Herb’n Renewal Update!

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated our blog but that has a bunch to do with the fact that we are soooooo busy in real life! Drew is still the “GrillMan” at Caros restaurant during the week and I am now the Herb’n Renewal human on the farm! EEK! Yes, I have learned, after a few mishaps, how to blend our seasonings! Have to admit that some customers purchased our Good’n Garlicky in a “not so grinded” state but they seemed to love it all them same. Lol Drew just rolled his eyes and I’m sure screamed under his breath because of my mistake, but it all worked out just fine in the end.

Okay, now about what’s going on at Herb’n Renewal. As most of you know, we were members of the Lexington Farmers’ Market for many years and we loved it for most them. But there comes a time when you have to decide if something that you love doing is a “job” or fun. We decided it was a job and that’s not a good thing. When something that you love doing becomes a chore it is time for a change. We were not happy for the past few years with the “goings on” at the market and we made the decision to leave. It was hard…we miss our friends. But we had our reasons for leaving and it has turned out to be a great decision on our part.

Herb’n Renewal is now a proud member of the Bluegrass Farmers’ Market and I couldn’t be happier! I say “I” because Drew stays home on Saturday to take care of the mowing, weeding, general chores that he thinks I can’t handle, etc. In other words, you will only see Karin at the Bluegrass Farmers’ Market unless Drew gets talked into being a guest chef and hands out his wonderful samples! Which, by the way, he did at our Customer Appreciation Day a few weeks ago.

The Bluegrass Farmers’ Market is a dream come true for me. I’m having fun while trying to earn a living. My fellow farmers are the very best around. We have one fellow who makes sure that he finds something to do even after he packs his truck up after a long day of sales. Know why? He wants to make sure that all of the gals that sell at the market get their vans and trucks started before they leave! He’s a sneaky guy and he thinks we don’t know what he is doing…we do and we appreciate it. It’s the camaraderie that is always present at this market, something that had left the other market.

So, Herb’n Renewal is alive and doing very well at Lexington’s only 100% homegrown/produced farmers market. One that is really full of farmers and producers. Genuine, honest, “I grew, baked, produced, canned it” folks! We started to miss that and it’s so nice to find a home where we really feel like farmers rule!!!!

Now that you know what has happened to Herb’n Renewal, come visit us at the Bluegrass Farmers’ Market. We’re set up each Saturday from 9 until 2 (unless it is pouring down rain) at 3450 Richmond Rd. It’s right next to the Glenn Auto Mall, just outside Man ‘O War Blvd. I promise, parking is so very convenient, it’s easy to maneuver wheelchairs and strollers and we still bring dog biscuits to the market so dogs are always welcome!

Check out the Bluegrass Farmers’ Market blog at http://www.localharvest.org/blog/29529/

We’d love to have you visit us at our new home!

Herb’n Renewal is happy once again at a farmers market!!!

Yes, we’re still in business!

Drew is still blending his wonderful herb seasoning and Karin is still packing them…she’s also still making her wonderful soaps!  Plus, she’s getting ready to start doing her fabulous holiday gift baskets!

 

Life at Caros has been soooooo busy!  We’ve remodeled, added new equipment and brightened “The Joint” up!   It’s funny how your life changes when you least expect it.  Drew swore he would never go back into the restaurant business and here is, partner in Caros!  Karin never thought she would be “running” the farm by herself and other than using the tractor she is managing!  All those years of selling at the Lexington Farmers’ Market have been put aside for the newest challange in their lives.  Well, sort of…we’re still setting up our booth each Saturday inside Caros.

 

Yup, we have the same great herb blends, the wonderful homemade soaps and even our gift holiday gift baskets will soon make an appearance!  You can find us each Saturday from 7am until 1pm inside Caros on So. Upper St.  It’s just around the corner from the Lexington Farmers’ Market!  And, don’t forget that you can always give us a call at (859) 548-3516 or email us at rubnseason@aol.com to place an order.  And, our website at www.herbnrenewal.com is open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Guess I better explain my letter to the editor!

It appears as though my letter to the editor of the Herald-Leader newspaper has brought up some questions.

http://www.kentucky.com/595/story/466161.html

Many of the emails that I have received are asking me where I thought the problems the market had, came from. Here’s my reply, and yes…I am sending them out just as written to everyone who wants a reply.

“Well, in my opinion it started about 5 years ago when Janet Eaton with the Kentucky Ag. Dept. suggested that the board (I was on it at the time) use the services of Larry Snell, Kentucky Center for Cooperative Development, to show us how to better the market.  He made many suggestions one being that the market change the way the ByLaws were written.  The board worked almost an entire year trying to come up with new bylaws with his guidance.  There were only two of us, myself and Jane O’Tiernan, who thought they were going in a wrong direction.  The new bylaws gave the board the right to do anything without having to ask the farmer membership…including changing the rules at will.  The board was told that we had to put up a united front on the day of the general meeting in which the membership got to vote on the new bylaws.  I stood up and advised everyone to read them carefully.  Unfortunately, I think everyone was confused and befuddled at the time and when one, soon to be on the new board, person called for a point of order the vote went through and the farmers lost any rights they ever had.   In my opinion, it’s gone downhill ever since.

Farmers were not allowed to discuss market business amongst themselves.  In fact, Jane O’Tiernan was kicked out of the market after 18 years of selling there for voicing her opinion to a customer!  She was never even given the chance to defend herself.  Roger Postley was kicked out just two years ago for questioning the wording in the membership agreement.  The old rules supported farmers and I just don’t feel like the new ones…or the ones they write on the spur of the moment, aid the small farmer or producer.  It would have cost Drew and I $400 on January 1st to join the market and then $40 everyday that we set up.  Small farmers cannot afford that!  I know for a fact that the majority of the farmers would never have voted for that.

 

The market manager makes a very good salary for what little he does.  Volunteers used to do it all and in my opinion they did it better!  The atmosphere at the market has totally changed and there are “favorite” farmers who can do anything while other farmers are told they can’t do the same thing.  Each farmer is allowed only two booths yet two of the board members have three!  When I questioned it, I was basically told to mind my own business.

 

We just decided that the market was a “job” vs. a fun experience and it was time for us to move on.  I wrote the letter to the editor because Leo Keene should not have made those remarks about the head of the Mayor’s Task Force for the Farmers Market…you don’t bite the hand that gives you free space!  He should have been kicked out immediately just like Jane and Roger.  But, no…he’s a “favorite!”  I think customers need to know that the farmers just don’t pull up their trucks and sell…the market charges them quite a bit.

 

I loved the market and I am thankful that I still get to see my farmer friends each Saturday.  It used to be a great market and I’m hoping it will be again…one where the farmers are smiling and enjoying their day.  It makes the customers enjoy it all the more.

 

So, now you know why I wrote the letter,

Karin “

I can’t say any more or any less about my opinion and my reason for writing the letter. It’s simple…you do not bite the “knickers” of someone who has some control over who gets FREE space on a public road in downtown Lexington!!!

Here’s the link to the article that Beverly Fortune wrote in case you did not get to read it.

	http://www.kentucky.com/179/story/452097.html   I guess I just feel that the whole idea of a farmers market…some place where real farmers and actual producers go to sell their wares, is being lost at the Lexington Farmers’ Market.  A perfect example was the wonderful, and don’t get me wrong…they were wonderful, Cheddar Snaps from Nancy’s Fancy.  I sampled some, had to have them and paid $8.95 for a box of what I thought was homebaked snacks.  I got home and looked at the box and realized that they were manufactured “for” Nancy’s Fancy!  Okay, it might have been Nancy’s recipe but according to the package she did not make them.  They were wonderful and I would buy them again…just not what I expected at a farmers market.  Kentucky is lucky enough to have a law that allows farmers to use their homegrown items and bake/produce in their kitchens..it’s a hands on thing!  I love it and praise the state for allowing farmers to add value added products to their offerings.  I just don’t think that items that the actual vendor has no “hands on” belong at a farmers market. Maybe I am wrong, but I hope not.  Like I said, it’s only my opinion. Having said all of that I will once again say that you can’t beat a farmers market.  It’s the very best place in the world to meet folks, get to know the grower, buy local which really helps the economy and to just plain enjoy the flavor of real food!  I will continue to shop at the Lexington Farmers’ Market with gusto..in fact I even printed out customer review cards for farmers to display.  They told fellow customers just how wonderful those items that I purchased the previous week were. Yes, I support a real and honest farmers market.  The Lexington Farmers’ Market was a fun and exciting place to shop and sell.  I just think it’s lost that farmer feel and I apologize to Katie Kriegel for her years of work trying to make it the best market around..she succeeded and now that feeling is gone. BTW, this is just my honest opinion and I respect anyone who feels as though the Lexington Farmers’ Market is a place to find only local foods.  The great thing is we are all entitled to our opinions.  Please continue to support the “real” growers and producers…they depend on you for their living!

 

 

 

Life is getting better!

Drew is now helping Robin out at Caros restaurant each weekday and he’s finding out he can still be a pretty darn good fry cook! lol  On Saturday, I’ve been setting up our “wares” inside where it has been dry and warm vs. the outdoor market where Mother Nature has not been so good.  Robin fixes a mean omelet and Drew mans the grill for lunch, so stop by and say “howdy” and enjoy some really good “joint” food!

The clothes lines have been busy all week with this gorgeous sun and light winds.  I’m trying to get a jump on the spring laundry before the rain and cold temps hit us next week.  I wish you all could have heard us last night when we crawled into bed.  The ooooh’s and aaaah’s were quite loud…you’d think we were doing something other than snuggling into our fresh smelling clean sheets!!!  I’m telling you that I will never go back to drying them in a clothes dryer again.  That outdoor fresh scent cannot be duplicated.

I’m still baking a bunch only now it seems to be more cookies than bread.  Drew is the bread eater in our family and he’s so darn tired when he gets home he really doesn’t want much food but he sure can find space for a cookie or two!  It’s fun to play with recipes.  I found myself without any eggs and I really wanted to bake…that’s not an easy task but I did a search, asked a few friends and came up with a recipe that Drew said tasted like store bought “Pecan Sandies.”  Not a pecan one in the recipe, but what the heck, he enjoyed them.

Here’s the recipe…

I made the “egg” thingie before I started mixing the rest of the stuff.

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon flour

1 ½ tablespoons water

Then I semi stole the recipe posted on Frugal Friends, with a bit of modification, for cookies

1 1/3 c flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspon baking powder

½ cup butter, softened

¾ c sugar

egg stuff

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons peanut butter

½ c corn flakes, hand crushed

Preheat oven to 375. Mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream the sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in egg stuff, peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Stir in corn flakes. It’s stiff dough!!! Take about a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball them semi press flat; place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

They are not very peanut buttery…just a hint. They are more on the dry vs. moist side…crunchy!  If I had ice cream I would love to try them in a homemade ice cream sandwich. I liked them, but what do I know about cookies!

Once the cookies were baked I headed outdoors and studied the weeds for ahwile before I decided that they just would not go away on their own.    How come weeds can tolerate frost while my plants need to be covered?  I guess it must be those yard long roots that the buggers have.  I pulled, dug, cut, tugged and finally got two areas cleaned out and they look beautiful.  I had a “friend” helping me to get through the dreaded task!

 

See, weeding can be beautiful when friends help!

Remember, we are set up inside Caros each Saturday from 7 until 2 so stop by and say Hi! 

WOW, a new opportunity!

Boy oh boy, what a past few weeks it has been! My mom always told me not to say anything unless I could say something nice so I haven’t been updating the blog simply cause I really was having a hard time trying to find something really nice to say! We’ve had floods, the furnace broke, the clothes dryer died, the price of gas went up…again! It just hasn’t been a pleasant last few weeks, but that’s all behind us now.

I am enjoying the wonderful fresh smell of our sheets and clothes as they come off of the line. The aroma of the home baked bread that I have finely learned how to make is unbelievable! We’ve learned how to snuggle again when the temperatures drop…that’s a good thing after 14 years! Lol Unfortunately we can’t do much about the gas prices but we’re not alone with that.

Our little shop is not doing as well as we had hoped but the good thing is we have made some new friends and we have new customers! Drew had been looking for a job all winter and it’s difficult when your vehicle only gets 8 MPG. A friend of ours owns Caros, a local “joint” in Lexington and she offered to let us set up shop each Saturday during the Lexington Farmers’ Market. We were thrilled because that meant we would still have access to our regular Lexington customers. Then Drew got a call from her very early this morning asking if he could come in and help her man the grill. It appears that her partners did not want to work on Saturday so they walked out on her! It’s tough to cook and run the register at the same time, so Drew will be helping her out. Who knows where this will lead but Robin is a darling and as Drew always tells her “I’ve got your back!”

Of course that leaves me to do the packing for the “market.” YIKES!!!! I promise I’ll do a good job and I’ll remember to include all of the recipes. You can count your blessings…Drew had already blended all of the seasoning this week. Lol

So, this is me heading to the kitchen so we can be ready for opening day at the market. Remember that we will be inside at Caros on Upper St. It’s just across from where we used to set up on the corner of Vine and Upper. Robin and probably Drew, will be cooking a full breakfast and a light lunch menu from 7 until 2 so stop by and enjoy a “cuppa” with us.

Of course, this means that our little shop on the farm will be closed on Saturdays….sorry.

BTW, the gals are doing just fine!

 

Sunday’s Do’in!

It looks like it’s going to be a rainy Sunday but we’re ready for business no matter what the weather brings. Sharon Thompson, food editor, for the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper but a nice little blurb in today’s paper so maybe it will help get the word out that we’re open for business on our farm! We sure do thank her.

I’ve been thinking more about really promoting our custom labels. We did one for a teacher appreciation week this week and they turned out great. Maybe visit a few of the wedding planners in the area or tuxedo rental shops…maybe even bridal shops. Our packets of herb seasoning with a custom label and the words “marriage adds spice to your life” on the back have been big hits as wedding favors. Of course, I can do just about anything that the bride and groom want. We’ve even done them for special occasions like 50^th reunions and family gatherings. This might be the next thing I concentrate on. Just thinking out loud and trying to come up with yet another aspect of Herb’n Renewal! Lol

We enjoyed a bit of summer last night when Drew headed outside to barbeque some chicken breasts on the grill. We tried the Country Bob’s barbeque sauce and it was really good. Add some sweet tater fries and a macaroni salad and we had a summertime picnic in the middle of winter! Don’t forget that you can get a coupon for a free bottle of Country Bob’s wonderful sauce at www.countrybobs.com. I know, you’re thinking why the heck would we be promoting a seasoning when we blend our own. Well, this stuff is good and everyone needs a change now and again. Besides, it’s wonderful on a leftover pork loin that we grill with our Rub’n Season Pork! We’re hooked on the stuff so make sure you get your free bottle and give it a try.

Speaking of pork, how about having your own summer treat in the middle of winter with these great and good for you burgers.

Porkey Burgers

¼ cup minced onion

¼ cup minced green pepper

¼ tsp bacon drippings

1 egg, slightly beaten

¼ cup plain bread crumbs

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. Ketchup

1 ¼ lb. Ground pork

1 ¼ lb. Ground turkey

2 tbsp. Herb’n Cowboy

Saute onions and peppers in bacon drippings for 5 minutes. Meanwhile add bread crumbs to egg; add Worcestershire, Herb’n Cowboy and ketchup. Blend together. Add onion and pepper mix and blend in. Add ground meats and “squish” till well blended. Form patties and let sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Grill or pan fry till thoroughly cooked. Enjoy!

Well, time to open the shop for the day. Don’t forget that we are open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 until 6. We’re super easy to find and only a short drive from Lexington. Take RT 27 south past Nicholasville. Go over the Kentucky River and look for RT 1845 on the right just as you go up the hill. Turn and go 2.4 miles and you’ll find us on the left. Hope to see you all at the farm!

Am I the only one in a rut?

I don’t know about anyone else but this darn cold and snowy weather puts me in a rut! All I want to do is cuddle up with a soft quilt, a hot cocoa and peruse my seed catalogs. I guess it helps to look at all of those beautiful flowers and wonderful veggies. I’m trying to think spring but it just isn’t working. I’m beginning to think that I need to move to a warmer climate. I’m getting close to retirement age and those sunny states are starting to call my name. There’s only one problem. Just cause 65 is only a few short years down the road you have to have the $$$ to retire. Having a mom and pop herb business has not really added to my portfolio! lol Oh well, I love Kentucky and can’t imagine living anywhere else…I just wish that spring would hurry up and get here!

I going to try and talk Drew into fixing us a big pot of chili and cornbread for dinner tonight. I guess I could offer to do it but that would mean that I would have to put my catalogs aside and come out from under my quilt. I don’t think that’s gonna happen today. I let the dogs out early this morning and took one look at the snow and ice and quickly crawled back into my rut!

Even Drew decided to stay in bed a bit longer this morning and that’s very unusual for him. I did get a big giggle watching him. He had the covers pulled up over his head and the only thing peeping out was his nose and mouth and he was snoring so loud I thought it might start peeling off the wallpaper! Little LouLou, our newly neutered, cross-eyed darling was right up in his face moving his head from side to side. He looked like he was trying to figure out where that God awful noise was coming from!

Okay, Karin get your butt in gear and quit being such a lazy bones. The least I can do is take the pork out of the freezer so Drew can start creating. Here’s the recipe for one of my favorite ways to prepare a different chili.

Hog Wild Chili

3 lbs. pork loin, cubed

2 tbsp. Bacon drippings

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup diced green pepper

1 12 oz. can of beer

1 28 oz. Can diced tomatoes

1 29 oz. Can tomato sauce

3 tbsp. Chili Season’n

1 30 oz. Can chili beans

1 15.5 oz cans of Northern beans

Brown pork in bacon drippings until moisture is reduced and meat is lightly browned. Add peppers and onions; saute’ 5 minutes. Add beer, tomatoes, sauce and Chili Season’n. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Add beans and return to a simmer and cook until meat is tender…approximately 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. If chili is not the desired thickness, add 1 tbsp. of cornmeal at a time to thicken …make sure you stir after adding each spoonful.

Stay warm all!

P.S. “Bernie” is doing better but he is still not 100%.

Poor “Bernie” is not well!

“Bernie” is our van and only form of transportation and he is not doing very well.   It’s times like this when you wished you lived in the big city. Drew’s friend was going to come help him install the new part but unfortunately he is sick.  

I have to share today with you.  We had to laugh cause it’s much better than crying which is what we both felt like doing.

Drew coaxed Bernie to the next town and picked up the part that we had to order.

Drew decides to do it himself…not a good thing when you are not really a mechanic! EEK

Drew comes in and asks me for some assistance…excuse me, where the heck do you see “mechanics assistant on my resume!” lol

Karin is trying to get her computer straightened out but what the heck, Bernie is more important.

Karin finds out that the job of assistant is not that hard…hold the light so said mechanic can see what the heck he is doing. Hope she doesn’t expect much pay for this job.

Oh my, Karin soon learns that holding the light is not the only task she will have to perform! She has to get her hands and arms greasy while trying to maneuver around stuff that seems to be important to the operation of Bernie…all that just to hold a wrench!

After disconnecting hoses, unscrewing things finally the BAD part is out!

Drew removes the connecting thingie and then goes to attach it to the new part…OOPS, forgot to see what direction it went on!

Karin is back to holding light and making comments about doing a diagram or labeling each piece as you remove/take it apart. She is not getting a very nice look from Drew.

New part is soon assembled in the correct position.

Karin is holding light in one hand and holding a wheel of some sort so it does not move while Drew tries to tighten bolts. Drew is trying to use a thingie with a handle to get the bolts tight…handle does not fit well and here comes the first knuckle boo boo.

Yes, it works and new piece is now in place and Karin is told that it’s a good thing that it is not too tight…Drew might have to adjust it.

Karin gives Drew a “whatever” look!

Time for a break so that we can feed the tribe and Karin can attempt to wash off the grease.

Back to the garage to finish getting Bernie up and running.

Karin is back to light holding while Drew attempts to figure out where the belt goes…isn’t a belt something you wear around your waist? HaHa! So much for Karin being a mechanics assistant. She needs to learn the lingo!

Well, heck…the belt is much bigger than any round wheels that it might possibly go around. 

 Karin gives Drew that “are you sure” look…again!

Drews tells Karin to pull the belt up straight and hold it…why she asks, it’s not on the wheel thingie!!!

Karin, the assistant, is asked to go get a tape measure??? Okay, big boy, whatever you say.

Yup, the belt is 3″ too long for the wheels that it has to go around to function properly.

So, do you push Bernie outside and hope that you can push him back into half of the garage…remember, the rest is full of stuff!  Nope, you clip tarps everywhere semi protecting the garage. Then you make the sad mistake of listening to the weather report. Severe weather, high direct winds and loads of rain!

Guess who will not be sleeping tonight while we keep watch on the garage…that rain could seep into the shop!

If you have managed to read this far, know that a friend stopped by and brought us a bottle of vodka…do you smell martini tonight!  God bless her, we both could use one!

Tomorrow’s chore…find a friend or enemy that is willing to go get the correct belt so that we can get Bernie up and running.

 Good thing is the shop will be open this Friday, Saturday and Sunday!  Bernie doesn’t have to be running to open the shop.

 

Opening weekend thoughts!

We had the grand opening of our little shop this past weekend and while the crowds that we had hoped for did not flock to our farm, we did get to meet some new folks. That’s always a good thing! And, with the lack of customers we had plenty of free time to continue our de-cluttering the garage efforts. I can’t believe how much stuff “we” have accumulated. Actually it’s more of a “me” thing cause I swear I find stuff that I know I can use somewhere, sometime. Unfortunately that just hasn’t happened yet. What was I thinking when I saved those thousands of shells? Oh yeah, I was going to use them to decorate my gourd baskets. I don’t want you to think that I still have all of them left…I did use some of them! Lol My word, I guess I had also hoped I would get some major craft ideas to pop into my pea brain because I had bunches of magazines saved too! The great part is somebody else is going to either use them or save them just like I did..they went to a good home! And, did I mention baskets? Holy Mackerel where did they all come from!!! Again, they went to a good home and hopefully will raise some much needed funds for a local charity.

Now, about opening day. For the past 10 years I have only had to get fully dressed one day a week…maybe two. When I say “fully dressed” I mean the whole make-up, hair styling, the putting on of the dreaded “stop’em from flopp’in” thing and real shoes. I’m sure some of you gals know what I am talking about. Well, all of a sudden I am about to be in public view for three days straight! That’s another big EEK! What was I thinking when I got this brainstorm to open this shop? Must have been a case of dain bramage on my part. It actually felt kinda good to be clothed in something other than my sweats for a change. But, apparently those plaid flannel britches that they tout as “leisure” pants are not what one should wear when greeting customers. I had a lady tell me that I looked comfortable in my pajama’s! Next week I’ll wear jeans…maybe they’re more formal for my kind of work. I know that it’ll take a bit to get folks used to the fact that we’re now a business on the farm and not at the market. Let’s see what happens next weekend…we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

The lack of traffic did give us the opportunity to cook and bake too. I baked some bread and fried some of that wonderful Georgia Wild Caught shrimp that we had in our freezer. I tried something new with them this time. So simple and so good. For the shrimp just peel and devein them…a rinse in salted cold water will bring back that fresh caught flavor. I then gave them a toss in plain old flour, a dip in an egg and water wash and then finally into a mixture of smashed corn flakes and bread crumbs that I seasoned with our Good’n Garlicky. Make sure your oil (we use Canola) is 350-375 degrees and drop the shrimp in and fry for just a few minutes until golden brown. Do not over cook them! Drew made a new to me dipping sauce and it was wonderful. Of course I asked him for the recipe so I could pass it on and he said he just “winged it!” I’ll just tell you that it tasted like a tartare sauce with some ketchup thrown in but it didn’t taste like a Thousand Island dressing. I’ll have to see if I can get him to recreate it so I can write down the recipe.

I love freshly baked bread, who doesn’t! Problem is I am scared of it and from what I understand, I am not alone. I discovered this recipe quite sometime ago and it’s really easy and great!

Oatmeal Bread

3 cups flour
1 1/4 cup quick oats
1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, meltedPreheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl beat the egg, honey and milk. Add the liquid to the dry and mix well…it will be lumpy. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and about 10 minutes or until crusty. Place on a rack and brush with melted butter.

Happy baking!

Don’t forget that our little Herb’n Renewal shop is open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 until 6. We’re easy to find. Just take Rt. 27 south from Lexington around Nicholasville and to the Kentucky River. Once you go over the river you’ll go up a hill and you’ll notice that the road turns into two lanes…make a right onto Rt.1845. Go 2.4 miles and you’ll find us on the left. By the way, be careful on our road, folks think they are driving in England and they have a tendency to use the wrong side of the road! Hope to see you all flocking to our farm this weekend!

 

 

 

 

Friday is the day!

Well, it’s finally here…opening day of our shop on the farm. Herb’n Renewal has been renewed! It’s been a bit difficult trying to squish all of our stuff into such a small space but I think we’ve managed to do it quite well and still leave a table for me to load the baskets, get the packages ready for Drew, etc. We are really excited about our opening tomorrow.

We’ve had so many phone calls and emails asking us where to find our herb blends and my homemade soap now that we are no longer members of the Lexington Farmers’ Market. You have no idea how much we have appreciated the support from our customers and farmers friends. We hope that you all come visit our little bit of heaven…now with a store on it!

Some things just couldn’t change so we had to hang our trusty farmers market sign right next to the front entrance. Heck, we’ve been unpacking and hanging it every Saturday for 10 years and we decided that it deserved a permanent location.

I just have to share a few pictures to show you how you can set up a shop and keep the “renewal” theme going. That tall shelf is an old metal utility thing that I covered in our market tablecloths and added a few bows. Who knew you could do that with a hunk of junk! And, by the way that piggy that you see peeking out from the bottom shelf was a gift from a dear friend of mine and I look at him as though he is my darling Buckwheat watching out for me! Thank you Sherry and Macaw for thinking of me. For those of you who don’t know about Buckwheat, I’ll have to tell you his story another day. Just let it be known that he was mommas piggy and I miss him bunches. 

I’m darn proud to say that the only thing that we purchased to set up our shop were the navy bandannas that I used for the curtains! I was going to use some of the ones Drew had but I thought better of it after I looked at them. I doubt that they would have blocked any sun…appears like they have seen their share of farm sweat!! HaHa!

Well, we hope you will all come visit us and take a peek at our new venture. It’s been fun and we can’t wait to open the doors tomorrow. We’re easy to find and really not a hard drive from Lexington. In fact it’s four lane 99% of the way! Just take Rt. 27 (Nicholasville Rd.) south around Nicholasville and continue until you go over the Kentucky River. When you get to the top of the hill you’ll find Rt. 1845 on the right. That’s our road! If you happen to drive by it you will see the Rocky Top Shell gas station on the right…you went too far so you better turn around. Once you get onto Rt. 1845 (better known as Rogers Rd. but no sign) just go 2.4 miles and you’ll see our sign on the left. Please drive carefully on our road because folks around here think they are in England and they all drive on the wrong side of the road! lol

We’ll be open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10AM until 6PM until we decide what else we want to do with our new found venture. I’m hoping that you’ll be able to come to our farm and we’ll harvest fresh cut herbs while you wait…can’t get much fresher than that! I’m also going to try a new way of gardening and we’ll probably have fresh vegetables all spring and summer. We’re taking baby steps but I can see it all in my dreams each night. Have to admit that it’s fun to wake up with a smile and a purpose.

Geez, almost forgot. We’re giving away a gift basket filled with our herb blends this weekend. Just come on in and sign up and if you are the lucky winner we’ll let you know!

If you have any problems finding us please give us a call at (859) 548-3516. See ya down on the farm!