Who We Are
Bellwether Farm Camp, Retreat, and Education Center offers a model of sustainable living that promotes physical and spiritual wellness, fidelity to the environment, and social justice.
Programming
Nestled into the curves of the Vermillion River, Bellwether Farm is a camp, retreat, and education center dedicated to exposing the wider community to the creation that sustains all of life. As a working farm, its life focuses on four primary activities.
Facilities & Grounds
Bellwether Farm is a unique and affordable option for your next gathering. The center offers brand new facilities featuring a green technology, renewable energy, and water reclamation systems.
Get Involved
Find ways to get involved with Bellwether Farm including volunteer opportunities and ways to give.
Beef Bolognese
In keeping with the construction of the new barn, the Bellwether Kitchen thought it apt to share our favorite recipe for those evenings when one just needs to eat until they’re full and then go a few bites further. It is the perfect meal to satiate hungry carpenters, and it utilizes two of Bellwether’s most abundant ingredients: tomatoes and beef. It can be ladled over any of your favorite pastas or a gluten-free alternative. And, if meat is not your preferred protein, it can be made with summer vegetables and served over lentils to fuel you without animal products.
Ingredients
| 2 tablespoons | olive oil |
| 4 | garlic cloves, crushed |
| 1 | onion, finely diced |
| 1 | carrot, finely diced |
| 1 | rib celery, finely diced |
| 1 1/2 pound | pound lean ground beef or 2 ½ cups diced summer vegetables |
| 1 1/4 cups | red wine or beef broth |
| 1 cup | whole milk or milk alternative |
| 28 ounces | fresh whole tomatoes, blanched and peeled |
| 4 tablespoons | tomato paste |
| 2 teaspoons | maple syrup |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| Salt and Pepper | to taste |
| Pappardelle, tagliatelle, or another long pasta | for serving |
Instructions
| 1 |
Using a large cast iron (or any type of) pan, brown and soften the onion in oil over medium. ~3-4 minutes. |
| 2 | Now for the mirepoix: add garlic, carrot, and celery to the onions, and cook until softened. ~ 5 minutes. |
| 3 |
Next, add the beef or summer vegetables, breaking the meat up with a spoon until no pink remains. Drain fat. If using summer vegetables, cook until soft. |
| 4 |
Adding some depth to the sauce:
|
| 5 |
Stirring throughout, add the tomato paste, your fresh tomatoes, maple syrup, and the bay leaf. Gently mash the tomatoes up with a spoon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. |
| 6 |
Cook your pasta or its alternative according to package directions. Make sure to save roughly 1 ½ cups of pasta water to thin sauce if needed. |
| 7 |
Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water to thin it, as desired. |
| 8 | Serve hot in the evening or cold for lunch in the sun. Always serve with parmesan cheese. |
Donate Today
Bellwether Farm is a model of green technology featuring passive buildings, renewable energy, and more. It is a vehicle through which we can teach the wider community about fidelity to the environment, nutrition, physical and spiritual wellness, local food sourcing, food justice, and sustainable living.
Volunteer
Volunteer around Bellwether Farm. Opportunities are posted as they become available.