Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Easy, cheesy, creamy chicken and broccoli pasta! This dish cooks in 30 minutes or less, making it a great weeknight dinner.

RECIPE
Ingredients
8 ounces sea shells, penne pasta or pasta of your choice
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
2 tbsp. oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 to 3 large cloves garlic
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into cubes
3/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack or Sharp Cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Stir the penne into the boiling water and cook according to the pasta package directions, or about 8 minutes, until al dente adding broccoli florets during last 2-3 minutes of cooking time. Scoop out 2 cups of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the noodles and broccoli (do not rinse) and return to the pasta pot, stirring in 1 tbsp. butter. Cover and keep warm.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high until sizzling. Pat the chicken dry and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.

Add remaining 1 tbsp. butter to the sauce pan. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for 20 to 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, a little at time, until smooth, followed by the Monterrey Jack or sharp Cheddar.

Stir the cooked cut-up chicken with the noodles and broccoli and pour the sauce over all tossing to coat. If it's not quite creamy enough, or too thick, add a little of the remaining pasta water. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup

Updated July 2020

One of the easiest things to make is your own soup. You add your own fresh ingredients, season it to suit your taste, no preservatives or other additives; just pure, simple homemade soup. What could be better than that? Plus your house will smell AMAZING while it cooks!

This soup is wonderful if you start with your own chicken bone broth, which takes a bit of time to make, but it cooks in a slow cooker, or in a stock pot on your stove top, and it's really very easy to do. Of course, you can skip this step and use packaged chicken stock if you want to.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 quart (4 cups) chicken or turkey bone broth 
2 cups water
2-3 carrots, sliced into coins
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and diced
2 cups cooked rice

Method
Bring broth, water, carrots, celery and spices to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste, add chicken and simmer 15-20 minutes.

Add hot cooked rice to bowls and ladle soup over top. Serve immediately while hot with cornbread, biscuits or crusty bread.

Cooks note - do not add the cooked rice directly to the soup. The rice will continue to swell and absorb the broth resulting in a less than desirable soup. Store leftover soup and rice separately in a refrigerator. It keeps several days refrigerated or freeze leftover soup for another time.

Yield:  4 -6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Sweet Honey Mustard Wine Grilling Sauce

The other day my husband made up this grilling sauce because we were tired of some of the everyday standard ones we use. This uses white wine, grainy mustard, honey and more to make it perfect for chicken, pork, shrimp or veggies.

Delicious just basted on while cooking, but we especially enjoy it when foods are grilling.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter melted
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup grainy brown mustard
1 small sprig fresh rosemary, finely minced
3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup honey

Method
Blend everything together in a small saucepan and simmer until mixture thickens and reduces slightly, approximately 30 minutes, or until desired thickness.

Remove from heat and use to baste on grilled food or store in your refrigerator, Keeps well refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy,
Mary

 © Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Salsa Infused Slow Cooker Chicken

I was recently "gifted" a rooster chicken from my friends at Paradise Acres Farm. Because they tend to be tough, the best way to make them nice and tender is to slow cook them for many hours. I wanted to use this chicken for tacos or enchiladas, so I slow cooked it in some fresh salsa ... oooo laaaa laaaaaa delicious!

Ingredients
1 small whole chicken
1 cup fresh chunky salsa
1 cup water
1 large onion, peeled and quartered

Method
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook "low and slow" on low heat for 10-12 hours or until bones are falling apart.

Remove chicken and bones from slow cooker and place in a large baking dish; allow to cool. Once cooled, pick through chicken, removing all bones, fat and skin.

Tear chicken into shreds and use it for chicken tacos or chicken enchiladas.

One small chicken yields approx. 1 quart bag of shredded chicken.

If you're not planning to use it right away, store chicken in a zip top bag in your freezer.

Enjoy,
Mary

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Updated August 2020

To me nothing says comfort food like a piping hot bowl of soup. Delicious, slightly spicy and warming, this Chicken Enchilada Soup is comfort food in a bowl.

Easy to make, a little "feisty" with some herbs and spices, and simple ingredients found in most well-stocked kitchens.

RECIPE

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3 or 4 strips each, then cut into cubes
2 tbls. olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 onion, diced
1 - 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 - 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 - 14.5 oz. can niblet corn, drained
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cilantro or oregano
shredded cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top
*optional - diced bell peppers, black beans

Method
Place oil in a large saucepan; add onion and saute' over med-high heat until onion is getting soft. Add cubed chicken and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through.

Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Serve while hot with shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Tortilla Chips - make your own with a flour tortilla. Brush some olive oil onto the tortilla, and cut the tortilla in half and each half into half again. Cut each quarter into triangle strips. Place strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake in a 325 degree oven 8 minutes or until crispy. Serve tortilla chips with the soup.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

What to do with a Whole Chicken?

One of the easiest and most economical things you can do is buy a whole chicken and cut it up yourself.

When you buy a chicken at the grocery store, organic or otherwise, or your local farm (preferred), you are paying for the butcher or processor to have those nice breasts or thigh pieces already cut for you. Why pay them when it's so easy to do it yourself?

Easy Cajun Chicken and Rice

This is so easy to make and delicious to eat! It does have a bit of a bite to it, so adjust seasonings to your liking. Super-simple one dish meal, preps in 5 minutes, cooks in 30 minutes = done!

Ingredients
2 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1 cup long-grain rice
5-6 chicken tenders, cut into cubes
2 stalks celery, diced
1-2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Parsley flakes to sprinkle over top

Method
Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add chicken stock, rice, diced celery, cubed chicken tenders, Cajun seasoning, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine; cover and bake in preheated oven 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Sprinkle parsley flakes over top and serve immediately.

Yield:  4 servings


Enjoy,
Mary

Farm Outing to Carolina Bay Farms

James and Sharon Helms

So we were off again, a group of friends and I, who love to explore and learn about our small, local family farms in South Carolina.  On a sunny day in mid-July we found ourselves headed out to Carolina Bay Farms. We'd planned this trip for what seemed like months and months, so everyone was excited to visit this 1700's homestead, being lovingly restored to its former splendor. In a word, it is a true gem, well-worth visiting and didn't disappoint.

Hidden just off the road through some live oak and pecan trees, the road in opens up quickly to a large cleared area where we could see chickens, quail and turkeys.  We parked our cars, and were quickly met by our hosts, James and Sharon Helms. After introductions all around, and some "ohhhhhhs" and "awwws" from the group as we glanced around to see some ducks splashing in a small kiddie pool, turkeys, quails and chickens pecking for bugs, and some goats in the background, Sharon welcomed the group and began to explain their farming beliefs and practices to us.

"We started Carolina Bay Farms 3 years ago with the purpose of raising heritage breed animals and heirloom vegetables. We established our farm on a 5-acre tract of land that is part of our family property dating back to 1760. James says I have been the main catalyst for the goal of the farm since I have been a nurse for 30 years and have seen first-hand the decline of people's health as our food system has become more influenced by commercialization and chemicals. Our belief is that mother nature is in charge of our farm and we are simply there to assist her, so we do not use any antibiotics, added growth hormones, herbicides or pesticides on our farm."

Chickens

Carolina Bay Farms raises heritage breed chickens, to include single comb Rhode Island Reds, Buckeyes, Jersey Giants, Russian Orloff, and Orpingtons. 

Other poultry include Standard Bronze Turkeys, Rouen Ducks, Pharoah Quail, and Guinea Fowl. 

Standard Bronze Turkeys

Goats

Their pigs are American Guinea Hogs and they also have a pair of milking goats. 

The American Guinea Hog is the ideal sustainable heritage farm pig, known for its moderate size, excellent foraging abilities, friendly temperament, excellently flavored meat and indispensable lard.  While the American Guinea Hog is smaller than industrial hog breeds, it is a good-sized farm pig providing a nice, well-marbled carcass.

American Guinea Hogs

The American Guinea Hog is a true American heritage breed of domestic farm pig, perhaps over 200 years old. They developed as a landrace breed (A landrace is a local variety of a domesticated animal or plant species which has developed over time, by adaptation to the natural and cultural environment in which it lives) throughout the southeastern states of the USA. Anecdotal evidence suggests a European ancestry with other possible influences. It has been determined though genetic testing that the American Guinea Hog is a distinct breed.

At six months, the American Guinea Hog may provide a nicely marbled carcass of up to 75 pounds hanging weight of gourmet-quality highly-flavored meat. (source: American Guinea Hog Association)

Carolina Bay

Their produce in production, or what they have seed stock for, includes Bradford watermelon, 3 varieties of okra found in the 19th century midlands area, peas from Senegal and Italy, as well as others. All of it is heritage or heirloom and contain no GMO's.

After a wonderful tour of this small farmstead, which included a walk back to a "Carolina Bay,"  and the reason for the name of the farm, (considered to be a freshwater wetland, most often isolated. The bay's depression fills with rainwater, usually in winter and spring, and dries in the summer months. This water level determines the plants and animals that inhabit the bay) past pastures, fields of sunflowers, turkeys and guinea hogs, and over a boardwalk, everyone was looking forward to shopping for some goodies.

Some bought pastured pork, others bought fresh garlic, and still others (including me) bought eggs, which included a choice of Quail, Guinea, Turkey, Duck and Chicken eggs, and everyone received a freshly cut sunflower to take home.

I bought a variety pack Sharon put together which included Guinea, Quail and Turkey Eggs and I traded one turkey egg for a duck egg another friend bought. I was anxious to get home and cook some up for a comparison of each. This was going to be fun since each egg has its own unique qualities as I quickly learned.  

Did you know?

Guinea, Quail and Turkey Eggs

Quail eggs: are packed with vitamins and minerals. Even with their small size, their nutritional value is three to four times greater than chicken eggs. Quail eggs contain 13 percent proteins compared to 11 percent in chicken eggs. Quail eggs also contain 140 percent of vitamin B-1 compared to 50 percent in chicken eggs. In addition, quail eggs provide five times as much iron and potassium. Unlike chicken eggs, quail eggs have not been know to cause allergies. Regular consumption of quail eggs helps fight against many diseases. They are a natural combatant against digestive tract disorders such as stomach ulcers. Quail eggs strengthen the immune system, promote memory health, increase brain activity and stabilize the nervous system. They help with anemia by increasing the level of hemoglobin in the body while removing toxins and heavy metals.

Guinea Eggs

Guinea eggs: are smaller (weighing about 45 g), but richer in content of dry matter, lipid, vitamin “A” and carotenoids. They are pear-shaped, with thick and strong light brown shell, large yolk has pleasant taste. Guinea fowl eggs are usually overlooked, but their eggs are full of protein and full of superior taste, They are ideal for baking, in salads and cooking. Their eggs are rich in protein and have a rich yellow yolk and quality white. 

Turkey eggs: contain 9.4 grams of total fat, which contributes 63 percent toward the eggs' total calorie content. This fat provides energy to fuel a healthy and active lifestyle, serves as a source of fatty acids needed for healthy cell membranes and also helps you absorb nutrients. Turkey eggs each contain 10.8 grams of protein, which accounts for 32 percent of their calorie content. Protein maintains your immune system, promotes new tissue growth and helps your body hold on to muscle mass. Turkey eggs are low in carbohydrates, at less than a gram of carbs per egg. The bad is they are high in cholesterol, so should only be eaten as an occasional treat.Turkey eggs used to be a menu staple in North America. Wild turkeys roamed the continent before the arrival of humans, and archaeologists have found turkey-egg shells at the encampments of pre-Columbian Americans. Hopi Indians consider the eggs a delicacy. (The Navajo ate only the flesh of turkeys, however, European settlers noted). Europeans took domesticated turkeys across the Atlantic in the 16th century, and turkey eggs were soon a part of Old-World cuisine, particularly in England. Americans also served them until fairly recently. Turkey egg omelettes were a regular offering at New York’s legendary Delmonico’s restaurant in the late 19th century.

Duck eggs:  boost your vitamin intake and provide considerable amounts of vitamins A and B-12. The vitamin A from your diet promotes new cell development to keep your tissues healthy and also maintains good eyesight. A duck egg contains 472 international units of vitamin A -- one-fifth of the recommended daily intake for women and 16 percent for men. The vitamin B-12 in duck eggs keeps your nerves healthy and promotes red blood cell function. Each duck egg boasts 3.8 micrograms of vitamin B-12, more than your entire daily recommended B-12 intake. It also contains small amounts of several B-complex vitamins, as well as vitamins D and E.

Guinea, Duck, Turkey and Quail Eggs

So which one did I like?  I liked them all!  

I was most surprised by the Turkey egg.  It had an awesome creamy yolk, very rich-tasting, smooth and delicious, but with the highest cholesterol, it's probably one I would only eat occasionally. 

The Guinea egg was also really good, with a dark, rich tasting yolk and the tiny Quail egg was equally delicious. 

The Duck egg has a slightly larger ratio of yolk to white and it too had a smooth, creamy taste. 

Really, all of them tasted very much like chicken eggs to me, with only some subtle differences and I would definitely buy them again, but I'll admit is was pretty cool cooking a turkey egg, which I had never eaten before.

In parting James and Sharon thanked us all for coming and James told me "when we get discouraged, it's people like you who are concerned about where their food comes from that keeps us motivated and for that we say thank you."  

Believe me when I say "it's small family farms like them doing so much for you and me I appreciate and THANK YOU for doing what you do every day."  

Please support your local farms, and help them continue to provide delicious eggs, fruit, produce, grains and pastured-meats for you and me. One bite of "fresh from the farm" products and you too will be convinced there's nothing better!

Visit Carolina Bay Farms on Facebook
Check them out on Local Harvest
Find them on Local Hens

Until next time...

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Turkey Creek Bee Farm Outing

Bee Hives busy with bees

Nestled away on just over and acre and a half, sits this small urban farmstead known as Turkey Creek Bee Farm.  Located at 1246 Manning Drive in Sumter, S.C. it's less than 15 minutes from downtown Sumter, but transports you to a whole different world once you arrive.
Here Leroy raises bees for honey, chickens for eggs, chickens for meat and a variety of organic produce he and his family sell seasonally Wednesdays-Saturdays on the farm. 5th grade science and math teacher by day, and bee keeper and farmer by night and weekends, this little urban farmstead has a lot going for it.
What started in April with me reaching out to Leroy and arranging a group tour, culminated with our visit today, which was the first day of summer, and naturally one of the hottest days of the year so far. We arrived just ahead of our 10 a.m. appointment, but Leroy was ready for us, and all of us were anxious to hear about this little gem of a place.

Fresh honey

 "We started with bees three years ago because I had bad allergies to local pollen and flowers and a friend informed me of eating local honey to reduce allergies. I decided to start a facebook page and polled my friends and family about their desire to purchase honey. Their response was amazing. Last spring we harvested 47 lbs. total from our hives and sold it all in less than 3 hours," Leroy explained. 
"After reading several reports and watching several documentaries on the chemicals used in the processing of meat and veggies by the food industry, I decided I had to do something to help my family eat food that

Leroy Steigerwalt, owner

was natural and healthy. It just so happened that a fellow colleague was hatching chickens in her classroom and needed someone to take the birds. I gladly accepted and decided to raise and butcher the birds for my family. After posting on our page about the chickens being raised on all organic methods my friends and family started asking to purchase chickens from us. 

Chickens being raised for meat

Thus began the poultry division of our little farm. We raise our birds on all organic feed that contains no animal proteins. We also do not medicate or treat our birds with any chemicals or steroids. We pride ourselves on our chickens being raised in the healthiest means possible. My favorite saying for our chickens is, "If your chicken tastes like everything else, there is something

Laying Hens eating grasses

wrong with your chicken." Every month we raised chickens we never seemed to have enough. This demand for high quality 100% Organic Chicken led us to build a large chicken house with automated temperature controls and watering system in order to accommodate our customers. We ended the season butchering 60 birds per butcher and this year we are already at 60 birds and look to end the season with 100 per butcher. Our birds average 5+lbs. and are honestly the best chicken you will ever put in your mouth. 

Organic Yellow Squash

One of our farmer friends suggested we start selling produce to go with the chickens. This was the one thing missing from my family eating healthy and reducing the poisons we were ingesting. After polling friends, family, and customers we had no choice but to begin selling produce but insisted that it be fresh and if

Organic Green Beans

we could not shake the hand of the man that grew it, we simply would not sell it. Last season we only sold South Carolina produce that was grown by ourselves or people that we created relationships with. All of the produce we carried was picked the same day we purchased it. After three days we would eat it ourselves, give it to the neighbors, or donate it to the local fire dept. My thinking was and is,

Organic Blueberries

if you are buying produce that is three days old or more, you may as well be buying from the grocery store. 
This year we have expanded our growing operation in hopes to only sell things that we grow ourselves. 
Our mission....to offer the finest 100% Organic, medicine free, hormone free, animal protein free chicken available; as well as the freshest handpicked vegetables and fruit that can be grown. 
If people buying from the grocery stores think the food is healthy and fresh they need to stop on by and check us out. Our products sell themselves and speak volumes for the public needs and desire for truly fresh food. Food that tastes the way nature intended it ... tomatoes are not all supposed to be the same shape and color, and chickens are not supposed to taste like everything else."

Because he sells out of his products so quickly, my best advice to you is get out there early Wednesday or Thursday so you have the best selection. I know that's what I'm going to do, because if you wait until later on Friday or Saturday they may already be sold out ... yes, it sells that fast because it's that good and the prices are very reasonable. In fact, they're some of the best prices I've seen.

Follow Turkey Creek Bee Farm on Facebook
Contact Turkey Creek Bee Farm 803-795-9289

Today's recipe! Asian Chicken Noodle Bowl featuring organic green beans from Turkey Creek Bee Farm

Ingredients
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tbls. butter
1 small handful thin spaghetti noodles
4 chicken breast tenders, sliced  into thin strips
1-2 cups fresh organic green beans, ends trimmed
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1-2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbls. Teriyaki sauce
1-2 tbls. corn starch
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water, or more as needed


Method
Rinse and blanch fresh green beans in a small sauce pan in boiling water 1-2 minutes; drain and set aside.  In a large covered fry pan, melt butter and add almonds and spaghetti noodles, stirring to brown slightly. Add chicken, green beans and sliced green onion.  Sprinkle with corn starch and black pepper; add chicken stock and Teriyaki sauce, stirring until everything is well blended (add 1 cup water if needed to keep from becoming too thick). Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through, spaghetti noodles are cooked and green beans are crisp tender. Serve immediately in large bowls.

Yield:  2-4 servings

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Enjoy,
Mary

Asian Chicken Noodle Bowl

I enjoy many Asian foods for several reason; they're tasty, healthy, quick and easy.  All you have to do is prep some ingredients prior to cooking, and you have a healthy, delicious meal in 30 minutes or less.  What's not to like?  Quick, healthy, easy?  That's just how I like things and this is perfect for a quick, weeknight dinner.

Ingredients
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tbls. butter
1 small handful thin spaghetti noodles
2 chicken breasts, cut off bone and sliced into thin strips (or cubed, cooked chicken)
1-2 cups fresh organic green beans, ends trimmed
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1-2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbls. Teriyaki sauce
1-2 tbls. corn starch
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water, or more as needed

Method
Rinse and blanch fresh green beans in a small sauce pan in boiling water 1-2 minutes; drain and set aside.

In a large covered fry pan, melt butter and add almonds and spaghetti noodles, stirring to brown slightly.

Add chicken, green beans and sliced green onion.  Sprinkle with corn starch and black pepper; add chicken stock and Teriyaki sauce, stirring until everything is well blended (add 1 cup water if needed to keep from becoming too thick).

Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through , spaghetti noodles are cooked and green beans are crisp tender. Serve immediately in large bowls.

Yield:  2-4 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

Thames Farm - Pastured Pork, Lamb and Chicken

Amy Thames and Melvin - Thames Farm

It was a cloudy start to our recent farm outing, with a few sprinkles along the way, but that didn't do anything to dampen our spirits.  We met early in the morning at the Kershaw County Farmer's Market (our favorite local market) and enjoyed walking around, seeing familiar faces and some new, stopping to chat with a few of the vendors and purchasing some delicious South Carolina grown products.  Cucumbers, Organic Blueberries, Green Beans, freshly dug Red Potatoes and the BEST looking Onions I've seen was my haul, while my friends scooped up some tomatoes, squash and more.

Kershaw County Farmer's Market - Organic Blueberries from Le Farm

After our market stop we made our way over for breakfast at the Carolina Cafe and Grill. At this small, quaint little place just around the corner from the market, we were pleasantly surprised by how FRESH everything was, especially because one of us saw them cutting up fresh vegetables for the Vegetable Omelette ordered.  Oh my word, the breakfast was delicious, with all of us commenting about how great it all was. Trust me, you owe yourself a visit if you are ever in Camden, South Carolina. Now that we had full bellies, however, it was time to pay our bill and be off for the highlight of our day, a tour at Thames Farm, located at 3510 Catawba River Road, Fort Lawn, South Carolina 29714.

Following Hwy 97 north from Camden, we twisted and turned just over 30 miles, crossing over the Wateree Dam and headed up Hwy 21 to our destination. Easy to find with a large sign on the right side of the road, we made our way down the long driveway where we were met by Amy Thames and her sidekick, Melvin the turkey! Oh my ... Melvin!  What a character he is.  He likes to greet the guests and loves to flirt. I've never see a turkey flirt until now! Melvin has a small birth defect and an amazing personality so will always be a GREAT ambassador for the farm.We all loved Melvin! 

Situated on 82 rolling acres, Amy explained "Thames Farm is dedicated to raising healthy all-natural pastured Berkshire pork, pastured chicken and lamb. All our animals are raised on a natural diet and are never given antibiotics, steroids or any growth hormones. Our pastures are maintained chemical free. Our pigs are allowed to be pigs. They are happy and have social interaction with each other. We finish our pigs for processing on the pasture. Our pigs are supplemented with grains, vegetables, and raw Jersey cow milk. They graze and bask in the sunshine.

Chickens - Thames Farm

Our chickens are raised in mobile 
"chicken tractors" where they are protected from predators. They have access to grasses, insects and plenty of fresh air and sunshine. Junior our Great Pyreness dog watches them with a careful eye keeping them safe from anything or anyone who may harm his friends. the mobile units are moved several times daily to ensure they are always kept clean. The chickens in-turn provide our pastures with fertilizer allowing us to avoid using chemical fertilizers. We have a nice group of laying hens that do an excellent job of providing us with fresh eggs. You can see them roaming around the yard all day. We also grow seasonal produce so check with us to see what is ready for harvesting."

Thames Farm raises Berkshire pigs for a reason. As Amy explains "the quality of the Berkshire meat is unmatched, it stays juicy and tender when cooking due to the pH of the meat that is unique to the Berkshire breed. Berkshire pork has been featured on the Food Network show Chopped and BBQ

Berkshire sow and piglets - Thames Farm

Pitmasters on the Travel Channel." 

Berkshire Pork Products - Thames Farm

Berkshire pork is a heritage breed of pig, which was discovered over 300 years ago in Berkshire County in the United Kingdom. Berkshire pork is renowned for its richness, texture, marbling, juiciness, tenderness and overall depth of flavor. It is thought by many to be the Kobe beef of pork. It is said to have a very specific taste, not generic and bland or mild like regular pork. Berkshire pork is prized for juiciness, flavor and tenderness, is pink-hued and heavily marbled. The Berkshire’s originated from England. They were specially bred for the King of England for his own personal meat supply, because of the excellence in the meat! Today Berkshire Pork is the most highly sought after pork in the world. Berkshire pork looks and tastes like no other pork. Unlike commodity pork or “the other white meat” Berkshire pork is visibly different. It has a darker richer color with an abundance of intramuscular marbling. Its flavor is distinctive with an unparalleled juiciest and tenderness for pork. (source:  Wikipedia)
After touring around, we ended up in a barn-type building where the small chicks are housed until they are big enough to go out on the pasture, and the on-farm sales take place among freezers full of yummy pastured products. Good thing we brought a cooler or

Whole Chickens - Thames Farm

two, because we all loaded up on chicken and pork products.
After paying our bills and saying good-bye to Amy and Melvin, we headed home. It was a great day with good friends, and another wonderful adventure exploring a small, local family farm doing it right for you and me.
I am happy to be on this journey to explore what's fresh right outside my door and look forward to many more farm trips because I've met some of the BEST people, who have become friends.

Naturally I couldn't wait to cook something with my purchases, so a few days later my husband and I prepared this Italian Seasoned Grilled Chicken.  It was so good and made for a nice summertime meal with a side of fresh pasta and grilled green beans.

Prepared with a whole, split chicken - Thames Farm

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (I also split each breast in half for 10 total pieces)
Course-ground black pepper
Oregano
Thyme leaves
Garlic powder

Method
Liberally sprinkle chicken pieces with listed spices. Grill on direct medium low heat, turning every 5 minutes until cooked through, approx. 30 minutes (watch for flare ups).  Remove from grill, cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

Italian Seasoned Grilled Chicken 

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Enjoy,
Mary