"Unto Us a Calf is Born"...

By: Amy of Cottonwood Creek Dairy

On a chilly night of Dec. 18th, the newest member of our herd was born. Buenie,
as we've named her, is a Jersey heifer and will grow up to join our herd as a
milk cow. Buenie's mom, Annabelle, joined us from a farm in New Mexico and Buenie is her first calf. Because the night was so cold and Buenie was slow to get moving, she spent her first night by the heater in David's kitchen. Her belly is now full of warm, nutritious colostrum and we are helping her learn how to get her legs under her. Soon Buenie will be joining the other little ones outside and our cow share members will be enjoying the bounty of Annabelle's milk.

Bucking The Trend

By David Lynch

As a recent resident farmer to the central Colorado mountain community, it has become painfully clear the challenges of preserving the region’s agricultural resources for local food production. How quickly have valuable agricultural lands given way to sprawling development and high-end resorts. Sadly, as one travels the scenic I-70 corridor, it becomes clear that the rural character of yesteryear has virtually disappeared; from Vail to Gypsum is not an active farm operation to be found. Oh yes, ranching remains a tradition in these high mountain valleys, but the possibility of local food production is no longer an option. The development of river and creek bottom areas for luxury homes has removed the very soils that might have served these communities as a local food source. Likewise, the conversion of the age old water rights for municipal use, once attached to these farms, has further minimized the agricultural opportunities.

The Upper Arkansas Valley is one such region that potentially faces the same fate. Second homes dot the landscape. Resale values of ranch and farm lands are soaring; clearly such property is unaffordable for agricultural enterprise. Even now, poorly planned development projects threaten to gobble up what few productive soils that remain.

So what of food security? Not only does it suggest access to food, but also food quality. For this the health conscious consumer seeks fresh, organic and locally grown food products. To somehow imagine that the industrial food system will forever serve our needs is to believe a petroleum-based agriculture will always remain abundant. Our greatest chance to ensure food security is to take stalk of our opportunity to foster a local food system. This requires having local farmers, growing local food for the local community.

How do we buck the trend toward commercialization of local agricultural resources? It’s a community wide responsibility! The future cannot be relegated to the landowner, nor can land use be given to the hand of the developer. Comprehensive land planning must include a public vision for local food production just as it must for recreational and open space values. Policy must be put in place that guarantees inclusive zoning; when land is set aside for development, it should protect a portion of land for food production. Tax incentives are necessary to encourage landowners and developers alike to preserve the agricultural heritage of a given property. Additionally, we must seek the means to make land tenure affordable; passing the stewardship of farm land to next generation farmers must preserve the equity of the existing farmer while retaining the affordability of land for the purposes of local food production.

There are a growing number of examples where collaborative efforts have successfully preserved CSA (community supported agriculture) projects. The Rodale Institute posts an encouraging story of one such effort. Read about it here.

This is an endeavor to be taken up by all: by landowners and farmers, by land planners and public officials, by land trusts and conservation groups, by lawmakers and politicians, by churches and schools and public institutions that have access to local lands. A sustainable future is in our hands.

A first ever national conference to focus on land access, tenure and stewardship will be held in our own backyard, June 10-11, Denver, Colorado. Visit the announcement at: www.farmlasts.org/conference.

Italian Sausage Lasagna

Posted by: Allison A.

This lasagna recipe was inspired by a recent visit to Colorado Grown where Amy of Cottonwood Creek Dairy fame was selling freshly made ricotta cheese. The recipe has a surprising number of locally produced ingredients as well as a very elegant taste.

Fresh pasta:

2 cups whole wheat flour – Mountain Mama, San Luis Valley
2 eggs - Weathervane Farm

Measure and pour flour onto a clean work surface and create a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well and beat them lightly with a fork. Using your finger, stir the egg and gradually incorporate all of the flour into the mixture. The dough should be smooth and not too stiff. Have a spray bottle filled with water on hand if you need to add more moisture to the dough. Knead for about 10 minutes or until elastic. Wrap the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out ½ of dough on a lightly floured surface. Rotating the dough ¼ turn as you work, continue until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Once you get to this point, you will need to stretch the dough to your desired thickness. (See Joy of Cooking for a nice explanation of this process.) Cut the pasta into 4” wide lasagna strips and allow to dry for an hour before cooking.

For the sauce:

2 T organic extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, diced – Colorado Grown
3 cloves garlic, minced – Colorado Grown
1 lb. Italian sausage – Colorado Grown
handful of sliced mushrooms
1 qt. jar homemade marinara sauce

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and onion. Cook until browned, remove from skillet and set aside. Remove sausage from their casings and place in hot skillet. Add mushrooms. After the sausage is cooked, add the onion and marinara sauce. Heat throughout.

For the cheese:

1 lb. ricotta – Cottonwood Creek Dairy
2 eggs, slightly beaten – Weathervane Farm
2 cups chopped spinach – Erin’s Greenhouse
salt and pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste, leaving the mozzarella separate. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400˚.
Cook pasta in salted water until it is slightly underdone. Drain. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Layer the bottom with lasagna, half of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the sausage mixture, and 1/3 of the mozzarella. Repeat. Top with remaining lasagna, sausage mixture, and mozzarella.

Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Enjoy!