A mission statement that begins with “…to create a food system that works” makes our ears perk right up. These words are of Cayuga Pure Organics, an organic farm based in the Finger Lakes region of central New York that produces and mills their own grain, flour and beans. A mission statement as powerful as this feels only right to share…
“The mission of Cayuga Pure Organics is to create a food system that works. A working food system is not only fundamental in nurturing the health of consumers; it also nurtures the long-term health of our communities and of the planet on which we live.
To accomplish this mission, we strongly believe that it is not just the food itself that is important, but the whole system by which that food is produced and made available. Specifically our goals are:
1. To produce food that promotes health and enjoyment and to make such food available to as many people as possible.
2. To create structures and systems that allow food to reach urban populations both economically and in a way that creates bonds between consumers and farmers.
3. To create an environment where interested people, who may lack both resources and knowledge about food production, can both learn the basic skills needed in food production and distribution and become vested participants in the systems that we are building.
4. To support the viability of other farmers by making the systems we build available for their products and to make consumers directly aware of this network of farmers working to bring them their food
5. To accomplish all of these goals in a way that does not deplete or destroy the resources necessary to continue this into future generations.”
Could you imagine if this was the mission statement of our current food system at large? What a wonderful world it would be.
Here at headquarters, we are huge fans of Cayuga Pure Organics. Their beans are fantastic, their polenta divine and the buckwheat flour makes for a great pancake or gingerbread cookie. The icing on the cake, they produce organic feed for livestock within the region…a true necessity in today’s GMO filled world.
Cayuga Pure Organics also grows wheat of an heirloom variety, which has been noted as easier to digest given the lower gluten level compared to the hybridized version all over grocery stores shelves today. Lucky for us, Northern Farmhouse Pasta of Roscoe, NY makes a handmade artisan pasta utilizing their wheat. Even though we typically stick to a naturally gluten free diet (by choice not true Celiac), we decided to give the pasta a try. Wow, delicious! …and without the typical reaction. For two Italians, that made us Happy!
So, Cayuga Pure Organics, we salute your efforts and give humble thanks for all that you do.
Use This
3 tablespoons organic butter
1 medium-large organic onion, sliced thin
3-4 cloves organic garlic, chopped rough
3 cups Cayuga Pure Organics Dark Red Kidney Beans (black or pinto work well too), cooked
¼ cup Lakewood Pure Lime Juice
2 teaspoons Simply Organic Coriander
1 teaspoon Simply Organic Cumin
1 teaspoon Simply Organic Cayenne
1 teaspoon Simply Organic Paprika
Eden French Celtic Sea Salt to taste
Do This
1. Melt butter in a medium pan over low-medium heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until soft. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Add onion mixture to food processor; blend. Add beans; blend.
3. Add lime juice and spices; blend.
4. Serve with non gmo corn chips or fresh cut veggies. Or put into a small dish, sprinkle with farm fresh cheese and bake until melted. Makes a great burrito filling too!
