The 413 Mom

Worth the Drive: Cream of the Crop Farm (Russell)

Cream of the Crop Farm located in Russell piqued my interest when I saw their advertisement for locally raised, grass-fed beef and free range eggs; however, when I noticed they also offer farm tours I was sold! Tours are available by appointment and Farm Manager Jerald Reinford was nice enough to show us around the place recently. We were able to visit some of the more than 30 cows on the property (including a calf only hours old), feed them some farm-grown barley, and learn about the production of raw milk. The girls loved interacting with the cows (Faith was in hysterics watching her sister hand-feed them the barley) and seeing the chicks. I enjoyed learning more about the science of raw milk and visiting the farm store. The tour lasted about 25 minutes. 

Even if feeding cows is not your thing, the farm store alone is worth the ride. There is a great variety of locally-grown, all natural products offered: raw Jersey milk, free range eggs, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, kefir, butter, honey, maple syrup, jam and other canned goods, and several cuts of beef, pork and turkey. We brought home some of the milk, eggs, stew beef, and ice cream and were delighted with all of them. Everything had great flavor and freshness. Purchases are cash only. The farm store is open year round -- closed on Sundays. 

If attending a farm tour, remember this is a working farm. I was glad I reminded everyone to put on their muck boots before we left the house, especially since we visited during mud season. We can't wait to return for another tour once spring is fully upon us. This local farm is a definitely road-trip worthy: everyone can learn about the day-to-day operations of farming, you can bring home some delicious locally-sourced food, and you're supporting local agricultural families. Win-win-win. 

Cream of the Crop Farm is located at 601 Blandford Road (Route 23) in Russell. You can contact Jerald Reinford, Farm Manager to schedule a tour at [email protected] or 413-297-6037.

 

Egg-free Dessert Hacks

If you've got allergies in the family, it can be hard to whip up a quick treat that accommodates everyone. Here are my top 5 egg-free dessert hacks:

1.Ice Cream Sandwiches using Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies and egg-free ice cream. Put a small scoop of ice cream on the bottom side of one cookie, and gently press the other cookie on top. The Chewy Chips Ahoy do not crack when you smoosh together. Just assemble and set in the freezer for 10 minutes. 

 

2. Banana Bread does not require eggs to come out tasty and in one piece. The bananas hold it together nicely on their own. My favorite banana bread recipe can be found at allrecipes.com and I just leave out the eggs. Honestly, it comes out fine. 

 3. The ever-popular 
Rice Krispies treats

4. Mini Donuts. The Sunbeam Mini Donut Maker is one of our favorite kitchen appliances. My girls have never had any donuts except for these. I just use a standard box cake mix and substitute the eggs with Ener-G egg replacer and they come out perfectly. I don't think the Sunbeam donut maker is available anymore; however Babycakes has a similar version on Amazon:

 

I've never tried, but I'm guessing this would work well with a donut pan in the oven as well. 

I've found that using Ener-G with any standard box cake mix usually works fine for simple cakes or cupcakes. They come out a little crumbly but passable. However, do not attempt with molded cakes or Bundt cakes. Also, Ener-G does not work with boxed brownie mixes. For egg-free brownies you've got to go scratch as well (or use an allergy-free box mix: see hack #5 below). This recipe from allrecipes.com is delicious.

5. Cherrybrook Kitchen anything. These baking mixes are so good, you cannot tell that they're allergy free. Many of their products are egg, nut, and dairy free. We use the yellow and chocolate cake mixes, the cookie mixes, and the brownie mix all the time. However, they are expensive -- about $6.00/box. Locally, you can get them much cheaper at Deals and Steals in Northampton. Other than Deals and Steals, the mixes are hard to find at grocery stores in Western Mass. You can order directly through Cherrybrook Kitchen, or in bulk on Amazon:

You won't be disappointed.

Any of these ideas work out well when you need an egg-free treat in a hurry. 

Deals & Steals Natural & Organic Foods Store (Northampton)

Some of the best specialty grocery deals in western Mass can be found at the Deals & Steals Natural & Organic Foods Store in Northampton. This is not the Deals & Steals store located on Pleasant Street, the food store is located at 7 Pearl Street. This small storefront is a hidden gem for anyone who tries to eat organic, or especially for families with special food needs such as allergies or gluten intolerance. You will find specialty products here for 50 to 90% off regular grocery or specialty store prices. One example: Ener-G Egg Replacer, which is a necessity for those of use who need to bake egg-free, sells at Deals & Steals for $2.99. It retails for $6.99/box up the street at Cornucopia Foods. Allergy-free Cherrybrook Kitchen baking mixes, which are incredibly hard to find at mainstream grocers but routinely sell for $5.99/box can be found for $1.66 at Deals & Steals. Another common deal at this hot spot are "healthy" chips such as veggie sticks or all natural air-popped popcorn, buy one bag get two free.

Think of this food store as a dry-goods store. You won't find many refrigerated items, or produce; however the shop carries lots of baking items, snack foods, soup mixes, crackers, condiments, breads, drinks, and natural and organic healthcare and beauty products. They carry a wonderful selection of allergy free and gluten free products. Deals & Steals is worth the drive from anywhere in western Mass. Bring a few sturdy canvas bags because you will want to stock up. Deals & Steals is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m.