Board-room Business: Get your orders in soon!

I'll be calling Portage Mills on Monday to place our order for cedar boards. You can order anything they stock -- rough or planed, planters, table kits, and so on -- and we'll get it all shipped in one go. Email brlittle at gmail dot com or Christy to get your order in line.

Check Your Spam

Please be sure that your messages from the food club aren't ending up in your spam folder. 

 

You can always stay abreast of what's happening by subscribing to the blog: here's a post from one of our members on how to do so: http://localfoodclub.blogspot.com/2008/03/rss-in-plain-english.html  If you have questions, comment in response to this item in the blog.

 

C.

Local Food Club Update

Welcome to the Local Food Club!   (For those of you who haven't already been notified of getting a slot, consider this an invitation...place your order and I'll know you're joining.)

 

**** Don't forget the Organic Food Gardening Q&A this Thursday, March 27 at 7:00 PM.  Directions will follow in separate cover later this week. *****

 

Our next farm run will take place this week.  Complete the order form http://localfoodclub.blogspot.com/2008/03/march-2829-farm-run-order-form.html within the next 48 hours; orders must be received by 5 PM on Monday.  Pickup is Saturday, March 29 from 9:30-11:00 AM at the Bradford Store on Hwy 73 in Huntersville.   We only accept checks or cash; checks are preferred. 

 

For those of you who ordered milk, your milk should arrive at the Bradford Store by Wednesday.  Kim will hold it through Saturday for you; so you can pick it up before Sat or wait until the Sat pickup.

 

GOT CHICKEN???

 

For those of you who want locally, sustainably produced poultry, you need to act now.  The chicken club memberships that Grateful Growers are holding open for us will be given back for them to fill from their waiting list after March 29.  The Local Food Club will not be looking for any other chicken providers until this time next year.  So if you want chicken, this is your best shot.  Details on the club can be found here: http://localfoodclub.blogspot.com/2008/03/grateful-growers-chicken-club-info.html  You can sign up for a membership at the pickup on Saturday, or contact localfoodclub@gmail.com if you aren't ordering this run but want to reserve a spot.  

 

GOT TURKEY???

 

Same thing goes for turkeys and duck.  Scott Glidden of Glencoras Farm is raising duck and turkeys for us.  When he starts going to the farmers' market in April, he will offer any unsold bird reservations to the general public.  The LFC will not be looking for turkeys in the fall; this is your opportunity to reserve your Thanksgiving or Christmas bird now.  You can reserve what you want on the order form, or by notifying us at pickup on Saturday.

 

If you have not yet paid your spring membership dues ($60), please do so at the pickup.  

 

If you have any questions, please contact: localfoodclub@gmail.com. 

 

Thanks!

 

March 28/29 Farm Run Order Form

Name:



Email Address:

Ground Beef (AOF), $4.50/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sirloin Steak (AOF), $8/lb (avg 1-1.25 lb; 1 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sirloin Stir-Fry (AOF), $8/lb (avg 0.75-1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Rib Eye (AOF), $14/lb (avg 0.5-1 lb; 1 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

NY Strip Steak (AOF), $14/lb (avg 0.5 lb; 1 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Filet Mignon Steak (AOF), $18/lb (avg 0.75-1 lb per pkg; 2 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sirloin Tip Roast (AOF), $10/lb (avg 2-3 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Chuck Roast (AOF), $6/lb (avg 3 lbs per pkg; March special) Enter number of packages:

Shoulder Roast (AOF), $6/lb (avg 2-3 lbs per pkg; end of month special) Enter number of packages:

Eye of Round Roast (AOF), $6/lb (avg 3 lbs per pkg; end of month special) Enter number of packages:

Cubed Steak (AOF), $5/lb (avg 0.75-1 lb per pkg; 4-5 per pkg; March special) Enter number of packages:

Stew Beef (AOF), $6/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Soup and Neck Bones (AOF), $3/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg; 1-2 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Beef Ribs (AOF), $3/lb (avg 1-2 lbs per pkg; end of month special) Enter number of packages:

Chicken Club Membership (GG), $114.80 (See LFC web site for more details) Enter number of memberships:

Counter Culture Regular (GG), $11/bag (organic, shade grown, fair trade Grown in Mexico, roasted in Durham, NC) Enter number of bags:

Counter Culture Decaf (GG), $11.50/bag (organic, shade grown, fair trade Grown in Mexico, roasted in Durham, NC) Enter number of bags:

Eggs (WTF), $3.50(dozen) Enter number of dozens:

Eggs (AOF), $3.75 (dozen) Enter number of dozens:

Ostrich Steak (BBO), $13.50/lb (1 per pkg; avg 7-8 oz per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ground Ostrich, bulk (BBO), $6.50/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ground Ostrich, patties (BBO), $6.50/lb (four 0.25 lb patties per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ostrich Italian Sausage, in casing (BBO), $7.50/lb (avg 1 lb pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ostrich Cubed Steak (BBO), $11.50/lb (avg 1 lb pkg; 4 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ostrich Roast (BBO), $11.50/lb (avg 2-3 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Whole Ostrich Muscle, Fan (BBO), $15.50/lb (avg 2.5-4 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ostrich Salami Stick (BBO), $3 (avg 1.75 oz) Enter number of sticks:

Apple Jelly (AOF), $4 (pint jar) Enter number of jars:

Sausage-Mild (GG), $4.25/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sausage-Hot (GG), $4.25/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sausage-Chorizo, mexican style (GG), $5.50/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Fresh Bacon, no salt or smoke (GG), $6.50/lb (avg 1-1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Chops (GG), $6.50/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg; 2 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Fresh Ham (GG), $4.50/lb (avg 2-4 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Prosciutto (GG), $20/lb (avg 0.4 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Shoulder (GG), $4.50/lb (avg 3-5 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Ribs (GG), $4.50/lb (avg 1-2 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Jowl, no smoke (GG), $4/lb (avg 1.5-2 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ground Pork (GG), $3.50/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Bratwurst (GG), $5.50/lb (avg 1-1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sweet Italian (GG), $5.50/lb (avg 1-1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Hot Italian (GG), $5.50/lb (avg 1-1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Smoked Kielbasa (GG), $7/lb (avg 1-1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Smoked Tasso Ham (GG), $8/lb (avg 0.5-1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Smoked paprika bacon, unsliced (GG), $8/lb (avg 0.5-1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Bones (GG), $1.50/lb (10 lb box) Enter number of boxes:

Pork Variety Pack (GG), $4.50/lb (30 lb) Enter number of boxes:

Sausage--Hot (WTF), $4.50/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sausage--Mild (WTF), $4.50/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Bratwurst (WTF), $5/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Zesty Italian Sausage (WTF), $5/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Chops (WTF), $7/lb (avg 1.25- 1.5 lb per pkg; 2 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ham Steaks (WTF), $4.5/lb (avg 3 lb per pkg; 1 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Spare Ribs (WTF), $5/lb (avg 1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Breakfast Sausage-Mild (AOF), $4.50/lb (avg 1-1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Breakfast Sausage-Hot (AOF), $4.50/lb (avg 1-1.5 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Sausage Links-Mild (AOF), $5/lb (avg 0.5 lb per pkg; introductory price) Enter number of packages:

Bratwurst-twisted links (AOF), $5/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Chops (AOF), $8/lb (avg 0.75 lb per pkg; 2 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Tenderloin-sliced (AOF), $9/lb (avg 0.5-1 lb per pkg; 4-5 pieces per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Bacon, brown sugar cured, hickory smoked (AOF), $9/lb (avg 1 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Ham Steaks (AOF), $7/lb (avg 0.5-1 lb per pkg; 1-2 per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Babyback Ribs (AOF), $6/lb (avg 2.5-3.5 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Spare Ribs (AOF), $4/lb (avg 2-3 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Pork Back Bones (AOF), $4/lb (avg 2-3 lbs per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Fatback, salted (AOF), $3/lb (avg 0.5-0.75 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Fatback, plain(AOF), $3/lb (avg 0.5-0.75 lb per pkg) Enter number of packages:

Hickory Smoked Pork BBQ (AOF), $8/lb (chopped; 1 lb pkg) Enter number of packages:

Hickory Smoked Boston Butts (AOF), $45/each (feeds 12-15, special order) Enter number of butts:

Whole Duck, minus Giblets (GC), $7/lb (avg 4-8 lbs; $10 deposit required; May 2008 delivery) Enter number of birds:

Giblets (GC), $10/lb (May 2008 delivery) Enter number of pounds:

Whole Turkey Hen, with Giblets (GC), $5-6/lb (avg 8-12 lbs; $20 deposit required; Thanksgiving / Christmas 2008 delivery) Enter number of birds:

Whole Turkey Tom, with Giblets (GC), $5-6/lb (avg 14-20 lbs; $20 deposit required; Thanksgiving/Christmas 2008 delivery) Enter number of birds:

Pecans, shelled (HD), $8/lb () Enter number of pounds:

Golden Oyster mushrooms (LGM), $3 (0.25 lb pkg) Enter number of packages:

Brown Phoenix oyster mushrooms (LGM), $3 (0.25 lb pkg) Enter number of packages:

Blue Tree oyster mushrooms (LGM), $3 (0.25 lb pkg) Enter number of packages:

Super-Efficient Grow Light

This is possibly only marginally related to "local food," but bear with me. Part of eating local is, if you have the space, interest and ability, raising your own food. This time of year, folks are starting tomatoes and other seedlings, and having a grow-light is a real help in that regard, allowing your plants to get healthy light 24/7. For all their helpfulness, though, fluorescent grow
lights are not as efficient as they might be.

Electronics geek Mikey Sklar has figured out how to make a super-efficient grow light from pulsed LEDs. He's posted complete schematics and assembly details at his site, so you can build your own if you like tinkering with a soldering iron. He'll also sell you a finished unit if you're not up to etching your own PCBs. Energy-efficient local production...awesome.

SEPT - Super Efficient Photosynthesis. A grow light made from red and blue LEDs being pulsed. This light fits inside a Altoids container and requires less than 1.1W of energy to grow a 6"x6"x6" space. Lights can be chained to grow more plants. Total lumens = 111. Plants need primarily red (680nm) light to grow and a small amount of blue (440nm) light. By pulsing the LEDs at 720Hz or higher the plant can achieve maximum growth with a minimal amount of energy.

Hens Beyond the Backyard

The Observer has a nice piece today on backyard poultry.

Since she is the one raising them, she knows they're free-range and that she's feeding them what she thinks they should be fed. She can also tell the difference between eating free-range eggs and the non-free-range kind.

"I had eaten eggs at a restaurant once with friends, and they were so bland," she said. "I was so disappointed because free-range eggs taste really good."

"It makes a nice little hobby," she added. "Or a big hobby if you get carried away like I did."

If anyone in the club is interested in getting into backyard poultry, let me know. I'd be happy to give you some starter resources. It's a lot easier than you think, and I find my hens are far less trouble than my dog or my cats.