Cooley's Citrus Farm

This month's Meet Your Farmer is focused on Cooley's Citrus Farm , located in Longville, La.  Mr. Cooley and his wife Ann are very special to our family.  We have been friends with the Cooleys' for years now as they are our neighbors and employers of 3 of our children over the years. 
Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Ann have always been willing to take time out of their busy schedule to teach our children about anything.  This year Mr. Jimmy taught our family and the Duff family how to graft citrus trees.  I personally consider grafting a critical element in learning about farming. Mr Jimmy likes to grow fruit and pecan trees.  Since the 80's he has grown thousands of them- satsumas, navel, lemon, and kumquat are his specialties. 
His passion for growing began with just about 30 fruit trees that he planted around his home and sawmill in Longville.  The satsumas soon drew the attention of his customers visiting his sawmill, and Cooley started to sell a small amount of satsumas.
"We used to sell them by the dozen in those days, and it got so we were selling all of them," said Mr. Jimmy.
With this early success and his interest in growing trees, he decided to grow more.  Mr. Jimmy planted 75 more trees and the next year he added 75 more.  In the following three years, he grew his orchard to more than 300 satsuma trees with a few navel orange, kumquat and lemon trees thrown into the mix.
The sawmill was replaced by Cooley's Citrus Farm.  Jimmy and Ann harvest between 40,000 - 50,000 pounds of satsumas per year.  
Mr. Cooley sells to retail and wholesale buyers including local grocery stores and to road side sales people like me.
"Every year, we start getting calls the first of October wanting to know when the fruit is ready," said Mr. Jimmy.
The roadside vendors buy Cooley's satsumas in large quantities.  These sales require the least amount of handling by Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Ann.  The Cooley's Citrus Farm website and classified ads help customers to find Cooley's farm and nursery.  His drive-up customers come from all over Louisiana and some of East Texas to purchase fruit and trees.  
Cooley's Citrus Farm is a Louisiana Department of Agriculture Certified Nursery.  Mr. Jimmy sells mostly satsuma trees propagated from his orchard trees.  He buds (grafts) about 1,000 fruit/pecan trees per year.  Most satsuma and fruit trees are grown by grafting  buds into a trifoliata rootstock, allowing for faster fruit production and a hardier tree.
"I just like to see the process it takes.  I grow the rootstock from a seed.  I graft the tree on it.  I cut it off and watch it grow.  It is amazing to me that you can have a quality citrus tree available to plant in 18 months," said Mr. Cooley.  Most of the satsumas that are grown in Southwest Louisiana are grown and sold at the farm.
I would encourage you to visit Cooley's Citrus Farm and see for yourself what a blessing the Cooleys' are.  I'm sure you can sit on a swing on the porch and talk with them with a cup of coffee, almost any afternoon!  I appreciate Mr. Jimmy's attention to the community.  He has donated time teaching grafting at Phelps Correctional Center also.  He is always eager to help his neighbor and has a servant's heart.  My children have enjoyed helping pick satsumas over the years and I pray he stays picking till my little ones are big enough to help too!  We appreciate the character qualities he and Mrs. Ann teach our children.  This local farmer is a hidden gem in the woods of Longville! 

November 16th Market

We are excited about this Saturday's Farmers Market.  We will have our usual line up of:
 HillCrest Creamery Milk                Fresh Eggs
 Satsumas                                         Okra
 Baked Goods                                  Peppers of all kinds
 Home Made Sewing crafts              Cloth Diaper Cover
 Honey, Jellies and More

We have added a few in-season items for this week!

Grapefruit     Lemons       Sweet Potatoes    Mustard Greens

We will be at Tractor Supply in Moss Bluff from 8am to 12pm.
Come and See Us!

Get Your Vitamin C

Fall is a great time get in your Vitamin C!  I'm not much for taking pills and remembering to take something on a daily basis is just not going to happen.  Brushing my teeth and taking a bath are about the only things I think gets done on a daily basis! I was reading an article about Vitamin C and how important it is for:  Immune Support, Allergy Support, Healing, Eye Health, Respiratory Health, Heart Health, Stabilizing Blook Glucose Levels, Digestive Health and much more. 

Several Sources for Vitamin C are available during this time of year:

1.  Mango
2.  Red and Green Peppers
3.  Strawberries
4.  Leafy greens, including Kale and Spinach
5.  Sweet Potatoes
6.  Cantaloupe
7.  Pineapple
8.  Tomatoes
9.  Kiwi
10. Citrus fruits

We can eat our Vitamin C and get all of our daily fiber requirements at the same time!  It's best to get Vitamin C through a healthy diet of fresh, whole foods.  Adult recommended daily intake is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men; taking over 2,000 mg a day is not recommended, as it can cause stomach issues.  My children well know this after gorging on satsumas which are now in season!  I pray you have a blessed day! 

Kale and Apple Salad with Orange-Coconut Yogurt Dressing

Kale , Apples, and Oranges are in season and should be available at your local farmers market.  I have not had much experience with Kale but after eating Kale in a wonderful lasagna at the Gotreaux Family Farm in October, I have a new found respect for it. 

Kale and Apple Salad with Orange-Coconut Yogurt Dressing

Preparation time: 25 min
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

4 to 5 large leaves curly green kale, center ribs removed and composted, sliced into ribbons (approximately 4 cups cut)
1 apple, core removed, diced into approximately 3/8" to 1/2" cubes (approximately 2 cups diced)
1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup chopped, roasted, hazelnuts

Dressing:

2 Tbsp. plaing Greek-style yogurt
1 tsp. light coconut milk
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
1/3 txp. fresh orange zest
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine yogurt, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, honey and orange zest.  Slowly wisk olive oil into mixture, until thoroughly combined.  Set aside.

2.  Place ribbons of kale in a large bowl and add dressing.  Using tongs, carefully massage dressing into greens for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  This will tame the greens (soften them) a bit and wor flavor of dressing throughout.  Add diced apple, pomegranate seeds and nuts to bowl and lightly toss.  Serve with additional slices of apple alongside, and/or top with additional chopped hazelnuts, if preferred.

Butternut Squash Soup

I hope to give you recipes using fall vegetables so you can expand the menu you prepare for your family using what is available to you at market.  If you don't have exactly every ingredient then improvise using your favorites. Citrus is in season and Butternut squash at this time so this recipe is perfect!

Butternut Squash Soup

Preparation time: 45 min
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 lbs. Butternut squash
2 Yellow onions, sliced
1 Apple sliced
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
4 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cups Chicken stock
Salt
Pepper

Cooking Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Place the butternut squash and 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a sheet pan and roast for 25 minutes until soft.

3.  Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stockpot and saute' the onions and apples until soft- about 5 minutes.

4.  Scoop out the butternut squash and add to the onion and apple mixture.

5.  Add chicken stock and orange juice to stockpot and let cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The Giant Chinchilla

The most beloved rabbit on our farm is Smokey, a giant chinchilla.  When we bought out a local rabbitry last year, Smokey came with it.  He is a GIANT of a buck.  It is amazing to me that this gentle giant is the most calm of any of our rabbits.  Smokey is always ready for a good scratchin.  He isn't the only buck, but Lyndee uses him most of the time for breeding.  We had to bring in a few foreign bucks but like I said, Smokey is the favorite.  I thought that people might like an overview of the Giant Chinchilla breed.
The Giant Chinchilla was created by Edward H. Stahl, a true pioneer of the rabbit industry in the United States.  In 1919, Stahl was one of the first to get his hands on a new breed imported into the United States- the Chinchilla.  He knew the breed would be a hit, but the standard Chinchilla was just too small.  Stahl sought to create the "Giant Chinchilla", hoping to give additional size and value to the Chinchilla breed.
On Christmas morning 1921, after several years of experimental breeding, a Giant Chinchilla doe was born that Stahl considered the ideal.  He named her "Million Dollar Princess"- and a million-dollar princess she was. 
Stahl eventually went on to become the first and only individual to ever make a million dollars from the sale of rabbit breeding stock.  He's often considered the father o the domestic rabbit industry in America.
Giant Chinchillas a re a large breed with mature bucks weighing in at 12 to 15 pounds and does at 13 to 16 pounds.  The breed in gentle in nature, making it a good option for novice rabbit keepers.  Does have large litters and make good mothers.
The Giant Chinchilla makes a good multipurpose breed, providing rich meat and quality furs.  Due to their large size, hutches with all wooden floors and a heavy bedding of shavings and straw are needed.  Youngsters grow very fast, producing meat quickly and cost efficiently.  It is easy to produce a 7 pound fryer in just 2 months.  Grit's guide to backyard rabbits.

Lots of people may wonder how we "eat our pets," but there is a perspective I want our children to have.  The food we eat comes from somewhere.  The chicken nugget didn't just magically appear (in our country's present state it was probably assisted by a lab).  An animal had to die so we could consume it's meat.  I realize not everyone wants to handle that animal or see it be harvested, but there is the stark reality that if you like meat it has to be done.  We like the idea of raising our own meat.  We know how the animal was taken care of, what it was fed, how it was harvested and most of all, if it was given any medications.  I would rather spend extra time and feed on an animal on our farm than to buy testosterone injected, DNA altered animals that are raised in massive numbers and in inhumane conditions.  I'm no animal rights activist or anything but I believe that the animals raised here are happy.  The adult rabbits are pastured on fresh grass in rotation.  We can't put them all out at 1 time or breeding would be a mess!  The nutritional value of our food has declined and we are to blame.  Get involved in what you feed your family.  Is the produce fresh or sprayed with the latest and greatest chemicals?  Is the meat filled with pink slime or healthy cuts from healthy animals?  Have your eggs been bleached? 
Many times Lyndee has brought a new batch of the "cutest" baby bunnies in to see mama while I'm making supper.  She loves every one of them.  They are so tame by harvest time that they can be bought as pets.  Lyndee knows when it's time to harvest and she doesn't think twice about getting all of her supplies ready and calling in her siblings in for help.  She also doesn't have a problem sitting down to rabbit pot pie and eating her fill!  The rabbitry is her job.  She owns it, runs it and does a wonderful job as an 11 year old girl! 
We hope you enjoy your dressed rabbits!  We enjoyed raising them and you can be assured that they are healthy and nutritious for your family!