Thursday, February 16, 2017

Buy Local!

The Metzger Heritage Farm cart at Costa's Shursave Food Shop in Coudersport has been re-stocked with our luscious certified organic potatoes.  By shopping locally and putting a bag of Potter County organic potatoes in your cart, you are supporting the local economy.


Here's a recipe tailored to our gourmet potato assortment. It's adapted from Gourmet magazine. With organic potatoes, you have no fears about pesticide residue on the skins, so why not just scrub them and leave the skins on?

Red White and Blue Potato Salad

    • 1 cup chopped green onions, divided
    • 1/2 cup Greek-style plain yogurt
    • 1/4 cup sour cream
    • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 Tb. white wine vinegar
    • 3 tsp. Dijon mustard
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • 2 teaspoons salt (divided)
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2-lb. bag of Metzger Heritage Farm Certified Organic Gourmet Potato Assortment
    • 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
    • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
    • Paprika
  1. Whisk 1/2 cup green onions with yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, 1 tsp. salt and pepper in medium bowl. Cover and chill dressing while preparing potatoes.
  2. Place all potatoes in large saucepan. (You may want to chunk them in order to have them all be the same size so they cook evenly.) Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil until tender – time will vary depending on size and variety of potatoes. Drain and cool to room temperature.
  3. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick slices and place in large bowl. Add dressing, peas, and blue cheese; toss gently. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
  4. Sprinkle potato salad with paprika and remaining 1/2 cup green onions just before serving.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Summer Dreaming

Known in our neighborhood as "Summer Lilac"




This plant grows at the corner of the parking area in our front lawn. Now a tall, gangly shrub, it started as a small shoot from a plant that lives over the hill from us on Sunset Valley Farm. John Peet shared a cutting with us when I admired a similar plant that grows along Dingman Run Road where Dave and Betty Mottern live.
According to the University of Arkansas website, the name "summer lilac" was given to the early hybrids by French nurserymen, many of whom developed the French lilacs of that same period. During the 1920's the name "butterfly bush" became popular as a common name and seems to have replaced the first common name for the species.
While you're thinking of summer, don't forget that we will be offering our certified organic tomato and pepper plants for sale again in 2017. Details will follow but if you're interested in a particular variety, let us know (metzgerfarm@gmail.com) and we'll try to find the certified organic seed to grow them for you.