While the days farming are long, the animals make them sweet.

Lambing season caught us off guard starting a week earlier than planned. The lambs have been really healthy this year, with only two needing to be bottle fed. We are up to about 73 lambs born on pasture in the last couple weeks.

Any guesses to this year's final total? 

Father's Day is just around the corner and we've put together a Father's Day Gift Bundle for Dad. You can choose to get the Father's Day Gift Bundle in a gift box for $54, or in one of our quality logo cooler bags for $66.

I'm renaming this month's recipe the Market Omelet, because it highlights some of my favorite ingredients at the farmers markets. Here's my shopping list for the dish - LoveTree Farmstead's Ricotta Cheese, mushroom's from R&R Cultivation, Burning River Farm's greens, Bacon ends from yours truly, plus eggs and chives.

Bon appetite!
- Tamara Johnson

P.S. Less than 3 weeks to get your Father's Day gift ordered.

I have an abundance of frozen Apple Cider each year thanks to my family at Baker Orchard. I love that I am able to combine their cider with our farm-raised ham to produce a local food center-piece roast each Easter. This recipe has been adapted from Cooks Country.

Ingredients1 cinnamon stick, broken into rough pieces
1/4 t. whole cloves
13 C. apple cider
8 C. ice cubes
1 cured bone-in half ham
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 C. packed dark brown sugar
1 t. pepper

Recipe
Cut the skin from the ham and trim the fat to a thickness of about one quarter of an inch. Score the fat in a crosshatch pattern, making sure not to cut into the meat.

In a large saucepan over medium heat toast the cinnamon and cloves for about 3 minutes. Add 4 cups of cider and bring to a boil. Pour the cider into a container large enough to hold the ham, the cider and an additional 4 cups of cider. Add the ice and the 4 additional cups of cider and stir until chilled. Place the ham in the container, making sure that the liquid nearly covers the ham. Refrigerate for 4-12 hours.

One and a half hours before baking remove the ham from the soaking mixture (discard the mixture) and place the ham in a roasting pan. Pour one cup fresh cider over the ham and cover with foil. Let the ham sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake ham until it reaches 100 degrees – about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan mix the remaining four cups of cider and the mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until it has reduced to 1/3 cup (1-2 hours), stirring often.

Mix the brown sugar and pepper. Take the ham out of the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the foil from the ham. Brush with the cider/mustard mixture and press the sugar/pepper mixture onto the ham. Bake for about 20 minutes – until the ham is dark brown and glazed. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.

Squeak, squeak, squeak. We can hear the animals coming from a mile away these days. With temperatures solidly in the single digits, the snow is squeaky and the animals are sporting ice beards.

Thankfully they are much hardier than us humans and are well suited to tolerate the cold winter weather. 

Our first Farmers Markets of the New Year are coming up -

• Sat., Jan 8 at Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market
• Sat., Jan 15 at Neighborhood Roots Winter Farmers Market

The outdoor winter markets are a fun and healthy place to shop for our Grass-fed and Pasture-raised meat. Pre-orders recommended.

PORK SHARES available for end of January - Receive a whole (~140 lbs) or half (~70 lbs) share of Pastured Raised, Heritage Breed Pork including Pork Chops, Pork Roasts, Coppa Steaks, Bacon, Sausage, Ham Hocks, Ham Roasts or Steaks, and more. Save 15% over retail. Sign-up at - https://www.johnsonfamilypastures.com/csa-shares.html

Winter Beef Bundles, Pork Sampler Shares, and the Johnson Family Favorites bundle are back in stock! Check out our order form for details.

This month's recipe is for Rice Noodle Bowls with Pork and Scallions - A recipe that both the Johnson kids and grown-ups love.
Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year,
Tamara & Chris Johnson

PS - Place your Pre-Order by Thursday at noon for PU in Mpls or On the Farm