Tag Archives: community

Cut Your Own Tree?

Posted on December 6, 2013 by AnnieRie

For those of us who love the scent of freshly cut pine and who want to have a Christmas tree up for four weeks, getting a tree that you cut yourself is a good deal.

Granted, it can be daunting running all over the farms looking for that perfect tree.

For I don’t know how many years, we would head out to TLV Tree Farm to get a tree. Right after Thanksgiving.

I have been going through old pictures to decide which to keep and I have found dozens of pictures of our decorated house. Mostly with trees that we cut ourselves.

There are three choices here in Howard County. This web site gives you the name of the farms, arranged by county. Besides TLV, there are two others. Greenway Farms and Browning Tree Farm.

Just over the county lines, Pine Valley is north on Rte. 97 with an incredibly huge selection. And, Gaver Tree Farm is west of Mt. Airy, on Detrick Rd. Very close to a farm I frequent during the winter to buy dairy, meat, eggs and produce, England Acres.

If you want to support local businesses this holiday season, head out to the farms and either cut a tree or pick up one that they have cut very recently.

Certainly beats those dried up things the big box stores sell. Price wise, they are a good deal too.

Or, those of us who support Gorman Farm on Gorman Rd. east of Hopkins, can head out there where the farm stand is also open.

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Posted in Community, Farms, Howard County, Local Businesses and tagged community, farms, holidays, Howard County, local businesses, traditions. Bookmark the permalink.

Holiday Crafts Fair

Posted on December 3, 2013 by AnnieRie

Another first Monday. Another program committee meeting. Where I spent this morning on last minute planning for this Saturday, and on longer term planning for our 2014 programs.

The fair at Howard County Conservancy. Have you ever been to it? For those who live in Howard County, this weekend marks the beginning of what I call holiday fair overload. There are certainly enough of them out there.

Why is the one I volunteer for so unique? It is a natural crafts fair. One where local artisans like GreenBridge Pottery from Dayton, and Breezy Willow Farm from West Friendship bring items they have crafted.

There is also a demonstration by a master gardener, on how to create greenery. And a critter craft table for the little ones to keep busy while their families shop.

Want local honey?

Or alpaca wool clothing? Or children’s books and puppets? Or pottery? Or, much more!

The fair has no charge to attend. It takes place from 10 am until 3 pm. Come visit and browse the collections. Have a holiday cookie. Partake in some awesome hot chocolate.

Get in the holiday spirit with us. And, don’t forget to pick up our new bookmark with the list of our 2014 programs on it.

Our creative committee came up with some amazing new programs for next year. You will be surprised and we hope you are delighted with what the volunteers are offering.

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Posted in Howard County, Nature, People, Volunteering and tagged community, farms, Howard County, howard county conservancy, nature, volunteering. Bookmark the permalink.

Small Business Saturday

Posted on November 29, 2013 by AnnieRie

For those of us who avoided Black Friday, and spent time doing things around the house, instead of standing in line at the mall, we have tomorrow to participate in the “Small Business Saturday” campaign.

For me, most of our time is spent in small businesses. Not just tomorrow, but most days we try and spend more of our money supporting local retailers, services, farms, and restaurants.

Where could you go tomorrow in and near Howard County that you might not have thought as a source of goods or services?

Christmas trees. Available at Gorman Farm on Gorman Rd. TLV Tree Farm on Triadelphia Rd. Greenway Farms on Rte. 144.

Meats for the holidays. Clark’s Farm. Copper Penny Farm. Maple Lawn Farm. Breezy Willow Farm. TLV Tree Farm. England Acres. Boarman’s Market. Wagner’s meats. Treuth Butcher.

Breads, cakes, cookies and more. How about Atwater’s in Catonsville. The Breadery in Oella. Great Harvest in Columbia. Bonaparte in Savage.

Shop Main St for gifts. Not just Main St. in Ellicott City, but in Sykesville, Mt. Airy, Laurel, Savage (The Mill), Catonsville, and in New Market.

Or the new Turf Valley Towne Square.

Support family owned restaurants instead of the chains. Buy gift certificates to them for your family gifts.

Think outside the (big) box (stores)! How about Mother Nature’s, or Crunch Daddy popcorn?

Or Maryland wine?

At Clark’s farm, check out the toy selection, of items made in the USA.

There are probably many more ideas, for Christmas shopping selections.

Keep our local businesses solvent this season.

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Posted in Community, Farms, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Restaurants and tagged community, farms, Food, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore. Bookmark the permalink.

Giving Thanks …

Posted on November 28, 2013 by AnnieRie

… after another holiday with our family.

Thanksgiving has to be one of my favorite holidays. Even more so than Christmas.

We always spend the day with relatives. For our entire 35 Thanksgivings since we met.

This year a smaller gathering, as my nephew and his wife weren’t able to fly up to join us.

We give thanks for family, freedom and commitment. The type of commitment that those who serve us make when they choose what they do.

The sort of commitment that the armed forces, the police, fire departments, hospitals, and utilities/infrastructure companies make.

We thank these dedicated people working on holidays. I know there was much discussion all over the news, and the web, about stores opening on Thanksgiving.

In my world, I can’t imagine choosing time at Target or Walmart over time with family and friends.

But then, I don’t do Black Friday either.

I will just hang around waiting for Small Business Saturday. To get my Christmas greens, my small holiday gifts for family, and whatever else we may need.

Keeping it in our local family, in places like TLV, Breezy Willow, Kendall, Clark’s, Maple Lawn Farm, Big Cork Vineyards.

Buying Christmas gifts at the Conservancy crafts fair next weekend, the 7th.

Like Green Bridge Pottery. MD Beekeepers. Local artists.

Just giving thanks for living in such a wonderful small community.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Commentary, Community, Family, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses and tagged commentary, community, family, farms, Food, holidays, Howard County, howard county conservancy, local businesses, traditions. Bookmark the permalink.

The Markets Are Done for the Year

Posted on November 23, 2013 by AnnieRie

ALmost, but not quite, the end of the Howard County Market Season. Just tomorrow at Oakland Mills.

Today I did stop out at Glenwood, where three vendors were present. Getting to be somewhat slim pickings as the season winds down.

Lewis was having their customer appreciation sale, and tomorrow they will be at Oakland Mills to finish. Large baskets of apples at really great prices.

Besides Lewis, Stone House had people picking up their orders for the holiday meals. We got our parker house rolls to take to my brother’s for our Thanksgiving meal.

Stone House has a storefront up in Taneytown, for those who can’t wait until spring to get more of their freshly baked breads, pies, cakes and cupcakes.

I also put a couple of small breads in the freezer to save for when we aren’t getting CSA shares.

TLV had meat, potatoes, squash and eggs. They will still have many of their items at the farm when they open for Christmas tree season next week.

I ventured off to Breezy Willow to get yogurt and butter, and found the welcome surprise of the return of the Bowling Green Farm cheeses. Glad to see them back.

Breezy Willow farm store, besides being open on Saturdays year round, will be open this Tuesday for those who want a few last minute items for the holiday.

Finally, off to Roots to get beans, coconut milk creamer, a few baking supplies, and coconut so I could make this.

My first time making home made granola. Rolled oats, coconut, almonds, walnuts, dried cranberries. The secret to this granola. Honey and egg whites. Very little sugar. The egg whites do a good job instead of using lots of sugar and oil. Flavored with cinnamon.

I may never buy granola again. This was super easy to make.

Now, to get into the holiday baking soon. I have a few new recipes I want to try.

As for markets, there are still a few around. More on them in a future post.

Plus, a list of farms that have items available all winter.

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Posted in Community, Farmer's Markets, Farms, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Real Food and tagged community, cooking, farmer's markets, farms, Food, foodie, Locavore, real food. Bookmark the permalink.

Another Tidbit Tuesday

Posted on November 19, 2013 by AnnieRie

So many little things happening today and this week. Much of it locally driven, but some of it really interesting.

So, what is happening?

I am waiting to see if they launch the Minotaur rocket from NASA. The new time of launch is 2015 EST. We saw the last one from the back deck. Skies look clear enough to see this one, too.

I am checking with the NASA Facebook page for Wallops to get updates.

Today is my better half’s 63rd birthday.

When he gets home from his regular radio club dinner meeting, we will share the dark chocolate sea salt bar with the rest of the lovely red I got with my dinner at Bistro Blanc. It is half price wine night there.

I went up there for a few reasons. A quick perfectly cooked medium rare lamb burger, and a delivery to Chef Marc of a dozen long stems of my rosemary, and a huge bouquet of three kinds of sage. Cleaning up the herb garden.

While there, I sampled something new. Two words I never thought would go together. Chocolate. Grappa. Hey, don’t knock it! It isn’t bad.

Since my husband went off with his fellow radio friends, I postponed his birthday dinner until tomorrow night. Currently, I am marinating a strip steak from Clark’s farm.

It will be pan seared and finished in the oven tomorrow, to be served with roasted romanescu. And, I think I will open a really nice Virginia wine.

Speaking of wine, Big Cork announced on their Facebook page that their production facility will be open for tasting this Friday and Saturday. We hope to get there to see what they are offering. Their facility is in Frederick, just off I-70. Tasting time is 12-6.

Last but not least I have been working on scheduling the farmers who will be offering goodies at the Conservancy Natural Holiday Crafts fair on Dec. 7th. We hope to make your holidays special with goodies from local farms, as well as all those local crafters who will be there.

That Gift of Time Thing

Posted on November 17, 2013 by AnnieRie

Interesting reading. Tom’s post about philanthropic giving across the USA.

That includes data probably culled from tax returns. In other words, if you don’t use it as a deduction, it doesn’t really count.

Data that says my friends and neighbors are somehow lacking because we don’t declare larger percentages of our income on our tax returns as charitable contributions.

It brings to mind that quote about “Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics”.

I look around me at Conservancy field trips. 5-10 volunteers. The clean up crews. Weekly. The restoration teams. The hike leaders.

The Patapsco Heritage Greenway teams cleaning up the river on weekends.

The parents out there with their scout troops selling cookies, or working on scout projects.

The Scout projects all across the county. The volunteers at the schools. For Neighbor Ride.

Those of us who put bags of clothes in the barrels all around the area, and don’t deduct them. The cash donations in the Salvation Army jars. Or, the $20 bills given to collections by fire fighters, or other local charities.

Quite frankly, when I looked at Tom’s list and saw the biggest leaders, and they were all in Utah (can you say religious tithing?), and this is used to say we aren’t philanthropic because we don’t tithe, I was somewhat annoyed.

I find there are hundreds, if not thousands of my neighbors and fellow countians, who open their pocketbooks, get in their cars, volunteer, give time and/or money to places they care about. We just don’t seem to care about being called philanthropic (because we don’t put these things on our tax returns).

I think I get it from this study. We have to account for every cent spent, on that 1040 form, to be charitable.

Oh well, I guess I will continue to donate to my favorite local organizations, put clothes in the St. Vincent de Paul container, take food to the Food Bank, spend hours volunteering, but because I don’t deduct these things, I contribute nothing to society.

Excuse my rant, but stuff like this drives me nuts.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Commentary, Community, Howard County and tagged commentary, community, Howard County. Bookmark the permalink.

“Meat” Some Local Farmers

Posted on November 16, 2013 by AnnieRie

Today I did a loop to three local farms that sell meat products produced from animals raised on their farms. I am doing some background work for upcoming Conservancy events, and getting some absolutely lovely products in my travels.

I don’t know which farm I have the longest history for buying their products. A toss up between Maple Lawn and Clark’s.

Turkey from Maple Lawn. Year round, did you know?

The fresh turkeys are available for Thanksgiving, but they also offer frozen items all year. Like these turkey drumsticks. My husband’s favorite part of the turkey, and perfect for soup.

Six in a package for $7. I brought them home, wrestled them apart with a boning knife and put them back in the freezer in two packs. Good for future stock making and soups. And, maybe roasting a couple on the grill on one of our warmer days.

We have already ordered a small (8-10 lb) fresh turkey to grill for our Thanksgiving celebration. We pick that up at Boarmans the day before Thanksgiving.

As for Clark’s, I went to find brisket. They are difficult to find around here. A limited cut when you are looking at small batch production of just a few animals at a time. I did get one.

Copper Penny is a new discovery for us. We have seen them advertised, but this morning I saw their Facebook page said they were going to be open on Saturday mornings since their farmer’s market over in Anne Arundel County has closed for the season.

I went looking for two things. Soup bones and kielbasa. We are on this quest for the best kielbo in Maryland (to rival my husband’s favorite from PA). I also found mini chorizo, and bacon ends.

Bacon ends are perfect to use, when cooking those CSA greens. Collards and bacon, for example.

All winter long, these farms and others in the area offer us an alternative to enjoy pasture raised and grass fed products.

I have some new places to add to my farm lists. My advice, though, go early if you don’t want to be disappointed. Clark’s was packed at 1220, and they were selling everything they had. Amazing following of locals coming there to purchase.

Copper Penny sold out of eggs before I got there, and the last of their chickens went too. Small farms. Nice to see that they have customers who support them all year.

My freezer now has just about all we need to get through the winter, until the markets and CSAs start up again next spring.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Farmer's Markets, Farms, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, Winter Eat Local and tagged community, cooking, crock pot cooking, CSA, farmer's markets, farms, Food, foodie, grilling, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, real food. Bookmark the permalink.

Tuesday Tidbits

Posted on November 12, 2013 by AnnieRie

Odds and ends about food and wine.

Like the grand opening of Petite Cellars.

Owned by the former owners of Perfect Pour, the store in Turf Valley has been completed and the ribbon cutting ceremony was this afternoon. Courtney Watson was on hand to cut the ribbon, along with Chamber of Commerce representation. We enjoyed the event, wishing them well and picking up a “local” gin, from Loudoun County VA (Catoctin Creek). Love having a specialty liquor around to use for entertaining, and finding locally produced items complements what is important to me.

Two days in a row, we have been out and about. Last night we attended the opening session of “Iron Bridge University”, this time the first of six tastings featuring the wines of Italy. Vince does a great job of leading the educational series. This one highlighted Tuscany.

The events are hugely popular. All 36 seats were taken, and there was a waiting list of dozens of people. The entire six event series is a sell out. Good to see another family owned local business doing well.

I also was impressed with the local farms providing the Bridge with meat and vegetables. Farms like Clark’s and Valley Haven, in Howard County.

At home today for lunch, we enjoyed locally sourced items, paired with a few new finds. Like these wonderful crackers we found at COSTCO.

These crackers are perfect with our ajvar, and my newest spread I made. I used the Bulgarian recipe as inspiration, but then just went off in my own direction.

The eggplant spread is in the small bowl. I used two eggplant and four green peppers, roasted and peeled. A few cloves of garlic, some lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Processed in the “food pro” until the right consistency. Sharper in taste than the red pepper spreads I make, but still very tasty.

The salad on the plate was made with the Tuscan kale in our CSA box. Some scallions, pecorino, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and avocados I picked up at Boarman’s when I was ordering our Maple Lawn Thanksgiving turkey. None of it measured. Whatever looks good, is the way I make salads.

All in all, a very pleasant Monday and Tuesday to start our week. Crossing my fingers that it warms up a bit, so I can plant garlic.

Hmmm, food and wine and cooking. I need to find some other hobbies. Nah, I don’t think so. These keep us busy enough.

hocofood@@@

One Hot Commodity

Posted on November 6, 2013 by AnnieRie

Dry leaves and pine needles. “Who’da thunk it?”

We certainly have enough of both of them.

When I wrote my leaf raking post a few weeks back, I didn’t expect to find out my pine needles and dry leaves were such sought after items.

Two friends asked to be included in the distribution. One, we could easily handle. The other, we may be able to work into the rotation.

Currently, we put some yard waste on our own pile of composting material, but we haven’t gotten serious about it. We have two Rake and Take partners. One permanent, the other a fill in when our first partner isn’t around.

A good friend wants dry leaves for their chicken coop enclosure. The chickens love to scratch and peck at what they can find in that treasure trove of leaves. They also have blueberry bushes. One of the types of plants that loves pine needles as mulch.

We use some of our pine needles for our azaleas and rhododendron. The Master Gardeners that take our pine needles use them for the same acid loving plants. Azaleas, berry bushes, do well with that covering of needles.

Another friend just started composting, and doesn’t have adequate “brown” material, so is also interested in leaves. We hope to have enough around later to help them out.

What does all this mean? It means with just a little effort, you too can provide material to help a friend or neighbor.

Rake and Take is here.

Don’t put your yard waste in a trash bag and let it go to “waste”. Lots of people out there would be happy to take it from you.