Whispering Springs Farm

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If you’ve tasted the goat chèvre on our menu, you know first-hand the incredible product being churned at Whispering Springs Farm.  The 90 acre farmstead is located in Montpelier, VA (just 5 minutes up the road from our packing facility), and is home to 5 goats, 10 chickens, more than a dozen cows, a handful of horses, and some honey producing bee-hives. The farm is managed daily by Stacey, her husband Steve, and their two children.
Whispering Springs Farm, as a business, was born on accident. Stacey was simply looking for a solution to her children’s lactose intolerance (goat milk is much more easily digested by folks with lactose sensitivities.) She quickly acquired 4 dairy goats, and she started milking for her family’s personal consumption. She tried her hand at cheese, yogurt, ice-cream and used any surplus to create goat milk soap.  In 2013 Stacey gave her family and friends goat-milk soap as gifts.  After trying it, they were hooked and her friends started requesting goat-milk soap on a regular basis. The business was born to meet demand.
Stacey is no stranger to the kitchen – she also works as a personal chef.  She has perfected the 24 hour goat chèvre process, the 30 day goat feta aging cycle, and is excited to bring hard cheeses to Seasonal Roots Members later this season. Goat cheese is a regular part of Stacey’s own diet. She often uses it in place of cream cheese and even makes a goat-cheese cheesecake that is a favorite of her family.
While Stacey loves farmers markets, using them as an outlet for her farm’s products just doesn’t work for her. Spending her entire weekend working at a market takes away from time that could be better spent at the farm and with her family.  Stacey said that Seasonal Roots has been really beneficial for her farm and her family’s operations.  She wants her customers (you!) to know that your farmers are people too, and that her animals are part of the team. So, next time you dig into your local goat chèvre, know that it was hand-crafted with love by Stacey using milk from her team: Sheba, Louisa, Reva, Ruby and Coco.

How Fresh is My Basket?

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As some of our observant Members have noted, we dropped the “48 hours” component of our Dirt to Doorstep tagline when we released our new Seasonal Roots brand this season. Have no fear though, we haven’t dropped our commitment to delivering you local food, fresh out of the ground.
Much of our produce continues to be delivered just 48 hours after harvesting.  Our farmers harvest their crops on Monday afternoons and Tuesday mornings and deliver it to our packing facility on Tuesday afternoons.  Then, we pack our Members customized orders and send them out on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.  We pride ourselves on freshness, and we know that our Members can taste the difference.  The produce our Members receive has more nutrients, a smaller carbon footprint, and better taste than what you can find in grocery stores. That being said, some produce simply can’t be delivered to you that quickly.  For example, sweet potatoes have to be “cured” for a couple of weeks before we can send them out.  They’re still local of course, but they wouldn’t taste very good after just 48 hours.  Store bought sweet potatoes can sit on shelves for months before they reach you.  We turn them around much quicker than that (proof of which be seen when their sweet juices burst out of the skins when they’re baked.)  But, 48 hours just isn’t possible or accurate!
This season we changed a lot of things about our company, our name (now Seasonal Roots), and logo (it’s much more modern), and our processes (you can customize for free!).  We haven’t changed in a lot of ways though.  We’re still the same local team based in and around Richmond, VA.  We’re still committed to supporting local farmers and artisans, year-round. We still offer free delivery. And of course, we still deliver local and fresh food to your doorstep, and yes, it’s usually only been out of the ground 48 hours!

The Farm at Windy Meadow

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This week’s ground beef is courtesy of The Farm at Windy Meadow. Located in Powhatan Virginia, Jeanna and her husband Cal have developed their diversified operations within a compact 11.5 acres.  The farm is home to a few cows and horses as well as about 50 chickens. Last season, Windy Meadow’s fresh eggs and some of their hot peppers made it on our menu, and we’re excited to have their latest addition to our online farmers market.
Jeanna and Cal weren’t raised on farms, but both of their grandparents were farmers, and it’s clear that the passion for the craft is in their blood. The pair abandoned their suburban lifestyle in favor of the farm-life, and now there is no turning back. Luckily in Powhatan and the surrounding counties, there is a strong farming community, so Jeanna and Cal have been able to learn the art of farming from local folks who have been doing it for years.  Jeanna makes an effort to model their operations after the generations who preceded them. These “old-school” farmers take better care, slow-down, and refuse to condone waste.  This philosophy shines through the farm’s daily operations. For example, in the chicken pasture, there is both an orchard and a compost pile, all of which the chickens help to process.  This ensures that any apple that falls off a tree too soon is happily gobbled up and not wasted. The pair takes pride is taking incredible care of the animals they raise. When we spoke to Jeanna, she said that they see all of their animals at least three times a day, and they get touched and showed kindness each and every day. Even though Jeanna says they have a self-imposed curfew for when they have to be home (they have chickens to coop!), it’s a really great life to live.
Jeanna loves growing her own food, and luckily for her she has always had a green thumb. Now that they have the land to be self-sustaining, most of what they eat is grown right in their own backyard.  Jeanna cans, preserves, and dehydrates so that they can avoid waste and enjoy their food year-round. This season, Jeanna is preparing to grow Thai Chocolate Chilis for Seasonal Roots, stay tuned to reap the benefits of her green thumb!

Can’t I Buy the Same Food for Less at the Grocery Store?

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The short answer is no. Of course you can buy produce at the large grocery stores but the value of what you are receiving is not comparable. In fact, you cannot find the same quality, or even the same variety, of food that we deliver in any grocery store. Seasonal Roots is an online farmers market, which means that we bring you the same local food that you’d find on a Saturday stroll between the booths of various farmers and vendors, without you ever having to leave your house.  Sustainably grown and delivered fresh with a tiny carbon footprint makes our food different, and if we do say so ourselves – better.

We design the contents of the three baskets based on what our farmers and vendors have in season, in an effort to offer a consistent outlet for the crops they are harvesting in a given week.  We understand that you may not fancy every seasonal item in each basket, so we’ve expanded our list of “swaps” so that you can customize your basket to your heart’s content. Then, our ever-growing list of extras usually consists of items that our farmers have less of.  Our extras are intended to be a “bonus” to be added to your basket, and as such we offer them at quite the bargain. For example, our local eggs?  Just $5 for a dozen pasture raised eggs is better than you can find in any store! Plus, they’re delivered to your doorstep.  Or how about one of our kale or collard greens bunches?  They’re huge, and for just a few extra dollars you’ve got the makings for kale-chips or savory-collards galore.  When it comes to the value that Seasonal Roots delivers, the quality of the food we send you is of utmost importance.  In our opinion, the fresher the better.  You can taste the difference.

Tips for Perking Up and Preserving Your Deliveries

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It’s delivery day, and in your box you have anywhere from 4-12 basket items plus any extras you’ve decided to add to your order. What now? How do you make sure none of your items go to waste?  Follow these easy tips, and you’ll be all set for long-lasting local fare!

1)    If you’ve added any baked goods to your order, pop them in the fridge if you’ll use them in the next few days, or in the freezer if it will be a while.  Unlike store-bought items, our baked goods don’t have preservatives – which means they don’t last on the counter for more than a couple of days.

2)    Wait until right before use to give your produce a good scrub. If you wash items and then try to store them in the fridge, they perish quickly.

3)    Respect nature’s texture rules. Apples, tomatoes, potatoes, and mature onions (not spring or baby Vidalia onions) can all stay on the counter.  In fact if you refrigerate tomatoes, they don’t taste quite as good!

4)    Give them space. You don’t like to be over-crowded do you? Neither do your fruits and vegetables! Store produce loosely, in open plastic or paper bags, and opt for the crisper drawer. If you pack too much in one confined space or bag, they’ll spoil more quickly.

5)     Don’t get too over-zealous in the prep-work department.  When possible, wait to slice and dice until it’s time to eat.  Food lasts longer when it’s intact.  That doesn’t mean to toss left-overs though, so make sure to store those in an air-tight container.

6)    Buy local. Hey look, you can check this one off the list!  Buying local food means that the food reaches you when it’s fresher.  This gives you a head start because it hasn’t spent days traveling before it reaches you.

Jolly Roasters Coffee Co.

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In the wake of Daylight Savings Time, we’re finding ourselves more in need than ever of a strong cup of coffee or two.  Luckily, our newest artisan has just the fix.  Jolly Roasters Coffee Co. is a local, veteran owned coffee roaster based in Virginia Beach.  Casey and Brenda Jolly have been drinking coffee together since they met in college, but it was when they were stationed in Japan that their love for local coffee roasters truly blossomed.  They began roasting coffee beans on their stovetop at home, which eventually led to the founding of Jolly Roasters in early 2015 not long after the couple returned to the U.S.

Jolly Roasters strives to craft the perfect cup of coffee, and each day they try to improve upon their technique.  The beans found in most store-bought coffee have been scorched, causing the beans to lose much of their natural flavor.  Jolly Roasters handles things differently.  First, they take care to know where their beans are grown, and that they’re sourced responsibly.  Then, they expertly roast the beans to enhance the unique flavor of each bean variety. The rest?  That takes place in YOUR kitchen, where you’ll grind the whole beans and brew your perfect pick-me-up.  This week’s menu will feature two types of freshly roasted whole coffee beans, in 12 oz bags.  In the meantime, check out Jolly Roasters’ website and social media pages for an even better sneak peek into the local roasting process!

New to grinding your own beans?  Not a problem! The Jolly duo says that any type of grinder will do, but “our favorite entry level grinder is the Encore Baratza.”

Wait, Citrus Isn’t Local

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Don’t worry, we’re not trying to fool you into believing we source citrus within 150 miles.  Citrus doesn’t grow in Virginia at all and it’s one of the crops that will never be in season here.  Because so many of you love citrus, we want you to have access to it, while still sourcing from as close to our food hub as possible.

When most folks think of their favorite citrus fruits, they associate them with warm weather.  If that includes you, you’re right… and wrong.  The closest citrus we have access to is in Florida which of course is much warmer than here, but peak citrus season is actually in the winter!  That’s why the citrus in the recent baskets has been so delicious.

Keep in mind that we haven’t thrown all local loyalty to the wind.  Luckily for us, one of our local farms has a sister farm in Florida called Unity Groves. We purchase our citrus from the local sister farm to continue supporting local, while not depriving you of the juicy citrus you love.  Rest assured, both farms are fully committed to safe and sustainable farming practices, which is something we will never compromise on.  Of course if you have questions about where your food is coming from, let us know!  As always, fresh and local food delivered to your doorstep is our priority.

Flavorful Food

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All vegetables are created equally right?  Not quite.  If you’ve ever had the opportunity to travel abroad, particularly to some of the Mediterranean countries, you’ve probably realized that Americans are missing out on some amazingly flavorful produce.  For example, Italians honor the tomato, and dress them up with just a bit of cheese and basil because the tomato varieties they grow are incredibly flavorful without much preparation. That’s because Europeans prioritize flavor when it comes to the types of food they grow, and they won’t settle for anything less.

In America, the country of efficiency, we’ve evolved to make our farmers yield focused.  If a farmer has a variety of tomato he’d like to sell, the first question is typically how profitable it is.  “What’s the shelf life?  Is it resistant to disease?  Is it big?”  But rarely, “How does it taste?”

That’s where Seasonal Roots comes in.  We partner with local farmers who are bringing real flavor back into our food.  They’re growing delicious heirloom varieties of produce, and focusing on quality over quantity.  That’s why just last season we were able to offer 19 varieties of tomato!  Plus, we make the deal even sweeter.  Our farmers let produce ripen on the vine (or on the tree), just like nature intended and then we rush it to your doorstep, straight from the farm. Produce that’s harvested when ripe is packed with flavor and nutrients in an artful way that’s been lost in much of American agriculture.  So let’s get back to real food, with real taste, in a really convenient way.

Want to learn more about how culture impacts flavor across the pond?  Check out this article http://www.vox.com/2016/2/12/10972140/fruits-vegetables-taste-better-europe.

What’s the Scoop on Seasonal Roots?

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We had 5 wonderful seasons as Farm Table, but as we learned more about our Members we realized we were keeping them from the very thing they want from an online farmers market – customization.

So here we are, on the precipice of our 6th season, re-branded as Seasonal Roots and we’re redesigning our ordering process from the ground up. We’ve doubled our efforts to get to know our Members – and potential Members – and we’re designing new software that will be much more user friendly.  Our mission is to create a personalized online farmers market that’s convenient for you.

What does that look like, you ask?  When you enter the marketplace, you’ll be presented with a basket of local produce that we think you’ll love.  Then, Members have the option to customize their basket to their exact specifications (in accordance with what’s in season of course!) Baskets are available in small (4 choices), medium (8 choices), and large (12 choices.)  That’s not all though, Members can build their basket as big as they’d like by adding extras – additional produce, meat, dairy, eggs or baked goods.  Then, we box it all up and deliver it for free, that’s one thing we won’t be changing (phew!).

Basket Prices for Members will be:

Small Basket – $19

Medium Basket – $34

Large Basket – $40

*Members are eligible for these basket prices after paying their Annual Membership Fee which is $50 the first year, and then $35 each year after that.

Soon, we’ll also have the option to check out as a guest, but guest shoppers be warned … customizing is one of the privileges reserved for Members!  Stay tuned for these changes in action – we can’t wait!