This Season's Trip to Brockway Farms

When I got the call from Mark letting me know the harvest was coming in, I wasted no time getting to the Brockway Sweetcorn Farms. Located on highway 67, about 1/2 mile past Alcoa, (look for the Brockway Sweetcorn sign, a classic red tractor and an American flag), the farm's offerings include more than the name implies-- Swiss chard, peppers, herbs, tomatoes, fresh garlic, flowers, hot peppers, pumpkins and a lot more!

You'll be interested to know that all the crops there are organic, grown with stream feed irrigation and fish based fertilizer. A visitor will immediately notice the presence butterflies, frogs, and bumble bees-- telltale signs of a healthy organic farm, unlike “traditional” fields where few living things survive the pesticides.

This years recipe is our take on the popular health drink "green drink", or as we call it, Super Drink of Love!

Super Drink of Love, The Brockway/Happy Diabetic Recipe-

2 cups fresh Swiss chard

1 bunch of kale

1/2 to 1 cup water diced

2 cups diced cucumber

3 stacks diced celery

2 diced apples

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 diced bananas

Agave nectar (also called agave syrup) or 2 T Splenda or Stevia

Directions

Cut all the veggies and fruit into small pieces. Combine all ingredients into a blender. Unless you have a large capacity blender, I recommend mixing the kale, Swiss chard and water in a food processor first. Puree on high speed until liquid.

This makes approximately 28-30 ounces, or 3-4 servings.

Mark Brockway

Anne, Mark's boss and marriage partner mans the retail produce stand, and is a awesome cook! There are many different types of chard on the Brockway's farm, and last year Anne gave me a dish made with Swiss chard cooked in sesame oil and garlic... WOW, unbelievable!

Here's my take on recipe:

SAUTEED SWISS CHARD...OF LOVE

4 nice servings!

A bed of greens can be a delicious accompaniment to a meat entree like Arctic char. Serve with buttered rice or pasta if you like.

Let's put it together!

1 bunch Swiss chard 5-6 stems ,

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil,

thinly sliced 3 cloves garlic,

Pepper to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil.

Directions

Wash the chard well in a large basin of cold water. Drain well. Cut or strip leaves from the stems. Slice stems into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside in a bowl. Roughly chop leaves and set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until the soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes on a low heat. Reduce heat if the garlic is cooking too fast. Add chard stems, cover and cook 2 minutes. Stir in chard leaves, cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 tablespoon water, if necessary, to create enough steam to cook greens quickly. When ready, greens should be wilted but still bright green. Squeeze lemon juice over the top, then drizzle on the soy and sesame oil.