The Farmplate Blog

Cloudland Farm: Still in the Family a Century Later
FarmPlate Apr 30, 2010 Farmer Beat 0 comments
"Cloudland." The name rings a little '60s psychedelic, but it's generations older than that. The farm was already called Cloudland Farm back when the Emmons family purchased the property in 1908. Today, Cathy and Bill Emmons and their three children work the hilly farm in North Pomfret, Vermont. Once a dairy farm, Cloudland is now home to Black Angus beef cattle, pastured poultry, pigs, horses, a certified tree farm and the Cloudland Farm Country Market. Most visitors to the farm and market arrive by car, driving the four miles up Cloudland Road from River Road in Woodstock. "They come to buy our roasting chickens, local beef and specialty sausages," says Cathy Emmons. "Our beef cattle are...
Fettuccine with Peas, Arugula & Country Ham
FarmPlate Apr 28, 2010 Recipes 0 comments
from the FarmPlate Kitchen 3 ounces diced country ham, pancetta or Vermont smoked ham (about ½ cup) 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons dry vermouth or white wine 16 ounces fresh fettuccine, such as Pastabilities Traditional or Lemon Parsley 2 cups shelled fresh peas 2 big handfuls baby arugula ¼ cup Vermont Creamery crème fraîche Freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving Chopped fresh parsley for serving In a skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the ham or pancetta in the olive oil. Pour in the vermouth or wine and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat. Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of boiling water. When the pasta is nearly done (after 2 or 3...
Currituck May Peas
Susan Stuck Apr 28, 2010 Real Food 0 comments
While yesterday's snowfall reminded me that it was still April and I was definitely back in Vermont, it's springtime in my kitchen. I've just returned from North Carolina with a cooler full of Currituck May peas. The humus-rich soils and gentle coastal climate of Currituck County provide ideal growing conditions for English peas. From now until mid-May, produce markets and farm stands alomg the NC 158 corridor leading to the Outer Banks will all have May peas for sale. On my drive north, I knew that Grandy Greenhouse in Grandy, North Carolina, had an old-fashioned pea/bean shelling machine so I stopped and stocked up. The produce manager was sweeping up stray pods after a busy shelling...
Gates Foundation & U.S. to Support Global Ag Fund
FarmPlate Apr 27, 2010 News 0 comments
Four countries and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have come together to create the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, a fund dedicated to increasing food production and encouraging sustainable farming practices in the world's poorest countries. In the wake of the economic crisis and rising food prices, there are approximately one billion hungry people worldwide. According to the World Bank, three quarters of those one billion people depend on agriculture for a living. The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program will invest in farm machinery, improving planting and irrigation techniques and building better roads to link farmers to their markets. The U.S. has already...
Sautéed Vermont Trout with Leeks, Oranges & Dill
FarmPlate Apr 23, 2010 Recipes 0 comments
from Jeff Scott, West Mountain Inn, Arlington, Vermont If fly fishing season has ended or if the fly fishermen in your family come home empty-handed, contact Curt Sjolander from Mountain Foot Farm who raises trout in very cold water tanks without the use of antibiotics on his farm in Wheelock, Vermont. 2 oranges, scrubbed 2 whole fresh-caught Vermont trout, cleaned 2 large eggs, beaten ½ cup flour ¼ cup oil 2 small leeks, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal 2 tablespoons white wine 1 teaspoon snipped fresh  dill 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced Salt and freshly ground black pepper Grate the zest from one of the oranges and set aside. Use a serrated knife to remove the...