My Favorite Recipes By Mary Collins: Meet Lindsey Myron

Lindsey Myron with cat, Slanker, who is poised in his scariest Halloween posture.

Lindsey Myron has seen a lot of the world in not so many years. She spent all but the first few months of life in Pullman and graduated from Pullman High School in 2007. Since then, she has been to Peru, China, Mongolia, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Belize, Jordan, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and New Zealand.

Some of this was just for travel, but some was for work with agricultural non-profits and as an au pair for a Norwegian family. She has also seen a fair share of the USA. All of this after earning a degree in Natural Resource Sciences from Cornell in 2011. To fund her travels, Lindsey has worked doing field test-plot work for cereal variety grain research, waitressing, taxi driving and as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technician.

Most recently Lindsey has found her calling to be farming. For the last two years, she has been one of a crew of about six owners and employees on a traditional wheat farm in central Whitman County. Being the first, and so far only, female to be a full-fledged farmer with this operation has been interesting for Lindsey and her employers. She does the same tasks as her male co-workers in the shop and in the field. In addition, she brings her GIS skills to their efforts to do precision farming by helping plot tile lines, seeding and fertilizer application information into a computer mapping system.

Not only does she do good work, she has some of the old boys, who find her to be a “breath of fresh air”, rethinking the future of agriculture. This winter, Lindsey and her boyfriend will be on the road again traveling to New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and Mongolia before returning for spring work on the farm.

Now that she lives in the country Lindsey also has a garden and chickens. In her garden this summer, she grew plants that she is using to dye wool for her floor loom. Her talents also extend to the kitchen. She shares with us some ideas for using up end of the season tomatoes.

Recipes

Never fail

pie crust

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. water (cold)

1 egg (well beaten)

1 Tbsp. vinegar

1-1/4 cup Shortening or butter

I like to blend dry seasonings into the flour: a teaspoon of nutmeg or cinnamon for sweet pies or a teaspoon of dried herbs, like oregano, for savory pies.

Cut shortening into flour and salt.

Combine egg, water and vinegar .

Blend together with a spoon, just until flour is moistened.

Best if chilled before rolling out. I form a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for about 30 min.

Can be rerolled. I don't always pre-bake this crust, but it helps!

Makes enough dough for topped or latticed pie.

Tomato pie

1 pie shell, 2/3 of Never Fail recipe above

canola oil

1/2 onion, diced

as many minced garlic cloves as you like

1 bell pepper, diced

3 large tomatoes, diced

fresh sage and thyme

mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Comine diced tomatoes with salt and let stand for about 60 min. Drain excess liquid frequently.

Prepare pie crust in a dish or pan. I like to use a cast iron pan.

Sauté onions in canola oil until translucent. Add garlic and remove from heat once fragrant. Combine with peppers.

Layer onion mix, diced tomatoes and herbs into crust.

Top with cheese.

Bake 35min.

Green tomato

relish

5 cups green tomatoes, diced

5 cups coarsely chopped brassica like cabbage or broccoli

1-1/2 onions, diced

2 cups bell pepper, diced

1/3 cup salt

2-1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp. mustard seeds

2+ garlic cloves, as you like it

1 tsp. celery seed

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Combine chopped veggies and salt in a bowl. Cover and let sit overnight.

The next day, prepare canning jars and lids for a water bath.

Bring vinegar, sugar, seeds and pepper flakes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Add veggies and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pack jars to about one-half inch below the rim and seal in water bath (about 10 min according to elevation.)