PAGE 8 Addison Independent | ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, April 6, 2017 Addison Independent | ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, April 6, 2017 PAGE 9

Meet the farmer

Though the land at 2674
MEAT SPAGHETTI SAUCE FARMER Jersey St. has been in
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 farming since the 1800s,
Recipe from Alessandra Rellini Rellini and Agricola Farm
have only been in the Panton
INGREDIENTS: 8 medium-sized fresh tomatoes, or 1 community for two years.

Alessandra Rellini from Agricola Farm in Panton

1 lb Agricola sausages can of crushed tomatoes Prior to that, they were
2 garlic cloves 3 Portobello mushroom hats Because of this unique diet, located in Williston, Monkton
1 yellow onion 2 spoons extra virgin olive oil Rellinis pigs grow slower than and Hinesburg.

A
10 or 12 small basil leaves 4 oz of good chianti conventional pigs fattened on
corn and soy. This means they Theres great support from
lessandra Rellini find the cuts of meat that I wanted take longer (more than 14 the town and community
always wanted and the taste was just not the DIRECTIONS: squares. months) to grow to full weight. here. People call us the farm
to raise her own same, she explained. Its a more mature meat and with the pigs outside, Rellini
animals. So when If youre using fresh tomatoes, blanche, Once the meat is cooked (no longer flavor, she said. Its not as laughed. Sometimes her
this Italian native So, what else was there to do? peel them and cut them in quarters Peel pink), add the wine and turn the heat up sweet and is very complex. pigs or sheep, or chickens
was recruited by With a few trips home to Italy to and cut the onions in 1 inch strips about to high. Mix occasionaly. Allow all the take a little extra freedom
the University learn about the way pigs were 1/3 inch wide. Peel the garlic and smash alcohol to evaporate. When the pigs are ready to be and mosey out of their area.
of Vermont to raised and how to develop good it using the flat part of the knife. Remove butchered, Rellini takes them But Rellini has it under control
teach in the flavor, Rellini has crafted her own the sausage from the refrigerator and let Add the mushrooms. Turn down the to the Mad River Food Hub with the help of her farm
BY ELSIE Psychology technique and lifestyle to create it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. heat to medium and cook until most of a USDA facility in Waitsfield assistants and neighbors.
Department, a superior taste and farm-way-of- Remove casing. the water has evaporated. where she rents space to
LYNN PARINI she saw an life. butcher her own product. The To learn more about Agricola
opportunity Saut the onions and garlic in a Add the tomatoes. If you are using fresh cuts are sold to individuals Farms products, CSA or
to pursue Everything we do on this farm medium size sauce pot at medium/ tomatoes add the chunks of tomatoes, directly, to local chefs and in upcoming events, visit www.
her farming dream in the Green is for the fat, she said. Because low temperature. Once the onions are a pinch of sugar and 4 ounces of water. the Panton farm store. agricolavermont.com.
Mountain State. the fat is the most important transparent remove the large chunks of If you are using the canned tomatoes
part for the flavor... The lard has garlic and put the sausages in the pot just poor the can in. Add a little salt. Let
The opportunity allowed me to be either snow white or have and break them with a wooden spoon. simmer at low heat for 40 to 50 minutes.
to cultivate the
idea of raising my
just a hint of pink
absolutely no
Cook on low heat and allow the fat to
melt in the pot.
During the last 5 minutes cut the 12
basil leaves with your fingers and mix
PAST A
own animals and
did yellow. into the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Some of our long time
favorites are...

you
doing my own Clean the hat of the mushrooms with a Place sauce on top of the spaghetti and
Chicken/Broccoli Alfredo
butchering, she Pinna, an Italian damp paper towel and cut into inch garnish with remaining basil.
Meat Lasagna

know?
said in an interview agronomist, came Chicken Parmesan
at the end of to the farm two
Create Your Own Pasta
March. But then years ago and is in with any of our topping choices!
things spiraled out EVERY PIG HAS A charge of the crop
of control. rotation for grazing.
7 Sauces to Choose From!
SWEET-SPOT A He plants the food
Lingiuni, Vermicelli, & Penne
Served with Bread & Butter or Garlic Bread

She started with TICKLISH PLACE the animals eat,

three little pigs... THEY LOVE TO HAVE and since you are
Pizza Pasta Subs Soups Salads Calzones
Now, 11 years later, what you eat, some
RUBBED. IF YOU FIND DINE-IN & TAKE-OUT 802-388-3164
Rellini has 90 pigs, might say Pinna is Fresh, convenient and local since 1982
a flock of chickens IT, THE PIG WILL the flavor-master. WASHINGTON ST MIDDLEBURY

This is some of
and upwards of 27 Rellini said her GreenPeppersRestaurant.com
FLOP OVER ON ITS
Icelandic sheep. pigs eat about 30

FIRE & ICE

With the help of BACK. THEY CALL IT percent of their diet
Stefano Pinna,
Andrew Sheets,
Tirragen Vixie,
FLIPPING THE PIG
ON AGRICOLA FARM.
in the fields.

Its taken us 10
the best pizza in R E S T A U R A N T
Drew Anderson,
Rellini and her daughter Eva,
years to figure it
out, Rellini said of the pigs diet. the state! AND BIG MOOSE PUB
Agricola Farm offers meat and
homemade pasta CSAs; a farm
The Italian diet didnt work for our
pigs... we did a lot of exploration.
Montpelier Resident
store with meats, pastas, and other

Come try
local products; monthly authentic From about May to December the
Italian lunches and dinners; and pigs are out on pasture, eating a
local butchering. If thats not mixture of field greens, sorghum,

enough to keep someone busy,
Rellini has maintained her full-
time job at UVM since moving to
Vermont in 2006.
Why go to all the trouble of
farming? Well, Rellini was missing
the flavors of home. It was hard to
rye, barley, oats, wheat, leftover
fruits and veggies from Tomgirl
Juice of Burlington, spent grains
from distillers and brewers, and
Myers Bagels from Burlington.
Every three to four days, the pigs
are rotated to different fields.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
it yourself!
Where nostalgia is one of our many flavors.
Alessandra Rellini is the owner of Agricola Farm in Panton, where she and her farmhands raise pigs, 86 Main Street, Middlebury 26 SEYMOUR ST., MIDDLEBURY, VT
www.twobrotherstavern.com 802.388.0002
chickens and sheep. The farm also offers a pasta and bread CSA, and monthly meals. 802.388.7166
 INDEPENDENT PHOTOS /TRENT CAMPBELL