From Garden to Coop: Making the Most of Our Farm-Fresh Harvest
Slow-roasting the last of our summer tomatoes to carry us through the winter.
🌾 A Season of Abundance
There’s something deeply grounding about processing the food we’ve grown with our own hands. When we take the time to preserve our farm-fresh produce, it means homegrown, nutrient-dense food for our family, and even a healing, nourishing snack for our egg-laying flock.
Here on the farm, we do our very best to make sure nothing goes to waste. We aren’t perfect, but we try hard to honor every bit of what we grow. Today, that looked like roasting and preserving our late-season tomatoes to stock the pantry for the winter and spring months, carrying us through until it’s tomato season once again.
The kitchen fills with the scent of summer as the tomatoes roast to perfection.
🍅 Preserving the Harvest
My process is simple and satisfying. I cut the core or top off each tomato, slice them, and spread them out on roasting pans. Then into the oven they go, slow roasting to perfection until the whole kitchen smells like summer sunshine. Once they’re beautifully caramelized and fragrant, I pack them into jars and pressure can them for long-term storage.
And no, I don’t peel them. Why would I? The skins are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients, especially since these are organic, grown right here in our own soil. When I open a jar later in the year, I usually blend them into sauces or soups anyway, so the skins disappear completely while all those nutrients stay right where they belong.
Herbal goodness from the garden: nature’s way of keeping our flock thriving.
🐓 Sharing the Abundance
Nothing from this process goes to waste. The tomato tops and overripe fruits became treats for our flock of hens, turkeys, and guineafowl. They happily picked through the colorful bits once I (finally!) dumped them on the ground; apparently, the baking trays I tried to serve them on weren’t up to their standards.
To give them an extra boost, I blended a mix of farm-grown cayenne peppers, oregano, garlic, rosemary, and basil into their snack. This herbal blend acts as a natural wellness tonic:
🌶️ Cayenne pepper helps improve circulation, support the immune system, and supports parasite prevention.
🌿 Oregano offers antibacterial and antiviral benefits, strengthening immune systems.
🧄 Garlic works as a natural de-wormer and respiratory support.
🌱 Rosemary aids digestion and acts as a natural antioxidant.
🍃 Basil supports gut health and reduces inflammation.
Together, these herbs make a wonderful, natural way to keep our flock healthy and thriving, just as the preserved tomatoes will help nourish our family in the months ahead.
Nothing goes to waste, our flock enjoys the tops and extra tomatoes.
🌻 Full Circle Farming
It’s a beautiful cycle: what we grow feeds us, and what we can’t use feeds them. Nothing wasted, everything appreciated.
That’s the rhythm of life here at Heavenly Acres Farm, simple, intentional, and full of gratitude for all the abundance this land provides.
Blessings,
Nicole
