Emmett Farm Memories

I asked my aunt if she would share some of her memories of moving to the Emmett farm and growing up here. We hope you enjoy these memories and photos as much as we did!

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In 1934, jobs in South Gate, California were scarce. Frank Robinson was a skilled plasterer with a wife, Blanche, and two children, Frances and David, then aged 6 and 4. When they found themselves having to choose between gas for the Model T or milk for the children, they knew something had to change. A farm would mean a bit of security. At least they would eat! Frank had an acquaintance, Wes Awald, who had a dairy in Meridian, Idaho. He did Frank the favor of checking out the Larkin farm which was for sale in Emmett. It was 40 acres with a house and barn. His report was that the barn was good but the house was “not much.” Both were built with square nails. No plumbing in the house!

The decision was made. The Model T was traded for a larger Jewett for the trip. The kids’ cousin Don Malan was still in school, but old enough to drive the truck loaded with the family belongings. The trip took a week. It’s hard to imagine that trip without today’s highways, rest stops and drive through restaurants.

Blanche was beginning to have her doubts as they drove mile after mile through the desert. It was when they came to the top of Freezeout Hill and saw the beautiful valley below she began to feel confident about the move. In later years she would recall her relief, seeing “two shades of pink and white” stretching out below, in the valley that would be her home for the next 48 years.

They grew the grapes and bottled the juice themselves. Lots of the bottles were left behind as they drove. Less weight was better.

TRAVELING

The trip from California to Idaho took a week, and the Robinsons had to picnic along the way. Frank fashioned a box to hold food, towels, and bottled grape juice. The photo shows one of the remaining juice bottles. The box would become a towel holder in the “wet room” of the home, a back room that Frank plumbed for a bathroom and laundry. Everything was used and reused, fixed or repurposed.

Frances with bee swarm

BEES

Frances was her Dad’s willing helper when the family kept bees. She turned the crank on the extractor and filled 5 pound tins so honey could be sold. The photo shows their bee keeping license issued by the Idaho Department of Agriculture. It came in the mail as a post card dated March 21, 1945 and had a 3 cent postage stamp.

A bulletin from the American Honey Institute dated May, 1945 suggested the following:

“Are you serving plenty of cottage cheese these days when meat is scarce? For dessert press cottage cheese through a sieve. Add 3 tablespoons of sour or sweet cream and 3 tablespoons of honey to each cup of cheese. Beat until fluffy. Add 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Note: This is also delicious when served as a topping on gingerbread, fruit gelatin, or cherry tarts.”

American Honey Institute Bulletin

BALING HAY

During WWII farm laborers were hard to come by. To manage hay season, a loan from Blanche’s brother Will allowed them to purchase a Case wire baler. It took all four family members to complete the job. Frances drove the tractor; Blanche fed the wires into the slots of the wood block, wearing leather gloves; David tied the wires as the 100 pound bales worked their way to the end of the process; and Frank had the dusty job of placing the wooden block that marked the end of one bale and the start of a new one. It was the first baler of its kind in the Valley.

DAIRY COWS

Soon after arriving in Emmett, Frank arranged to pasture dairy cows in exchange for the milk, probably around 8 cows. Frances was the tail holder while her Dad sat on a T stool to milk. After some time, Frank fashioned tail holders from rubber hose and heavy wire. Milk went into 10 gallon cans to be cooled in the irrigation ditch until they were picked up. As time went on, they purchased a separator and sold cream to the creamery.

The NCAP Annual Report

NCAP helps protect our community through environmental health; they inspire the use of ecologically sound solutions to reduce the use of pesticides, and their work is helping so many farmers and communities in the Northwest.

NCAP assisted us in planting a native wildflower pollinator meadow, which is a mutually beneficial piece of land for both bees and farmers. To read their full report, go to http://www.pesticide.org/annual_reports.

Why We Chose Organic

By Emily Wahl

I didn’t grow up eating organic food. I’m sure many of you can relate to that. As a girl growing up in rural South Dakota in the nineties, the organic food movement had barely reached our radars. Frugality was the first priority, and my mom was an expert at getting meals on the table on a budget. Dinner was often a grilled meat paired with frozen vegetables or the ubiquitous Hamburger Helper. During the day I ate a fairly steady diet of junk food. A “caramel cappuccino” from a gas station on the way to school, or a box of Cheezits when I returned was common for me. The idea that this could be damaging to my health never occurred to me as I was skinny as a rail. But I was tired most of the time, and beginning to show signs of depression.

It wasn’t until I got to college and started developing more serious problems that I realized my diet had to change.

It has been a long and difficult process, but I have gone from being a person who was often stuck in bed to a person who is excited about what is in store for her life

Over the course of my time in college, my health began to rapidly get worse. I knew that there was something wrong, but I didn’t have the words back then. Today doctors have all sorts of words to define us. Words like autoimmune disease, adrenal fatigue, Hashimotos, and SIBO are all now at my fingertips, and I’m just a Google search away from discovering an overwhelming amount of information. But when I started to develop my problems I didn’t have these words; I didn’t have any understanding.

What I did know is that what we put in our body matters, and I had no hope of recovering my health without drastically changing my diet. It was around this time that I began to start researching what healthy eating really meant. With many competing health theories out there, this was quite the process. But all of the health experts seemed to agree on one thing; that we should be eating REAL food! Our food should be coming from farms or be as close to the source as possible. And it should be raised and grown according to time honored tradition, not sprayed with chemicals that are damaging to our health. I began to understand that it wasn’t just about organic, but about supporting a new, sustainable system of agriculture.

Eating organic and local food became about more than just healing my own body. It began to be about supporting the kind of community and culture that I want to live in. I want to know the people producing my food. I want access to the broad array of culinary delicacies that only come within a local food system. And I don’t want my children to be facing the environmental fall out from unsustainable ecological practices.

There is a lie we tell ourselves; that this will go on forever, and we will never get better.

As I have walked this health journey for over a decade now, there have been many elements that have been essential to healing. I have used supplementation, herbal medicine, therapy, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Organic food alone was definitely not enough to bring about lasting change. But without it, all of these other interventions would have had little effect. It is easy to slip up and eat poorly when we are inundated with the conventional system all around us. But for me, the ramifications of bad eating choices are felt immediately. I could lose all of my energy for days, or be in instant, severe pain. I am extremely grateful to get to live in a place where these conventional, processed foods are not my only option, and I have the ability to access a wide array of amazing local products. Now my diet is largely composed of seasonal produce from Idaho’s small farms, grass-fed beef, and our own backyard eggs.

For me, making a permanent shift to organic eating took a health-crash and the realization that the medical system did not have a pill that would ever substitute for taking ownership over my own health. I got sick and tired of looking at my dreams in the distance and knowing that my body wasn’t strong enough to pursue them. It has been a long and difficult process, but I have gone from being a person who was often stuck in bed to a person who is excited about what is in store for her life. I plan on making my thirties a time of new endeavors and vibrant health!

There is a lie we tell ourselves; that this will go on forever, and we will never get better. But often  that lie takes hold because we are stuck in a paradigm created by our dominate food culture. We live in a country that perpetuates illness by making unhealthy food seem normal, and training doctors to only help when the situation becomes dire. I thought I was alone with my problems, but I am beginning to see that I am just one of thousands battling for her health at far too young of an age. We have an opportunity to change the direction of our fast food culture and return to a way of living and eating that will make health the norm and not the exception.

Herb Rubbed Top Round Roast Beef

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped fine

• 2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme

• 1 shallot minced

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature

• (1) 4-5 lbs top round roast fat trimmed if needed

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 1 Tbsp pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix the parsley, thyme, and shallot in a small bowl.

2. Remove 2 Tbsp of the herb mix to another bowl and set aside.

3. Add the mustard, and add 1 Tbsp of the oil to the remaining herb mix and stir to combine.

4. With the previously reserved herbs, mash in the butter with a fork to mix everything well.

5. Butterfly the roast by carefully cutting down the center of the roast, folding the cut end of the beef back, flattening, until you have cut almost entirely through. This allows for a better seasoning application throughout the beef.

6. While spread flat, season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.

7. Using your fingers, spread the mustard mixture evenly over the interior of the meat.

8. Fold the meat back up and tie with kitchen twine.

9. Cover and allow the beef to rest in the fridge at least 4 hours.

10. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

11. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the remaining oil.

12. Sear the beef on all sides, until just browned, about 5 minutes per side.

13. Transfer to oven and allow to cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat temps at 125 degrees F.

14. Carefully transfer the beef to a cutting board to rest.

15. Spread a generous dollop of the herb butter over the roast and cover with foil.

16. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Carne Asada Tacos

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds flank or skirt steak

1 full recipe of Mojo marinade (recipe below)

Olive oil, for coating the grill

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

16 (7-inch) corn tortillas

Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving

Chopped white onion, for serving

Shredded Jack cheese, for serving

1/2 cup Pico de Gallo (recipe below)

2 limes, cut in wedges for serving

MOJO

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

PICO DE GALLO

4 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced

1 Serrano chile, minced

1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

3 garlic gloves, minced

1 lime, juiced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

• Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don’t marinate the steak for more than 8 hours through, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.

• Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

• Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable.

• To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top each taco with a spoonful of the Pico de Gallo salsa and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

MOJO

• In a bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment.

PICO DE GALLO

• In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together. Toss thoroughly. Let it sit for 15 minutes to an hour to allow the flavors to mix.

Osso Bucco

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 6 beef shanks (14 ounces each)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 cup white wine 

• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1-1/2 cups beef broth

• 2 medium carrots, chopped

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 celery rib, sliced

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/4 cup cold water

Gremolata:

• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.

2. In a large skillet, brown beef in butter and oil. Transfer meat and drippings to a 6-qt. slow cooker. Add wine to skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan; pour over meat. Add the tomatoes, broth, carrots, onion, celery, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and remaining salt.

3. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until meat is tender. Discard bay leaves.

4. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer juices to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

5. In a small bowl, combine the gremolata ingredients. 

6. Serve beef with gremolata and sauce. If desired serve over polenta, mashed potatoes or orzo pasta! 

Corned Beef

Makes 2 pounds

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 cloves peeled garlic

3 Tablespoons pickling spice

One 4-pound piece corned beef brisket, rinsed

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, cleaned and cut into 1-inch lengths

4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 small head green cabbage, core intact, cut into thick wedges

20 small red potatoes

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Sour cream, prepared horseradish and whole-grain mustard, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Put the onion, thyme, garlic, pickling spice, brisket and 6 cups water into an instant pot.

Set and cook on high pressure for 85 minutes. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release, then remove the meat and set aside. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and return 2 cups back to the instant pot along with the butter.

Put the potatoes in a microwave safe dish and cook for 3 minutes then add the leeks, carrots, cabbage and potatoes to the Instant Pot. Seal and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release the steam. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain and transfer to a serving platter. Arrange the vegetable and potatoes around the meat, sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the sour cream, horseradish and mustard on the side.

Beef Stock (from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morell)

Gourmet Smoked Burgers

Use these gourmet smoked burgers as a template for any flavor combination you desire!

Below are a few of our favorite recipes for toppings, and directions on how to smoke an amazing burger.

Smoking Hamburgers:

1. Thaw frozen burger in the fridge for 1- 2 days. Working with the thawed burger, a scale, and if you have one a burger press (this is the one I use).

2. I make 6oz Burgers in my house and usually 12 at a time on a sheet tray. I just season with a good Real Salt or Himalayan Sea Salt and pepper.

3. Fill the tray of an electric smoker with desired wood chips. I have used apple, Pecan, Hickory, Mesquite, Alder, Cherry…. They are all good but do give differences in flavor so play around.

4. Then put water in the water tray and turn the smoker on high to preheat to around 200.

5. Put the burgers in and that is it.  You just want to monitor for temperature and that wood chips don't run out. 

For a med-well to a well-done burger the guideline is 155 for the internal temp. This will take you 45 min to 1 hour of cook time. For those of you who prefer a less done burger remember to handle your raw meat carefully and have a super good clean source for your meat! We use St. John’s Organic Farm and their locally grown, harvested and butchered beef.

Once the burgers are to temp, remove them and the fun of topping them begins!

Note: If you are making cheeseburgers of any kind, you can add the cheese right in the smoker while the burgers are reaching their last 2-5 degrees of internal temperature. You only want the cheese in there for about 5 minutes so it doesn’t run everywhere.

Gourmet Topping Recipes

Cherry-Smoked Burgers with Brandied Cherry Chutney, Dubliner Cheese, Green Leaf Lettuce and a Brioche Bun

Brandied Cherry Chutney (makes 1 qt):

4 cups pitted Bing cherries

1/2 cups brandy

1/4-1/2 cup raw honey

2 tsp almond extract

Dash salt

1-2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot slurry (equal parts starch and water, mixed)

• Place cherries, brandy, honey, salt, and extract in a saucepan and bring to boil.

• Cook till cherries are soft (but not falling apart) for about 5 min.

• While boiling and stirring constantly add slurry and cook till thick.

• Remove from heat and store in a quart jar with a lid.

• Use cold room temp or hot! 

Hickory-smoked Grass-Fed Burger with Strawberry Relish, Green leaf lettuce and a brioche bun (this would also be awesome with fresh Mozzarella cheese)

Strawberry Relish (makes 1 qt):

 3-4 cups whole stemmed strawberries

 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

 3 tbs raw honey

 ¼-1/2 cup red wine vinegar

 Salt and pepper to taste

• In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse til small chunks but not a paste or sauce. Think pickle relish! Adjust vinegar and seasoning to make it as tart as you want it. The idea is to replace pickles with this relish.

• Store in a quart jar in the fridge. The relish with continue to ferment due to the vinegar—this is a good thing! Fermentation helps develop a tasty flavor.

Apple-Smoked Greek-style Burger with Tzatziki sauce, Chevre, Cucumbers, and Arugula on a Brioche Bun

Tzatziki Sauce (makes 1 qt):

1 qt plain, whole milk yogurt

Zest and juice of one lemon

1 clove fresh garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder

½ seeded, unpeeled English cucumber minced or diced

⅛-¼ cup mint leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

• Place lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt and pepper, and mint leaves along with yogurt in a food processor and process till smooth.

• Add cucumber after the rest is processed to add some texture. Adjust seasonings to taste.

• Store in a 1 quart jar in fridge for up to 10 days.

For assembly:

This Burger with thin slices of cucumber over the fresh goat cheese on top of the burger. Put the Tzatziki sauce on both sides of the bun and Arugula in between!

Pecan smoked burger with Apricot Salsa, Smoked Gouda cheese, Red Leaf lettuce on a Brioche Bun

Apricot Salsa (makes 1 qt):

4 cups pitted, halved fresh apricots

Juice of 1 lime

⅛-¼ cup cilantro leaves and stems

½ red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 jalapeno, stem off

½ English cucumber

1 tbs raw honey

Salt and Pepper to taste

• Combine all ingredients except apricots and cucumber in food processor and blend to almost a paste. 

• Add in cucumber and ½ the apricots and pulse till small chunks, but not to a paste.

•  Pour mixture into a bowl.

• Pulse remaining apricots to the desired chunk size and add to the rest of the salsa. 

• Adjust all seasonings to taste!

• Store in a quart jar. The salsa should last 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

(Note: this salsa is also great on fish tacos, chicken and tortilla chips!)

For assembly:

Add the sliced gouda to the burgers the last 5 min of cook time. Then assemble with the salsa on both sides of the bun and lettuce on top of the burger!

Mesquite-Smoked Bacon Blue cheese burgers with Lettuce and Gourmet mustard on a brioche bun

• For these burgers, I place strips of raw bacon on top of the burgers or alternatively wrap the burger patties in bacon before smoking them. 

• The bacon will cook with the burgers and then the last 5 minutes of cook time I top the burgers with several ounces of my favorite blue cheese to get all melty.

• For assembly, they just require a bun, some great lettuce, amazing mustard and (optional) smoked or grilled onions! Yummy!

Alder Smoked burgers with Chestnut Mushrooms in red wine sauce with Roquefort Cheese, Onion Aioli, Red leaf lettuce, and a Brioche Bun

Mushrooms in Red wine sauce (makes 1 qt):

4 cups chestnut or criminology mushrooms, cleaned and diced

2 tbs avocado oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup red wine like Cabernet or Merlot

3 tbs butter

• Heat oil in a large saute pan on high heat till smoking.

• Add in mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.

• Saute until mushrooms are soft and then deglaze with the red wine.

• Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Turn the heat to low and add the butter.

• Serve right away or keep warm.

(Note: this sauce is also excellent over steak!)

Onion Aioli (the cheater’s way)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 sweet onion or red onion, sliced

Salt and pepper 

Dash white vinegar

• First, saute or grill onion till caramelized and very soft.

• Place the onion in the food processor with salt, pepper, and vinegar and process until it is a paste.

• Add in mayonaise and blend until smooth

• Have a taste and adjust seasonings according to taste.

• Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks

For assembly: 

Top the smoking burgers in the last 5 mins of cook time with a couple of ounces of your favorite Roquefort cheese.

Start with the mayo on each side of the bun, then the burger with the cheese, then top with a good scoop of your mushrooms. Top with your lettuce and shabang! One yummy messy amazing burger!

Bulgogi Beef Bowls

Bulgogi (불고기, literally "fire meat") is a Korean dish typically made with tender cuts of beef such as top sirloin or tenderloin. Here, we incorporate some of the traditional flavors and ingredients of bulgogi and use ground beef instead. This recipe is full of flavor--a little sweet, a little spicy, a lot savory, and downright delicious.

Note: Gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste, can be found at most Asian markets or online. If you can’t find it, substitute sriracha or some red chili flakes to taste in this recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

2-in piece of fresh ginger, peeled

1 large garlic clove, smashed and peeled

2 scallions (3 if small)

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp gochujang 

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 

To serve:

White rice 

Sliced crunchy vegetables of choice (carrots, snap peas, radishes, etc.)

Kimchi or other pickled veggies 

Preparation:

1) Prepare the rice according to package directions. 

Make the sauce

2) Mince the ginger and garlic clove and put in a small bowl. 

Slice 2 scallions (three if they’re small) diagonally crosswise and add to bowl. 

Add 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar to the bowl and mix. 

Set aside 1 tbsp gochujang and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. 

Cook the beef 

3) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the beef and break it up with a wooden spoon, cooking until browned. (This may take a little longer than expected—but the caramelized flavor is well worth it!) 

Add the sauce mixture and let it simmer, stirring, for about 2 minutes. 

Add the gochujang and sesame seeds. Stir until combined and turn off the heat. 

Assembly

4) Add beef to bowls with the cooked rice, sliced veggies of choice and some kimchi if you have it. Or add whatever your heart desires—the options are limitless for this bowl! Think roasted squash, shredded lettuce, sautéed lotus root, pickled radishes, etc. 

Enjoy!