How Certifcation Works

Each and every product we sell or use in our Specialty Foods needs to be sourced back to the supplier and documented that the product was handled, processed, grown to organic standards established by the USDA. We have to document storage procedures, draft kitchen layouts, equipment cleaning logs, inventory docs, etc.
Our original application was about 3 inches thick. It was reviewed, and last week, I drove to Binghamton with another inch of documents. We have had our facility inspection, and we hope that with this new documentation, we will indeed be granted Organic Certification in the next few weeks.

Worth The Extra Cost?

We feel it is. Most people know that Organically Certified products cost a little more. Some companies that we purchase from have a job in their structure for the sole purpose of handling Certification issues. Comsumers have grown comfortable buying products that are Certified Organic because they no there is usually only “good stuff” inside and no artificial colors, flavorings, GMO products, etc.

New Labeling Coming Soon!

We have also submitted new labeling to our Certification agent showing what our labels will look like after certification is granted (they have to approve them). Just as soon as we get our final approvel, all of our labels will change, and all will then carry that familiar green logo that states all of our products are Certified Organic.

We will keep you updated!

Also at some point we received the correction pack for Culinary Kiosk’s Organic Certification.  Let me say, it was not as thick as the original we sent in, but I was a bit concerned.  No need to be though, an hour or two and all will be well.

Also, last week we found out we were accepted as vendors  with Culinary Kiosk for the Canandaigua Waterfront Art Show, that was the upcoming weekend….meaning we had five days to prepare.  Simultaneously we were hosting a dinner for about 30 people, having a member of our local Chamber of Commerce and a guest for lunch and hosting over night guests.  Needless to say I was panicked.  however, it all worked out in the end and my first festival/show was a huge success.

After the initial panic, running in circles and the heroic assistance of my our friends Dave and LuAnne( by heroic, I mean HEROIC…saved me!) the two days were a huge success.  We made a lot of contacts, friends, gained lots of positive feedback and ultimately made a lot of sales.  Truly inspiring to do more of these shows.

As for the day to day life, the porch dwellers, also known as the hounds, have had their little world upset.  Our contractor was here yesterday installing vents in the ceiling , thus having to move beds and the like making their usual “lounge” a mess.  I have yet to clean up the sawdust, so the pups are scattered about the house.

The farm has been truly bountiful, despite the drought, which seems to be at an end.  We have great beans, the tomatoes are starting to ripen, chard and kale are going crazy and we are digging potatoes left and right.  Onions are also flying out of the ground and the garlic is all seasoned and ready to be sold.  In fact, the Fox Run Garlic Festival in Penn Yan, NY is this weekend and Steve will be giving a lecture on Sunday.  It is a great festival and a lot of fun.  How can you go wrong with wine and garlic?

We are meeting with a few local wineries this week that are interested in carrying some of our products.  This is very exciting.   We have also placed our application in for several of the major Art and Harvest Festivals in the state.  So far it looks like we are going to have a very busy fall….autumn.

With the farm things are equally as exciting.  We dug the first potatoes of the season.  They are “Red Thumb” fingerlings and they are so sweet and flavorful.  Steve also picked the first of the green beans.  We are going to have bushels of them.  We are also growing a lot of dry bean varieties, a first for us.  Every day there is more garlic coming out of the ground to season, more onions ready to pull and as always a ton of chard, kale and little baby summer squash and zucchini.

The pups, aka hounds are really lazy these days.  They tolerate the heat but you can tell they would prefer to have it cooler.  Molly has been at my feet in front of the fan every time I have been in the office working.  Sadie has been in a guest room on a bed with a fan on her and Benny, Daisy and Lucy have been either on the porch under the fans or in the living room (on a sofa of course) under the fans.  I can not blame them. I want to lie on the porch under a fan.   The odd thing is none of them like to be in the water.  Maybe romp in mud puddles, but not to wade in the stream or play with the hose.  I have even tried the hard plastic tiny toddler pools before without luck.  

Keep cool everyone and remember to keep your pets cool too!

Also, for real this time, we will be at the Ithaca Farmers Market Saturday and Sunday this week, not just Saturday like usual.  If you are local stop by, but if not you should check it out on line.  It is one of the best farmers markets in the country and in a beautiful setting to boot. www.ithacamarket.com 

We are getting ready to send in our scheduled process for the Masala Sauce.  It has a lovely smoothness and just the right amount of “floral” notes from the coriander.  Also keep watch for the availability of the “Peanut Lime Sauce” and the “Coconut Curry Sauce” at www.CulinaryKiosk.com.  They are both getting great reviews.

Well as you may have guessed things have been very busy around here for the past couple of weeks.  I have been neglecting my fans…joke, by not blogging much this past week.  Actually it was pointed out, not since the 2nd.

This week we started harvesting the garlic.  Steve pulls it from the field, Georgia and Tony peel the outer skin off and stack it on racks in the barn.  It has to dry or “cure” for at least 2 weeks and then they will clip off the roots and dried up stems and leaves.  That is when you have the neat , bright white head of garlic we are familiar with  in the grocery store.  However, this garlic has a thousand times more flavor.  I love this time of year.  I will post pictures of the progress.

We will be selling the garlic on CulinaryKiosk.com and at the Ithaca Farmers Market  on Saturdays and Sundays once it has cured.  We will also be taking it to the Fox Run Garlic Festival the first weekend in Aug.  Hugely good time.

And finally as you can see, I have figured out how to post pictures.  I am not guaranteeing they will always be in focus and so far they have only appeared at the top of the page.  Baby steps people. 

On a side note….if you have read any of these in the past you will know that the hounds love their life of leisure on their beds, under the ceiling fans on the screened in porch.  Well, yesterday something went haywire and the electrician could not fix it until today.  So for a full 24 hours you would have though the world was coming to an end.  They were restless and needy and underfoot and discontent until about 4:15 when life returned to normal.  They had their fans back.  I could not even get them up for their dinner, a first here.  Apparently a switch needed to be replaced.  All I know is I have been assured the house will not catch fire and the hounds are at peace.  Amen!

Things are slowly getting back to normal here at the farm.  The surprise visit of Aunt Bert has come to an end.  She is a lot of fun to have around and helps out as well.

The day at the market was a successful one.  Steve said it was apparent that it was a holiday weekend.  Everyone was gearing up for cookouts and picnics.  Sold a lot of garlic scapes and basil.  They are a great combo.

Still having computer issues, so these blogs have not been as frequent as I would like.  It takes all my patience to battle my way through the quirks that keep occuring

The Scheduled process forms for the sauces are officially on their way to the FDA….So we are ready, really ready to roll.

Believe it or not, we have been harvesting summer squash already.  CRAZY.  Too, the mother deer and fawn are still lingering, though not eating any crops.  However, they are still near the road and this makes me very nervous.

The latest “pup” incident is the destroying of several ornamental grasses I planted along the front of the greenhouse.  They did not eat the grasses, they trampled them only to roll in the mess they had created.  My guess is they like the scent of the fertilizer.  You can probably guess a few of the words I chose to use when I first made the discovery yesterday with company arriving within the hour.  Guess what, a quick trip to nursery and all is well again.  Today at least.  Stay posted.

1 tablespoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 tablespoon Granulated Garlic
1 tablespoon Granulated Onion
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon White Pepper

Consider going to CulinaryKiosk.com to buy your certified organic herbs and spices for this fantastic recipe.