On Gratitude: The Stories of Legacy
I have to admit, it has been easy to be distracted by the two page long to do list that I made today for this week. It is a holiday week, which means cramming all farm work into a 4 day work week with mornings and evenings over the weekend dedicated to keeping the animals fed. Not to mention the extra cooking, cleaning and overall hullabaloo that accompanies the holidays. I am right there with ya.
But gratitude is an important practice. As I sit down to write this post, I am remembering that gratitude is often like love. It is a choice and an action more than a feeling. It can propel how we choose to live our lives or it can be the dusty feeling from the back of the closet that we pull out once a year to remind ourselves that we “should” be grateful.
When I think of the gratitude of my year, I am pulled towards a quote that my mother wrote on the decorative chalkboard on our porch back in April. It has lived there since and it says “This land, this air, this planet; this is our legacy to our young.” P.T. Over the past year, I have met many amazing people; farmers, conservationists, environmentalists, reporters, customers, children, and grandparents. I have had the opportunity to talk to people about my heart for Willow Run Farm. To talk about the importance of soil, of grass, of my cattle, of caring for the land. And it has been amazing to hear other people’s stories in return. To hear another woman farmer talk about how she got into farming. To hear a child talk about the importance of planting trees. To hear a conservationist put the tools for taking care of their land into the hands of a group of women.
It is amazing to hear the stories of today, but many of those stories start in the past. With the people who have changed, challenged, and impacted each of us. And that is another thing I am grateful for. For the people who have walked before me and for the children who will walk after me. For the people like my grandfather, who loved their land so dearly to pass it to their own children. For my mother and father who have taught me the value and importance of stewardship, giving back to the land, the community, and the animals. I am grateful to be a part of a story of people and feel the weight and responsibility of the mantle we all take up as adults to make it possible for the story and legacy to continue.
Which is why I’m grateful for every person who makes the choice to look at their world, whether that is farm, city, country, town, and say, “This land, this air, this planet; this is our legacy to our young.”
“Now, what can I do to care for it?”
Chunky Beef Barley Stew with a Twist: Crockpot & Instant Pot Friendly
I love when I am ahead of the game for dinner. It is always nice to know at the end of the day, a crockpot or instant pot full of stew is ready and waiting for me and my husband for dinner. I tend to be a last minute, throw together something type of gal, but as the cooler weather slows things down around the farm, I get the chance to take my time and enjoy the experience of cooking.
I made this recipe on Tuesday morning this week and set my instant pot to crockpot mode, so the smells of the stewing meat and vegetables filled the house with a comforting aroma. I have made beef barley stews before, so I wanted to do something different and add enough flavors and punch to knock this recipe out of this world. I am at heart a perfectionist, always striving for the best in everything, which can be frustrating when I can’t do something (aka…bake), but with cooking, I rock.
I like my beef barley stews to be full of flavor, creamy and with pearls of barley adding the extra texture to the melting beef. The recipe I was using as a general guideline, called for wine, which I do not currently have on my shelf. Looking through my available alcohol, I thought, what the heck? Whiskey seems like a great addition to a hearty beef stew. Think, pub stew. And it works! The whiskey adds a beautiful flavor to the stew, but is in no way overpowering.
The great thing about this recipe; you can make it your own. I geared the veggies I added to my husband’s tastes, but you could easily throw in peas, green beans, potatoes or mushrooms (something I will do next time). Not a big fan of whiskey? Substitute in some red wine or simply skip it. No problem.
I chose to use chuck steak for this recipe because I knew the marbling and fat in the meat would melt during the stew process, making this generally tougher cut of meat fall-apart tender. The beauty of chuck is that it is both economical and packs a punch of flavor, so even though it isn’t super tender, it makes a great cut for stew or slow cooking. Chuck steak is just chuck roast, cut into steaks, so it is an easy cut to cube. We have plenty more of those in stock in our store if you are looking to make a hearty stew this weekend.
Happy cooking!
Ingredients
2.5 Chuck Steak (cut into cubes)
1/2 cup flour
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Olive Oil
2 Onions (chopped)
2 Carrots (chopped)
2 Celery Stalks (chopped)
3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 TB Dried Oregano
3 TB Tomato Paste
7 cups Beef Broth
1/3 cup Whiskey (optional)
3/4 cup Pearl Barley
1 TB Worcestershire Sauce
3 Bay Leaves
Instructions
Season the beef stew meat generously with salt and pepper. Place the beef in a bowl and add the flour over the beef. Stir the beef and flour until the beef is entirely covered. Add more flour if needed.
Heat the olive oil in your instant pot on saute. Add the beef to the pot and cook just until the meat starts to brown. You will have to do this in 2 or 3 batches. Remove the meat from the pot after you're done and set aside.
In the same pot, you will have a lot of brown bits on the bottom, add the chopped onion, carrots and celery. Cook the vegetables until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and removing the brown bits from the bottom to add flavor.
Add the garlic, oregano and tomato paste to the pot and stir. Add the meat back to the pot, then the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and whiskey. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Add the barley to the pot and the bay leaves.
Set your instant pot to slow cook, making sure that the pot is set to the More setting for 4 hours or Less setting for 8 hours. Slow cook until the meat is tender and melts in your mouth.
If you find that too much liquid has evaporated or the soup is too thick add more water as necessary until you get the desired consistency.