The Harvest Eating Podcast

In this episode I share a big surprise. I am working on a new TV series that airs on RFD TV. I talk in depth about the process of creating our shows and what goes on behind the scenes. Also, the new website is about to launch, we speak about that , new packaging for products and much more...

In this episode I discuss a bunch of things that are on my mind in no random order. Been planting tons of potatoes and about to plant corn, melons, more asparagus roots etc. Hear all about it in this brain dump.

In this episode of Harvest Eating I discuss the things going on around my farm in spring. The chores like pruning, fetilizing, moving animals to spring pasture, planting landscaping and much more. My son even come in in for a minute to bring daddy some water.

This is a special spur of the moment episode in which I let nature do the talking...grab a cup of tea or cofee, site back and enjoy the Western north Carolina nature on the Snow farm. No regular content in this episode.

In this episode I share my thoughts on eating local and why it's important. I rant a tad about stores that SHOULD support more local foods and how anoying it is to see California produce in Florida. Eating local is important as we develop long term relationships with local farmers which helps to ensure their long term survival and keep farm land from being developed into condos.

n March each year I start thinking about and enjoying fresh strawberries. This wonderful fruit is only available locally, regionally for a short time each year. In Florida, strawberries are bring harvested this time of year on many small and large farms. In my opinion, Florida grows the best commerical harvest of strawberries in the US. Strawberries are a versatile culinary ingredient and of course delicious and healthy. Not only can you eat them fresh or in smoothies etc. they can be cooked with too.

On todays' episode I step outside and sit on the dock by the pond and record outdoors. It will be almost 70 here in Asheville so spring gardening is on my mind and that is what we wil cover today. We'll talk about soil preparation and testing, composting basics, seed selection and a touch about cooking your produce.

A CSA-Community Supported Agriculture-Is the perfect source for local foods in your community. Joining a CSA allows you to take part in the local harvest of a small family farm. Fresh, produce is healthy and delicious and fun to cook with, best of all it's purchase supports family farms.

Seafood is a tricky subject for most people. Cooking seafood, buying seafood and how to store seafood properly can present many challenges for seafood lovers. In this episode I discuss seafood in it's many forms and talk about farm-raised salmon and tilapia and well as wild caught fish like salmon and others too.

What can I say...bacon is great stuff. Most of us love bacon, the smell, taste, culinary versatility and usefulness. But understanding exactly how bacon is made, where the pork comes from how it's harvested etc. is an important thing to know. I will discuss CAFO's --factory farms and also free-range pork operations and what a pig should be eating. Also give some sources for buying really nice free-range pork products, including bacon.

Let's discuss a meaty subject-ground beef. I grind beef at home often and let you know the process I use to take different beef cuts and make them ready for storage and later use. With pink slime being added to most ground meat this is something we all should be doing to avoid big corporate food.

Potatoes are a cinch to grow, super versatile in the kitchen and also very very healthy...and cheap too!! We'll discuss how to grow them, harvest and store them as well as touch on a few ways to cook them. For a prepper, potatoes are almost a perfect crop.

In this episode I take a listeners suggestion and cover some basic cooking techniques we all need to use for basic or even advanced cooking. Sauté, braise, roast, bake, steam, broil pan fry etc. These are all terms we hear often but usually do not get much background information about. I try to tackle these topics in a simple way with detailed descriptions in order to help you cook better.

In this episode I talk specifically about setting the stage for a nice Valentines dinner menu for your loved ones. With a little attention to detail, anyone can create a wonderful culinary experience for their Valentine. My simple 3 course menu features hearts of romaine with cilantro vinaigrette, seared jumbo shrimp with tomato tequilla butter, and honey lime sweet potatoes. Dinner is followed up with 3 choices for dessert.

I have come to love dark leafy greens. With their slight bitter and rich green flavor they are versatile to cook with, and excellent to eat. Of course they are loaded with health benefits; high amounts of antioxidants plus vitamins A, K and plenty of calcium too. Not many foods are this easy to grow, this fun to cook with and this good for you. If you do not grow and cook greens your missing out on a great culinary pleasure.

The sad fact is that getting a good sausage is becoming much harder. The supermarket is pretty much devoid of real sausage. Instead big food companies produce and market phony tube steaks masking as real homemade sausage...the kind we all love. In places like the upper mid-west getting a good brat is a religion. But if you do not have a local butcher or artisan making them you're stuck buying big brand junk. The good news is there are many new butcher shops and artisans that are bringing this craft back. These are the places we should support in order to get our hands on the real deal.

I have a fond appreciation for good bread. Whether a long crispy baguette from a small bakery in the countryside in Burgundy France or right from my own kitchen. Good bread is within the reach of all of use, no matter our location or economic circumstances. The ingredients and equipment needed for bread are easy to find and usually inexpensive. Learning to make good bread is a skill that will pay dividends your whole life.

Many people are under the impression that fruit juice is healthy, it certainly can be in some circumstances, IE; fresh squeezed, but most bottled juices are not at all healthy, especially for kids. The marketing and labeling laws are very deceptive and most parents think they are giving their kids healthy liquids, the truth is the opposite. This is one of the reasons type 2 diabetes is on the rise so fast. Kids are bombarded with high fructose drinks from a young age eventually wearing out their insulin system.

In this episode I take you through the process to cook a steak properly. Everything from marination, to cooking to slicing and even how to make a tasty pan sauce or gravy. I also talk about how steak gets graded by the USDA and how to cook grass-fed beef properly as well.

This episode is about the awful chemical called BPA that seems to be in everything. This chemical is dangerous and can cause many types of disease; heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes etc. I think we should all avoid this horrible substance that should NOT be in our foods or drinks.

In this episode I wanted to share what we've been eating lately to demonstrate the type of meals and favorites we consume in the colder months. I also talk about lots of miscellaneous things from guns to woodworking to Great Pyrenees dogs etc..

In this much requested topic, cooking with game, I discuss some of my experiences with wild game and make suggestions on how you can do the same. While in Colorado I had loads of wild game to cook with and had written many menus that featured wild game. Thanks To David H for nudging me on this show.

In this episode I discuss some ideas for Christmas foods like spicy pepper relish, red curry mussels and much more. A touch of reminiscing about family favorite meals is also mentioned. I also talk about the new sunroom, moving cows and shooting rifles.

This episode is dedicated to creating the perfect Thanksgiving meal. I talk bout the do's and dont's of cooking turkey and also discuss a variety of side dishes and lots of how to tips to help you get thru the big meal. I will be "on call" to serve the Harvest Eating audience from Monday till thursday to help with your big meal....

In this episode I discuss cutlery, which knives I've used in the past, which one I use now and why. I will give you a primer on caring for your cutlery, what to do and what not to do. I also get into the various brands and why I love and use Cutco knives. Also I go in-depth into some various improvements ot the farmhouse and some other chores I've been doing in the Farm Update segment.

In this episode I discuss our beloved Great Pyrenees Yukon who passed last weekend at only 9 months. We also discuss our two Jersey cows, Cinnamon & Ginger, both 9 months old. SInce it's winter I have been busy around the farm and have installed new steps and a new old wood stove.

In this episode I discuss the Jersey cows we're getting. They are coming home soon so I discuss getting them used to the new property and also hope the horses accept them. I rant about the EPA, FDA etc. and the war against family farms and raw milk. A family cow equates to food security and self sufficiency.

In this episode I talk about planning for upcoming harvests. As I write this fall is fast approaching, so in order to take full advantage of the produce of fall I suggest doing some research, planning and purchasing of items needed for fall. This method works for all seasons of course and is something we do at home to make sure we are enjoying the seasonal harvests in our area of the country.

In this episode I discuss making the transition from a summer garden to a fall garden. Crop Update: What crops are still in season locally, what is coming in to season and what is going out. Also, the chores needed to start a fall garden and also the tasks (canning) , weeding, composting, etc..that are generally practiced around this time of year

In this episode I discuss how were using the crops that the garden and local markets are providing us. These few weeks are the "super bowl" of the year's harvest. There are tons of fresh foods all over the place right now, the supermarket, the garden, farm stands, tail-gate markets, CSA's, neighbors gardens....if your looking..fresh foods are widely available this time of year. We'll discuss summer squash, toamtoes, peppers, corn, herbs, potatoes, onions and much more on this epsiode.

In the mid summer when the garden is producing lots of produce, some plants are begging to produce others are coming to the end of the their cycle. When more room is made what are you going to plant? and what are you going to do with the crops that are giving your a harvest? These are the main issues gardeners are faced with each sumer about this time. Learn what I do and what I am thinking about.

In this episode I speak off the cuff about a variety of personal topics that include whats is going on with Harvest Eating, stuff around the farm. swimming in the river, my France trip and much more. I run out of ice for my tea so you listen to some good music while I get ice, then a darn tick crawls up my laptop screen. Enjoy this wild, unscripted crazy life episode..recorded mere hours before departing to France.

n this episode I talk in general about my garden and give you an update on what were growing, what were harvesting now, what will come soon. I also give some tips on weed control and speak about what I am doing to save or put up these foods. I also talk about compost amending and those DARN BUGS!

In this episode I do my best to encourage and even nudge you into starting to increase the depth of your panty or for some of you, take the first step. There are turbulent waters ahead and we all need to strap in and have enough stored food to make sure nobody goes without, especially our children or elderly. Some economic discussions and some lemonade too round out this episode.

In this episode I have a chat with Stan Barrett, one of my dear friends about a past trip to France, a potential trip to France in 2 weeks, Lacanche Ranges and even a lovely French women with a French accent! I hope you enjoy this causal chat with a friend and sponsor of the show.

n this episode I discuss antique and heritage apples. I recently took a day trip to the high country in NC to meet a couple who specialize in saving and promoting over 350 varieties of old apple trees that have been thriving in these Southern Appalachian mountains for centuries. These are apples with funny names like Lampoc, Limbertwig, Gano etc. If not for the Joyners, these apple would be gone forever, this is not just food we're talking about...it's about preserving the heritage our of food sources.

This episode is all about grilling and recipe ideas for a successful weekend cookout. I cover preparing the grill, marinating chicken and steak, how to cook meat without burning it and properly cooking chicken so it's not raw inside and burnt outside. Also, some great dessert ideas and super tasty recipes.

In this episode I give a pep talk about bringing The Harvest Eating Lifestyle with you this year on your vacation. I also describe in detail how we just did that in Florida and how local farmers markets can play a key role. I discuss your culinary inventory, a term I frequently use. I also go into a diatribe on buying well made items like Yeti Coolers. Why buy cheap junk that will surely break only to be replaced again?

This episode takes you from the early morning at 7:30 am with my son Garrett urging me to get up and takes you throug my entire day. You'll hear about family fights, about my dog Yukon, The Great Pyrenees and our picnic at the beach. Many of you have requested more personal details so here you go...enjoy!

In this episode we discuss the 5 mother sauces created by August Escoffier of classic French Cookery fame. These base sauces are the foundation most great cooking and can be made at home and deployed into many dishes that you will love. Once you have mastered these sauces you can make other "compound sauces" which are derived from the 5 mother sauces. You do not need to be a French snob to use and enjoy the 5 Mother Sauces. Also, my son and daughter make an apperance on air, and I eat some toaste too!!

This special episode is all about the Harvest Eating Spice Blends we sell. This is somewhat commercial so I wanted to be upfront about that. These spices are really terrific and I wanted to tell you how we started selling them and a bit about why I think you could benefit from having them in your pantry.

This episode I address some listener questions and try to give my perspective on these. I get hundreds of emails per month with various questions, suggestions, comments etc. If you would like to get your question answered use the words "podcast question" in the subject line to help me curate the email load.

This episode is al about sweeteners, how to use them, which to use and which NOT to use. Learning about sweeteners and how they effect cooking is a critical bit of information to have. Learn how to avoid burning your grilled food by using sugary sauces and basting liquid correctly.

This week I discuss the best kind of salad there is..the Main Course Salad. With a combination of textures, temperatures and flavors, main course salads can be a great way to eat plenty of healthy foods. Nuts, fruits, beans, seafood, chicken, beef, sprouts, dried fruits etc. These ingredients can be combined into wonderful and suprising treats for the tastebuds. Main course salads have lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals too.

On this episode we delve into the Harvest Eating Pantry, what should be in your pantry, what's in mine and a few tips about organizing and rotating the pantry. I will discuss, baking, herbs & spices, canned goods like vegetables, snack foods, coffee & tea and also condiments and items like corn starch etc. and also canned foods like tomatoes, green beans etc.

In this episode I discuss the basics of canning the harvest. I will go over what canning is, why should canning be something you learn, what types of foods are canned, etc. I discuss the basics of sanitation and the difference between water bath canning and pressure canning. I also walk you through the process of canning tomatoes and throw in plenty of tips and ideas and also some chat about my local area farms including a tomato filed a stone's throw away that we source our tomatoes for canning from

This episode focuses on planning a dinner party successfully. Many times planing a party can be stressful and turn out to be a bad experience. We talk about setting the right mood, pre-part snacks foods, wines and then plan an actual 4 course Latin Style meal on the fly off the top of my head. This episode will give those planning a dinner party some tools for the task ahead.

In this episode I discuss the practice of what I call Cookonomics. In The Harvest Eating Cookbook on page 263 the section on Cookonomics begins with a short explanation that describes making things yourself. You can make many different items at home and save money, remove preservatives, additives, fillers, colorants etc. from your diet and be much more independent.

This episode I discuss the many befits of keeping chickens. I wil ldiscuss the lifestyle commercial chickens have which are not so good, compared to the the life a well-cared for bckyard chicken enjoys. You will be encouraged to keep your own chickens and if not so inclined to at leat find local eggs to enjoy.

This episode is all about cheese. I offer some basic history, a primer on milk types and techniques to make cheese as well as discussions about cheese making regions. I also share my thoughts on enjoying cheese and discuss the cheese course, which is a staple in France. Building your own cheese course at home can be easy and very rewarding.