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Seasonal Roots CBS6 Cooking Segment – Taco Tuesday

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Karla Robinson was on CBS6 in Richmond on Monday, January 10th. She had help in the kitchen from CBS6’s Bill Bevins and Jessica Noll preparing her healthy and delicious recipe for Spicy Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw.

Click here to watch Karla’s TV appearance.

Karla reminded us about the importance of eating seasonally to ensure the freshest nutrient-rich ingredients and best flavor. Healthy, fresh dishes are always easier when you have a variety of tasty ingredients on hand.

The great news is that viewers of the show (and readers of the blog) can enter code “CBS6” when they sign up to  join Seasonal Roots for FREE. Code expires January 23, 2022.

Karla’s recipe follows below.

Spicy Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw

Toss your choice of protein with the spice mix (below). Sauté your protein choice in a pan with olive oil. Assemble your tacos and add your favorite veggies (suggestions below). Top with the Cilantro Lime sauce (below).

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. protein (your choice: shrimp, fish, chicken, tofu)
  • 2 cups shredded green cabbage or kale (or other favorite greens)
  • Julienned carrots, beets, cucumber or zucchini
  • 8 small tortillas

Spice Mix for Protein:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl or baggie and toss the protein of your choice in the mix.

  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne (more or less depending how much spice you like)

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce:

Pulse sauce ingredients in food processor or blender.

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 Tbsp lime juice

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.

Seasonal Roots is #6 on the Fastest Growing “RVA25” List

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Seasonal Roots sees growth in Richmond and beyond.

The Seasonal Roots Online Farmers Market is happy to announce it has been named the 6th fastest-growing company in Richmond in a new ranking released by Richmond BizSense as part of their 2021 “RVA 25” awards.

We are excited to be recognized with so many other great organizations in RVA. Companies were ranked by average annual revenue growth over the previous 3-years. Landis Wine (Operations Manager) and Duane Slyder (Seasonal Roots Founder) were both able to attend the Richmond BizSense event at Hardywood on behalf of the team and enjoyed the event as well as the beautiful early fall weather.

Duane Slyder, Seasonal Roots Founder pictured with Landis Wine, Operations Manager.

Landis Wine (Operations Manager), Duane Slyder (Founder)

Shout out and a huge thank you to our members.

Our members are the reason for our growth. As an Online Farmers Market, it has been such an honor to be able to provide healthy produce to homes within days of harvest. This has never been more important than during the pandemic.  Seasonal Roots members have shared their enthusiasm for shopping online year-round for farm-fresh local produce, dairy, meats, baked goods, artisan fare and more. With that enthusiasm, growth has occurred across all of the Seasonal Roots delivery areas – Richmond, Fredericksburg, Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland, and the Hampton Roads areas.

And of course we thank our partners – local farmers, bakers and artisans who supply the best products and follow earth-friendly sustainable practices.

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 know your choices are better for the environment!

The Richmond BiZSENSE article is available here.

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.

Easy Tips for Cooking Fresh!

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Our very own Karla Robinson was cooking live! She shared some ideas for whipping up some delicious health recipes using fresh ingredients all from Seasonal Roots.

The show was recently aired on the Hampton Roads Show. Viewers can use a special code HRSJOIN10 to enable them to join Seasonal Roots for just $10 (a $40 savings)!

Click here to watch Karla’s TV appearance.

Karla shared some insider tips for creating some versatile dishes using farm-fresh Seasonal Roots products:

  • Cooking with real fresh food – allows you to know exactly what’s in it (and what bad stuff is not)
  • Eating what’s in season – enables a lower carbon footprint since the food travels only a short distance from dirt to doorstep
  • Healthy fresh dishes – are easier when you have a variety of tasty ingredients

Fresh recipes using various fresh ingredients! 

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

Stuffed Eggplant Caprese

 

Eggplant caprese recipeIngredients:

(All available at Seasonal Roots.com when in season locally.)

  • Eggplant
  • Diced chicken
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Fresh mozzarella
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Basil pesto (2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 cloves minced garlic)

Directions:

  • Slice an eggplant in half, scoop out some of the middle.
  • Cook at 350 for about 15 min.
  • Then stuff with cooked, diced chicken, diced fresh mozzarella, diced tomatoes, basil pesto.
  • Put under the broiler until the cheese is browned, and top with fresh basil.
  • You can also cook up the scooped out eggplant and add that to the mixture to not waste anything.
  • Of course, it also makes a great vegetarian dish. Remove chicken and add Tempeh or chickpeas.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

(All available at Seasonal Roots.com when in season locally.)

  • 3 bell peppers any color!
  • Diced cooked chicken
  • Salsa
  • Avocado Cilantro Lime Hummus
  • 2 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
  • 1 Shallot, diced
  • Olive oil
  • Grated Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

  • Cut the tops off the peppers and core them, then throw in boiling water for 3 minutes.
  • Stuff peppers with cooked, diced chicken mixed with salsa.
  • Top with Avocado Cilantro Lime Hummus and grated cheddar.
  • Be creative! You can add beans or rice, mix with refried beans and top with salsa, change up the cheese, use poblano instead of bell peppers. Make it your own.

Curry Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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

Ingredients:

(All available at Seasonal Roots.com when in season locally.)

  • Lettuce
  • Cooked chicken
  • Bury Me in Curry Aioli
  • Thinly sliced tart apples
  • Chives
  • Optional add-ons whatever you have on hand: peppers, carrots, onions, grapes, etc.

Directions:

  • In a curved piece of lettuce add cooked chicken
  • Mix in Bury Me in Curry Aioli (yum!), thinly sliced tart apples, and sprinkle with chives.
  • Be creative! You can add sliced peppers, carrots, onions, or whatever you have on hand.

Delicious but simple seafood recipes!

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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.
enjoying health fall seasonal produce2021 Seasonal Roots

The REAL cost of food

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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.

real cost of food for future generations

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.

duane - food system is broken

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:

  1. The food industry could develop healthier foods and limit how they market unhealthy foods.
  2. 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!

eating locally eating seasonally

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.

flores farm sustainable farming

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.

harmony hill farm sustainable farming

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.”

eat locally eat seasonally to reduce the real cost of food

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.

veggie grilling dad2021 Seasonal Roots

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

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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

veggie grilling dad

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

grilled veggie menu

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.

grilling brussels sprouts - skewer

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.

dad grilling veggies

grilling corn - soak

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.

grilling tomatoes onions - perforated griddle

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.

turn for even grilled veggie browning

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.

grilled veggies on the plate

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.

dairy cow and womanRichlands Dairy

Meet the Dairy Cows of Richlands Creamery

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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!

dairy cows in pasture

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.

dairy farm family

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.

old-time dairy family

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.

local dairy & creamery bottling line

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!”

local dairy tour

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.

local dairy 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.

dairy cow in barn

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.

tomatoes vs squirrels

Tomatoes vs Squirrels and Other Garden Foes

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Spoiler Alert: The squirrels won

A Seasonal Roots staffer tells her story:

This is a story of tomatoes vs squirrels. It’s a sad story. But it has a suprise happy ending, so read on!

I grew up eating fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. Biting into that sun-filled explosion of fully ripened flavor was one of the great joys of my childhood summers. So delicious!

But then I grew up and life got busy. I tried to keep a garden going but, you know — kids, work, traveling for work… I stopped gardening for a long time. At the grocery store, I’d always try to find the best tomatoes I could, but those homegrown, vine-ripened tomatoes of my youth had ruined me. Grocery store tomatoes looked beautiful but they just tasted like pale imitations of the real thing.

So I finally got back to gardening several years ago. I turned the soil, added compost, planted my seedlings, watered, and nutured. The tomato blossoms came, then the first hard green fruits that slowly grew bigger and began to turn a teasing shade of almost-red. I could practically taste them. Little did I know.

The squirrels were lying in wait.

Not just any squirrels. These were greedy squirrels. Ferocious squirrels. Greedy, ferocious, tomato-loving monster squirrels. And cruel! Sometimes they’d spot a tomato when it was about two seconds shy of being fully ripe and take a big bite out of it. But just one bite. Just enough to spoil it for anyone else. Other times they’d carry off their booty and leave a mangled, blood-red mess of a veggie massacre. They’d sit up in the trees and laugh.

I tried netting. More netting. Netting on top of netting. So much netting that I’d wind up tangled in it like a mummy. But not the squirrels. They came and went in that netted fortress like it had a revolving door.

I tried putting the fear of fake owls in them. They knew no fear. Even my three dogs got nothing for their squirrel-chasing efforts but a scolding from the fearless tomato bandits.

I should have put up a marquee over my garden and sold tickets: BIG FIGHT TONIGHT! TOMATOES VS SQUIRRELS! And don’t get me started on slugs, kale-devouring caterpillars, those worms that rot your squashes just before they’re ripe… my gardening Enemies List is long.

But now that I’m with Seasonal Roots, all my gardening woes are solved. When tomatoes are in season, whether they come from the field or the greenhouse, I get to enjoy that mouthwatering burst of vine-ripened tomato goodness with every order. Yum.

As for the squirrels, they’re now raiding the bird feeder. But that’s another story.

Leslie
Seasonal Roots Marketing Maven

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.

Summer Mocktails or Cocktails

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Summer Mocktail or Cocktail Recipes!

It’s hard to beat a cold refreshing drink while enjoying the great outdoors this Memorial Day — or any day! Whether you’re at the beach soaking up some rays or just kicking back on the patio, you’ve got to try these yummy drink recipes. They’re fun, fresh, and actually pretty healthy, whether you serve them as mocktails or cocktails, because they start with super fresh local produce.

Strawberry Cooler Recipe

Ingredients: 

  • 3 cups water
  • 5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • 3/4 to 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1 cup ginger ale
  • crushed ice
  • additional strawberries, optional

Directions: 

  1. In a blender, process the water, sliced strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in batches until smooth.
  2. Strain the berry seeds if desired.
  3. Pour mixture into a pitcher; stir in the ginger ale.
  4. Serve in chilled glasses over ice. Garnish with strawberries and enjoy. Or add vodka for a refreshing cocktail.

 

The Green Giant: A Garden-Fresh Cocktail With Peas

Peas?! Yeah, seriously, you have to try this refreshing green cocktail. It’s perfect for spring!

Ingredients: 

  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 4 sugar snap peas
  • 1 sprig tarragon
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
  • 3/4 ounce honey

Directions:

  1. Muddle 4 sugar snap peas, 10 to 12 tarragon leaves, and honey in a cocktail shaker.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and shake with ice.
  3. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over crushed ice.
  4. Garnish with two sugar snap peas.

 

Celery Cup No. 1

Ingredients: 

  • 2-inch piece celery stalk
  • 1-inch slice cucumber (fresh, English)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro (fresh)
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce vodka
  • 1-1/2 ounces cucumber vodka
  • 3/4 ounce agave nectar

Directions: 

  1. In a mixing glass, muddle the cucumber, celery, cilantro, and lemon juice into a pulp.
  2. Add the vodka and agave nectar.
  3. Cover in ice and shake hard for 10 seconds.
  4. Strain into a tall glass over fresh ice and garnish with a piece of celery.
  5. Serve and enjoy!

 

Strawberry Mojito

This delicious and refreshing cocktail is perfect for a sunny day, or it can even cheer up a cloudy day.

Ingredients: 

  • 1 lime
  • 5 strawberries
  • 1 sprig mint
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 2 ounces white rum
  • 2 to 3 ounces club soda
  • strawberry, garnish
  • sprig of mint, garnish
  • lime wedge, garnish

Directions:

  1. Cut the lime in half, then cut each half into three or four wedges. Remove the stems and slice the strawberries. Pull six to eight leaves from a sprig of mint, leaving the top intact for a garnish.
  2. In a tall glass, add 3 to 4 lime wedges, the sliced strawberries, and individual mint leaves. Top with the sugar.
  3. Muddle well to mash the fruit and dissolve the sugar.
  4. Fill the glass with crushed ice and add the rum.
  5. Stir well to integrate the fruit and mint into the ice. Top with soda.
  6. Garnish with a strawberry, lime wedge, and sprig of mint. Serve and enjoy!

Credit: thespruceeats.com & tasteofhome.com

Donation List from Teacher Appreciation Week

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Donation Announcement and Other Shout Outs! 

This year, teachers have had to adapt to constant change. And now that teachers are in the final year-end sprint, we know they’re still doing it every day. We so love our teachers! So in early May, we organized a drawing for three lucky teachers to win a free membership to Seasonal Roots (usually $50) and a $100 credit toward fresh veggies, fruits, dairy, eggs, meat and more from Seasonal Roots.

Knowing how much teachers care about kids, we also asked them to nominate their favorite kid-related cause to receive a Seasonal Roots donation. After randomly selecting our three teacher winners, we randomly selected one of the teacher-approved organizations.

And the winner is:
REACH OUT & READ VIRGINIA!!!

We’re excited to donate and support their great work! Reach Out & Read Virginia believes all families should have the tools and information they need to make reading aloud a daily routine. They help integrate reading into pediatric practices, advise families about the importance of reading with their children, and share books that serve as a catalyst for healthy childhood development.

Check out all these worthy charities that were nominated by our local teachers!

Other causes that teachers care about:

  • Youth civic engagement
  • Child trafficking
  • Youth sports coaching
  • Ending childhood obesity

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our 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.