Story and photos by Bruce Schultz The 2024 crawfish crop has been disastrous so far, affecting farmers and businesses that depend heavily on the crustacean, and the impact on the area economy will be significant.
Normally, crawfish pumps more than a quarter billion dollars into the Louisiana economy but that amount this year will be drastically reduced. Eric Thomas, a Rayne crawfish dealer, said the market is looking better than the past 2 months. The price has dropped, and more people are eating crawfish. “The price was $8 a pound and now it’s $4,” he said on March 4 when the price fell by $1. “The industry has never seen prices like this.” He said the market has limited the number of restaurant customers. “There are only so many eaters at a certain price.” But he said the bad publicity about the crawfish market has probably led many consumers to give up on the South Louisiana staple, and that has put a damper on demand. “We’re starting to see more and more crawfish being caught,” he said. “In the last 5 to 6 days, things have picked up a lot.” The market for smaller, peeling crawfish also has been affected. Most of the imported labor for that sector hasn’t been brought into the U.S., Thomas said, so it is affecting Mexican workers who depend on work here. Thomas, business partner with farmer Russ Cassedy of Crowley, has a seafood restaurant in Crosby, Texas, but he said its business model is based mainly on crawfish. He had several drive-through crawfish businesses in Louisiana, and he opened the Crawfish Hut restaurant in Rayne in 2003. His wholesale business has customers in Dallas, Mississippi, Alabama and North Carolina, but supplying those buyers has been difficult to impossible. He said the current volume he is buying now is typical for mid- to late January. Many farmers are giving up and draining early to plant rice or soybeans, he said, especially in southern Vermilion Parish where salinity has been a problem. Thomas said his business usually employs eight workers but now he only has four on the payroll. He only needs one driver so far this year, but he usually has three. Thomas also has rice acreage. Usually, rice fields only used for one crop of rice will produce crawfish earlier since they are harvested and reflooded earlier, he said, than fields where a ratoon crop (or second crop) is grown. But this year, he said, it made no difference. Even fields that were planted with rice just for crawfish production have not shown any difference in timing or production, he said. Thomas is amazed at last summer’s brutal heat. Usually, he said, it takes about 21 days for a field to be drained for harvest. But last year, a field would be dry enough to cut in 6 days. He said pumps had to run constantly to keep rice fields flooded, costing as much as $10,000 a month per pump for electricity. Rice yields were higher last year, he said, but that was offset by lower quality which brought price penalties. Thomas recalled a similar downturn in the market. “Last time I saw this was with Icon in 1999.” The Icon seed treatment insecticide, used against rice water weevils, was blamed for a bad crawfish harvest in 1999, and farmers joined in a class-action lawsuit against the product’s maker, Aventis. The case settled in 2004 during a trial, resulting in a $45 million settlement but plaintiffs received a little more than half that after attorneys’ fees and court costs were paid. The company did not admit doing anything wrong and it blamed the bad crawfish season on drought conditions. Thomas said he is planning to restock his fields with crawfish from a field that will be left untouched. He expects crawfish from the Atchafalaya Basin will be too expensive for stocking fields when that crop starts producing by late spring. Normally, Thomas buys crawfish for resale until July 4. “If we can get to the Fourth of July with mild temperatures, people can make some money.” Interestingly, Thomas said he knows two farmers in Acadia Parish whose crawfish production has increased over last year. He said they both have fields of about 35 acres and neither stock their fields. Their crawfish is not harvested with boats that leave ruts in the mud, and they have their rice cut in July or August to reflood the fields immediately. “They’re usually the first ones to have crawfish.” Todd Fontenot, LSU AgCenter crawfish specialist, said the catch is improving. “I’m hearing things are a little more encouraging,” he said. ”But we’re still 10 to 15% of a normal supply.” He said the catch rate is about a sack of crawfish, around 30 pounds, from 20 acres. He said warmer weather should promote crawfish growth and reproduction, and that should help the crawfish industry recover some losses. But he said it makes no sense that there are a few fields that are producing well alongside under-performing fields with identical growing conditions. “I can’t explain it. They’re doing everything the same.” Rice farmers typically covered their costs with rice in the past few years, and they have depended on crawfish for their profit. Fontenot said it’s likely that more ponds will be drained early for rice planting. Farmers close to the coastal area are facing the dilemma of high salinity rates, he said, so that could limit the amount of rice planted there. And he’s also hearing that seed stocks for some long-grain rice varieties are in short supply. Higher crawfish prices also present another problem for farmers looking ahead to restocking crawfish. The usual rate is 60 pounds of crawfish per acre, Fontenot said. “It’s not good to restock with $2.50 or $3 crawfish because there goes your profit.” Farmers are looking at setting aside some fields of crawfish for restocking but that also chips away at potential income for this year. Mark Shirley, crawfish specialist with the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant, said the effect of the low catch will be felt throughout South Louisiana which usually benefits from a $300 million economic impact. “I don’t think we’ll get half that this year, but maybe a third.” He said it’s likely that crawfish boat builders will suffer, along with trap makers, bait dealers along with restaurants and drive-thru operations. And it will hurt business owners who depend on crawfish sales to make loan payments. “There’s a lot of debt out there,” he said. “It’s a ripple effect.” Processing plants have not started peeling because of the high price, he said, and that’s resulted in foreign workers not being called up from Mexico or sent home. “Very likely, very little crawfish will be peeled.” The high price and lower-than-usual harvest will open the door to foreign crawfish, he said, since the U.S. tariff on imported crawfish has expired. “There are a lot of problems associated when you run out of a product.” Shirley said it’s likely that the drought and extreme heat at the worst time interfered with the growth and reproduction processes. “It was a double whammy.” Tony and Jennifer Arceneaux, owners of Hawk’s Restaurant near Roberts Cove, are planning to open March 20, almost 2 months behind his usual start. “It’s been a crazy year and a crazy season,” Tony said. He said COVID put a damper on his business, then came the crawfish famine. “We really needed this season to make up for being closed the past 2 seasons.” Hawk’s usually opens late January or early February, whenever the crawfish are the right size and maturity. “I’ve been doing this so long (42 years), I’d rather wait until they are decent.” But this year, the poor catch and high prices pushed the opening date back. He is seeing signs that the catch and quality is improving. “Supply is getting better every day,” he said. "We’re headed in the right direction.” Arceneaux said his biggest concern now is the effect this is having on his employees. He normally has 22 people working nights and days. The seasonal business helps those workers catch up on bills. “Some employees had to find other work.” He also sympathizes with farmers. “A lot of these farmers are hurting right now. Those crawfish buy a lot of groceries.” If the crawfish problem weren’t enough of a challenge, Arceneaux said his expenses have increased in the past 3 years. His mayonnaise used for special crawfish dip has tripled in price in the past 3 years, he said, and he uses 60 gallons a week. “That’s just an extra cost I hadn’t even thought about.” As the owner of an established business, the Arceneauxs don’t have the heavy debt looming overhead that newer crawfish businesses, such as drive-thru operations, are facing. “It’s a scary thought. I’m glad I’m not in that situation.” Michael Hundley of Acadia Parish, with a family farm and restaurant, knows first-hand the problems facing both ends of the industry. He said the catch is improving, but it’s inconsistent. “One day it’s good and then one day it’s bad. The catch is 15 percent of what we usually catch. There are a lot of people not catching anything.” “I’m hoping and praying we’ll have a reversal of years past,” he said. Usually, the catch starts at high levels and drops off as the season progresses, Hundley said. “Maybe this year it will be the opposite.” He said the family restaurant, Mo’ Crawfish in the Mowata community, has about half as many customers as usual. It is only open during crawfish season and this year it was scaled back to Tuesday through Sunday. “The crowds have gotten better. The restaurant on Fridays is full and people are coming.” But he said sales are about half of the usual amount. Hundley realizes that subsidiary businesses are hurting also, such as seasoning sellers and trap makers. “It’s not just us as farmers or a restaurant. It’s everything. It affects the whole community and the whole parish. The price fell again on March 11, he said, to $3 a pound. He said at $7-8 a pound, he was embarrassed selling for $10 a pound for boiled crawfish. “The price should have never gone to where it was.” Farmer Dane Hebert, who grows rice, crawfish, soybeans and sugarcane with his daughter, Laura, in northern Vermilion Parish, said their operation is producing more now. “The catch is slowly picking up and the size is getting better.” Hebert said they are saving some crawfish for restocking, and it’s likely they will drain some fields early for rice planting. The price drop didn’t surprise him. “I knew that would happen as soon as there was some kind of volume.” But he said the price may have fallen because consumption – or demand – has not kept up with the meager volume. He said a consumer is likely to pass on more expensive crawfish, “if you can buy a ribeye cheaper.” The recent declaration of a disaster by Gov. Landry and requests for federal aid probably will help, Hebert said, but that assistance won’t happen soon. “If we see anything this year, I’d be surprised.” Hebert said he and Laura work their catch themselves along with local labor. He said it’s possible they will be near a break even point if the catch continues to improve before Lent. He said the uncertainty of the crustacean has been enough to dissuade him from depending on the crustacean as a major income source. “I’ve always used crawfish as lagniappe. I knew better than to bank on it.” Hebert said this year has provided difficult lessons in economics and biology. “Crawfish are so dependent on Mother Nature,” Hebert said. “There are a lot of things we don’t know about crawfish.”
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Story, photos and recipes by Cynthia Nobles More than a third of the food we eat comes from crops pollinated by honey bees. That is why Dr. Lanie Bilodeau of the USDA Bee Lab in Baton Rouge works hard to keep our managed bee population healthy.
One of Louisiana’s best kept agricultural research secrets is the USDA’s Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Lab. Just south of the main LSU Campus, the facility’s cluster of buildings are jam-packed with tables of microscopes, shelves of experimental plants, rooms of high-tech machinery such as genetic analyzers and bioreactors, and freezers filled with DNA samples. Scattered around it all are towers and towers of humming bee hives. Beyond the compound lies open fields, where the lab’s bees forage. “We have a staff of 24 that includes 7 scientists,” says Bilodeau, the Bee Lab’s Research Leader, and who holds a PhD in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology from UL-Lafayette. The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has ongoing research in 16 bee research labs around the country, with 6 main labs dedicated specifically to honey bee work. “Ours is the biggest bee lab in the U.S.,” she says. “The Baton Rouge unit has been operational 95 years, and we’ve been in our current location 67 years.” As we wound through a maze of rooms, we were joined by Kevin Langley, who raises his own bees and does bee rescues and relocations. Langley is also President of the Capital Area Beekeepers Association and Vice-President of the Louisiana Beekeepers Association. These two organizations, as well as the Louisiana Farm Bureau, strongly support Baton Rouge’s Bee Lab. “Lots of Louisiana beekeepers raise bees for export to other states and Canada,” Langley said. “I like to keep my stakeholders up-to-date on bee research. The work they do here at the Bee Lab is vital to our industry.” Langley explained that honey bees alone pollinate 80 percent of all flowering plants, including more than 130 types of fruits and vegetables. Cotton, soybeans, oil seed crops, vegetables, cover crops, forage crops, and several nut varieties depend on bees. “Take the almond,” he said. “Each little nut has to be pollinated by a single bee. Where would that industry be without bees?” Cornell University did a study on the value of bees, and concluded that bee pollination contributes more than $18 billion annually to the U.S. economy. According to the FDA, this agriculture benefit is worth 10-20 times the value of the honey and beeswax markets. The Baton Rouge Bee Lab plays such an important part in maintaining a robust honey bee economic impact. And the lab’s mission is simple: To use genetics and honey bee breeding to solve the problems affecting the commercial beekeeping industry. Eradicating the dangers to bee health is more complicated. It has widely been publicized that the honey bee population is dwindling. “There’s a significant honey bee decline from 20-30 years ago,” Bilodeau says. “Bees used to live 2-3 years in commercial hives. Now they average 6 months.” Even so, the managed bee population is holding steady, thanks to research successes and diligent colony management. Over the past couple of years, however, bee prices have doubled, as well as the food to feed them. The reasons for bee demise are numerous. Changes in weather patterns have an impact. “Decoupling is a term used to describe what happens when the timing of the colony’s activity and nutritional needs do not match that of a flowering plant,” said Bilodeau. “Lately, some plants are flowering in winter, when bees are not ready to eat.” Then there’s what she refers to as the “four P’s,” which are pathogens, poor nutrition, improper use of pesticides, and pests and parasites. “A big killer is Varroa mites,” Bilodeau says of the parasite that can wipe out a whole bee colony. “Another devastating physiological threat comes from viruses.” To help solve these problems, the Bee Lab does research on 3 types of honey bees: European (the most common used for U.S. pollination), and 2 mite-resistant stocks developed by the Baton Rouge USDA Bee Lab (Russian and Pol-line). “Most beekeepers in the U.S. use European bees,” she says, Curious as it seems, no honey bees are native to the U.S. “We do have thousands of native bee species in America,” say Bilodeau, “but no true honey bee.” As we toured the room where artificial insemination on bee queens is performed, Bilodeau got technical. “We focus on bee genetics and general biology,” she said. “We look for ways to improve insecticide resistance and adaptation to artificial diets. We experiment with toxicology, virus resistance, and aggression. We closely study the molecular biology of our bees. Small genome changes happen quickly. Mutations can change everything in the next generation.” Langley put this research into plain terms: “They’re developing lines and stocks of honey bees with improved survivorship. We need bees that are disease resistant, resilient, and productive.” Through the doors along a maze of hallways I could see that lab staff was busy as, well, bees. In one room we ran into Biological Research Technician Elisabeth Pigott, who was concentrating on pipetting liquid into a tray. We walked into another room where award-winning Research Scientist Vincent Ricigliano was working on bee genetics, mutation, pathogens, and vaccines. “I think mites are a bee’s biggest threat,” Ricigliano said, as he showed me two of his experiments. He pointed out a tray of tall, large vials full of a deep green liquid. “This is microalgae. There’s no viable treatment option for viruses, and I’m experimenting with an edible option.” He then opened a door to a tray of foot-high sunflower plants. “If things work out like I want, bees can feed on these sunflowers and get their vaccinations.” Bilodeau’s research team keeps having scientific advances, and her outreach keeps expanding. In addition to continued work with LSU faculty and graduate students, over the last year-and-a-half her unit has collaborated with Baton Rouge’s Southern University, working with faculty and a student on bees and urban forestry. She also hopes to begin work with the Southern researchers on bee resilience in urban environments. All this research requires elbow-room, something the current lab facility lacks. “We’re conducting state-of-the art research in very old facilities,” says Bilodeau. “We’ve outgrown our space and are hoping for a budget increase next year. We are in the process of leasing land on the Southern University Campus and hope to build a 51,000-square-foot facility. All we’re waiting on is congressional funding.” While Lanie Bilodeau waits for Congress to act, she and her researchers will continue to work to save our commercial bees. Their diligence is crucial to beekeepers like Kevin Langley, as well as to farmers, whose crops directly or indirectly rely on these remarkable insects. Do you have a Louisiana agriculture story or a recipe you’d like to share? Contact me at noblescynthia@gmail.com. Cynthia Nobles is the cookbook editor for LSU Press and the author/co-author of several historical cookbooks, including A Confederacy of Dunces Cookbook, The Delta Queen Cookbook, and The Fonville Winans Cookbook. Honey Roasted Pecans Makes 1 pound 1 pound pecan halves 2 tablespoons butter ⅓ cup honey ¼ teaspoon salt, divided 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper or heavy-duty foil. Place pecans in a large bowl and set aside. 2. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in honey. Pour honey mixture over pecans and mix thoroughly, so that nuts are completely coated. 3. Spread honey-coated nuts in a single layer in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the salt and bake 7 minutes. Turn pecans over with a spatula, sprinkle with remaining salt, and bake 9 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on the sheet pan. Store in an airtight container up to a week. Honey and Coconut Cookies Makes 3 dozen 1 stick butter ¾ cup honey 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups shredded coconut 1. In a saucepan, melt butter. Remove pan from heat and thoroughly stir in honey. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and refrigerate 15-30 minutes. 2. When ready to bake, place a rack in the upper half of your oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. To the honey mixture, stir in the egg, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour and stir until combined. Stir in the coconut. 3. Drop batter by the tablespoon 2 inches apart on the prepared pan. (Do not refrigerate dough between batches.) Bake until bottoms are evenly brown, 11-15 minutes. Cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then cool completely on a rack. Keeps fresh up to 3 days. Old World Whole Grain Bread Makes 1 loaf. Recipe is by Ann Darphin Jennings of Baton Rouge. Whole wheat, oats, flax, and honey combine to make a nutritious, tender loaf reminiscent of the sturdier loaves common in Europe centuries ago. 3½ cups whole wheat flour, divided 1½ cups warm water, divided ¼ cup wheat bran ¼ cup steel cut oats ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup honey 4½ teaspoons yeast ¼ cup flax meal (or grind your own whole flax seeds) 1½ teaspoons salt 1. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1 cup warm water, bran, and oats. Cover and let stand 1 hour. 2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, add remaining ½ cup warm water, olive oil, honey, and yeast and let stand 5 minutes. 3. Add bran mixture to yeast mixture, along with remaining 2½ cups flour, flax meal, and salt. Using a bread hook, mix on low speed 7 minutes. Form dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours. 4. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan. Punch dough down and remove from bowl. Knead lightly and shape dough into a loaf. Place in the prepared pan, cover lightly with a clean dish towel, and let rise until bread reaches about 1 inch above pan rim, about 30 minutes. 5. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Bake bread until dark brown, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing. Honey Hot Toddy Makes 1 drink I’m not sure if this popular concoction really cures colds, but it does warm you up on a chilly night. ½ cup water 1 tablespoon honey 2-3 tablespoons whiskey 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 lemon slice 1 stick cinnamon Bring water to a boil in a small pot and remove from heat. Add honey and stir until dissolved. Pour honey mixture into a small mug and stir in whiskey and lemon juice. Garnish with lemon slice and cinnamon. Serve immediately. Story, photos and recipes by Cynthia Nobles Bradley Reed is president of Reed Aviation, and for him, January means that it’s time to begin prepping for the rice-planting season.
For over 50 years, the Reed family has been flying seed, fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, mostly for Mowata and Iota-area rice farmers. They also do specialized work as far as Lake Arthur, Elton, and Duson. “This time of year we get fields ready for planting,” says Reed. “That mostly means applying glyphosates for weed control.” As any rice farmer knows, March and April are the months for seeding. Fertilizer is usually applied in April and May, and liquid herbicides and fungicides are sprayed in June and July. “I do some soybean and pasture work,” says Reed. “But most of my farmers plant rice, so I get 75 percent of my income in March, April, May, and June.” November and December are the company’s least busy months. That’s when Reed’s crew performs maintenance, like doing air field work and washing airplanes. “Aircraft maintenance is something we do constantly, not only in winter,” he says. “About 60 percent of the work we do on planes is corrosion fighting.” Farm crop aerial application is a business that began in the U.S. in 1921. That August, a U.S. Army pilot flew his Curtiss JN-4 Jenny over an Ohio orchard and dropped powdered lead arsenate insecticide, trying to kill caterpillars. His technique worked and quickly caught on. These “crop dusters” of that time gained the nickname the “Farmer’s Air Force.” Reed’s company was started by his recently deceased father, Norman, who started flying for Welsh businessman and ag flyer Emery Lyon in the early 1960s. “In 1968, daddy started his own business right here, on his grandfather’s land,” Reed says of the corporation’s hangar and office on McCain Road, just east of Iota. “I grew up in the business. The hangar and planes were less than 100 yards from my house and all I ever wanted to do was fly ag planes.” Reed started flying when he was 15 years old. He flew his first ag plane at age 19, in 1981. He bought his company from his father in 1988. Reed is a former president of the Louisiana Agriculture Aviation Association and former Treasurer for the National Aviation Association. He has a staff of 4 permanent employees, along with several seasonal pilots. His company has 4 agriculture airplanes: 2 Air Tractor turboprops - a 602 and 502B, and 2 Eagle DW-1 bi-wings. He takes off from 2 of his own airstrips, as well as from 5 satellite airstrips owned by local farmers. “Our territory is about a 15-mile radius from our base of operation,” Reed says. “We try to keep an airstrip within 5 miles of a field.” Pilots must refill liquid product from Reed’s home base, but not the dry materials. “Sometimes we put out 60 loads of dry material a day,” he says. “It would cost too much to fly back to the hangar for each load. That’s why we use our farmers’ satellite strips.” Statistics show that 28 percent of our country’s cropland is treated by aerial application. “There’s a little over 3,000 ag planes in the United States,” Reed says. “And there’s only 1,500 companies like mine.” Since each business averages approximately 2.3 aircraft per operation, Reed Aviation is larger than most. “To fly an ag plane a pilot must first get a commercial license,” he says. Reed, a licensed pilot, attended Nicholls State University. “There’s only 4 or 5 ag application training schools in the U.S. But I can do that right here.” Reed, who is designated a chief pilot by the FAA, trains pilots for ag flying in a Grumman American AA1A, a small 2-seater that he also uses for personal use. Looking back, Reed has seen many changes in the industry. “My father paid $30,000 for a new plane in 1968,” he said. “In 1989, I bought my first plane, a used one, for $150,000. Today, just a propeller can cost over $80,000. A new plane starts at $1 million.” He talked about seed variety changes over the years, which affect application protocols. “Certain herbicides can only be used with certain seed varieties, and we’ve had to make adjustments to both of those scenarios,” he said. One thing that has not changed is Reed’s livelihood’s dependence on the weather. “Weather affects almost everything we do. Rain can push things back months. Wind affects drift, and if the air temperature isn’t right, we can’t apply some products.” He says that the biggest positive change he’s seen in his industry is the use of the now-common, satellite-based radio navigation system known as GPS. “Remember the days of holding flags?” he asked with a laugh. “Now all planes have GPS. It shows a display of the field, and what we do is like painting that field. It makes things so much easier. I think I’d quit if they took away GPS.” Change is a constant in Bradley Reed’s business. And until he retires, he’ll keep up with the latest innovations, all the while flying through the seasons for our area’s crop farmers. Do you have a Louisiana agriculture story or a recipe you’d like to share? Contact me at noblescynthia@gmail.com. Cynthia Nobles is the cookbook editor for LSU Press and the author/co-author of several historical cookbooks, including A Confederacy of Dunces Cookbook, The Delta Queen Cookbook, and The Fonville Winans Cookbook. Spanish Rice Makes 4 servings ¼ cup vegetable oil 1½ cups raw, long-grain white rice 1 cup minced onion ½ cup minced bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chicken broth 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 2 teaspoons chili powder ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro 1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté rice, onion and bell pepper until rice is browned and onion is tender, about 6-7 minutes. 2. Stir in garlic. Add broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, cumin and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to very low. Cover pot tightly and simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. 3. Remove pot from heat and allow to sit, covered, 15 minutes. Fluff up rice, stir in cilantro, and serve. Rice Dressing Makes 8-10 servings 1 pound ground beef ½ pound hot bulk sausage 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large bell pepper, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 3 cups beef stock 8 cups cooked rice, at room temperature ¼ cup chopped parsley ½ cup chopped green onion, green and white parts 1. Over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven, sauté ground beef, sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, salt, and black pepper until meat has browned well. 2. Add stock and cook at a brisk simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until liquid has almost totally evaporated, down to 2-3 tablespoons, about 20 minutes. 3. Fluff rice up with a fork and stir it into meat mixture. Stir slowly and gently, until everything is heated through and liquid has totally soaked into rice. Stir in parsley and green onion. Serve warm. Cabbage Rolls Makes 20 Adapted from a recipe in The Fonville Winans Cookbook. 1 large head of green, leafy cabbage 1 slice bread ¼ cup milk 1 pound ground beef ½ cup raw rice Water 3 cloves garlic, minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 (13.5-ounce) can tomato juice 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1. Remove 20 outer leaves from cabbage. Bring a large pot of water to boil and simmer leaves until wilted, 30-60 seconds. Drain and trim off large, tough center ribs. Set cabbage leaves aside. 2. In a small bowl, soak bread in milk 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, rice, ½ cup water, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add soaked bread and combine mixture well. 3. Place 2-3 tablespoons of meat mixture on the base of a cabbage leaf. Fold in sides and wrap into a neat roll, like a package. Repeat with remaining leaves. 4. Line the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart saucepan with unused cabbage leaves. On top of the leaves, pack cabbage rolls tightly together in layers. Pour on tomato juice and add enough water to just cover cabbage rolls. Place a small saucer or plate on top of rolls to hold them down. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, and reduce to a simmer. Cook 1 hour. 5. Remove the cabbage rolls and arrange on a serving platter. Strain the liquid, then pour strained liquid into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and thicken with cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water. Check for seasoning. Pour sauce over the rolls. Serve hot. Chocolate Rice Pudding Makes 4 servings 2½ cups whole milk, divided 2 cups cooked rice ⅓ cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 large egg, beaten in a small bowl ½ cup chocolate chips 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1. In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine 2 cups milk, the cooked rice, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until creamy and very thick, 12-13 minutes. 2. Remove pot from heat and stir in the remaining ½ cup milk. Spoon ½ cup of the mixture into the bowl with the beaten egg and stir well. Spoon the rice/egg mixture back into the pot and stir in the chocolate chips. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. 3. Remove saucepan from heat and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the butter melts. Divide mixture between 4 dessert bowls and let sit at least 10 minutes. Serve warm (it will be soft) or chilled. Story, photos and recipes by Cynthia Nobles This time of year, Gerald and Brenda Miller of Evangeline should be knee-deep in grapefruit and oranges. But thanks to two years of North Pole-style freezes, the Millers do not have a single bit of citrus to sell.
Will Santa be giving any of us delicious Louisiana citrus this Christmas? My mother used to tell me that the jolly old elf would leave an orange in her Christmas stocking. Back in the 1930s, oranges were growing commercially down in balmy Plaquemines Parish, but they were obviously a precious commodity in the slightly colder climate of Crowley. These days, with improved varieties of satsumas, navel oranges, grapefruit, and kumquats, most home gardeners south of Highway 190 try their hand at least once at growing citrus. Some trees in the northern regions of southwest Louisiana stay alive for years. But often they succumb to cold weather, such as what happened to the Millers during last winter’s brutal Arctic chill. Back in 2017, Louisiana Farm & Ranch Magazine featured Gerald Miller’s expansive and extremely successful orchard. “But look at it now,” he said, pointing to rows of sawed-down tree trunks. “I had about 350 mature trees. I grew tons of satsumas, tangelos, tangerines, red and white grapefruit. I had navels, mandarins, Valencias, and blood oranges. After these last couple of big freezes, all I have left are seven kumquats, maybe ten satsumas, and a navel or two.” “But we do have a lot of healthy blackberries,” Miller said, proudly standing by two long, lush rows of arching plants. In season, the Millers also sell blackberries. “After the freeze we bushogged the bushes down, and they look as healthy as ever. You can’t kill these blackberries. We’ve had these for years.” Miller then guided me through rows of rotting satsuma stumps. “I retired from Citgo and took over this place from a relative about 13 years ago,” he said. “It took a lot of bushhogging to clean things up, and I’ve never made much money. But I’ve really enjoyed producing beautiful fruit.” Working under the mentorship of Acadia Parish Ag Extension Agent, Jeremy Hebert, Miller had many highly productive years. “One time we had so many tangelos we couldn’t keep up with picking. My tractor got bogged in the fruit that fell.” Gerald and Brenda used to sell their bounty directly from their home, and wholesale to roadside and farmers market vendors. “Most of the time we had so many oranges and grapefruit,” he said, “we’d end up giving a lot of it away, especially to the VA Home in Jennings.” A little greenery was growing from the base of a few stumps, and I asked if there was hope that a few trees might come back to life. He leaned down and solemnly picked a trio of leaves. “This is called trifoliate,” he said, referring to the three-lobed leaves growing from the navel orange’s cold-hardy rootstock. “I need growth from the top, and that’s not going to happen.” Even though the Millers won’t have baskets of citrus to sell for Christmas giving, there is some good news from southeast Louisiana. Anna Timmerman, Extension Agent in Plaquemines Parish, says that her area thankfully dodged last year’s freeze. “The problem we’re having,” she says, “is drought. Orchards were dry most of the year.” According to Timmerman, those that received late-year rain are producing. The ones that stayed dry are not. So that you can grow oranges for future gift-giving, what do you need to know before you plant trees? According to Acadia Parish Assistant Extension Agent Paul Bongarzone, January and February are the best months to plant citrus in south Louisiana. “It’s important to keep trees healthy, and to be mindful of where and what you are growing,” he says. “Citrus likes full sun, appropriate drainage, and loose soil.” Unfortunately, any citrus planted in the relatively colder parishes north of Acadia, Jeff Davis, and Lafayette won’t have much chance of a lengthy survival. However, there are exceptions, such as a 20-year-old satsuma in Eunice owned by an acquaintance who sprays his tree’s leaves with water during cold snaps. Since kumquats and satsumas are the most cold hardy, they’re the logical choice for the Acadiana region. Bongarzone also advises to cover your trees during a freeze and allow light to come in. Container growing is another option, because the trees can be moved indoors. (You can find the Ag Center’s “Louisiana Home Citrus Production” brochure online at lsuagcenter.com.) I lost four of my five precious citrus trees to last year’s freeze. Although Gerald Miller tells me he is giving up on citrus, this past February I replanted “just one more time.” In the meantime, I am headed to a few farmer’s markets to seek out the ideal gift for my relatives, bags of fresh Louisiana citrus. Do you have a Louisiana agriculture story or a recipe you’d like to share? Contact me at noblescynthia@gmail.com. Cynthia Nobles is the cookbook editor for LSU Press and the author/co-author of several historical cookbooks, including A Confederacy of Dunces Cookbook, The Delta Queen Cookbook, and The Fonville Winans Cookbook. Grapefruit Boneless Turkey Breast Makes 6 servings 1 (3-pound) boneless turkey breast, thawed 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ½ cup chicken stock ½ cup fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice 1 grapefruit, cut in ½-inch slices A few tablespoons orange marmalade (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Combine the Creole seasoning, olive oil, and mustard. Without removing the netting, lift the skin away from the turkey and spread half the seasoning paste under the skin. Rub remaining seasoning paste all over the meat. 2. Pour the stock and grapefruit juice into a roasting pan. Arrange the grapefruit slices on the bottom of the pan and put the seasoned turkey on top of the grapefruit slices. With the netting still on the turkey, roast, uncovered, until the skin is golden brown and the center reaches 165°F on a quick-read thermometer, 1½-2 hours. 3. Remove the turkey from the oven. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest 15 minutes. Remove the netting when ready to serve. 4. Pour the juices from the pan into a bowl and serve with turkey. For a sweeter sauce, stir in a tablespoon or so of marmalade and boil 1 minute. Ambrosia Trifle Makes 12 servings Pull out your fanciest glass serving bowl for this showstopper. (You can make it a day ahead.) 2⅔ cups cold whole milk 2 (3.4-ounce) packages instant vanilla or coconut pudding 1 cup sour cream ¼ cup orange marmalade 1 (16-ounce) fresh or frozen pound cake, defrosted if frozen 3 cups assorted citrus segments (navel orange, satsuma, grapefruit, mandarins) 1 (15.25-ounce) can pineapple chunks, well-drained, or 1½ cups fresh pineapple 1 cup shredded coconut 1 (15-ounce) can sweet cherries in syrup, drained 1 cup chopped pecans 2 cups whipped cream (homemade, Cool Whip, or Reddi-Wip) 1. In a large bowl, combine the milk and pudding and whisk 2 minutes. Let sit at room temperature 2 minutes. Whisk in sour cream. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding mixture and refrigerate 4-24 hours. 2. In a small saucepan, melt the marmalade with 1 tablespoon water. Slice the cake in half horizontally and brush the 2 cut sides with the marmalade. Cut the cake halves into 1-inch pieces. 3. Place ½ of the cake pieces on the bottom of a trifle bowl or tall glass bowl that holds at least 3 quarts. Evenly layer on ½ the orange sections, ½ the pineapple, ½ the coconut, ½ the cherries, ½ the pecans, then ½ the pudding. Make a second layer with remaining cake pieces, orange sections, pineapple, coconut, cherries, pecans, and pudding. 4. Chill, covered with plastic, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream. Lemon and Rosemary Olive Oil Cake Makes a 9-inch cake I turn to this recipe often for food demos, because it is different, is easy to package as a gift, and tastes surprisingly good. 2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon iodized salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 large eggs (room temperature) 1¼ cups granulated sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated zest from Meyer lemons or regular lemons ¾ cup light-tasting olive oil ¾ cup sour cream (room temperature) ¼ cup freshly squeezed juice from Meyer lemons or regular lemons 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary For serving: confectioners’ sugar 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut parchment paper to fit inside the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and place the parchment in the pan. Grease the bottom and sides of pan with cooking spray and dust with flour. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs on medium until foamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and lemon zest and whip on medium-high speed until fluffy, a couple of minutes. Reduce mixer to medium and drizzle in the olive oil. 4. Use a large spoon or spatula to gently incorporate half the flour mixture into the olive oil mixture. Mix only until there are no more streaks of flour. Gently stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, and rosemary. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. 5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-55 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and peel off parchment paper and cool completely. When ready to serve or wrap as a gift, sprinkle the top with confectioners’ sugar. Satsuma Pepper Jelly Makes 6 (4-ounce) jars Adapted from a recipe from Betty Leger of Iota. 3½ cups satsuma juice, strained 1 small lemon, thinly sliced 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 (1.75-ounce) box Sure-Jell 5 cups sugar 1. Sterilize 6 half-pint (4-ounce) canning jars and lids and set aside. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine satsuma juice, lemon, jalapeno, pepper flakes, and Sure-Jell. Bring to a boil, then add sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 2. Bring to a hard boil, then boil 1 minute. 3. Fill jars with a ¼-inch headspace. Place lids on jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from water and screw down lids tightly. Test the seals, and if not sealed properly, store in the refrigerator. Story and photos by Bruce Schultz SUNSET – When Mark Guidry (“Guidry”) and his business partners sold their
oilfield casing business of 35 years, Guidry finally had the time to bring his long time dream of farming to life. Decades earlier, he told his pharmacist father, now 95, “I’ll own an organic farm one day.” The notion of producing food always intrigued him and turns out, it was in his blood–though it skipped a few generations. His great grandfather, Dominique Guidry owned farmland which was eventually sold and developed. In 2014 with the purchase of an 8-acre pecan orchard near Scott, the practice of farming was revived in the Guidry family. He brought long-time friend and colleague Danny Hamilton on board with plans of producing pecans without using pesticides. As a boy, Hamilton learned about farm life on his grandfather’s place near Breaux Bridge. Unfortunately, the orchard’s production was undependable because of hurricanes and inconsistent rainfall. Most folks would have given up at that point, but not Guidry. He decided to source out-of-state organic pecans to supplement production. Eventually, Guidry sold the land near Scott and bought a 175-acre farm near the Coteau Ridge in Sunset for the Guidry Farms operation. Guidry has enjoyed the transition from oilfield to food production as he says, “there is always a project to work on at the farm.” Although Guidry is still active in the oilfield, he has grown fond of working the soil. “I love to be in the field on my tractor.“ Guidry credits Connie, his wife of 37 years, for her expertise and guidance in the enterprise from running the office, filling orders, sales, creating recipes using all the products, marketing, and advertising. “Keeping things running smoothly and supporting my dream. And now we get to work together every day.” Guidry has observed that younger buyers are particular about food with an emphasis on quality. “This generation wants to know where their food comes from.” He said the taste of their pecans is important, and Hamilton and his wife Tina samples each batch of organic pecans before shipping out their Organic Pecan Butter nationwide. “All pecans are not created equal,” Guidry said. Because Guidry farms produces and sells organic pecan products locally and nationwide their operation must annually pass inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A log must be kept showing when equipment and cookware is cleaned. Tina, a native of Cecilia, Louisiana, plays a key role in compliance, and she insists on everything being kept “Cecilia clean.” Organic and nonorganic materials cannot be co-mingled, and part of their warehouse is designated for the nonorganic products only. The Guidry Farms Organic pecan butter is made with roasted pecans and salt. “My daughter Renee developed the recipe,” Guidry said. The fact that they do not process any other tree nuts sets Guidry Farms apart in the nut-butter industry. Guidry Organic Pecan Butter has gained the popularity of many followers who are allergic to nuts other than pecans. Their pecan butter is gluten-free, sugar-free, and keto friendly and processed in a facility that only handles pecan butter. Pecan oil has a mild nutty flavor with the highest smoke point of 470 degrees one of the highest of all the oils on the market. This is what Southern Living magazine says about pecan oil: “The reason why everyone down in these parts should have pecan oil in the kitchen comes down to a couple things, starting with a very high smoke point of 470 degrees (versus other high-smoking competitors like peanut oil, which clocks in at 450 degrees), which makes it perfect for your frying pan. It also has nearly half the saturated fats of other heart-healthy oils like olive oil, which means you get more robust flavor from the buttery and nutty notes in pecan oil without sacrificing health goals.” Guidry Farms has a processor to squeeze and filter pecan oil from the nuts. A pound of pecans will produce about 8.5 fluid ounces of oil that can be used as a substitute for your olive oil. What is left after pressing the oil is an organic high-protein meal sold as a protein additive or flour substitute to use as a coating for fish, chicken, or in baking muffins pancakes, and pies. And it is gluten-free, paleo and keto friendly. Guidry Farms has more than pecan products. They also produce unfiltered raw honey from hives on the farm, with other local honey producers supplementing their inventory. Guidry said they hope to have a pick-your-own blueberry operation soon. Guidry Farms sells eggs from their pasture-raised chickens which can be purchased locally near Lafayette from Champagne’s Grocery, Drug Emporium, Sandra’s Health Food Store and Fresh Pickin’s. The chickens forage daily in pastures around the coop and their manure fertilizes the pastureland for the Guidry Farms cattle. Mark Guidry is working on a new invention, a floorless coop to deter hawks and coyotes from killing the birds. The 175 acres of pasture fertilized by the chickens is for a herd of Brangus cattle to produce grass-fed beef grass finished beef. They sell quarter, half and whole calves, and orders can be placed at connie@guidryorganicfarms.com. Guidry said the cattle are raised with organic practices, using rotational grazing. Grass-fed cattle production in Louisiana can be challenging, said Vince Deshotel, LSU AgCenter county agent who currently works with cattle producers in the area. “The biggest challenge is having enough grass,” Deshotel said. “It can be difficult to have enough forage to bring cattle to a desirable weight. The big trick is not to be overstocked.” Getting a calf to a finished weight takes longer, more than 20 months, compared to 18-20 months for cattle finished on feed. But deciding when a calf is finished is subjective. “It depends on what is acceptable in terms of marbling and finish,” Deshotel said. “The whole goal for the beef is to be leaner.” Deshotel said chicken litter is a good fertilizer for pasture, but in later summer and early fall, the amount of chicken manure will probably decrease as the birds become less active and reduce egg production. Deshotel said Brangus is a good choice for grass-fed beef because the breed has good tolerance to insects and heat. Brangus cattle are 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus. “Brangus cattle were developed at the Iberia Research Station,” Deshotel said. The first cross between Angus and Brangus at the research facility was made in 1912. Guidry Farms pecans products are sold on Amazon and, at numerous local stores in New Orleans, Lafayette, Sunset and surrounding areas. Check out their website, https://www.guidryorganicfarms.com to see a full lists of the numerous stores and places where the products are sold in addition to nutritional information about honey and pecans along with recipes. Story, photos and recipes by Cynthia Nobles With cool weather around the corner, Chuck and Jackie Melsheimer of CM Farms have just opened the gates to a much-anticipated outdoor activity for the whole family, their annual corn maze. The Melsheimers operate a 1,300-acre farm in Dry Creek, a rural community in the east-central part of Beauregard Parish. On pastureland, the couple raises 500 cattle, which are mainly crossbreds, along with Angus, Hereford, and Brahman bulls. They also have an impressive herd of longhorns. In the spring they operate a U-Pick-It strawberry patch on 4 manicured acres. “During summer, we grow 30 acres of watermelons and cantaloupes,” says Jackie of the enormous amount of melons CM Far produces. “We take some to farmer’s markets, but we sell most of it wholesale by the truckload.” Since not every kid is lucky enough to live on a farm, during the fall and spring, the Melsheimers welcome in the public. For years, many of Louisiana’s elementary-aged schoolchildren have taken field trips to CM Farms, where youngsters get to participate in a whopping 50+ activities. “Kids can pet goats, sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, peacocks, and turkeys,” says Jackie. “They can take pony rides, and we offer wagon rides to see our spectacular longhorns.” There’s also a barrel train ride, a gem stone mine, and playground equipment, along with active games such as paint ball, laser tag, and “Aqua Blaster” water guns. Kids can also watch live milking demonstrations at the Milk Barn. They can tour the Antique Barn, with its display of vintage tools and equipment. There’s also the Brands Wall, a display of working cattle brands of the Melsheimers’ friends and neighbors and of their own family brands that go back generations. Adults and children alike can learn from another can’t-miss exhibit, the historic Turner homestead, which belonged to Jackie’s great-great-grandparents, Archie and Jane Turner. The restored wooden, single-story dogtrot home houses family mementos, as well as a collection of Archie’s Civil War records. Interestingly, there’s a credible story that Archie attended the Civil War surrender ceremony on April 9, 1865, at the McLean House in Appomattox Court House, Virginia. “Archie was standing only ten feet away from General Robert E. Lee,” Jackie says of her ancestor. Of all the activities on CM Farms, the most popular is the corn maze. “We actually have two mazes,” Jackie says. The small one is one acre. It’s best for young children, and its theme is “Spookley the Square Pumpkin,” and is dotted with easy-to-play games. The large maze sprawls over 10 acres. It’s a towering labyrinth of twists, turns, and dead ends, all carved into a field of sorghum-sudan. “Sorghum-sudan is more drought tolerant than corn,” Jackie says of the fast-growing, heat-loving grass. “And it makes a beautiful, neat maze.” Like the small maze, the large one features games to play, such as word puzzles and “Mazeopoly” and “Farm Scene Investigation,” which is sort of like the time-honored board game Clue. If winding through a corn maze makes you hungry, you can visit one of the farm’s many food stands. Pete’s Place, Calf-A, Outpost, Allison’s Sweets & Treats, Sweet Shoppe, and Chris’s Place offer a myriad of refreshments ranging from cheeseburgers, crawfish pies, and chicken wings, to fresh-squeezed lemonade, fresh-baked cookies, kettle corn, fudge, and ice cream. You can enjoy your lunch on picnic tables that are shaded under a large pavilion. For souvenirs, plenty of fresh pumpkins are for sale, as well as jams, jellies, T-shirts, and gifts. Operation of the farm is truly a family affair that depends on help from the Melsheimers’ 23-year-old twins, Christopher and Allison, as well as Christopher’s fiancée, Meredith, and Allison’s husband, J. T. Reeves. Christopher and Meredith are getting married this November. This year Allison may have to ease up a little, since she’s just given birth to Jackie and Chuck’s first grandchild, Charlie. Jackie, who graduated from McNeese, says she gave up teaching sixth grade English to work on the farm full-time with her husband, who has a degree from LSU in Animal Science. “Chuck and I both came from farming families,” Jackie says. “I grew up close to here. Chuck is from Plaquemine, and he moved to the western part of the state to make it on his own.” The couple married in 1997 and moved onto 100 acres that Chuck bought six months earlier. Through the years they acquired more and more land that was scattered in four locations. They first opened the corn maze in 2009. By 2011, they had relocated and consolidated to their present location, where they moved buildings, animals, maze equipment, and their family. Jackie says that her family is living a life they love. And she hopes that the children who visit her working farm not only have fun, but leave with a better understanding of farm life. CM Farms is open to the public this fall on weekends from September 30-November 26. Weekday visits are by reservation only. For ticket prices or to reserve a spot for your group check out their website: cmfarmsllc.com. Address: 252 CM Farms Road, Dry Creek, Louisiana, 70637. Do you have a Louisiana agriculture story or a recipe you’d like to share? Contact me at noblescynthia@gmail.com Cynthia Nobles is the cookbook editor for LSU Press and the author/co-author of several historical cookbooks, including A Confederacy of Dunces Cookbook, The Delta Queen Cookbook, The Jay Ducote Cookbook, and The Fonville Winans Cookbook. Muffuletta Makes 4 servings Unlike most sandwiches, the muffuletta only gets better when it sits a few hours, after the olive salad juices have soaked in, making it perfect for any fall picnic. Olive Salad: 1 cup coarsely chopped pimento-stuffed green olives, drained ½ cup pitted black olives, drained 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped celery 2 tablespoons chopped red onion or pickled cocktail onions 1 tablespoon capers, drained 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon black pepper To Assemble: 1 (9- to 10-inch) round loaf of Italian-style bread 6 ounces thinly sliced salami 6 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese 6 ounces thinly sliced ham 1. Combine all Olive Salad ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a container and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Keeps tightly covered in the refrigerator 1 month. 2. When ready to make sandwich, split bread in half like a hamburger bun. On bun bottom, layer on salami, cheese, and ham. Keeping the juice, use a slotted spoon to top the ham with the olive salad. Spread the reserved olive salad juice on the cut side of the top piece of bread, and put the bread on top of the sandwich. Press down gently to compress. Cut sandwich into quarters. Tightly wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Let sit at least 1 hour. Asian Coleslaw Makes 4 servings 4 cups green cabbage, shredded 1 cup bok choy, Napa cabbage, or red cabbage, julienned 1 large carrot, grated ¼ cup minced green onion ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro Honey Sesame Dressing (recipe follows) ½ cup roasted peanuts In a large bowl, combine green cabbage, bok choy, carrot, green onion, and cilantro. Up to 12 hours before, toss with Honey Sesame Dressing and peanuts. Keep in the refrigerator or an ice chest until serving time. Honey Sesame Dressing Makes about ⅔ cup. ¼ cup rice vinegar 3 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste Combine all ingredients in a covered glass jar and shake well. Peanut and Pecan Cracker Jack Makes 3 quarts This caramel-coated treat is always a hit with kids and adults alike. 3 quarts popped corn 2 cups toasted, shelled peanuts 1½ cups pecan halves 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces 1½ cups light brown sugar ½ cup light corn syrup 3 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon white vinegar ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a sheet pan or large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine popped corn, peanuts, and pecans in a large metal or glass bowl and set aside. 2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter just starts to turn tan. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, vinegar, and salt. Return to medium-low heat, bring to a boil, and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 250°F, about 5 minutes. 3. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour syrup over popcorn and nuts and stir until syrup is evenly distributed. (Be careful, syrup is extremely hot.) Spread popcorn on sheet pan and bake 15 minutes. 4. Remove from oven and stir well, making sure to scrape up and blend in any accumulated syrup. Spread popcorn evenly in pan again and bake 15 more minutes. Remove from oven, stir well, and allow to cool. Break into pieces. Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Bread Makes 2 loaves 3½ cups all-purpose flour 2½ cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree 1 cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs, at room temperature ⅔ cup orange juice 2 cups chopped pecans 2 cups dried cranberries 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat insides of two 9x5-inch loaf pans with oil, then dust with flour. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl mix together pumpkin, oil, eggs, and water. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Gently stir in pecans and cranberries. Batter will be thick. 3. Divide batter between the 2 prepared pans. Bake 60-75 minutes, until a large crack develops on the top and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on a rack. Story, photos and recipes by Cynthia Nobles It’s almost time for Germanfest, Roberts Cove’s version of Germany’s world-famous Oktoberfest. Like celebrations in Munich and Stuttgart, Acadiana’s Germanfest features plenty of oompah music and beer. Unlike the storied festival in Germany, which originated as a wedding celebration for a crown prince, our Germanfest began as the family reunion of a group of rice farmers.
Roberts Cove lies in Acadia Parish a few miles north of Rayne. This small, quiet community was founded in 1880 by Father Peter Thevis, who grew up in Longbroich, Germany. (The American-sounding name Roberts Cove came from Benjamin Roberts, the original holder of the area’s Spanish land grant.) Upon surveying the uninhabited region, Father Thevis quickly sent pamphlets to 36 different German villages, talking up southwest Louisiana like it was some kind of paradise. He also personally visited the Rhineland, promising Louisiana farmland to those who were war-weary and persecuted religiously. Over time Father Thevis was joined by homesteaders mainly from the Aachen, Germany region. The settlers were farmers and bore surnames like Thevis, Vondenstein, Ohlenforst, Dischler, Leonards, Hensgens, Gossen, Ronkartz, Wirtz, Reiners, and that of my mother’s family, Zaunbrecher. In the middle of the Cajun-French prairie, they built two-story farmhouses, many adorned with Victorian bric-a-brac. They raised cattle and began growing grains. In this hot, wet region, rice naturally became their preferred crop. The Germans were the first in the area to sell rice commercially, and took advantage of a newly-built railway system that connected New Orleans to Texas. They also made many crop production innovations, such as using water wells and threshers with steam engines. In little time they became financially successful. These transplanted Germans were also devoutly Catholic, and they went right to work starting a Catholic school. By 1885, the church parish of St. Leo IV was established. For years, it was on the oak-shaded grounds of the tiny St. Leo IV Catholic Church where family reunions of the original German settlers were held. My siblings and I used to count the days to the “reunion.” That’s when our mom’s siblings and cousins would gather around the church yard picnic tables on the first Sunday of October. The ladies spent most of the day talking, while the men drank beer and listened to baseball on the radio. We kids tossed around a football, munched on mom’s fried chicken, and were allowed to down all the soft drinks we wanted. Things would heat up a little in the afternoon, when my uncles Otto and Willie would pick up their guitar and fiddle. It seemed like the more beer my uncles drank, the better they played. Many older relatives joined them singing. Many of those songs were sung in German, a language I knew nothing about. Dr. Phillip Fabacher, director of the German Heritage Museum on the St. Leo church grounds, tells me that our first reunion was in 1956, and was the brainchild of W. F. Zaunbrecher, Charles Zaunbrecher, and Nick Gossen. “One day the three first cousins met at the Crowley bus station for breakfast,” Fabacher said. “Over biscuits and coffee, they complained that the younger generations did not know their cousins. So they started the reunion tradition with their extended families.” Soon after, other Roberts Cove families were holding reunions, with the larger families alternating reunion years. By 1995, the ever-growing private reunions had ended, and along came Germanfest, a public festival with a family reunion feel. There’s a lot of things going on at Germanfest, which is held on the same St. Leo Church grounds as our old reunions. Beer, of course, is available for sale. Volunteers cook and sell traditional German treats, such as bratwurst, sauerkraut with potatoes, potato stew, and the popular zucker platzkens (sugar cookies), as well as American favorites corn dogs, hot dogs, and hamburgers. Food demos include recipes for specialties such as sausage and sauerkraut. The music is authentic German, with bands with names like Alpenmusikanten and Auf Geth’s. Last year, one of my favorite performances came from the spectacular McNeese Alphorn Ensemble. In one area of the grounds are children’s activities. In a nod to the area’s rich rice history, there’s also an antique tractor display and rice threshing demos. The museum is also open, as well as a souvenir shop with hand-crafted items. Germanfest gives everyone a chance to learn about the historical significance of Roberts Cove and the area’s unique culture. It also gives me the opportunity to visit with relatives I rarely see anymore, as well as friends who aren’t related. This year’s Germanfest will honor the Heinen family, and will be held Saturday, October 7, and Sunday, October 8. Address: 7212 Roberts Cove Road, Rayne. Admission: $8 for 13 and older. For more information go to www.robertscovegermanfest.com. Sauerkraut and Spareribs Makes 4 servings (Adapted from a recipe provided by the Madeline Habetz Cramer family) 1 large (2½-pound) slab pork spareribs Creole Seasoning 2 (14.5-ounce) or 3 (8-ounce) cans sauerkraut 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon caraway seeds 1. Cut pork slab into individual ribs. Coat the inside of an electric skillet or deep frying pan with cooking spray. Heat the skillet over medium-high. Brown the ribs well on all sides, sprinkling 2 or 3 times with Creole seasoning while browning. 2. Turn heat to low and cook ribs, covered, until tender, about 2 hours. Add water as needed to keep from sticking. There should be a small amount of gravy at the bottom of the skillet when the ribs are fully cooked. 3. In a separate saucepan, bring the sauerkraut to a boil and heat it thoroughly. Strain the sauerkraut well, making sure no liquid remains. Pour the strained sauerkraut over the ribs. Sprinkle the sugar and caraway seeds over the sauerkraut, and do not stir. Cover, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer 2 minutes. Stir to combine the mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes. Serve warm. Bratkartoffeln (German Fried Potatoes), with Bacon Makes 4 servings Traditional German fried potatoes are cut into slices, not chunks, but I find the chunk method easier to work with. My mom made this recipe with smoked sausage, and she made it often. 2 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil Salt and black pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 1. Boil potatoes until barely cooked. Peel and cool. Cut potatoes into large chunks and set aside. 2. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium heat, cook bacon until brown and crisp. Leaving drippings in the pan, remove bacon and set aside on paper towels. 3. Sauté onion in bacon fat a few minutes. Raise heat to medium-high and add butter. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook until potatoes form a brown crust on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Scrape potatoes up and cook until they brown all over, about 10 minutes more. Add more butter as necessary to keep from sticking. 4. Add cooked bacon and sauté until the mixture is thoroughly heated through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Beer Bread Makes 1 loaf Tender and moist, and easy to make. 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon baking soda 12 ounces beer or ginger ale, room temperature 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons melted butter 1. Heat oven to 375° and place a foil-lined cookie sheet on the middle rack. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir in beer and vegetable oil until just combined. 3. Scoop batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top. Pour on the melted butter. Place on the cookie sheet in the oven and bake until top is brown, 50-60 minutes. (Internal temperature should be 190°F.) Cool completely before slicing. Keeps in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Zucker Platschen (Sugar Cookies) Makes about 5 dozen, depending on size (Adapted from a recipe from Donna Leonards, who got it from her grandmother Maria Frey Leonards, who got it from her mother, Lambertina Heinen Frey, who brought it from Germany.) These thin, crisp cookies are in great demand at the Roberts Cove Germanfest. 3¾ cups sugar, divided 2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature 2 large eggs ¼ cup whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5½ cups all-purpose flour, divided 3 teaspoons baking powder 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use medium mixer speed to cream together 2¼ cups sugar and the butter for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat the egg mixture into the butter mixture. 2. Sift together 4 cups flour and the baking powder. Use low mixer speed to gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Form the dough into a ball and separate it into 4 equal pieces. 3. Combine the remaining 1½ cups sugar and 1½ cups flour. To keep dough from sticking while rolling, use this sugar/flour mixture to sprinkle on a hard work surface and on your rolling pin. Roll each piece of dough as thinly as possible. Cut cookies with anything you like, such as round or decorative cookie cutters, the mouth of a drinking glass, or even into squares with a knife. 4. Bake cookies until light brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely. Store in airtight containers. Story and recipes by Cynthia Nobles Did you know that Louisiana is the largest commercial producer of alligator products in the U.S.? That’s according to Jeb Linscombe, Alligator Program Manager with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).
“Florida gets all the press for alligators,” Linscombe says. “But theirs are mostly tourist attractions. We do a much better job capitalizing on hides and meat. Actually, every inch of a gator has a use.” In Louisiana, wild alligators have been hunted commercially since the 1800s. Licensed alligator farming through LDWF’s Alligator Ranching Program began in 1986. Initiation of the farm program was an effort to shore up the gator population after Louisiana had conducted a nationally and much-heralded conservation effort that shut down hunting from 1962-1972. “It’s hard to believe, says Linscombe, “but alligators used to be on the endangered list. Now Louisiana has over 2 million. We’re managing them so well that habitat loss is their biggest threat. The farm program gives landowners a chance to make money by protecting wetlands for alligators. That’s a big win for everybody.” Louisiana alligator farmers and wild hunters harvest some 430,000 alligators annually, for an official total economic impact of well over $250 million. Linscombe says that’s an extremely conservative number. The commercial market for meat is relatively new and, according to Linscombe, is steadily growing. Our alligator meat goes all over the world. Alligator skins also ship worldwide and they land up in luxury items such as handbags, belts, watchbands, and shoes. “A lot of hide goes to labels like Luis Vuitton, Gucci, and Hermes,” Linscombe says. “Some of those purses sell for over $30,000.” I wonder if the folks at Gucci have ever slopped through a Louisiana swamp to see firsthand how their raw product grows. If they did, they would have learned that the whole process of harvesting gators, whether wild or on farms, starts with eggs laid in the wild. Because of cost, required years to reach maturity, and the danger of farm staff’s hands being bitten off, farms generally do not use captive breeding programs. Therefore, marsh-laid eggs are typically used on alligator farms, and the eggs must be collected by hand. “Some eggs for farms do come from Florida,” Linscombe says. “But the majority are laid right here along our coast.” Alligators breed when the weather warms up. Beginning in May, females lay clutches of 30-50 eggs in intricate 10-foot-wide nests made of decomposing vegetation. “They’re in protected land areas in shallow marsh. Wiregrass is best for a nest,” Linscombe says. “After her eggs are laid, the mother covers them with a dome of grass. Laying peaks in mid-June. By July 4 they’re all laid.” On alligator farms, “harvested” eggs are artificially incubated. In the marsh, eggs stay warm in what is essentially a big compost pile. The mother alligator hangs around protecting the nest and occasionally wets it to keep it from drying out. The incubation period is around 65 days. The hatch rate in incubators and in the wild are about the same, 85 percent. Because of predators, floods, and drought, survival rate is much lower in the wild. When farmed alligators reach around four feet, farmers are required to return 10 percent back to where the eggs came from, to promote steady population growth. Before returning to the wild, released farm-raised alligators are measured, sexed, tail-notched, tagged, and recorded. The remaining 90 percent on farms are processed between 4-6 feet long. Farming involves a three-way agreement, between the farmer, LDWF, and landowners with mating alligators. Eighty percent of Louisiana’s coastal land is owned privately. “Alligator farmers apply for a permit through us to pick up a certain number of fertilized eggs,” Linscombe says. “The farmer then pays the landowner for the eggs. Today, Louisiana has about 50 alligator farms, with about 20 producing the bulk of the inventory. In spite of what you are led to believe from TV’s “Swamp People,” around 90 percent of our harvested alligators come from farms. Our state’s biggest alligators do come from the wild, and over 70 percent of the wild harvest is male. “Males yield much larger pieces of hide, so they bring more money,” says Linscombe. “And trappers target canals where the males hide.” There is no minimum size for wild harvest, but the harvested animal must be hooked. Bait is usually chicken leg quarters set on a hook 2 feet over the water. “And hunters ‘dispatch’ their catch with a rifle the second the alligator head surfaces. That process is not nearly as dramatic and stressful as you see on TV.” For the wild hunt, LDWF issues hunting tags to landowners, and landowners give out tags to hunters. “To get tags, landowners must show proof of ownership. Qualifying also depends on density of nests. When we give landowners tags, they can give them out to whoever they want.” A lottery system for hunting is used on state and federal lands. “LDWF gives 3 tags per person, and we give out several thousand tags,” says Linscombe. “Tags remain on a harvested alligator until it’s made into a product.” The alligator harvest lottery features wetland locations throughout Louisiana, including a surprising number of northern parishes. Hunting season opens on the east side of the state the last Wednesday in August. The west side opens the first Wednesday in September. “The season lasts 60 days,” Linscombe says of the popular sport. “But the legal limit is usually wiped out in two weeks.” Hunters and farmers can dress their own alligators, or they can send them to one of the state’s many processing facilities, which distribute through channels that web throughout the world. “Louisiana has quite a few meat processors,” Linscombe says. “But there aren’t many tanneries in the United States. Most are in Europe and Asia. Those cultures have been processing hides for hundreds of years.” Marketable hides are first processed to the “crust” stage, which is leather that is cleaned, tanned, and shaved, and not dyed or finished. Crust skin can be stored indefinitely, or until a manufacturer buys a specific color and finish. On the culinary front, thanks to TV chefs, alligator dishes are becoming more and more popular. In the U.S., a federal law only allows the commercial sale of gator meat that comes from farms. What does alligator taste like? I hate to throw out the old cliché that this “exotic” meat tastes like chicken, but, well, it does. While the darker body meat can have a slight fishy taste, the white meat in the tail is pure low-fat, protein-packed deliciousness. So if you can’t afford that $30,000 purse, support our alligator industry by trying something from a restaurant or grocery store. Do you have a Louisiana agriculture story or a recipe you’d like to share? Contact me at noblescynthia@gmail.com. Cynthia Nobles is the cookbook editor for LSU Press and the author/co-author of several historical cookbooks, including A Confederacy of Dunces Cookbook, The Delta Queen Cookbook, and The Fonville Winans Cookbook. Fried Alligator Makes 4 appetizer servings 1 pound boneless alligator, cut into 1-inch pieces Creole seasoning Vegetable oil for frying 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup buttermilk 1 large egg 2 teaspoons hot sauce 2 cups panko bread crumbs 1. Lightly flatten alligator pieces and dry with paper towels. Season lightly with Creole seasoning. Set aside while you heat 2 inches oil in a deep fryer to 350°F. 2. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, and black pepper. In another shallow bowl beat together buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce. Pour bread crumbs into a third bowl. 3. Dredge alligator first in flour mixture, then in buttermilk mixture, and finally in bread crumbs. Gently place in hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Drain and serve hot. Alligator and Mushrooms in Wine Sauce Makes 6 servings 2 pounds alligator, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning ½ stick butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 medium onions, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 cloves garlic, minced 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms 1 cup red wine 1 cup beef or chicken stock ½ cup tomato sauce ¼ cup sliced green onion, plus more for serving For serving: hot cooked rice 1. Pat alligator dry. Combine with Creole seasoning and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours and up to overnight. When ready to cook, melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and lightly brown alligator pieces. Remove alligator to a bowl as pieces brown. 2. To the pot, add oil, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add flour, and stir 2 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, and wine and sauté 1 minute. Stir in stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. 3. Add the browned alligator and any accumulated juices. Cover the pot and simmer until meat is tender, about 35 minutes. (Be careful not to overcook, or the meat will be tough.) Stir in sliced green onion and check for seasoning. Serve over rice and garnish with more green onion. Alligator Chili Makes 4 servings Can be made 2 days ahead (and it actually tastes better that way.) To easily make ground alligator, grind half-frozen meat in a food processor. 1 pound alligator, finely diced or ground ½ pound ground pork 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, minced 2 cups chicken stock 16 ounces tomato sauce 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon dried, ground chipotle pepper 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed (optional) For serving: Fritos, shredded cheese, and minced onion 1. In a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-high heat, combine alligator, pork, olive oil, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and jalapeno. Sauté until alligator and pork are cooked through, about 7 minutes. 3. Stir in stock, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, cumin, paprika, and chipotle pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a bare simmer. Cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Add more stock if chili gets too thick. Stir in optional beans and simmer 15 more minutes. Serve in bowls and top with Fritos, cheese, and onion. Story and photos by Derek Albert BOYCE-- Residents and tourists alike may have the opportunity to experience a unique spectacle in the mostly rural north-central portion of Rapides Parish—a family of jugglers. While you will not find Robert or Rachel Duncan under a circus tent—or even the Rapides Parish Coliseum—what you will find is a happy thriving family that has a distinctively diversified agricultural operation.
As for the first part of their act, the Duncans manage just shy of 200 commercial female cattle. Their calf crop is mostly sold through Superior Livestock in Rapides Parish while the remainder of their herd is sold directly to consumers—adding the first proverbial balls to the imaginary spectacle, beef cattle farmers and retail beef sellers. “We retain ownership of most of the others thqtthat we feed out and sell assas butchered calves, whether it be quarters, halves [or] wholes, or whether it be inspected butchered meat that we sell straight to the consumer,” Robert Duncan explained. Robert Duncan, a fourth-generation farmer in Rapides Parish, said raising cattle was always a component of his family’s farming history, but the retail side of the operation originated followingfrom a family grocery shopping trip, heexplained. “In 2017, Racheal came homefromhome from the grocery store and was kinda in a foul mood …” “I was not in a foul mood,” Rachel Duncan laughingly retorted from the background. “…She said, ‘Why are we buying meat at the grocery store when we raise cows?’” Robert Duncan recalled. “So, that sparked a legitimate question.” He said the retail beef operation started with two cows the first year and expanded to 13 cows the next with growing demand from family and friends. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic—while mostly detrimental to many sectors of commerce—propelled the operation further. “That spring COVID hit,” he said. “So, we got into that window where all the national plants were shutting down, so you couldn’t buy meat at the grocery store. When people found out that we had meat, it was all of a sudden…gone.” From 2headthe first experimental two head of cattle the first year, to, now, about 45 head annually, the operation has expanded. Prospective purchasers of the Duncans’ Boyce-raised beef can find them selling their products at the Alexandria Farmers’ Market. The next figurative ball in the Duncans’ juggling act would be a nearly 500-acre tract of soybean production. As of early June, Robert Duncan said some of the early-planted crop looks promising, in early June, but a recent dry spell has led to him having to irrigate other fields. “The early-planted stuff on some good ground is all looking pretty good, so far,” he said. “We’ve got some other beans on some heavier clay ground that are pretty stressed right now with the drought.” Now, a third ball in the juggling act is the Duncans’ hay operation. They grow and harvest all of the hay that they need for their own cattle operation and when the supply allows, they sell some, as well. If the cattle operation, the soybean production and the hay baling are not enough to juggle, the Duncans also manage a retail flower operation. Rachel Duncan said the impetus for the flower business stemmed from an opportunity, while in college, to study abroad in the City of Lights—Paris. “It’s amazing over there. Literally, on every corner, they have flower shops,” she reminisced. “Everywhere you turn somebody is walking around with a bouquet of fresh flowers. So, that was always in the back of my mind.” Fast forward a few years and a social media post of a fleet of Volkswagen vans converted into a Nashville flower delivery business fanned the flames of a flower business for Rachel. “Robert thought I was absolutely crazy,” Rachel Duncan recalled. “We have a 1966 GMC truck and I said, ‘I want to have a flower farm. I want to grow fresh flowers and sell them out of the back of this truck.’” Though completely skeptical and apprehensive, at first, Robert Duncan could not get behind the idea of adding a flower farm to their recently expanded operation. But some support from the Duncans’ Young Farmers and Ranchers colleagues made him change his mind and capitulate to his wife’s wishes. She explained, it was at the 2019 Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Convention in New Orleans where he was further coaxed. “Robert said, ‘Yes, y’all listen to this crazy idea that Rachel has,’” she remembered. “So, I pitched this idea to all of our friends and their jaws hit the floor. They said, ‘Robert, you have got to let her try this.’” After some inter-familial negotiations, the business blossomed with some financial assistance from being 2019 Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award finalists. Starting with Facebook posts, Bayou Petals Flower Farm began flourishing. Now, with a quarter of an acre devoted to growing flowers from seeds, Rachel Duncan sells flowers at farmers’ markets and direct to customers from the flower truck. “It’s just kina boomed. AchEachEach year, it just kinda gets better and better” achel,” Rachel Duncan said. “That second year, we introduced the Flower Truck and before we knewitknew it, people were calling me to do private events.” Now, a certified florist, Rachel oversees the flower operation from planting the seeds to selling the final products. She said she has aspirations of starting a “You-Pick” operation with a flower shop store front not too far in the back of her mind. “We have the perfect spot on our farm where people could come and cut their own flowers—have an experience,” shesaid. “We could have an agritourism-type deal. Eventually, start with a store front and have my own floral shop.” Robert Duncan said, right now, he is focusing on quality rather than quantity when it comes to expanding the cattle or soybean operations. In relating his future plans for these ventures, he may have inadvertently shared his agricultural business philosophy. “Let’s take the opportunity to get really, really, really good at what we’re doing right here and then, expand,” he said. “It’s easier to perfect small things than it is to perfect a whole big operation. Let’s try to have a prime product and grow that prime product a little at a time.” As agricultural advocates in their community, the Duncans serve as leaders within Louisiana Farm Bureau. Robert Duncan serves as chair of the Rapides Parish Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee while also serving as the Rapides Parish Farm Bureau Committee vice president. Rachel Duncan serves as the Rapides Parish Farm Bureau Leadership Chair. On the state level, the couple serves together as Young Farmers and Ranchers chair. The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation has taken notice of the Duncans’ juggling act awarding them the 2023 Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award last month at the annual Fam Bureau Convention. In winning this prestigious award, the Duncans receive a $35,000 cash prize, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company and an all-expense paid trip to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah where the couple are now entered into the national Achievement Award competition. If Robert and Rachel Duncan are the main performers in their proverbial juggling act, there are three others who serve as their main circus clowns. The Duncans have three young daughters. Four-year-old Rigley, three-year-old Rawlings and 10-month-old Ruthie round out their complete circus act. “They love going feed the cows. They love helping me cut flowers,” she said. “They love every ounce of the farm life.” Rachel Duncan said though the farming lifestyle can be challenging, good communication has proven to be the glue that holds their operation together. “We lean on each other when we can and we help each other,” she reflected “I wouldn’t change anything. It keeps us all together.” Despite R&R Farms not offering a literal component of a traditional circus performance, the juggling display that Robert and Rachael Duncan are performing at R & R Farms makes for an impressive spectacle that is helping to build their community-- and family--through agricultural commerce. Story and photos by Derek Albert CROWLEY, La. – As Louisiana approaches summer, warmer temperatures and afternoon showers are nudging the state’s 2023 rice crop closer toward harvest.
LSU AgCenter rice specialist Ronnie Levy said rice growers are scouting their crops for diseases as the current warm and wet weather patterns allow fungal diseases such as blast and cercosperaq to propagate. “It’s still early in the season, but we’re starting to see a little bit of disease showing up,” Levy said. “With the weather we are starting to have, it is something we have to be concerned about.” Rice growth was slowed a bit earlier in the season because of cooler temperatures, Levy said. But beneficial weather patterns have allowed the early-planted crop to catch up. “We started off everything when it was cold, and it really grew slow. A lot of the early rice was way behind,” Levy recalled. “Now, with the better weather conditions that we have had for the last few weeks, we saw a vast improvement of rice in the fields. Tillering was good. Growth was good. The fertility appeared to really be moving the rice forward.” The rice plant’s ability to produce grain is highly dependent on warm, sunny weather conditions, Levy said. “The rains keep the weather cooler--which helps with respiration of the rice plant, but it also increases the potential for disease,” Levy said. “Those rains keep the plants wet longer during the day, and really aid in some of these diseases really blowing up in the fields--which can reduce yields significantly.” AgCenter rice pathologist Felipe Dalla Lana corroborated Levy’s concerns about the emergence of disease in rice fields as precipitation increases across Louisiana. He said the month of June marks a critical point in the season where disease becomes evident. Late-planted fields will be more susceptible to cercospera and blast, he said. “We have started to see sheath blight develop in the field,” he said. “We are starting to see some blast and cercospera. Right now, is a key moment for decision making.” Dalla Lana said farmers may not have a plethora of options for fungicide treatments, but there are a few that have proven to be effective. For treating sheath blight, he recommends using fungicides that contain Azoxystrobin. Dalla Lana said the Rice Pathology Project is currently monitoring 60 different field trials for a host of pathological studies. Some of those trials include multi-location cercospera field trials. “We understand that cercospera was a huge problem last year, but it is a disease that does not occur every year,” he said. “We hope with the six trials across different environments, we are able to capture some of the important information that we need to control cercospera.” While three of these trials are located at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station, there are two at the AgCenter’s Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro. Another is a bit further away. “We have this trial in Arkansas in collaboration with pathology there,” Dalla Lana said. “We expect that this partnership with the University of Arkansas will continue for many years. Eventually, we will also host some studies from Arkansas here at LSU.” AgCenter Rice Agronomist Irish Pabuayon said the early-season cool temperatures and frequent rains may have delayed the growth of some varieties that were not able to get the right amount of sunlight needed for optimal growth. Another current challenge that Pabuayon said she is seeing in farmers’ fields has researchers a bit puzzled. “We have some lines from other companies that we are seeing some yellowing on top of the leaves,” she said. “We are not sure at this time if this is somewhat related to nutrient deficiency, or a disease or something that we don’t know at this time. So. We are doing some analysis on nutrient deficiency and then we will go from there.” AgCenter rice weed specialist Connor Webster said weed pressures are becoming evident right now, especially in the form of the easily misidentified fimbristylis. The yield-robbing weed resembles rice flatsedge when it is small, but fimbystlis is really flat versus the three-sided rice flatsedge, Webster said. “We are seeing a lot of fimbristylis start to poke though that people may have missed with early applications,” Webster said. “They may have misidentified it or used something, and the fibrystlis was a little too big and it started regrowing. So, we’re kind of in a salvage situation.” The Rice Weed Science Project is currently honing its focus into NewPath carryover. Webster explained that he and his team are analyzing farmer-provided soil samples to simulate the levels of the active ingredient Imazethapyr. “We are trying to use low rates of NewPath to mimic the certain amounts of NewPath that we are finding in the soil affecting rice from previous years,” Webster said. “We’re seeing what that is doing to different varieties in terms of yield.” LSU AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson said—so far this growing season—insect pressures in rice fields have been minimal. There were some instances of rice black bug (Amaurochrous dubius). These pests can feed on the leaf sheath causing dead or dying leaves, usually lower leaves, in otherwise healthy rice. He said there have been a few instances of apple snails damaging rice fields that are in a rice and crawfish rotation. Wilson said seed treatment for pest control is the best course of action, but it is not always a panacea. “I encourage people to check on the health of their rice because we had some seed treatment control failures in late planted rice last year,” Wilson said. The AgCenter is offering a glimpse of a number of the field trials referenced above at a pair of field days scheduled for later this month. First, on Wednesday, June 14, Acadia Parish Extension Agent Jeremy Hebert and Connor Webster are hosting their annual Acadia Parish Rice Field Day at the Rice Research Station’s South Farm. On display will be several herbicide efficacy trials. Then, on Wednesday, June 28, the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station will be hosting its 114th Rice Field Day where AgCenter rice researchers will share the latest developments in rice production research. Iberia Parish Sugarcane Farmers Carrying on into Fifth Generation of Agricultural Adaptability5/1/2023 Story and photos by Derek Albert LOREAUVILLE, La. – On a mild morning in early May in rural Iberia Parish, the damp air carries the sound of distant church bells and the gravely hum of a pump motor. As the pump churns gallons of water and fertilizer in a pair of mounted saddle tanks, something else is churning—the thoughts of Iberia Parish sugarcane farmer Raymond Hebert.
Hebert, and son Josh were awaiting what the pair said was their last delivery of fertilizer for the young crop as they paused to discuss the progress of the 2023 sugarcane season. For farmers like the Heberts, annual seasons are not marked as winter, spring summer and fall. Their annual calendar reads: planting, in August; harvest of the prior crop, September through January; and a long growing season required to produce a viable tropical crop in a subtropical climate. From Hebert’s vantage point, this year, the weather has offered farmers a slow start to their crop that will be harvested this fall. Hebert said the mild—and at times, cold--trend has persisted since last fall. “What hurt us more than the late freeze and frost was that after that it just stayed damp and cool,” Hebert said. “We didn’t get a lot of sunshine. It was just poor growing conditions.” But as we flip the calendars to May, temperatures are on the rise, and so is the crop. While the crop height ranges from a few inches to nearing-a-foot tall, Hebert is applying ever-important fertilizer which will help the crop grow but will also shrink his bottom line. Rising input costs have made producing a profitable crop a little more difficult in recent years. “The sugar price is up. So, that’s a plus,” Hebert said optimistically. “We need that above-average crop to cover that cost,” LSU AgCenter Sugarcane Specialist Kenneth Gravois corroborated that the mild weather has perhaps slightly slowed the growth of the crop. “The weather in April has been cooler than average and slightly wetter than average,” Gravois said. According to Gravois, the forecasts call for the mercury to rise as Louisiana progresses through spring. The warmer temperatures are poised to speed the crop’s growth, he said. “Cane will respond to warm temperatures,” Gravois said. “I’m still optimistic on this crop to be pretty decent.” “There are always isolated trouble spots in a crop but when you take a look at the crop as a whole, it’ll always catch up. In early May, with the forecast that we have, the crop’s going to jump up and start moving. From here on out, it’s going to be up to the genetics and good weather.” Gravois said the milieu where Hebert farms is near the geographic center of the state’s sugar-producing areas The serpentine Bayou Teche, that meanders through Iberia Parish, has provided the area with healthy soils that have been the foundation for more than 200 years of sugarcane production in the area. “Now, like other areas in the South, they have their fair share of heavy, black land but we have better varieties--like (L01-)299-- that do so much better in black land than things that we've been used to growing.” Hebert said Louisiana sugarcane farmers have adapted their crops to succeed in an area where sugar cane was not best suited. Through generations of farming practices, farmers have coaxed the crop to grow in less-than-ideal soils, in a les-than-ideal climate. “When you put good research with good land and good farming practices by good farmers, then, it’s hard not to be optimistic,” Gravois concluded. Hebert, who—like three prior generations of Heberts-- has farmed sugar cane here for nearly five decades, began alongside his father, Phillip. He said as a younger farmer, he aspired to farm 500 acres and be what he considered to be a “big farmer.” Now, with a 800-acre footprint he said he has a comparatively smaller operation. He said he had made the decision not to expand further by a choice of his managerial philosophy. “I could’ve expanded more. I had the opportunity,” Hebert said. “But I wanted to stay on a piece of equipment every day. I want to be totally hands-on.” But even with decades of farming experience, Hebert cannot do it all himself. His son Josh followed in his father’s footsteps to carry on the Hebert tradition of farming sugarcane. While farming, the 34-year-old has created a niche hobby for himself in a sector that his agrarian brethren have not all fully embrace—social media. The younger Hebert posts photos and videos of his farm duties from the cabs of their farm equipment. Sometimes he’ll post photos of a picturesque sunset, or sometimes it’ll be of the tractor he's in that day, but whatever it is that he posts, it will certainly be near a cane field. His passion for farming was evident when he submitted a winning entry for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation’s Farm Proud contest in 2022. “I love being a part of Louisiana agriculture because I love seeing the crops grow, working for my father and working countless hours caring for the crop and the equipment,” he wrote. “Louisiana agriculture, along with the Louisiana sugarcane industry, will always be a part of me.” As a reward for his entry, he earned a rather coincidental and apropos prize—a GoPro camera. With that he has posted several videos and photos that show he is just as comfortable behind the lens of a camera as he is behind the wheel of a new red tractor. Though Mother Nature may offer less-than-advantageous weather and soil conditions, Hebert said farmers have adapted to producing sugarcane here in Louisiana for more than two centuries and 2023 will prove to be no different. “This is my 48th crop and I’ve learned something different every year,” he reflected. “There are never two years alike.” Story and photos by Bruce Schultz MERMENTAU – This is Christian Guinn’s first year of farming on his own, and the 22-year-old is getting a hard-earned lesson in agricultural economics of supply and demand.
While his crawfish catch is respectable, the price isn’t. “It’s been hard this year,” Christian said while driving to check on crawfish and rice fields. He said crawfish production has been good on his 150 acres -- after a slow start because of cold weather -- but prices have dropped considerably. “During Lent alone, it’s dropped three times.” Mark Shirley, LSU AgCenter crawfish specialist, said it’s a buyer’s market because of the falling prices. Demand has not kept pace with production, he said, and that’s a big reason why prices have been in a freefall. “The impression I get from talking with buyers is that the restaurants and drive-through places are not selling the volume they usually sell.” To help farmers, Shirley said consumers should, “Eat crawfish as much as you can.” Crawfish acreage seems to be higher this year, but Shirley said it’s difficult to estimate the increase. But it’s safe to say that the acreage bump has helped suppress prices, he said. Last year, the LSU AgCenter estimated crawfish acreage at 250,000 and the Farm Services Administration reported 284,000 acres, he said. Retail prices for boiled and live crawfish are down by about 25 percent from the pre-Easter price of 2022, according to The Crawfish App, which tracks the commodity throughout South Louisiana. Christian said buyers are limiting the number of sacks they will buy from him on some days, So far, his crawfish have been large enough that he hasn’t had to sell any as peelers, which bring even less money. “That’s what’s keeping me going. The size has stayed very nice.” Christian said his larger crawfish could be attributed to a low stocking rate. He said a stocking rate of 2-3 sacks per acre seems to result in larger crawfish, he said. The lower population means more food is available throughout the season, he explained. “Nine times out of 10, you pass a field with lots of vegetation, you’ll have larger crawfish.” With cool weather, cut pogeys are still the preferred bait, but artificial bait will be effective as the days get warmer. He uses about nine traps per acre. “Bait prices have gone up drastically too. Everything has gone up. Except the price,” Christian said. Apple snails are becoming more of a problem in Christian’s fields that are near the Mermentau River. They get into his traps, and that means workers have to cull the mollusks from the crawfish and that takes valuable time. Screens are being used on his irrigation pipes to control the snails’ movement but the pest is fairly mobile. He doesn’t see an immediate remedy for the snails. “I think it is going to be a much bigger problem.” Mark Shirley said there’s not much that can be done now to control this invasive species. He said LSU AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson is working on a project using copper sulfate. The material is effective on the snails while it doesn’t appear to affect crawfish, he said, but the cost of $35-40 an acre could be too expensive for most farmers. And while the snails are eaten in Southeast Asia, you might think again about trying this version of escargot since apple snails carry a neurotoxin and a brain-eating parasite. Shirley said the White Spot Virus hasn’t been a problem this year, so far. “I’m still on the lookout for it." He said a test kit is now available to enable growers to test stocker crawfish for White Spot. The kit, which costs less than $20, can be used in the field. “In 10 or 15 minutes, you get the results.” Many of Christian’s neighbors have drained crawfish fields early, because of low prices, to plant rice. Christian is hoping that the higher rice prices, currently around $25 a barrel for September rice, will persuade farmers to opt for increasing second-crop acreage and that would reduce crawfish acreage next year. “Or if they do crawfish, it will be later.” He has a combination of push boats and motorized boats. But he said an expected wage increase for foreign workers will probably mean he will move away from push boats to reduce labor costs. But even with the wage increase, he plans to hire three more workers next year, in addition to the two farmhands he now has, to help with his plan to increase crawfish acreage. His motorized boats are equipped with basket wheels to minimize rutting that is expensive to fix while preparing fields for planting rice. Cleated wheels are notorious for digging deep into the soil and creating trenches that require extensive field work to get the ground ready for planting rice. “A basket wheel will dig to the clay, and it stops,” he said. Mark Shirley agrees that basket wheels have the advantage of not breaking through the clay pan, reducing the amount of field repair work. Push boats are even better, he said, but the jury is still out on whether it’s cheaper in the long run to pay a worker to walk fields with a push boat that doesn’t damage a field instead of using a more efficient powered boat that ruts the soil. Shirley said some producers opt for airboats that don’t disrupt the soil profile, but they are more expensive and more difficult to control with high winds that often hit Louisiana in the spring during the peak of crawfish season. Christian graduated from Notre Dame High in Crowley, then studied accounting at LSU-E. He was two semesters from graduating when COVID hit. But instead of returning to the classroom, he stayed in the field. “I decided I was going to start farming full-time.” Christian worked for area farmers, including Will and Dustin Davidson of Roanoke, while he was going to college. “During high school, I was always helping somebody. I was always the type who learned more hands-on than being in the classroom.”” His dad, James Guinn, ran a concrete business but he also kept cattle. “We always had cows when I was growing up.” Christian, the youngest boy of six boys and four girls in the Guinn family, is the only Guinn to become a farmer. Christian said his dad wasn’t surprised when the career decision was made. “He always knew I wanted to farm, so it wasn’t a shocker. I always wanted to farm. I was always intrigued by it.” James said he didn’t try to talk his son out of farming, and he’s taken that approach with all of his 10 children. “Whatever direction they choose, I support them 100%.” He said he’s tried to pass along a strong work ethic to his children and he emphasizes paying bills on time. “That’s the two main things.” James said it might be a good thing that this year’s crawfish season has been challenging. “You learn not to have high expectations.” Christian also works the Guinn Cattle Co. herd that produces replacement heifers from 120 registered Brahma cows. They have eight bulls, four Angus and four Hereford. “We’ll turn the bulls loose next week,” he said. The cattle are worked on horseback. For his first rice crop, he has planted 420 acres. About 75 percent of it was drill-seeded with RiceTec hybrid 7321 and the rest was water-seeded with Jupiter medium-grain. The first field was planted March 5 in the Klondike area and the last was flown on March 29 near Mermentau. He also plants rice for other farmers with his 20-foot box drill. Electric powered pumps have been installed on the 170 acres at the Klondike farm. It was laser-leveled last year, so he has to be cautious about spraying weeds on the freshly cut ground. Bird pressure has been heavy on his planted rice fields, especially in the water-planted rice. He uses pop guns and a rifle to frighten persistent Mexican squealers and teal. Christian has several mentors. For regular financial advice, his dad is a big help. For cattle, Shane and Wayne Zaunbrecher of Elton are his advisors, while the Davidsons help him with rice. When he‘s not farming, Christian leaves the wet Louisiana environment to hunt in the desert of west Texas. “I like deer hunting more than duck hunting.” Story, photo and recipes by Cynthia Nobles If you like to buy beef that’s been raised in Louisiana, you have no doubt heard of Coastal Plains Meat Company. Chip Perrin and his business partner, David Billings, are the Eunice-based processing plant’s owners. The two military veterans’ dream of promoting local, sustainably-raised cattle came to life in 2021, when they bought the old Eunice Superette Slaughterhouse on Highway 91. In the short time since, Coastal Plains has become our state’s largest beef processor.
On a recent visit to the 22,000-foot facility, Perrin told me that his company’s vision is to “give pride in Louisiana beef. We want to strengthen the Louisiana cattle industry,” he says. “And we’re doing that by sourcing premium local products.” Perrin and Billings are both cattle ranchers. “We know how important it is to properly manage rangeland,” Perrin says. “We focus on cattle genetics, as well as healthcare, All those things combined make good beef. It’s good for the land and the cattle. Today, a lot of Louisiana ranchers try to follow those standards.” Because of their extensive ranching experience, the duo has also suffered through the typical headaches of processing cattle, including limited slaughter dates, capacity, and cold storage. “One of our aims is to eliminate those problems for ranchers,” Perrin says. “If you call with a calf ready for processing, chances are we can take you right away.” Their slaughterhouse can process up to 130 head a week. Meat is stored in over 8,000 square feet of refrigeration space and in 2,000 square feet of freezers. Part of Coastal Plains’ sales is wholesale to grocery stores, restaurants, and institutions. A big portion of their business, however, is for single-customer custom processing. “Today,” Perrin says, “a lot of home cooks want to know where their food comes from.” Following the popular ‘pasture to plate’ philosophy, Coastal Plains sources about 95 percent of their cattle from local ranchers and sale barns. As a bonus to the health conscious, they package their meat without preservatives. “Many consumers want that level of quality,” he says, “and not many national grocery store chains provide it.” The employees at Coastal Plains will gladly help you find exactly the kind of animal you want. For example, if you’d like to buy a prime, hormone-free, grain-fed Black Angus calf, Coastal Plains will search one out for you and process it. To eliminate accidental swapping, the company color codes animals throughout the slaughtering process. Butchers also custom cut one calf at a time, including the labelling and packaging. I know firsthand that they process carcasses according to customer requests. This past summer I had the pleasure of working with Coastal Plains when my sister Kay and I went halves on a grass-fed calf raised by a local rancher. Coastal Plains slaughtered the animal, aged it, and helped us decide how they should slice up our cuts. Their butchers worked on our time schedule, and they sent us home with labeled, space-saving vacuum-packed portions. Kay and I are already planning our next purchase. Aside from fresh cuts of beef, Coastal Plains also produces boudin. They make smoked, sausage, bacon, and an award-winning andouille that are produced in two smokehouses. The charcuterie section of the company comes under the purview of plant manager, Dan Robert, who worked for the USDA for 30 years, and who purchases slaughtered pork for his specialties. “Dan excels in meat science,” Perrin says. “We use his recipes. And we count on his know-how throughout the plant.” A big part of Coastal Plains’ business is done through mail order. Partnering with UPS, the company can ship boxes of beef to all Louisiana parishes. Orders can conveniently be placed online. All meats are inspected in-house and by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture, and in a few months, the slaughterhouse plans to have passed USDA certification. “That means we’ll be able to ship across state lines,” Perrin says. That also means enormous growth potential for Coastal Plains Meat Company, which is committed to advancing Louisiana cattle. You can find Coastal Plains meat in grocery stores and restaurants throughout Louisiana. To place slaughter or packaged meat orders, visit the processing plant at 1044 Highway 91, Eunice, Louisiana, 70535, or phone them at 337-466-7341. Email and website for ordering online: coastalplainsmeatcompany.com. Do you have a Louisiana agriculture story or a recipe you’d like to share? Contact me at noblescynthia@gmail.com. Cynthia Nobles is the cookbook editor for LSU Press and the author/co-author of several historical cookbooks, including A Confederacy of Dunces Cookbook, The Delta Queen Cookbook, and The Fonville Winans Cookbook. Smash Cheeseburger Makes 1 A smashburger is a hamburger made with two thin beef patties that have super-crispy crusts, and that have tons of flavor. 1 soft hamburger bun, toasted Mayonnaise, mustard, onion slices, lettuce, pickles, etc. (whatever you want to dress your burger with) 4 ounces (¼ pound) ground beef chuck Salt and black pepper 1 slice American cheese 1. Spread the toasted bun with your favorite condiments and set aside. Have the toppings all ready. 2. Heat a large, ungreased stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. While skillet is heating, divide beef into 2 (2-ounce) balls. Place beef balls in hot pan and smash down with a stiff metal spatula, or use the bottom of a pot. Smashed patties should be a little larger than the bun size. 3. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook until meat begins to turn pinkish-gray on top, about 2 minutes. Use a stiff metal spatula to carefully scrape patties and any browned bits from the pan. Flip patties, quickly sprinkle with salt and pepper, and immediately place the cheese on top of 1 patty. Cook until cheese starts to melt, 10-15 seconds. Stack the other patty on top. Remove from the pan and transfer to the bun. Dress with toppings and serve. Beef Enchiladas Makes 12 1 tablespoon butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 pound ground beef 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup tomato sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 2 cups canned enchilada sauce, or Enchilada Sauce recipe that follows ¼ cup canola oil 12 corn tortillas 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high and sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add beef and garlic and sauté until beef is thoroughly browned. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, cumin, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro, then remove from heat. 2. Coat the inside of a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread ¼ cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish. 3. Heat the canola oil over medium heat in a skillet. Use tongs to lay a tortilla into the hot oil and cook 10 seconds. Flip and cook the other side 10 more seconds. Repeat with remaining tortillas, stacking them on a plate as you go along. 4. Once all tortillas have been fried, dip one into the enchilada sauce or spread a little sauce on both sides and lay the tortilla on a plate. Add a heaping tablespoon of beef filling down the middle. Top with a tablespoon of shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly and lay it in the prepared baking dish. Continue until the dish is filled. 5. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Serve warm. Enchilada Sauce ½ stick butter ¼ cup all-purpose flour 2 cups beef stock 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside while you make the beef filling. Beef Tips and Mushroom Gravy Makes 4 servings Beef tips is cubed meat cut from anything, from the tip of a tenderloin to stew meat. Tender beef tips are good for grilling, while chewier cuts are good for braising. 1½ pounds sirloin or rump roast, cut into large chunks ¼ cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 6 tablespoons butter, divided 1 medium onion, chopped ½ bell pepper, chopped 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced thick 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup red wine 1 cup beef broth 1 tablespoon cornstarch For serving: rice or mashed potatoes 1. Pat beef dry with a paper towel. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. 2. Dredge beef in seasoned flour and sauté in the butter until all sides are brown. Remove beef, add another tablespoon butter to the pot, and sauté onion and bell pepper 5 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the mushrooms and garlic, and cook until the mushrooms just turn brown, about 3 minutes. 3. Add wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes, scraping up the bits that cling to the bottom of the pot. Stir in broth and browned beef and bring to a boil. Lower to a bare simmer. Cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until fork tender, about 1-1½ hours, depending on your cut of beef. 4. If necessary, thicken the gravy by mixing the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stirring into the simmering liquid. Cook a few minutes, then taste for seasoning. Serve over hot rice or mashed potatoes. Make Ahead Chuck Roast Makes 8-10 servings This special occasion roast and its silky gravy taste best made the day before and reheated. 1 (4 to 6-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, tied with a string Salt and black pepper 5 cloves garlic, chopped All-purpose flour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 carrots, trimmed and coarsely chopped 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped 4 stalks celery, chopped 1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1½ cups red wine 2 cups beef broth 1 (14.5-ounce) can pureed or diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon softened butter For serving: rice or mashed potatoes 1. The day before serving, preheat oven to 325°F. Season the garlic with salt and pepper. Make deep slits throughout the roast and insert garlic. Season the outside of the roast well with salt and pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Sear the roast until deep brown all over, about 15 minutes. Remove the roast from the pot. 2. To the same pot, add the carrots, onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and scrape up any bits from the bottom. Add the broth, tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon black pepper. Put the roast back into the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and bake1 hour. 3. Lower oven temperature to 275°F and continue baking until the meat is fork tender, 160°F internally, about 2-3 hours more hours, depending on the size of your roast. (If you want the meat tender enough to shred, bake another hour or so.) 4. Remove the roast to a cutting board. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the remaining half of liquid and discard the solids. Pour the puree and strained juices back into the pot and bring to a simmer. Mix together 2 tablespoons flour and the butter. Add to the gravy and whisk until thick, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. (It will probably need more salt.) 5. Slice the roast and add the meat back to the gravy. Refrigerate overnight. Reheat the roast and gravy slowly in a covered pot on the stove, or preheat oven to 275°F and bake, covered, until it’s hot, about 1½ hours. Serve roast and gravy hot with rice or mashed potatoes. Story, photos and recipes by Cynthia Nobles William Fletcher owns Fletcher Farm in Ponchatoula and he has been growing southeast Louisiana’s famously sweet strawberries for 25 years. Along with 8 acres of seasonal vegetables, William grows 6 acres of berries. “This farm belonged to my grandfather, George Edward Fletcher,” he says. “He cleared stumps with mules and dynamite. And he grew strawberries.”
“I grew up in Ponchatoula,” William says. “I’ve lived other places, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” He and his wife, Ginger, are the fourth generation of family to live in his grandfather’s old house. Surprisingly, he is one of only three strawberry farmers left in the city known as the “Strawberry Capital of the World.” With over 75 percent of Louisiana’s strawberries growing in Tangipahoa Parish, the state’s industry has a gross farm value of $8.4 million. That’s quite a drop from $15.2 million in 2012. Louisiana’s commercial growing of strawberries began in 1876 and peaked in 1931. Part of the industry’s shrinkage is due to labor shortages, the loss of associations that market berries, urbanization, and mass production from California and Mexico. William, who is also chairman of the Louisiana Strawberry Marketing Board, pointed out a few more challenges. “Yields keep diminishing. Costs rise and diseases are a perpetual problem,” he says. Since he started farming, the nearby Tangipahoa River has flooded his property 5 times, which has drastically eroded his topsoil. “But I’m sticking with it. I’ve worked in the mortgage business and I tried cattle. Farming is what I like, and strawberries are my prime crop.” The main berry variety William grows is called Festival, which was developed for the Coastal South. “It’s not as big as the varieties that grow in California,” he says, “but it’s more flavorful and sweeter.” He also says that his strawberries have a shorter shelf life than what’s typically found in grocery stores. “But they taste so much better. Customers, especially restaurants, gladly go through the trouble of buying what I grow.” William quickly made it clear that growing Louisiana’s “official state fruit” takes a lot of manhours. “The season starts when the last berries come out of the field in May, when we bushhog and disc the ground and plant cover crops.” Lately, a favorite summer crop of his is sunn hemp, a legume that increases soil organic matter, provides nitrogen, and doesn’t harbor nematodes. “When the threat of hurricanes is over, we cut the cover crop,” he says. “We take soil samples, looking for a pH target of 6.0.” A “ridger” behind a tractor lays off 2 rows at a time that are 48 inches apart. A plastic-laying machine lays dark plastic over the rows. “You need plastic around the plants to keep away disease and keep the fruit clean and dry.” In October, his rootstock arrives from California. “There’s 1,000 to a box. At that point they don’t have any leaves. They’re only roots on a crown.” It takes 2 workers 7 days to plant 90,000 plants by hand. Strawberries are heavy feeders, and the next 2 months are spent fertilizing and weeding. He yanked a long, thin green stem from a plant. “Runners grow from the plants,” William said, “and they have to be pulled by hand.” Runners, also known as stolons, are stems that run above the ground and produce new clone plants at nodes. The plant’s attempt at lateral propagation saps up energy it needs to grow strong and healthy. The first flowers usually show up in December. “It takes 21 days from flower to harvestable strawberry,” William says. Early crops bring the highest prices. “In a warm winter, we sometimes harvest in January. But bloom production shuts down in cold weather.” The height of the Louisiana strawberry season is from mid-March through mid-May. Picking is done by hand. Berries are packed in the field into 1-pound clamshells and cardboard flats and half-flats. “We don’t wash them before selling,” William says, which explains the ‘wash before use’ directions on many strawberry packages. “Not washing prevents bruising and disease transmission.” By 10:00 a.m. the day of harvest, William is sending his perfectly ripe strawberries to farmers markets and roadside stands. Distributors sometimes deliver from Pensacola to Houston, but they sell mostly to local independent grocery stores and restaurants. Imperfect berries often end up in the hands of Ginger. “The ‘Mrs. Fletcher’ aspect of the farm,” he says of his wife’s contribution, “is to make jams, jellies, and baked goods from his berries.” Louisiana strawberries unarguably have more intense flavor than typical grocery store varieties, and they are worth the effort to seek out. Local berries are particularly in demand around Valentine’s Day. Your best bet for finding them at that time is at local farmers markets. Naturally, strawberries are front and center at the highly popular Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival, which is held the first full weekend of every April (that is not Easter). As usual, William will sell product from his stand at the festival’s Farmers Row. So will many other growers from the Tangipahoa and Livingston Parish area. “Festival organizers vet us farmers,” he says. “They want local berries. We need to do all we can to showcase our product.” This year’s festival is April 14-16. I think I’ll put that date on my calendar. Do you have a Louisiana agriculture story or a recipe you’d like to share? Contact me at noblescynthia@gmail.com. Cynthia Nobles is the cookbook editor for LSU Press and the author/co-author of several historical cookbooks, including A Confederacy of Dunces Cookbook, The Delta Queen Cookbook, and The Fonville Winans Cookbook. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Makes 12 strawberries 12 large, unblemished strawberries with fresh green caps 6 ounces chocolate, chopped (any kind but unsweetened) 1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening 1. Wash strawberries and blot as dry as possible. Refrigerate until ready to use. 2. Melt chocolate and shortening in top of a double boiler and stir until mixture is smooth. Remove top of double boiler from bottom. 3. Stick a toothpick down through the green top of a strawberry and dip red part of strawberry into chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip off. Place finished strawberries on a parchment-lined plate. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. Strawberry Banana Smoothie Makes 2 servings 1 banana, sliced and frozen overnight 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries ½ cup Greek yogurt ½ cup cold milk Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Strawberry Ketchup Makes 2 cups Before Heinz began selling tomato ketchup in 1876, home cooks concocted their own. They made flavor-packed ketchups from anything they wanted, including oysters, mushrooms, walnuts, and fruit. 1 pound fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped 1 cup finely chopped onion 2 large cloves garlic, chopped 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon mustard powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground allspice Pinch cayenne pepper 1. In a deep, heavy saucepan, combine strawberries, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and puree. Scoop the puree back into the saucepan. 2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thick, 20-30 minutes. Stir often. 3. Remove from heat and cool thoroughly, uncovered. Cover cooled ketchup tightly and store in the refrigerator up to a week. Strawberry Cupcakes Makes 24 standard sized cupcakes This doctored cake mix recipe tastes much better than what comes from a box of strawberry cake mix. 1 (15.25-ounce) box white cake mix 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry Jell-O 3 tablespoons cake flour or all-purpose flour 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup pureed fresh strawberries ¾ cup canola oil ¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature Frosting: storebought strawberry icing or Strawberry Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place liners in cupcake pans and set aside. 2. In a large bowl, stir together all cake ingredients, then mix on medium mixer speed 2 minutes. Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack. Frost when cool. Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes This recipe is worth the trouble. To make things easier, prepare the strawberry puree a day or two ahead. The frosting can be made 2 days ahead and left at room temperature, or a week ahead and refrigerated. 1 pound fresh strawberries, pureed in a blender 2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1. Spoon strawberry puree into a heavy-bottomed, high-sided saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is reduced and thick as jam, 15-20 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use. 2. In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined. Beat in 3 tablespoons of the strawberry reduction. 3. Add the vanilla and slowly beat in the remaining confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more strawberry reduction or confectioners’ sugar. Story and photos by Derek Albert Eunice – A collaborative effort among LSU Eunice, the LSU AgCenter and a host of agricultural and civic organizations is fostering interests in agricultural careers in the tri-parish area.
The Sustaining Future Farms in Louisiana program is beginning its inaugural semester within the school’s Agriculture Department this month. At the helm of this new venture is Program Manager Caitlin Denux. She said the program stemmed from funding from a U.S. Department of Labor grant that was awarded to the college last year. “The purpose of the grant is to reinvigorate an aging population of farmers; to provide college credit for youths who are interested in agriculture; and to provide some relief to unemployment that was caused by COVID and natural disasters,” Denux said. She said the free program is targeting high school and college students, as well as veterans and former energy extraction workers in Acadia, St. Landry and Evangeline Parishes who are interested in exploring agriculture a career path. “I hope to provide individuals with the trainings and education that may benefit them for their futures,” Denux said. “There is a great need to educate youths or to provide a new pathway for individuals who found where they are now just isn’t working out for them. It is a great opportunity for people to explore agriculture.” She said the courses will be offered in six-month sessions with the inaugural session starting this month and running through June. The next session will begin in the summer. Those eligible will be enrolled in the college’s Introduction to Agriculture online course. From there, enrollees can choose from one of four pats of interest: Cattle, Farming & Aquaculture, Commercial Drone Operation or Certified Crop Advising. Each pathway offers a unique set of training opportunities offered by separate agricultural entities. For the Cattle program, participants will be enrolled in the LSU AgCenter Master Cattleman course. Likewise, the Farming and Aquaculture participants will be ebrolled in the AgCenter’s Master Farmer program. The Commercial Drone Operators will be trained through ThePilotInstitute.com’s online curriculum culminating with a Federal Aviation Administration exam. TH Certified Crop Advisor online course would provide full certification for those enrollees following an international-and state-level exam regimen. Several local corporate sponsors have stepped in to offer support for the program including Supreme Rice, of Crowley, Coastal Plains Meat Company and 3rd Day Gardens, both of Eunice, and Main Street Meal Prep are all offering paid internships to those who complete the program. Participants who complete the program and wish to continue their academic endeavors, LSU Eunice is now offering a new Associate of Science in Agriculture Degree. Denux said the program will offer a financial incentive to those choosing this path. “Once they get through the program, and they want to continue part-time or full-time for that associate’s degree, we give them a $1,000 scholarship for their first official semester to help with fees and tuition,” Denux said. This focus on bolstering the LSUE agriculture offerings is a new step for the Tri-Parish community, but agriculture is not a new endeavor for Denux. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Northwestern State University and a master’s degree in plant, environmental management and soil science from LSU. She is currently pursuing a doctorate from LSU in environmental science. Her professional career has revolved around agriculture, as well. Working for the AgCenter as a research associate at the Dean Lee Research Station and subsequently the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station earned Denux some valuable experiences that she says has carried on into her current position. “It has given me an appreciation and understanding for what agriculture is on a broad spectrum…everything from research to sales…It has really helped me grasp a lot about the agriculture industry,” Denux said. At the Rice Research Station, Denux served as a research associate in the Rice Pathology Project. She said during her tenure there, she worked to test the efficacy of fungicides on new rice cultivars that were developed at the facility. So far, for its inaugural semester, the Sustaining Future Farms in Louisiana Program has eight applicants with spots still available for anyone interested. More information for the program as well as application forms can be found on the LSU Eunice Agriculture Web site. |
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