Seeds are critical for the future of sustainable agriculture….and good sauerkraut! In this post we honor seed and the small businesses that supply it to our regional food system.
We are thrilled to feature this creative piece of poetry about our Daikon Kimchi from our kitchen team member Alex Hicks, an active writer and poet in the spoken word poetry community locally in the Berkshires. Thank you Alex!
an adage which speaks to a radish kimchi
by local poet Alex Hicks
time flows on
however it is a while seems
handmade, sealed up
praise culture –
(wild yeast)
all life
is motion
don’t you know
a mile dreams?
a knife’s spine’ll clean.
roots stripped –
prepped cabbage.
life bless this
onion –
this salt, weighed –
this radish
pass through space
an entryway or two
another door
clean hands, fresh gloves
chef knife
& a cutting board –
a story is a moment
an illustration or a photograph
(no lecture)
daikon kimchi
is an adventure in texture
celebrate life & may you find
what you’re seekin’ –
& if it is
that it’s your dietary choice
you should know that this kimchi is vegan.
in all things
slow down.
& if you’re unsure
of this ferment’s many uses
make a sandwich. make a rice dish.
pickle carrots or eggs
in this delicious
kimchi’s juices.
Our garlic patch in 2017! We began the business as farmers and have evolved to working directly with regional organic farms to maintain our commitment to sustainable agriculture and local food.
As a business committed to supporting sustainable agriculture, Hosta Hill partners directly with local farms to produce the organic vegetables that go into our award winning sauerkrauts, kimchis, and hot sauces. In 2018, we proudly sourced almost $40,000 of produce directly from wholesale growers like Atlas Farm in Massachusetts and MX Morningstar Farm in New York State. Such partnerships allow us to use the purchasing power of our business to support farmer livelihoods in the region while accessing the highest quality, most nutritionally dense vegetables available for our ferments.
Along the same lines, we believe that Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is one of the best available options for individuals and families to source their food in a way that more directly supports sustainability and equity in local food systems. For those unfamiliar with the model (or those who might already be long-time advocates), we wanted to share why we think CSA is important and invite fans of Hosta Hill to consider joining a local CSA this season. Now is the time to sign up!
Community Supported Agriculture: what and why
In its traditional form, CSA enables customers, or ‘shareholders’, to more directly support farmers in their community by purchasing a ‘share’ at the start of the growing season. This share covers the cost of growing food for the entire season, which allows the farmer a higher level of economic security while eliminating the extra work of sales and marketing. Importantly, CSA members also share in the risk of farming by receiving food in the quantity and quality actually produced by the farm. This means that specific crops might be more or less abundant depending on the growing conditions of a particular season.
For farmers, the economic security provided by up-front purchase of CSA shares is important because the success of a growing season often relies on weather conditions beyond the control of farmers themselves. A bad growing season can often put serious financial pressure on farmers (or put them out of business altogether, as farmers in the midwest are currently experiencing in heart-breaking ways). The CSA model can play an important role in relieving some of that strain while building a strong community support system for the farmers.
Some very high quality organic green cabbage and bok choy grown by Atlas Farm, one of our valued farm partners.
For shareholders, the CSA model can increase awareness of the realities farmers experience while also providing access to the highest quality, freshest food possible as it becomes available throughout the growing season. As is the case for farmers markets, the food provided through CSA is often harvested day of, making it fresher than anything available at the grocery store. Because pickup often occurs directly on-site and includes interaction with farmers themselves, CSA is also a great way to get to know the people and place responsible for your food.
CSA in Massachusetts, New York, and Beyond:
Here in Western Massachusetts we have an abundance of local farms to choose from when considering CSA, including Indian Line Farm, Woven Roots Farm, and Abode Farm CSA (who is currently fundraising for a new project!) - to name just a few. For those of you in the region, Berkshire Grown is a great resource for finding farms throughout the state. And in New York’s Hudson Valley, the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition maintains an up-to-date listing of CSA farms operating through the region.
Wherever you are, there is a likely a local farm that would benefit from your support in whatever form you can provide it. Whether you choose to become a shareholder or a regular patron of the farm store, purchasing food directly from farmers is a great way to support food systems that are healthy for people and planet.
Abode Farm CSA in New Lebanon, New York offers ‘U PICK’ for shareholders as a way for members to pick their own flowers and produce.
We don’t know about you, but as the weather turns chilly we’re all about some tasty warming comfort food. These pierogis made with locally foraged wild mushrooms and our sauerkraut really hit the spot! Any meaty mushroom can be substituted for the Maitake (Hen of the Woods) pictured. The process is time consuming, so making a big batch to freeze is a great choice. Note: While still delicious, heating our sauerkraut kills those gut healthy bacteria so be sure to serve with a little extra raw on the side if you want to maintain the probiotic benefits.
INGREDIENTS
Filling
1 onion
2 cups warm mashed potatoes and celeriac
1 cup grated smoked cheddar
1 shallot
1 tbsp butter
Serving
Sour cream
2 tbsp butter
1 cup Hosta Hill sauerkraut
1/2 lb wild mushrooms
Dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the dough:
Mix together the flour and salt. Add the egg to the flour and combine. The dough will be dry at this stage. Work in the sour cream and soft butter until the dough comes together in a slightly rough, slightly sticky ball.
Using just your fingertips, knead and fold the dough without adding additional flour until the dough becomes less sticky but still quite moist.
Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, or up to 48 hours.
To make the filling:
Sauté shallot and onion in skillet until caramelized and set aside. Combine the warm mashed potato/celeriac mixture, cheese, and caramelized onion/shallot. Stir and mash until the cheese is melted and the filling is cool to the touch. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
To fill the pierogi:
Roll half the dough 1/8" thick. Use a 2" round cutter to cut circles of dough. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Save the scraps; these can be snipped into small pieces and added to simmering soups.
Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling on each round of dough. Gently fold the dough over, forming a pocket around the filling. Pinch the edges of the pierogi to seal.
At this point the pierogi can be frozen for up to 6 weeks, or refrigerated overnight.
To serve
Heat butter in a skillet and sauté mushrooms until thoroughly cooked and slightly browned. Turn heat to low, add sauerkraut and cook until warm. Set aside.
Add pierogi to large stockpot of boiling salted water. Only cook about 10 pierogi at a time, so that they have room to float without sticking. When the pierogi float, they're done. The time will vary depending of if they are fresh or frozen. When they float, take them out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and briefly sauté in a generous amount of butter until browned.
Serve with mushroom mixture and sour cream. Enjoy!
Workshop participants chop cabbage during a vegetable fermentation workshop at Honest Weight Food Cooperative in Albany, New York.
As a part of our commitment to sharing vegetable fermentation with our local and regional community, we're offering workshops and demonstrations throughout the summer and fall! Here is our current schedule of events, offered in partnership with cooperatives, libraries, and other educational centers in the region.
Please note that registration is required for some of the events, so be sure to follow the link for details.
8-5-2018 - Workshop - Austerlitz Historical Society, Austerlitz, NY (with Berkshire Ferments)
8-18-2018 - Brattleboro Food Co-op, Brattleboro, VT
8-29-2018 Fermented Vegetables and the Gut Microbiome - a collaboration between Hosta Hill and The Nutrition Center - Greenfields Market, Greenfield, MA - Check back soon for details!
10-13-2018 - Workshop at the Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA - Check back for registration details
Interested in collaborating with us on a workshop, demonstration, or event? Reach out to Mark Phillips at mark@hostahill.com
Happy workshop participants at Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany, New York