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Sept. 9, 2017 Hurricane Newsletter from Market At Dothan



SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION
Market At Dothan is NOT open this week

This Week’s Newsletter:
Irma & The Market
Sustainable Preparedness
Grower Notes


What to Do?

Since we are facing something different this week we thought it might be a good idea to inform everyone as early as possible about Market closing this week. I don’t think any of us have ever faced anything quite like this storm, for that matter, the Wiregrass and the rest of the southeast US! On Friday the plan was to open as normal and operate as usual should Irma go east, and cancel should Irma go west . . . toward us.

Now that we know we will experience her fury Market at Dothan is NOT open for orders this week. We hate the inconvenience we know it will cause for many and hope to resume orders as usual on Sept. 16.

Stay safe. Do what the authorities advise, and we look forward to seeing you the following week.

Clean Food in Crisis Mode

“With the approaching hurricane I couldn’t help but give some thought to supplies and take inventory of what I had on hand in the way of hurricane readiness supplies.

“Disposable plates, cutlery and cups so I don’t have to worry about washing and sterilizing things if I have no power for hot water. Bottled water, dog food, extra medicine, candles, flashlights and batteries, propane for the gas grill and the most important thing plenty of food.

“I took an inventory of my pantry and was greatly pleased with myself when I saw all the things that I had put away this past summer. I have canned carrots, green beans, pickled beets, pickled okra, 4 kinds of relish, pickled onions, peppers, pears, tomatoes and 3 varieties of salsa. I dehydrated onions, mushrooms, peppers, beef jerky and chicken jerky in several flavors. I even have a few jars of canned cake that I made for the first time this year and am curious to try. All in all I think I am set if things get ugly weather wise and know I’ll be eating well and healthy.


“I want to mention that these things will last my husband and I till next summer and that I did most of this a little at a time, just a few jars every week and its surprising how it adds up. You don’t have to go out and buy a huge quantity of a food item to get started. Dehydrating and freezing are both also very simple. I know some people may be overwhelmed at the thought of home food preservation but its not nearly as scary as it sounds and I hope to address some of those fears and questions in the upcoming class in October.

“While some people may think the cost of home food preservation may be significant, after the initial investment the cost is very cheap because all your supplies are reusable with the exception of the canning flats. I didn’t buy all mine in the beginning and then looked for it off season in order to take advantage of sale prices.

“I guess that all for now. Just a few of my weather ramblings.”

Melody Forsythe-Jeschke is one of our teachers for the upcoming Fall Food Festival. Her class on Healthy Food Preservation is on Oct. 28 at 11am.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: It’s a beautiful day and we are working hard on the never ending list of farm chores, along with battening down the hatches in preparation for Irma.

Do what you can to prepare.
Use common sense.
People are what’s important.
Ultimately, it’s in God’s hands.
God loves you.
We think you’re ok too.
See you on the other side.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Hello Market friends! We are so happy to be here. This week presented a reality check for our family. We were involved in a car accident. A driver ran the light and completely removed the front end of our van! It was scary. Besides the standard whiplash related injuries all passengers are ok. We were so thankful to have our lives as spoil. How appropriate! Things are just things. We can replace them. However we cannot replace lives! We must all remember this in the upcoming days. Please be safe in your travels and as you prepare your homes, farms, and gardens for the upcoming storm. We pray that everyone will come out safe. We will be doing our best to prepare our home garden for the storm. We will be applying some of the tips provided in the link below. Hopefully you will find it as useful as we did.

http://okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu/lng/preparing-your-plants-for-a-storm/

Well wishes from our family to yours!

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: With all the natural disasters happening around the world today we want to take time to acknowledge those who have lost loved ones, homes, farms, animals, whatever was important to them. We pray for those families and also for those affected by the upcoming storms. As our lives continue on here, we feel it’s important to empathize with the struggles other have, pray that God helps them to endure, and be thankful for what we have. We have friends and family in the Florida area who are under mandatory evacuation, so this hits close to us. We choose to use our public voice, to raise awareness and to try to help others. We encourage everyone to do what they can. Please stay safe wherever you may be.

Back on our Homestead, we are trying something new. TWO of our chickens decided to go broody at the same time! They want to be mamas and so their laying stops and they sit on eggs day by day, keeping them warm, and waiting on them to hatch. This is why we are listing fewer eggs on the market as some of you may have noticed.

Since these girls won’t be laying anyway, we decided to mark some eggs from 8/26 for hatching! The girls have each been moved to their own brooding pens and now we just wait. With these two birds, we have had 3 go broody so far this year. One of them is only 7 months old! The first hen went before the rooster was active so we had to help her. She may have sat in there forever otherwise!

We have at least 7 different types of hens (probably more) but our roosters are mostly Copper Marans (except one). Below you will see a picture of our main one. His name is Mr. Rooster….yes we could’ve come up with something better but every single rooster we’ve named ended up in the RRC (rooster rehabilitation center) also known as the crockpot so he will just have a label.

It takes about 21 days for the chicks to hatch out so here’s hoping they’re all hens! We will keep you posted.


HORTONS FARM: Since we now know what to expect of the next few days Saturday and Sunday here are being spent in preparedness mode. The Mr. will take care of things like making sure the generator works, checking stuff on the roof, moving equipment, etc. I get the rest: 1. Make sure the animals have plenty of food and water and are secured (wait . . . we do that every day!!). 2. Fill water jugs. 3. Secure the bee hives. For those who have seen photos of my Leaning Tower of Beeza, it will lean no more after today. It would probably go over with the first gust of wind leaving hundreds of bees homeless, confused and angry. Small bees are no match for big winds, but that don’t mean they don’t have an opinion about it. 4. Check supply of paper plates and charcoal. 5. Get everything off the outside porches. 6. Do the laundry since we don’t know how long we could be without power. Of course we’ll meet with the Lord Sunday morning where I’m sure there will be special prayer for those in harms way. We’ll be praying for all of you too.

As a small public service announcement, check out Zello. It is an internet based app that allows your smart phone to work like a walkie talkie if cell towers go down. I was impressed with the quality of communication using it and our family has a plan in place to stay in touch the next few days.

RICHTER FARMS PORK: I will be out of town this week. FYI I am bringing in a hog Sept 27 hopefully having pork available mid Oct. If you have a cut you would like to purchase please let me know.  I am also going to have goat available, raised the same as all of our other livestock, non-gmo feed and on pasture! Egg production is down due to the girls molting, once they get their new feathers it will be a few months to get egg production up (they want to look their best you know!) . I have a few spring hatched hens that I expect to start laying soon so should have some eggs through the late fall early winter months. Hope everyone stays safe through Irma’s march across the South!

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
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan

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!

Sept. 2, 2107 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
New Vendor Welcome!
Market Chitchat
Food Festival Update
Grower Notes


WELCOME BAIN HOME GARDENS

“Once upon a time my husband and I both watched our mothers work hard cultivating our home gardens.  As a kid you never fully appreciate the value of home grown vegetables. We are proud to say we do now! Much like our parents we are trying hard to instill the value of home gardening into our children.  It is a challenge well worth the work! Our home has been transformed. Checking the mail now includes a stroll our past honeydew melon patch, greetings from butterflies and the occasional bumblebee.  The most pleasant feeling of peace has resulted all from getting our hands dirty! Our garden has brought us nice yields of which we are excited to share with the community. We are very excited meet you, learn from you and grow with you towards sustainable, organic, pesticide free produce for our Market at Dothan community. Stay tuned…”

   

Beauty from the Bain Garden


MARKET CHITCHAT

If you were one of the folks who placed orders last week, wasn’t it WONDERFUL that the rain waited till after the Market was closed? The gusts of wind and cooler temperatures were a nice change for everyone, hints of good football weather!

If anyone sees or notices anything odd with their Market account or notifications, it’s because the participation fee goes into effect this week. Current customer accounts are set to expire in the year 2030. We look forward to changing them again then!

FOOD FESTIVAL UPDATE

VIP – Our regular Market online schedule with orders and pickups will continue without interruption while the Farmer’s Market and Food Festival take place.

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: Hello market! We are so happy to be a part of this exceptional group of growers serving the Wiregrass area! As many of you have already expressed in the weblog, we too have experienced some losses late this summer due to pests. We are not giving up! We will continue our endeavor to grow wholesome homegrown veggies – from our family to yours.

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: Please join us in welcoming Bain Home Gardens to the market! They snuck up on us last week but hopefully some of you were able to take advantage of their okra as we did! We know this family and their growing practices personally. They have lots of fresh Non-GMO produce growing for the fall season. We encourage you to try them out as they make them available!

Back on our homestead, chickens are back this week! Please take advantage of fresh organic whole chickens and while you’re at it grab some chicken feet to make a delicious and healthy bone broth or your favorite stock for cooking stews or soups! As always, we thank you for your continued support.

We recently picked up some new laying hens. So more eggs coming soon! Be sure to read the newsletter next week to see why we’re listing fewer eggs for sale on the market now.

Oh! Just in case you missed it, Working Dairy Cows added chocolate milk!! It’s delicious! Plus if you like lamb, you will have to try some from Smith Farms and while you’re at it add a nice green salad bunch from Danny’s greens. We did! Happy shopping!!

We thought you might enjoy these ideas from Nourishing Joy

Horton’s Farm By popular request we are now offering our Local Honey in 1 Gallon Sizes. For anyone who uses a lot of honey this offers the lowest overall cost, however we do not recommend it for occasional users. Before I became a beekeeper someone gave me a gallon of wonderful local raw honey in a glass cider jar. We LOVED it . . . until it solidified and became hard as a rock. That was a valuable lesson years later as we would not want anyone who enjoys our honey to experience the same thing!

On a more personal note, those of you who knew we were anticipating another grandchild – the wait is over! Soren Keats Wehry was born about 9am Saturday weighing in at 6lb 3oz. Both mother and baby are doing fine. The grandmother is a basket case. We can’t wait to visit this delicious little bundle of love.

RICHTER FARMS: With the days starting to shorten our chickens have started to molt again. Molting causes a seasonal decrease in egg production as the chickens shed and renew feathers. During the molt the reproductive physiology of the bird is allowed a complete rest from laying and the bird builds up its body reserves of nutrients. All chickens will molt annually starting about 16-18 months of age. It occurs in response to decreased light as summer ends and winter approaches. This is the reason we, along with our other egg producers, are not listing as many eggs as we were a few weeks ago. Thank you for your understanding and support!

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
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan

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!

August 26, 2017 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
Food Festival Update
Market Chitchat
In Season
Grower Notes

COMING SOON . . .

The countdown is on! Five weeks from today Market at Dothan and Dothan Nurseries will host the city’s first ever Fall Farmer’s Market and Fall Food Festival. This event will occur every two weeks ending on Veterans Day, November 11. We plan to do something special that day to commemorate the occasion . . but that announcement has to wait.

This won’t be your typical Farmer’s Market! As a SUSTAINABLE Market our growers do not use GMO’s, chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides in the growth of their products. In other words, this is a HEALTHY market!


The Fall Food Festival portion of this event consists of two classes each week in our regular Market pickup area. Last week we introduced Greg Lolley and Susan Avello who will be teaching on Sept. 30. Greg’s class that day sets the tone for the rest of the season as he will talk about the Health Differences between Organic Foods and Traditionally Grown Foods. Susan is a personal chef with Lean Bean Chef and will be teaching about Transitioning to a Gluten Free Diet.

Greg will joined by wife Carole on October 14 teaching about Fermented Foods. Following them will be Katherine Johnson (pictured on the far right with one of her cutie pies) who will teach about Water Kefir. Katherine is a health conscious mom of four with extensive experience maintaining her family’s health through nutrition. You will enjoy hearing this delightful lady.

MARKET CHITCHAT

A hearty THANK YOU to Koda, his handsome handler, and the Lolleys who joined us at the Market yesterday for Dog Days. We sent home as many dog treats as we could and enjoyed the visits, the fellowship and the smiles.

Thank you too, to our Daleville Customers: who were so kind and so flexible with the irregular delivery schedule on Friday. Wendy Robbins who normally does those deliveries will be back and on time next week.

Welcome Back Mary’s Peeps! We’re glad you’re better!


Last but not least, your market manager has egg on her face. We told a fib unintentionally because we didn’t check the calendar. Last week was NOT the last week that new customers can join the Market without any fees. The Sept. 1 deadline is next Friday so orders placed between now and Market close on Tuesday still qualify for that permanent exemption from a participation fee. More info is available on our Question & Answer page. Please accept our apologies, but also please take advantage if you’re considering joining our happy & health conscious group.

ADVENTURES IN OKRA

Ummm . . . . you almost know one is from the south if they LOVE their Okra. While the geographical origins of this beloved dish is uncertain (according to Wikipedia), what is certain is that it has become a staple food in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions where it is cultivated. Like here!

Medical News Today has a list of both nutritional content and health benefits of Okra

There are many varieties and some color differences of okra. Gumbo and fried okra are the most popular southern dishes with some even liking the slippery consistency of eating it boiled. More and more people are enjoying tender young pods eaten raw.

This elegant Okra with Tomatoes recipe is from The Food Network.


Grilled Okra is one of six “slime free” recipes from The Spruce.


Purloo is a quick easy dish of Low Country Origins. This Okra & Sweet Corn Purloo is meant to serve many as a comfort food.

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 back, well physically we’re back. Part of us will always be sitting by a stream somewhere. Unfortunately, the farm did not miraculously produce new crops while we were gone. This week I’ll be planting those first transplants. (Only 80 days till harvest! Sigh.) They include broccolis, cabbages, brussel sprouts, kales, spinach, chard, cauliflower (will they grow here? We’ll see.)

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: To continue our conversation from last week I’m going to talk about the difference between store bought eggs and farm fresh eggs. Not too long ago I had an experience with a woman who told me that she gets the SAME eggs from our local warehouse store here in town. Nope! Those are not the same eggs! That experience led me to believe that some people really think that organic eggs from the store are the same as farm fresh eggs. So in an effort to educate and raise awareness, I type this message today. Most store bought eggs are massed produced. I’m talking about lots of chickens in factories, with their beaks cut off to avoid pecking and confined to one tiny space with automated feed and water, laying eggs.


That doesn’t sound like an egg I want to eat. Not to mention that by the time you purchase these eggs, they could be 30 to 60 days old. Have you seen all of those cartons at the big box store? Just do some checking for yourself. Look up egg labels and learn how to tell when the eggs were packaged. Learn about and how to do the egg float test and please check out all the health advantages to fresh local eggs. Happy hens produce fresh healthy eggs!

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
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan

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!

August 19, 2017 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
Dog Days Are Here
Market Chitchat
Food Festival Update
Grower Notes


DOGS AND DOG DAYS

I learned about Dog Days from my Mom when I was a kid. There were three characteristics that I knew till I was an adult and learned more:
1. Dogs were lazy during Dog Days.
2. That’s because that time during ate summer was blasted HOT, and
3. Cuts, scrapes and boo-boos were more likely to become infected.

That’s it! That’s all I knew!

I’m glad to share with you now that there’s more to it. The name came about because the ancient Romans associated the hottest days of summer with Sirius, the “Dog Star." Besides being the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog) it’s the brightest star in the entire night sky! The Romans calculated the dog days of summer to be about July 24 to around August 24. Over time, though, the constellations have drifted somewhat and today, The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the dog days of summer as July 3 until August 11.

Koda & Finnigan McCoull

So we may be a bit late in our observance though you can’t tell it by the weather. What we can tell you is that next Friday, August 25, your pooch is WELCOME to visit the Market and Dothan Nurseries. We’ll have treats for them and if you and your pet would like, you can meet Koda, whom Alabama’s newest canine legislation was named after.

Koda is a big gentle soul who LOVES children and will “Scooby Doo” for them. He a big ham, thinks he’s a ladies man (he’s not) and has met our governor. Koda will be with us from 10 am to 11:30 am. The best thing about Koda is that he lives with me and I couldn’t be happier to share him with you.

Ros

MARKET CHITCHAT

Welcome Back Ginther Farms! For those of you who have not been with the Market very long the Ginther chickens in Headland have been on strike for a few months. We’re glad they started laying again! It couldn’t have come at a better time!

Mary Dale Peeples (Mary’s Peeps) sends her apologies to everyone that ordered from her last week and a heartfelt THANK YOU for all the kind wishes and prayers. As of Friday evening she is still hospitalized and being tested. Her products will not be available on the Market this week and she hopes to be back in the kitchen the following week.

If you ordered last week be sure to thank Working Cows Dairy for the yummy cheese samples!

Daleville Customers: Our Daleville delivery person will be out of town next week. Never fear! We’ll make sure you get your orders though it may be later than usual. You will be contacted once Market closes Tuesday at 5pm.

This is the last week that new customers can join the Market without any fees. This new policy will be old hat in a year, but for now we’re encouraging prospective customers to take advantage and order before the Sept. 1 deadline. More info is available on our Question & Answer page.

FALL FOOD FESTIVAL UPDATE

If you’ve not been keeping up with it, Dothan Nurseries and Market at Dothan are hosting a bi-monthly traditional Farmer’s Market & Fall Food Festival starting late September.

The Farmer’s Market part is just that – tents and farmer’s, food and food related products and lots of fun! In keeping with our core values of FRESH, LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE and YEAR ROUND, all growers who are participating are those who utilize clean and sustainable growing methods. We do not allow chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides in our Market.

The Fall Food Festival portion of this event is educational in nature. Each week we’ll have two classes designed to help consumers learn more about the health benefits of clean food and how to make the transition to a cleaner and more wholesome diet.

Meet the Presenters for Sept. 30, 2017!

(left)Greg and Carole Lolly of Mayim Farms are both Master Gardeners who utilize organic growing methods and concentrate on nutrient dense foods. Greg will be talking about the Health Difference between organically grown and traditionally grown foods at 9:30 am.

(right)Susan Avello will be speaking at 11:am about Making the Transition to a Gluten Free Diet. Susan is a Personal Chef with Lean Bean Chef Personal Chef Service in the Dothan, AL area, providing Healthy Options in Meal Prep, Meal Planning, Cooking Classes, Dinner Parties, and Education,and specializing in Gluten-free, Paleo, Vegan, Raw and Vegetarian Diets. You may visit Leanbeanchef.com for more information.

Classes will take place in the Market Pickup Area. Seating is limited so please bring a comfy lawn or folding chair.

This is just the start folks! More Market Days and More Classes are planned for
October 14
October 28
November 11
We hope you’ll put it on your calendar and join us!


Fyi – Market Orders and Friday pickup will continue as normal giving regular customers first pickins without having to walk & shop.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMs: Remember all those beautiful transplants? Well, worms and fungus took their toll. Lost more than half. Started some more earlier this week which were intended to be a second planting to spread out the labor of transplanting in the ground. Guess I’ll be starting even more next week. Oh well, that’s farm life.
We won’t be participating in the market this week. Taking a little R&R. You can find us dangling our feet in the river up in Blue Ridge.

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: So let’s talk about eggs. A lot of us here on the market raise chickens and sell their eggs. These yummy morsels are an excellent source of protein and have crossed over from being just a breakfast food. Our family eats what we like to call “Brinner” (breakfast for dinner). This really just gives us an excuse to eat our eggs anytime. If you take the time to think about it, there are so many uses for eggs. Who doesn’t love scrambled eggs, quiche, breakfast casserole, or a frittata? Have you ever tried frying an egg over easy and putting it on a burger? We like to add eggs to our stir fry…..Think chicken, scallions, white onions, mushrooms, zucchini, eggs, and soy sauce. All served up with vegetable fried rice. YUM! If you have a favorite egg recipe, please share. One that we like is the 2 egg banana pancake. It’s so simple. Mash a banana, whisk up two eggs, mix it all together and cook. It’s so good! You could add peanut butter or cinnamon and ginger for an metabolism booster and a little kick. The bottom line is that however they are prepared, eggs are great. We for one are happy to continue to keep raising healthy chickens that provide wonderful eggs. I’m sure all of us here on the market feel the same way!

Frittitas are an egg based dish that can include cheese, cream, pasta, meat, vegetables or all of them! Ros’s favorite has sauteed leeks, Greek seasoning and swiss cheese.

WORKING COWS DAIRY: Hallo from us here at the Working Cows Dairy, we hope you enjoyed the cheddar cheese sample this week( free sample for those that put in an order). I have been making cheese just as of February this year and have now 5 different cheeses on the the market and about 10,000# in cheese cave. I hereby invite you all to come on over to the farm and check out our girls grazing and getting milked any day at 5pm. Thanks for support and help spread the word about all these local farmers. Rinske

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
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan

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!

August 12, 2017 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
Meet the Lean Bean Chef!
Market Chitchat
Food Festival Update
Grower Notes


WHY EAT SUSTAINABLE

Sustainable eating is about choosing foods that are healthful to our environment AND our bodies. It’s about nourishing ourselves wholly and completely. Providing pleasure but preserving the food system for the future. It leads to healthy, thriving, individuals and communities, as well as a better, more balanced ecosystem.

I am a raving fan of eating sustainable. Not only do I practice it myself, but I provide sustainable, whole ingredients in what I prepare for my clients. Being a part of the Market at Dothan and the local farming community is such a vital part of what I do and who I am as an individual, business owner, and a citizen of the Wiregrass area.

I anxiously look forward to picking up my weekly finds and preparing my recipes for the week both for myself and for my clients. And knowing that I’m not only providing the freshest and best ingredients to my clients but realizing I’m a part of something bigger (the entire process – from the farm to the market – to my kitchen – to my client) is huge!

Here is one of my favorite recipes from items purchased from our growers. I hope you enjoy. And if you make it, find me online and tag me. I’d love to see your photos. You can find me @susanavello on Instagram. Or at Lean Bean Chef on Facebook. Enjoy! And thanks for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful community!



ZUCCHINI RIBBON PASTA (Raw/Gluten-Free/Vegetarian)

Ingredients:
Zucchini (3 – 4 medium)
Pesto (Basil, Parsley, Pine Nuts, EVO, Parmesan)
Grape tomatoes
Sunflower Seeds
Shaved Parmesan

Use a veggie peeler to make the zucchini into ribbons until you get down to the seeds, then use the other side. Discard the seeds. Combine your basil, parsley, pine nuts, EVO, parmesan into the processor and blend. Toss the pesto with the zucchini gently. Add your tomatoes, seeds and parmesan.

Susan Avello is a Personal Chef with Lean Bean Chef Personal Chef Service in the Dothan, AL area, providing Healthy Options in Meal Prep, Meal Planning, Cooking Classes, Dinner Parties, and Education, and specializing in Gluten-free, Paleo, Vegan, Raw and Vegetarian Diets. Leanbeanchef.com.

MARKET CHITCHAT

While the weather is still miserable we thought we’d celebrate the DOG DAYS of summer on August 25. Any pooches that accompany their owners (on leashes please!) will get a natural doggie treat that day. We’re trying hard to get a celebrity pooch to visit as well. . . stay tuned, but do put it on your calendar!


THANK YOU Viki Richter for managing yesterday’s pickups!


Don’t forget to encourage any folks you know to start their orders this month before the Sept. 1 deadline for new customers. More info is available on our Question & Answer page.

One last bit of news . . . Market of Dothan is now listed on the Alabama Farmer Market Authority website! Like a square peg going into a round hole, they were unable to categorize us as a traditional market with tents everywhere (though we do that sometimes!), but have listed us on the CSA Page

FALL FOOD FESTIVAL UPDATE

Woo Hoo! Classes are starting to come together! So far we have four of eight classes scheduled with some marvelous teachers. We’ll do a shout out to them later but so far these are in the works and more will come!

Transitioning to Gluten Free / Water Keifer / Organic vs. Traditional Foods / Fermented Foods

If you’re just now reading up on this, we will be having a Fall Food Festival and Farmer’s Market starting on Sept. 30. It will be held four times through mid November on the following dates:

September 30
October 14
October 28
November 11


The Food Festival/Tent Market will be from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm each of these Saturdays and there will be two classes on healthy food and healthy food choices each week. We hope you’ll make plans to join us.

riday pickup will continue as normal giving regular customers first pickins without having to walk & shop.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: This week our focus is planting. We have been ordering organic seeds like crazy, turning over soil, adding compost, and planning half the garden with more summer crops, hoping to beat the first frost date while planning and starting seed trays for cooler season vegetables.

Autumn is my favorite season. I look forward to mild temperatures, turning leaves, and vegetables like sweet potatoes and collards. This year we are growing an heirloom sweet potato variety. It is called Molokai. It has purple flesh and is so tasty! No butter or sugar needed. We hope to offer this treat to all of you soon!


Have you guys tried Richter Farms rosemary?!? Rosemary is favorite around here and although we keep it in the spice cabinet, having it fresh is so much better. Also check out the organic ground beef from Working Cows Dairy! Grass fed beef is the best there is. We were actual customers of Working Cows before we knew they were on the market, so we are loving the convenience of grabbing it here! Why not grab a few onions from Avalon Farms? They offer both sweets and reds. Whatever you buy, we hope you enjoy and thank you from us and all our growers!

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
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan

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!

August 5, 2017 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
Bee Buzz
Market Chitchat
Coming This Fall!
Grower Notes


THE BUZZ ON BEE PRODUCTS

Honey: This sweet, golden syrup is produced from the nectar collected by the bees from flower blossoms. In order to make one pound of honey, 70,000 loads of nectar are needed, and a healthy active hive can make up to 300 pounds of honey per season. Nectar mixed with healthy bee enzymes is transferred by worker bees into honeycomb cells where it becomes thick as the bees band together and fan it with their wings. Once the moisture content is low enough that it won’t spoil the honey is sealed within the comb. It will keep for years, acting as a food source for the hive during the winter months. Honey has protein from pollen and contains several types of vitamins. It is a balanced sugar made up of fructose, glucose, sucrose and minor higher sugars, therefore providing a safe, healthy energy boost.

Beeswax: The magic of beeswax begins in the field, where honeybees collect pollen and nectar from flowers. Next, each load of nectar is passed from field bees to hive bees, which are younger and more efficient at producing wax. After the wax is made through a complex digestive process, it is used as building material for the combs. Each chamber in the comb is hexagonal in shape, which is a marvel of engineering that efficiently utilizes the smallest amount of wax needed for strength in design and volume of honey stored. Beekeepers build and supply frames for their bees to build combs that are easy to remove and extract honey and wax from. 

Please read THIS excellent article to learn how beeswax candles clean the air.

Bee Pollen: Honeybees, who are responsible for pollinating 80% of plants, fly from plant to plant collecting sticky pollen and storing it in “baskets” found on their legs. This type of pollen is not the dry form that is mainly responsible for allergic reactions. Rather, it is a major food source for the colony, and when eaten by humans it has many benefits because it is rich in amino acids and high in vitamins. Bee pollen speeds healing, revitalizes the body, and protects cells from free radial damage, and it is especially beneficial to the reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. Scientific studies have even shown that people can subsist indefinitely on a diet consisting of only bee pollen and water!

Propolis: Derived from resinous, gummy substances brought by worker bees into the hive from buds, young shoots, or the bark of trees, propolis is used to strengthen the hive, to glue moveable parts, varnish interior walls, and protect from both temperature variations and intruders. This “bee shellac” is also a complete, live, raw food, and it contains many vitamins and acts as an antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. 

Royal Jelly: This creamy, white liquid is synthesized by worker bees exclusively for the nourishment and cultivation of the queen bee. Nurse bees ingest pollen and nectar, process it internally, and then secrete it from glands in their heads. All newborns are fed royal jelly for the first three days of their existence, at which point only a few are selected to serve as queens. Royal jelly is responsible for transforming a common bee into a queen, extending her longevity from six weeks to five years. The chemical make-up of royal jelly baffles scientists because of its highly complex compounds. Royal jelly has antibacterial, antiviral, antibiotic, tonic, nutritive, and anti-aging properties and is impossible to synthesize.

MARKET CHITCHAT

THANK YOU to Friday’s customers whose patient grace was so appreciated as we hauled lots of stuff out of the refrigerators and adjusted totals yesterday! And another huge THANK YOU to Mrs. Patty who saved the day earlier this summer as we would not have been able to keep everything cool without the little frige!


Viki will be managing pickups next Friday on August 11. Be sure to thank her for all her sweet help.

If you know someone considering trying Market at Dothan encourage them to do it this month! Starting Sept. 1, 2017 new customers will have one complimentary order from the Market, and after that they will be charged a yearly participation fee of $15.

One of the characteristics of being Fresh and Local is that we can’t guarantee we’ll have what you want
EVERY week, but our Market Page has a lot of useful features to navigate and find what you are interested in. If you don’t find it in a category or with a particular farmer (using the Display Options under the Categories) the search bar is glad to help!

FALL FOOD FESTIVAL & FARMERS MARKET

Last week we mentioned plans for an upcoming fall market, something fun to help celebrate the changing of the seasons and help our community. We’re going to have 4 bi-monthly Farmer’s Markets on Saturday Mornings starting September 30. The dates are as follows:

September 30
October 14
October 28
November 11



The normal Market pickup area will be used for talks, demonstrations, kids activities, etc. each week. If you have something “foodie” you would enjoy sharing, let us know! We have 8 time slots to fill with instruction and discussions about the foods and values we share in common as a sustainable community. There are so many people who would love to learn about healing through nutrition, organic vs. traditional food, keifer, kombucha, food preservation, transitioning to vegan or gluten free, fermented foods and the like. If you have experience with any of these topics and would like to participate, let us know! Even if you’re not an expert, you know more than the ordinary consumer. Often people have heard about these things and just need a nudge from someone with experience to take the next step.
So please mark your calendars and help spread the word! And if you’re up to taking the next step in your own journey toward helping others we’ll sign you up!

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: We want to say how grateful and happy we are that our chicken was such a success on the market last week! What an overwhelming response we had! Thank you to everyone who tried our chicken for the first time and also to those of you who came back for more! We have another flock that is about 3 weeks old now and growing up fast. We are also expecting another to hatch around August 7th so more chickens are on the way! We have set a goal to have chickens available every week that we hope to reach with these next two hatches. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Thank you to our egg customers and also to those that have tried our organic produce. We appreciate all of you!


Coming up soon to the market we will be posting our organic poinsettia peppers. These guys are extremely hot but if that’s how you like it then get ready for the spice. We have found these peppers are good for making your own hot sauce or even a hot sauce vinegar. They can also be used to make an organic garden spray for those buggers who like to feast on your produce you worked so hard to grow.

This week our family is purchasing honey from Horton’s Farms. Some of us suffer from allergies and having access to local honey is something we can’t be without. We also use it to make almond butter, homemade cough syrups, and as a sugar replacement. I encourage you to try it. Happy shopping!

MARY’S PEEPS: I know its been a little slim the past couple of weeks, but I had  family emergency in Georgia, so my Good friend Ros had to help me out last week, and this week I just didn’t list a lot because I wasn’t sure if I would have time to do orders. I guess you have noticed I have listed only pound cakes, the heat has been so bad I just hated to try and send frosted cakes in it. If anyone has a request for a frosted layer cake I would be very happy to do one, just send in a request to Ros and she will let me know, I will be adding my breads back, and many of the peppers and mint bundles you may need. The hens are a little slow laying right now, they have started their molt to ready them with a new coat for winter, During this time they may slow or even stop laying so I will list eggs as I get the larger quality ones you are used to getting.  I want to thank everyone who has ordered from me and I hope you have enjoyed my products. they are not just orders for me they are homemade items I enjoy doing, and I am proud of what I do.  I will be looking towards fall and adding new seasonal stuff. Any suggestions are welcome…..Thanks again….Mary Dale Peeples….Marys Peeps, Mary Bees 

MAYIM FARMS: Moringa – The fastest, easiest way to eat moringa leaves is raw. Part of the pleasure of eating Moringa, is that you know you are eating extreme nutrition. All of the research agrees – Moringa has superb health benefits. The leaves can be eaten as salad greens. They mix well with any other salad ingredients. They can also be cooked, as any other greens, or combined with barley, wheat, brown rice, wild rice, rye, buckwheat, spelt, corn, quinoa, millet, or amaranth. Use them creatively, you won’t be disappointed. Moringa leaves have a distinctive, delicious taste that’s all their own.
Don’t think of moringa like you are taking a supplement, think of moringa as a nutritious food that you can incorporate into your normal diet like any other vegetable or green.
Moringa is like a “vegetable tree,” loaded with health and beauty supporting vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, making it a true superfood in every sense of the word.

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
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan

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!

July 29, 2017 Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
Know Your Chicken!
Slow Food Announcement
Market ChitChat
Grower Notes


HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR CHICKEN?

Eat better and be an educated consumer! We have found that some people don’t realize that most of the chicken you buy in the grocery store is raised in poor filthy living conditions. These birds are kept in tight spaces and force fed night and day. I’m sure that we all have seen those “super-birds” on the shelf. Our family raises chickens and even our biggest roosters don’t have breasts or wings that look like that. I have watched those truckloads of chickens being taken to the factory and thought wow there’s so many! That can’t be good. When we think about chicken houses, they are huge! Inside they house tens of thousands of birds at one time. Some become sick and are given antibiotics but it’s supposed to be ok with us as consumers, because the federal law mandates that chickens be free of antibiotics BEFORE they leave the farm. So let’s feed them more so the antibiotics will flush through their system faster….. right??? WRONG! The problem with this is that the farmers get paid for the final weight of the chickens. So all that really matters is how much weight they gained in the end.

(top photos)These pristine images are what the commercial industry wants you to think about the chicken you eat. The reality is not something you would want to view in a newsletter about food. (bottom photo) Remote locations like this are prized allover the south because of smell and pest problems associated with commercial chicken houses.

As you can imagine a lot of these chickens don’t make it, but they aren’t always cleaned up so the birds who survive end up feasting on dead birds. Chickens do eat other chickens! Once at the slaughterhouse they are washed with bleach and treated with chemicals, like chlorine, before being packaged and sold to us to eat. They are marketed and labeled as “all natural” or “vegetarian fed” but what does that really mean?!?! A diet of genetically modified soy and corn along with fillers plus some antibiotics on the side. They want us to eat this and sadly for years we have. The question that we should ask ourselves is this: Do we really want to continue to feed our family this way?!?? I’m sure the answer is no. Your health and theirs is too important! The fact is that we all have choices. We can choose to be aware of what we put in our mouths, we’re fed themselves. We can learn how the animals we eat were raised, treated, harvested, etc. We can ask questions and be informed consumers. I personally know someone who raises chickens and sells them and they are huge! I also know that he gives them the cheapest feed he can find in bulk and makes sure that they don’t ever run out. Just because someone owns a farm or raises chicken doesn’t mean they are fed well or even well cared for. We know that not everyone can or even wants to eat organically but it’s important to be aware and in control of what we eat. Food can be healing. We often become sick because what we ate was sick. Please don’t take our word for it. Research for yourselves and then decide. We are in no way saying that everyone who owns a chicken house or has a mass production poultry farm is bad. This post is about being informed and aware of those who are. Thank you for taking the time to read this information. It is our sincere hope that it helps us all to be better consumers. We want you to think about what you eat…..so be informed and choose better!

Rachel Hawkins of Hawkins Homestead

SLOW FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT

Note From Ros: Did you know that Market at Dothan has a “sister” market? Not long after Mayim Farm joined our awesome group of growers, the Lolley’s took on the task of providing the Enterprise/ Elba area the same type of healthy food choices you have. Please share the following information with anyone you know who could benefit!

“Slow Food Elba” and the greater “Slow Food Alabama” is a dream of ours,  Greg and Carole Lolley of Mayim Farm. We want to see everyone in these small towns scattered over the countryside in Alabama have access to good wholesome naturally grown foods without harmful chemicals. Most of these little towns only have maybe one or sometimes no grocery store at all. And if they do have a local grocery store the supply of organic produce is slim or none. You might say these are organic food deserts. We intend to change that by opening these markets throughout middle and lower Alabama. This will not only help the local residents but will also help the new and beginning farmers with new markets. It’s a win win for all. More exciting news is coming soon with the kickoff of “Slow Food Alabama” in Fall of 2017. Slow Food Elba is currently serving Elba and Enterprise with drop point locations at the Just Folk Coffeehouse in Elba and the Boldly Going Coffee Shop in Enterprise. Know anyone one in these areas, pass the word…www.slowfoodelba.com.”

MARKET CHIT-CHAT

We hope everyone who came by on Friday enjoyed the chocolate from Haiti, and many thanks to the ladies (you know who you are!) who donated to the ongoing effort to help the farmers of Petit Trou de Nippes. There are three more blocks of chocolate listed on the Market if anyone is interested in cooking with this unique product. All monies will go to the farmers. The samples will be available at Market on Fridays till they are all gone.


That smoke you may be smelling is your market vendors BRAINSTORMING about putting together a Fall Farmer’s Market. We’re not talking about online pre-orders, we’re talking about real tents with our very real farmers selling directly to you! We can’t promise any vintage blue pickup trucks, but we do promise this will be FUN! Stay tuned!

Don’t miss the note from SANDSPUR FARMS in the grower notes!

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

MAYIM FARMS: Never had shishito peppers? You need to get them right now!

Shishito peppers generally are served as a starter or as a side, often heaped in a bowl and munched. And the prep couldn’t be easier. They are cooked whole, usually with a splash of oil and just enough time in the skillet to lightly brown in spots. Seasonings can be whatever you like, though coarse salt is a must.
In addition to having a wonderfully addictive flavor — the trinity of oil, salt and a gentle roasting helps here — shishito peppers are perfect for summer. They generally are shared, making them perfect for a backyard barbecue. Because they cook quickly and do well in  intense heat, they adapt perfectly to the grill!


Shishito Peppers in Soy Ginger Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 lb shishito peppers
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 lime (juiced)
1/2 tsp fresh ginger (zested)
1/8 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional topping)
Instructions
Sauté the shishito peppers over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Whisk the other ingredients together in a small bowl to form the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the shishito peppers.
Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until peppers are tender.
Toast the breadcrumbs in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the shishito peppers and serve.

SANDSPUR FARMS: Good afternoon to all. By now I’m sure you’re wondering where Sandspur Farms has been. We are taking a summer break. The rain we had a few months back destroyed most of our crops by either too much rain or wind or combination. I have also started a new career in addition to farming. We will be back soon with fall and winter veggies, more beef & pork. Our farm store is almost finished. We just need to finish the inside now and put the new gates up. Stay cool and stay happy and we’ll see you soon. If you’re ever down our way be sure and give me a shout. 

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

Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan

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!

July 22, 2017 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
Christmas in July
A Sad Announcement
Market ChitChat
Grower Notes


I realize it’s too hot to go caroling. Even if anyone did travel north they wouldn’t see snow unless they kept going at the Canadian border. The only person I know who keeps a tree up year round still has Easter decorations on it. But we can still celebrate Christmas. It is after all traditionally the birth of Christ which we can rejoice about every day, and while society has many cultural things tied to it, there are two that can’t be denied: Chocolate and Charity.

Last October Hurricane Matthew left widespread devastation to the island country of Haiti. Many of you may remember that a few weeks later we partnered with the Bourret family to help a sustainable farming village get back on its feet. Thanks to your efforts and generosity, we raised enough money to fund a much needed tree nursery. Many smaller donations have been made to them since.


The Bourret’s have shared some of the island’s bounty in the form of dark exotic chocolate and . . . (drum roll please!) there will be samples at the Market next Friday for any and all. Any Chocolate that is left over will be available for purchase the following week with funds doing directly to Haiti.

And . . . (you knew this was coming!) a box for donations will be available to help the farmers in the village of Petit Trou de Nippes rebuild. Trees that grow tropical fruits, cacao and coffee beans don’t grow back in a year and rebuilding the village infrastructure is an ongoing project.

Even if you don’t place a Market order this week feel free to stop by to try a sample and send wishes of Peace on Earth, Good Will toward Men to our island neighbors. We’d love to see you! Even if the amount is small any donation will help fellow farmers who are trying to make a difference in their community.

A SAD ANNOUNCEMENT

Sometimes being committed to excellence has a downside. Such is the case this week when a determination was made by the Department of Revenue that sales through Market at Dothan were taxable.

With around 300 Locally Grown websites across the US, it is both sad and most unfortunate that Alabama is the first state to do this, but our tax code was written long before the Market existed and is not likely to change anytime soon.

So of course we’re going to do the right thing! Starting this week your shopping cart will show Sales Tax on the items you purchase. Please know that we have every intention of looking for a way to work within the existing ALDOR rules and guidelines to find a way to eliminate this additional burden to our customers.

MARKET CHIT-CHAT

#marketatdothan

This hashtag originated with a couple of great customers, LaChelle B. and Katherine J. Us older folks are a bit slow learning about such things BUT, we are learning! Market At Dothan has utilized a Facebook page for some time that we’ve used for announcements, reminders and fun posts in general, but now we have an Instagram account too and ask you to share the fun and photos. It’s very young so there’s not a whole lot. We have tried to include behind the scenes Market shots, food shots, and fun things in general. We invite you to share your Market experience, your delish dishes and your passion for clean eating and clean living with the hashtag.


Aren’t these lovely? Last week we announed that Karen of To Work With My Hands, will be doing another live video on the Hometalk Facebook page. Well . . . this is what she’ll be teaching viewers to make! It was just too pretty not to share. The Hometalk Facebook page can be found here and the live feed will start at 12pm.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: Happy to say some squash are back. Only listed a few as the armyworms have discovered them. Have to stay on top of those voracious eaters. Thankfully Bt doesn’t harm anything but worms as it’s tough to get outside and spray before the pollinators are working when it’s daylight at 5am.

This is how MANY Market vegetables start out.

Working to get and stay organized with cool weather crops. So many steps involved in getting these products to you. Research,  select and procure seeds. (Ooh, that sounds interesting! Get some of those.) Start transplants or direct seed? How many? Where to plant? Create better labeling scheme. (Tomatoes got mixed up. I wasn’t sure what anything was till they started making. Bad farmer!) Make a plan. Follow through with plan. Trust God to bring the harvest.

DANNY’S GREENS: Thank you to everyone who purchased the small supply of lettuce the heat is allowing us to harvest. We seem to be throwing more away than is consumer worthy, but at least the compost it produces goes back to make the soil rich and fertile. There won’t be any available this week and please know that we are giving the beds lots of TLS till nature is kinder and lets it grow stronger and faster.

HORTONS FARM: Thank you to our faithful egg customers! We’ve had to decrease the number of eggs we normally offer as 1) Chickens aren’t particularly fond of the heat and 2) Our older layers are no longer laying. We plan to start raising more when the weather cools to hopefully be up and laying come spring.

SMITH FARMS: Thank you for last week’s beef and lamb purchases. We are sometimes at the mercy of our butcher on how soon we can replenish inventory. Thank you for your understanding.

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

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!

July 15 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
Beat the Heat
In Season
Market ChitChat
Grower Notes

BEAT THE HEAT

It’s July. It’s hot as blue blazes, and unless you’re a first year resident you know that it will be hot like this through August and into September. As a young woman I used to tell myself “only ‘x’ number of weeks till the nights start cooling down.” I’m afraid it’s a little early for that, and thankfully things like Christmas in July, Back to School Sales (and tax free weekend) can help get our minds off it a little.

The National Safety Counsel recognizes heat exposure as a cause of death and the CDC recorded 7,233 heat related deaths between 1999 – 2009. That being said, what follows is a smattering of food and non food ideas that may or may not be useful. All are offered in the spirit of wishing you safety, cool, comfort and joy (opps on the Christmas reference!) for the remainder of the summer!

Ok, the photo quality isn’t the best, but the idea IS! Cut up dollar store sponges, tie with ponytail holders,
provide a few pails with ice water and INSTANT PARTY for kiddos of all ages! Guaranteed cooling.


“In the summer, cooling foods like watermelon can act like internal A/C, while in the winter,
warming foods like meat, spices, and root vegetables can act like an internal space heater.” from Men’s Fitness.



”Wash clothes in cold water and air dry in front of a fan. This tip works the same as placing
a tray or bowl of ice water in front of a fan to increase the chill factor."
Who would have thought this advice from the Multiple Sclerosis Association actually described a Swamp Cooler!


TWO WORDS: FROZEN GRAPES



”Try storing lotions or cosmetic toners in the refrigerator to use on hot, overtired feet”
is one of 15 “stay cool” suggestions from Medicine Net.

IN SEASON

“Here’s another good idea for you. As you know, with me trying so hard to stay off processed foods I’m always searching for new ideas. I love cooking with those canned rotel style tomatoes and decided to make my own. I used Restoration Gardens tomatoes, Avalon Farms Kinston onions and Mariachi peppers as well as the Soshito peppers I bought from Mayim Farm. I chopped the onions and peppers, carefully removing the seeds, and then scalded, skinned and diced the tomatoes. I filled each pint jar with 2 TBS pepper mixture and 1/4 cup onions. Put these this into the jar first so it will be at the bottom. Add the diced tomatoes and 1/2 TSP salt. Add the canning flat and ring and process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes.


Yowza! A little spicy but oh so very good. The blend of the 2 peppers gives it a very unique taste. You can use less, or more peppers, to suit your individual taste.

I like using a jar as a base for chili or substitute in one to zip up my spaghetti sauce. My hubby ate one jar like a dip with tortilla chips.”

Happy munching,
Melody

MARKET CHIT-CHAT

We appreciate the effort everyone made to pick up their orders a little earlier on Friday. We were able to wrap things up and get out of the heat a little earlier because of it. A huge THANK YOU to Viki (Richter Farms) and Kathy (Kathy’s Churpers) whose assistance makes your wait brief and whose company makes the Market oh so enjoyable!


For those of you who follow To Work With My Hands, Karen has another Facebook Live Hometalk video demonstration scheduled for July 25! You can catch a sneak peek at what she will be doing on her webpage.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: Just received my latest seed order. It’s truly Christmas in July…big box comes in the mail with all kinds of goodies inside. Now I’ve got to get working on those seedbeds and transplants. It’s hard to think about cool weather plants when it feels like 112 outside.

Will have more squash in a few weeks. Latest planting has its first couple of blooms. The previous planting succumbed to the mildew from all the rain.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer….school will be starting soon. (All the moms say Yay!)

D’S JELLIES D’s Hot Pepper Jelly is now available! Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Cayenne, and Bell Peppers have matured and are beautiful shades of yellow/gold, orange, and red. D’s Hot Pepper Jelly gets its color from the colors of the peppers that are used to make it. The flavor is a wonderful blend of the peppers. Sweet with a hint of heat! Just right on a Ritz Cracker with cream cheese. So good!

Redneck Caviar, or Cowboy Caviar as some call it, is one of those hearty COOL salads
that are versatile enough that it can be made with fresh or canned ingredients.


HAWKINS HOMESTEAD Finally! These chickens have grown up and are ready for harvesting. We will be offering our fresh organic whole chickens this week. Organically raised and fed from hatch to harvest! You will be getting one whole bird, fresh, tender, and ready to cook!

DANNY’S GREENS: The lettuce greens are growing real slow because of the heat so we don’t have a whole lot listed this week. We expect it to be this way till the weather starts cooling down a bit. Thanks for your support and understanding.

HORTONS FARM: Four Packs of Fire Ant First are relisted. If you work or play outdoors this is a summertime MUST for all insect bites. The four packs make it easy to keep one by the back door, one in the purse, one in the medicine cabinet, and one for the husband or child’s pocket.

SMITH FARMS: Lamb is back!!

WORKING COWS DAIRY: Last week we relisted out products after being on vacation in Holland. Thank you to everyone who tried our organic yogurt. We just started listing buttermilk too in addition to our organic beef products and Rinsk’es Cheese. Thank you for your support of our family farm. We are Alabama’s ONLY Organic Dairy and the long journey it took to get here ensures that you get the highest quality dairy products available anywhere.

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

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!

July 8, 2017 Market Newsletter



We are now open to accept orders.
Orders close Tuesday at 5pm


This Week’s Newsletter:
From our Customers
Market ChitChat
Grower Notes

MORINGA OLEIFERA: TRULY A “MIRACLE” TREE

(No doubt many of you scratched your head when you saw a recent listing for Fresh Moringa Leaves. Fortunately for all of us Patty D. is very familiar with them and has graciously researched the following as well as sharing a bit of her own amazing story. THANK YOU PATTY!)

The Moringa tree can meet all your nutritional needs, take the place pharmaceuticals and even purify your water.  For centuries, the natives of northern India and many parts of Africa have known of the many benefits of Moringa oleifera, also known as the clarifier tree, horseradish tree and drumstick tree (referring to the large drumstick shaped pods).  In East Africa it is called "mother’s best friend”. Native only to the foothills of the Himalayas, it is now widely cultivated in Africa, Central and South America, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is little known in the western world and only recently have people begun trying to grow it in the US. This miracle tree is now being grown by our very own Greg and Carole Lolley of Mayim Farms. There are hundreds of uses for this tree as every part of it can be used.


The immature pods are the most widely used part of the tree and contain all essential amino acids along with many vitamins and other nutrients.  The immature pod can be eaten raw or cooked while the mature pods are usually fried and and said to taste somewhat like peanuts. The pods also yield an edible oil known as Ben Oil. This oil is clear, sweet and odorless, and never becomes rancid. Nutritionally, it most resembles olive oil.  The root has been used as a substitute for horseradish but safety is questionable due to the presence of a toxic alkaloid (moriginine) a potent fungicid, pterygospermin, and a bacteriocide, spirochin.  While less toxic if the bark of the root is completely removed, excessive consumption of the root can be toxic so it is best to avoid the root altogether.  The leaves are eaten as greens, in salads, in vegetable curries, as pickles and for seasoning. Leaves and young branches are relished by livestock. The bark can be used for tanning and also yields a coarse fiber. The flowers, which must be cooked, are eaten either mixed with other foods or fried in batter and are rich in calcium and potassium.

The leaves contain significant quantities of vitamins A, B and C, calcium, iron and protein. According to Optima of Africa, Ltd., a group that has been working with the tree in Tanzania, "25 grams daily of Moringa leaf powder will give a child the following amounts of recommended daily allowances: Protein 42%, Calcium 125%, Magnesium 61%, Potassium 41%, Iron 71%, Vitamin A 272%, and Vitamin C 22%.  Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain: SEVEN times the vitamin C in oranges, FOUR times the Calcium in milk, FOUR times the vitamin A in carrots, TWO times the protein in milk and THREE times the Potassium in bananas. The leaves are readily available even when other sources of nutrition are scarce and the powder can be stored for months without refrigeration with no loss of nutrients. The Moringa tree offers hope nutritionally, medicinally and economically to the extremely poor 3rd world countries. In the Western world, it is coming into use in supplement forms.


India’s ancient tradition of Ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases. While most medicinal uses of the tree are anecdotal and little research has been done, there is no question about the antibiotic potential.  Although human trials (random, placebo controlled) are lacking, many countries use all parts of the tree to treat internal and skin infections. Several compounds have been identified and proven effective in vitro (in a petri dish).  Research also supports the Moringa’s role in treating cancer, but again, human trials are lacking.  Other medicinal benefits of Moringa include the ability to lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. Again, these claims are based on anecdotal evidence over centuries of use and animal studies.

Once the oil has been extracted from the pods, there is a seed cake left.  This is as effective as as aluminum sulphate (alum) in removing suspended solids from turbid water and is non-toxic, contrary to aluminum.  This has major potential in the treatment of waste water also.  Unlike aluminum, this can be produced locally generating employment and income.  Currently there are ongoing studies and projects being done to examine this potential.  Truly a “miracle tree”!

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Sources:
*Ramachandran,C., Peter,K.V. and Gopalakrishnan,P.K., 1980, Drumstick (Moringa oleifera): A multipurpose Indian Vegetable. Economic Botany, 34 (3) pp276-283.
*http://peacecorps.mtu.edu/resources/studentprojects/moringa.htm
*http://www.tfljournal.org/article.php/20051201124931586
*Meitzner and Price (Amaranth to Zai Holes: Ideas for Growing Food Under Difficult Conditions,?ECHO, 1996),
*http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cv/wedc/papers/20/sessioni/sutherla.pdf

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“In 2007, due to a complication of low back surgery, I was in a wheelchair and could only walk around my house with a cane and hanging on to furniture . I was on nearly 30 medications including morphine and antidepressants.. When the neurosurgeon bluntly told me to “take the morphine, get in the wheelchair and learn to live with it” , I knew my life had to change.  Prayer led me to a chiropractor and from there to a clean, whole food diet.  Within 6 months, I was out of the wheelchair and off over 20 medications including the morphine and psychotropics. I lost 80 lbs over several years.  I am now nearly fanatical about healing through the use of real food and natural remedies and do everything I can to avoid doctors.  I spent over 30 years in conventional medicine in pharmacy and as an RN." Patty D.

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(Please do not republish this article without permission from the author,  Contact information may be requested by email from marketatdothan@gmail.com)

Lastly: A new recipe featuring Moringa has been added to the recipe section.

Market ChitChat

Thank you to everyone who braved the heat picking up your Market orders yesterday. We totally get why some of you prefer coming early and as much as we love what we do, are thankful when we can pack up and get going this time of year! Early is fine with us as you don’t mind visiting while your order arrives! Please know that we go to great lengths to keep your produce fresh year round, and particularly in these hot months.


Also, we appreciate that so many of you remembered to make your checks to Market at Dothan.

In case you miss it below, Mayim Farms will be featured on “Focus at Four” Wtvy/Wrgx next Friday, July 14 2017 at 4pm.

By way of a brief announcement, next week we will have a photo section with some fun ideas to beat the heat!

This Week’s Grower Notes

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

Big shoutout to Restoration Gardens for their healthy melons!

AVALON FARMS: We are very sad to say that the blackberries are done for this year.
But we are excited that winter vegetable seeds will be starting to go in this week. I’ve really enjoyed making our winter seed order….so many interesting things to try! If you have a favorite to request give me a shout asap. Journeys are always more fun shared with friends.

Our garlic harvest is done and available in the market. Garlic can be a pain to peel. But then I discovered Silicone Garlic Peelers! Just Google “Silicone Garlic Peeler” and you’ll find them available everywhere. So easy to use and cheap too.

DANNY’S GREENS: The summer lettuces took a hit from the sudden heat and we’re giving them a week to recoup and don’t have them listed this week. Thanks for your understanding.

HORTONS FARM: Four Packs of Fire Ant First aid have been relisted. If you work or play outdoors this is a summertime MUST for all insect bites.

MAYIM FARMS: Fresh Moringa leaves now on the market.
From the pen of our own Patty D. ……“These leaves are a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain: SEVEN times the vitamin C in oranges, FOUR times the Calcium in milk, FOUR times the vitamin A in carrots, TWO times the protein in milk and THREE times the Potassium in bananas. Protein 42%, Calcium 125%, Magnesium 61%, Potassium 41%, Iron 71%, Vitamin A 272%, and Vitamin C 22%. These numbers are particularly astounding! This tree is truly a “miracle” tree offering hope; nutritionally, medicinally and economically to devastatingly poor 3rd world countries. It has just recently begun being used fresh and as a supplement in a juice form and in powdered leaf tablets.”

Watch for us on “Focus at Four” Wtvy/Wrgx on July 14 2017 at 4pm

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

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!