Old-Fashioned Chow Chow

Did you know that Chow Chow has been enjoyed in the South for over 200 years? Commonly used as a topping on pinto beans, this relish has gained popularity as a tasty condiment for hot dogs, burgers, and pork chops. Some believe the relish was brought over by Chinese laborers while others claim it originated in France due to the word “reles” which is Old French for “something remaining” (Chow Chow is made from end of season vegetables). Regardless of its origin, Chow Chow continues to be a delicious supper component. Here’s a tasty recipe you can try at home!

What you’ll need:

5 cups chopped green tomatoes
5 cups chopped cabbage
1 ½ cups finely chopped yellow or sweet onion (depends on the flavor you’re going for)
2 cups chopped green or red bell pepper
⅓ cup kosher salt
2 ½ cup cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp celery seed
½ tsp red pepper flakes

To make:

Combine the chopped veggies in a large kettle or bowl (do NOT use bowls made of aluminum, cast iron, or copper due as they are all reactive materials). Add the salt and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Next, drain the veggies and rinse thoroughly. In a large nonreactive pot, bring vinegar, sugar, seeds, and spices to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the drained veggies to the pot and bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, pack the veggies into glass jars. Cover veggies with the pickling liquid leaving ¼ quarter of space from the top of the jar. With a damp cloth, wipe the rims of the jars and place the flat lids on them and them screw on the rings tightly. Put the filled jars in a canner and add more water as needed to be at least 1 inch above the jars. Bring to a full boil. Cover and continue boiling for 10 minutes. Remove the jars of relish and allow them to cool completely.

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Gazpacho

This is the perfect time of year for a refreshing bowl of tasty gazpacho! It might be a little too early for your tomatoes, but you can practice with some produce from the farmer’s market and have your recipe mastered by the time your little red orbs of goodness are ready to pick!

What you’ll need:

2 lbs of ripe Roma tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
half of a red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp of sherry vinegar
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

To make:

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds. Transfer your mixture to sealed container and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. For a more robust flavor, let your soup chill overnight. When you serve your yummy gazpacho, you can top it with things like croutons, sour cream, or just a light drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

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Go Big Bubbles

Keep the kids entertained for hours with this giant bubble recipe! All you need is a few standard household ingredients and your little ones will enjoy hours of outdoor fun.

You’ll need:

6 cups of water
1/2 cup of dish soap
1/2 cup of cornstarch
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp glycerine

To make:

Mix your ingredients together slowly to avoid getting too much air and bubbles into it. Let it sit for 1-3 hours to let it fully activate. Then just grab some bubble wands and have at it!

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Come visit us this Summer at the farm! We have 30+ family-friendly activities, adorable farm animals, and lots of tasty things to eat.

Cool Butterfly Facts

We love butterflies here at Back Home on the Farm. In addition to being absolutely beautiful and helping us with our gardening efforts, they have several other really cool characteristics.

Transparent Wings
Did you know that butterflies have transparent wings? They are covered in thousands of itty, bitty scales that reflect light in different colors. The butterfly’s actual wing is formed by layers of chitin, a protein that makes up an insect’s exoskeleton. The wings are so thin, you can see right through them. The colorful scales fall off as a butterfly ages, leaving transparent spots of the chitin layer.

Taste Buds in the Feet
Butterflies have taste receptors in their feed to help them find food. These receptors also help them select which plants to munch from. Female butterflies land on different plants and moves the leaves with her feet until the plant’s juices are released. Her legs have spines on them that help her detect plants that have the right kind of chemicals needed for her to lay her eggs.

No Solids
Butterflies live in on an all-liquid diet, primarily nectar. They can’t chew solids, but their mouths are able to drink. A straw-like feature called a proboscis stays curled up under a butterfly’s chin until they find nectar and are ready to drink.

Minerals Required
In addition to nectar, butterflies require minerals to live. More often than not, butterflies will drink from mud puddles to obtain these nutrients. This is more common in the male butterflies as they incorporate the minerals into their sperm which is transferred to the female during mating. These minerals help the female butterfly improve the viability of her eggs.

Can’t Fly in the Cold
Butterflies need to have a temperature of 85 degrees if they are going to fly. Butterflies are cold-blooded and can’t regulate their body temperatures. If the surrounding temperature falls below 55 degrees, butterflies can’t fly which makes them susceptible to predators.

Come see us here at the farm this Summer. We’ve got all kinds of fun attractions including our popular butterfly house!

Water Those ‘Maters!

You’ve planted your tomatoes and are eagerly waiting to see them grow so you can add them to salads, burgers, and other tasty dishes. To ensure you get the best fruit, follow these tomato watering tips.

In the Garden
Early in the growing season, you’ll want to water your tomato plants early in the morning. As the summer temperatures increase, you may want to water your plants twice a day. Tomatoes planted in the garden generally need 1 – 2 inches of water a week.

In Containers
Tomatoes that are planted in containers need more than those planted in the garden. Water evaporates a lot faster in containers as the soil heats up. A good rule of thumb for container tomatoes is to water them until water comes out of the bottom of the pot. As with garden tomatoes, it’s better to water the plants early in the morning. If the soil feels dry about an inch below the surface, water that bad boy again.

Mulch It Up
Adding a layer of organic mulch can also help reduce evaporation. This will keep the water where it’s needed which is keeping your maters nice and hydrated.

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