Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Visit To Decimal Place Dairy Goat Farm


Last week the Atlanta Chapter of United States Personal Chefs visited Decimal Place Farms in Conley Georgia for our March meeting. We had a blast! Mary Rigdon owns and operates the farm with about 50 adult goats and on the day we visited, about 25 new baby goats. The goats on the right were 2 days old! We all were able to feed the baby goats and got to milk an adult goat. Of course, this was a new experience for all of us and the goats were just delightful. They were very calm and friendly, and the baby goats were adorable.

Mary gave us a tour of the farm, showed us the equipment she uses for milking the goats and making the most delicious goat cheese you can find. We were able to taste several kinds: chevres, cheddars, one coated in ash (my favorite) and several flavored varieties.

You can find Mary selling her cheeses on Saturdays at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market and during the week at the Grant Park and East Atlanta Village farmers markets. Definitely buy her cheese...you'll be glad you did.


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Would You Like Some Collards?

Last night I hosted knit night at my home. We were just getting ready to eat and one of my  neighbors came to the door with a huge, just-pulled-from-the-ground stalk of beautiful collards! He asked if I wanted to share them with him and well, yes, of course I did!

I cut them from the stalk last night and refrigerated them, so now this afternoon I'm getting ready to get them cooking. I'll make some cornbread and voila, dinner! Can't wait. I haven't had fresh collards since last Fall when they were in my CSA box. These apparently came from another neighbor's garden who shared with my neighbor, who shared with me...love my neighborhood. (Ashford Park in Brookhaven)

Last weekend we cleaned out what was left from our winter garden, and this weekend we will add another six-foot raised bed section. Spring is in the air and I'm ready for the first crops of lettuce and spinach from my own garden and from my CSA box that I get from Dillwood Farms.

 For knit night, I made chicken corn chowder and spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. Warm food for a cold night. Then we settled by a nice warm fire and got to our knitting projects and had a lovely evening....love my knitting friends and our knit nights!