WHITFIELD FARMS

Those of you who have been Market customers a long time may remember some delicious broccoli raab that was available one year. I can’t tell you that it’s coming back, but actually this is better news . . . the grower is back! Ashely Davis and her family have grown their own sustainable vegetables for a long time and have recently experienced some life changes so they are able to be part of our Market family again. We’re super excited to welcome them back.

MARKET CHITCHAT

Thank you to everyone who came out to our third tent market today. The weather kept a lot of people away (including some growers!) but we had a good time regardless and enjoyed visiting and meeting new folks.

New & Relisted Products

• Garlic – big, beautiful heads of garlic! 3 sizes
• Sunflower Microgreens from Whitfield Farm
• Flower Bouquets from Whitfield Farm
• Danny’s Gourmet Greens and Green Onions are Relisted
• Chickpea Hummus
• Lavender Shortbread
• Vegan Mini Muffins
• Kale Salad
• White bean, rosemary, and almond hummus
• Pecan Pesto is Relisted

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: We’re  trying out some new pepper varieties this year. Here are the 2 we have available now.

Carmen is a traditional Italian frying/roasting pepper known for its horn shape and wonderful sweet flavor. They are great for roasting, grilling, frying or any other way you use sweet peppers.

I’ve been using them with this squash recipe. It is heavenly!!

Creamy-Garlic-Pepper-Squash-Yumminess
****Disclaimer. I usually double or triple this, plus use lots of extra squash. (3 small zucchini? Who are they kidding?)

Ingredients
 2 tablespoons butter
 3 small zucchini, sliced
 1 small sweet red pepper, finely chopped
 1 small onion, finely chopped
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 1 cup 2% milk
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
1. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, red pepper and onion; cook and stir 10-12 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
2. In a small bowl, whisk flour, milk, salt and pepper; stir into vegetables. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened and doesn’t taste like raw flour. Add water if it becomes too thick.
3. Add cooked chicken or sausage for a complete meal in a bowl!

Emerald Fire Jalapeno boasts extra large and very tasty jalapeno fruits that are perfect for stuffing, grilling or using in salsa. Emerald Fire produces gorgeous, glossy green peppers with thick walls that have very little cracking, even after maturing to red. 2,500 Scoville units

Garlic. This year’s garlic is huge! If you remember last year my garlic was very small. (Very sad.) Apparently I planted it too late. This year I planted those babies out last Fall and they did great. They will be sold by 3 sizes; small, medium and extra large.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Marketeers!
    How are you? I’d like to say that we are rested but that is just NOT the case! Our blows however have not been striking the air! We HAVE been productive. We finally caught up with weeding garden beds, planted next planting of beans, pruning squash & tomatoes and more!
    This week we will be listing our Cucumber Lemon Detox Water on the Market page. We wrote about its benefits in the May12th weblog. During our break we have also explored a recipe for Kale Salad. We  feel we have perfected it and are ready to share. Check it out also!
“WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER”
Tip# 3 Mulch
  This is one simple thing you can do for them now that will help in many ways over the long run—mulching.
    Choose your mulch wisely. There are some that certified but most are not. If you choose to go the organic route (our choice), Working Cows dairy in Slocomb is a good place to start. We spoke with them last week and their prices are unbelievably reasonable!
    After a good rain or good watering, apply about 2 to 4 inches of mulch to your already weeded garden. After initial application, water once more. Periodically sprinkling DE (Diatomaceous Earth) into the mulch on dry days will help control insects.  
  Have a good week! From our family to yours!

GRIER ACRES:  Great news!  Jeannie and I finally closed on the sale of our house in Dothan on June 8th and we are now living full time on the farm.  That means we will have more time to devote to growing wonderful products for the wonderful customers of Market at Dothan.  

The first thing we did when we got over there was to get on the tractor and mower and spend the day catching up on the grass after three weeks of absence.  

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: Hello Market Friends it’s been super busy around here and we’re all getting acclimated to some new changes that have taken place. One major one for us is that Brandon who has worked nights for the past 2 years, just recently switched to days!!!!! As you can imagíne we  are all excited to have him alert and awake during the daylight hours.

Now that Brandon is on days, he is able to see just how much comes from our garden and his appreciation has grown. He has been doing these walkthroughs, where he asks questions, points things out to me, and makes suggestions. It’s really great! Plus I get to extend his “honey do list.” Ssshhh! Just don’t mention it to him…..

You will not find us on the Market this week. Some downtime is in order. So this weekend, will be busy pruning trees, moving birds, cleaning coops, and tackling this powdery mildew that has taken hold of my squash plants. After that….we’re taking it easy! So enjoy and we hope to see you soon!

MAYIM FARM: We will be in vacation mode for a couple weeks…going to visit the new grandbaby in California! Our seventh, Raelynn Grace…  

WHITFIELD FARMS:
Hi all! I’m excited to be back at the market! This week I’ll be selling sunflower microgreens and flower bouquets. I hope to add more products as my (late!) garden comes along.

Here’s a tasty and simple salad recipe:

Microgreen and Radish Salad with    Lemony Garlic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
 Salad:
  4 oz of sunflower microgreens
  3 small radishes sliced thin

 Dressing:
   ½ cup of olive oil
   ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
   Juice of 1 lemon
   1 garlic clove, grated
   1 tbsp honey
   1 tsp Dijon mustard
   1 tbsp dried basil or 4 or 5 fresh leaves
      minced
    ¼ tsp Pepper
    1 tsp salt   

Combine sunflower microgreens and radish slices in bowl.

Combine dressing ingredient in jar, put the lid on (tightly!) and shake. Add to your salad and store the extra in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a week.

SUSTAINABILITY PART 4

7. Empower and protect workers. Employees on sustainable farms are paid a fair wage, treated with respect and protected from unnecessary dangers.
Workers on factory farms operate in very dangerous conditions. Manure pits on industrial farms create harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane that can contaminate the air that farm laborers breathe. These laborers are often paid minimum wage and have no rights or say in their job. Migrant workers employed by industrial farms are also frequently underpaid and work long hours. Often times these workers are undocumented immigrants, and while there are laws that protect all workers regardless of immigration status equally, industrial farms take advantage of workers’ fear of deportation and forgo many safety and wage requirements.

8. It tastes better. Sustainable food is delicious!
An added benefit of eating sustainably is that sustainably-raised food simply tastes better. Not so long ago, herbs and spices and sugar were used to enhance the flavor in our food. But in recent decades our taste buds have been corrupted through the use of cheap chemicals and corn syrup to fill that role. We’ve forgotten how wonderfully delicious fresh food tastes as we’ve become acclimated to food that’s polluted with preservatives. The more you try it, the more you’ll learn that sustainable, local food just tastes better.
Create change one forkful at a time.

MARKET CHITCHAT

If you’ve not seen it yet, Kayla Rutledge of The Dothan Eagle wrote a beautiful article about Market at Dothan last week. It was published on the FRONT PAGE of Fridays paper. Thank you Kayla! We are humbled and honored and grateful.

Have you seen it? Our shade curtains are up! They need a little tweaking yet but we’re quite happy with the results. Many thanks to JD Boone, Mr. Bob and Patricia from Yard Eatins for their support and help. We felt the temperature improvement immediately once they were up– such a benefit for all the fresh produce this time of year!

New & Relisted Products

• Fresh Moringa Leaves from Mayim Farm

MORINGA!

We got a note from Mayim Farms this week – hope you enjoy hearing from them as much as we do!

We are proudly listing fresh Moringa leaves again, one of the most nutritious foods you can eat, locally biodynamically grown and fresh picked. Because we are situated miles from any conventional agriculture there is no chance of any chemical spray blow over.
Moringa also is a great antioxidant. It provides all the required amino acids, many vitamins and minerals for healthy body. A true super-food! Here are a couple great and exciting recipes for moringa…

Sauteed Fresh Moringa Leaves
Ingredients;
Fresh Moringa Leaves (remove stems and save for soups or stocks)
Olive Oil, Butter or Ghee, of your choice
Several Garlic Cloves, minced, or Garlic Salt to taste (I add lots of Garlic)
Sea Salt and/or whatever spices you like (Our Daily Dash is what I use)
This is one of my favorite ways to eat Moringa leaves!
Directions:
Do NOT overcook them – just saute them until they wilt over medium/high heat, until they turn bright green!

Moringa Omelette
Ingredients:
Eggs – (as many as you like) blended with your seasonings of choice
Fresh Moringa Leaves (remove stems and save for soups or stocks)
Sauteed onions and mushrooms (to taste)
Fresh, diced tomatoes (to taste)
Olive Oil, Butter or Ghee (your choice)
Garlic Cloves, minced or Garlic Salt (to taste)
Sea Salt and/or whatever spices you like (Our Daily Dash)

Saute the onions and mushrooms (if using) in a small amount of oil, of your choice from above, Add to the satueed veggies your eggs, blended with  seasonings of your choice. When the eggs are almost done add the fresh Moringa Leaves or add them on the top, right before you serve and eat your omelette. Yum, Yum!!

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

Several of our Growers will be taking a break this week for summer events or because of crop cycles so don’t despair if you don’t see your favorites this week.

AVALON FARMS: Wanted to give you the  rundown on some of the tomato varieties I’m offering this year. These little guys are finally ready!

I have 4 types of cherry tomatoes varying in color, flavor and size. These will be available this week in mixed pints. Would anyone be interested in single variety pints?

Sun Gold – Has an intense fruity flavor. Exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange cherry tomatoes. Their tendency to split precludes shipping, making these an exclusively fresh-market treat.

BHN 624 – (who named this?) A cross between a grape tomato and a cherry tomato. The oval shape of a grape, the juicy consistency of a cherry, and an excellent, sweet-rich flavor. Nice, deep red color.

Black Cherry – Sweet and robust. The fruits are almost black in color. (They look more pink to me.) The flavor is dynamic – much like an heirloom.

Indigo Cherry Drops – Deep, rosy-red with a black-purple cast that is bursting with sweet flavor. High antioxidant (anthocyanin) from the purple as blueberries  have.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Marketeers!
    Hope you all are very well. We seem to be a bit delirious! SUMMER ISN’T HERE YET! If you want a good story as to how we made that mistake, please ask. It’s a funny one we guarantee!

    "GARDEN SMARTER NOT HARDER"
    Tip #2: Help wild creatures by growing more plants that provide pollen.

It is common knowledge that many bees and butterflies are disappearing due to loss of habitat, overexposure to pesticides, and other issues. As gardeners and farmers we are in a unique position to help our busy little pollinators. Plant flowers or even let some veggies go to seed. You will notice more bees buzzing before you know it! What this means for you is MORE ABUNDANT PRODUCE! Easy right? We have tried it.

Aside from their beauty, these flowers actually distract aphids and other harmful insects from your veggies & attract pollinators. Win win!

    This week we will be taking a break from the market but we will be back the week of June 23rd & we will have some new items at that time. Keep on the lookout! From our family to yours.

MARY’S PEEPS and DANNY’S GREENS will be on vacation this week.

SQUASH!!!

Many thanks to Avalon Farms who submitted the great Squash Cobbler recipe below that served as inspiration for this section. I tried to find a clever quote about eating squash to start this section with and all I found was a silly pun.

While it’s a bit early for the Butternut variety, there are plenty of varieties of delicious summer squash available right now.

MARKET CHITCHAT

Today was the day! We hope many of you came out to visit our growers at Dothan Nurseries, and for those of you not restricted by diet, that you met Holly Groover of Smore Dessert Company. She has rejoined us for the Saturday markets. Holly is an old friend of Market at Dothan and her desserts are most decadent. She does parties and events.

Many Thanks to Mr. Bob who has helped us in an ongoing project to install CURTAINS for the Market Shed. We thought this would be the week to get everything finished but Amazon failed to come through on the very large rings required to hang them. No doubt many of you remember the stationary cloth that kept the wind out during the winter months. We learned so much from using that and are looking forward to being able to control air flow and sunlight. Protecting the produce is probably the biggest consideration for the summer months.

Lastly, Market at Dothan will be taking a midsummer break the week of July 4. We’ll have regular ordering and pickup up to June 29, and our last Saturday Market at Dothan Nurseries on June 30. Online ordering will resume on July 7.

New & Relisted Products

• Rosemary Salt
• Citrus Salt
• Brine
• Garlic Salt
• Croutons

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: As Ros mentioned in last week’s newsletter, we will be participating in Dothan’s Poplar Head Farmers Market. This does not mean we are thinking less of our MAD (Market at Dothan) customers. You will always come first in our hearts and in products. We are hoping to generate interest in MAD by telling people about its unique qualities; year-round, sustainable and synthetic free. Doesn’t get any better than that!

Being “allowed” back into Poplar Head has actually forced us into new product lines. They aren’t interested in most of our summer veggies and wanted herbs and the faccacia bread we used to make. (We were actually in that market it’s first 3 years.) So with just weeks before the market opened we regrouped and came up with a plan.

We are happy to introduce our Rosemary Salt, Citrus Salt, a Brine and possibly a Garlic Salt. Ooh, and Croutons. Who doesn’t love a little decadence by adding buttery-crunchy-garlicy croutons to all those summer salads.

If you come downtown to Poplar Head Farmers Market this Saturday be sure and mention that you are a MAD customer. Love to see you and we’ll make everyone else jealous of our wonderful  year-round market.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Good Afternoon Marketeers!
     Well summer came with a boom didn’t it. You could say, it knows how to make an entrance! Temperatures have been on the rises but that is just fine as we know how to “Garden Smarter Not Harder” this summer. You can too! We will be sharing some tips the  next couple of weeks on how to do so.

WATERING
Water wisely. The ground is damp, its 11 a.m. and your tomato plant looks droopy. To water or not? NOT. Best time to water is actually early in the morning, around 4 a.m. – 9 a.m.  Check your plants between these hours. O
If they appear droopy perhaps watering is needed in the morning. Otherwise, the summer heat literally evaporates the water you apply to the plants during  heat of the day.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that watering a lot is the trick either, because it isn’t! In fact, when water pools around the base of plants, many become susceptible to disease. Some plants will literally topple over due the loose, soggy soil. You have probably witnessed this with some of your plants this past week with the heavy rains.

Water evenly and regularly. Try to avoid wetting the foliage of plants like cucumbers & squash. For these, drip irrigation may be a more conservative method. We like to use a soaker hose for a deep watering about once a week. For our specialty plants, we prefer to hand water.  We have multiple rain collection tools that really come in handy.

Of course there is always more to learn! Tune in next week for more of our “Garden Smarter Not Harder” series! From our family to yours – take care.

FARMER’S MARKET WEEKEND

Next Saturday, June 2 is the big day for Farmer’s Markets in Dothan as the big one (we’re not naming names) will open downtown. Of Course we expect you to visit them! Our very own Avalon Farms will be there all summer with their locally grown sustainable food products and vegetables! To our knowledge it will be the first time this market has included a grower who does not use synthetic fertilizers, gmo’s, or chemical herbicides and pesticides. We can only hope the general population of the Wiregrass comes to appreciate the difference.

Market at Dothan will be set up June 2 from 10 am to 2pm at Dothan Nurseries. You can TRUST everything you purchase from our growers.

WHY SUSTAINABLE PART 2

3. Promote public health. By supporting sustainable producers, you are promoting farming practices that do not endanger public health.

Industrial agriculture involves heavy use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers that pollute the water, air and soil near industrial farms and can travel large distances causing problems such as the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Antibiotics are widely used in industrial livestock production, and there is a large body of evidence indicating that this excessive use is leading to antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as superbugs that threaten public health.

4. Save family farms. By eating sustainably, you’re supporting a true American tradition — the small, independent family farmer.

Family farmers are being forced out of business at an alarming rate. The American Farmland Trust estimates that more than an acre of U.S. farmland goes into development every minute. As a result, there are nearly five million fewer farms than there were in the 1930’s. There is also a lack of young farmers: the average age of the American farmer is 55. Many small farms will cease production because farming isn’t economically feasible for the younger generation. If this continues, we will lose our food security and have to rely on industrial agriculture and more food imports from other coun

MARKET CHITCHAT

New & Relisted Products

• Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Vegan Gluten Free Carob Chip Cookies
• DECAF Cold Brew Concentrate
• Japanese Eggplant
• Almond-Raisin Biscotti
• BLUEBERRIES!
• Shungiku Edible Chrysanthemum
• Cinnamon Rolls
• Peachberry Pie

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: This is the crazy time of year for me. Especially with the rains I can barely keep things picked much less weeded or even think about the next round of planting. It’s time to plant the winter squash. Before long it will be time to start fall transplants. Oh, and keep the summer things going as long as possible.  Keep starting squash every 6 weeks. (I truly am a crazy person)

No green beans this week. It will be a couple weeks for the next planting to produce.Watermelon radishes are gone for. More coming if they survive the summer heat. No more asparagus. Going to give them an early rest in the hopes that they will do better next year.

Garlic is dug and drying down. Wait till you see the size of these! So much better than last year. They’ll be in the market soon.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Hello Marketeers! How are you? We are so very excited about a break in the rain! It has allowed us to get some planting and some MUCH needed weeding! As we tour the garden, we see loads of growth due to the days of rain we have had. We are now harvesting cucumbers!

We really love them! Beans are also coming along nicely as well as okra. As of now, our Radish Leaf Pesto is done till fall, unless you would like to see it on the market sooner. Let us know. We aim to please. The Shungiku Edible Chrysanthemum has made its way back to our listings as of last week.  So many new things happening we can hardly keep up ourselves! So keep an eye out on us! In fact, you can check out what we have to offer on June 2nd at the Farmers Market! The Fall Farmers Market was very exciting. It was nice to get to know many of you, your experiences that have led you to a healthier lifestyle – led you to us! We know this Spring Farmers Market will be just as thrilling! We will be looking for you.

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: Hello everyone! Well this week has been filled with ups and downs for us and maybe some of you as well. With all the rain the roots were showing on our corn plants, so we had build small mounds around the stalks. Then the wind blew some of the tomatoes literally off the the plants! If that wasn’t enough, the gate for our chicken enclosure came crashing down and needless to say the chickens had a field day in the bean plants! One even got into the front yard and man was a workout! Guess I needed it.

On a lighter note, we have some beautiful beans growing, our zucchini and squash plants are flowering, plus cucumbers too! So we take the bad with the good and are thankful for what we have each day!

We are very much looking forward to Day 2 of the Spring Farmers Market coming up this weekend. We hope that you will stop by and say hello. We will have lots of goodies plus our organic lemonade too! Oh by the way, the weather looks sunny for that day! So we’ll see you soon.

HORTONS FARM: Thank you to everyone who tried our cold brew coffee concentrate last week. My Mr. raised an eyebrow when I first told him I was making it available to our Market family. I think now he understands that his wifey isn’t the only one who likes good coffee! That being said I had to curb my own consumption after enjoying it too much one day! Then it hit me . . . DECAF! I’ve been drinking decaf at church on Wednesday evenings for several years right before taking on a large group of pre-teens. Why not! So if you drink too much (coffee) like me – now you have another choice.

NEW PICKUP LOCATION ANNOUNCEMENT

Starting this week you’ll see another button in your checkout menu. For most it won’t mean a whole lot, but for our customers in Dale and Coffee County it’s good news as some of them won’t have to drive as far to pick up their Market Orders. Thank you Wendy for your work on this!

The new pickup location is in the parking lot of Grocery Advantage in Enterprise, 1032 Boll Weevil Circle, Enterprise, AL. Customers switching to this location will recognize Wendy and her vehicle.

MARKET CHITCHAT

What an absolutely SPLENDID day to be a farmer! Our first spring Market was earlier today at Dothan Nurseries and you couldn’t ask for a nicer crowd or nicer weather. While it did get warm, those cool breezes just kept coming. THANK YOU to everyone who participated and visited!

New & Relisted Products

• Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
• NEW POTATOES!
• Chicken feet, plus livers, hearts, and gizzards- all relisted!!
• Salmon Rub is Relisted
• Nasturtium Edible Flowers and Leaves

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Greetings Marketeers!
    We enjoyed the break in the heat this week and although we haven’t gotten as much rain as other places, we are happy to have every drop we did get!
    We managed to complete and then perfect our Radish Leaf Pesto at the VERY LAST MINUTE on Tuesday! We could have posted earlier but we wanted to be absolutely sure it would appeal to you! It will be on the Market for the next two weeks so take advantage. Why should you? Well the leaf of the radish contains more nutrients than the radish itself. They are packed with properties that help you stay well. As I researched on line I found so many benefits that I wasn’t even aware of! We have referenced those already in other weblogs. Besides all this they TASTE GREAT! If you check our post from Tuesday on the Market page you will see one review on the pesto that should help you decide whether or not it’s for you & your family.

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: Hello friends! Well the rain finally came! Who doesn’t love that free water from the sky?!?! Our plants love it, we love it, BUT….the chickens well not so much. Most of them go and hide under the coop because there is just no way they are going to go back INTO the coop before dark unless they are laying eggs. The others will literally sit out in the rain, getting soaked, and looking sad. Even Mr. Rooster (our main one) has tried to get the hens under the safety of the coop, but they’re not having it. It’s a sight to see!

Sadly we weren’t able to attend the Market today, but we will be at the next 3! I can’t say for sure if we will have chicken because we sell to our offline customers first. A lot of whom have gotten on a regular rotation. Even with that there have been a few setbacks due my health and the wild animals who decided to make some of our chickens their meal. Thankfully we have secured EVERYTHING and haven’t had any issues since. We have increased our chicken production. They just take time to grow. So we thank all of you for your patience.

You will find this week that we will have our chicken feet, plus livers, hearts, and gizzards relisted! We will also have our salad blend, eggs of course, chopped and ready green onions (we did all the work for you), sprouts, and our new bread. It’s made without grains or flours of any kind. If you’re following a low or no carb diet, it’s a great way to trick your mind into thinking you’re having bread. We hope you try it. In addition we have our freshly dug organic potatoes. We made a beef stew with them the other night and man were they good!  Grab some along with some onions from Avalon Farms and don’t forget to try Shena’s Radish Pesto! It’s SO GOOD! Mulberries are still on hold, but a few should be back next week. See you guys soon.

HORTONS FARM: No doubt some of you know we have been in the midst of repairs and renovations up here for some time. I am happy to announce that hot running water has been restored! I’m sure I heard an angel choir singing “Hallelujah” to accompany the first warm tap water coming out of the faucet!

On a different note we’re happy to announce a new product – Cold Brew Coffee! For starters we are offering cold brew concentrate similar to Chamelion brand. The concentrate makes multiple coffee drinks and can be substituted for espresso in smoothies, recipes, etc.

Here are some facts about Cold Brew:

1. The biggest difference between a cold brew and a normal brew is that cold brews don’t use heat at any point in their brewing.

2. One of the best things about cold brew coffee is that it circumvents some of the acidity of hot coffee. There are oils in coffee that only dissolve at high temperatures, and that’s where a lot of the bitterness of traditional coffee comes from. That bitterness can be off-putting to many people and also anesthetize the tongue, which keeps a person from tasting the nuanced flavors. The cold brew keeps these oils from breaking up and making the acid, which leaves cold brews sweeter. One study said cold brew is 67 percent less acidic.

3. Without all the acid in the coffee, it’s easier to taste the other flavors in coffee. If you’re used to the bitterness, it might be a surprise to taste chocolate, fruit, or nuts.

4. Not only do you taste more in cold brew, but the flavor is also more stable. Hot coffee’s chemistry changes as it cools down, but because cold brew coffee doesn’t have temperature changes, it’s a stable solution. That means it can keep for longer and still taste good.

MAYIM FARM: New Product!    Nasturtium Edible Flowers and Leaves
In the world of edible annual flowers, nasturtiums are one of the tastiest. The biggest surprise with nasturtiums is the taste. In Latin nasturtium literally means “nose twist.” While most edible flowers have a subtle flavor, nasturtiums knock your socks off with their peppery taste. Plus, it’s not just the flowers and buds that are packed with a zippy flavor; the young leaves are tender and edible as well. Nasturtiums are popular because their colorful flowers not only dress up a plate, they’re high in vitamins A, C (10 times as much as lettuce), and D.
They were a hit at the East Chase Market last week…sold out in record time, so get them early to secure yours!

YARD EATIN’S: Yard Eatins will be part of the Market soon! In our kitchen, we have been gathering all of our crowd- and family-pleasing recipes to share with you. In our garden, we are growing basil, thyme, arugula, fenugreek, chives, oregano, sage, dandelion, nasturtium, borage, and lots of mint. (We do also grow a range of vegetables for ourselves.) Some of the herbs will find their way into breads and even pastries. The perennial rosemary bush is full and fragrant, and the lavender is rounding its silvery green mounds. At our sister’s house, the figs are starting to make, and they will also find their way into galettes and cookies in just a handful of weeks. We are excited to share our bounty with you!  

SOCIAL MEDIA & THE MARKET

No doubt some of you saw the lively discussion on our main facebook page last week. What started as a collage to raise awareness about the connection between nutrition and health took a strange turn with many people outside our Market family posting about vaccinations. That part of the collage was obviously offensive and they spoke up!

That being said, now seems like a good time to share the Market’s policy concerning social media. And seriously, if this bores you to tears feel free to skip it.

1. Social media is a TOOL. It’s a tool to communicate, to encourage, to inform and to share ideas and different viewpoints. Our main Facebook page works for announcements, reminders, articles and op-eds. Your market manager personally likes the format of our Discussion Page better.

2. We censor but we don’t censor. If a topic falls within our main focus of healthy foods and healthy lifestyle we allow posts even though something might not be your manager’s personal position. What we won’t put up with is abusive language. (And we did delete/hide a few of these for the record.)

3. Our market family is a diverse group of ADULTS. Adults can share thoughts, ideas, philosophies and information without having to agree on everything. It makes me smile inside to tell you that I’ve never seen any Market vendors or customers get in a tizzy or act in a juvenile manner over a differing opinion. Another reason I hold that our Market family is the BEST!

Finally, just to be very clear, Market at Dothan does not have a position about vaccinations. Just like dietary choices, some things are up to the individual to study, consider and decide for themselves.

MARKET CHITCHAT

THANK YOU to everyone who came out and visited us at Open House on Thursday. It was great to see you and we hope you enjoyed the festivities. On a personal note, my favorite moment of the afternoon was getting hugs the young entrepreneurs shown below.

New & Relisted Products

• 1 oz. Stinging Nettle Tincture
• Green Beans
• Baby Kinston Sweets
• Bread Free Bread from Hawkins Homestead
• Patty Pan Squash
• Zephyr Squash
• Yellow Squash
• New larger quantities of Sugar Snap Peas

Educational Opportunity: If anyone is interested in learning to make their own tinctures and extracts Ros will be teaching this at the Dothan Westgate Library on Tuesday, July 17. Email marketatdothan@gmail.com if you would like information to pre-register for this. Space is limited.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS:
Enjoyed seeing you all at the Open House! Welcome to all the NEW market members!! Looking forward to providing you with the freshest produce and eggs in the Wiregrass. Good Eats for everyone!

We are proud to be selected as a featured farm at Foster Farm to Fork next Thursday in Dothan! It’s an honor to be recognized as a small, local producer of quality produce. We will be providing chard, patty pan and zephyr squash, sugar snap peas, watermelon radishes and a selection of herbs.

We finally got our website updated. Please check it out at www.AvalonFarms.us. Would love to hear your thoughts, comments and requests.
*FREE bag of sugar snap peas to first finder of a typo on our website.*

Our green onions have grown into baby Kinston Sweets and the tops have died down. They are about golf ball size onions, and delicious!

Coming Soon…cucumbers, Kinston Sweet onions, a new Red Creole onion and blackberries that are just starting to turn.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Hello Marketeers!
   With increasing temperatures, we must get into the garden early to get all tasks completed before its uncomfortably hot! Staying hydrated becomes extremely important too. Drinking glass after glass of water can get a bit – how should I say – redundant. We have found a way to revitalize our water – fresh cucumbers! Very few things are as refreshing as cucumber water on a hot day in the garden. Cucumber water helps fight dehydration, fatigue, high blood pressure, & weight gain – to name a few benefits.  
    Steep 2 sliced cucumbers, 2 sliced lemons, & about 10- 15 mint leaves in 48 ounces of water overnight for a refreshing detox. Drink 8 – 16 ounces every 4-6 hours. Warning – stay close to the restroom! Soon we will be able to use our very own cucumbers to refresh ourselves!

Since we are growing several types this year, we hope to have enough for relish, pickles, & salads! Guess what – we share!
    We have lots of radish greens still and have been exploring ways to use them. We have come across a Radish Leaf Pesto recipe that we will be experimenting with over the weekend. If it turns out well, it will be among our offerings this week. If not…back to the drawing board.
    Stay well hydrated in these 20 last days of spring – from our family to yours!

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: Hello friends! Happy Saturday. Just a quick note from us. Mulberries will not be available this week as we have to give our tree a rest. Between all of us, the birds, and the squirrels, the ripe ones that we can reach are about gone. We do have plenty of eggs and sprouts. Our zucchini had just started to make. Our youngest, Joshua and I made a video showing our first harvest of the season. He said we HAD to eat it! Lol. So as we make more, I will be sure to post it. Thank you for your support and we hope to see you guys next week.

SECRETS PART II

Part 1 of this series may be found on our Weblog from last week. We hope you plan to join us for Open House next Thursday on May 5 and again at our bi-weekly Spring Farmer’s Market starting May 19 and ending June 30.

7. Go Early, but Not Too Early. The best stuff goes fast. A farmer may only have a single flat of ripe, juicy blackberries or a couple of pounds of fresh green peas, so arrive early to make sure you get the best pick of the market’s high-demand, seasonal fruits and vegetables.   Take care, though, not to go too early: some markets disallow sales prior to the official hour and the sale you ask the farmer to make early may very well slow down set-up thus reducing the sales she or he can make later.

8. Go Late but Not Too Late. Farmers may discount their produce toward the end of the day.   No one wants to cart a half case of unsold tomatoes or peaches back to the farm where they have row after row ready for another harvest.   If your budget is tight, attending late may yield the best deals. Sometimes, farmers discount their produce as much as 20% by the end of the day just to get it sold so they don’t have to take it back to the farm.   Of course, the rules and regulations of some markets actually disallow this sort of end-of-the-day blowout pricing, so keep that in mind if you’re late to arrive.  Keep in mind that you shouldn’t expect this kind of discount, or ask for it; rather, be aware that it is a practice that some farmers use.

9. Bring a Cooler. Depending on the market you can find meats, fish, milk, cheese, yogurt, fermented foods and ready-to-eat items that require refrigeration.   By bringing a cooler, you can keep fresh foods that need to be kept cool cold and go back to spend more time at the market – listening to music, watching the kids participate in children’s activities or lunching at one of the concessionaire’s stands.   This way your lettuce won’t go limp, your berries won’t melt and your meat won’t thaw.  When I go to market I keep a cooler in my car, load up, and head right back.

10. Bring Cash and Small Bills. By bringing cash and small bills (plenty of 5s and 1s), you’ll spend less time checking out and more time shopping.  While bigger farmers markets usually have a credit card machine, they are cumbersome, costly and it can be hard to track them down.   Bigger vendors will usually offer credit card and debit card processing; however, this privilege comes at the farmer’s expense.   By bringing cash and – specifically – small bills, you keep money in your farmer’s pocket and you make it easier for him to make change for the masses of folks who bring nothing but $20 bills from the nearby ATM.

11. Buy by the Case. You want to keep your miles-to-the-plate low and keep eating local foods year-round, so consider preserving the harvest and purchase by the case.   Buying by the case and in bulk quantities is cost-effective as most farmers will discount whole boxes of fruit and vegetables by 15-30% – you may even enjoy a further discount if you commit to buying a case or two a week for the duration of the market.  With that level of commitment, you’re getting wholesale prices.

12. Buy the Ugly Stuff. You can reduce your costs even further by purchasing #2 fruits and vegetables. Folks can be fickle about the food they eat and if that peach lacks just the right blush and if that apple isn’t perfectly round, they can be difficult to sell.   The flavor is the same and these fruits and vegetables are great to preserve for the winter months.   Cases of #2 produce can be discounted as much as 50%.   Take care, though, to check the produce thoroughly before making your purchase; some unscrupulous farmers have tried to pass off moldy peaches or maggot-filled sour cherries as #2 fruit (I’ve learned the hard way).  #2 fruit means that the appearance is marred, but not the quality.

13. Know the Crop Calendar. You’d laugh if you knew how often farmers are asked why don’t have tomatoes in March or cabbage in August. If you want to eat in season, you need to respect the seasons. Part of the pleasure of shopping at your local market is developing an appreciation of fresh, local foods at the height of their natural season.   If you’re unsure when blueberries will be in season or when the snap peas will stop producing; ask. And if you’d like to dig further, your county cooperative extension office or your state’s department of agriculture has literature about this. Celebrate your market and your local farmers.   Buy fresh, buy local and buy in season.

MARKET CHITCHAT

WooHoo! We’ve been waiting for the first zucchini listing to share this treat with you! Bon Apetit’!

New & Relisted Products

• Stinging Nettle Tincture
• Red Russian Kale
• Scarlet Kale – Relisted
• Little Gem
• Super Red Romaine Head
• Bibb Butterhead
• Zucchini
• Blanched Swiss Chard Leaves
• Blanched Swiss Chard Stems

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS:One of my daily tasks is to wander the gardens and see how things are doing. Finding and addressing a problem early is the best way to keep it from taking over the garden. What needs water or weeding? Leaf damage? What kind of bug did it? What do I need to add to the to-do list for today?
You may be surprised to see leaf growth way before there are very many roots. So don’t be too quick to replant them. Let me know how they do. If something goes wrong just let me know and I’ll send more.

On my walk Thursday morning I found these guys having a party on a sugar snap pea vine. These are leaf-footed bugs, first cousin to squash bugs. They don’t eat plants but pierce the plant and fruit to suck juices out, which causes damage and scarring. Since they were having a party, I provided them with a hot tub. Actually a cup of water with dish detergent that they drowned in. By catching them early, I stopped at least those ones from reproducing. (but there are always more)

Here are a few other interesting things I found on my wanders.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Good Day Marketeers!
    Today will be an exciting day for us as our oldest will be celebrating his graduation from High School this evening. Of course we are very proud of him but party planning can be overwhelming! He loves the outdoors & loves to eat, so it is only fitting that his party be a cookout.
    We are very happy to introduce a variety of new items this week! Zucchini, Little Gem Lettuce, Bibb Butterhead, Thyme, & Super Red Romaine Lettuce. We have been sampling the lettuces for a while and thought it was time to share. We will also be relisting our Scarlet Kale alongside yet another new listing of Red Russian as our Kale’s Purple Pair. Fyi my favorite color is purple. Our final new listing is Frozen Chard &,Stems. We did the hard work of cleaning, chopping, removing stems, blanching and packaging our Swiss Chard – a serious task –  so you don’t have to.

You can likely ascertain we have been busy planting & cultivating the garden. The excitement of watching new varieties of old things grow is a pleasure beyond compare! Some of these we will get to talk with you directly about in the upcoming Farmers Market days. Please use these time to talk and get to know us as we hope to get to know you Marketeers a little better too.
    Lastly, we really want to thank you Marketeers for the support you give to us at Bain Home Gardens. Seeing your support of the market period, really means so much to all of us growers! Sending 27 more, HOT spring days – from our family to yours!

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: We believe in companion planting and using organic methods for pest control. Did you know that there are a number of plants that can be used to combat garden pests? For example, take marigolds. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but the bugs are attracted to them instead of your veggies. Especially if they’re yellow! You can also use things like neem oil, diatomaceous earth, or even make up your own spray using common household items like cayenne pepper. We have learned that this is one spice we cannot be without! Sprinkling some of this in our garden beds keeps out the squirrels and our cat, Oscar. Unfortunately, Oscar and the squirrels have decided to make our corn patch their new hiding spot, but we are dealing with that too.

Of course nothing is ever truly safe, but just because your veggies have a few holes doesn’t mean you can’t eat them. It just means the bugs beat you to it. Now we definitely aren’t growing for them and we know you guys aren’t either, but it’s just like that at times.
Sad to say, you will not see this week at the Open House, as we have another engagement. We do plan to be at some of the other ones, coming up soon. To stay up to date on our whereabouts and what we have going on, check out our FB page.

MARY’S PEEPS: Well its coming very quick, yes Mothers Day! So don’t forget to order your cakes early, cause we got to get them in early, Thursday, my usual baking day!  So be sure if you have a favorite get it before its sold.  There is only one of me and I have usuaally bake a lot,  I appreciate all the orders for my cakes, notably the pound cakes, but the buttercream two layer 6 inch are rich and tasty and you can share with others. Please thank your Mothers, and thank God for them, and if you’re a Mother yourself, enjoy your day!  I will for sure!  Thank you Ros for all the help, love and wisdom, and especially the friendship we have shared all these years. God Bless you all.

SWISS CHARD – THANK YOU MAYIM FARMS!

SAUTÉED SWISS CHARD
(DON’T BE AFRAID!!!)
Haven’t ever tried Swiss Chard or had some in a while?
This leafy green is a nutritional and flavor powerhouse that we all could use more of…and ready in just 13 minutes!
Might just solve one of my daily decisions…”Whats for dinner!”

SERVES: 4
READY IN: 13 mins

INGREDIENTS
Nutrition
        1 1?2 tablespoons butter
        1 1?2 tablespoons olive oil
        2 garlic cloves, minced
        1 pinch dry crushed red pepper
        2 bunches Swiss Chard, stems trimmed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
        1/2 lemon, juice of
        salt

DIRECTIONS
        Melt butter and oil in heavy large pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper.
        Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
        Add swiss chard; stir to coat.
        Cover and cook until tender (stirring occasionally) about 8 minutes.
        Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon onto chard.
        Season to taste with salt.
        Enjoy!
Recipe by… @hollyfrolly

MARKET CHITCHAT

This is an annual event Market at Dothan has participated in with Dothan Nurseries. It’s ALWAYS the best party in town and this year the theme is “Pinwheels, Pinot and Pimiento Cheese”. We suspect that Pimiento Cheese will be delectable!

Our Market Vendors will be on site from 3-7 pm and order pickup will take place between 3 – 6 pm instead of Friday morning. Because of this there will be no Daleville pickup that week and we invite our Daleville customers to visit. Many of you have met very few of our growers and this is a great opportunity to meet, ask questions and learn more about one of Dothan’s best kept secrets.

New Products

• 30 Count egg flat from Hawkins Homestead
• Basil from Avalon
• There’s more of Danny’s Red Summer Crisp Lettuce listed this week
• Peas Trio from Bain Home Gardens
• Organic Kale Duo from Hawkins Homestead
• Parsley from Avalon
• Radish Greens from Bain Home Gardens
• 
  
• MULBERRIES from Hawkins Homestead
• Beet greens from Avalon

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: Asparagus lovers, I’m so sorry it keeps coming up short. I’ve reduced the listing this week and set it to exact. Hopefully with the warmer weather this coming week it will perk up and start producing more.

Fava beans. What did you think of the fava beans? Should I grow them next year? There are more on the bushes. Anybody what some? Let me know.

Offering some beet greens this week. It’s time to thin the beets. The young plants have tasty leaves great for salads, sauteed or however you like your greens.

How are your rose cuttings doing?   Send me an email at wendy@avalonfarms.us and let me know.  You may be surprised to see leaf growth way before there are very many roots.  So don’t be too quick to replant them. Let me know how they do. If something goes wrong just let me know and I’ll send more.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Marketeers,
    Today is absolutely gorgeous and we are loving every minute! On the agenda today is more planting, staking cucumber vines, and hilling potatoes – & that isn’t the half of it!
    Some of our Spinach plants that made it through the freezing temperatures have now subcumb to bolting. Flowers are kinda cute but we prefer spinach leaves. Unfortunately, this means our postings for spinach will steadily decrease. Take advantage of our offerings while we still have them!
    On the brighter side of things, our Peas are flourishing! Look for the Peas Trio listing on the market page. Organic Blue Shelling, Golden Yellow, & Green Arrow are included in the mix.

We have tried these and we are extremely pleased with the flavor and appeal of these peas! Also we are listing Radish Greens this week! On planting our last batch of radishes, we had a massive seed spill and didn’t recognize it till they began coming up. Waste not want not!
    Bain Home Gardens is now on Instagram. Follow us for latest updates on plantings and harvests. Sending 34 beautiful Spring days – from our family to yours!

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: We love to watch how the life cycle reproduces itself in nature. Right now we are growing a sunflower patch by accident. How? Well we grow and feed our chickens organic sunflower seeds and they in turn provide us with litter which we compost. In one particular batch, some of the sunflower seeds sprouted after a big rain, so we decided to conduct an experiment. These sprouted seeds  were then removed by none other than Mr. Hawkins, himself and strategically placed around the property to see if they would grow. The end result is FREE beautiful sunflowers! This is a win-win because not only do we get to enjoy the beauty of the sunflowers, but it’s good for the bees, AND once harvested the seeds will be fed back to the chickens. Awesome right? We think so!

NEW offerings this week of mulberries, picked fresh from our tree, organic kale duo, and a 30 count egg flat? We also want you to enjoy our organic sprouts this week, along with chopped and ready to use green onions, plus more! We have planted up some organic more goodness around here, so once it grows you’ll be the first to know about it. Thank you for your support of our small, local, urban farm and for supporting the Market. We appreciate you all.

HORTONS FARM: Despite a couple of really heavy rainfalls up here on our hill in beautiful downtown Echo, AL, our naturalized stinging nettle continues to flourish. Despite its intimidating looks, it’s actually a delicate plant. My chickens nibble them when foraging the yard and I’ve some to suspect this nutritional powerhouse might not make it from year to year without some protection! I “suit up” to harvest them – pretty much like working bees except no face protection is needed. And just like working honeybees, my hands are the most vulnerable part as I can get stings through them – it’s just a different kind of sting as it leaves your nerve endings numb a few hours from the urticaria content. It’s annoying but harmless.

That being said, I was humbled and grateful for the nettle capsule orders last week. I actually ran out of capsules and had to order more. If you’re curious, we use Kosher/Halal certified GMO free vegi-caps that are made in the USA. It’s not something that we’ve advertised, but Horton’s Farm has made many different types of capsules through the years. When we began our journey out of processed foods gel capsules were one of the tools I utilized to get my children to take “yucky” things. (I’m happy to tell you that they all take a natural approach to their own children’s health now.)

Our capsules are filled with the tender leaves and upper stems of the plant. Batches of tincture from the same are in the works and we’re slowly collecting roots where the most benefit hides. So stay tuned! We count ourselves blessed to have this plant choose our farm for it’s home and want to see it bless others as it has blessed us. Stinging nettle is an amazing plant and if you’d like to learn more about its antioxidant and cancer fighting properties, this article by David Wong is an informative short read.

MARKET CHITCHAT

I’m sure some of you know your market manager had a birthday recently and started a new decade. I’ve decided that “old” starts when you quit learning and this girl remains addicted to that! Thanks to James B. a whole new world about grains is opening up and as soon as I can get my kitchen under control I’ll be experimenting with some of the great information obtained from the Weston A Price Foundation. Thank you James for putting me on to this!

New Products

• Shungiku Edible Chrysanthemum from Bain Home Gardens
• Sugar Snap Peas from Avalon
• Danny’s Red Summer Crisp Lettuce
• Stinging Nettle Capsules from Hortons Farm
• Several Varities of Avalon Rose Cuttings for 1cent each
• Mary’s 1 lb. Pound cake in Orange and Pineapple
• Kudzu Loofa Bar and Kudzo Soap from St. Andrews Soap

Don’t forget to Mark your Calendar for Mother’s Day Open House on May 10. Our Market Vendors will be on site from 3-7 pm and order pickup will take place then instead of Friday.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: Things are moving along towards summer. Picked the first sugar snap peas this morning. Tomatoes and peppers are blooming. Eggplant, green beans and squash will soon follow. Garlic and onions are bulbing. Excited about how much better the garlic looks this year. Planting it in the fall instead of late winter made a huge difference.

Want to offer you something different for FREE. I have 2 crazy, rambling roses that need pruning. Each cutting I make can easily be rooted and make a brand new plant. We don’t sell plants being at a nursery and all. (Buy plants from Dothan Nursery!) So I’m offering cuttings. I’ll also provide directions on how to root your cuttings.

There is a little miniature red rose that blooms ALL summer, and a slightly larger lavender rose that basically blooms now. Both are pretty indestructible!  

To make things easy I’ve listed them in the market for 1 cent as the software doesn’t allow free products.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Good evening Marketeers,
    We are loving the spring wind! It brings back warm memories of my childhood. Mom would take us to Walmart every year and allow us to pick one kite each. Every year new themes would come out. It was very exciting. My kid brother & I loved being outside and our parents fostered that love. It stuck with me. As parents inculcating a love for nature in our young ones is a priceless gift. Suddenly I’m feeling the urge to buy a kite & play in the wind.
    The wind is not without its challenges however. It has revealed a weakness in our pea trellises. Each time we think we have fixed it, the wind changes direction and we are at it again. In the fall we will be sure to build sturdier trellises The upside is we get to admire the beautiful blossoms.
    This week we are proud to introduce Shungiku Edible Chrysanthemum to the market.

This green is great in stir fries & soups. Although we harvest before flowers appear, they are edible too!
    Till next week – sending 41 more days of spring from our family to yours!

HORTONS FARM: What a week! We’ve been harvesting stinging nettle as fast as our little dehydraters can dry it – which is pretty fast! While we’ve offered it for some time in it’s plain dry state as a tea, we are adding capsules for those who want the health benefits without the taste, and preparing tinctures that will be ready in a few weeks.

Tuesday was a particularly fun day as we joined the Bain and Hawkins’ families for a field trip to visit Mr. Danny of Danny’s Greens. He gave us a tour of his beautiful organic garden and shared some of the procedures he’s developed over the years to grow his amazing lettuce. This is his first week offering some of the beautiful Red Summer Crisp we saw in the ground.

RICHTER FARMS: Greetings from Richter Farms! I want to THANK each and everyone of you for your prayers, letters and concern while I have been taking care of my Aunt. She has improved enough that I am able to leave her for brief periods right now. I am listing again this week and will only be dropping off orders and coming back home so will be missing all the hugs and smiling faces. One bit of excitement here is one hen has been setting on eggs and they have started hatching! I hope to have some cute chick pics for the FB page soon. All the trees have put on new leaves and I keep eyeing an area to plant okra, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I’ll have plenty of eggs on the market and will have some baked goods available, I know a few of you are missing the Pecan Pie Muffins! Love and Hugs, Viki