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Malone

November 12, 2012 by marian33031

Malone the giant rooster struts through grass.

Meet Malone, the free-range young rooster who has been hanging around at Bee Heaven. He is huge, and has big feet, a big appetite, and big poops. Originally his name was a slang word in Spanish that sounds like Malone, that means big — never mind.

Malone on a mission to seek out dry cat food, while Flash the cat drowses nearby.

Malone showed up several months ago, a refugee from South Miami, where roosters are not wanted. You can have fowl, but not foul mouth fowl. He hails from a farm in Jasper, Georgia, where he was bought as a tiny golden yellow fluffball chick an year ago. Surprise surprise, he quickly grew to ginormous proportions. Nobody knows what kind of breed he is.

Greyling the cat having a few words about Malone’s greedy ways.

Malone started hanging out near the farmhouse carport. He quickly discovered the gourmet delicacy of dried cat food meant for outdoor cats, and also learned the sound of pellets hitting metal bowls means yummy nom noms are served. He comes racing out of the bushes, making a dash for the dish. The cats step aside. After all, he outweighs them by a kilo or two. The only way the cats can eat is if their food is put out after dark, when Malone goes to sleep.

Nobody knows where he roosts. Malone roams around the farm, free as a bird. He started hanging out with Crazy Chicken, another free-range rooster, and they saunter around the farm, scratching for bugs and chatting up hens in the chicken tractors.

Malone and Crazy Chicken.

Posted in animals, farm, photo | Tagged , |

Plants for an edible garden

November 8, 2012 by marian33031

It started with emails, first a trickle, then a wave, pouring in to Farmer Margie’s inbox. They all said pretty much the same thing. “I didn’t make it to GrowFest,” or “I went looking for you at the Edible Garden Festival but you weren’t there.” Avid gardeners were hungry for their annual fix of organic heirloom tomato seedlings from Bee Heaven Farm.

Ish (left) helps a buyer pick out the perfect plant.

So for those who missed out, plants left over from GrowFest! were up for grabs last Saturday at a special seedling sale. The event ran from 10 am to 2 pm. People started trickling in just before 10, making the long walk down the farm driveway. It was the perfect day for visiting Bee Heaven Farm. A crisp, cool morning drenched with dew gently warmed to tee-shirt weather by noon. The sky was clear, brilliant blue, and turkey buzzards swirled high overhead, riding thermals created by freshly tilled and bedded fields. A mockingbird twittered somewhere in the spreading branches of a large poinciana tree, beneath which tables of seedlings were set up in the dappled shade.

Reaching for the best!

Gardeners dove in, searching for the perfect plants to take home. “Do you have… ” they asked, and farm helpers Victor and Ish were quick to assist. It was a treasure hunt, this search for perfect plants. The stars of the show were heirloom tomato plants: Sun Gold, Lollipop, Beam’s Yellow Pear, Green Grape, Black Zebra, Pineapple, Black Prince, Brown Berry, Homestead 24, Lime Green Salad. Some people were partial to smaller varieties, others liked big beefsteaks. Most people said they planted in raised beds, but I spoke to a fair number of container gardeners, too.

Farm helper Victor tells it like it is about growing yuca.

Most people knew just what they wanted. One woman came with plastic printed slips of names of tomatoes that she grew from last year. Others browsed through the assortment and bought mass quantities. Buy five, get one free. Buy 15, get five free. Enough to fill up the whole back yard and share with the neighborhood. By closing time, it was estimated that about 80 people came, and almost half the plants were sold.

Barbecue master and published author Steve Raichlen also stopped by. He marveled at the tub full of smoked eggs made by Robert Barnum of Possum Trot Tropical Fruit Nursery. Apparently smoking eggs is one thing he hasn’t yet tried to grill or smoke. He wrote about the encounter on his blog here.

Steven Raichlen, barbecue master and author of many books on grilling, with Farmer Margie.

If you missed this sale, you’ll have to wait to buy plants until December when Bee Heaven Farm will be at Pinecrest Gardens Farmers Market. The farm is not open to the public except for occasional events.

A happy shopper loaded down with tomato plants.

Choosing choy.

Farmer Margie (right) chats with customers.

Coveted organic heirloom tomato seedlings.

Posted in agritourism, events, farm, photo | Tagged , , |

Cooking with Hani

November 4, 2012 by marian33031

Hani Khouri tosses a fresh batch of tabouleh.

Saturday, Nov 10, 2012
11:00 am – 2:00 pm

You’ve seen him in his Panama hat frying up falafel at GrowFest and other events, or perhaps bought his goat cheese. But did you know that Hani Khouri is also a masterful chef who specializes in Mediterranean cuisine?

Here’s a rare chance to take a cooking class with Hani and learn how to make three tasty dishes — falafel, tabouleh, and a goat cheese dessert. The event includes a buffet lunch, and all attendees will get a recipe book.

Hani’s Mediterranean Organics sells organic hummus and baba ganoush, goat cheeses, and tropical fruit goat milk ice cream made with milk from his herd of free-range Nubian goats. His delicacies are available at the Pinecrest Gardens Green Market and through the Redland Organics CSA as an add-on share.

Cost for the lunch/cooking class is $75 per person, or $60 per person for groups of four or more. Register and pay online at the Youth L.E.A.D. web site.

All class proceeds go to benefit Youth L.E.A.D.’s food justice programming, which provides training and employment for low-income youth at farmers markets and community gardens.

Location:
Coral Gables Congregational Church
3010 DeSoto Blvd. (across from Biltmore Hotel)
Coral Gables FL

Posted in chef, events, food, photo | Tagged , , |

Dinner in Paradise 2012-2013

October 31, 2012 by marian33031

It’s that time again to make your reservations for this season’s Dinner in Paradise. The series of gourmet dinners at Paradise Farms sells out fairly quickly, and for good reason. Each event features the finest chefs in Miami preparing a delicious five course meal made with local organic products (most grown at Paradise Farms) and paired with fine wines. The magic and charm of the lush edible landscape creates a uniquely intimate dining experience under the stars.

“Each year, we donate proceeds to a local charity or organization philosophically in line with our vision of sustainable, healing, and healthy organic food,” said owner/farmer Gabriele Marewski. “This year we are sponsoring Urban Greenworks, and Slow Food Miami.”

Arrive at 5:00 pm for a cocktail reception and farm tour, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm. After March 10th, the cocktail reception starts at 6:00pm and dinner at 7:00 pm. Dress is upscale casual.

Each dinner is $165.00 per person + tax and processing.

Reservations are required, and can be made and paid for online. The cutoff is noon on the Friday before the dinner, as the farm crew harvests accordingly. Please inform the farm of any allergies at least 48 hours prior to the event so that the chefs can accommodate you.

Paradise Farms Organic is only open to the public during these special events.

Posted in agritourism, chef, events, farm, food, locavore | Tagged , , |

Celebrating Florida farmers and chefs

October 29, 2012 by marian33031

Despite blustery weather from Hurricane Sandy, over 40 locavores packed into Books & Books to hear three authors present their latest cookbook, Field to Feast: Recipes Celebrating Florida Farmers, Chefs and Artisans. (The event was sponsored by Slow Food Miami.)

Pam Brandon, Katie Farmand and Heather McPherson — three committed locavores and accomplished writers based in Orlando — took it upon themselves to not only buy from local farmers, but also learn more about them and the food they grew. One farmer led to another, and next thing they realized, a new book project was in the works.

The authors divided the state into thirds and visited farms, talking to farmers, writing down their stories, collecting recipes, and tasting food. They focused on growers with sustainable practices, and found farms big and small, new farmers starting out, and sixth generation growers leaving a legacy for their children. They visited with South Florida farmers Muriel Olivares of Little River Market Garden, and Thi Squire of Green Railway Organic Workshop (GROW). Many others contributed recipes — Redland Mediterranean Organics, Bee Heaven Farm, Gaby’s Farm, Teena’s Pride, Fairchild Farm, C&B Farms, Possum Trot Tropical Fruit Nursery, Alger Farms, Going Bananas, Burr’s Berry Farm, Robert Is Here, and Knaus Berry Farm. Local Chefs Allen Susser, Paula DaSilva, Michael Schwartz, Michelle Bernstein, and Norman Van Aken were some of the chefs who also contributed recipes.

“It was a big process to cull it down to fit the book,” Heather said at a recent signing at Books & Books. “It was a matter of who should we not leave out.” The authors were limited by 300 pages and a deadline, but had enough material for a book twice the size. (Perhaps a second volume or updated edition is forthcoming?) Katie added, “We focused on telling stories of farmers who had a great story.” Alongside every recipe is a story about the grower, and a sumptuous photograph of the dish, farmer or farm. (The book is worth getting for the pictures alone.) Pam added that gathering stories and recipes was based on taking “one-tank trips” around the state, and suggested that readers do their own exploring based on the list of farmers in the back of the the book.

Each recipe was tested at least twice, and tasted by lucky friends. Each author did have her favorite recipes. Heather picked cajun-style boiled peanuts, and lemon curd. Katie chose saucy beef tacos, and rosemary-pecan shortbread cookies (which were served at the reading and promptly disappeared). And Pam raved about the cilantro-lime kohl slaw made with kohlrabi, and spicy-sweet kale.

At the Books & Books event, the authors showed slides of farmers and told stories about how they met, and what was happening when the picture was taken. Pam said she was surprised to learn that blueberries are a million dollar business up in North Florida, and joked repeatedly that “Michigan better look out!” She predicted that peaches will be the next cash crop (replacing citrus), with a variety bred by UF/IFAS that grows well in Florida. Look for Uncle Matt’s branded peaches coming to a market soon.

If you missed the event, copies of Field to Feast are available through Bee Heaven Farm for the discounted price of $25. Plus, you can get it signed by Farmer Margie herself! I already got mine, and am looking forward to trying a few recipes, and maybe taking a one-tank trip somewhere…

Authors Pam Brandon, Katie Farmand and Heather McPherson

Posted in agritourism, events, food, locavore | Tagged |

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