Delicious but simple seafood recipes!

Seafood Recipes! 🐟

If you’re looking for a little inspiration for some new seafood recipes, look no further!

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail

Delicious jumbo shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce!

Ingredients:

1 lb Jumbo Shrimp
Salt & Pepper
1/2 Fresh Lemon
1/2 cup of ketchup
2 tsp. Horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Steam the shrimp for 10-20 min. (check on them after 10 min)
While the shrimp is cooking prepare the cocktail sauce by adding all the ingredients but the shrimp together and mix.
Enjoy!

Striped Bass

Broiled Bass served with fresh lemon.

Ingredients:

1 lb Striped Bass, thawed
1 Fresh Lemon
Salt & Pepper
2 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1 Shallot, diced
Olive oil

Directions:

Make sure fish is completely thawed.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a non-stick spray.
Place fish on the baking sheet, light coat fish with a healthy splash of olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and shallots.
Broil on high for 8-10 minutes, making sure that the top isn’t burning.
Turn off broiler and let fish rest in the oven for at least 2-3 minutes. Top with fresh lemon juice
Enjoy!

Steelhead Trout with Herb Butter

Steelhead trout is very similar to salmon and delicious when served with herb butter.

Ingredients:

1 lb thawed Steelhead Trout
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Fresh Lemon Slices

Directions:

Make sure fish is completely thawed.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a non-stick spray.
Place fish on the baking sheet, cover with olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon slices.
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes
Add a dollop of compound butter half way through cooking or use as a topping to serve.

Herb Butter

Ingredients:

Freshly chopped Basil
Freshly chopped Thyme
Freshly chopped Oregano
Minced Garlic

Directions:

Start with room temp. butter in a bowl.
Fold in all the herbs and garlic.
Once all ingredients are incorporated,place bowl in fridge and allow butter to harden. This will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
Use to cook any protein or as a topping on any protein.

2021 Dayum this is my Jam

New jams & pickles will be jammin’ in the market!

August 27, 2021/in Blog /by Veggie Fairy

Can you guess the hit songs these new jams and pickles are named for?

New jams can be edible or they can be dance-able but sometimes they can be both! (And sometimes they can be pickles, but more on that later!)

In the meantime, can you guess the hit songs these jams are named for? “Strawberry Zeal Forever”… “Bohemian Raspberry”… “I See Your Blue Colors”… Or how about this Veggie Fairy’s personal favorite: “Dude Looks Marmalady”.

Whatever your taste in music, these punny new jams are sure to start your tastebuds dancing, and so are the pickles and more. So this one goes out to the one local foodies love: Dayum this is my Jam!

Making delicious, whimsically named yummies is a labor of love for Andy, Chief Jamming Officer and creator of Dayum this is my Jam.

It all goes back to the day when Andy’s BFF Lindsey shared an old family cookbook with handwritten recipes for jams and pickles. Andy, who uses the pronoun they, was looking for a creative outlet. And oh baby baby, did they find it in that cookbook! With Lindsey’s help, they dreamed up the idea of a business that would make mouth-watering jams and pickles with names that riffed on hit songs. And thus, a new jam sensation was born.

Dayum this is my Jam has been rocking local farmers markets ever since. Andy’s groove includes jams, pickles, and salsas made from local ingredients. They’ve also drummed up waffle mix and even marinara sauce made from tomatoes grown in Hanover, Va. And they’re committed to supporting their fellow business owners from underrepresented communities.

Now they’re celebrating their 6-year Jamaversary! So put your hands together and give Andy a great big round of applause as we welcome them to the Seasonal Roots online farmers market!

We’re starting with these pickled chart-toppers: “Psycho Diller”… “The Sweetest Tang”… and “Blister on the Tongue”.

Look for them under the Artisan Goods tab in the Extras section this weekend!

You can also check out the Dayum is my Jam website and see how many more of those hit songs you recognize. Until next time, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies – mostly moms and dads who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pasture-raised dairy, eggs, and meat, plus wholesome artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

2021 Seasonal Roots

The REAL cost of food

July 28, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Eating seasonally and locally helps reduce hidden costs now… and for future generations

What’s the real cost of food? Altogether, we Americans spend $1.1 trillion buying our food every year. But the real cost of food is even higher than that — three times higher!

That’s according to a report from the Rockefeller Foundation that was recently featured in The Washington Post.

So whether we know it or not, we’re not just paying for the food we buy. We’re also paying for hidden healthcare and environmental costs. Those costs are also being shouldered by businesses, food producers, and the government. Unfortunately, future generations will pay the price, too.

The bad news: “Our food system is broken.”

That’s what our Head Veggie Fairy Duane said way back in 2011 when he founded Seasonal Roots. That’s why he pioneered what was, back then, a new way of uniting Virginia communities with their local farmers — our home-delivered online farmers market.

And the good news…?

So the good news is, each of us can make a difference by choosing to eat locally and seasonally! Here are some of the findings in the Rockefeller Foundation study…

Rising healthcare costs

The Rockefeller researchers studied 14 aspects of food production in the United States. That gave them the data they needed to add up what our food is really costing us.

One of the biggest hidden costs of our current food system is healthcare.

Before the 1950s, hunger and vitamin deficiency were both big problems. So the goal was to develop a food system that could get lots of low-cost calories and vitamins into a booming population. They didn’t realize that such a system would eventually fuel a boom in other health problems.

Most people now get plenty of calories and enough vitamins to get by. But it’s estimated that every year health problems linked to our modern diet cost us more than $600 billion! Those health problems include diseases like hypertension, cancer, and diabetes.

We could cut those yearly health care costs (and the suffering that goes with it) by $250 billion … if we could just get our rate of diet-related diseases down to the rates you see in countries like Canada.

Two things could help get us there:

The food industry could develop healthier foods and limit how they market unhealthy foods.
Each of us can make healthier choices about what and how we eat.

As individuals, we don’t have much control over the first. But happily, we can control the second!

Impact on the environment

Industrial-scale farming and ranching can place serious burdens on the environment. We’re talking about greenhouse gas emissions, water depletion, and soil erosion.

And when industrial farming cuts down forests and plows up grasslands, it also reduces biodiversity. These practices destroy habitats and force animals, birds, reptiles, and insects into ever-shrinking wild spaces. When ecosystems become overcrowded and unproductive, they become unhealthy. And the damage doesn’t just hurt the wildlife. Pests and disease can become a problem for us humans, too, affecting our food supplies.

Each year in America, all these environmental costs add up to almost $900 billion.

Right now, if a farmer wants to switch to using more sustainable methods that are less harmful to the environment, the system isn’t set up to help. So improving how you farm is hard and expensive.

The system has to change, but that requires high level policy changes.

In the meantime, each of us can still make a difference: We can support farmers who are taking the initiative to become more sustainable on their own.

Our sustainable farmers are reducing the real cost of food

At Seasonal Roots, we partner with local farmers like Gerardo Flores of G. Flores Produce (pictured above, left, with Sam, our farmer and artisan connector, on the right.) Our farming partners rely on sustainable, humane farming methods that are good for people, animals, and the environment.

To reduce the hidden (but real!) cost of food, our farmers are tilling as little as possible and using cover crops that help build healthy soil and prevent erosion. They’re practicing integrated pest management to reduce the need for pesticides. They’re rotating their livestock between pastures to allow the grass to recover naturally.

Some are turning to solar power for their electricity needs. They’re conserving water. Family farmers are often working land that has co-existed for generations with neighboring wild ecosystems.

And when nearby communities buy the food they grow and make, that food doesn’t have to travel far. That reduces its carbon footprint or “foodprint.”

While eating farm fresh produce within days of harvest tastes great, it has a bigger impact. Simply by choosing to eat locally, season by season, you’re making the world a better place — now, and for future generations!

Want to learn more? Get more details from The Washington Post story.

Or take a deep dive into the Rockefeller Foundation’s full report.

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies – mostly moms and dads who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, eggs, grass-fed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

2021 Seasonal Roots

Why farm-fresh food lovers LOVE Seasonal Roots

July 19, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Don’t just take our word for it — check out what our members have to say!

(Got less than 2 minutes? Click here to watch our members talk farm-fresh food on the Seasonal Roots YouTube Channel.)

Nothing beats farm-fresh food. And once you have a taste for it, Seasonal Roots is the easiest way to get the freshest local food. Seasonal Roots members explain why.

“I first heard about Seasonal Roots from two local friends,” says Hannah, a Seasonal Roots member since 2020. “They told us how easy it was to order and that everything came right to your doorstep, and it was all fresh local food.”

Has Seasonal Roots lived up to those promises?

“Oh yes, above and beyond! It’s fresh, it’s local, it’s high quality, and delicious.”

Taste the farm-fresh difference

“When it comes to having farm-fresh produce, it is just a world of difference,” says Erica, who’s been enjoying fresh local food from Seasonal Roots since 2016.

A busy mom, she found us through a quick Google search. She grew up with fresh produce from her grandparents’ garden. “I just love the fresh produce. Once you have it, and you taste the difference, you taste the freshness of the fruits and the vegetables — then buying grocery store produce, even organic produce from the grocery store, you still get that kind of filmy taste where they have sprayed it just to try to preserve the shelf life of it. So there is a huge difference.”

“I grew up on a farm,” Hannah recalls. How does Seasonal Roots compare? “The quality of the fruits and the veggies and the artisan foods is amazing.”

Hannah’s husband Hamilton adds, “I had worked on her family farm for a summer, so I know the difference between store-bought groceries and right-from-the-farm groceries. And you can really taste a difference.”

Erica agrees. “I cannot eat grocery store carrots anymore just because I swear by these carrots that come from the local farms. They’re sweet. They taste fresh.” (So tell us how you really feel about the carrots, Erica!) She laughs, “The carrots are, like, out of this world!”

For Jo Anne, who’s also been a member since 2016, her fave is greener: “Kale for my juices.”

As Jo Anne sorts through her freshly delivered box of goodies she sighs, “Beautiful, my box is always beautiful. I always get whatever’s in season. Never disappointed.” She holds up a green and white bouquet of spring onions. “Mmmm, yummy!”

Hannah’s fave? “I love the hydroponic lettuce that comes from the hydroponic farm. And the fresh farm eggs. They are so delicious! Better than Costco.”

Hannah and Hamilton’s little one chimes in: “I like strawberry yogurt!”

Convenient online ordering plus home delivery of farm-fresh food

“It’s convenient that it’s just delivered to my door,” says Erica. “I have small kids and we have a busy schedule, always on the go. And so if I don’t have to worry about going to the farmers market or going to the grocery store, then that’s just one less thing. That is off my list.”

Neighborhood Market Managers provide personalized customer care

Hannah says, “We love our Market Manager who delivers our food. She’s become a friend.” She turns to her daughter. “Do you like it when the Veggie Fairy comes?” The answer is a definite, “Yeah!”

Erica explains the advantage of knowing exactly who’s dropping off your food. “She writes me these little, I call them little love notes — updates if something’s missing, or she swapped something out or she put a little extra peppers or something like that in my box.”

According to Jo Anne, “I have the best Veggie Fairy ever.” (Everyone says that!) “Really, you can always count on the freshness. And guaranteed, too. If something isn’t right, you make a phone call — they WILL make it right.”

Erica concludes: “Having someone that cares, someone that is coming and delivering produce to your family, that is just everything.”

(Discover what neighborhood Market Managers have to say about Seasonal Roots)

Supporting local farmers is a win-win!

Part of the reason Hannah joined was because of where she grew up. “I grew up on my family’s farm. So when we moved down here I wanted to support the local farmers.”

Jo Anne points out, “It tastes different from the grocery store, because it IS much fresher. You’re also supporting the local farms. So it’s a win-win situation!”

Hamilton sums it all up: “If you’re looking for higher quality, this is the way to go.”

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies – mostly moms and dads who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, eggs, grass-fed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

2021 Leek & Thistle

New veggie sides, new name, new shop – still scrumptious!

July 17, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Try 3 new veggie sides from Leek & Thistle, formerly known as Truly Scrumptious

Fans of Truly Scrumptious, rejoice! This local foodie favorite is now Leek & Thistle. The new name brings more new veggie sides and a new retail shop in Richmond!

The new offerings in our online farmers market start with yummy Herbed Chickpea Salad that you can actually make a meal of. Plus there’s addictive Roasted Carrot and White Bean Dip as well as the luscious Quinoa Salad with Summer Veggies pictured above.

They’re just the latest in a banquet of yummy soups, sides, salads, and more from the talented local artisan who makes them.

For Mela, the British chef who makes it all so scrumptious, the new name of Leek & Thistle harkens back to her roots. She grew up on the west coast of Scotland.

(Read our interview with Mela when she first joined the Seasonal Roots online farmers market.)

In addition to a new name, Mela has opened a new retail store in the old Nota Bene spot on Main Street in Richmond’s east end.

If you’ve got a hankering to stop by in person, the Leek & Thistle Facebook page has all the details. And you can always find Mela’s convenient local food in the Extras section of our home-delivered farmers market.

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies – mostly moms and dads who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pasture-raised dairy, eggs, and meat, plus wholesome artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

Karla shares her Peach Cobbler Recipe in the News!

July 12, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Our very own Karla Robinson was featured in the news in Hampton Roads! This time it was to share an easy and delicious recipe for Peach Cobbler using fresh local fruit.

On July 9th, she was asked to share her know-how on WTKR News Channel 3’s Coast Live.

Click here to watch Karla’s latest Coast Live interview

Karla shared some great tips and tricks about peaches, including:

The different types of peaches you might receive in your Seasonal Roots order like the yellow, white, and flat peach!
Always wait to wash your peaches and other produce because the moisture makes things go bad faster!
Don’t put them in the fridge if they’re not ripe or if you don’t want them to ripen. They tend to dehydrate and the skin will wrinkle.
Freeze them to prevent them from going bad. Peal and cut first. Perfect for smoothies!
A quick tip for peeling: put the peaches in boiling water for 15-30 seconds, and then put them into ice cold water and the skin will come right off!

Finally for the best part! Karla’s delicious Peach Cobbler recipe!

Ingredients:

6-8 cups of sliced peaches
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 large egg
½ cup melted butter

Directions:

Mix the fruit, cinnamon, and nutmeg together place in a baking dish.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Add the egg and with a fork press the egg into the mixture without mixing too much.
Sprinkle this mixture over the fruit.
Drizzle melted butter and bake at 350 for 40 min.

Enjoy!

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies – mostly moms who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pastured eggs, grassfed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

2021 Seasonal Roots

Neighborhood Market Managers share their experience!

July 4, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Get the inside scoop on local food, home delivery… even family?!!

Neighborhood Market Managers are the original Veggie Fairies. (Here’s how they got that nickname!) They’re the critical link connecting local families with local farmers and food artisans.

Sometimes Market Managers jump straight into the Veggie Fairy business. Sometimes, like Yvonne, they start out as Seasonal Roots customers first.

“I’ve been a member of Seasonal Roots for the last two years,” says Yvonne. “My Market Manager would deliver to me and we would talk at times. And I enjoyed that so much — learning about Seasonal Roots and recipes from her — that I decided to become one.”

(Watch a video of these Veggie Fairies as they tell all on our Seasonal Roots YouTube Channel!)

More than just a job

Even Veggie Fairies don’t work for free. But for most Market Managers, it’s more than just a job. According to Kerry, it’s a way to practice what she believes in.

“There are so many things that I love about Seasonal Roots,” says Kerry. “All the fruits and vegetables are locally sourced and sustainably grown. That’s not only good for me and my family, but it’s also good for the environment.”

For Yvonne, it’s Seasonal Roots’ commitment to supporting local businesses and meeting the needs of busy families: “I enjoy the philosophy of small producers, local farmers, and having it conveniently delivered to my front door.”

And then there are the perks

“I love getting discounts on the freshest fruits and vegetables you can find in the local area,” says Mary Kate. (Yep, neighborhood Market Managers do get discounts!) Plus, “I get the privilege of tasting incredible things from small businesses.”

Another perk is flexibility. Market Managers deliver one morning per week, and there are additional opportunities to boost their income as their schedule allows.

“I love it because it fits into my schedule flawlessly. Even with three children!” says Mary Kate.

The pandemic drove home the benefits of flexibility for Kerry. Looking back, she says, “This past year was really crazy. When the schools went virtual, I didn’t know what I was going to do with my children. Luckily, I was able to bring them with me. And they were able to get their responsibilities done, and I was able to get my responsibilities done.”

(Pro tip: Kids love playing Veggie Fairy.)

Yvonne sums it up. “I get some great discounts on the food, I earn a little extra money, and I get to talk with my customers and be out there.”

On delivery day, Yvonne also enjoys connecting with her fellow Veggie Fairies. Market Managers in each area meet up at party stops. That’s where they collect their customers’ boxes and load them into their cars before heading out on their rounds. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s been a great experience.”

To anyone who’s thinking about getting into the Veggie Fairy biz, Kerry doesn’t hold back. “Become a part of this family. It’s wonderful!”

If taking care of your neighbors with Seasonal Roots sounds like a good fit for you, we want to hear from you! Just email karla@seasonalroots.com to learn more.

Click here to watch Yvonne, Kerry, and Mary Kate talk about what it’s like to be a neighborhood Market Manager on the Seasonal Roots YouTube Channel.

Click here to read how this Veggie Fairy gets her own kids to eat their veggies.

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies – mostly moms who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, eggs, grass-fed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

2021 Seasonal Roots

In the news! Karla shares tips for storing produce

June 18, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Tips and tricks to max out flavor and nutrients

Karla’s tips for storing produce will help you get the most out of your delicious, nutritious, fresh local produce.

On June 18th, she was asked to share her know-how on WTKR NewsChannel 3’s Coast Live.

Click here to watch Karla’s latest Coast Live interview

Karla shared some great tips and tricks for storing produce, including:

Store tomatoes on the counter. They may last longer in the fridge, but the texture turns a little mealy. They’re also not as flavorful when they’re cold. But if you gotta chill ’em down, just give them time to warm up to room temp before you eat them. The flavor, if not the texture, will be almost as good as before.
Wait to wash your produce until you’re ready to use it. The moisture and bruising that comes with washing will make the produce turn mushy and moldy faster.
Avoid crowding. Fresh produce needs its space, especially fruits. Cramming them tightly together allows moisture to build up, and once again the produce will turn to mush more quickly.
Feel free to freeze. Frozen produce lasts up to a year in the freezer, and hangs onto almost all of its original nutrients and flavor. Frozen blueberries make a great snack or addition to smoothies and pancakes. Simply wash them, let them dry, and store them in a single layer in a resealable bag. Then you can grab a handful anytime.
Put stems in water. If your greens, herbs, or asparagas have started to wilt, cut off the tips of the stems and put them in a jar or vase of water. They’ll perk right up like a bouquet of flowers.
Eat sweet corn right away. It’s best when eaten within a few days of harvest because it’s mostly sugar, so it breaks down fast into starch. You can tell when sweet corn is fresh-picked because the silk tassels are still green-gold and the husks are still green. It also has some weight to it because the kernels haven’t dehydrated yet.

Not a Seasonal Roots member yet?
Save $25 (that’s 50%!)
when you SIGN UP for home-delivery of fresh local produce using promo code TIPSANDTRICKS

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies – mostly moms who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pastured eggs, grassfed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

2021 Seasonal Roots

Grilling veggies: Who knew it could be an act of fatherly love?

June 14, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Here’s to all the veggie grilling dads out there!

Our founder pays tribute to the joys of grilling veggies:

Grilling veggies is not what most people think of when you bring up the subject of dads and grills. Yabba-dabba-doo-sized slabs of meat, maybe. Tomatoes and Brussels sprouts? Not so much.

Now, I’ll admit to enjoying a juicy grilled steak or lamb chop as much as the next guy. But what really floats my boat is grilling veggies. If they’re fresh and local, the symphony of flavors unleashed by grilling is mind expanding. Veggies take my grilling game to the next level.

For those of you who are new to grilling veggies, I’ve got some tips which I will share with you just as soon as I tell you this:

There’s another reason why I love grilled veggies. A reason that’s closer to my heart.

My kids love them.

When they were little, I loved seeing them reach for more grilled corn on the cob, or grilled broccoli, or grilled onions and mushrooms. Because I knew those fresh local veggies are full of stuff that’s good for them.

Back in the ’90s, I worked for a big corporation. When the first of my two kids was born, parental leave for fathers was a new thing. I wound up being the first new dad in the company to take advantage of it.

That time at home with my baby daughter taught me a lot. Since she had acid reflux, I learned how to snooze while reclining semi-upright so she could sleep on my chest. I learned the hard way to wear an apron while changing her diaper. (Don’t ask.)

But over the years, caring for both children alongside my wife, the most important lesson I learned was how much I loved them. It’s a bigger love than I ever imagined, bigger than I have words for. It also made me realize how much my own dad loves me.

And I love nurturing and protecting them all. I love making food for them that’s really good for them, food that tastes really good, too. Food that makes them smile while it protects them from the inside out with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Food and love. You need both to live.

Duane
Seasonal Roots Founder & Head Veggie Fairy

That’s me with my brand new fancy-pants grill.

Here’s my favorite grilled veggie menu: squash, corn on the cob, tomatoes, onions, and Brussels sprouts. It’s so easy to make a feast with these guys.

I start by putting the squash on foil, sprinkling with lemon zest, olive oil, and salt, then folding up the foil to seal it in. That way the squash will steam in its own liquid on the grill.

I microwave the Brussels sprouts for three minutes to soften them up a little. Then I toss them in a sauce of olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, and mustard powder — or use whatever your favorite sauce may be. Skewer them and they’re good to go.

For the corn on the cob, I peel back the husk without removing it, de-silk it, then soak it for 20 minutes. That will keep the husk from burning. Before it goes on the grill, I fold the husk back up around the cob and gently squeeze out any extra water.

All I do with tomatoes and onions is toss them in olive oil. Since the tomatoes fall apart and the onion slices fall through the grate, I grill them on a perforated griddle. Foil would do just as well.

For a little protein on the side, I threw on some chicken brats because they’re as easy as the veggies. I grill everything for about 20 minutes, lifting the cover now and then to turn it all to make sure it browns evenly.

And voila! At the end I sprinkle a little lemon juice on the squash and call ‘er done. It looks as good as it tastes and isn’t hard to make. The perfect meal.

Happy Father’s Day, everybody!

PS: There are more grilling tips from a past Father’s Day right here on the Veggie Fairy Blog, including how to use heating zones on your grill and how to grill the perfect locally raised grassfed steak.

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our neighborhood market managers – who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pastured eggs, grassfed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

Richlands Dairy

Meet the Dairy Cows of Richlands Creamery

June 7, 2021/in Blog, Blog Archive /by Veggie Fairy

Do you know where your milk comes from?

Meet local dairy cows up close and personal at

Richlands Dairy & Creamery’s

FAMILY FARM DAYS!
June 11-13 & June 18-20

Hours on 6/11 & 6/18 (Friday): 1-5pm
Hours on 6/13-14 & 6/19-20 (Sat & Sun): 10am-5pm with live music 1-4pm
116 Cox Rd, Blackstone VA

Info & Tickets

Tour the dairy, handmilk a cow, pet baby calves, climb aboard a hayride, browse the educational booths and craft vendors, and relax over lunch and farm-fresh ice cream! More details below…

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And starting this weekend, look for Richlands Dairy & Creamery’s local half-and-half and heavy cream in the dairy section of your Seasonal Roots online farmers market. Plus, the PB&J Bundle will feature their chocolate milk!

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Okay, so we all know milk comes from dairy cows, right? But when we’re chugging down a tall, sweet, creamy, ice cold glass of milk, how many of us actually know anything about the lives of the cows who made it for us?

If you bought that milk at a big grocery store, it’s nearly impossible to really know, even if there’s a nice story about a farmer on the carton. Today’s impersonal industrial food supply chains combine milk from many dairies and ship it long distances.

But at Seasonal Roots, our mission is to connect you with the local folks who provide the food you eat. Since June is National Dairy Month, it’s the perfect time to get to know the humans and dairy cows at Richlands Dairy & Creamery. They’re less than an hour southwest of Richmond and we’re super excited they’re joining our online farmers market — starting this weekend!

We talked with Coley Drinkwater, who runs the farm along with her father, her brother, TR Jones, and his wife, Brittany.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

Seems like everybody’s jumping on the sustainability bandwagon these days because it’s so important for the future. Sometimes it’s just lipservice, though. Where does sustainability fit into your family’s approach to farming?

COLEY:

Our farm’s been in our family since colonial times. We wouldn’t still be here if we hadn’t been practicing sustainability all along. Our goal as farmers is to care for the land and the animals so it will be there for the next generation. Right now our farm is home to four generations: my 93-year-old grandmother, my parents, my brother TR and me, and our families.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

Has it been a dairy farm all along?

COLEY:

Well, there were always a few cows to provide milk for the family. Tobacco was the cash crop. But in the 1950s, my grandfather already saw the writing on the wall and figured tobacco was on the way out. So he switched to dairy. After my dad graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in dairy science, he brought his education back to the farm and really built it up.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

From everything we hear about dairy farming, it’s not for wimps! The cows gotta be milked twice a day, every day, rain or shine, in blinding snow or blazing heat, right? And the market is very volatile.

COLEY:

It’s not for people who like to sleep in! Traditionally, most dairies sell to a milk co-op, including mid-size dairies like us. We’d produce the milk and the co-op would take care of picking it up, pastuerizing it, bottling it, plus marketing and distribution. It takes a lot off the farmer’s plate, but you’ve got no negotiating power. You can’t plan or budget, and it’s hard to afford to make upgrades to improve your practices because the price has nothing to do with what it actually costs to make the milk.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

Didn’t milk price hit an all-time low back in 2016?

COLEY:

It did, and it stayed low for a while. Plus, when COVID hit, milk price dropped again. With prices lingering at those lows for such an extended period of time, it changed the milk industry. Some dairies went under and a lot of mid-size dairies sold out to the really big dairy operations. The historical dairy industry is pretty much gone now.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

If they’re disappearing, that explains why it’s so hard to include truly local dairies in farmers markets. How’d you get through it?

COLEY:

We cut everything we could cut without sacrificing our cows’ health. And we were still losing money every month. We didn’t want to be the generation that lost the farm so we knew we were going to have to do something different.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

What were your options?

COLEY:

We could sell, but then the whole family would’ve had to move. We could expand, because there are efficiences of scale that kick in when you have more than a thousand dairy cows. Or we could change our business model.

I had been thinking for awhile, ever since the local food movement started taking off, that it would be cool to have our own creamery. That way we could pastuerize and bottle our own milk and then sell it direct to customers. We didn’t have enough land to get expand and get bigger, so we said, “Okay! Let’s build a creamery!”

VEGGIE FAIRY:

And now you’re a destination! Not only do you have a storefront at the farm selling fresh milk and ice cream, you give tours so people can see exactly how the milk is made.

COLEY:

The tour takes about an hour but it’s more than that. We want our farm to be a place where families can come and create happy memories and feel good about where their milk and ice cream comes from. There’s no wifi, so people can put their phones down and relax and enjoy some ice cream. It’s really rewarding to see families visiting with each other and hear children laughing on our playground.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

What are the tours like?

COLEY:

You see the whole process. One of the most common comments we hear after a tour is, “I had no idea the cows were so well taken care of!” One woman even told us that after seeing how well dairy cows are treated, she was switching from soy milk back to dairy milk! Our girls have an on-call, 24-hour vet and their own nutritionist to make sure they’re getting a balanced grass-based diet. They only work two hours a day while they’re being milked, and they get a two month vacation from milking every year.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

Do the cows live out in the fields?

COLEY:

A dairy cow gets hot at around 75 degrees and doesn’t get cold until below freezing. So in the summer time here in the South, she wants to spend most of her time in the barn underneath the sprinklers and fans to keep cool. But in the winter time, a nice little nap outside in the sun when it’s 30 degrees is perfect.

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You can see it all for yourself! To learn more about tours, events, and how the dairy is run, visit https://www.richlandsdairyfarm.com

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our neighborhood market managers – who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pastured eggs, grassfed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.