It's Official - We're USDA Certified Organic!

Hi Farm Friends,

If you have ever visited the farm or spoken with us at the Matthews Farmers Market, you may know we've been in the process of getting certified organic for some time now. I am excited to announce that after three years of diligent record keeping and farming with organic practices, the vegetables and flowers grown on our farm are officially USDA Certified Organic!

We spent the winter compiling records required to submit our application, and a few weeks ago had a visit from our Clemson certifying inspector for our final audit. Our inspector's car broke down, and after a day spent stuck on the farm with us, he did not find any conflicts in our application. We weren't surprised to find out last week that we officially passed our application!!

Here's a snapshot of what it takes to get certified: 

• No prohibited substances (i.e., synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) applied for three years prior to harvest

• Submission of all crop input materials used for soil fertility, crop nutrients, weed, pest, and disease control, and post-harvest handling

• Seed record to ensure use of organic seeds

• A 23 pg detailed organic system plan

• Field history form

• $750 (there is an organic cost-sharing grant to cover these fees)

Needless to say, not all farmers who use organic practices to grow vegetables go through all these steps to get certified - it is both time consuming and expensive. But, since we are growing organically already and have big plans to scale our production (both increasing the number of farm shares we supply and our wholesale accounts), we felt the certification was important in communicating our practices.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions on our certification or the application process!

All the best,

Farmer Peanut

Farm Share Bowl and Miso Yummy Dressing

This is my go-to for week day dinners with slight variations on ingredients or sauce based on what’s in the field. It is packed full of nutrients and protein, and is a rainbow of flavors! If there are any ingredients missing, feel free to substitute with what you have in your fridge or cabinet. This recipe is purposefully vague so please don’t be afraid to get creative!

Ingredients

• An assortment of vegetables (carrots/turnips/radishes/beets/summer squash/winter squash) or potatoes (sweet/normal) chopped

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper ( S & P)

• Grain of choice (quinoa, farro, rice, couscous, lentils, soba noodles)

• Topping of choice (chopped scallions, microgreens, hemp seeds, raw chopped vegetables, raw nuts)

• Optional cheese

• Optional roasted protein (chickpeas/beans/tofu)

• Green base (kale/arugula/beet greens/bok choy/swiss chard/collards)

Directions

1. Miso Yummy: Blend together sauce real quick (recipe here)

2. Roasted veggies: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss chopped vegetables with olive oil and S & P in a bowl. Arrange in a single layer on half of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in the over for 20-30 minutes until golden.

3. Grain: Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add grain of choice, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender. When finished, fluff with a fork.

4. Optional protein: Dry or drain chickpeas/beans/tofu then toss with olive oil and S & P. Spread onto the other half of the baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 400, or until crisp.

5. Top & Mix: Grab a bowl and line the bottom with your green of choice. Top with the grain, roasted vegetables, toppings, cheese (if interested), and drizzle with dressing. Mix it all together and enjoy!