I was very fortunate to grow up in small town Iowa surrounded by all types of farms. Being around this lifestyle made me not only appreciate animals and crops, but also appreciate the dedication and values farming creates. Farming is a business, but it is also a legacy, passed on to future generations.
As I have become a food and nutrition expert, I have also taken an interest in where my food comes from and who is providing or growing this food for me. Of course I find myself asking questions but I also value the importance of finding answers. All of us are interested in food and we should also be interested in food production. We need to educate ourselves to make informed choices about the food we consume and where it comes from.
If you have never wondered, you need to start. Everyone should visit a farm, everyone should visit multiple farms. Talk to a farmer, let them tell you about what they do, how they do it and why they do it. Their story and farm will provide you with more information about your food than any nutrition label ever will.
Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.
Today’s conversation is with Sarah Cortese, a registered dietitian with a lot of sass and a love for
collecting cookbooks.
A couple of podcasts ago, I mentioned a Registered Dietitian Summit I went to sponsored by Midwest Dairy and the National Pork Board. I was fortunate to meet new registered dietitian friends. At our first dinner meet and greet when we arrived, we introduced ourselves to the group. I knew instantly when Sarah introduced herself, we would connect and be friends. Sarah is a realistic dietitian who cares deeply for the community and meeting people where they are along their wellness journey. She currently resides in Oklahoma, is a proud mom, has a passion for long term care, has worked as a retail dietitian and is ready for her next adventure.
Nosh Three. Week on the Farms.
This past September, I was sponsored by the National Pork Board and Midwest Dairy to attend a Registered Dietitian Summit in Minneapolis. Dietitians from around the Midwest all gathered in Minnesota to learn more about the farming practices of pork and dairy. I was honored and always embrace the opportunity of learning more about farming and our food.
When we arrived in Minneapolis, we had a welcome dinner. Here we met all the other dietitians, the members of the National Pork Board, Midwest Dairy and most importantly the farmers: Steve, Mary and Lincoln Langhorst and Lucas Sjostrom. The next day, we traveled outside of the city to a pig farm managed by Wakefield Pork Incorporated, owned by the Langhorst's.
I have driven by many of pig farms but never have been in one. Living in rural Iowa, you can always "smell" the type of farm you are driving by. When we arrived, I could barely smell the farm. This is because in their barns, they use a filtration system for the air that passes through the barn similar to most hospitals.
Wakefield Pork Inc farms are very particular about their farming practices, animal welfare and biosecurity. When we arrived, we entered into a shower area. All of our street clothes/shoes (and cell phones) were left in one room, then we entered a shower area. We showered and completely washed ourselves and our hair and were given scrubs, undies, shoes, socks and stylish shower caps to be contaminate free. This enabled us to safely and biosecurely visit the farm. The first stop was learning about animal welfare of the farm. The pigs are given top notch care and nutrition, as well as well documented treatment measures of sick pigs. This includes the barns they are growing in and the comfort of the animals, which includes ventilation and temperature to protect them from illnesses and disease. The most current technologies are used to keep the animals healthy which in turn decreases the need for antibiotic use.
There are different barns on the farm. The nursery was the most fun. In the nursery, there can be numerous moms giving birth each day. An average sow (female pig) is pregnant for about 3 1/2 months and has anywhere from 9-13 piglets. When we were there, we were able to see a few moms delivering and my podcast guest this week, Sarah, actually delivered a piglet herself! I was more inclined to cuddle the babies. These adorable soft babies are a little rambunctious at times and have some stellar lungs. My piglet was pretty sweet. After the babies are born, they go through 2 more barn stages before the pig is ready for market, which were were able to view as well. The Pork Checkoff has a great infographic of the pig lifecycle here. All the barns we were in were very clean, spacious and full of happy and very chatty pigs.
After our tour, we then reversed the showering process to again, keep the integrity of their biosecurity. After seeing the farm, I had a totally different view on pig farming. I always thought most pig farms were very dirty, stinky, over populated and full of piles of pig poop. Not only was it none of these but it exceeded my expectations. The employees there are very passionate about their pigs and jobs on the farm. I think of this each time I prepare pork at home now. I know the people who are caring for the animals and the food I eat.
And eat we did. After the tour, the Langhorst's so graciously opened up their home and roasted an entire pig for us to dine on. The meat from a roasted pig is delicious.
We were absolutely spoiled and enjoyed great conversation, food and gained more knowledge about the care and devotion these farmers give the food feeding our country.
“It’s a passion, a lifestyle, a resilient community that works endlessly to bring food to dinner tables worldwide.”
~ Steve Langhorst ~
After lunch, we then traveled to Sjostrom Dairy Farms. This is my third trip to a dairy farm and I learn something new every time. Not every farm is the same and each have their own way of farming. We met owner Steve and the rest of the family. This is one important factor in farming: family. Steve farms with the help of his Dad and his two sons.
Steve took us through the milking process as well as the storage and sanitation process on his farm. Milk from dairy farms is used for a variety of products, from fluid milk to butter to milk solids for food production. After the cows are milked, the milk is measured by the pound. They can monitor how many pounds each cow is producing to help adjust nutrition and care for the animal.
Steve showed us his milking parlor and we were able to go into the parlor to watch the milking process. It usually takes less than 10 minutes to milk a cow. After the milking, the fluid milk is transferred into a vat and cooled to the proper and safe temperature (less than 39 degree). Cooling the milk properly ensures a great quality product. It is then tested numerous times to ensure quality and safety for it to be accepted in our food supply.
The Sjostrom's love their cows. We were able to tour the entire farm, including the nursery. Similar to the pork farm, there are different areas for the different ages of cows. These ladies are the sweetest from calf to cow. They love people and would come up to the fence to say hello. The ladies all have comfy beds to sleep in and are followed closely by a nutritionist to monitor their nutrition intake. The cows have different nutrition needs throughout their life stages. Very much like humans!
After our farm tours, we were able to bring it all together by going to Cooks of Crocus Hill. Chef Neel from the National Pork Board did a pig fabrication for us. This is where he took part a pig and showed us the variety of cuts of meat. This was such a valuable demonstration. There are many new cuts and leaner cuts of pork you can find here. It is also very helpful when I am going to make something yummy with pork at home. Speaking of....Chef Neel also created this delish chorizo taco recipe my friend Sarah, April and I made. Spicy, but cool with the cucumber yogurt. I also give two thumbs up to the Chapati Roti instead of tortillas.
Tandoori “Chorizo” Tacos by Chef Neel Sahni
Ingredients Amount
Ground Pork 2 pounds
Kashmiri Chile Powder 2 Tablespoons
Garlic Puree 1 teaspoon
Ginger Puree 1 teaspoon
Ground Coriander – Toasted ½ teaspoon
Ground Cumin – Toasted ½ teaspoon
Garam Masala 1 teaspoon
Kosher Salt 2 teaspoon
Ground Black Pepper 1 teaspoon
Chopped Cilantro 2 Tablespoon
Fresh Lemon Juice 1 Tablespoon
Garnish
Cherry Tomatoes – quartered 1 pint
Cilantro – chopped ½ bunch
Flour Tortillas or Chapati Roti 2 dozen
Cucumber Raita
Greek Yoghurt 1 pint
Seedless Cucumber – Grated 1 each
Salt ½ teaspoon
Preparation Method
Toast cumin and coriander until fragrant. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and let sit for 24 hours covered in a refrigerator. In a skillet over medium-high heat, preferable non-stick, add meat without oil and let cook for 5-7 minutes until a dark crust is formed. Break up meat with a spatula and stir until meat reaches 165F. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
To Build Tacos
Warm tortilla, top with meat, tomatoes, cucumber raita, and chopped cilantro
Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week.
I grew up in a small town in Iowa surrounded by farms and of course there are many songs that remind me of living there. This is my nod to memories of being surrounded by wide open spaces. Find the playlist on Apple Music and Spotify.
Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now.
After my enlightening farm tours and culinary adventure, there is a shop for all things cooking related at Cooks of Crocus Hill. During the hog fabrication, I sipped on this delightful tea I just had to have and luckily, it was in the shop. TeaSource, Evening in Missoula, is an herbal tea flavored with chamomile, rosehips, raspberry leaf, papaya leaf, peppermint, spearmint, blackberry leaf, passion flower, red clover, star anise, wild cherry bark, lemon peel, wintergreen, lavender, stevia, vanilla extract, wintergreen extract.
While I was purchasing my tea, one of my friends walked in with a piece of gorgeous cake. Across the street was Cafe Latte, that my feet just seem to wander over to. There tagline is modern comfort food with sandwiches, salads, bread and cake. The Turtle Cake to be exact.
I couldn't resist and got myself this gorgeously large slice of rich and creamy chocolately, caramely, pecan goodness. And I ate the whole thing with the largest, jovial smile on my face. After getting home, I went to their website to see if they shipped their cakes and discovered they actually have the recipe available. I know when I make this, it will not look as lovely, but I am hopeful it will taste just as good. Stay tuned....
~AE
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