Meet Amber Walker Wilson!
When not at Stout Oak farming, Amber’s busy family of six (4 teenagers!) tend a large scale home garden.
“Since I began farming in 2016, as a way to work/live, I feel like I have found my happy place, my home away from home! My commitment to farming stems from the ability to stay physically active & strong, strengthening our ties with the local community by giving them the resource of honest, clean food, and to help steward the land we live on.”
At the farm, Amber does a lot of things! She:
- Manages the Post Harvest Wash and Pack Stations
- Leads infrastructure and logistics improvement projects
- Distribution of produce for retail, wholesale, and donation
- Leads other crew members in greenhouse tasks, fieldwork, and daily harvest
Amber’s favorite vegetable to grow and eat is Brussels Sprouts.
“I love them because they are time intensive crop that need a whole season to grow, with little tending if the investment of proper fencing is used to stave off the wildlife that love them just as much as we do! They are a beautiful crop to see standing tall & packed full of flavor, getting sweeter with every frost! Worth the wait!”
And here’s her own favorite recipe for cooking them:
Sauteed Garlic Brussels
1 stalk Brussels ~snap off the individual Brussels and remove any punky outer leaves (to clean, soak loose Brussels in a bath of cold water & 1/2c salt for 15-30 mins, then rinse and drain) ~ depending on size, halve the large & leave whole the small
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced or sliced thin (more or less depending on your taste buds or love of garlic)
2-3 Tbl unsalted butter
Salt & Pepper to taste
Step 1) melt butter in heavy bottomed saute pan on low heat, add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes until semi-transparent
Step 2) Bring pan to medium heat & add Brussels. Cover and let cook for 5 minutes, stir every 5 minutes or so until they are softened & each side is crispy (about 15 minutes total)
Step 3) Serve hot, as a side or main dish