Comments for Harvest Moon Society http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org Healthy Land, Healthy Communities Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:04:24 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on A Glimpse into the North by New Morning Farm http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/a-glimpse-into-the-north/comment-page-1/#comment-946 New Morning Farm Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:04:24 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2071#comment-946 This is really interesting. I was wondering what was behind the best wild rice I have ever tasted. Thanks also for the above "Facts you need to know." Very helpful. Also, when I bought my bag at a Harvest Moon food drop recently I was advised to cook up the whole thing at once and keep it in the freezer for whenever I want some. This has worked really well for me. Nancy This is really interesting. I was wondering what was behind the best wild rice I have ever tasted. Thanks also for the above “Facts you need to know.” Very helpful. Also, when I bought my bag at a Harvest Moon food drop recently I was advised to cook up the whole thing at once and keep it in the freezer for whenever I want some. This has worked really well for me.
Nancy

]]> Comment on Slow Chicken by Daniel Kanu http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/slow-chicken/comment-page-1/#comment-902 Daniel Kanu Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:40:17 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2097#comment-902 Moistness is really all about fat that's why deep fried turkey is so moist and overcooked chicken soup can be dry. The duck, butter, sausage, lard and bacon are all great inside and out the turkey. You could also try a brine, which will tenderise the meat. 1 kosher salt to 16 water. So one cup to one gallon. Submerge turkey for atleast 12 hours in the fridge or with ice surrounding the container. Don't leave it too long (20 hours maximum). When its done rinse it off and dry the turkey. Although untested I recently heard about a grandma who does her wild turkey in a pillowcase (never to be used for pillows again). Cotton as it turns out is a nice weave for holding the fat to the bird for longer so there is less basting. Moistness is really all about fat that’s why deep fried turkey is so moist and overcooked chicken soup can be dry. The duck, butter, sausage, lard and bacon are all great inside and out the turkey.

You could also try a brine, which will tenderise the meat. 1 kosher salt to 16 water. So one cup to one gallon. Submerge turkey for atleast 12 hours in the fridge or with ice surrounding the container. Don’t leave it too long (20 hours maximum). When its done rinse it off and dry the turkey.

Although untested I recently heard about a grandma who does her wild turkey in a pillowcase (never to be used for pillows again). Cotton as it turns out is a nice weave for holding the fat to the bird for longer so there is less basting.

]]> Comment on Slow Chicken by Lisa http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/slow-chicken/comment-page-1/#comment-890 Lisa Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:23:27 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2097#comment-890 We raise and eat A LOT of free range chickens. We have never had a problem with dryness. I have had 2 people come and tell me that their chickens were dry, and it confuses me. When I cook chickens, all I ever do is place it in a roaster with about an inch of water and a huge onion, sprinkle it with sage and garlic powder, put on the lid and let it roast, covered, for about 2 hours (chickens are usually 6 or 7 pounds). I take the lid off only for the last 10 or 15 minutes, only if it needs a bit of browning. I usually stuff them as well with regular homemade bread stuffing. I also tell people to expect their chickens to have some muscle texture because they live outside, chase bugs, scratch vigorously and flap and run around. Also, they have fat that is yellowish-green in colour. I like this, because then I know that they have eaten green grass! This is a very good sign. (Older women brag about this as being the way an old fashioned farm chicken is supposed to be!) Turkey tends to be a bit on the dry side. We cook it the same as chicken, but sometimes drape bacon over it, and we have tied duck to the top prior to putting it in the oven. Duck meat tends to be greasier. Butter also helps. For both chicken and turkey, please keep in mind that they have not been injected with saline water to bulk them up before selling (like lots of factory chicken has been). There will not be a lot of fluid loss while cooking. Hope this helps. Lisa We raise and eat A LOT of free range chickens. We have never had a problem with dryness. I have had 2 people come and tell me that their chickens were dry, and it confuses me. When I cook chickens, all I ever do is place it in a roaster with about an inch of water and a huge onion, sprinkle it with sage and garlic powder, put on the lid and let it roast, covered, for about 2 hours (chickens are usually 6 or 7 pounds). I take the lid off only for the last 10 or 15 minutes, only if it needs a bit of browning. I usually stuff them as well with regular homemade bread stuffing. I also tell people to expect their chickens to have some muscle texture because they live outside, chase bugs, scratch vigorously and flap and run around. Also, they have fat that is yellowish-green in colour. I like this, because then I know that they have eaten green grass! This is a very good sign. (Older women brag about this as being the way an old fashioned farm chicken is supposed to be!)

Turkey tends to be a bit on the dry side. We cook it the same as chicken, but sometimes drape bacon over it, and we have tied duck to the top prior to putting it in the oven. Duck meat tends to be greasier. Butter also helps.

For both chicken and turkey, please keep in mind that they have not been injected with saline water to bulk them up before selling (like lots of factory chicken has been). There will not be a lot of fluid loss while cooking.
Hope this helps.
Lisa

]]> Comment on Slow Chicken by New Morning Farm http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/slow-chicken/comment-page-1/#comment-887 New Morning Farm Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:20:21 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2097#comment-887 My roasted chickens (also free range, organic etc.) are always fantastic. I cook at 350 maximum with a lid, rarely stuff them, and they are moist and succulent and nicely browned. They're done when the drumstick twists easily. Nancy My roasted chickens (also free range, organic etc.) are always fantastic. I cook at 350 maximum with a lid, rarely stuff them, and they are moist and succulent and nicely browned. They’re done when the drumstick twists easily.
Nancy

]]> Comment on Slow Chicken by troy stozek http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/slow-chicken/comment-page-1/#comment-886 troy stozek Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:38:03 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2097#comment-886 Are you stuffing it with anything? We use fresh, sliced lemons, onion and garlic in ours that we raise and our meat is succulent, tasty and moist every time. Are you stuffing it with anything? We use fresh, sliced lemons, onion and garlic in ours that we raise and our meat is succulent, tasty and moist every time.

]]> Comment on Slow Chicken by Lydia Carpenter http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/slow-chicken/comment-page-1/#comment-884 Lydia Carpenter Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:45:18 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2097#comment-884 Oh - I should add... I am no turkey expert. But I assume some similar principles apply. Oh – I should add… I am no turkey expert. But I assume some similar principles apply.

]]> Comment on Slow Chicken by Lydia Carpenter http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/slow-chicken/comment-page-1/#comment-883 Lydia Carpenter Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:43:34 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2097#comment-883 Hi Catherine - yes. I hear you. We have several tricks for a moist roast chicken. Besides for watching your roasting time, cooking temp. and internal temperature there are few other things you can try. One of my recent faves is cooking breast side down. We often use a cast iron pan, place our chicken in breast side down, and turn it breast side up for the last few minutes of cooking in order to brown the skin. Breast side down seems to allow the juices to flow into the pan. In fact, we roasted a bird last night. It was about 5-6 lbs. We started it at 450F for 15 minutes. Then we set it down to 300F. We let it cook for 2.5 hours at 300F (uncovered the whole time). We cooked for about 30 minutes per pound. We didn't baste it at all as we had decided to go for a walk... it turned out great. Again, cooking time will vary so if you have a thermometer to check internal temp. that might help. 165F internal is what you want. There are other things you can do. Personally I love butter. Putting butter under the skin can be a nice touch. Roasting with some veggies can help add some moisture to your cooking too. If you want to contact me you can e-mail lydiacarpenter03@yahoo.ca We can chat about it more if you'd like. I'm experimenting with some other techniques. cheers Lydia Hi Catherine – yes. I hear you.

We have several tricks for a moist roast chicken. Besides for watching your roasting time, cooking temp. and internal temperature there are few other things you can try. One of my recent faves is cooking breast side down.

We often use a cast iron pan, place our chicken in breast side down, and turn it breast side up for the last few minutes of cooking in order to brown the skin. Breast side down seems to allow the juices to flow into the pan.

In fact, we roasted a bird last night. It was about 5-6 lbs. We started it at 450F for 15 minutes. Then we set it down to 300F. We let it cook for 2.5 hours at 300F (uncovered the whole time). We cooked for about 30 minutes per pound. We didn’t baste it at all as we had decided to go for a walk… it turned out great.

Again, cooking time will vary so if you have a thermometer to check internal temp. that might help. 165F internal is what you want.

There are other things you can do. Personally I love butter. Putting butter under the skin can be a nice touch. Roasting with some veggies can help add some moisture to your cooking too.

If you want to contact me you can e-mail lydiacarpenter03@yahoo.ca
We can chat about it more if you’d like. I’m experimenting with some other techniques.

cheers
Lydia

]]> Comment on Permaculture Design Certificate Course 2012 at HMS Learning Centre by Colin Anderson http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/permaculture-design-certificate-course-2012-at-hms-learning-centre/comment-page-1/#comment-882 Colin Anderson Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:09:31 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2039#comment-882 The days are usually from 8-5ish with some evening sessions. There is a break on the weekend in the middle. Let me know if you're looking for more details. Colin The days are usually from 8-5ish with some evening sessions. There is a break on the weekend in the middle. Let me know if you’re looking for more details.

Colin

]]> Comment on Permaculture Design Certificate Course 2012 at HMS Learning Centre by Colin Anderson http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2012/permaculture-design-certificate-course-2012-at-hms-learning-centre/comment-page-1/#comment-881 Colin Anderson Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:08:35 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=2039#comment-881 Yes there is! Yes there is!

]]> Comment on New Moon Kids Camp! by Colin Anderson http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/posts/2011/new-moon-kids-camp/comment-page-1/#comment-880 Colin Anderson Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:06:20 +0000 http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/?p=1014#comment-880 Hi Bev, I'll forward your email to Michelle who coordinates the program. Colin Hi Bev,

I’ll forward your email to Michelle who coordinates the program.

Colin

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