All About Our Products
Sow Good Farms is more than just a simple farm. We offer a variety of products, crafted from the ingredients that our farm provides. Sow Good Farms offers:
Purées
The purée division of Sow Good Farms was entirely inspired by our experiences with our elderly parents, grandparents, and even children. Each member of Sow Good Farms encountered a puréed diet at some point in caring for their family members. Our owner, Tasha, and her husband, in particular, encountered the unpalatable food products supplied for her father-in-law during his fight against dementia. After forgetting how to swallow, a puréed diet was introduced to him. Tasha and her husband spent 12-years caring for both of his parents, particularly her father-in-law. Her eyes opened regarding the care of the elderly in the United States and especially in the state of Michigan.
She toured 85 facilities in Michigan, 18 in Florida, 9 in Arizona, and 8 in Canada. These ranged from Assisted Living to Memory Care to Nursing Homes. She watched as elderly people with disabilities and dementia struggled to eat low nutrition, bad-tasting food and purées. She saw elderly women and men, once excited about their next meal, tossing their food in the trash, disappointed and hungry.
Watching her father-in-law diminish in a facility was the most difficult. Watching her father and forty-five other patients listlessly eat unrecognizable, overly-salted paste covered in food coloring in a facility that cost over ten-thousand dollars a month made it even worse.
She decided to make a change and started preparing homemade, organic purées for her father-in-law creating 380 recipes. All from his favorite foods and desserts. The foods that helped him remember.
Tasha’s father-in-law passed away on January 26 of 2020.
There is a Strong Need for Those With Swallowing Issues to Have Delicious Food
Growing up in a family that recognized the importance and value of a nutritious meal, it was extremely difficult to watch patients cover their puréed meals in coffee or syrup in an attempt to make it even a little bit more appetizing. Patients lost weight, but staff members did not notice.
Some of these patients died not due to their medical conditions but due to starvation or lack of healthy nutrition, low caloric intake.
A puréed diet is a diet where food is pressed, ground, and strained to create a smooth, pudding-like consistency. This diet is easy to swallow and digest.
Who Needs a puréed Diet?
Dementia Patients - Dementia is a disorder that affects mental processes and causes memory disorders, impaired reasoning, and personality changes. Patients of dementia often encounter difficulties chewing and swallowing as their dementia worsens. These patients may also become more reluctant to eat if they are in pain or scared that they could choke on the food that they are given. A dementia patient could struggle to find the correct words to let you know that they are having difficulties eating. If these problems are not addressed with puréed food, the patient will lose weight.
Parkinson’s Patients - Parkinson’s disease is a disease that affects the nervous system and causes tremors and slowed movements. Parkinson’s can make the muscles in the jaw and face become stiff. This directly affects the patient’s control of chewing and swallowing. Patients will eventually lose weight if they are not switched over to a puréed diet.
Aphasia Patients - Aphasia is commonly caused by brain damage due to a stroke and results in the loss of the ability to speak and understand speech. Patients with aphasia can display a difficulty swallowing. These patients will lose weight if they are not given puréed meals.
MS Patients - Multiple sclerosis is caused by the immune system attacking the protective covering over the nerve fibers. This results in communication issues between the brain and the body. The nerves that control the muscles in the mouth and throat are affected by MS, meaning that it will be difficult for an MS patient to chew and swallow. If not addressed with a puréed diet, a patient could lose weight or swallow food into their lungs.
Gastric Bypass Patients - A gastric bypass is a form of bariatric (or weight loss) surgery that involves dividing the stomach. This will help a patient lose weight by helping them feel full after eating less food than they previously did to feel full. About a week after surgery, a patient will need a puréed diet. This diet will last for a few months. If a patient of gastric bypass does not stick to their puréed diet, they could cause serious damage to their stomach.
Cancer Patients - Cancer patients suffering from throat cancer will often encounter trouble with swallowing. Patients with esophageal cancer often need an easy diet to avoid esophagus irritation. If a patient has mouth cancer, they will need a soft diet to avoid pain. All of these issues can be addressed with a puréed diet. A nutritious puréed diet can help cancer patients regain strength, push through treatments, and avoid unnecessary pain.
Dysphagia Patients - Many of the issues listed above cause dysphasia, a difficulty or discomfort with swallowing. Those suffering from dysphagia often complain of feeling food stuck in their throat, no matter how much they swallow. puréed foods are a great solution to dysphasia, as they easily go down the throat.
Feeding Tube Patients - If a patient is displaying difficulties with swallowing, their mouth, oesophagus, or stomach, they may require a feeding tube. When using a feeding tube, a patient will require a puréed or liquid diet. The right, nutritious diet can steer a patient with a feeding tube towards eating normally once again.
Denture Wearers - Many of those who wear dentures may start out with a puréed diet to get accustomed to their new teeth. Some will even stick to this diet, as it is more comfortable for them to consume than normal food. A puréed diet will not put pressure onto the dentures and gums, keeping things comfortable.
Elderly Adults With Food Insecurity - If someone is dealing with food insecurity, they are having trouble accessing affordable, nutritious food. A huge sum of elderly adults are food insecure. A puréed diet with Sow Good purées does not only offer an affordable option for those who are encountering food insecurity, but a nutritious option.
At Sow Good Farms we believe that eating is one of life’s greatest joys. When a person is in a situation where they are in a nursing home or in the hospital, they often complain about the food. Watching our family members suffer through food without spark or nutrition inspired us to take action. Sow Good Farms isn’t just looking to fix the way seniors of the present eat, but to give future individuals with swallowing difficulties a better option for eating.
Over the last 14 years, our team at Sow Good Farms researched, studied, and interviewed nursing homes, hospitals, and in-home caregivers about puréed meals. We tasted these meals for ourselves and found them to be lacking fresh ingredients, good flavor, and an authentic smell. Even the best facilities we toured provided the same bland meals. Tasha toured eighty-five facilities and tried lunch at each one. Each was a culinary nightmare. After touring facilities in the Midwest, Arizona, and Florida, it was clear that there was a pattern.
After being placed on a puréed diet, the health of elderly patients took a downward spiral. The products are not appetizing, meaning that patients would refuse to eat or eat very little. Staff members are so busy that they do not think to weigh the seniors bi-weekly to see if they are truly eating enough. Oftentimes the advice to correct this issue or supplement a senior’s eating was often given too late. The team at Sow Good Farms understood the problem that needed to be addressed. Specifically malnutrition and constipation. Many of the medications that these elderly adults were on caused constipation. We knew if we were going to create puréed meals, they would need to address these problems. With appropriate, nutritious ingredients such as prunes, apricots, and figs, seniors could enjoy eating again.
We have over 300 great recipes for a puréed diet, as well as a preparation process that will make purées delicious and visually appealing. These meals will look like regular food, not colored paste, baby food, or oddly shaped. The flavors in our puréed meals will be just as good as the food seniors previously loved to eat, all while giving them a sufficient level of caloric intake. Our meals will help seniors maintain a healthy weight and give them some joy in their day. Sow Good Farms is offering the chance for facilities and caretakers alike to host a culinary experience that is unlike any other. Our puréed meals will be genuinely crafted with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, most of which are from our own farm. We will take a huge leap away from salty, bland, processed mush and bound towards meals that are prepared with fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables. These meals will be time saving, flavorful, and visually appealing. These meals can be eaten at room temperature, warmed, or chilled. Sow Good purées are not just for seniors, but for the tastebuds of anyone who wants delicious and easy to swallow food!
Keep an eye out for Sow Good Purées Stay Smooth Collection in January 2021! This collection offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Our purées are all chemical and pesticide-free.
Jams
“My mother was an incredible cook. When seasonal berries and apples were at their peak, we would go to the back of the yard, where there were four large old apple trees and a huge arch of berry bushes that my father had built her. We also had blackberries (the largest I’d ever seen), strawberries, apples, and eight blueberry bushes (given to us before I was born by a family member from North Carolina). At the time, when I was seven or eight, these bushes were taller than me. I would forever cherish picking (and eating) these berries. What was left would be brought into the house, washed a few times, and checked for imperfections.
While my mother peeled, chopped, and cut our harvest from the backyard, I would return to bike-riding, horseback-riding, catching tadpoles, or chasing my little sister with a dandelion. A few hours of simmering would result in several batches of jam for the whole family, our neighbors, and our beloved friends to enjoy over the winter months. Each jar was lovingly decorated with a label telling what flavor was inside of it and a stringed tag that read “Every Spoonful is Sunshine.” My childhood was full of that jam, whether it served as breakfast before school or as an after school snack. To me, jams truly were sunshine. By recreating my mother’s recipes, I hope to share the same sunshine with you. I have taken one step further by donating 40% of the purchase price to feed those without fresh vegetables and berries, those who live in food-insecure areas of Michigan.”
-Tasha
At Sow Good Farms, we offer four different jams, each full of natural flavor!
Our jams are packed full of ingredients straight from the farm.
Sinful Strawberry Jam - Made with sun-ripened strawberries, vegan cane sugar, and lemon juice.
Blackberry Jam - Made with fresh blackberries, vegan cane sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Blueberry Jam - Made with incredibly plump blueberries, vegan cane sugar, and lemon juice.
Smoky-Sweet Tomato Bomb Jam - Made with Fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes, vegan brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, chipotle peppers, tomato paste, olive oil, sea salt, garlic, and onions.
These fruits and vegetables are grown year-round and are sun-ripened. We pick these fruits and vegetables fresh and slow cook them in Warren, Michigan. These jams incorporate the best-tasting strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and tomatoes flavors of jam come in one size. And of course, our jams are chemical and pesticide-free. These jams are vegan, gluten-free, and go amazingly with bread, biscuits, pancakes, and desserts.
Sauces
Our Sauces are slow-simmered right here in Warren, Michigan and seasoned to perfection with fresh ingredients.
Puttanesca Tomato Sauce - Made with garden fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh garlic, imported olives, capers, onions, and our family spice mix. Pairs amazingly with noodles and bread!
Fresh Garden and Garlic Sauce - Made with garden fresh tomatoes, fresh sweet basil, savory garlic, olive oil, onions, and our family spice mix. This sauce paired with bread makes for a great appetizer!
Classic Sun Tomato Basil Sauce - This sauce is a family favorite! Made with garden fresh tomatoes, green bell peppers, onions, fresh sweet basil, carrots, spinach, onions, olive oil, and our family spice mix.
Tomato Perfection Marinara Sauce - Made with garden fresh tomatoes, savory garlic, onion, olive oil, and sweet basil. Amazing dipping sauce for any kind of bread!
Our tomato sauces are sourced from our very own sun-ripened tomatoes. Tomatoes mean a lot to us. We grow the most flavorful, crisp tomatoes from our garden to incorporate in our sauces to provide the flavor, texture, and taste we grew up with. Our sauces are NON-GMO and do not contain sugar, preservatives, or gluten.
When you buy jars of sauces or jams, you are helping us keep fresh vegetables and fruits on the tables of those who do not have access to fresh produce! When you purchase sauces or jams with Sow Good Farms, 75% of the profit goes to providing a CSA box or puréed meal to a person in need.
Soups
Sow Good Farms is so proud of our collection of soups. Each soup incorporates our fresh veggies and fruits and can be delivered to you and your family daily! Our flavors include:
Chicken Noodle - This favored comfort meal is made with free-range chicken from a local farmer, onions, celery, carrots, leeks, egg noodles, sea salt, parsley, olive oil, fresh garlic, and incredible slow-simmered broth.
Broccoli Cheddar - This addictive soup is made with garden fresh broccoli, olive oil, sweet yellow onion, fresh garlic, slow-simmered chicken stock, half-and-half, carrots, sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, dry mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and extra sharp cheddar cheese.
Chicken Meatball Soup - This tasty soup is made with chicken sausage, olive oil, garlic, sweet onions, orzo, slow-simmered broth, sea salt, black pepper, and spinach.
Vegan Chili - Completely vegan friendly, this soup is made with red kidney beans, portobello mushrooms, sweet onions, savory garlic, green bell peppers, sun ripened tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapeño, sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano, chipotle chili powder, pinto beans, masa harina flour, black pepper, and sea salt.
Minestrone - This hearty Italian soup is made with diced tomatoes, sweet basil, butternut squash, celery, carrots, savory garlic, navy beans, oregano, parsley, thyme, sea salt, olive oil, red beans, sea salt, green beans, tiny pasta shells, tomato paste, and black pepper.
Chicken Tortellini with Italian Sausage and Kale - Extremely addictive, this soup is made with chicken sausage meatballs, diced tomatoes, savory garlic, tomato sauce, olive oil, sweet yellow onions, carrots, slow simmered broth, Italian seasoning mix (oregano, basil, thyme), sea salt, black pepper, kale, cheese tortellini, and parmesan cheese.
Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder - This delicious soup is made with olive oil, sweet yellow onion, green pepper, black pepper, sea salt, slow simmered broth, tiny potatoes, carrots, fresh corn, cayenne pepper, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, all purpose flour, and cheddar cheese.
Tomato Basil - A perfect match for grilled cheese, this soup is made with garden-picked tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, Italian spices (oregano, thyme), sweet onion, savory garlic, and tomato paste.
Harvest Vegetable - This delectable soup is made with sweet potatoes, olive oil, savory garlic, celery, parsnips, carrots, diced fresh tomatoes, garbanzo beans, spinach, red onions, slow-simmered broth, fresh basil, parsley, red and green bell peppers, and red pepper flakes.
Sweet Potato Bisque - Extremely delicious, this soup is made of sweet potatoes, red peppers, sweet onions, jalapeno, ginger, sea salt, cinnamon, coconut milk, basil, cilantro, lime zest, toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh sweet basil, and lime juice.
Sow Good Farm’s soups are slowly simmered and full of fresh ingredients straight from our garden. Our freshly made soup can be delivered in a 32 or 64-ounce jar and serves four to six. We pack each soup with a bamboo spoon for environmentally friendly slurping. There is no need to worry about chemicals and pesticides in our soups!
Breads & Crusts
“Growing up on a farm, soup, along with a large salad, was the perfect dinner for our family. My mother prepared fantastic soups full of love and vegetables that warmed our souls. As a kid, however, crackers and naan made the soup even more special! My mother served these items warm from the oven and covered them with a cotton cloth adorned in tiny cherry or sunflower embroideries on the corners. I don’t want you to think that we are a family from a Norman Rockwell drawing. Instead, we were more like the actors from Green Acres. My mother and father were highly educated city folk that preferred the country life. Our home was modern with country touches, full of vintage pieces from my grandparents. My parents wanted us to enjoy being a child, take time to smell the flowers, and, of course, learn the difference between growing an onion and a corn stalk!
I remembered the embroidered cotton cloth covering my mother’s breadbasket because beneath those cloths were either incredible crispy crackers, fluffy naan packed full of garlic and parsley, or crusty bread. My mother was the light in our family and her smile made me feel like everything would be okay. She prided herself on expressing love through food. To me, her bread was certainly love.”
-Tasha
Thanks to the carefully crafted recipes by their mother and grandmother, Sow Good Farms owner Tasha and her sisters have enjoyed this assortment of bread their entire lives. Now you can try the recipes that have been in our family for years! They include:
Herbed Crackers - The perfect addition to any bowl of soup, these crackers are made with unbleached flour and full of a chopped herb mix, basil, oregano, thyme, sage, covered in olive oil, and finally sprinkled with sea salt and poppy seeds. While these crispy crackers are shaped into squares, we recommend breaking them into broken crumbs for soup!
Garlic Naan - An all-time favorite of Tasha’s, this bread is pillow-soft and fluffy, perfect for getting every last drop out of a bowl of soup! Typically, Tasha’s mother made this bread inside a tandoor oven with charcoal and woodfire, We have altered this bread to be cooked in a large cast-iron skillet, seasoned with oil and our family spices. This bread is made of unbleached flour, olive oil, fresh garlic, sea salt, baking powder, warm non-dairy milk, non-dairy butter, cilantro, and parsley.
Simple Crusty Loaf - This loaf is anything but simple! Made with unbleached flour, sea salt, sugar, a herbed mix of oregano and basil, sun-dried tomatoes, yeast, and water, this crusty, full-flavored loaf is chewy on the inside and packed full of flavor!
These are all made with ancient grains and farm-fresh herbs. All ingredients are chemical and pesticide-free. When eating our bread, we hope you feel the same joy that it has provided us through the years!
Compost
Our farm produces hundreds of compost bags every season using pesticide-free scraps from the vegetables and fruit we incorporate in our recipes and meals. After using our compost processing equipment to till our compost, we add the compost to one of our cold, hot, or warm piles. We make full use of our compost and store the gas created from composting to heat our greenhouses during the winter.
Wonder how we grow such delicious crops? It’s all in the compost! We do not keep our compost for ourselves, we offer two sizes of our compost bags for you to enjoy in your own garden at home. Our compost can be a great starting point for a new backyard garden, or can be used to supplement the garden you have already been working on!