ORGANIC AND PASTURE-RAISED POULTRY, TURKEY, AND PHEASANT MAIN DISHES
Full Moon Farm, Inc.
Husband and wife David Zuckerman and Rachel Nevitt are co-owners of Full Moon Farm, a 155-acre certified organic farm located on the southern edge of Hinesburg, Vermont. David started Full Moon Farm in Burlington’s Intervale Center in 1999. Rachel, also an organic farmer, joined forces with him in 2001. In 2008, the couple graduated from the Intervale Center’s Farm Program, one of the oldest incubator farm programs in the United States, and purchased a new farm, thanks to financial help from several conservation organizations.
Full Moon Farm is a Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) certified organic farm that grows a variety of organic vegetables on 25 acres and raises certified organic pigs and chickens on the property’s stunningly beautiful acreage. Three-quarters of their products are sold directly to consumers through the farm’s 250-member CSA program and the Burlington Farmers’ Market. The rest is sold wholesale to local stores or food shelves through their “Buy Food Not Crap” program. Both David and Rachel caution the reliance on the word “local” when determining which products to buy. They urge folks, when dining out, to ask which items on the menu are local and certified organic. Both of them stress that it is important to remember that local merely means where food is produced, not how. They clarify that only “certified organic” means no conventional chemical sprays or non-GMO seeds are used, and there is an inspection process in place to verify these claims.
David and Rachel are passionate about conservation, land stewardship, and politics, and they are active members of their community. David, who has worked on farms for most of his adult life, served as a Burlington representative and then as a Chittenden County senator before being elected lieutenant governor of Vermont in 2016. Rachel is a firm believer that less is more. She is adept at many folk arts and loves to share her knowledge of them in environmental and cultural education classes taught on the farm. Both are working hard to rebuild an agricultural economy that benefits the state’s farm community, all its consumers, and, most importantly, Vermont’s soil and water.
Photography by Oliver Parini
Serves 6–8
“If you have someone that you want to make fall in love with you or, perhaps, feel indebted to you for life, this recipe will work magic. It is made from scratch, the hard way, right down to the rendering of the lard, which is made almost entirely with ingredients from our farm. The vegetables are not the usual chicken pot pie suspects, but root veggies that offer a deep, rustic, slightly sweet comfort food—perfect for a cold fall or winter day. Full disclosure, the aforementioned magical power can only work if the cook uses certified organic ingredients from Full Moon Farm. The recipe will still be good if you use substitutions, but the magic will be lost.” —Rachel Nevitt, co-owner, Full Moon Farm
Chicken
2 whole (4 split) organic chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on (about 4 pounds), preferably Full Moon Farm
3 tablespoons organic butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dough
2 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
⅔ cup organic pork leaf lard, chilled, preferably Full Moon Farm, divided
2 tablespoons organic butter, chilled, preferably Organic Valley
¼ cup cold water
Filling
1¼ cups parsnips, peeled, ends removed, and diced into ½-inch pieces
1¼ cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons organic butter, divided, preferably Organic Valley
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
1 cup celeriac root, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, warmed and divided
½ cup organic all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Egg Wash
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle evenly with the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees, about 50 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let the chicken rest for 20 minutes, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
To make the dough: Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in half of the lard with a pastry blender or two knives until it has the consistency of cornmeal. Cut in the remaining lard and butter until the mixture begins to form pea-sized pieces. While mixing the dough with your fingers, add the water in a slow and steady stream until the dough holds together, adding additional water if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and form into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When ready to use, let the dough sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling the disks out.
While the dough is chilling in the refrigerator, start the filling. Place the parsnips and sweet potatoes in a medium pot of salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until just fork tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and celeriac root and sauté until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the parsnips and sweet potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the thyme and 1 cup of chicken broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Fold in the chicken until well combined. Adjust seasoning with thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining ½ cup butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking often, until light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Whisking continuously, slowly add the remaining 2 cups chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper, to taste, until the sauce is thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, trim the excess dough, leaving ½ inch past the edge of the pan. Combine the vegetables with the sauce until well combined. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully spoon the vegetable mixture into the pie crust, making sure not to overflow the crust. Roll the second disk of dough out into a 12-inch round, then place it over the vegetable filling. Trim the excess dough along the edge, so there’s ½ inch of dough past the edge of the pan. Fold the edges of the dough under, then crimp to seal. Whisk the egg and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the surface of the crust, then cut small slits into the top crust.
Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe from Full Moon Farm, Inc.
Photograph by Oliver Parini
Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center
Back in 1990, when the Vermont Land Trust bought the development rights to Cedar Circle Farm, it assumed responsibility for the preservation of this pristine piece of property. The terms of the sale ensure that the land can only be used for farming or forestry enterprises in perpetuity. This agreement protects the farm from being divided into house lots or sold for other commercial purposes. Today, the acreage encompasses a good-sized area of cropland, greenhouses, a farm stand, coffee shop, licensed commercial kitchen, and the Education Center. Cedar Circle Farm’s mission is to increase public awareness of organic agriculture and its health benefits, while spreading the word that eating organic is the best way to ensure that the food you choose is free of genetically modified ingredients.
The farm is situated along Connecticut River in East Thetford, Vermont. Its commercial kitchen was built in 2011, offering customers access to the fresh vegetables and berries grown at Cedar Circle Farm throughout the year. A variety of classes are offered, including how to make jarred preserves, pickles, and pesto—all made with high-quality organic ingredients grown on the farm. There are lessons in the art of canning using the day’s freshly picked crop, which will perhaps be served during the long, cold winter—a tasty reminder of summer’s bounty.
School programs for grades 1–12 offer engaging lessons on organic agriculture, climate change, soil science, and nature in agriculture. There is something for all age groups, from the Little Farmers’ Toddler Program investigating bugs, plants, and chickens, to home school programs that use the farm as an outdoor classroom. Cedar Circle also matches classrooms with farmers based on interests and grade level. During the quiet winter months, the farmer and children in the classroom become pen pals, writing to each other about life and work on the farm. The Education Center hosts classes for adults and children, and offers farm tours, seasonal workshops, summer camp, and harvest festivals.
Cedar Circle’s rustic farm stand sells fresh organic vegetables, berries, and flowers. They even do beautiful flower arrangements for weddings, and it’s no surprise that their cut flowers are also organic. Customers may join the popular CSA program or gather certified organic berries, pumpkins, or flowers from the pick-your-own fields.
The folks at Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center firmly believe that healthy soil is the product of regenerative organic practices, which, in turn, are the key to growing good food. They strongly support the movement to halt GMOs, toxic pesticides, and factory animal production. For many years, farmer activists from Cedar Circle Farm have been involved in the movement against GMOs in agricultural crops, fighting for the labeling of food products that contain GMOs. Their message is loud and clear: “Eating organic is the simplest way to ensure that what you eat is free of genetically modified ingredients.” The people at Cedar Circle Farm want their customers to know that the healthy food choices they make can ultimately have a positive effect on the well-being of our planet.
Spinach and Smoked Chicken Gratin
Serves 6
“This is an excellent recipe to make in the late winter using a hardy storage potato, like a russet, along with spinach from farm greenhouses. Good cheese and cream and smoked chicken round out the mix in this dish for those last chilly evenings. Gratin recipes can get pretty involved; we came up with an easy and delicious one that can be mixed in a single dish and baked up hot to serve alongside tangy winter greens for an easy supper.” —Alison Baker, former kitchen manager and chef, Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
5 cups loosely packed baby spinach
1 cup sliced smoked chicken
1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch-thick circles
⅔ cup half-and-half
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8-by-11-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the spinach and smoked chicken until well combined. Stir in the sour cream, salt, and pepper, mixing until well combined.
Arrange a layer of the potatoes evenly on the bottom of the prepared dish, overlapping the slices. Spread some of the spinach mixture over the top. Continue layering the potatoes and spinach mixture, ending with the spinach mixture. Carefully pour the half-and-half over the spinach mixture; it should just rise up the sides but not cover the potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe from Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center
Photograph by Oliver Parini
Burelli Farm
After spending many years working in New York and New Jersey, Peter Burmeister and his wife, Katherine Fanelli, decided that it was time to change their lifestyle. Many years prior to this decision, Peter’s very first job had been on a farm making hay and cutting corn by hand. He always loved the agricultural way of life, which made moving to Vermont in 2003 seem like a dream come true.
Peter and Katherine began their present organic farming career in 2007 with a small herd of cattle. Their first farm was in Marshfield. They purchased Burelli Farm in Berlin, Vermont, in 2010. The couple raise Normande beef, whose heritage can be traced back to the fifth century, when the Vikings brought them to France. These animals, which are very popular in Europe, have now gained recognition in the United States because they produce superior beef on a diet that consists entirely of grasses. They are the perfect fit for Burelli Farm’s 85 acres located not too far from downtown Montpelier. Pigs and chickens are also part of this NOFA-certified farm’s animal and bird community.
In 2014, a certified organic Vermont state–inspected chicken processing facility was built on the property. It is the only facility of its kind in Central Vermont. The farm’s organic meat birds are processed there with the service offered to other area farms as well. All of the farm’s chickens are raised on feed that is organically grown on the farm or from other nearby local sources.
Peter and Katherine practice organic and regenerative agriculture, raising hay and grain for their animals and birds, who then give back to the land through their waste products. Peter points out, “We believe in building our soil, rather than depleting it. It is our intention to leave the land in a much better condition than when we first settled on it. In my opinion, organic agriculture will be the salvation of our planet.”
Burelli Farm and its high-quality meats are well known in the surrounding culinary community. Peter proudly declares, “What better compliment then to have local chefs buy your meats and praise the quality of the farm’s meat products? And, of course, it’s great when they generously share their recipes with me!” As those in the food community have discovered, when you have excellent ingredients, it is almost impossible not to create the perfect dish.
Burelli Farm’s Pan-Seared Oven-Roasted Whole Chicken
Serves 4
“We love roast chicken at Burelli Farm dinners. It’s one of our very favorite meals. The problem with most roast chicken is that it is either too dry, or the skin never really gets brown and crisp. Over time, we’ve experimented with multiple variations on this delicious dish, and we believe we’ve come up with the very best way to solve the dryness/crispness dilemma. We are delighted to share this recipe with our family, our friends, our neighbors, and our customers.” —Peter Burmeister, owner, Burelli Farm
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (about 3½-pounds), giblets and neck discarded
2 tablespoons certified organic rendered lard or ⅛ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, homemade or store-bought
Coarsely ground salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the oven rack in the lower-middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set aside.
Heat the lard in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Season the chicken with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat to medium. Place the chicken, breast side down, in the skillet and cook until the skin is a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a large metal spatula, carefully flip the chicken breast side up, tucking the wingtips behind the back, and cook, pressing gently on the breastbone to slightly flatten, until the skin is well browned, about 5 minutes.
Roast the chicken in the oven until the juices run clear and the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 75 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve the chicken into breast, thighs, and drumsticks. Serve with organic brown rice and a fresh salad, if desired.
Recipe from Burelli Farm
Photograph by Oliver Parini
Someday Farm
It’s been said that it takes a village to raise a child. Surprisingly, this philosophy also holds true when it comes managing a successful farming operation like Someday Farm in East Dorset, Vermont, a prime example of commitment and cooperation. The farm has been in owner Scout Proft’s family since the 1930s. It is where she raised and home-schooled her five children.
Scout, a graduate of the University of Vermont, is the primary caretaker of the farm. She also serves as a consultant and farm-to-community mentor for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), which diligently promotes a Vermont food system that works both economically and ecologically for present and future generations. With this goal in mind, Scout has initiated a highly successful farm-to-school correspondence program that links local students to the area’s farming community.
Eben Proft, her second eldest son, owns Woodbury Game Birds and works in cooperation with Someday Farm. He has traveled the world to learn from the best game bird producers and uses this knowledge to nurture and raise the pheasants in his care. The farm has its own state-inspected processing facility that handles 3,000 pheasants, 1,500 roasting chickens, and 500 turkeys each year.
Maria Buteux Reade is a working partner at Someday Farm, helping with field work, poultry processing, and compost operations while balancing a freelance writing career. Mara Hearst focuses on the management of the farm’s poultry processing system and assists with the game bird operation. Mara also serves as farm advisor to the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link. The farm stand and CSA program are supervised by Angela Saccamango. She also helps run the greenhouses, preserves food, and cooks for the whole farm family, all while caring for her two young sons. There are a number of other hardworking folks who contribute to the success of the farm’s daily operations. Yes, indeed, it does takes a village!
At Someday Farm, they grow more than 100 varieties of organic vegetables and fruits on 6 acres, and raise thousands of poultry and game birds in two locations. At the Home Farm in East Dorset, they raise poultry and grow produce in six greenhouses, while Three Farms is used for growing hardy crops and raising pheasants and turkeys. The farm also has Certified Tree Status and sustainably logs about 120 acres of land.
The farm is a closed-loop system, building soil fertility through the use of cover crops and compost, which incorporates all the poultry processing residuals and other animal manures. The farm’s 700 free-range hens provide nitrogen-rich manure, which aids in compost. Some compost is delivered to area gardeners and businesses, with the rest reserved for the farm’s use.
The CSA program, established in 1984, is free choice and allows shareholders to visit the farm stand or self-serve store to choose from produce, poultry, eggs, fruits, honey, and bread.
Someday Farm strives to share the profession of farming with students of all ages through mentoring and the farm-to-school correspondence project, along with several agricultural programs. Hoping that the young people of today will be inspired by their example, the Profts are carrying on a family farming tradition that has spanned more than 80 years, employing sound farming techniques and environmental stewardship to produce fresh, healthy, organic food. Coaxing the best from the land, they treat the soil as nature intended it to be: fertile, productive, and chemical-free.
How to Roast a Turkey
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the bird by removing the giblets in the neck cavity and the neck from the main cavity. Using cold water, rinse the cavities, then pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Generously season the turkey cavities with salt and pepper, then stuff your bird. Place the bird in a roasting pan, breast side up.
Cook the bird for 12½ to 15 minutes per pound. A bird that is 15 pounds and larger will cook closer to the 12½ minute per pound time frame. Note: This time frame is for a stuffed turkey. Calculate your cooking time on the minimum minutes per pound and check the bird 1 hour before the calculated finish time.
Basting the bird during cooking will add color to the skin.
To test if the bird is done, stick a paring knife into the thickest part of the thigh at an upward angle so you can view the juices as they exit the incision. The juices will run almost clear when the bird is done. We like to see little droplets of pink in the juice, not too much, just enough to indicate that the bird is not overdone.
When it’s done cooking, remove the bird from the oven. Loosely cover it with foil, then place two clean tea towels over the foil to keep the bird warm while it rests. Resting will allow the bird to reabsorb juices that are between the skin and meat, as well as finish cooking with the heat that is already in the bird, which gets rid of that little bit of pink juice detected in the thigh. While the bird rests, use this time to heat your side dishes in the oven. Once the bird has rested for 30 minutes, uncover it and transfer it to a cutting board, then recover loosely with foil and clean tea towels, and allow the bird to rest for an additional 30–60 minutes. Carve and serve.
From Someday Farm
Photograph by Oliver Parini
Woodbury Gamebirds Roast Pheasant
Serves 2–3
“Remember that farm-raised or wild pheasant, with its higher fat content, should be treated more as a red meat rather than a white meat in the kitchen. The breast meat will become very dry if cooked too long. The pheasant will cook a bit more once it’s pulled out of the oven, so don’t worry if the thigh meat is pink. The juices from the breast should run nearly clear. As long as the internal temperature is at least 154 degrees Fahrenheit and the meat is not translucent, the thighs will be perfectly safe to eat and much tastier than if overcooked.” —Maria Buteux Reade, working partner, Someday Farm
1 whole pheasant (about 3 pounds), rinsed inside and out, patted dry
1 cup pitted and diced plums (about 2)
½ medium apple, cored and diced
½ cup brandy
7 juniper berries, ground
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 small potatoes, such as multicolored fingerlings
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
Up to 24 hours before roasting, place the pheasant on a cooling rack in the refrigerator, uncovered, to allow the pheasant to air-dry.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil an 8-by-11-inch baking dish. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, cook down the plums, apple, and brandy on medium heat until the apples have become a sauce and the plums are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the juniper berries, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. There should be a small amount of fruit juices on the bottom of the saucepan. Let cool. Strain the fruit through a fine-mesh strainer, pushing all the liquid through with the back of a ladle, reserving the solids.
Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a medium pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are barely fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and transfer to a medium bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and rosemary, until well combined. Set aside while you prepare the pheasant.
Stuff the pheasant cavity with the strained cooked fruit. Generously brush the strained fruit juices evenly over the skin of the bird. Season the skin with salt and pepper. Place the pheasant, breast side down, on a rack in the prepared baking dish. Tuck the wings back behind the shoulders to keep them close to the main part of the body. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Arrange the potatoes around the pheasant.
Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn the pheasant breast side up, then generously baste with the reserved fruit juices and continue to roast, basting occasionally, until the juices run clear and the internal breast temperature reaches 154–58 degrees Fahrenheit, about 35 minutes, or until desired doneness is achieved.
Let rest for 15–20 minutes. Remove and discard the kitchen twine. Carve the meat into 8 serving pieces and place on a decorative platter. Spoon some of the fruit stuffing on top and place the potatoes around the meat. Serve.
Recipe from Woodbury Gamebirds
Notes:
• Ask the butcher to de-tendon the legs for you; it makes such a difference in the quality of the meat.
• The “fruit stuffing” is more of a relish. Serve remaining stuffing on the side, if desired.
