Long break from the blog!

Hey everyone!
I’ve been really busy working on my Master’s thesis! It’s about the effects of rotational grazing, land use change and other factors (especially time!) on soil carbon in pastures of the Virginia Blue Ridge.

I’m still looking into what might be necessary to start a new innovative farmers’ market here in North Carolina’s Research Triangle. Locally Grown and the Food Shed are potential market, but I have also been in touch with FarmtoFridge, which wants to start an open source software package. http://farmtofridge.net/

The summer has been amazing. I went on an epic backpacking trip with my best friend. I’ve made new friends. I’ve been eating lots of great local food from friends and stuff that my wife has picked up at the downtown Raleigh Farmer’s market.

So that’s all I have for this update. But before I go, here’s one of my favorite recipes for summer:
Shiloh’s Creamy Sungold Pasta
(as interpreted by Wendy at Weaver Street Market)

Ingredients:
3 cups sungold tomatoes cut in half (get two pints, snack on the rest)
1/2 cup fresh basil-packed
2 Tbs. butter
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced or put through a press
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2/3 cup heavy cream (I like Mapleview Farms)
one hunk of Romano cheese (Parmesan will work, but the Romano adds a saltier kick)
pasta of choice (I like fettucini the best. Spaghetti is also fine.)
Optional: peeled shrimp!

Heat your pan (I use the stainless one for this delicate recipe) and sauté the garlic in butter, being careful not to burn it. Add salt, pepper, and halved tomatoes and wilt ’em down a few minutes. It will smell pretty good at this point. Add cream and cook gently, allowing the sauce to thicken. When it’s to your liking, add peeled shrimp directly to the simmering cream sauce-they’ll cook pretty darn fast, do wait until the end…then chop your basil and throw it in. This is perfectly delicious without the shrimp, but incredibly decadent with them. Hopefully you’ve cooked your pasta while this was all going on, so just plate it up and smother with sauce.

http://www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=239&Itemid=1