As we change seasons, we’re talking seasonal foods with chef Zane Dearien at a unique restaurant in St. Louis’ Central West End — Bowood by Niche. The restaurant is paired with a garden center, providing a perfect patio environment to enjoy a relaxed meal with friends and family. Our conversation focuses on the importance of utilizing seasonal foods and the on-site herb garden at the restaurant, and ways home cooks can up their game too.

A full transcript created by Castmagic AI is available.

Chef Zane Dearien fanning the flames at Bowood by Niche. Photo by Matthew Holleran.

Infusing Food & Seasonality

Zane acknowledges that the farm-to-table buzz may not be the same as it was years ago, but the philosophy and practice of having respect for how food is produced and stewarding it is still near and dear to the heart of many.

And if you are there to enjoy a meal, you can’t help but feel it too, especially if you sit in the patio area. As Zane says, it feels more old world thanks to the abundance of plants in the nursery and the community feel.

Look at the view from my side of the microphone during our interview.

Looking at the menu, the first thing that catches your attention is their unwavering commitment to working with seasonal ingredients. The menu is a reflection of the incredible flavors that each season brings, and it’s awe-inspiring to see how dishes are crafted dishes that truly capture the essence of each ingredient’s peak freshness.

From vibrant spring salads to hearty fall stews (and Zane is looking forward to comfort foods that come with cooler weather & live fire seasonal cooking!), the creativity that emerges from Bowood’s kitchen is nothing short of spectacular.

The view of the outdoor kitchen is also pretty spectacular.

Raising Herbs on the Roof

One aspect of cooking that I’ve always been intrigued by is the use of fresh herbs. Whether it’s a sprinkle of basil on a caprese salad or a pinch of rosemary in a hearty stew, herbs have the power to elevate flavors and add a touch of freshness to any dish. I’ve even been known to have a planter right out the front door so it’s just a few steps from my kitchen.

Zane shared with me his passion for growing herbs right at the restaurant. He explained that having a herb garden is not only practical but also allows them to provide the freshest ingredients to their customers. There are huge planters of herbs on the patio and a much larger herb garden on the roof. 

When it comes to using herbs in the kitchen, Zane believes in the power of simplicity. He emphasized that a sprinkle or a small handful of freshly chopped herbs can completely transform a dish. Whether you’re adding them at the beginning of the cooking process or using them as a final garnish, herbs have the ability to provide a burst of aromatics and bring life to any meal.

I asked Zane about the herbs that he thinks are a must have and he gave a list: basil, mint, chives, parsley and thyme with two additions that stood out. He added chevril which is closely related to parsley but adds in some complexity that he tends to choose over cilantro. And one that we’ve talked about a lot — lavender which is especially good at attracting pollinators that help keep that herb garden thriving outdoors. As the temps drop, indoor growing means a bit of additional light. 

Speaking of indoors and light… the indoor dining rooms are pretty awesome too!

A Culinary Niche in St. Louis

Is it wrong to feel like I need to confess a love of all foods Niche-related before I sign off on the blog post? I moved to St. Louis around the time Gerard Craft, the chef who started Niche more than a decade ago began to get noticed. I started going to his restaurants there and am a forever fan. Absolutely every meal has been fantastically prepared at each and every place in the Niche Food Group, deserving each and every accolade from James Beard and everywhere else.

But there is a lot more than great food whenever you visit Niche restaurants, you feel welcomed in & comfortable. The staff is friendly but some how senses whether this is a day to chat much or let you focus on the guests you are with. Everyone seems to enjoy the work they do and want you to really enjoy your meal. You get that in the restaurants but it also is felt throughout social media too. I have well over a decade of proof in blog posts and social media shares!

Give them a follow and you will see what I mean! You can find Bowood by Niche on their website bowoodbyniche.com, Instagram at @bowoodbyniche and Zane’s chef account @zdearien. You can also check out the other locations, including: @pastariastl, @brasseriestl, @pastariadeliwine, @fordoskillerpizza,
@brasswellstl, @cinderhousestl and for those visiting Tennessee, check out @pastarianashville.

The post Tapping into Fresh & Seasonal Cooking: A Convo with Chef Zane Dearien appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

Cheese farmer made be a made up term but when you make artisan cheddar cheese from the dairy cows you milk, it seems fitting so it’s what I called David Hemme as I visited the family’s Missouri farmstead creamery!

The Hemmes are committed to “better from the beginning” and the result is incredibly tasty products with an eye on the future.  We cover all the topics from cheese curds to regenerative farming techniques being used on the farm.

(An AI-generated transcript for the episode is available as is a post on some cheese-related vocabulary.)

A History of Dairy, A New Tradition in Cheesemaking

As I talked to David, I though about the family’s rich history in dairy farming and what a major turn it was to decide to start making cheese. He shared that his family has been dairy farming for generations, both here in the US and in Germany. The Hemme family’s commitment to dairy farming had been passed down through generations, with a strong emphasis on quality and tradition.

But as his dad aged, he got out of the dairy business because of the toll it takes on a person. Eventually David got back into it later and as his children became adults, decided he had to find a way to be more profitable.

That’s where the cheesemaking came in. In a really ironic twist, David points out, that though he hadn’t tasted artisan cheese, they decided they would invest and borrow money to do it! David points out that most rural grocery stores have tended to carry the basics over the years. But with the big cities of Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis all nearby, there were lots of speciality shops and higher-end grocers offering a range of products. Through consulting with various experts, they decided to focus on cheddar first. They have grown from there.

Now David’s sons — the Hemme Brothers — all have roles with the business and are looking forward to future generations getting involved too. Jon focuses on the crop work, Michael on the dairy cows and Nathan on the cheesemaking.

Cheddar & The Love of Curds

Since Americans love a great cheddar cheese, thats where the Hemme’s focused first. They developed a good cheddar and since then have added a range of flavors to go on top. They now have an applewood smoked, rubbed & smoked that has an unique eye appeal, black pepper chedder, espresso cheddar, spicy ghost cheddar, a mild cheddar and aged cheddar that has more of a sharp flavor.

One thing David didn’t expect, was how much people love cheese curds — the fresh curds left over after cheddar curds are pressed to become blocks. He remembers historically how creameries would sell those at the end of the day and how it wasn’t seen as desirable as it is now. Great protein source for sure and lower income people prioritized getting some at their local creamery as shifts ended. Over the years, there were fewer small producers, so fewer cheese curds available. Now, people love the convenience of a zip top bag and small pieces you can grab on the go, no knife needed. And the abundance of choices in flavors means everyone gets something to enjoy.

I was headed to Kansas City after my visit to the Hemmes’ so I loaded up my cooler (David was nice enough to gift me some incredible samples!) and with a group of friends can attest to loving all the flavors. The espresso was probably the most surprising for me in part because I’m not a coffee drinker. But the cheeses were so fantastic, one friend followed up on a tip going to The Better Cheddar and getting some of the reserve they make with the Hemmes’ cheddar!

Adding Other Cheeses & More to the Mix

Once the Hemmes got their cheddar game on point, they started adding other cheese to the mix.

Since I was there during the height of tomato season, I was excited to learn they make some amazing fresh mozzarella. I became addicted to it when I was living in New York and renting from a large Italian family who often used fresh mozzarella in whatever was coming to the table. David told me that the cows were milked Wednesday, the Mozzarella was made Thursday and was hitting farmers markets on Saturday! We had an amazing caprese platter while I was visiting friends.

There is also a German cheese called quark the Hemmes make. It’s also a fresh product which packs in the protein but takes on the flavors of whatever you mix or serve it with. It’s more of a consistency of ricotta or something so it’s sold by the jar. David tells us it’s great in the kitchen — he says it makes incredible desserts like cheesecake and with the high protein content it is very filling. He also recommends mixing in some honey and blueberry in and says you can’t help yourself. You’ll eat it by the spoonful or on ciabatta bread, crackers, whatever! That Hemme Quark has won awards among the American Cheese Society.

They also make feta cheese in both blocks and as crumbles. It’s a big hit with scrambled eggs and on that perfect spinach salad in my world!

Last year was the first year the family made a melting cheese they have been calling a pizza cheese. David says that members of the Hispanic community in Kansas City tell them it’s what they grew up with in Mexico and other Central American countries so the name may be changing but the stretchability and that great melt that holds together, those will be sticking he says!

David also has been working on smoked meats to round out those charcuterie offerings. They have a sopressesa and sweet bologna.

A Tour of the Creamery

My tour led me around the creamery and we saw the place where the cheese is made, the aging cave, and more!

Where to Find Hemme Brothers

The family focuses on Missouri primarily with them handling some distribution and working with others some too. You can find the family at two big farmers’ markets — David goes to the Overland Park farmers market in the KC metro and Nathan handles the farmers’ market in Columbia. There are specialty shops of various kinds throughout the state selling Hemme Brothers and here in St. Louis where I live, I can pick it up at my local Schnuck’s and Dierberg’s grocery stores. And as weather cools down, they will return to e-commerce too — no doubt a purchase to consider for the holiday cheeseboard you want to make!

• If you find any of the words in this episode new to you, we have a list of some cheese vocabulary and definitions in this other post.
• The Hemme Brothers website hemmebrothers.com
• Hemme Brothers on Instagram
• Hemme Brother on Facebook

Castmagic is the AI tool (link to Castmagic & give me a referral fee that doesn’t impact your cost) that helps with some of the content shared here and on social channels. It helps me do more faster since I don’t stare at a blank screen. 

The post Artisan Cheddar from the Farm: Cheese Curds & Conservation appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

When you think of the United States’ wine industry, you might immediately think of the West Coast’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys rather than Midwestern Vineyards. I know that likely inspired some eyerolls from some listeners, but I encourage you to stick with us for this episode. You may really find yourself intrigued as we talk to Brandon Hofherr and Sam Cobb about Missouri’s St. James Winery.

(You can access a written transcript of episode 403 here.)

When Wine is the Family Business

2023 Weather Challenges Early

The shifting weather in 2023 has posed a significant challenge for vineyards in the Midwest, but seeing issues in California and other production areas, it seems this will be more commonplace. Irregular weather patterns have made it hard to predict the growing season, impacting the vineyards’ yields and quality of grapes.

That unpredictability of the weather has made it harder for vineyard managers like Sam Cobb to plan and manage their crops, with many requiring extensive upkeep. Sam did a great job walking us through some of the issues while we visited and that can be seen in this video we captured. Luckily, the vines seem to have recovered a lot in the months since we were there — we added an update to the video.

Despite the challenges, vineyards are continually adapting and looking for creative solutions to sustain production. Sam & Brandon both point to continual testing of various varieties for adaptability. They also have introduced advances in technology to monitor soil moisture, disease, and pests, helping them make informed decisions and respond quickly to changing conditions.

What do Midwestern Vineyards offer?

When it comes to midwestern wines, there is a vast array of varietals and styles to choose from. I won’t lie, I don’t always know what I will like at a winery so I’ve found regular conversations with the folks working tasting rooms, etc really helpful. Brandon has those tips down!

In terms of red wines, there are dry, full-bodied options, such as Norton and other bold varietals created from hybrid grapes capable of growing in extreme weather conditions. Norton grapes offer an intense and rich flavor combining tannins and fruitiness. Overall, what sets midwestern wines apart from others is the unique climate and soil that provides them with a distinct regional character and flavor profile.

But, Missouri and Midwestern vineyards are probably better known for producing refreshing, fruity white wines that are perfect for sipping on hot summer days, with popular options being the Vignoles and Chardonel grapes.

Molly and I did a tasting tray of several reds, whites and rose wines. We both found some we really enjoyed! And I’m not going to lie, I love that St. James makes wines with a range of other fruits and the Pineapple-Mango they were introducing as we visited are the perfect choice for a relaxing day outside.

The post Rich Flavors and History of Midwestern Vineyards appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

Common ground is a phrase that is said less frequently these days, and environmental common ground isn’t what everyone expects happens when environmental scientists and farmers sit down together. But maybe we should.

The health of our soils, shifting weather patterns and the role of greenhouse gases and more means there is a lot to talk about and work on too. In this episode of Grounded by the Farm, we talk with Missouri dairy farmer Alex Peterson and Alisha Staggs, a sustainability expert who leads the dairy program with The Nature Conservancy‘s (TNC) North American Agriculture program. TNC is one of the world’s largest and most respected environmental organizations.

This is the third and final episode in our series on dairy. We visited two dairy farms in Oklahoma, talked to a cheesemonger and now look at the environmental footprint. Shouts out to Midwest Dairy for sponsoring the series and helping us line up participants. Please let us know if you have questions remaining about dairy.

Meeting Virtually

While both Alex & Alisha are deep in the world of dairy — him farming and her working to increase the adoption of conservation practices — our zoom interview was their first chance to meet.

Alex farms with family in north central Missouri. He says the rolling hills are beautiful and well suited to grazing rather than planting crops like corn. They have a management intensive grazing operation, which basically means they move cows from one pasture to another regularly to keep the pastures growing great grasses and give the cows access to a fresh area often. He also is involved with a few groups in agriculture including Midwest Dairy saying that he finds it provides him a lot of opportunities to learn from other farmers as well as experts like Alisha.

Alisha says she grew up along the Oklahoma-Arkansas state line with family who had beef cattle. While she studied biology and everyone felt certain she was headed to becoming a veterinarian, she found her niche in supply chain sustainability. She’s worked for environmental organizations as well as in corporate sustainability. With her focus on dairy at The Nature Conservancy, she says part of the role is in connecting information as well as people as they chart a roadmap through continual environmental improvements.

I think it is safe to say, you can hear the enthusiasm all three of us have for the topic in the podcast episode!

Where is the environmental common ground?

Alisha jumped right in on the topic of grazing as she says it can often be overlooked for the contributions sustainable grazing practices have to mitigating climate change, improving soil health, increasing native wildlife and more. The prairies are such environmentally valuable properties that The Nature Conservancy has a commitment to their preservation and to restoring some of the grasslands that have been repurposed. In fact, TNC’s goal is clearly laid out on their site saying they want “to improve management on 240 million acres (30%) of U.S. grazing lands by 2030, resulting in enhanced wildlife habitat, soil carbon storage, water quality, and rural economies.”

Alex says the process of grazing enables cows to get access to grass and the breed of cows on their farm, which is actually a combination of breeds, thrive outdoors like hikers and campers. They go out into the grass, eat, spend time chewing their cuds (ie digesting the grass), leave manure out there, over time their hooves tramp the manure back into the soil fueling more grass to grow. The cycle works really well. You may remember that Oklahoma dairy farmer Logan Courtney also does similar grazing for cows on his farm.

Alex says his family has seen some of those benefits first-hand as they made changes. But that it helps to have partners like TNC to help them quantify some of the impacts and be engaged in conversations with other parts of the supply chain. He said he knows people are looking for more information about the environmental footprint and partners like The Nature Conservancy provide a level of expertise and trust.

Some of the cows grazing on the Peterson farm

People frequently talk about the role trees play in converting carbon dioxide to fuel plant growth, but some of the grasses in the Midwest and Plains have incredibly extensive root systems. Those root systems can, at times, be more powerful than some trees in that the depth to which they go can drive carbon sequestration deeper as well provide the soil more water holding capacity to help the prairie when rains aren’t as frequent etc.

Alisha says she’s seen a lot of variability among reports on how many of the soils are healthy or degraded, but no matter what that number is, there is unified vision that healthier soils are better for the environment, farmers and more. Alex calls it the win-win-win.

Cattle Feed and Methane?

One of the more unusual pieces of environmental common ground is likely the discussion around feed additives or supplements for cows. Alex explains that his cows have access to the pasture grasses a lot of the time and get some mixed rations that include other nutrition, etc. when they go into the milking barn. And both Alex and Alisha are excited about some of the recent studies on feed additives that could help cows be more effective with the rumen (the four stomached system that allows them to extract nutrition from grass, etc but also creates methane).

Alisha points to the dairy industry’s Net Zero Initiative and the Feed in Focus program TNC, Net Zero Initiative and agricultural input company Syngenta have focusing on sustainability and determining what works in different farm scenarios. It is currently being used in two states and will be expanded as impacts are better understood so the beneficial components can be shared widely. I found this video about the Net Zero Initiative really interesting and helpful in understanding the approach.

Alex says he is especially encouraged that the most promising additives were identified during efforts to increase milk production, which show the interconnected nature of everything on the farm. Doing something that benefits one aspect needs to be checked for impacts on the other pieces. Farmers want to do what’s right for the animals, the environment, dairy customers but also have to be able to make things work financially. Having partnerships through TNC where others in that chain are willing to help with some of the investment risks means it’s easier to take on the other risks.

It was such a productive meeting that, Alisha found a TNC ranch not far from Alex and they are looking to arrange a tour to see what can be picked up there!

Staying Up-to-Date

The post Finding Environmental Common Ground: Dairy & Nature appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

Imagine the smell of a lavender farm…. it is something that will captivate your imagination for all sorts of things!Lavender farms may not be everywhere, but thanks to Long Row Lavender, just west of St. Louis, Missouri, it’s an easy drive for much of middle America. Tracy Smith shares the lessons learned about growing lavender, cooking with it, and bringing the great look and scent into your homes!

Tracy, her husband Chad and their four children started the farm several years ago as a way to spend time together outdoors. They would take things to local farmers markets, etc and eventually decided to build a gift shop. Later a cafe was added and with seating around the farm, it’s become a popular destination. Two of the kids are adults and doing their own thing but all of the family comes together now and then to get projects done, etc.

An ai-generated transcript of the podcast episode on growing lavender is available here. 

Different Varieties of Lavender

Tracy tells us there are more than 400 varieties of lavender! Long Row plants several of them but acknowledges they hardly touch the surface. And part of that is because of the location… most lavender varieties like a more temperate climate than Missouri offers.

The hybrid Phenomenal seems to best fit this farm with its slight hills. But they plant several varieties — Monstead is the second variety that does pretty well for Long Row and they try different English Garden types and love showing guest some of the various colors that come with the beautifully fragrant plants. I went out to the farm before the plants were blooming to be sure I could give people a good heads up, but even then I could see some of the differences like with the two varieties I mentioned above.

Planting Lavender

I love how encouraging Tracy is about having people grow lavender at home. And while it frightened me learning that lavender is related to mint, Tracy says the trait that means mint will spread everywhere isn’t present with lavender. With that in mind, I bought some and have decided to plant it in a pot for the summer. This fall I may find a place to plant it in a flower bed…. fingers crossed it overwinters well. I want to see how much it grows in the coming year.

Tracey said they have been playing with planting times and all at their lavender farm. She laughs saying lavender doesn’t like having wet feet anymore than people do. That is part of the reason I went with the recommendation to have it in a pot this year. so I can be sure it is draining well. The challenge of too much rain has been a problem for Long Row Lavender. In fact, the heavy rains led Long Row to make a number of changes at the farm in the past year and the rows they have planted are shorter. She thinks the rows are still plenty long and there are even more rows.

See, the rows were going north to south, but the hill slopes going east to west. When they had a lot of plants damaged last year, they moved the older plants to raised beds and decided to change the row pattern on the rest of the farm while they replanted. The rows now run east and west and have plastic mulching down to limit the amount of water that soaks in or runs further down to peony beds, etc. that do better with more rain.

If you look closely, you can see different varieties as well as different planting times. Some went in the ground last fall and the winter seems to have treated them quite well Tracy points out.

You can see some of the video we captured while touring the lavender farm in this piece we did for the Grounded by the Farm YouTube channel.

Enjoying Lavender in Many Ways!

When I talk to farmers, they always have ways of using their crop I’ve never considered, and Tracy wasn’t about to disappoint.

Walking through the show you can find all sorts of personal care, home decor and kitchen products that you will want to try (I sure did!) The team at this lavender farm make quite a few of the products in house, and they work with some suppliers on other pieces too. They offer opportunities for people to cut and create their own bundles of lavender. My niece is slowly building up a bouquet at her house… made a few cuttings already and has them hanging to dry! (She is further south.)

The cafe at Long Row offers lunch and hearing some of the things they do made it clear I need to go back when they are open.

• Ever thought of mixing a bit of lavender or herbes de provence (lavender, oregano, marjoam thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, and bay leaf) in on a ham sandwich?
• The idea of lavender chocolate chip cookies was a show stopper! And wow. She’s right. Lavender really compliments chocolate! It’s like mint or salt compliment chocolate.
• And I had to buy the brownie & lemon bread mixes that include lavender for Molly and I both! She loves cooking with lavender so I knew she’d love it since she didn’t have a chance to go. She even wrote a separate post on some of the ways she uses lavender in the kitchen.

Finding a Lavender Farm

I love that Tracy talks about how the family would search for lavender farms online as they were thinking about getting into this.

So often you think of lavender in the English countryside from movies, and the climate there is really better for many types of lavender. That’s why most larger lavender farms are in the Pacific Northwest. But there are lots of smaller farms like Long Row Lavender around the country. And there is even a map of US Lavender Growers who open their farms to the public!

And you can find Long Row Lavender Farm online! You can shop and learn a lot about Long Row on their website longrowlavender.com. The Long Row Lavender Instagram quickly caught my eye, the farm’s Facebook is updated regularly too.

And if you think Long Row is a good destination for you, they are just off Interstate 70. The farm & gift shop are open 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Saturday, and the cafe is open 11 am to 2 pm the same days. You can get dessert and coffee/drinks whenever the gift shop is open.

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The post Longing to Visit a Lavender Farm? Get to Making Plans! appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

This post about a sustainable dairy farm is sponsored by Midwest Dairy. I was compensated for my time, but all wording and opinions are mine.

In the first podcast I posted, background on how my love of discovery about the environmental side of farming led me to spend my entire career in agriculture. And I love learning more. There are always new things to see and do. So when I was invited out to see a dairy farm just an hour from home, I jumped at it. That’s how I ended up spending the day at the Riegel’s Dairy Farm outside of St. Louis with Brian Riegel giving us a tour and talking through everything.

Since I’ve been to several dairy farms in the past, some of the things that excite newcomers are a bit more familiar to me, but there is always something to get excited about. And this definitely proved the case while we were in the maternity barn.

Calf Just Born

We saw a calf that had just been born — mom was still cleaning it up and before long it had gotten up on it’s feet walking!

And then we realized she was getting ready to give birth to a twin! You can see the hooves, below. But quite frankly the cow was so focused on the first calf that she wasn’t trying to push this one out. The new one was born about 20 minutes later I hear, and both are healthy & were up walking around.

Looking at the Dairy Barns

Walking around, it was easy to notice how much the barns are thought through. The maternity barn had areas where the farm team could separate a cow that’s ready to give birth from the others, When a new calf is born, Brian explained, the momma cow can perceive others (cows, people, etc) as a threat to the calf so more privacy is warranted.

Cows that are currently being milked are in another barn nearby, with ready access to the milking parlor. And their day is focused on a good bit of eating and hanging out. We saw cows chilling on beds of sand and a flush of water came through to wash the manure to a lagoon that is monitored and will go back onto the farm’s land to fertilize the crops.

If you look closely you see cows laying down on sand beds in the background, while a flush of water pushes manure toward the lagoon.

Brian talked about how it’s a circle of sustainability. The manure feeds the crops which feed the cows. That’s part of upcycling but there was a lot more when we got into the various kinds of feed grown or supplied to the cows.

Sustainable Feeds the Riegels Use

Dairy farmers are big on nutrition, making sure the cows are getting a balanced diet that really suits the calf or cow where they are. He talks to us about what cows eat and why.

Brian points out that with the ruminant’s stomach, they need a lot of ruffage. People use various types of feed to cover that, his farm grows corn for silage which offers a lot of fiber and energy for the cows according to the University of Nebraska.  Silage is a way of taking the entire corn plant (leaves, corn cobs, etc), shredding it up to smaller pieces and fermenting it under tarps and tracking its quality. And that fermenting process encourages the growth of good bacteria for the cow’s digestive system.

Brian took a handful of the silage to show us. The smell clearly lets you know immediately it’s fermented! Not many in our group wanted to eat it though!

As we walked around, he showed us some of the other components of feed that he doesn’t produce. And several of them are left over from making things people like, that seems like a core sustainable dairy practice.

One component that grabs the attention of beer drinkers is brewer’s grain! It’s sent to farms wet and was pretty warm to the touch. But being so close to St. Louis, Brian said there is a lot of brewer’s grain readily available and experts point to the benefits of the high protein content it offers a cow’s diet. Love that it gets upcycled rather than trashed — that protein goes back into cows making milk for my high protein yogurts and all. When we talked to the guys about farming connections at a brewery, I forgot to even ask about this!

They also use some of the byproducts from a plant that makes grits, not sure a lot of folks in the Midwest eat grits, but down south, I’m guessing there is plenty to dispose of. Brian said it’s a bit dustier than most hominy but it’s similar. I missed snagging a photo of it though.

The last of the food waste type byproducts Brian showed us that his farm upcycles is cottonseed. Cottonseed provides cows with energy and protein as well as some fiber! Everyone got photos of cottonseed! And it’s my favorite — I mean I have been JPlovesCOTTON on Twitter for more than a decade and started blogging in what became Hundred Percent Cotton! Of course Grounded by the Farm (podcast/website/social media) is sort of a combination of so many of those ideas.

All of this stuff gets mixed together with a big machine that delivers it to the cows throughout the day. And the cows enjoy it!

Lots of Sustainable Dairy Farmers

I’ve seen lots of other farmers who do similar kinds of upcycling and love that frequently different parts of the country have some different things that fit a cow’s needs. For instance, dairy cows in Florida get citrus pulp that’s left over from making orange juice and things! And according, to the info Midwest Dairy gave me, that means up to 306 million pounds of food waste can be captured and used by dairies, keeping it from going to landfills. They have a video that captures some of the other sustainable dairy pieces too.

The post How a Sustainable Dairy Farm Upcycles Things to Produce Great Milk appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

There is an almost magical quality for tomatoes and a tomato farm is a place that I can close my eyes and picture myself there, I can even smell it! So when you meet a guy who goes by Tony Tomato, you really expect him to deliver. And having had tomatoes that Tony White aka St. Louis’ own Tony Tomato grew, it was just a matter of time before I convinced him to come on the show!

(A transcript of our conversation with Tony Tomato generated via AI is available.)

Becoming Tony Tomato

I met Tony one evening as a group was having an incredible dinner at a local restaurant and winery called Edgewild. There was a spread of appetizers when we walked in and the tomatoes immediately caught my eye. So when we were all introduced to Tony Tomato a bit later, he got a fantastic reception! What I didn’t know then was that Tony had undergone a lot of career volatility and stress that lead him to try gardening as a stress reliever. Next thing he knew, he was the tomato farm connection!

He had long worked with the Yellow Pages in a marketing role and that was beginning to drop off. He took up a new hobby and started growing vegetables. And on the work side, he began building a business that had an accreditation process, to help people find the most reliable, efficient roofing companies, etc but he kept hitting roadblocks and challenges.

Tony said the garden faced some challenges but as he got the feel for it, he was producing incredible tomatoes and other vegetables. He grew more than his family and friends could eat, can or anything else. There was a restaurant across the street he approached, next thing he knew, a chef from another restaurant saw the load of tomatoes and wanted in on the action. Tony said his kids were with him that night and were mind-blown at how badly the chefs wanted the vine-ripened tomatoes. He left with a good feeling, some money for the kids back-to-school

As he talked to a mentor, he laughed about how well his hobby had gotten and how he had started selling tomatoes to a few restaurants. The mentor asked why Tony was fighting it, why not go for the business that sells itself and Tony had his aha moment and that garden was en route to a tomato farm.

A Tomato Farm Focuses on Taste & Color

Specializing in the tomato niche, is an unusual one and Tony says he sources great red tomatoes all year long as well as various heirlooms, cherry tomatoes, etc. The taste and depth of color are both priorities whether looking at yellow, orange, red or deep purples. Once it’s plated, it’s something to see.

That means choosing just a handful of varieties to plant himself at various intervals so he can have a consistent supply through an extended growing season and then working with others to fill out the rest of the year. He points out this is a premium, not the tomatoes picked green and shipped in bulk to be ripened later.

Nothing grabs his heart faster than a tomato salad! Just look at this one from his @tonytomato_tomatotony Instagram.

 

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A post shared by Tony White (@tonytomato_tomatotony)

Covid Throws Curves

Working so closely with restaurants, Tony’s tomato farm was a bit shaky during the early days of the pandemic, but he saw some pivots and making them led to a range of other opportunities. He established home delivery, expanding to do produce boxes that offer a wealth of fresh produce grown locally. The boxes filled a great need with the gaps in the food supply chain.

And Tony also does produce boxes working with Operation Food Search… look at the box!

 

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A post shared by Tony White (@tonytomato_tomatotony)

Find Tony Tomato Online

Tony shares photos that will make you drool on the @tonytomato_tomatotony Instagram and Facebook as Tony’s Family Farms Tony Tomato. And he has an email newsletter that includes a range of updates through the Tony’s Family Farms website.

The post How a Need to Relieve Stress Started a Tomato Farm / Business appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

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Interviewing Natasha Nicholes for this week’s episode talking about gardening reminded me about previous years of my container garden. This spring and my need to stay quarantined makes me wonder whether I will get much planted since I didn’t start from seed like I normally did and then I would combine those with a few plants and wow, my local nursery has been flooded. I hope to try again next week.

As I mentioned in the podcast, I have enjoyed gardening over the years but I keep it on a smaller scale than Natasha. Anytime I let it get too big, I felt overwhelmed. I like gardening for the things I love most in small amounts. It works well for me to use containers.

Container Gardening on My Deck

I started growing herbs and a few plants on my balcony way back in my apartment days. I’ve had containers at several houses since. For me, I can always make containers work. The house I live in now, has a fairly small backyard AND I have a massive tree. That means there can be a lot of shade. I do have a nice sized deck to accommodate a table, chairs and grill…. and it gets great sun at least some of the day and I like being int he shade a good bit of the summer.

For all those reasons, I found a corner of the deck that is perfect for a container garden. And it is close to the faucet for the hose too!

Bonus? The happy plants usually keep me from seeing the air conditioning unit!

Selecting Pots for a Container Garden

I bought some fairly big pots a few years ago based on the recommendations of a guy I worked with who paid for college by growing & selling tomatoes! I can’t imagine and luckily I don’t have to because I’ve seen his amazing garden and his daughters are on a path to do the same with their tomato business!

Anyway, I asked Eric about how to pick containers. I had some small pots for house plants I was thinking of using. He said using a few bigger pots usually works better. You can put a few plants in and all have more room to grow.

He also helped me decide to use plastic containers. I hadn’t thought much about it but, he said terra cotta pots can be really heavy if you need to move them and terra cotta also absorbs a lot of the water. This would let the water stay available for the plants, especially important if you are like me and may forget now and then.You do want to put a few holes in the botton of the pots — I used the drill to do it.

So I went big at the garden shop and then went home with pots and some big bags of potting soil. The people at shop helped me figure out how much to buy.

Early in the season these few plants look like I could plant more in there but peppers get pretty tall & can bush out quite a bit so you want to be sure you have space.

Choosing the Right Plants

As Natasha says in the podcast, planting vegetables you like is a good start. But I’d add if you can find ones you like that aren’t too finicky, you really hit the sweet spot.

For me, snacking tomatoes are perfect.

Part of that is I just love them. Regularly buy a container from the store & wash them, just leave the container on the counter in the kitchen and pick a few up every time I walk through.

The last few years I even put one container out by my front door so I could grab tomatoes as soon as they ripen!

The Sun Sugar is my favorite. It’s more orange than red which I think has been helpful because big red tomatoes kept having squirrel or bird damage on them. That wore me out! I didn’t get a single red tomato off the vine one year. Dang squirrels and birds!

I also love peppers. Usually have some jalapenos, maybe serranos, banana peppers…. And I use all the herbs. Sometimes I grow from seed that has been very carefully selected and other times I just get whatever seed or plants are available. They both have worked!

The post Tips on a Container Garden — What I Learned by Trying Containers appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

In this episode, we talk popcorn with Matt Helms who is returning to his family farm part-time as he starts a popcorn business serving customers in the St. Louis local area and online.

With a family tradition of farming, Matt tells us he wanted to participate in that while still living in the city and working off farm as well. While he and his wife Michelle considered a few things, popcorn rose to the top and has become a family business that includes their young daughter Lily Ella. He talks about taking on that new level of risk and feeling more connected to his ancestors. 

In this interview, Matt also shares his excitement for finding new customers and the help Lily offers as well as telling us about the various types of popcorn grown on the farm — heirloom, butterfly and mushroom. 

He also talks about the various ways the family enjoys popcorn and gives a tip for a recipe that he says was a hit as a holiday appetizer!  

After you listen to the podcast, you may want to check out a video tour on the farm as we learn about moisture testing, a key point in popcorn quality. 

You can order directly from Ella & Ollie’s website and find Ella & Ollie Popcorn on Facebook.

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