish them out later).

In a large heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the onions and bouquet garni and cover the pot. Cook for 30 minutes, then uncover the pot and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, sautéing, until the onions are caramelized and golden, 25 to 35 minutes longer. If the onions start to burn, reduce the heat. You are looking for soft, evenly golden onions without dark brown spots.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt, the brandy and Port (be careful, it may flame up). Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, three to five minutes. Remove ? cup of the cooked onions and reserve it for the sandwiches.

Stir the wine, beef bone broth, and pepper into the soup pot. Simmer for one hour, skimming off any large pockets of foam that form from time to time. Remove the bouquet garni or loose herbs, taste the soup and add one more teaspoon salt, or to taste (this will depend on how salty your stock was to start).

Make The Grilled Cheese

In the last 10 minutes of the soup's cooking time, butter both sides of each slice of bread. Then, if you are using it, spread the mustard over the butter on one side of each slice. Heap half of the reserved onions, and then half of the cheddar, on the mustard side of 2 bread pieces. Top with the remaining 2 pieces of bread (mustard side facing the cheese) and press down firmly with a spatula. The plain buttered sides should be on the outside of the sandwiches.

Heat the one tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter is hot, place both sandwiches in the skillet, cover and cook for three to four minutes, until the underside is golden. Flip them over and cook the other side for about another three minutes, until the bread is golden and the cheese is molten.

To serve, ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle each serving with parsley. Cut the sandwiches in fourths and serve them alongside the soup for dunking, or float the sandwiches on top of the soup.

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Honey Roasted Beets with Pistachios

1 lb Harvest Haven beets, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp Harvest Haven honey
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Wash, peel, and slice beets 1/4-inch thick.

Place the sliced beets in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the honey and melted butter. Mix to combine.

Put the sliced beets on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Test doneness with a fork. Bake an additional 5 minutes if needed.

Remove the beets and add them to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and serve.

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Wild Saskatoon Berry Crumble

Filling
4 cups wild Saskatoon berries
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cornstarch

Topping
3/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Start preparing the filling by adding 4 cups of Saskatoon berries to a 9" square baking dish along with 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Combine sugar with cornstarch and stir into the Saskatoon berries. Spread evenly to form a uniform layer.

Chop almonds roughly.

Prepare the topping by combining all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Melt coconut oil in a small sauce pan. Drizzle into the topping mixture, stirring to combine.

Sprinkle topping onto the Saskatoon berries, forming an even layer.

Put the Wild Saskatoon Berry Crumble into the oven the bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.

Remove from the oven to cool slightly for 15 minutes before serving.

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Down on the Farm

COVID-19: The Single Most Insidious Political Concoction in Human History

People have been asking about our position on Covid-19. Martin has "a few" things to say about it. Politically correct? Martin? You decide.

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