Food from Farm & Forest: April 2016

Welcome to the April 2016 edition of Food From Farm & Forest!

Yeah we're a bit late in getting this one published but there's been so much other cool stuff happening here (like a farmstand!). It has been a pretty good month on the food side of things though too.

Eggs

In case you missed it we got quail! They're adorable and they've actually increased our food production. This month we been getting around 2-4 quail eggs per day and 5-6 eggs chicken and duck per day. 

The only place I've ever seen quail eggs for sale is online and they sure are expensive. For ours I used $10 per dozen, though there were more expensive ones out there. That means that a month's worth of our quail eggs would've cost around $77.50. For our chicken and ducks eggs I use $3.50 per dozen which comes to around $50 for the month.

Estimated Total Value: $127.50

Ramps

Ramps are a spring delight. You can check out our other post, Bring Back Ramps!, for foraging and growing info. We ate about 2 bunches and I've seen them for $5 per bunch.

Estimated Value: $10

Wild Onions

Like the eggs, wild onions have almost become one of our staples. They speckle all the forests and fields around here. I think we harvested between about 5 bunches. You can read more about how we harvest wild onions here.

Estimated Value: $7

Stinging Nettle

I read that stinging nettle tea and tincture can be used for seasonal allergies and I have terrible springtime allergies. My nose runs, my throat and eyes itch, I get headaches, and my eyes get puffy. I tried it a few times this spring and I think it may have helped! I will be definitely making a tincture this spring to try again next season. I estimated its value by looking at a box of herbal tea.

Estimated Value: $4

Asparagus

I have planted asparagus multiple times and never stayed long enough to enjoy a harvest. This spring we've been enjoying asparagus from a patch that Scott's family planted years ago. I had no idea how much I was missing out. If you haven't had farm fresh asparagus you really haven't had asparagus. It's so different from store-bought and it's even tasty raw. We've been eating a small bundle every other day for the last two weeks of April. 

Estimated Value: $14

Violet Syrup

This month we tried something crazy. We made violet syrup! It's so tasty and absolutely beautiful. We used it on pancakes, in tea, and in seltzer water with a splash of lemon juice. We made 1 quart which I value at $20 though I have never seen violet syrup for sale. 

Learn how to make your own here.

Estimated Value: $20

Mint

This month we been picking mint for water and mint tea. I love drinking mint tea because it's tasty and is great for soothing upset stomachs. I estimated its value by looking at a box of herbal tea.

Want to forage or grow your own mint? Learn how here.

Estimated Value: $4

We also should've had radishes but for some reason the radishes in our cold frame are growing super slowly. Despite not having a lot form the garden yet our total for this month is $186.50 not too shabby!

Goals for April 2017

• Have cold hardy greens ready to harvest.
• Make more violet syrup.
• Utilize more wild greens such as fiddleheads, dandelions, and sorrel. 

This post is linked to the Homestead Blog Hop and Our Simple Homestead Blog Hop.