Farmstead Ferments

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We’re so excited to continually expand our market to include some of the best locally crafted artisan products we’ve tasted. In the case of Farmstead Ferments (FF), based in Charlottesville, it was love at first taste.
Fermenting foods is one of the oldest methods of food preservation and is still quite pervasive in other cultures (with pickles and sauerkraut being two of the commonly fermented foods here in the U.S.) Fermented foods are foods that have been transformed by yeasts, bacteria, and fungi. Dawn at FF admits that this might sound a little gross, but says the key to a successful fermentation is to create the proper environmental conditions that encourage good bacteria to grow and proliferate but where bad bacteria can’t survive. While bacteria has gotten a bit of a bad reputation, good bacteria (and the vast majority of bacteria) is crucial for overall health, especially when it comes to digestion.
Farmstead Ferment’s products begin with fresh local crops, most of which they grow themselves. Anything they don’t grow they source from neighboring local farms – talk about supporting local through and through right? Then, they shred the vegetables, massage them, and let them sit in their own brine and salt until they’re properly fermented. That means the end product is full of good bacteria, aka probiotics, and incredibly safe and healthy. So far, we have featured Farmstead Ferment’s Winter Roots Kraut, Thai Chili Lemongrass Kraut, Kimchi, and water kefir soda, but they make all sorts of seasonal ferments that you can look forward to on upcoming menus!If you’re not a fan of traditional store bought sauerkraut, prepare to be converted! Farmstead Ferments takes traditional fermenting techniques, local food, and seasonal flavors to create authentic krauts that are incredibly versatile in the kitchen. While most folks think that they need to plan a bratwurst night when they order kraut, Dawn insists that it’s much more versatile than that! She eats her products on everything from salads, to eggs, to meat in the slow cooker. “Just put it on the plate” she insists! Dawn feels so rewarded when she hears about how much folks love her products, and she can’t wait for Seasonal Roots customers to have access to her products. Let us know what you think!

MTO Kombucha

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Kombucha, pronounced (kawm-boo-chah), has gained popularity recently, but people have been reaping the benefits of the fermented tea for nearly 2,000 years! MTO Kombucha (MTOK) was founded by Ralph Crafts, who home-brewed kombucha because of the health benefits. He was so impressed by the improvement in the health of his wife, friends, and neighbors, that he expanded his efforts to create a business. MTOK’s mission is to help people stay healthy and/or become healthier. The company is based in Vint Hill, Virginia and hand brews their products using the highest quality ingredients available and traditional fermenting techniques to ensure that all of their consumers receive a high-quality, delicious and healthy beverage.
The secret? MTOK begins each brew with organic black tea, non-GMO cane sugar, and a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY.) After allowing each batch of kombucha to ferment for 2-4 weeks, the end result is a living, raw, vegan, gluten-free, and naturally carbonated tea. Even though sugar and caffeine are essential for beginning the brewing process, the end product is naturally low in both because the microorganisms in the SCOBY gobble up the sugar and caffeine during the fermentation process. Plus, the final product has probiotics and healthy acids galore which help to balance the digestive system. So, why should you give it a try? According to the Journal of Medicinal Food, “it is shown that kombucha can efficiently act in health preservation and recovery due to four main properties: detoxification, anti-oxidation, energizing potencies, and promotion of boosting immunity.” Translation? Kombucha can make you feel better, look better, and give you more energy. All hail locally fermented health elixirs!

Meet Sarah Young, Our New Blogger

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“Local food is about getting the freshest and best-tasting food. It’s also about connecting to and strengthening your community.”  – Anna Lappe

Hello! My name is Sarah Young and I am excited to have recently joined the Seasonal Roots team as a market manager and a contributor to the blog. Just a few short weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting several members of the Seasonal Roots Executive team and visiting the “hub”, a farm in Hanover, VA where much of the behind-the-scenes work takes place.  I knew almost immediately that the Seasonal Roots community was something special, and that I wanted to be a part of it.

Over the past 18 years, I have nurtured my passion for food, nutrition, and healthy living through educational pursuits, professional roles, and raising my own family. If someone had told me 12 years ago that raising my own family would be the single most challenging, eye-opening, and rewarding experience in my pursuit of “Health Promotion”, I don’t think that I would have believed them. Little did I know, my experiences as a mother and the primary decision maker when it comes to our family’s health and nutrition would have a major influence on my views and approach as a community health educator. It isn’t always easy convincing three young children to eat their fruits and veggies on a regular basis, friends. It takes dedication, patience, and a lot of creativity!

I am excited for the opportunity to share some of my knowledge, experience, and passions with our Seasonal Roots community. I welcome any questions or suggestions that you may have and look forward to connecting with each of you through our shared support and commitment to fresh local food.

Fruitfully Yours,

Sarah

Sarah Young is a wife, mother of three, Certified Health Education Specialist, and healthy living advocate. She has a background in Dietetics and a B.S. in Health, Fitness, and Recreational Resources with a concentration in Health Promotion. She is also a writer for several local and online publications, an ambassador for the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation, and a health contributor for ABC 7 News/WJLA. In her spare time, she enjoys running, hiking, gardening, and spending time with her family and their dog, Maple.

Westmoreland Produce

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Westmoreland Produce was established in 1989 by Arnulfo and Rosa Medina. The pair began their operation by leasing just 4 acres of land. By starting the farm without access to heavy machinery, all of the farm work was originally completed through a combination of small hand tools and determined elbow grease. As the years and growing seasons passed, the Medinas began to learn more and more about farming, and acquired some much needed farm equipment along the way. Now, the Medinas own three farm locations. Two of the plots of land are in Warsaw, Virginia, and one is located in Hague, Virginia – amounting to 120 acres in total.

Westmoreland Produce remains family owned and operated, and is now worked by the Medinas’ four adult children, and two grandchildren. The farm utilizes drip irrigation to properly water their crops without wasting water. Plus, they rotate their crops to protect the fertility of the land, and the quality of the resulting harvests. The farm is committed to the produce they grow, and the family still handles all of the harvesting themselves. At Westmoreland Produce, they insist on letting food ripen on the vine, stalk or bush and only harvest when the crops are ready to be sent to market (or, put in your baskets!) The Medinas grow a multitude of crops including arugula, root vegetables, cabbage, tomatoes, corn, melons, peppers, squash and eggplant! The past couple of weeks, we’ve been receiving the farm’s delicious field lettuce (pictured.)  We’re so excited to have Westmoreland Produce on board. When we find a small, local, family owned farm that is already committed to the farming practices we encourage, we know we’ve met a perfect match!

Sneak Peek at the Market

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Welcome to Seasonal Roots! You did it, you signed up for the most local, delicious, healthy, and convenient subscription delivery service around. First off, well done! You’re going to love your Online Farmers Market – delivered. Now, you can start ordering your farmers market favorites, and we’ll deliver it dirt to doorstep, for free!

If you’ve joined Friday-Sunday, the next steps are right at your fingertips. Your marketplace is open every Friday from 2:00 p.m. to midnight on Sunday. Hop on, customize your basket, and save your changes. You’ll receive an email confirmation with a recap of what you can look forward to on delivery day, and we take care of the rest!

If you’ve gotten a jump on your week, and signed up for our services Monday – Thursday, we’re so excited for you to experience the marketplace this weekend. We know, we know – you want to get a taste of it now! Each week’s baskets feature seasonal local fare, so our market opens each weekend with a new menu. BUT, here’s a peek at what you can look forward to on Friday afternoon!

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When you log in over the weekend, you’ll be presented with a basket size based on your account preferences. We’ve created a standard basket that we think you’ll love, but if not, you’re welcome to swap out as many items as you’d like for a tasty alternative. OR, you can start from scratch and customize your basket based on our weekly produce options.  Then, you can shop from our list of extras which include meat, dairy, baked goods, and additional produce.
Once you’ve filled your basket, you’ll place an order, and will receive an order receipt via email that will look something like this:
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Then, you sit back and wait! You can edit your order as many times as you’d like, just make sure you have any tweaks saved by midnight on Sunday. Then, you’ll receive your customized order on Wednesday (if you live in Northern VA, Fredericksburg or C’Ville) or Thursday (if you live in Greater Richmond, Hampton Roads, and Virginia Beach.)
We’ll shoot you a reminder on Friday that your market is open. Until then, you can check out our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for delivery day photos, recipe ideas, and updates from your local farmers.
We can’t wait for you to start experiencing each season’s best!
Your Local Food Enthusiasts, 
Seasonal Roots

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.