Citrus Season!

We should have a lot of citrus yo go around this season. Lets hope we dont get to many frosts. 

Happy Squeezing, Eating and Juicing!

Galen

Pork is now ready!

(Nitrites) Smoked and Cured Pork Products      

Sodium Nitrite Q&A

I think the most common question about Smoked and Cured Bacon & Hams is along the lines of Sodium Nitrate in the curing process.

What is sodium nitrite?

Sodium nitrite is a salt and an anti-oxidant that is used to cure meats like ham, bacon and hot dogs. Sodium nitrite serves a vital public health function: it blocks the growth of botulism-causing bacteria and prevents spoilage. Sodium nitrite also gives cured meats their characteristic color and flavor.

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Are cured meats the major source of sodium nitrite?

The amount of nitrate in some vegetables can be very high.  Spinach, for example, may contain 500 to 1900 parts per million of sodium nitrate. Less than five percent of daily sodium nitrite intake comes from cured meats. Nearly 93 percent of sodium nitrite comes from leafy vegetables & tubers ( Carrots & Celery for example ) and our own saliva. Vegetables contain sodium nitrate, which is converted to sodium nitrite when it comes into contact with saliva in the mouth.

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Can cured meats be produced without sodium nitrite?

Cured meats by their definition must include sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite is the ingredient that gives a product like ham its color and taste. Without sodium nitrite, these products’ shelf life would be shortened substantially.

What is Nitrate Free or Uncured meats?

Some uncured products available today use vegetable-based ingredients like celery juice, which may contain nitrate naturally, to deliver a color and flavor similar to traditionally cured meats. When the sodium nitrate in celery, or other sodium nitrate-containing vegetables, is exposed to certain types of bacteria in the product, the nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite, which results in product characteristics similar to traditionally cured meat products. The amount of sodium nitrite consumed from these types of products versus traditionally cured meat products is virtually the same.

As soon I they find a way to stop Nitrite Free Bacon from tasting like celery we will use the nitrite derived from mineral mined salts.

On the next round of pork we will have some bacon left uncured no celery or anything. It will be like Cottage Bacon or Canadian Style.

Apples & Pear Season ( Re-Post )

It's official

Apple and Pear Season is among us!

Apples varieties we will be going through this season are:

Gala - Heritage Red Delicious - Golden Delicious - Granny Smith - Fuji - Pink Lady - Sundowner

Storage
The apples we bring to you will be best kept in the refrigerator. They are not waxed like commercial apples so storing them on the counter is not advised.

Pears
Pear varieties this season will be:

Bosc - Green Bartlett - Red Anjou

Ripening

Pears are usually picked under-ripe to allow time to get them to you without being overly ripe. When you receive your under ripe pears, store them in a bowl at room temperature. They should ripen within a week; placing them in a paper bag can speed up the process. You can also add apples or bananas to the bag; this increases the concentration of fruit-ripening gases causing them to ripen sooner.
Check the pears daily. When the flesh around the stem feels slightly soft when pressed, the fruit is ready to eat. If you do not need the fruit yet at this point, you can move them to the refrigerator. This will slow down further ripening. It does not stop the process entirely; they will only be good in the refrigerator for another few days.

If Pears Get Overripe
If the entire piece of fruit is soft when pressed, it has gotten overripe, but you can still use these pears. Although they are no longer ideal for eating whole or slicing, they can be pureed for use in smoothies, sauces, baby food and baking. Also try using them as a thickening agent for soups, stews, and dressings.


What's Next?

You may be wondering what fruit would be next? Well, citrus will start to be picked around December depending on the weather; Then we will be able to enjoy a great citrus season! Thanks! Galen

Sweet Corn --Farm Fresh Candy on a Cob!

We will offer 3 Varieties during this Season. We will start with the Bi-Color Sweet Corn first and then go back and forth between the Yellow and White Sweet Corn varieties. We hope you love the corn as much as we do.

Cooking Tip 
Bring your water to a boil and then add corn. To maintain as much sugar as possible and to not over cook I recommend you never boil between 1-2 minutes max. ( I prefer personally only about 45 seconds to a minute just to make them warm enough to melt butter. Raw warmed corn is by far the sweetest and tastiest you will ever have, if you have not tried it before you are in for a treat.

BBQ Honey Roasted Sweet Corn
This is one of our Family favorites around here.

• 6 ears of Farm Fresh Sweet Corn
• 4 Table Spoons Butter
• 1/3 cup of Raw Backyard Farmer Honey ( Just a little Plug :)
• 1/3 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation -
On each ear of corn - Pull the husks back partially but do not remove them. Remove the silk; set the corn aside. In a small saucepan  bring the honey, butter and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 4 minutes. Brush the corn with the honey and water mixture. Add salt and pepper per your taste.  Next pull the husks back on the corn. Wrap each ear in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped ears on the grill and cook for about 15 minutes, turning frequently.

These will go fast so have plenty of corn on hand!
Enjoy!
Galen

Citrus Season ( Repost )

Is this what you have been waiting for?

We will have many varieties offered over the season. Whether your weakness is a sweet navel or a sour lemon, you will love the great flavor our citrus offers.

Thanks for a wonderful year..

Happy Squeezing!

Galen

Apple and Pear Season

It's official

Apple and Pear Season is among us!

Apples varieties we will be going through this season are:

Gala - Heritage Red Delicious - Golden Delicious - Granny Smith - Fuji - Pink Lady - Sundowner

Storage
The apples we bring to you will be best kept in the refrigerator. They are not waxed like commercial apples so storing them on the counter is not advised.

Pears
Pear varieties this season will be:

Bosc - Green Bartlett - Red Anjou

Ripening

Pears are usually picked under-ripe to allow time to get them to you without being overly ripe. When you receive your under ripe pears, store them in a bowl at room temperature. They should ripen within a week; placing them in a paper bag can speed up the process. You can also add apples or bananas to the bag; this increases the concentration of fruit-ripening gases causing them to ripen sooner.
Check the pears daily. When the flesh around the stem feels slightly soft when pressed, the fruit is ready to eat. If you do not need the fruit yet at this point, you can move them to the refrigerator. This will slow down further ripening. It does not stop the process entirely; they will only be good in the refrigerator for another few days.

If Pears Get Overripe
If the entire piece of fruit is soft when pressed, it has gotten overripe, but you can still use these pears. Although they are no longer ideal for eating whole or slicing, they can be pureed for use in smoothies, sauces, baby food and baking. Also try using them as a thickening agent for soups, stews, and dressings.


What's Next?

You may be wondering what fruit would be next? Well, citrus will start to be picked around December depending on the weather; Then we will be able to enjoy a great citrus season! Thanks! Galen

ABC 15 Sanoron Living Show ( FARMERS MARKET DELIVERY SERVICE )

Local produce delivered fresh by an indoor farmers market


They ended up only having Merissa Ramos, the co-owner of the North Scottsdale Farmers Market, doing the talking for the show. It's a cute little segment about the market! Check it out! It describes what we do there. It also opens up the possibility for those whom live over there in the Scottsdale-Phoenix area to get our produce delivered to them. So if you know anyone over there whom isn't on my Wednesday delivery due to being out of our delivery area, let them know about this option for our produce! Thank you so much! Have a great Weekend!

Galen

Peach Season!!!! ( Storage & Ripening Tips )

Peaches are best kept at room temperature but are also not harmed by refrigeration. To make your peaches last all week, eat the softest first, place firm ones in the bottom of the fridge, and rotate "a day's worth of peaches" from the fridge to the counter each day you eat peaches. This way, tomorrow's fruit will ripen as you eat today, and the rest will be waiting for you in the refrigerator. Though it varies with peach varieties and weather conditions, peaches commonly last one week or longer in a refrigerator.

Can't Wait Any Longer? Fruit ripens in the presence of a gas called ethylene, found naturally in the fruit. A cool trick to quickly ripen your "firm ripe" peaches should you find yourself in need is to cut a piece of a high ethylene fruit; an apple or banana, and place it in a plastic bag with the peaches you wish to ripen, tie the bag shut at the top and place on the counter or in the fridge (depending on how dire the peach emergency is - don't panic, just place bag on counter). It won't take long at all using this method.

Season's are Changing Fast

The Apple Season has ended. We will be excited to have them start to come back after the summer has gone. We will have Valencia Oranges and Grapefruit Varieties for a few more weeks..

Good things are coming, We have a stretch of limited types of Citrus and then we will start to see the Peaches, Plums, Apricots, Pears Etc.. You have to love Arizona for our great Diversity of Fruits and Veggies!!!!!

Should start to get Apricots, Nectarines, Peaches, in the Middle to the end of May!!!!! May have a Desert Variety Peach a week or so earlier.. We will SEE!!!!!

Thanks Everyone!!!!

i heart mesa.: The Backyard Farmer Brings Locally Grown Produce t...

i heart mesa.: The Backyard Farmer Brings Locally Grown Produce t...: "This is the freshest produce in town, folks--delivered right to your door.  The Backyard Farmer is run by a local farmer who works to b..."

Close Your Eyes And Try to Remember

Can you remember that Farm Fresh Taste you thought was lost?? Well, it is still here and you have found it again!!!! If you live in Mesa, Gilbert, Gold Canyon, Apache Junction, most of Chandler and some of Tempe contact us to get started with your first order. Please send us a email with your Major Cross Streets and City where you live to verify you are in the delivery area... Ask to be put on the email list if you are in the Delivery area...

Thebackyardfarmer@live.com


You Can also come see us at the North Scottsdale Farmers Market!!!! If you are in the surrounding area of the NSFM you can now order your produce on the NSFM Website and have it delivered to your home or office during Market Hours... See Website for more Details ( The Backyard Farmer Produce will be added soon )

http://www.azlocalfarmersmarkets.com/

New Farmers Market Hours

Effective this Saturday 1/22/11 The North Scottsdale Farmers Market Hours will be changed to 8:30 am to 1:30 Pm. Hope to see you all there!!!!!

We welcome the New Year 2011

Saturday January 8th could not have been a more beautiful day for the North Scottsdale Farmers Market... http://www.azlocalfarmersmarkets.com/
We were welcomed with many smiling faces to be back.. We will see you each Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm... See you Saturday!!!!!

Our East Valley Delivery schedule will be on every Wednesday each week. We have made huge efforts to get deliveries started earlier each week. With this in mind please try to have coolers out the night before. The routes change each week so your delivery time will be different from week to week.... See you Tuesday!!!! Just kidding!!! Wednsday!!!!

Thank You to all our Wonderful Supporters !!!!!

We'll be back after New Years!

The farmers markets are closed through new years. We'll be back starting on Jan 8. For more info visit www.azlocalfarmersmarkets.com to get more info. We look forward to seeing everyone there! Don't forget to come by and say hi.

i heart mesa.: Good Food in Mesa by Guest Blogger Kara Bagley

Here's what people are saying about The Backyard Farmer!

i heart mesa.: Good Food in Mesa by Guest Blogger Kara Bagley: "We are delighted to have Kara from Taste is Trump blogging over here at I Heart Mesa today. Her blog is a fresh perspective on how t..."