It’s hustle-bustle even in wintertime at Georgetown’s Elmwood Stock Farm
Written by Kathy Witt
Georgetown’s farms stay crazy-busy in the summer and fall, but what happens during a long, cold Kentucky winter? We peeked past the fields at Elmwood Stock Farm, a 550-acre, sixth-generation family farm and Kentucky Proud member, to see what happens when the temperature plunges.
“For many farmers, winter is a time of rest, though it seems we’re just as busy this time of year as we are in the summer,” said Ann Stone. Ann and husband Mac Stone manage Elmwood Stock’s CSA Farm Share, product marketing and poultry and sheep flocks.
“There are fewer vegetables growing and animals to care for, but we also have a smaller staff during these cold months,” she added. “We still have vegetables to tend and harvest in the fields and in the high tunnels and greenhouses, as well as animals to feed, customer orders to pack and deliver and general farm maintenance work, plus planning for the start of the spring growing season.”
Whew! They are busy.
This is the time of year when root vegetables (all certified organic) take centerstage at the farm, either growing in the field or harvested and in storage.
There are carrots; red, chioggia and golden beets; and fall radishes, including watermelon, black and daikon radishes, plus salad radishes. A selection of turnips includes white, purple top and hakurei salad turnips. There are rutabagas, potatoes and several types of sweet potatoes, including orange sweet potatoes, Japanese white sweet potatoes and fingerling sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes reign as a farm favorite for their flavor and versatility.
“So many of us grew up knowing sweet potatoes as that casserole smothered in marshmallows,” said Ann. “They’re so much better than that!
“Fingerling sweet potatoes are wonderful, tossed whole with olive oil and salt, roasted and eaten as a side dish. Regular-sized sweet potatoes are excellent roasted whole and topped with chili or garlicy greens. We also like to chop and roast them to top a salad, boil and purée them into a creamy soup, or – believe it or not – bake them into brownies or blondies as a way to sneak some vegetables into a dessert.”
That is pretty sneaky, but what a tasty and nutritious way to get your sweet fix.
Get recipes by subscribing to Elmwood Stock Farm’s weekly enewsletter. Each issue contains recipes that use fresh, seasonal food; info about veggies in season; and scoop about what’s happening on the farm. Sign up with your email address at www.elmwoodstockfarm.com. Tour dates for 2022 have yet to be announced, but anyone can come to the on-farm store just east of downtown Georgetown, Monday through Friday, to pick up online orders of organic vegetables, meats, eggs and pantry items. Orders can be placed online at www.elmwoodstockfarm.com. For more information, call 859-621-0755. The online store is updated daily (and sometimes several times each day as the farm harvests and fills orders).
Noted Ann: “We do our best to keep everything accurate, as it’s important for people to understand how their food is produced.”
When Elmwood Stock Farm launched its new logo, the online store and website were redesigned and the content refreshed. Click onto the website to take a look, order meat bundles and other goodies and read the farm’s outstanding blog. For updates and to see some beautiful photography, visit the farm’s Facebook page.
Georgetown has quite a few farms, many of them members of Kentucky Proud. Read more about them here.
Recipe: Elmwood Stock Farm’s Favorite Fried Rice
This recipe is adaptable to whatever vegetables and meats you have on hand. It’s an excellent way to use up roasted vegetable and meat leftovers from a Sunday supper, too. “We especially like using root vegetables in the fried rice, as each has its own flavor that contributes to the dish,” noted Ann.
- 3 T. grass-fed butter or coconut oil, divided
- 2 eggs
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 bunch salad radishes, greens removed, roots chopped small
- 1 medium daikon radish, chopped small
- 1/2 bunch hakurei turnips, greens removed, roots chopped small
- 1 large purple-top turnip, chopped small
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped small
- 3 c. day-old cooked rice
- 2 c. shredded or sliced leftover chicken, steak or pork chops (optional)
- 1 bunch kale, leaves torn, or 1/2 small Napa cabbage, sliced very thin
- 3 T. soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tsp. fish sauce (optional)
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- sesame oil for serving
- pea shoots for serving
- In a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat, and pan-scramble the eggs until cooked through. Set eggs aside.
- In the same pan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, and add garlic and all vegetables. If vegetables are already cooked, you’re just reheating those and sautéing the garlic.
- If all are raw, cook 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size, and stir occasionally until vegetables can be pierced with a fork.
- Add rice, optional meat and kale or cabbage, and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Return eggs to the pan and season all with soy sauce, optional fish sauce and black pepper. Adjust seasoning, as needed.
- Divide into serving bowls, and top with a drizzle of sesame oil and a bit of pea shoots.
Author: Kathryn Witt
Kathryn Witt is an award-winning travel and lifestyle writer, syndicated columnist and author of several books, including Secret Cincinnati, The Secret of the Belles and Atlanta Georgia: A Photographic Portrait. A member of SATW, Authors Guild and the Society of Children’s Books & Illustrators, she lives in northern Kentucky.
