Compelling Reasons to Eat Beets

Continuing our series of articles on beets . Let's look at the compelling reasons to eat these storehouses of powerful nutrients.

Reasons to eat Beets...

Beets

Beets as a food go way back to the beginning of recorded history. They grew naturally along the coasts of the Mediterranian. The beet greens were the first part of the plant that people would consume. The beet root was not cultivated until the ancient Romans.

In the 1800's the natural sweetness of the beets was cultivated and eventually was used as a sugar source. Napoleon was one of the first to use beets for sugar after the British restricted sugar cane availability. This started a love affair with beets as primary source of sugar. Unfortunately many sugar beets are now genetically modified.

The beets we are going to consider are neither GMOs or used for sugar. They are...

Petersen's Market Menu for September 26, 2015

New beds of greens this week: wild arugula, regular arugula, baby spinach, lettuce, baby beet greens, cress, baby kale, red russian kale, cilantro. All are at the perfect baby baby size. Greens can be hard grow this time of year, so we are happy to have such abundance.

We picked 40 pints of cherry tomatoes this week. No sprays, no chemicals, just pure goodness.

Petersen's Onions, Photo Credit: Reed Petersen

We picked 20 baskets of tomatoes Friday. These are great for canning, salsas and sauces. We have lots of slicing tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes for canning. They are winding down, so get them while we still have a good selection.

Don't forget the basil to use with your tomatoes.

Hot, hot, hot...Reed picked 1/3 bushel of haberbaro peppers this week.

Okra production is in high gear. More is merrier when if comes to Okra. I made some Okra pickles this week. If you want to make some of those delicious gumbos, stews and other southern dishes with Okra, now is the time to get some.

French Fillet beans are the best beans on the planet (tender, pencil thin and no strings).

Andrea dried some mints and herbs and is making some Vegetable Freak... Freaky Tea. Sweetened with fresh stevia.

• Andrea's Tropical Tea - Orange Mint, Pinneaple Mint and Stevia
• Jenna's Sweet Chocolate Tea - Chocolate Mint & Stevia
• Lisa's Orange Blossom Tea - Orange Mint, Spearmint & Stevia
• Just Mint - A Blend of Spearmint & Stevia
• Perky Pinapple, Lemon Majito, Minty Sage, Rosemary Lavendar (lots more).

We will have the following items at the Farmers Market for Saturday, Septmber 26, 2015 (New items are in Bold Print)


Cabbage
Broccoli
Slicing Tomatos
Tomatillos
Cherry Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Garlic
Okra
Green Beans
Baby Zucchini & Patty Pan
Carrots
Leeks
Walla Walla Sweet Onions

New Baby Potatoes - Yukon Gold & Red 
Fresh Cut Herbs: Mint, Chocolate Mint, Oregano, Basil, Chive, Cilantro
Arugula - Wild and Regular
Baby Spinach
Spring Mix
Baby Kale- Regular and Red Russian
Cress
Beet Greens
Dandelion Greens
Mint Plants - Chocolate, Orange, Spearmint
Herb Plants - Rosemary,


Pickles: Spicy Dill, Sweet Sandwish, Okra, Dilly Bean, Corn Relish, Pepper Relish.
Salsa: an array of different kinds

Chipotle Smoked Peppers

Charcoal (home grown, home made)

Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude

This quote from Zig Ziglar is one of my favorites.

This applies to farms workers or office workers alike.

We have had some great farm workers over the years, but a few that really didn't thrive.

I've especially noticed that students that work for us that don't want to be here do not progress well in their training and often use any excuse to miss a day.

Soil Testing

I test my soil with plants.

Soil scientists have learned to test soils for various nutrients. This is done by using strong chemicals to strip off the nutrients or react with the nutrients in the soil and establish a quantitative measurement. I'm always a little skeptical that the strong chemical processes can correctly detect nutrients available to the plants in a organic system that uses biological processes to make nutrients available.

I have never done any soil testing on our farm. Instead I observe the plants. For example...

Financial Peace University, September 19th

Financial Peace University, September 19th

Dear Farmers Market Friends,

Lisa and I will be coordinating a class called Financial Peace University taught by Dave Ramsey via video. It will start Saturday evening September 19th at 7:00 pm at Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester and be held at this time every week for 9 weeks. The class consists of a very entertaining lesson by Dave Ramsey followed by a small group working session where class members can ask questions and process the information. You can register by going to Daveramsey.com.

This will be our 11th class. We have had 450 people attend and have had $950,000 in debt paid off just in the 9 weeks of the class with many families now reporting they are debt free.

Who should come to the class? People who are struggling with debt and other financial issues. People who are doing OK but want to learn more about how to manage their finances. People who have high school students heading for college and don't quite know how to help them pay for it all (that is me). People who are doing great financially but want to have a financial check-up to make sure everything is the best it can be.

Here are the topics of the lessons...

Petersen's Market Menu for September 19, 2015

New beds of greens this week: wild arugula, regular arugula, baby spinach, lettuce, baby beet greens, cress, baby kale, red russian kale, cilantro. All are at the perfect baby baby size. Greens can be hard grow this time of year, so we are happy to have such abundance.

We picked 60 pints of cherry tomatoes this week. No sprays, no chemicals, just pure goodness.

Baby Zucchini and Patty Pan for the last week.. Photo Credit: Reed Petersen

We picked 40 baskets of tomatoes Friday, most of these were Roma tomatoes. These are great for canning, salsas and sauces. We also have lots of slicing tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes for canning

Don't forget the basil to use with your tomatoes. We are harvesting lots and have gallon bags for $5. Basil at the same price as lettuce, now that's crazy!

Hot, hot, hot...Reed picked 1/3 bushel of haberbaro peppers this week.

Okra production is in high gear. More is merrier when if comes to Okra. I made some Okra pickles this week. If you want to make some of those delicious gumbos, stews and other southern dishes with Okra, now is the time to get some.

French Fillet beans are the best beans on the planet (tender, pencil thin and no strings). Just started a new fresh row. Freeze an extra few bags for winter.

Andrea dried some mints and herbs and is making some Vegetable Freak... Freaky Tea. Sweetened with fresh stevia.

• Andrea's Tropical Tea - Orange Mint, Pinneaple Mint and Stevia
• Jenna's Sweet Chocolate Tea - Chocolate Mint & Stevia
• Lisa's Orange Blossom Tea - Orange Mint, Spearmint & Stevia
• Just Mint - A Blend of Spearmint & Stevia
• Perky Pinapple, Lemon Majito, Minty Sage, Rosemary Lavendar (lots more).

We will have the following items at the Farmers Market for Saturday, Septmber 12, 2015 (New items are in Bold Print)


Cabbage
Broccoli
Slicing Tomatos
Tomatillos
Cherry Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Garlic
Okra
Green Beans
Baby Zucchini & Patty Pan
Carrots
Leeks
Walla Walla Sweet Onions

New Baby Potatoes - Yukon Gold & Red 
Fresh Cut Herbs: Mint, Chocolate Mint, Oregano, Basil, Chive, Cilantro
Arugula - Wild and Regular
Baby Spinach
Spring Mix
Baby Kale- Regular and Red Russian
Cress
Beet Greens
Dandelion Greens
Mint Plants - Chocolate, Orange, Spearmint
Herb Plants - Rosemary,


Pickles: Spicy Dill, Sweet Sandwish, Okra, Dilly Bean, Corn Relish, Pepper Relish.
Salsa: an array of different kinds

Chipotle Smoked Peppers

Charcoal (home grown, home made)

I Bleed Farming

If you cut me I bleed farming. It is in my bones.

My grandmother (my fathers mom) was a great influence in my love for all things green and garden but my farm heritage goes back to...

Sunset

We have had some really great sunsets this summer. Our dining room faces the setting sun.

When we have these neat cloud formations at dusk you get some amazing sunsets. Some people buy a cabin up north in Minnesota and spend hours driving to get there every weekend.

Petersen's Market Menu for Saturday, September 12, 2015

Starting new beds of all the greens this week: wild arugula, regular arugula, baby spinach, lettuce, baby beet greens, cress, baby kale, red russian kale, cilantro. All are at the perfect baby baby size. Greens can be hard grow this time of year, so we are happy to have such abundance.

We picked 80 pints of cherry tomatoes this week. No sprays, no chemicals, just pure goodness.

Cherry Tomatoes for This Week

We picked 50 baskets of tomatoes Friday, most of these were Roma tomatoes. These are great for canning, salsas and sauces. We also have lots of slicing tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes for canning

Don't forget the basil to use with your tomatoes. We are harvesting lots and have gallon bags for $5. Basil at the same price as lettuce, now that's crazy!

Hot, hot, hot...Reed picked 1/2 bushel of haberbaro peppers this week.

Carrots are back, Oh Boy, are they back. The candy carrots continue to impress this farmer with their sweetness, flavor and that perfect carrot crunch! Did you know raw carrots can lower your colestorol.

Okra production is in high gear. More is merrier when if comes to Okra. I made some Okra pickles this week. If you want to make some of those delicious gumbos, stews and other southern dishes with Okra, now is the time to get some.

French Fillet beans are the best beans on the planet (tender, pencil thin and no strings). Just started a new fresh row. Freeze an extra few bags for winter.

Andrea dried some mints and herbs and is making some Vegetable Freak... Freaky Tea. Sweetened with fresh stevia.

• Andrea's Tropical Tea - Orange Mint, Pinneaple Mint and Stevia
• Jenna's Sweet Chocolate Tea - Chocolate Mint & Stevia
• Lisa's Orange Blossom Tea - Orange Mint, Spearmint & Stevia
• Just Mint - A Blend of Spearmint & Stevia
• Perky Pinapple, Lemon Majito, Minty Sage, Rosemary Lavendar (lots more).

We will have the following items at the Farmers Market for Saturday, Septmber 12, 2015 (New items are in Bold Print)


Cabbage
Sweet Corn
Slicing Tomatos
Tomatillos
Cherry Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Garlic
Okra
Green Beans
Baby Zucchini & Patty Pan
Carrots
Leeks
Walla Walla Sweet Onions

New Baby Potatoes - Yukon Gold & Red 
Fresh Cut Herbs: Mint, Chocolate Mint, Oregano, Basil, Chive, Cilantro
Arugula - Wild and Regular
Baby Spinach
Spring Mix
Baby Kale
Cress
Beet Greens
Dandelion
Mint Plants - Chocolate, Orange, Spearmint
Herb Plants - Rosemary,


Pickles: Spicy Dill, Sweet Sandwish, Okra, Dilly Bean, Corn Relish, Pepper Relish.
Salsa: an array of different kinds

Chipotle Smoked Peppers

Charcoal (home grown, home made)

The Ancient Future

I heard a sermon recently where the pastor used the phrase “The Ancient Future”. He was preaching on the Song of Solomon and he had everyone from teens to our senior saints sitting on the edge of their seats. The “Song of Songs” is a story for another time.

The phrase “The Ancient Future” was used in conjunction to the author Solomon and another book he wrote called Ecclesiastes. Where it says there is nothing new under the sun.

I think we have forgotten more in agriculture than we have learned and we may need to get back to our roots to keep our planet and our people healthy.

For example...

Our Work Matters

We had a great sermon this weekend about work as an extension of our worship to God. Pastor Steer at Autumn Ridge Church reminded us that God commanded Adam to work in the Garden of Eden.

I especially like that fact that the initial concept of work was an agricultural endeavor. It was both plant and animal based.

One of the first tasks that Adam was given was to name all the animals. I do not think this was a shallow task like calling all the beagles Snoopy or the cats Garfield. I think this was a deep intellectual excercise of organizing the taxonomy of "all creatures great and small".

Here is why I say that...

Petersen's Market Menu September 5, 2015

We have been picking 20 pints of raspberries a week. No sprays, no chemicals, just pure goodness.

Fall Raspberries Are The Best, Photo Credit Reed Petersen

 We picked 40 baskets of tomatoes Friday, most of these were Roma tomatoes. These are great for canning, salsas and sauces. We also have lots of slicing tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes.

Don't forget the basil to use with your tomatoes. We are harvesting lots and have gallon bags for $5. Basil at the same price as lettuce, now that's crazy!

We have been a little short on greens the last few weeks, especially arugula and spinach. I started harvesting new fall beds this week and the are at the perfect size for you holiday salads.

Hot, hot, hot...Reed picked 1/2 bushel of haberbaro peppers this week.

Carrots are back, Oh Boy, are they back. The candy carrots continue to impress this farmer with their sweetness, flavor and that perfect carrot crunch! Did you know raw carrots can lower your colestorol.

If you didn't get some of our Ambrosia sweet corn last week you missed a treat. See us this week for fresh picked, chemical free, no sprays and no bugs. We have enough corn this week for freezing. We had some for supper Friday night and it is amazing. This will be our last week of sweet corn.

Okra production has tripled from several weeks ago. More is merrier when if comes to Okra. I made some Okra pickles this week.

French Fillet beans are the best beans on the planet (tender, pencil thin and no strings). Just started a new fresh row.

Andrea dried some mints and herbs and is making some Vegetable Freak... Freaky Tea. Sweetened with fresh stevia.

• Andrea's Tropical Tea - Orange Mint, Pinneaple Mint and Stevia
• Jenna's Sweet Chocolate Tea - Chocolate Mint & Stevia
• Lisa's Orange Blossom Tea - Orange Mint, Spearmint & Stevia
• Just Mint - A Blend of Spearmint & Stevia
• Perky Pinapple, Lemon Majito, Minty Sage, Rosemary Lavendar (lots more).

We will have the following items at the Farmers Market for Saturday, Septmber 4, 2015 (New items are in Bold Print)

Raspberries (20 pints, picked Friday evening)
Sweet Corn
Tomato
Tomatillos
Cherry Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Garlic
Okra
Green Beans
Baby Zucchini & Patty Pan
Carrots
Leeks
Walla Walla Sweet Onions
Radishes
New Baby Potatoes - Yukon Gold & Red 
Fresh Cut Herbs: Mint, Chocolate Mint, Oregano, Basil, Chive, Cilantro
Baby Spinach
Spring Mix
Baby Kale
Cress
Beet Greens
Dandelion
Mint Plants - Chocolate, Orange, Spearmint
Herb Plants - Chives, Sage, French Tarragon, Rosemary, Basil, Thyme, Epasote, Stevia, Oregano, Dill, Cilantro


Bean Plants
Heirloom Red Okra Plants
Cole Crop Plants: Broccoli, Cabbage

Salsa: an array of different kinds

Chipotle Smoked Peppers

Charcoal (home grown, home made)
Potting Mix with our compost (ask us)

What is a weed?

A weed is a plant growing in a cultivated area that wasn't planted or intended by the farmer.

So a corn plant growing in a soybean field is a weed and arugula growing in the spinach patch is a weed.

Modern agriculture uses very strong and toxic herbicides to eliminate these plants growing in the wrong place. Sometime only a few onces per acre will eliminate all but the desired crop.

I don't get too hung up on weeds.