Don on the Road
I’m just back from the 8th Annual Northern Grain Growers Association Conference in Essex, Vermont. I’ve been a couple of times before and it is always a good opportunity to reconnect with my wheat grower friends up there and it gives me a chance to see what potential seed stock is available. I also get to meet with scientists, agronomists, and wheat breeders from all of the important national wheat and corn breeding projects.There are also some fascinating and way out experiments going on, like adapting rice production for this region. Yes, rice! The farmer who grows our beans is now attempting to grow rice (I confess I may have had an influence). Rice needs a long growing season, so they have to start the plants indoors. One of the presenters last year harvested 18lbs. of hayayugi rice in two 3′ x 8′ paddies!
Among the interesting presenters was keynote speaker Loïc Dewarvrin, who is growing 1200 acres of organic grains in Quebec, and who is organizing fellow farmers into a marketing co-op while also researching Hopi, a heritage corn variety.
Another intriguing presentation and perhaps a little positive news from climate change is that is becoming possible to seriously consider growing edamame. Soybeans are already being grown but now there is sufficient interest and market for growers to diversify into edamame production which involves having the capacity to freeze the crop at the optimal moment.
Returning home, filled with enthusiasm, I was really pleased to see how early and well the grass is coming in. Which got me moving to get the steers out into the back paddock. The hens are also thoroughly enjoying their meals of fresh pasture and you can see that the yolks of the eggs are rich orange because of it.
Further inspired, I’m working on a shopping list for additional equipment for the mill. The roller crimper machine we have our eye on would enable us to produce our own rolled oats and grains. We are convinced our customers would really respond to local whole grains in an easy to use form. Makers of granola and breads are asking us for sustainably produced resources. Plus, institutions and schools are looking for the simplest way to incorporate sustainable whole grain resources into their menus. We’ll keep you posted on our progress which will in time include rolled oats, wheat, spelt, rye and triticale from Wild Hive.
It’s good to be home!
Don Lewis
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Upcoming Events
Music at the Hive
Thursday 6-9pm, March 22nd – Live Gypsy Jazz featuring Bob Cage, Eric Rosi-Marshall and Pete Redmond
Friday 6-9pm, March 23rd – Live Acoustic Americana Music with Bob Stump and the Blue Mountain Boys
Saturday 6-9pm, March 24th – Live Acoustic Music featuring the Greg Douglas Band playing Rock, Motown, R&B, Blues and Folk with Passion and Energy!
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Sunday, April 15th, 1:30pm-5pm
Swing Dancing with Crazy Feet Pete Band
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Sunday, April 22nd, 3:30pm-5:00pm
Beer Brewing 101 – Part 2 (Bottling)
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Sunday, April 22nd, 5:00pm-6:30pm
Beer Tasting
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Farm Spotlight – Brooklyn Brine, Company
Some things are just meant to go together like apples and cinnamon, chocolate and peanut butter, nachos and salsa, and macaroni and cheese.
The sweet and tart Maple Bourbon Bread & Butter pickles made with caramelized onions, organic New York State maple syrup, and McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey debuted locally last August.
Brooklyn Brine has taken that idea to a new level with the introduction of its brand new Maple Bourbon Bread & Butter pickles made with Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey, and signature Whiskey Sour Pickles made with McKenzie Rye Whiskey, which debuted just over a year ago.
Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey is made from raw whole grains from local New York State farms and aged in new charred oak barrels.
“It’s great to partner with a company that is equally committed to using local, high-quality ingredients to make hand-crafted products,” said Brian McKenzie, co-founder of Finger Lakes Distilling.
The buttery, smooth McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey is aged in 10-gallon barrels for 12 to 18 months then transferred into Chardonnay casks from local wineries to breathe.
”I was interested in the barrel-curing process, which gives a unique flavor and is just a cool way of making pickles,” said Shamus Jones, founder of Brooklyn Brine. “The charred barrel and tannins imparted from the oak gives (the Whiskey Sour Pickles) a smokey flavor.”
Brooklyn Brine’s signature Whiskey Sour Pickles received a nod from Time Out NY magazine as a critic’s pick.
Jones, a former vegetarian chef, said using spirits is very common in cooking, like deglazing a pan with whiskey. “Taking that into a shelf-stabilized jar version just made sense intuitively. And the name whiskey sour just works together,” he said. “It’s our love letter to Brooklyn.”
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Wild Hive Catering Brings the Local Touch to Your Celebration!
Wild Hive Catering brings a fresh approach to catering. Everything is made from scratch with top quality local ingredients. We source from our fellow local farmers who are as committed as we are to raising food that is primarily organic, and is respectfully and humanely raised here in the Hudson River Valley. The care and integrity that goes into our food enhances any occasion at which it is served. Let Wild Hive Make Your Spring Party or Celebration Wildly Successful! To plan your menu Call Chef Sylvan Perez at 845-266-5863.
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Beer Brewing 101
Malt extract syrup, hops, fermenter, wort, grommet, carboy – what language are we speaking? The language of beer!
Home beer brewing enthusiasts gathered at the Hive on Sunday afternoon to learn the basics of brewing. Chris Leach, former Keegan Ales brewer, experienced home brewer and local beer distributor took the class participants step-by-step through the process of home brewing up to the secondary fermentation process. The class will reconvene on April 22nd to bottle and sample their brew.
Following the beer bottling, Chris will host a second beer tasting, “Ale vs Lager”, featuring Stoudts Pilsner and Flying Dog Tire Bite Golden Ale, Saratoga Lager and Otter Creek Copper Ale followed by Paulaner Salvator and Ommegang Abbey Ale. You will also have the opportunity to sample a superb selection of Chef Sylvan Perez’s delicious finger foods prepared specifically to pair with each brew.
Class Fee $20.00 Reservations required – email cindi@wildhivefarm.com.
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