Eventually in this post we’ll celebrate Ground Round, the flavor-rich, certified organic, Black Angus Elmwood Stock Farm ingredient that makes our wonderful burgers in summer and our outstanding meatloaves and spaghetti sauces in winter. First, a little photographic appreciation of Elmwood, with apologies (for the nine photos) to anyone with a slow internet connection.
Elmwood is comprehensive. The farm produces many first rate vegetables, fruits, flowers, beef, turkeys, chickens and eggs.
Elmwood is green. Anything that can be grown organically is grown organically, and the organic list grows each year.
Elmwood evolves. Heritage vegetables and time-tested farming practices mix with new products and new ways of growing and handling food sustainably.
Elmwood invests. Turkeys have to be fed morning and night, in the coldest and the hottest weather, while planting/picking/watering/weeding/bundling/washing/cultivating/transplanting and hundreds of other tasks also must be completed at a high level of reliability and responsibility. Of course it isn’t just the turkeys that need long months of steady care, but they represent the types of challenging and valued food production that distinguish Elmwood from many other farms.
Elmwood follows through. The farm’s stewardship goes beyond a planting-tending-harvesting-marketing cycle to include pasture and soil development, seed and plant selection and cultivation, harvest and post-harvest methods, and customer care, including Elmwood Stock Report, their marvelous blog aimed at Elmwood CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shareholders, but happily available to all of us, too. The recipes on the blog reflect unusual savvy about fresh, delicious tastes, while avoiding burdensome preparation.
Elmwood shines. Let’s be honest: How many of us can run a complex farm, get up before 4 AM, manage one of Lexington Farmers Market’s busiest stands, and still do justice to dotted Swiss?
Elmwood knows and shares. Ambi and Mac Stone have generously and patiently taught me most of what I know about nutritive values in real foods. They often suggest a great recipe, excellent book, useful conference, or helpful website.
Elmwood pleases. Ground Round may seem an unlikely way to make this point, but Elmwood’s beautifully produced, richly flavored, healthy, dry-aged, organic, pastured Black Angus meat has seen us through lean times (ahem) and flush ones. Although we probably eat at least a pound of Elmwood Ground Round each week, every year, no carnivore in our household has ever said anything but “YES!” to the suggestion that we have something made with Elmwood Ground Round for dinner.
To learn three reasons why Elmwood’s Ground Round pleases hungry people so much, read the Farm’s detailed description of its breeding and cattle-raising practices. Integrity and flavor fuse in Elmwood’s meats. Its no-waste Ground Round keeps fine beef affordable and available in central Kentucky.
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The world is coming to visit central Kentucky this year for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. To help our visitors know more about Kentucky’s food and food ways, Savoring Kentucky is rolling out 116 Savory Kentucky Bites, one for each of the 100 days before WEG begins, and 16 for the days during WEG, September 25 – October 10. Today’s Savory Bite is number 41.
But no, Third Street Stuff’s café is strictly 21st century. In fact, once the “& Coffee” part got going behind the established store full of girl-power goodies, Lexington’s sense of itself as a dynamic small city got going, too. Could be the caffeine, could be sugar, could be the sweetness and welcome coffee impresario Hendrick Floyd pours out on each customer, whether we deserve it or not.
