Oh, we forgot to mention we have fields too.

Before we began the barn renovation we spoke to some experts about what we have to do to improve our soil quality. Our current farmer has rotated commercial soybean and corn for close to 30 years. So, you can imagine what his reaction was when we asked him to convert our land to a certified organic farm. He embraced the change with open arms! For the next 2 growing seasons we need to plant cover crops to re-vitalize the soil. Our farmer was here last week to disk the soil and turn under all the weeds. Today I looked out and could begin to see these little green sprouts coming up! It will be more than amazing to know that our fields will now be filled with quality organic soil to enrich our environment.   And more importantly we will be able to provide the community and our customers with healthy products. We're told there is an emerging market for heritage grains, like spelt and einkorn.   Our hope is to one day grow the grains to make the flour we use in our baked goods.  Only, time will tell....

More updates to the "BIG" Barn project next week. Waiting on some more beams to come in!!

-Chris 

This week in the barn- The doors are coming!

It's so awesome when you uncover things and realize what they are. The builders are working tirelessly bringing down the old siding and replacing them with new wood. I noticed today these large notches in the front of the barn where our garage door used to be. After looking closer I realized these were the original notches for the original barn doors- Amazing right? Each of these doors measured seven feet across and twelve feet in height. Those doors were huge!! Our new doors have just arrived this week and the builders are planning on installing them very soon. They are going to frame the opening perfectly! Below are some pictures I took of the rough opening where our new doors are going to be installed. Can't wait to see how this turns out!!

Chris

Super "Easy" Pita Chips......

Last week we were having some family over for dinner and we realized that we did not have much in terms of appetizers.  I checked in our freezer and found some Ezekiel Pita Bread.  As a family we like to eat Ezekiel Breads or Sprouted Grain Breads as they have a higher protein content and are easier to digest.  I used these and made the perfect "Everything" Pita Chips.  These tasted great dipped in a little hummus.  Sometimes the best things are made when you have to use what you have on hand!

Enjoy,

-Becca

Everything Pita Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 Package of Ezekiel Pita Bread or Any Brand of Pita Bread
• Poppy Seeds
• Sesame Seeds
• Sea Salt 
• Garlic Powder
• Organic Olive Oil Spray - (We use Nature's Promise)

Method:

1. Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut pita bread into triangles using a pizza cutter.  We cut them into 8 pieces, but depending on the size of the pitas you use that may vary.
3. Pull apart the pitas so that you now have 16 triangles from the 8 pieces you had cut.
4. Lay out on a sheet pan and spray with your Olive Oil Spray.
5. Sprinkle with any seasonings you would like.  We used poppy & sesame seeds, garlic powder and sea salt.  Parmesan cheese would be a great addition too!
6. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until nice and crispy.
7. Serve with your favorite dip and enjoy!!

A bump in Our journey......

The past couple of weeks at "The Farm" have surely been a whirlwind!  Between the Barn renovation and the Bakery orders we have been beyond busy.  Its been exciting, tiring, and fun all in one.  The builders are working tirelessly to restore the barn to its glory. The past couple of weeks they have started installing in the windows and some of the siding.  However, after the first windows were added we realized that they were too big for the spots in between the beams and they ended up cutting some of the beams to make the windows fit.  YIKES!!!  After taking a look at the end result, we knew we had to go back and fix them.  We are very passionate about restoring the Barn, but we also want to keep the integrity of The Barn, including the BIG Beams that make it so fantastic.  Its hard to imagine that these beams and the structure of the Barn were built almost 200 years ago.  The good news is they have now fixed the beams and we have come up with a solution to ensure the rest of the other beams stay in tact.  

The builders were also able to replace one of the big corner beams that had started to rot because of the previous holes in the roof.  Its huge and its amazing to see how they can take out the old and replace it with a new huge beam that will provide the support and structure to hopefully keep this barn standing for another 200 years.  

We continue to be excited and continue to put all of our faith and trust in God every step of the way.  When you go through a renovation of this size there will always be bumps in the road that can cause stress and worry.  On Wednesday morning this past week around 7am, my father, Chris and I all joined hands in the Barn and prayed for peace and comfort as well as guidance to get us through the rest of this project.  Only God can take all of those fears and worries away and give you a peace that surpasses all understanding.  We are trusting God with every bump that may arise.

Until next time,

Chris & Becca

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:4-7

Our passion for fresh local ingredients...

We made a commitment when we first re-started the bakery to source local ingredients as often as possible.  We were so excited when we found a local mill, but we quickly realized that we were paying as much in shipping for our flours as we were for the actual flours. When it came time to re-order more flour, instead of having it shipped again, I thought it would be a good idea to make a trip out to Small Valley Milling. This mill has been exceptional from day 1 with hearing our needs and providing us with some of the best flour I believe money can buy. Unfortunately Halifax is two hours from Quakertown. I knew this trip would be special because I would be able to see first hand how our flour is made. A goal we have is to know where our food comes from and this was a perfect opportunity to do this.

Joel Steigman is the owner of Small Valley Milling. He converted his mill to an all-organic mill in 1999 and has never looked back. He was very welcoming and interested in the Farm Bakery. His mill offers Spelt flour, both whole and white, as well as other specialty flours. I was blown away by the size of some of the equipment! I took some pictures for you all to see.  The flours Small Valley Milling produce taste noticeably better, and all of the minerals and vitamins are preserved because the grains are properly grown and milled.  The Farm Bakery is all about using the cleanest, healthiest ingredients in our baked goods. Our continued partnership with Small Valley Milling will assure this, even if it's 2 hours away! I believe it's certainly worth the sacrifice to bring our customers wholesome ingredients and keep our costs in check. 

Thanks for sharing in our passion of good wholesome foods.

-Chris