RBR News | July 18, 2014

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Around the Ranch
It’s summertime at the Ranch and we are packing in as much agriculture work as daylight will allow. The plants are responding well to the long days and warmer weather. The tomatoes in the climate-battery hoophouse are reaching the top of the trellis and we are seeing a good amount of fruit set.  The Red McClure potatoes are reaching for the sun and putting on more and more growth every day. The lettuce is growing so quickly now that we are taking several cuttings a week.

ACES offers excellent field programs at Rock Bottom Ranch, but I am particularly fond of this week’s theme – food! Kids ranging in age from 5-12 are spending the week learning where their food comes from. There is a lot of foraging, exploring, digging, planting, and cooking happening at the Ranch this week. 

The Rock Bottom Ranch education team has come up with exciting demonstrations, recipes, stories, and activities that are inspired by food, but also incorporate a healthy dose of education and science. The groups are organized by age and include: “Sprouts” (age 5-7), “Beans” (age 7-8), “Foragers” (age 8-10), and “Farm to Table 101” (age 11-14).  Some of the really exciting projects have been:

• Foraging for cattail pollen and making Cattail Pollen Biscuits;
• Building a solar oven to bake cookies;
• Visiting the Carbondale Farmers’ Market to look for local foods to create an entire farm to table meal;
• Making cherry preserves;
• Butchering a whole chicken into breasts, thighs, legs and wings;
• Making chicken stock; and,
• Learning about all of the vegetable and livestock agriculture production on the farm and in the Valley.

It is so inspiring to see young people get excited about healthy, delicious food.  I hope that this will inspire a few young people about careers as farmers or chefs.  What a great week!

Available Products:
Rock Bottom Ranch has a full inventory of chicken, pork, lamb and Crystal River Meats beef. Lots of fresh salad mix is available as well. Sweet Genovese basil and mint will be back this week. 
 
A new batch of pasture-raised whole chickens is now available, as well as our delicious non-GMO, Animal Welfare Approved chicken and duck eggs.   

A full pork inventory is available including chops, ribs, bacon, smoked hams, fresh ham roasts, and several flavors of sausage. 

Lamb cuts include frenched racks, chops, shoulder roasts, ground lamb, and bratwurst.

Purchase RBR products at:

•     Rock Bottom Ranch Ranch | Monday – Friday, 9AM-5PM and Saturday, 9AM-1PM
•     Basalt Farmers’ Market | Sundays, 10AM-2PM.
•     Hallam Lake (limited supply available) | Monday – Saturday, 9AM – 5PM.

~ Jason Smith, Rock Bottom Ranch Director

Join us for Farm Tours Monday – Saturday at 11AM.  For questions about Rock Bottom Ranch please email Jason at jsmith@aspennature.org.