Homestead Pictures

Our off grid homestead consists of 37, mostly forested, acres on the end of Bonno Road, a dirt road in Pierrepont, NY. We have several gardens cultivated in between the forested areas. Our family uses sustainable practices to produce our veggies. Compost is a main ingredient in our soil. The blackberries are growing wild throughout the woods. We will harvest those and bring them to farmers market, when they are ready. MacKenzie and Ian love the sugar snap peas!

Here is a collard recipe as promised, from RecipeZaar.com:

Ingredients

• 3 cups collard greens
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic from a jar)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. 1

   Use a sharp knife to cut out the central rib and stem from each collard leaf. Rinse the leaves in a sink of cool water, lifting them into a colander to drain a bit (you want some water to remain on the leaves).

2. 2

   Toast the pine nuts over medium heat in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes or until golden.

3. 3

   Shake the pan often to keep the pine nuts from burning. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.

4. 4

   Place the garlic and oil in a large skillet, and saute over medium heat for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the damp collards and stir, then cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes longer.

6. 6

   Add the raisins and pine nuts, and stir. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Stir in the balsamic vinegar, cover, and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.