farmersmarket365

In this area of the world, Farmer’s markets in April are  brown and shelves limited to the root vegetables we have just about had enough of.  Occasionally there is a hydroponic grower who will have greens and maybe some kale, but that’s just about it.  Just when one is about to give up on the market and return to the “gasp” grocery store,  May arrives and shelves begin to green up with the “Leafy greens- spring times tonic”.  It is no wonder that the birthstone of May is the Emerald; its deep green color representing rebirth, love and patience. And boy are we ready.

The first to arrive here in Rhode Island are often grown in high tunnels (green houses without the added heat) that extend the growing season but also allow for the start of spring veggies in the fall.  The really early spinach and lettuce mix were most likely seeded in the fall, allowed to germinate and grow just a bit, before being covered for the winter’s nap. This is followed by the greens seeded as the earth warms along with salad turnips and radishes.  Garlic, also planted last fall comes up and some if harvested as green garlic- a good start to what is to come.  Spring onions, pea shoots and spinach are also soon to follow.

Here are some thoughts about what you might find.

• Leafy green salad mix: These are some of the most tender and sweetest of the lettuces.  The seed packet is really just a combination of many different greens, planted together and then harvested when they are about 4 inches.  To harvest ,the greens are cut and roots are left in to grow again.  If you wonder why they are more expensive than a head of lettuce it is due to the labor to not only cut but also to wash and package; being such tender greens care needs to be taken so they don’t bruise.
• Spinach: One of my favorites there are a number of different varieties- I like them all.  Again another labor intensive crop in that leaves are picked by hand and the roots left to grow more.  You can always find spinach in my basket at this time of year, sometimes 4 or 5 bags of it.  Some we eat the rest finds its way into blanching water, drained and then frozen.  I try to freeze it in different size containers as sometimes I just need a bit for my omelet, other times I need more for creamed spinach. When freezing spinach know that it cooks down.  I bought 2.5 lbs and got three pints bags.

Enjoy these crops in the early spring, as the temperatures rise the plants will turn bitter, I am always skeptical of spinach in July and August.  The reason for the change? Well the plant doesn’t mind sharing its leaves (the energy producers) with us for awhile but when it comes time for them to reproduce (start flowering) it needs that energy.  By turning bitter, we don’t want to eat it and so the plant can do it’s thing.

• Asparagus is precious as it is around for just about a month and will be snapped up quickly by shoppers. I try to have it sourced from a few farmers just in case.  Despite what some people believe the larger spears are not tougher they usually represent the first of the pick, as the plant loses its energy it produces the pencil thin spears and is really telling us to leave it alone.
  • When fixing asparagus you need to remove the tougher bottom end. I usually just hold the spear in my hands, bend the spear and it will break -BUT DON’T throw out the tougher part.  You can cut it into small pieces and use for soups or longer cooking foods.  If the spear is think enough you can also peel off some of the outer layer and then add to salads.
  • Asparagus can be found in my freezer as pesto, small pieces for soups and other uses; my pantry shelf will always have a few jars of pickled asparagus.
  • I use the blanching water to make up some first of the season asparagus soup.

There is a new energy around this time of year- Bring it on.

It’s the end of October, the outdoor market is closing and we will be inside for a few months.  The harvest is in and despite chilly days the faithful come and fill their bags with all the colors of fall.  I am taking a break this week from food, to reflect on a gift that the market hands to us, community.  Recently a few vendors asked me if I had seen Jackie, a woman who faithfully came to the market and did not leave until she talked with us all.  She would get her coffee, if she were late we would set aside bags of spinach and when she wasn’t there she was missed.  It turns out she is fine but had to move to a senior community, we were glad she was safe and ok, but sad to think we might not get to see her again.  So I got to thinking of the many other people who I see on a regular basis and what they give to the community.

Marathon woman: She arrives each week, bags in her hands but also holding not one but two canes.  She slowly makes her way across the field in order to get her apples, sometimes peaches and her vegetables.  No matter how crowded the stalls are she finds a way to get to the items she wants and puts them in her bags. Though very capable, we all reach out to her to help load her bags and when they are just a bit too heavy, we offer to bring them to the car.  Last week with bags full, a woman who was also buying apples offered to help her.  People watching out for others.

Market ambassadors: There is a couple who come every Saturday pretty much as soon as we open and spend a good amount of time shopping and talking with others.  I call them the ambassadors because while enjoying coffee, they don’t hesitate to engage with others.  When at a stall they might offer suggestions of what to buy, and most importantly they just love checking in with all of us.  Sometimes they shop by themselves and when he is finished and she isn’t, he just waits patiently.  The head south for the winter but we always know when the summer market begins because they come back.

The Gentle Giant: I met him some years ago as he bought some jams from me and shared how he was going to pair them with cheeses at a wine tasting.  After that I noticed that he comes to market and hangs out with his coffee and other items for the week.  Unfortunately, his wife was sick with cancer for some time and recently passes away; each of us who knew of his journey reached out and I am hoping that being at the marked helped him through a very tough time.

Casper: Very friendly but not a ghost. He doesn’t always come to the market when he does we have a special greeting and there is always time to hear some of his stories and or adventures.  It might be about a soup he made, or a story about his granddaughter.  It turns out that he really likes a few different markets and is well known; I can mention his name to people at the other markets and the response is usually “Casper, sure I know him”.

The families: One family I kind of feel like an adopted grandma.  I met the boys when they were maybe 6 or 10 and now they are in college. Another family would arrive with the children in a red wagon.  Mom would pull them around to each stand and shop, but she got the children involved. She would take the cherry tomatoes and have them give them a taste- just try it and see what you think. The children don’t fit in that wagon any more but do come to the market but now they are choosing what they want.  My newest family, in the past year has grown by one.  Big brother makes use of all the games and opportunities that a big open field gives a little boy.

The market is more than a gathering of vendors, it is a place for people to come and connect, to share stories and be part of a community.

The warmth of the sun seems to be waning as September arrives. The days of shoppers filling their baskets, sitting to enjoy the music with a coffee and sweet pastry seem to be lessening as our busy lives take over.  Taking time to shop the market for weekly food is harder and yet there is no more important time to support the vendors, especially the farmers then now. *

The harvest doesn’t stop because it is Sept. 1- the seeds planted in March, tended to and planted in May, cultivated and cared for through the summer and finally harvested and prepared for you at the market, are pouring in and need to be sold. The blossoms on the fruit trees in the spring now are bear fruit that has to be harvested at just the right time to give you the ultimate taste.

The truth is September and October pose challenges for most of us to get to market but there is no more important time to do it.  The harvest has to be sold before the winter arrives, and though root vegetables can be stored, farmers know that with each passing week a little bit of the amazing taste dwindles.

Shoppers who come to the market each week, no matter the weather or time of year are much appreciated and your effort to do so is really a gift to each vendor.  A gift acknowledging the hard work and effort to bring you top quality food for you to enjoy.

*I am using farmers, but all of this applies to all the vendors who work hard to bring the best product to market.

Labor day brings with it the rude awakening that the warm red tomatoes, juicy cucumbers and savory dishes of summer squash are being replaced with the harder but no less delicious vegetables of autumn.  It is abundantly clear at each farm stand just where this is going.  So besides enjoying the squashes, peppers, potatoes and onions now, I get busy preparing them for meals later on.  It isn’t necessary to purchase huge amounts to prepare but rather purchase just a few extra each week. You’ll see how this works.

Peppers:

• The sweet bell pepper, green, red, yellow and purple all have a bit different level of sweetness. I buy two or three extra each week and while preparing dinner, cut them up into small pieces and freeze.  Later I can add them to soups or roasted vegetables or stir fry.  I try to get a gallon bag full which lasts the winter.
• Roasted red peppers and pablano: You don’t need a lot of either of these as they go a long way. I get maybe 10 of each and when we grill meat I place them on the grill, char the skin, peel and place in freezer bags. Both are great added to sauces.
• Banana peppers: Though I might freeze some of these, generally I pickle a few pints for dressing, pizza or when I want some heat but not too much.
• Red pepper relish is the only bulk purchase of peppers, and as soon as there are enough I gather up what I need and prepare this relish that brings back memories of returning home from school to a line of red jars on the kitchen counter.

Potatoes:  When you can, try to find a farmer who will sell you unwashed and dried potatoes.

• Save them in a dark (paper bag works) dry cool place. I use my makeshift root cellar in the basement.  If they are unwashed and have been cured they will last the full winter.
• Sometimes when the celery root is out I will cook them both together, mash and put in the freezer.

Shallots and onions:  Same as potatoes, you want unwashed of both of these and preferably with lots of dried layers on the outside.  Make sure they are firm, soft spots means they are too old.  I have seen where you can put the onions in a leg of a panty hose, tie a knot, then add another. – way too much work for me.

• I usually just add them to a mesh bag and hang them in the root cellar.
• If I am caramelizing onions for a meal, I’ll double or triple and then freeze the extra.

Garlic:  There are lots of ways to “keep” garlic, I haven’t had much luck so my process is to roast  a few bulbs with olive oil, salt and pepper.  The “meat” squeezes out into a jar that stays in the refrigerator and lasts the whole winter.  The taste is milder but still good.

Ok, now for the mother lode: The squashes.  With the exception of spaghetti squash, you can treat each squash pretty much the same.  So here are the processes I use.

• Roasting: cut in half, take out seeds (don’t forget they roast up nicely as well) and roast face down with a bit of water until you can easily insert a knife through the skin. When cooled dig out the flesh and freeze in bags.   I also freeze some in muffin tins and then transfer to a baggie to be used to add to oatmeal or soups.
• Butters: Most of the squashes can be made into a fruit butter- it’s really just the flesh cooked down with sugar. I put these in jars and process for use later. You can use it as a glaze, in sauces, or again in oatmeal.
• Save whole: Buy an extra squash and just save in a cool dark place.  This could be a plastic tub, a wooden crate or I have an old set of wire drawers (the kind you get in organization stores). Be sure they don’t have any blemishes and I would buy early in the season as the later ones might go bad quicker.  You will need to regularly check on them and when you detect a soft spot, make it part of dinner.  Note: butternut tends to be the one that lasts the longest. Last year I bought pumpkins too late and they fell apart within a week- lesson learned.
• Spaghetti squash- that just gets roasted and frozen.

The nice thing about the fall crops is that they are usually the ones that are most hardy and stand up to storage the best.  So if you don’t have time have someone else store them for you.  We are lucky enough to have a winter market and these are the foods that arrive at least through the start of Dec.  Farmers have humidity and temperature-controlled storage that allows you to just stop by and pick some up.  In a sense you are helping the farmer extend the harvest.

June and July brought us the greens and buds of the vegetables, but in August the fruits and roots are what fill the bins.  This is the time when my kitchen is most crazy with jars and lids as well as freezer bags. My love of “putting up” grew to this point because I really like doing it.  I didn’t grow up on a farm but I do have many memories of time spent on farms in the summer; more importantly I have memories of kitchens.

Conserving food for the winter, otherwise known, in our house, as “squirreling” can be as big or as small as you want it to be.  There is no shortage of information about how to fill your pantry shelves, root cellars and freezers. It is very easy to feel over whelmed if you feel the need to dug your root cellar in your back yard or you don’t have a pressure cooker for the canned tomatoes.  It’s easy to feel you have to buy 50# of cucumbers for the pickles you want to make when in fact a few pounds will do just fine. Lastly, there is the fear factor associated with food that might go “bad” before you can eat it. So here is my guilt free, just have fun, suggestions for putting up food.

Choose just one thing to start: I started with strawberries. With no shortage of pick your own farms it is easy to spend time picking what you think would be a good amount for you.  Sometimes I would try to pick a full flat, but other times I would give myself a certain time, 45 min.  But for you this might just mean picking two quarts instead of one.

The strawberries would come home with me and I would slice them into 2 cup and 4 cup portions.  The 2 cup is perfect for strawberry shortcake, the 4-cup is perfect for jams.  I would put them in freezer bags, lay flat and freeze.  Yes, I do have a chest freezer and I started with just a small one.  What about jams, well I do make jam but when I picked I might not have had the time so I freeze the berries to make jam later.

The lesson:

• It feels really good to be able to pull out a bag of strawberries for jams or desserts later in the winter; some of these might just live in my refrigerator for use on yogurt or an afternoon snack with honey.
• Pick or buy only the amount you feel you have time for.
• Freezer bags are your friend.
  • NOTE: I do still use the plastic bags as I have not found a suitable substitute for freezing that is not plastic and that can be purchased in a large enough quantity. If anyone has suggestions I would love to hear them.  I do however reuse my bags many times over.

Buy just a little bit more:  You don’t need to buy the farm’s worth of anything to be successful.  I happen to have the time and love of spending a whole day in the kitchen but not every day; therefore, I employ the slow and steady approach.  Cipollini onions are some of my favorite, as are leeks and spring onions.  When I buy for the week, I buy one or two more.  Then when preparing dinner, I will roast or cook up a double batch and freeze the extra.  This method also works for summer squash, winter squash and other veggies that can be roasted.  This past week I bought a few more tomatoes and as I was waiting for dinner to finish, I chopped them up, put them in freezer bags.  Do this once a week and you will have a decent amount of tomatoes for the winter.  Notice that I didn’t do anything to these tomatoes, and that’s the point, you don’t have to I have even been known to cut out the stem area of the tomato and freeze it whole. Last week I bought a few more cucumbers, sliced them, added a simple pickling brine and I now have refrigerator pickles. Another trick- I bet you have a jar of pickles that are almost gone, if so just add the cukes the that pickle juice.

The lesson

• Think just a little bit at a time.
• Cook up a double batch and freeze.

You aren’t perfect in fact it’s better not to be: I do what I do because I love it, enjoy it and maybe am a bit crazy.  But I do make mistakes and I don’t strive for perfection-it is just a waste of time.  So my pickles are not perfectly cut, nor are they the same size.  I don’t always have time to blanch my veggies, and there are freezer bags that lose their tags giving a whole new meaning to a pot luck dinner.

I do pickle, make fruit jams and butters and relishes, recently I have even gotten into fermenting. It is easy to be intimidated by these processes because of the going “bad” factor.  I have a healthy respect for what can happen to food but I also am thankful for my sense of sight, smell and taste.  If I open a jar and see that there is mold, or smell something not right, or notice a bitter taste when it should be sweet, I throw it out in the compost- it is that simple.

A change of perspective.  Food doesn’t go bad, it decomposes with the help of bacteria and other organisms.  So, if mold or bacteria enjoys your food before you do, see it as a compliment that they found what you made to be to their liking. They will in return recycle the nutrients to the soil.   

The lesson

• Just try it, and if it doesn’t work, learn how you might do it differently.
• We are part of a very diverse world, so even with the best methods sometimes our efforts are enjoyed by organisms we didn’t expect- but rejoice in the fact that they give us back what we need to grow more.

I heard that last week was Made in America week and I couldn’t think of a better way for any of us to celebrate this than to honor the farmers and marketers who bring us beautiful local foods each and every week.  Here we live in this tiny state and yet there is at least one market on every day of the week; check out this site for those near you, https://www.farmfreshri.org/summermarkets2019/  .  I make use of this web site to find products that my local farmers don’t grow.  To buy local is a buzz word these days and can make some feel guilty if they don’t buy something grown more than 50 miles from their home; each person should come to their own definition but be sure to take time to check out what is out there. A farmer’s market is a good start but don’t forget farm stands, farm stores, and why not stop at the side of the road to check out what your neighbor may be selling at the end of their driveway.- In fact sometimes the food there is for free.

“Green grocery” markets are coming on strong and offer another option. I am just starting to explore these and have found checking out their web sites to be a good first step.  Some talk about natural foods but deal mostly in supplements and are limited as to the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available.  Co-ops are making a bit of a resurgence and the idea of “buying” in to the market is good if you find that the store provides you with enough of what you want.  Most don’t require you to be a member but the prices might differ.  Be careful of the membership information as some ask you to volunteer a certain amount of time and if you are pressed for time this might not be a good option.  The co-op in Providence (new and exciting for sure) does not require you to be a member, and if you do join the option can be spread out over a number of years.  https://urbangreens.com/  I also like to buy in bulk and South coast bulk foods provides me with what I need.  They do deliver and you can shop on line. https://southcoastbulkfoods.com/ . The Green Grocer in Portsmouth is more of a full service grocery store, and offers pre made meals, spices, and items you need for your pantry.  Everything here is not “local” but it is chosen because of its quality; the reality is that it is not sustainable to have a store like this with only local products.

Too busy to shop We have been seduced by the limitless hours that grocery stores are open and can easily fit a visit into any schedule, not so for the farmers markets. There are other options though that are gaining favor in this area.  On line shopping is an option many farmers and local business are buying into.  In some cases, you can order and pick up on your own at certain places, or have your food delivered (for a fee for sure.  Pats Pastured (meat and eggs), and Fully Rooted (raw cold-pressed juice & kombucha) have both a pick-up option and home delivery. – And of course, in this day and age what would this world be if we didn’t have an app-Strongly recommend you check out the app What’s Good. https://sourcewhatsgood.com/  Pick up options are located throughout the state, and some local companies have become pick up sites for their employees.  Home delivery is also an option.  Not only is this app growing in popularity and products, if you leave the state the app uses your location to let you know where there are farmer’s markets and stands for you to visit.

Shifting your patterns to shop local for your food it a time-consuming effort, one that you might have to take on gradually, but options are expanding and in doing so the excuse that you can’t do it are becoming less valid.  In my next post I will share some of how I evolved into my patterns, which might help spark some change for yourself.

The sun, heat and humidity is doing its job to bring to market some of the best fruits and vegetables.  The rain and cold in May and June has slowed progress so you might be seeing veggies and fruit a bit later but make no mistake it is coming in now.

Hard to find: peas, spinach, arugula and other early crop greens.  These are cool weather plants; the greens especially get bitter in the heat so farmers won’t plant until fall. This isn’t necessarily the case for head lettuce. Garlic scapes will be harder to find; they are the stem and bud of the plant and left too long will flower.    A good alternative is to look for green garlic, this is just garlic that has been harvested before it grows into the mature bulb.  A bit milder than the bulb but will be great with any stir fry.  It is surprising that broccoli is really a cooler weather plant, I find this time of year it becomes bitter and will wait until fall to buy again, but this is a personal preference. One note, pea shoots, microgreens etc. are usually grown in controlled environments so will be wonderful additions throughout the summer.

Still with us: Beets, spring onions, scallions, lettuce, carrots and radishes will continue to be on the shelf.  I might suggest you ask to taste the carrots as they were most likely planted early spring; which can mean that they are not as sweet as the later carrots that have time to store their sugar.  Cabbage, zucchini, summer squash and cucumbers are also coming on strong- it might be good to look for specials.

What’s new: You might see potatoes, they will be small and are often known as new potatoes– not a variety but rather the first potatoes picked.  In my garden I pick these by just reaching my hand under the plant and feeling around for the small orbs; the method then allows the plant to continue to grow and produce the larger potatoes.  They usually won’t last long because farmers want to harvest the larger potatoes.  Stringed beans are also coming to market- the first picked are usually small and sweet, a definite buy and worth getting extra for the freezer.  Peppers are just now coming in, the sweet and hot alike will be available though not as plentiful as they will be in another week or so, I buy these now for my weekly consumption and wait to get extras for the freezer later on.  Tomatoes ..Yes we have been waiting for the real thing (as opposed to the pink plastic orbs we might pick up from the store in the winter)…cherry tomatoes are usually first off the vine followed by some of the early girl.  As much as I am tempted to purchase a lot of tomatoes, I force myself to hold off as the sweeter, riper ones will be a few weeks away.

Let’s not forget the fruit that will replace the strawberries.  While most of the apples and stone fruit, except the cherries, are still maturing, the softer fruit, blueberries, raspberries and black berries are ready for market.  With the string of hot days that we have had lately they will be perfect, if we have some rainy days be careful as the fruit will be likely to get moldy faster if it was picked wet.  It is always good to buy extra for the freezer especially the blue berries.  My method for this is to contact the farmer and order a flat; when I get them home I spread them out on a cookie sheet, after they are frozen I fill freezer bags and use by the handful as needed.  If by chance you don’t eat the fruit fast enough and it becomes soft don’t throw it away, smash it and use in salad dressing or add to a smoothie. I have also been known to add some over-ripe raspberries to maple syrup for waffles.

Menu ideas: Everything purchased at the farmer’s market:

*chicken, broccoli, sautéed mushrooms and onions: *white fish tacos, slaw (made with cabbage and kohlrabi), sliced tomatoes: * pork chops, raspberry and honey sauce, roasted zucchini and summer squash * stir fry with bok choi, cipollini onions, kale, peppers and cabbage. *beet and potato hash with fried egg.

Squirreling it away: I am always looking for ways to store this goodness for the long winter.  Here is just some of what I might do this week: cabbage- sauerkraut, cucumbers-freeze to use in my water or to add to soups later, make pickles, beets– pickle, cipollini onions- roast and freeze, broccoli- blanch and freeze one more batch.

Despite the wet, heavy soil this week the touch of warmer spring air made it just right to plant peas. The weeds pulled away easily, the soil moved aside forming the furrow where the wrinkled pea seeds were placed. I carefully covered the row and patted the earth, “be well my little peas to be”.  Warm weather and sufficient water are still needed to bring these peas to life again and it will be some time, however the optimist in me can’t keep me from checking each day for some sign of growth and then just when I think all is lost I suddenly see the small green shoot pushing its way out of the soil.   It fills me with such joy and never, ever gets old.

As you may have read on a previous post, my granddaughter has asked me to join her on a journey to explore her interest in being a farmer.  There is a lot to do and to encounter the twists and turns along the way is filled with memory making experiences.

We spent two days visiting several farms, interviewing the farmers and getting a tour.  She was able to hear their wisdom and honesty about the different sides of farming: the amazing experience of birth and the inevitable sadness of death, the joy of seeing baby animals to the bleakness of an apple orchard in March, the buds just trying to hang on.  Her clipboard papers were filled with notes and she had many photos and videos to be sorted and arranged.

Chloe and I have worked together on a farm many times before this, but what made this so much different is that besides the fun and infinite things to do I could see the germination of her thoughts and feelings about just what farming really means.  So like the peas, it will most likely take some time for her head and heart to develop what this all means for her.  In the meantime, I’ll keep listening and watching.

I’m Chloe, and I am in fifth grade. At my school, we have a project called Independent Study. We can chose anything we are passionate about to do a project on. We launched it in October, and we will have a small showcase in the middle of May.

For my Independent Study, I chose to do farming. I really enjoy helping out and doing chores at the farm my Grandmother works at, and I love animals. As a part of the project, we write a business letter to a person who does the thing that you are studying, to ask if they will be your mentor. I chose Gam, my grandmother, and she wrote a very fun letter back, saying, “Of course!” that she would love to be my mentor.

I have three main parts to my study: Chicken and Egg Business, Farmer’s Market, and Interviews.

At home, I have three chickens: 2 hens, and a (naughty) rooster. I have been recording data, (I am trying to do it every day) to collect information like: how many eggs I get, what nesting box they are in, and what time of day I checked. I also have been putting the (approximate) temperature of the day. Using this information, I will be able to see how the egg laying differs depending on what time of year, and I will be able to do a mini experiment, seeing if they like the top or bottom nest boxes, and if they like more or less hay.

For Farmer’s Market, one of the teachers at school who runs the garden has helped me start to plant three kinds of lettuce for me to sell later in the year. I also have been skimming through The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Young Reader’s Edition by Michael Pollan, taking notes. Near to the end of the assignment, I am planning to write a small essay about how organic farming is a benefit.

Now, to the “interview” topic. I have collected a list of people that would be willing to be interviewed at the Coastal Growers farmer’s market in N. Kingstown R.I., where Gam volunteers. When I have March break, I will go down there and maybe spend a weekend having interviews, visiting farms, and gathering lots of valuable experience. Later, I will pick a few of the answers, and use those to make a Powerpoint.

As my mentor, Gam recently had a great idea: I could write on her blog about my findings. From now on, I will be trying to write every week about my observations, and maybe tips, and this is my first entry.