Terra Farma Meat CSA June 2023  

In your share

  • Chicken
  • Ground beef
  • Brats
  • Pot Roast
  • Ground Pork
  • Lamb Chop

On the Farm

At the beginning of the month, we hosted our first-ever CSA member potluck and farm tour, and even though we picked a weekend where almost everyone was out of town, we did have lots of fun with those who did show up. We all ate some great food, everyone made new friends, people got to pet pigs and cows for the first time in their lives, and the customized Terra Farma bingo cards were a hit! We plan on having another gathering in the early fall, but we’ll survey you all in advance to help choose a suitable date.

While most farm activities are settling into their normal summertime routines, a couple of new things on our plates this year are providing some variety. Late last year I was nominated for an open seat on the Oregon Pasture Network Advisory Committee, and as part of that role, committee members help vet prospective members of the network by performing pasture walks and making recommendations to the advisory committee. It’s always instructive to tour other farms and so far I’ve visited three farms around the metro area that want to join OPN. Those visits are divided up around the state to whichever committee member is closest, but since we don’t have any current members in SW Oregon, I’m making a trip to Grants Pass and Medford to do three farm visits in one day! The next day, after camping somewhere near the CA/OR border, I visited a sheep farm in Bandon as part of my role as a farm mentor through OPN. That one is a farm that is going through a family transition as the dad is retiring and the daughter is taking over and hoping to implement some more regenerative grazing methods.

Then, in July, I’m flying to North Carolina to visit another farmer I am mentoring through the Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT). She’s producing goat milk caramels and selling eggs and is hoping to increase the productivity of her land. We’ve been working through marketing and website ideas through Zoom calls, but her property is kind of funky shaped and it’s been a challenge to figure out a rotational grazing system without eyes directly on the ground. I’m excited to visit a state where I’ve never set foot, she’s right near the Tennessee border, within spitting distance of the Appalachian Trail, and very near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It should be beautiful, I’m just hoping I don’t melt in the southern heat and humidity!

Recipe

We were turned on to this recipe by our friend Claudia Lucero of Urban Cheesecraft, which we can’t recommend enough if you are looking for cheesemaking kits or books.

Wonton Meatballs from nomnompaleo.com

Ingredients

  • ¼ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
  • ½ pound shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 scallions finely chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro minced
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fish sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • Ghee or cooking fat of choice
  • 1 scallion sliced on the bias (optional garnish)

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F, and squeeze the water out of the shiitake mushrooms. Cut off the hard stems, and finely mince them.
  • Finely chop the shrimp until you’ve got a chunky paste.
  • Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the pork, mushrooms, scallions, cilantro, coconut aminos, salt, fish sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil.
  • Use your hands to squeeze and mix the meatball mixture until a sticky and tacky mass is formed.
  • Heat up a small frying pan over medium heat and add a little cooking fat. When the pan is hot, form a little patty and cook it in the pan. Taste it and see if the seasoning is right. Adjust with additional salt if needed. (Not cooking yet? You can store the meatball mixture in the fridge for up to 12 hours.)
  • Form the mixture into 1½-inch balls. I like to scoop the balls out with a #20 disher, which holds 3 tablespoons. Roll the mixture into round balls and arrange on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. You should end up with about a dozen balls.
  • Bake the meatballs in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Wanna cook them in an air fryer? Airfry at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through.
  • If you wanna make a bunch Wonton Sliders instead, smush the balls into ½-inch patties and fry in a greased pan over medium heat, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with a squeeze of sriracha!