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June 23, 2018 Market Newsletter



We are open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm
If you’re wondering about that “MAD” bit, its only about good healthy food!


This Week’s Newsletter:
Flower Power II
Sustainable Farmer’s Market
Market Chitchat
Grower Notes

BEAUTIFUL EDIBLES

Except for the squash blossoms mentioned in last week’s newsletter, the only time your market manager had seen flowers used in a culinary manner was to decorate wedding cakes, and even then, folks picked off the flowers and ate the cake. Who knew?

Turns our it’s been done for centuries. Flower cookery has been traced back to Roman times, and to the Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Indian cultures.  Edible flowers were especially popular in the Victorian era during Queen Victoria’s reign.

This week we’re sharing some great lists of edible flowers. There are too many to list in one newsletter! In the interest of food safety we’re including a few more cautions in case you’re not growing your own safe blooms or getting them from a reputable source like Bain Home Gardens or Mayim Farm.

  • If you are pregnant, do a lot of research before eating any flowers.
  • Never harvest flowers growing by the roadside.
  • Identify the flower exactly and eat only edible flowers and edible parts of those flowers.
  • Always remember to use flowers sparingly in your recipes due to the digestive complications that can occur with a large consumption rate.  Most herb flowers have a taste that’s similar to the leaf, but spicier. 
  • If in doubt that the flower is edible, skip it.
Southern Living lists ten best edible flowers with great info about each.

42 different flowers and some creative ideas are listed at treehugger.com.

Last of all, askaprepper.com has a fabulous list with photos of flowering edibles native to North America.

LAST TENT MARKET OF THE SEASON

We will be setting up tents at Dothan Nurseries again on Saturday, June 30. This will be our last public event of the summer. THANK YOU To Dothan Nurseries for hosting us and to everyone who has come out to visit. We are grateful for your kindness and support. Sustainable agriculture is such a small part of farming in every region of Alabama and while our size isn’t impressive you understand that the quality of what we offer is.

MARKET CHITCHAT

WE ARE CLOSING. Don’t panic. It’s only for a week. Online orders will not reopen next Saturday, June 30 for a midsummer break coinciding with the Fourth of July. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable 4th and we promise to back up and running the following Saturday on July 7 rarin’ & ready to go!


New & Relisted Products This Week

  • Ground Dexter Beef From Smith Farms has been relisted
  • Market Day Lemonade from Hawkins Homestead
  • Pickles from Bain Home Gardens
  • Focaccia and Ciabatta bread Avalon Farms
  • Organic Cucumbers from Hawkins Homestead
  • Pickles from Hawkins Homestead
  • Salad Blend from Hawkins Homestead
  • Beef Filet Mignon from Smith Farms
  • Basil Pesto from Hawkins Homestead
  • Choi from Bain Home Gardens
  • Beard/Shave Oil from Hawkins Homestead
  • Summer Salad Greens From
    Bain Home Gardens
  • Basil Trio from Bain Home Gardens
  • Body Butter from Hawkins Homestead
  • Beef Soup Bones from Smith Farms
  • Body Oil from Hawkins Homestead
  • Beets from Avalon Farms

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

We have the best Growers in the Wiregrass! Please learn more about them on our Grower Page.

AVALON FARMS: First, we whine about too much rain. Now we whine about how hot it is. (Been running around 95 everyday here. Heat index of 110!) Is it really whining or just stating the facts? Guess it depends on if we sound like a whiney  2 year old when we say it. : ) Everything slows down at these temps except okra it’s just getting started and loves the heat. Tomatoes and peppers will bloom but will not set fruit at these temps.

I will be trying to keep a close eye on what’s producing and make more available if possible. So check back Monday or Tuesday if I have more.

I will be listing some small and baby beets. I’m bummed that they didn’t grow better. Apparently I don’t have that one figured out.

Also, I’ve been selling focaccia and ciabatta loaves at Poplar Head. I think you guys will like them too! So I’m listing them this week.


BAIN HOME GARDENS: Hello Marketeers!
    We hope you all are well. We are so excited because we finally got some much needed garden work done! As a result we are happy to offer a few new listings this week: Choi, Pickles, & Summer Salad Greens! So excited I can hardly contain myself! Check our new items on the Market page and feel free to inbox us with questions. We do love to talk!
    We have really enjoyed meeting the Wiregrass at the Farmers Markets. On the 30th we will be at Dothan Nurseries for the final Spring Market. Hope to see you there!


“Work Smarter Not Harder”
Plan Ahead
    Many of the summer crops are very heavy feeders. This can leave your soil, how should we say, wanting? Crops like squash, okra, and especially melons really pull nutrients from the soil. Not worry, with a little planning you can replenish some of these naturally. As some of your spring/summer veggies die out consider planting beans or legumes. Not only do these bring nitrogen back into the soil, but they also have root nodules that house Bradyrhizobiumbacteria that act as nitrogen fixers. Another plus for legumes is that they are super easy to maintain! And, who doesn’t love beans?
   That’s all folks! Till next week – sending fresh produce from our family to yours.

DANNY’S GREENS: Danny is not listing any produce this week to give his lettuce greens a chance to catch up. Tender leaf crops grow slower in the summer and his beautiful lettuces just don’t grow fast enough to keep up with demand when it’s hot.

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: Hello Market Friends! How are all of you doing in this heat? The rain stopped and the heat decided to beam full on! We needed our rest, but I really don’t think we got any….isn’t that how it always goes?!?! Around here the answer is YES!

On the Market this week we will have the last of our organic potatoes, chicken feet, sprouts, and eggs. Eggs are limited because the chickens don’t like this heat either….

We will be listing some fresh organic cucumbers and pickles for the first time. Last week I played around with a few recipes and I found one I like. Hoping you feel the same way!

Many of you have adamantly requested our refreshing organic lemonade! We are happy to announce its debut this week on the Market.
 
Back on the Market is our essential oil blends along with our body butter. Coming soon we’ll be offering an essential oil mixture that helps us to fight off the bugs! Plus we found some arugula that decided to self seed so there is a small salad blend available as well.

We will have our fresh organic chickens at the last Farmers Market Day coming up this weekend, so come out and get yours!

We know you have many choices when it comes to deciding how to feed your family and we thank you for allowing us to provide you with the best, fresh, organic, and local that we have to offer.

FOOTNOTES

We would love to hear from you! If you have a favorite recipe, want to write a product review, have an idea or request for an article or information, let us know! You can reply to this newsletter or write marketatdothan@gmail.com.

Market Schedule
Order Saturday 5pm to Tuesday 5pm weekly for Pickup the following Friday
Dothan Pickup: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville Pickup: Daleville Chamber of Commerce Office

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net
Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan
Join our Online Discussions! www.facebook.com/groups/MarketatDothanDiscussion
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We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!