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local family farms

Love local family farms!

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Get to know one of the families who feed your family


– By the Veggie Fairy Team

Well, it’s February, and thanks to Valentine’s Day, this is a month that’s all about love and relationships. That perfectly describes how we feel about our farmers and food artisans — we’re falling in love with fresher, more nutritious and tasty local food, and building relationships with the people who grow and make it.

Last week we all got to know Tracy, one of our newest food artisans and maker of vegan meals, desserts, and snacks. (Read her story: Out of tragedy, a vegan dream is born.) This week, we’d like to introduce you to one of our longtime, old school family farmers: Chris of Deer Run Farm.

We fairies asked our farmer connector, Sam, what kind of crops Chris harvests for us. Sam started to run through a long list: “Cabbages, all kinds of tomatoes and radishes, broccoli, eggplant, several varieties of peppers, red potatoes, curly kale, collards,” before he ran out of breath and added, “Just to name a few!” There are beautiful photos of Chris’s harvests on the Deer Run Farm Facebook page.

This weekend, in the middle of winter, we have Chris’s sweet potatoes in our online farmers market. So you can tell it’s quiet on the farm this time of year. Quiet enough for Chris to sit down and talk with us for a little bit. He says he likes meeting the families who buy his produce.

Veggie Fairy:

When you meet them, what do they ask you?

Chris:

How do you do it all?!

They look at everything we’re growing and that’s what they want to know. You get up when the sun comes up and work ’til 10-11 o’clock at night. You just work ’til the work is done. You rest up in the winter. But next week already we’ll be getting started in the greenhouse. We’ll start our seedlings of tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower and later we’ll transplant them to the fields. That way the produce is ready earlier in the season.

Veggie Fairy:

When you say ‘we’, who’s working with you?

Chris:

Mostly my family.

My mom Mildred, my wife Britney, and my two daughters, Emily and Sidney, plus a few hired hands in the summer. And my in-laws help out at the farmers markets. We’re all right here on the farm. My mom’s in the house I grew up in, and I bought the old 100-year-old farmhouse across the road.
(Watch a video of the girls transplanting seedlings from the back of one of Chris’s antique tractors!)

Veggie Fairy:

So tell us about your tractors!

Chris:

I have a lot of old tractors.

With the old ones, I can work on them. Most of mine are from the ’70s. The newer tractors are all computerized, and someone else has to hook them up to a computer to figure out what’s wrong. With mine, I can do the work myself.
(Watch a video that shows how the wheels of one of his old tractors are designed to avoid crushing the seedlings his girls are planting.)

Veggie Fairy:

Have you always been a farmer?

Chris:

I was born into it.

My father and grandfather farmed in the Short Pump area near Richmond, back when it was fields and forests instead of malls and big box stores. Then in 1979, when I was 5, we moved out here to King William County and we’ve been farming this 100 acres ever since. I like working outside. When I got older I worked as a machinist during the day and farmed at night. I did that for 15 years ’til I got let go, and I thought, well, I’ll try farming fulltime. I’ve been doing that since 2005, so it’s turning out all right. The members of Seasonal Roots and Dominion Harvest (FAIRY NOTE: Seasonal Roots and Dominion Harvest joined forces last year) — the support of their members has been helpful because you can plant more knowing you have an outlet.

Veggie Fairy:

What kind of sustainable farming methods do you use?

Chris:

We use drip irrigation to conserve water, and we’re low- or no-spray.

We don’t spray for pests unless we see something, and we aim for a one-day interval. That means it’s the kind of thing that disappears quickly so you can get back in the field within one day. We keep our own bees and we don’t want to kill the bees. We also use drip application, so we don’t spray it on the fruit.
(Watch a video of pollinators hard at work on Deer Run Farm.)

*

Family farms like Chris’s are the heart of Seasonal Roots and the local food movement. If you want peace of mind about the food you’re eating, you have to know and trust the farmers!

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.

Yummvees vegan meals

Out of tragedy, a vegan dream is born

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Yummvees vegan meals & treats come to Seasonal Roots


– By the Veggie Fairy Team and Tracy, owner of Yummvees

You don’t have to be vegan to appreciate totally plant-based food — when done right, it’s so awesomely delicious that the nutritious, eco-friendly part is like icing on the cinnamon bun! That’s why we fairies are all aflutter about teaming up with a local family business that knows how to do it right.

Yummvees in Midlothian, Va., cooks up freshly made vegan meals, desserts, and snacks. The meals are ready-to-heat, which makes it super convenient — you don’t have to sacrifice nutrition on those days when you’re just too busy and tired to cook.

But first we want to introduce you to Tracy, the woman behind Yummvees. Her story is inspiring, and as you get to know her, you’re going to feel as good about being nourished by her as we do.

VEGGIE FAIRY:

How did Yummvees get started?

TRACY:

In 2015, a life changing event happened to my family.

My son, John, passed away at birth. Shortly after this I had a true life wake up call. I felt like I had to act on that dream that had always been in the back of my head (we all have them) but I’d never pursued — the dream of making the world a better place through plant-based food. I have always loved cooking for others and, of course, my respect for animals and all living beings is immense. I HAD to act on that dream… to honor my son. So in 2016, Yummvees was officially born as a 100% vegan/plant-based food service/catering facility.

Yummvees vegan BBQ Crispy Tofu w Brown Rice & Broccoli

BBQ Crispy Tofu w Brown Rice & Broccoli

VEGGIE FAIRY:

Starting a business you believe in — has it turned out to be everything you hoped it would be?

TRACY:

Every minute has been wonderful!

We provide weekly individual meal options, baked goods, granola, various sweets, family sized meals, and bulk side items. Our individual meal menus change week to week, so as to keep folks engaged, trying new things, and excited for the next week. Every day, I have the distinct honor (and it really is that), to share wonderful, healthy, and indulgent foods with people, all in honor of my child who is not here with us.

Yummvees vegan Butternut Squash Mac N Cheez

Butternut Squash Mac N Cheez

VEGGIE FAIRY:

Are most of your customers vegan?

TRACY:

Oh no, just the opposite.

Most of our customer base is not vegan, which I particularly love, because we are exposing them to foods that they may not have otherwise tried… and it’s allowing them to add more veggies/beans/legumes and different protein sources to their diet. We use very minimal processed ingredients and almost everything that we produce is handmade — if it isn’t yet, we are probably working on experimenting with it.

Yummvees vegan Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon Buns

VEGGIE FAIRY:

You also donate a portion of sales, right?

TRACY:

That’s right. Every month, we donate a portion of our total sales

to a chosen organization/family and tend to focus on bereaved parents, animal related organizations… or just someone that we see, who needs a little bit of help. On our website homepage, we list who we are donating to (unless it’s an individual, we do that privately) so that others can see who they are supporting by purchasing from us. We also allow our supporters to make individual contributions, plus we share links to other giving opportunities. THIS is how we honor our child. And we are so lucky to have an amazing community of people, small business owners who support each other, and new customers every day who allow us to make at least a tiny bit of a difference.

Yummvees vegan Almond Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Almond Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

VEGGIE FAIRY:

As a family business, who does what?

TRACY:

I do most of the cooking, but we truly are a family operation.

My older daughter Selena is our primary delivery person. When I do the deliveries, people chuckle as I walk to their door juggling Joni, my 9-month-old daughter, and their food order. Yeah, there’s quite a gap between Selena and Joni — I get many chuckles there, too!

Yummvees is a family affair

Yummvees is a family affair!

VEGGIE FAIRY:

What are your hopes for the future?

TRACY:

Looking ahead, we are excited about our expansion!

And our ability to give back more, working within our community to make it a better one, and to keep showing folks how plant-based foods are amazing. We are so thrilled and excited to work with Seasonal Roots by offering folks more options for plant-based/vegan foods and I am ecstatic to be cooking for a whole new crowd of folks! Happy eating!

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.

good olive oil health benefits

The secret to really good olive oil

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How to spot it, store it, and why it matters


– By Margo L, neighborhood Market Manager

Using a really good olive oil matters because it’s as good for you as it is delicious. Good olive oil is the secret to the nutritious Mediterranean diet, which is associated with long life. The health benefits? Olive oil fights inflammation and osteoporosis, reduces the risk of cancer and diabetes, slows the aging of the heart, protects against depression… and the list goes on! (Read more about the health benefits here.)

Plus, a good olive oil can enhance flavors and make your fresh delicious local produce even more mouth-watering. But a bad olive oil can knock it down to “Meh” or even “Blech!” So here’s the secret to finding a good one and keeping it that way.

1. Go extra virgin


It’s the highest standard for olive oil, regulated by various organizations, including the International Olive Oil Council. To be considered “extra virgin olive oil”, the oil should have no defects and must be unrefined, meaning it has never been treated with chemicals or heat.

2. Start fresh

Look for the “bottled on” or “best before” date. Look closely at the label in the photo with this post: See where it says “BBD 11 2018”? That’s the Best Before Date, November 2018, and that means it was pressed recently — fresh, and good for you, too. If you can’t find a date, keep shopping. You want to be able to use it all within a year or less of pressing. If you just can’t get your hands on olive oil with a date, buy only as much as you can use within 2 months and use it with abandon!

3. Protect your EVOO from HALT

Translation: Store and use your extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in a way that will protect it from heat, air, light, and time (HALT). This will preserve its healthful properties and keep it from becoming a health hazard full of free radicals. The fact is, oils are fragile. The four elements of HALT break it down and create free radicals, which eventually lead to excessive oxidation and rancidity. Rancid oil will leave a bad taste in your mouth… and worse: While it doesn’t pose a food-safety type of health risk, rancid oil harms cells, uses up precious antioxidants, and contributes to heart disease and cancer. The thing is, rancidity can set in long before you can taste it or smell it. So pay attention to those pressing and bottling dates!

4. Use the right storage container

The best storage containers are made of either tinted glass (to keep the light out) or a nonreactive metal, such as stainless steel. Avoid most plastic, too. Oil can absorb noxious substances such as polyvinyl chlorides (PVCs) out of the plastic. Containers also need a tight cap to keep out unwanted air. Experts recommend storing oil at 57 degrees, the temperature of a wine cellar. A room temperature of 70 degrees will be fine, though, as long as it’s away from heat sources like your oven or stovetop.

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.

New Years Resolution eat healthy

Try this easy New Years Resolution

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Eat healthy in 2018!


– By the Veggie Fairy Team

In this era of fast food, junk food, and crazy busy schedules, healthy eating can be hard. But local food makes it easy! So make “healthy eating” your #1 New Years Resolution, and Seasonal Roots will smooth the way for you. To start, here are 7 easy tips to help you keep your resolution.

1. Order weekly


If you haven’t already signed up for Seasonal Roots, do it now and order every week. Online ordering is quick and convenient, and delivery is free to your home or office, saving you time. By ordering every week, you’re getting local food that’s fresh from the fields, so it’s loaded with healthy nutrients (not to mention flavor!)

2. Avoid supermarket mindgames


Seasonal candy displays… scent machines to lure you to the bakery… “free” junk food samples… sugary cereals at kids-eye-level… oversized shopping carts… These are just some of the psychological marketing tricks that supermarkets use to fool you into filling your cart with unhealthy food! (Read this Washington Post article for the inside scoop.) By getting your fresh stuff delivered weekly, you won’t have to go to the supermarket as often. And before you go, be sure to eat first, take a list, and focus on stocking up on items you can store. That will make it easier to stay out of their devious clutches.

3. Eat it raw


The fact is, food that’s freshly picked or just-made simply tastes better. Time is the enemy, so if it’s fresh, it still has all its original flavor along with its nutrients. You don’t have to do anything fancy to it to make it taste delicious!

4. Roast it


If you don’t like it raw, you can still keep it simple. Set your oven at 400 degrees, chop and toss your veggies in olive oil, then spread them on a baking sheet. Roasting releases the natural sugars inside, making everything even more mouth-wateringly delicious. Depending on their size and density, your roasted veggies will be ready to eat within 20 minutes to an hour.

5. Steam it


Keep in mind that some nutrients are actually easier for your body to extract and process if the veggies are cooked. For example, spinach and other greens do you more good when you cook it first. Steaming is quick and easy. Then sprinkle with sunflower seeds and dried cranberries, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and you’ve got instant delish.

6. Use a slow cooker


Too busy to cook? Just throw everything in a slow cooker, and voila, you’ve got an easy home-cooked meal and probably leftovers, too. Eating healthy local food made from scratch doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of time in the kitchen (unless you want it to!) Here are some tips on how to make a slow cooker work for you.

7. Don’t wait for spring


If you think there’s nothing local and healthy to eat in the winter, think again! There are plenty of superfoods among the produce we harvest in Virginia in the fall and winter, and some of them store well, too. Here’s a handy list of local superfoods that will boost your health starting right now!

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.

Eat local food on a budget

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EAT BETTER LIVE BETTER NEWSLETTER / May 23-24, 2017

Tips, hacks, recipes, stories, and the weekly special all help you eat better live better with fresh local food!

Eating local food creates jobs and boosts the economy, promotes health and well-being, and supports a healthy environment with thriving communities. If each Virginia household spent just $10 of their total weekly food budget on local food and farm products, $1.65 billion would be generated annually, directly impacting Virginia’s economy…

Continue reading about how to eat local food on a budget, below, or view this issue as a PDF with clickable links.

Newsletter 2017-05-23 FINAL pg1

Newsletter 2017-05-23 FINAL pg2

10 Ways This Simple New Years Resolution Will Help You Live Better

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By the Seasonal Roots Veggie Fairies:

If you make a New Years resolution to eat local, sustainably produced food in 2017, you won’t just live better – you’ll actually help change the world. So without further ado, here are the top 10 ways this one simple New Years resolution will change you and your world. (Just wait till you get to #1!)

Resolve to eat local, sustainably produced food, and you will…

#10:
…waste less of everything, including time.
The short distance between a local farm and you means less storage, no middleman, and that means less wasted food and packaging. And with home delivery from an organization like Seasonal Roots, you’ll save time, too.

#9:
…relax and enjoy the view.
Use some of that time you save to relax and enjoy the open space you’ll be helping preserve. That’s because buying local food saves nearby farms from getting turned into yet another suburban development. Since our farmers use sustainable methods (unlike factory farms that plant miles and miles of monocrops), our farmers create ecosystems that are good for the soil, water, and air, a rich patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, and ponds – the perfect habitat for wildlife and a peaceful space for recreation.

#8:
…reduce unemployment and taxes in your community.
When you buy local, your food dollars stay in your community instead of going to some faraway corporate headquarters. Buy local food and your dollars create jobs at local farms, food processing facilities, and distribution systems. Plus, studies show that, compared to development, farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services. Chickens don’t go to school and rutabegas don’t call 911. That helps keep taxes from going up.

#7:
…achieve peace of mind.
Local food is safer and more secure. You’ll get to know the farmers who are growing and handling the things you eat. They’re not anonymous, and neither are you, and our farmers take that relationship seriously as they grow and handle your food. Plus, if there’s ever a breakdown in the global food system – which relies on fossil fuels to produce, package, store, and distribute food – your local farmers will still be here, still supplying you with safe, fresh food.

#6:
…eat more delicious food.
Most Seasonal Roots food comes from farmers and artisans within 150 miles (one-tenth as far as supermarket produce). Because local food doesn’t travel very far, farmers can grow varieties for their flavor, not for shelf life and ability to withstand getting drop-kicked halfway around the world. And since the stuff our local farmers grow will be eaten in days instead of weeks, it can be picked at the peak of ripeness — mmmmm. As for locally made products like cheese, bread, and coffee, they’re handcrafted for best flavor and not pumped full of preservatives and artificial flavors.

#5:
…be super cool.
Compared to the global industrial food complex, food from local farmers and artisans uses less fuel and produces less CO2 – 17 times less! So local food belches fewer greenhouse gases and fights global warming. That’s cool.

#4:
…support family farms.
Our family farmers treasure the land as a legacy for their children. They farm with future generations in mind, not short-term profit. That’s good for all of us, for all the reasons listed here.

#3:
…be kind to animals.
Unlike factory farms, our family farmers raise their animals humanely. Chickens, cows, goats, and pigs live happy lives in open pastures. It’s good for the animals, who don’t need constant antibiotics and hormones to grow and stay healthy, and good for us people, too. Grass-fed meat, milk, and eggs are much more nutritious than the conventionally produced kind.

#2:
…get healthy.
Fresh, local, sustainably grown food is better for you. Take meat, dairy, and eggs from animals raised sustainably on pasture. Grass-fed beef, for example, is higher in “good” cholesterol (and lower in “bad”) than factory farmed beef. Grass fed dairy is higher in vitamins A and E, lower in fat, and contains more antioxidants. As for produce, as soon as you pick it, it starts to lose nutrients. So Seasonal Roots delivers it to you within 48 hours, dirt to doorstep™. (Supermarket produce is typically a week old and has lost almost half its nutrients before you even get it home!) Sustainably produced food also means less (or no) agricultural chemicals (such as pesticides), antibiotics, or hormones.

#1: (Drum roll, please…)
…bring more love and joy into your life!
Resolve to buy local, sustainably produced food and you will have a powerful tool for strengthening all the loving relationships in your life. Let’s say you get a passle of local peaches, so fresh and ripe you can smell them, and you remember the peach pie your grandmother used to make when you were a kid, and you get totally inspired and dig out that recipe and call in the kids. Together you whip up a couple of pies while you tell them stories about your late great granny. Then Mr. Grumpy Pants from next door marches over to complain about the noise of happy children – but you offer him a piece of pie and a strange look comes over his face, and you realize that strange look is a smile, and you get to know each other while eating delicious pie to the sound of the laughter of children. And isn’t that what life is all about?

The Veggie Fairies at Seasonal Roots wish you a happy, healthy New Year!

Share the veggie love with someone you care about! 10% off Seasonal Roots Gift Cards if you order by January 2 — give the gift of living better. Just send us an email with your phone number and best time to call to arrange credit card payment, and we’ll set you up with all the Gift Cards you need.