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Back in the Spring,, the famous “Hairy Biker” Chefs from England traveled the iconic Route 66 from one end to the other. Our farm, Acadian Family Farm, affectionately known in their show as “Rod’s farm” was chosen to be one of their stops. Nanette and I had a lot of fun working with the two chefs. They were really down to earth guys and not afraid to get their hands dirty. The Hairy Bikers parked their motorcycles and rode our transplanter to learn how sweet potatoes are planted. They also cooked up a great sweet potato dessert in Nanette’s farm kitchen.

Their program about Route 66 will begin broadcasting in England September 12 at 8 pm.

   The very first Certified Organic Sweet Potatoes of the 2019 growing season came out of the ground here at Acadian Family Farm today, It was a day we had long been waiting for.   Starting several weeks ago, we started checking the size on a regular basis waiting for them to get big enough to dig, but they were just not ready yet. The last big rain about a week ago, gave them the push they needed to get them to USDA #1’s.  The  photo below is what they look like coming up the sweet potato digger…always a beautiful sight to a farmer.
   We take a lot of extra care in raising these for you and raising them Certified Organic.  Organics is not just about soil health, it’s about your health, too.  Conventional, non-organic sweet potatoes are often one of the most heavily sprayed crops.  You can have complete confidence in these we grow.   I believe that I have a responsibility to give you healthy food that can replenish your health and add to your fitness.  Sweet potatoes can fit in a lot of special diets, paleo, plant-based, vegan and vegetarian to name a few.
   This fall we hope to have our Sweet Potatoes in some of Oklahoma’s fall farm venues.  Oklahoma agri-tourism is growing all the time with the many pumpkin patches, corn maizes, fall harvest days and farm-to-table events.  We hope to make them available to those that want to carry them this year. 
   Our hosting of “State Plate” TV show last year and “The Hairy Bikers” this year, with their Route 66 travels and their visit to the farm filming all about sweet potatoes, should give our Oklahoma, Certified Organic sweet potatoes a boost. If you would like to carry our sweet potatoes and some of our other vegetables at your venue, let me know.  We usually have enough vegetables coming in that you could plan a farm-to-table menu around our harvest. Contact me on my cell at 361-772-2725 if you’re interested in carrying them at your event.  If you’re a member of our Veggie Club/CSA, they will be available all fall and can be added on as gifts. Find them at both Edmond farmers’ markets, OSU,OKC farmers’ market and the stores listed on the main page of this web site.

Thanks,
Rod

Certified Organic sweet potatoes coming up the digger
on the first day of Sweet Potato harvest, Sept 3, 2019

They can be fried in batter, added to a pasta sauce or cooked in many other ways. Savor late summer and fall Oklahoma flavors by adding Eggplant to your menu. We have them available in our Veggie Club/CSA, both farmers’ markets and some of our local organic stores.

Your Organic farmer,

Rod Ardoin

NEW SEASON SWEET POTATOES ARE IN!!

   We are in the middle of our Sweet Potato harvest

right now, so all of our Sweets will be new crop

this month. We will have the traditional Orange,

White & Japanese Murasaki varieties available,

all Certified Organic. We hope you will grab

a few bags for cooking and giving this

Thanksgiving season.  They are available at                               

Natural Grocers, Green Acres,

and Homeland (Yukon & N. May in OKC).

   I also added a Gluten-free, Oatmeal Sweet Potato Pancake recipe on the Recipe Page, as I know there are many people now who are having to eat gluten-free – I being one of them. Pancakes are a real comfort food for me, and I enjoy them as much for supper as for breakfast.  These pancakes have a Fall spice flavor, so they will be yummy for this season.                                                                          Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Where are  YOUR  Veggies Coming From?

    Seems like more and more vegetables are being grown out of our country.  I was surprised the other day to see frozen, organic Broccoli at Walmart that was grown in China!  So, how can a consumer be sure that those vegetables are really organic?  To whom are those farms accountable, and who checks to make sure they are not using chemical pesticides, herbicides, etc? Those are viable questions.                                                                                                  You can feel confident that the veggies grown on our farm, right here in Oklahoma, are indeed Certified Organic by the OK Dept. of Agriculture.  There is a lot of criteria that we must meet before having that certification.  Yes, it does cost us more than if we were not certified, but we feel it is worth it to give our customers peace of mind.  Our certifiers do a great job and have your interest in mind.  Can we say the same thing about China, Mexico, Chile?  It is worth thinking about.                                                                                                 – Nanette 

Yes, our Certified Organic, non-GMO Sweet Corn is in!  That makes these hot summer days a little more pleasant, not to mention the summer meals a whole LOT better-tasting!  

Our Sweet Corn is grown right here in Oklahoma, not Mexico, Chile or China. (I noticed yesterday that WalMart is selling frozen organic Broccoli that is grown in China!). It’s getting more & more difficult to find organic veggies grown locally.  It’s super hard trying to compete with the big producers from California and abroad these days, so we and other local farmers are very appreciative when you buy local.  You can be assured that our “Certified Organic” label is the real deal, too!  We are regularly inspected by the Ok. Dept. of Agriculture, which means we are accountable to someone.  That is important.  Unfortunately anyone can say they are “organic”, but can they back it up?  Like the slogan says, “Know your Farmer, know your food”.

Back to the Sweet Corn…get it while you can, ’cause we only have it for a very short time.  You can find it at all the Natural Grocers Stores in Norman, OKC and Edmond.  Also, at Green Acres in OKC and Stillwater.  Please let the produce managers know that you like local vegetables; it really helps us when you mention that.  While you’re there, check out our Cucumbers, Beets, Sweet Onions, Red Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes.

Have a healthy and happy Summer!

Nanette

   What a lovely time of year!  Cool, crisp days, and that means more energy to work and play!   We are right in the middle of our 2016 Sweet Potato Harvest.  This is a busy time for us, as there is only a short time till freezing weather comes, and we want to make sure we get all of our good Sweet Potatoes out of the ground. So it is rush, rush, rush!!

   2015 was our first year to grow and harvest White Sweet Potatoes.  They did very well, so this year we planted more.  Some people, it seems, prefer a Sweet Potato that isn’t quite so sweet, and the White fits that bill.  It looks so much like a spud potato that it easily can be substituted for them in stews, fries or other potato dishes.

   This year is our first year to grow and harvest the Japanese Murasaki Sweet Potatoes.  They are very sweet, like our Red & Orange varieties.  They are a dark maroon color on the outside and white on the inside.  Unfortunately they do not produce as much per acre as our other varieties, so we will have to charge more for them to come out :(.  Pick up some of our Sweet Potatoes and make your family a treat this week.  You don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving!                                                                                                    

We would like to encourage everyone to purchase our Certified Organic, Oklahoma-grown, Sweet Potatoes for your Thanksgiving meal this year.  Red and Orange varieties are both available from our farm and are cured, ready to go, and oh so good!   Think Sweet Potato Casserole, Candied Yams, Sweet Potato Pie, Sweet Potato Bread, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Pancakes, Waffles, etc. etc.!!  If you’re needing recipes, check out our “Sweet Potato Recipes Links” tab at the top of the page here.  It will connect you with both the Louisiana and Mississippi Sweet Potato Councils, who publish an abundant supply of wonderful Sweet Potato recipes.

If you would like to purchase some of our Sweet Potatoes, you can find them at the following stores:  Whole Foods Markets (OKC & Tulsa), Natural Grocers (Norman, OKC, Edmond, South OKC, & Tulsa),  Green Acres (OKC), and Homeland (Yukon & N. May, OKC).  They can also be purchased on the monthly Oklahoma Food Coop.