Make sure to enjoy every moment of the summer with your family and friends! We hope you are soaking up the sun and making memories. Along with July comes more amazing food grown in our pots and gardens. This month we want to share some information about basil, one of our favorite herbs. Basil is believed to be native to India and has been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years. However, it is often used as a culinary herb in Italian and Asian cuisine. Basil is rich in antioxidants and contains anti-inflammatory benefits. It is rich in vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, potassium, and calcium. TASTE & USES Nothing adds that “je ne sais quoi” to a dish like basil. It is delicious and you can use it fresh as a garnish, in pesto or as a dried seasoning. Basil can be used to add flavor to any dish like your favorite pasta dish, pizza, your favorite Asian inspired soup and even cocktails. Both the stems as well as the leaves can be used for added flavor. KITCHEN TIPS In order to get the most intense flavor and the most nutrients, fresh basil should be added at the end of the cooking process. Prolonged heat causes the oils to dissipate, thus reducing the distinct flavor basil adds. GROWING & MORE Basil will thrive both in the ground and in pots. The soil should have good drainage. Basil likes to be watered frequently and enjoys a moderate amount of direct sunlight. While many humans love the refreshing aroma of basil leaves, that same odor will keep mosquitoes away. So plant some basil in pots on your deck or patio and enjoy!
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A unique lively flavoured herb with strong citrus undertones. Cilantro is also known as coriander and Chinese parsley. Cilantro has a very long history with evidence of use found in Neolithic archaeological sites. It is one of the most popular herbs worldwide, and is very popular in French, Indian, Thai, Mexican and Chinese cuisines. TASTE AND USES Cilantro has a unique lively flavour with strong citrus undertones. With its delicate leaves it is often mistaken for parsley. However, because of its distinct scent, it easy to differentiate. Since the herb is so delicate its flavor is quickly diminished when heated so cilantro is most often enjoyed as a garnish or an ingredient in uncooked dishes such as salsa and guacamole. KITCHEN TIPS The true taste of cilantro is best enjoyed fresh, however, if it must be cooked add it at the end of the cooking process. Over cooking cilantro is not recommended as heat quickly dissipates the flavor. To use Forest Cove Farm cilantro wash and pat dry. If your recipe calls for it, mince the leaves and stem finely with a sharp kitchen knife. When substituting fresh herbs in a recipe calling for dry cilantro, one-part dry cilantro is equal to three parts fresh Forest Cove Farm cilantro. PAIRING: *Cilantro pairs well with some of the ingredients suggested below:
Microgreens are the beautiful, young, green, tender, super flavorful, and nutrient-dense seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs. They are usually harvested less than 14 days after germination and are about 3 to 6 inches long depending on the variety. Microgreens are a stage in every plant’s life. Following the seed stage, plants develop into sprouts - then into microgreens - then baby greens - then full grown stage. The reason we have dedicated ourselves to these little guys and the education of them is because they are up to 40 times more nutrient dense then their full size counterparts and they are absolutely delicious. Why Are Microgreens Considered A “Superfood Food”? Microgreens are considered a superfood because they are among the “MOST” nutrient-dense and nutritious foods on Planet Earth. Because microgreens are harvested soon after germination, all the nutrients they need to grow are already there, in the powerful majesty of the seed from which it grows. Microgreens…
Where Can I Use Microgreens? Microgreens are one of the most versatile foods available on earth. These beautiful small greens with incredible flavor are extremely easy to cook with. You can…
Microgreens are great with everything! You literally can just grab a handful and toss them into whatever you are making ...zero prep work involved! Microgreens are kind to Mother Earth because they:
Are microgreens just another name for sprouts? “NO”, microgreens are a different stage of a plant’s life. Unlike sprouts, microgreens are grown in soil, and are exposed to light. Consequently, they provide a high content of life-giving chlorophyll. What Does “Nutrient Dense” Food Mean? As the current medical culture continues to explode under the weight of skyrocketing chronic diseases, it is becoming more and more evident that we are on the verge of undergoing a "food as medicine" revolution. Microgreens are a perfect fit when we think of “food as medicine”. Comprehensive studies done by the US Department of Agriculture and the University of Maryland have confirmed that microgreens can pack as much as 40 times more nutrients and vitamins than their mature counterparts. As an example, radish microgreens have 40 times more vital nutrients than mature radishes. How do I store microgreens? Microgreens store extremely well. Simply place them in a covered container in the refrigerator and they will keep fresh for up to 2 weeks. THE GARLIC YOU'VE ALWAYS NEEDED BUT NEVER KNEW EXISTEDAt Forest Cove Farm, our virgin garlic is designed from the ground up with your love of garlic and your health in mind …no compromises! Virgin Garlic is heirloom (non-GMO) garlic that is "organically grown" in "virgin soil". Virgin soil is soil that has never been cultivated before. The soil of a forest floor is virgin soil and it has its own "living virgin ecosystem". Because garlic is such a miracle food, the purity of the soil in which it grows matters immensely. At Forest Cove Farm, our “nutrient dense” Virgin Garlic, with its unparalleled taste is grown in a living virgin ecosystem. That is why it is the healthiest garlic on the Planet and …it is “beyond organic”.
WHY OUR VIRGIN GARLIC IS THE BEST ON THE PLANETA problem exists with our global food system because the average food item travels over 2500 KM before it reaches your plate. Most of the time we don’t know where our food comes from AND we don’t know what’s in it, what’s on it, who grows it or what soil it was grown in. In 2016, the US accounted for only 0.5% of total global garlic exports while China accounted for 72.8% of total global garlic exports. Canada imports approximately 80% of the garlic consumed in the country each year. The majority of this garlic is imported from China. This would not mean much to us if we think about it lightly with the view that “Everything is made in China”, but it should be a major alarm for our health. Chinese garlic is noted by chefs for its metallic bitterness for a good reason. For hundreds of years, it has been a common practice to use “raw human feces” for the fertilization of soils and gardens in China. This has created soils loaded with disease-causing pathogens, pharmaceuticals, toxins, drug residues, heavy metals (such as arsenic and cadmium) and other harmful chemicals. Today, we have scientific evidence showing that hundreds of these dangerous drugs, disease-causing pathogens, toxic chemicals and pharmaceuticals "remain" in human waste even “after” the raw human waste has been treated in “sophisticated treatment plants”. According to an article published in Environmental Health News on November 22, 2013, “Only about half of the prescription drugs and other newly emerging contaminants in sewage are removed by treatment plants”. In line with that, one cannot even begin to imagine the level of toxicity and poisons present in soils and gardens fertilized with "raw human feces". Who wants to eat food grown in this “MUCK”? We all deserve better and we can do better. That's why we need each other. We would be delighted to be “YOUR GARLIC FARMER" this year and every year so that "YOU and everyone you care about" can consistently enjoy and experience the benefits of the freshest, healthiest and most nutrient dense garlic on planet Earth. Because of its purity, Virgin Garlic keeps perfectly fresh for up to 10 months without drying out. Please contact us by email to Pre-Order your yearly supply of garlic as our coming crop will sell quickly. |
Who we areForest Cove is a family owned and operated eco-friendly farm located in the Ottawa Valley. Archives
October 2019
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