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If you attended the End of Summer Brunch, you most certainly encountered Ladybird, a friend of Robert’s who was assisting in the serving line and wherever else needed. Her bubbly personality and helpfulness were hard to miss. She had such a wonderful time that she wrote a poem about the brunch and sent it in (see below).

What did you like about brunch? What do you think could have been improved? Farmer Margie and Robert would like to know, so the next event at Possum Trot is an even better experience. Please post your thoughts in the comments below. If you prefer, you can send them to me at redlandrambles(at)gmail.com and I will forward them.

Brunch centerpiece

Basil, ginger and starfruit centerpiece

END OF SUMMER BRUNCH POEM
by ROBBIN “LADYBIRD” HINEZ

Under a hammock of exotic tropical fruit trees
Partners with Margie of the heaven of bees
An organic summer brunch fit for a king.
The humble chef is Robert of Possum Trot Nursery
Everyone is greeted with lemongrass tea and passion fruit punch drunk pleasantly.
Then they were seated at a long table set for ninety.
The centerpiece of basil and red ginger arranged beautifully,
The buffet was set so tastefully, smoked eggs and a scramble with pesto from the pepper tree
A goat cheese topping torched and assorted fruit salad of many varieties.
The muffins were freshly baked with yogurt sauce
Accompanying boiled jackfruit seed salted lightly
Everything was incredibly tasty. Taste the bignay antedesma wine if you please
Robert, we so appreciate your outstanding cretivity.
The flavors you introduced inspired under the hammock of tropical fruit trees.

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Margie, Dan, Robert, Muriel, Meghan

Margie, Dan, Robert, Muriel, Meghan

Last week Robert Barnum of Possum Trot Nursery invited several people over for a test tasting of several dishes on the brunch menu. Farmer Margie brought along intern Muriel; and Meghan the forager, along with Farmer Dan Howard and myself, gathered at the table.

Broiled avocados stuffed with scrambled eggs and goat cheese

Broiled avocados stuffed with scrambled eggs and goat cheese

The avocado half stuffed with scrambled eggs was unique, to say the least. The eggs were speckled with minced betel leaf that gave a sort-of peppery flavor. It was topped with Hani Khouri’s goat cheese, that browned slightly. This concoction is Robert’s own recipe. The betel leaf came from a tree on his property.

Smoked eggs

Smoked eggs

Speaking of eggs, don’t miss out on the smoked eggs. Robert puts the eggs in his open-air smoker and lets them cook for several hours. The egg shell gets a rich brown color, and the inside is hard cooked, with a mild smoky flavor.

The allspice muffins tasted like spice cake. Be sure to spread honeyed labneh (also from Hani) over the muffins as a sweet-tangy topping. The passion fruit sorbet sweetened with agave is a delightful finish to the meal. The taste of the fruit comes through clearly, and the agave takes the edge off its tartness. The passion fruit and allspice were also grown at Possum Trot.

After eating, we took a stroll to where the tables will be set up under trees off to the side of the house. It’s a shady and breezy spot, and should be a delightful place to dine.

WARNING! Do not eat the fruit of this tree!

WARNING! Do not eat the fruit of this tree!

Not too far off is the African bushman poison tree. Its fruit looks enticing, like plump olives waiting to be gobbled down. But Robert explained that the tiniest nibble can actually kill an elephant. This tree will have a fence around it on the day of the brunch, but I thought I’d give warning.

I’ll be at the brunch taking photos and video of the event. Will post a link where you can view and download pictures.

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Bee Heaven Farm ~ Redland Organics

 End of Summer Brunch 

 

Join us down on the farm for a Locavore’s dream!

End of Summer Brunch at Possum Trot 
Sunday, September 27th, 2009 at 10:30am
 
in an informal Old Florida homestead 40-acre garden setting
featuring 100% locally-grown*
organic produce from Bee Heaven Farm and our Redland Organics farm partners. (Some items are not certified organic, but are pesticide-free.)
*except-oil, flour, salt, baking powder/soda
 
Passionately prepared by
Robert, The Cantankerous Chef
~~~ MENU ~~~
 
Broiled Avocado halves stuffed with Betel-leaf Farm Egg Scramble
and Nubian Goat Cheese Topping
 
Bee Heaven Farm Smoked Eggs
 
Boiled Salted Jakfruit Seeds
 
Roasted Rosemary-scented Roots Medley
 
Sautéed Vegetable Amaranth (Callaloo) with scallions
 
Allspice Muffins with Nubian Goat Honey Labneh
 
Honeyed Seasonal Farm Fruits 
 
Minted Passion Fruit Ice
 
Tropical Juice selection ~ Cas, Passionfruit & Carambola
 
Fresh Lemongrass Iced Tea
~~~ * ~~~

 Cost: Adults $28; Children 6-12 $14; Children 3-5 $5; 2 and under free

Please reserve early – Attendance limited to 60
 
Proceeds help support our farm internship program and local family farms

     

We hope you and your family join us for this amazing locavore feast!
Online reservations and payment required by September 22nd. Click here to RSVP & pay now, or type the following into your browser:  http://www.redlandorganics.com/EOSbrunch.htm
 
 Possum Trot is located next door to Monkey Jungle. Directions to the farm will be provided with your confirmation, so please be sure to print it out!
 
Sincerely,
 Margie's signature

Bee Heaven Farm ~ Redland Organics

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If you bought smoked eggs or fruit this summer, the jakfruit, starfruit and passion fruit (among others) came from Possum Trot Nursery. Later this month owner Robert Barnum will host a brunch outdoors on his property. You’ll get a tour, then eat a sumptuous meal — The Possum Trot Experience — prepared by Robert himself. He calls himself The Cantankerous Chef and invents all kinds of tasty dishes that use his fruits. This month’s brunch should be an easy challenge for Robert — use only local ingredients except for salt, pepper, sugar and the like.

Possum Trot is completely unlike any plant nursery you have ever seen before. It’s a cross between a grove and a primeval jungle, 40 acres of Old Florida wildness that makes Fairchild Tropical Gardens look like a manicured rosebush. Robert has collected all kinds of trees that have useful purposes, whether it be fruits, herbs or wood for smoking food. The property also has a sinkhole — or is it a spring? — and a bomb shelter right in the ground.

Here are pictures of my first visit to the nursery in September 2007.

Entering Possum Trot Nursery

Entering Possum Trot Nursery

Ye olde swimming hole

Ye olde swimming hole

Strolling through 40 acres of tropical trees

Strolling through 40 acres of tropical trees

Star fruit hang like golden lanterns

Star fruit hang like golden lanterns

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