Strawberry Jam Session!

I grew up in London. To me, London does not feel too large or too small. It just feels like what I have always known, I guess it feels just the right size. Actually, I feel a bit privileged to be the owner of that feeling. You see, I have made many connections with other Londoners starting from a young age – through school life and then later on in life – through work. Unfortunately, sometimes living in London you may find yourself feeling unconnected. Perhaps this is because when it comes down to it, London is in fact quite a large city. When I meet people that have come from smaller towns and then have re-rooted themselves in London for a new start, it is common to hear a little frustration. I hear that the city is “too big” to make some of those real “small town” types of connections. It seems that people begin to miss that sense of community and unfortunately it sometimes gets even more lost as the city grows larger. That “small town feeling” is a hot commodity. For instance, as you drive North out Highway 4, you will witness large billboards and slogans that housing developments are using to entice people to live in certain areas – “Lucan, come get that small town feeling”. I am guessing that this is a clear indicator that we are all on some level missing that “small town” feeling if it is being preyed upon my thirsty marketers. I believe most of Londoners are especially unconnected with another part of our community that is sometimes taken for granted and sadly, even forgotten – the vast,fertile farmland that surrounds us as a city. That is one of the main reasons I choose to write this little blog – I want you all to know it and live it. No matter which direction you take out of London – North,South, East or West, you will be met by cow barns, fields of hay, various croplands, sweeping green pastures and really, really friendly people that are working hard on farms – big and small. So what has me nattering on about feelings and small towns you wonder? Well, last night I enjoyed the company of about 10 woman in a large country kitchen and I felt I was transported to that very “small town” sense of community. It was a get-together at Duenk Farms to harvest and preserve the bounty of the current crop – strawberries! We knew that we shared a common goal, that we all wanted to know how to preserve jam. Strangers I thought, with a common interest – jam making. Strangers I thought, until we all started talking and getting to know one another. You see, as the evening progressed we learned that we all knew someone from somewhere or perhaps had worked at the same place at sometime or another – we were connected. As I said, I grew up in London and it does not feel too big to me, it feels just right. That said, I feel that the past two years on this little local food adventure of mine has really connected me to new people. Funny as it turns out, they were people that were there all along in my life – they were even feeding me dinner at times and I just was not aware of it. This new feeling and these new people, I can only explain it as more enriching, more rewarding then anything before. I am a foodie for sure, so I will admit I am quite a bit more obsessed with food than most people, but you all should try this adventure, I promise you will like it! Start at the market, introduce yourself to a farmer and you will make one new friend and then another and another and your own “small town” adventure will have begun. Details about last night: Our canning expert was Joan Brady who runs “Smokey Hollow Farm Market” in Dashwood (near Grand Bend). Joan can be found selling strawberries, lettuce, raspberries, peas, onions, beans, frozen pork and much more out of the St. Mary”s Farmers Market on Saturdays. She also frequents the Grand Bend Market and the Exeter Farmers Market. Joan”s farm includes a small strawberry portion that next year will be officially Certified Organic. The berries that she brought to the jam night were the small, sweet variety. Delicious! Oh, and she even whipped us up some fresh strawberry juice on our arrival. Our host for the evening was Karen Eatwell and it all took place in her lovely farm kitchen at Duenk Farms. Karen even treated us all to a burger when we arrived that was directly farm to plate. Thanks Karen! Our berry was the Strawberry. For anyone that is interested, Karen may host more of these events in the future and I will be sure to let you know about them through the blog. The Duenk Farms has fresh eggs, chickens and all cuts of Angus Beef for sale anytime – just call to arrange an order: 519-232-4105 I will be posting about the Duenk Farm in detail at a later date, I just have to get my pictures in order!  Read More

Bock Bock Bock..Cluck! Duenk Farms Chicken Sale

photo: unicornretreat from morgeFile.com If you are like me, you cracked open your freezer when barbecue season opened up, you stuck your head in there and you took a good look around. Then, with great dismay you concluded it was getting far too empty, I mean, come on now, you should not be able to stick your head in there, it should be jam-packed full to the brim! Well, I have some very good news for you if you are a chicken fan – Duenk Farms in Denfield is having their twice annual chicken sale! Yippee! I don”t know if I could fit a whole chicken on my bbq at once, but I will give it a try! Just kidding, I am roasted chicken fan, it is one of the good things in life. Here is the deal for this sale,you can call Karen directly and arrange ahead of time to pick up a chicken or two or three! Duenk”s farms is a small chicken operation that raises chickens for eggs mostly. They have about 65 chickens that lay daily. I have also been told and will report with great glee (yes I am a bonafide food nerd) that they have fresh turkeys around Thanksgiving time! Count me in Karen! This deal gets even better,the Duenk Farm chicken is ecologically raised (meaning indoor outdoor pens) and they mix their own seed blend on site out of flax and some other grains so I am pretty sure that increases the omegas in it (but I am no expert!) and of course the processing is government inspected (in case you like to know such things). Farm Fresh Chicken Saturday, June 20th, 2009. Pick up between 10 am and 5 pm Whole chickens $3.oo/pound Phone Karen Eatwell: 519-232-4105 Karen Eatwell Duenk Farms 25425 New Ontario Rd Today Karen emailed me some more info on another event that is taking place this month at the farm. She is involved with putting on a Jam Session. No, no no peoples! You do not have to know how to play the guitar, its a STRAWBERRY JAM session. This mini course will teach you how to make the jam yourself with local berries and then can/jar it up for some serious jam enjoyment later on in the winter. This course is only $10 plus the cost of the berries (approx. $4). Just bring 4 1/2 pint jars and your smile – everything else is taken care of. Call her very soon – it happens on Wednesday, June 24th in the evening. See you at the sale! kelly  Read More