08/09/2026
From the Farm Table
August at Urbana Farmstead
When the Waiting Has a Name
Some of you have followed my journey over the past few years as I've searched for answers about my anemia issue. This week, the waiting changed. I wrote about it in my newest From Soil to Soil blog, “When the Waiting Has a Name.”
It is probably one of the most personal things I've written. But it isn't really a story about illness. It's about what happens when life hands us uncertainty—and how we choose to keep living while we're waiting for answers.
I'm still making plans. Still tending the garden. Still feeding people. Still dreaming.
Read “When the Waiting Has a Name” on the From Soil to Soil Blog (https://www.urbanafarmstead.net/soil-to-soil-blog?p=when-the-waiting-has-a-name)
A Cup of Comfort
Maybe it's because of everything going on in my life right now, but lately I've been thinking more about the simple rituals that bring us comfort. For me, one of those has always been tea. There is something about putting the kettle on that says, "Slow down for a minute." One of my favorite afternoon cups right now is Mandarin Chai Tea, with a little bit of cream.
Chai brings together warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves, while mandarin adds a bright citrus note that keeps the blend from feeling too heavy. Add a little cream, and it becomes smooth, fragrant, and wonderfully comforting.
Tea has been part of wellness traditions around the world for centuries. It contains naturally occurring plant compounds, including polyphenols, while many of the spices traditionally used in chai have long histories in food and herbal traditions.
But for me, the benefit of an afternoon cup isn't only about what's in it. It's also the ritual. I brew the tea, add a little cream, and for a few minutes I stop. No phone. No list of things that need doing. No worrying about what comes next. Just a warm cup in my hands and permission to be still.
And yes, I know it's August in Arkansas. The thermometer may say nearly 100 degrees, but apparently my teacup has already decided it's fall. I'm perfectly fine with that.
Meanwhile, Back at the Farm...Can we talk about this heat?
The farm—and everyone working on it—is enduring this brutally hot Arkansas summer. Right now, much of farm life can be summed up in one word: Water.
We're keeping an eye on the chickens, the bees, the hummingbirds, the pollinators, the soil, and everything trying to grow through these long, hot days. And somehow, despite the heat, the farm keeps producing. But I'll admit it. I'm already looking forward to fall.
Cool mornings. Open windows. Evenings when you actually want to sit outside. And, naturally, I'm already thinking about what I'm going to cook.
The First Cool Day. I already know.
Split pea and ham soup.
Who else grew up eating this? I love it.
Split peas, ham, onions, carrots, and celery simmering away until everything becomes thick and creamy, with that wonderful smoky flavor from the ham working its way through the whole pot. Give me a bowl of that and a good piece of bread, and I'm happy. Some foods do more than feed us. They remind us of people, places, kitchens, and seasons of our lives.
Split pea and ham is one of those for me. What is the ONE dish that tells you fall has finally arrived? I'd love to know.
Now...What Am I Going to Do With All These Peppers?
Creamy Farm Pepper Sauce
I'm roasting a mixture of red, yellow, and green peppers until they're soft and beginning to char. Then I'll sauté shallot and garlic in a little butter or olive oil, add the roasted peppers and a bit of stock and olive oil, and let everything simmer together before blending it until silky smooth.
A splash of cream makes it rich, and a little lemon at the end wakes everything up.
And then comes my favorite part: What can we do with it?
-Toss it with pasta.
-Spoon it over grilled chicken.
-Serve it with pork.
-Pair it with roasted vegetables.
-Spread it on toasted sourdough with herbs and cheese.
One harvest. One sauce. A dozen possibilities. That's how I like to cook—start with what the farm gives me and figure out where it wants to go.
And Then There Are the Eggplants...
I have eggplant. Lots of eggplant. So they're becoming Baba Ghanoush.
If you've never tried it, baba ghanoush is a traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dip made from roasted eggplant. Roasting gives the eggplant a wonderful smoky flavor, which is blended with tahini, lemon, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings until creamy. It's one of those beautifully simple foods where a handful of ingredients becomes something completely different.
How Do You Eat Baba Ghanoush?
-Scoop it up with warm pita or flatbread.
-Serve it with cucumbers, peppers, carrots, or other fresh vegetables.
-Spread it on a sandwich or wrap.
-Add a spoonful alongside grilled chicken or lamb.
-Or make it part of a Mediterranean grazing board with olives, cheeses, hummus, and fresh vegetables.
-And personally, I think standing at the refrigerator with a cracker counts too.
