NOTE: Make sure to select "local pickup" payment option upon RSVP checkout. This seminar is 100% FREE.

This delicious recipe comes to us from one of our CSA members. The package went out on January 17th and shortly thereafter we received an email with a mouthwatering photo and recipe. Thanks again Lisa for taking the time to share your craft.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of baby beets with greens
1 bunch of Russian kale
6 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
3 stalks of green onion (or spring onion)
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 lemon or (Balsamic vinegar glaze)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Herbed, Smoked, or Plain goat cheese (optional)

Remove baby beets from greens and gently boil until tender (knife can easily pierce, 15 minutes give or take)

Gently rub the cooled beets to remove skins. Leave round and set aside.

Strip the hard middle stem from the kale and the beet greens. Tear or slice the tender leaf into large pieces.

Sauté greens with garlic (I like garlic, but you can add less or omit) and onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

Heap onto serving plates, accompanied with several baby beets, and a chunk of goat cheese.

Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar or squeeze of lemon.

Grind salt and pepper to taste. (I like Fig Balsamic Vinegar glaze that I find at Barrons or other non-traditional markets)

2012 has been an exciting year for Herb en Routes! We not only launched the farm, but had the chance to meet and get to know some really amazing community members, chefs and animals. We wanted to thank you all...again...for helping make this possible. May your 2013 be full of happiness, health and prosperity!

As we wrap up the year, we wanted to share with you a few memorable moments from December, along with a sneak peak of what's brewing at the farm for 2013.

Herb en Routes teamed up with Slow Food San Diego and other local wine and seafood vendors for their annual Natale Dinner at Via Italia Trattoria, in Encinitas. We truly enjoyed working with everyone to create a delicious and seasonal holiday menu for participants to enjoy.

Meet the newest addition to the Herb en Routes family! We were excited to remove the "Chickens Coming Soon" sign and replace it with a "Chickens Have Arrived" sign as we recently brought home 11 baby chicks and 2 baby quail. These little ladies will prove extremely helpful around the farm. Not only will their foraging skills help keep pests off the crops and weeds from sprouting but they will provide us with fresh eggs daily and a fertilizer that cannot be bought in stores. Stay tuned to watch them grow, and look out for their eggs on our availability list between February and March.

Herb en Routes is excited to announce the launch of its very first CSA program. We've been working hard to produce large enough quantities of different vegetables in order to sustain the CSA. We are starting small by offering 10 CSA member shares with the hopes of expanding in the near future. Visit our CSA page for more information and/or to join the program!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Pacha our farm dog wanted to show off her bird costume and the Herb en Routes farmers wanted to wish everyone a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving! We are truly thankful for the opportunity to grow healthy, sustainable food and be able to share it with the local community. We are also extremely thankful for the outpouring of support recently received through our Kickstarter campaign. We hope you have a wonderful holiday! May it be full of laughs, yummy food and an appreciation for all things...GREAT!

Herb en Routes is launching its first ever fundraiser. We are reaching out to family, friends and the community to help us raise funds in order to complete a variety of projects aimed at taking the farm to new heights. Check out the Fall Farm Trifecta campaign via the link below. If you know of anyone else that may be interested in contributing, we would certainly appreciate you spreading the word (or in this case, link). Thank you for your continued support, we look forward to sharing both our progress and future yield with you all.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1874625644/herb-en-routes-fall-farm-trifecta

After playing in the rain on Thursday, the ladies of Herb en Routes cleaned up for a night on the town. First stop, San Diego Sustainable Living Institute for an introductory course on backyard chickens.

The course covered everything from urban rules & regulations to coop design & construction, chicken rearing, predators and more! We had a great time learning from Josh and his ladies and look forward to raising a flock of our own.

To learn more about San Diego Sustainable Living Institute or to view a list of their upcoming classes click here. Hint: cheese, bees and permaculture.

We worked up quite an appetite learning about chickens, so following the class we went to visit our friend and supporter Chef Olivier Bioteau of Farm House Cafe for a very special meal.

We enjoyed the Thursday Prix Fixe, which included fried pumpkin blossom stuffed with goat cheese followed by lobster mac n cheese. Needless to say, we were pretty full but dessert was on its way and who can resist a chocolate tart with homemade sorbet? (Dish not pictured because it will cause excessive mouth-watering). The best part of it all...a number of the ingredients used in the night's meal were harvested from our farm just hours earlier. Now that's truly farm to table!

We finished the evening with a few homemade chocolates and a good laugh compliments of Chef Olivier. Thanks for showing us a great time and sharing your talents (and sense of humor) with Herb en Routes.

Our first farm stand was a great success! We'd like to thank everyone that came out to show their support. Below are a few pictures for the memory books. Photo Credit: Lori Brookes 

Join Herb en Routes for its first farm stand on Tuesday, September 11 from 3:00 - 6:00pm. Come tour the micro-farm, meet the farmers and try our freshly harvested produce (while supplies last).

Ready for Harvest:

• Raddichio
• Fordhook Giant Chard
• Little Gem Heirloom Romaine
• Chioggia & Gourmet Blend Beets (w/ beet greens)
• Mixed Greens

From our farm to your table...you can't BEET fresh. We look forward to seeing you all there!

This simple yet delicious recipe comes to us from local chef and restaurant owner, Kari Rich. Chimichurri pairs wonderfully with tomatoes which are not only delicious but also in season. If you're looking for a way to liven up those meats and vegetables, this is just the recipe for you. Thanks Kari for sharing your craft and tantalizing our taste buds with this amazing cilantro-lime sauce.

In Blender Combine:

• 2 large bunches Cilantro
• 1 large bunch Parsley
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ cup Veg stock
• 7 limes, juiced
• 2 TB Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste