Lehman’s Country Life

There are many foods that can be prepared all at one time then show back up on your family’s menu as totally different dishes.

My first thoughts are always what is in season from our large family garden and what is on special at the market. Before I know it, a menu is forming. I make some notes to take with me for the shopping trip. Your list of purchases may include things such as eggs and produce; we are blessed to have those here on the farm. The final menu would be determined on how some of the meats looked and such. Always make a quick look through the pantry to be sure you have all the ingredients needed – you do not want to get in the middle of making potato salad to realize you are out of mustard.
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

The flowerbeds are bright with colors that paint a pallet of brilliance for us to enjoy as we rush hither, thither and beyond.  Just for a moment, stop and absorb the beauty around and may it nourish your soul.

As the colors may revive our spirits, the vegetables that are planted will soon be ready to nourish our bodies.  Be sure to check out the web site at the University of Georgia to see the National Center for Home Food Preservation (www.ugs.edu/nchfp ).  They have many tested recipes and answers to commonly asked questions.  If you have a gauge style pressure canner, check with your local Extension Office to see if they will be doing any classes or testing calibration this season.  Canners need to be checked on a yearly bases to assure their accuracy as you are doing home canning.

How’s your food budget doing, during these difficult times?  Growing a few things might be a way to stretch your food dollars and encourage children to learn in the process.  Patio and container gardens can easily provide lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, and even zucchini or cucumbers if you desire.  These gardens are easy to grow and provide great learning opportunities for children.
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

One of the most appealing aspects of growing your own food is that you can enjoy a higher quality diet because you don’t have to rely on having your vittles transported hundreds or even thousands of miles to your table. Varieties that boast better flavor and nutrition than what you might find in the market but which are passed over in the commercial world simply because they are too tender or delicate to “ship well” can be yours. What’s more, you can enjoy these foods at a lower cost – and with a little planning ahead, for nothing!

Anyone who has ever grown their own lettuce has probably neglected one or two plants, and as the season gets on they start to grow in a peculiar way: upwards, instead of outwards. This is known as “bolting.” Salad eaters know that the lettuce harvested in this condition will be tougher and more bitter tasting, and so the plants are generally yanked and tossed onto the compost heap. But if they are allowed to go through their full cycle, the tall stalk they produce will soon be covered in attractive little flowers. If pollinated, these blooms will contract and then dramatically expand (like dandelions) to form a delicate sphere of feathery threads, soon cast to the wind. This is the reason why the plant has developed its stalk, to give these floating messengers the best chance of wide dispersal. Each carries a cargo of a single lettuce seed, to start a new leafy generation. With a little careful husbandry, these seeds will be yours to plant, nurture and consume.
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KIDRON, OH – May 12, 2009: Dutch oven enthusiasts from all over northeast Ohio are holding their second annual Dutch Oven Gathering at Lehman’s in Kidron on Saturday, May 23, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Over 30 cooks have already signed up for this fun event but more are welcome. Dutch oven cooks of all skill levels are invited. Individuals as well as groups like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are welcome. Bring all your supplies and a favorite dish or two to cook.

Never cooked in a Dutch oven before and want to learn? No problem: “Dutch Oven” Dave Horton will be here from Buffalo, NY to put on one of his Dutch oven training classes in Lehman’s Buggy Barn. And Lehman’s has a large selection of cast iron pots and accessories for you to choose from.

Last year’s Dutch Oven Cook-off at Lehman’s drew lots of great cooks – and great taste testers! The cooks will begin set up at 10 am – so plan on eating a great pot-luck style meal at 4:00p.m.

For more information on this event or to sign-up, please call or email: Matt Buser at 330-603-7266 or mebuser@neo.rr.com

In addition, the popular local bluegrass band Northwest Territory will be playing at Lehman’s from 11 am to 2 pm. Since 1989, Northwest Territory has been entertaining audiences with unique style and enthusiasm. Bluegrass, gospel, country, fiddle tunes and more are all in the band’s repertoire. It’s foot tapping fun for the whole family!

There is no charge for either event – don’t miss the great food, entertaining music, and fantastic shopping at Lehman’s, on the Square in Kidron, on Saturday, May 23.

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

When Americans envision Italian cooking, it is heavy with the tomato sauce we have all grown to love. But this is not a truly accurate picture, for the tomato is a new addition to Italian cuisine. In fact, the tomato didn’t come on the Italian scene until the late 1500’s and up until the late 1600’s was thought to be poisonous and not used in food. This diversity gives us some wonderful dishes of Italy to use in our warm weather, summer meal planning.
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

Mother’s Day – that special day in May set aside to remember our Moms. For some of us it is gathering for a large reunion of many generations, all enjoying their meal together. For other families it may be a specially cooked breakfast served to Mother in bed.

In my household the celebration centers around a Mid-Day meal. Why do we pick a late lunch or early supper? Mother’s Day is on a Sunday and because it is a school night, an early gathering gives time for baths, quiet downtime from the day’s excitement and maybe a chance at a reasonable bedtime.

Here are two menus for you to try depending on your plans; both are designed to be easy for the grown-up in charge (not Mother – remember, she is off today!).
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

Springtime cooking can be challenging. We as meal planners are so ready for a change from cold-weather rustic to springtime fresh.

More outdoor activities of cleaning up the yard and working in the garden can demand meals that are hearty and feed the body and soul.

Here are some springtime recipes for your families that aim to both satisfy tummies and incorporate fresh spring vegetables.
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

Stinging Nettle

Spring finally has the sun splitting the sky here in Ireland. The winter aconite was very much later this year, as were the wild primroses and my planted daffodils. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day the weather turned discernibly softer during the days, although the nights can still leave a ground frost.

What really alerted me to how late spring was this year was the non-appearance of the stinging nettles. The upside of stinging nettles is that they are a harbinger of good soil fertility. The downside is that they are rampant and will choke the life out of any vegetables you plant.
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

The news is full of bad economic reports, more layoffs,and more budget cut backs. Many of us have to juggle more than a little to make ends meet.

One way to help your family economy is to plan for the future – and I am not talking about stocks and bonds. I am talking about planning a garden and starting to store up the canning supplies you will need to stretch your harvest.

Many times we can purchase packets of seeds we need for our gardens from family and friends or even the change we clean out of our purses or pockets. But canning supplies have gone up in price along with many of the other needs our families have.
Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites

Year after year, surveys invariably discover that the Number One Favorite Veg of America’s backyard gardeners is the tomato, in any of its diverse forms – and often as not, in more than one of them. Why? It’s not just the pleasure (or even the economy) of being able to “do it yourself.” The reason is quality of flavor.

You don’t have to be an epicure to tell, in a single bite, the difference between a store-bought tom and a home-grown one. It’s hardly surprising why. Your typical commercial tomato begins life many hundreds of miles away from you –sometimes thousands of miles!— and has to endure picking, cleaning, grading, inspecting, packing, shipping, unpacking, and then being displayed…before it ever gets to your shopping cart, let alone your dinner table. The goal of the commercial tomato grower is to produce a fruit that looks good after the above ordeal, one that looks so good you’ll want to pay money for it. What it tastes like isn’t an issue, at the produce stand.

Read the rest of this post »

Bookmark it:

Hide Sites