MARKET CHITCHAT

I think one of the best things about Market at Dothan (besides the health benefits of sustainably grown food) is the variety of foods available. Seriously! When have you ever been able to buy Fairy Tale Eggplants or Grain Free Granola in a store? THANK YOU to all our growers and producers who think outside the box.

Speaking of Eggplant – Welcome back Restoration Gardens! We’ve missed you!

New & Relisted Products

• Fairy Tale Mini Eggplants are Relisted
• 30 Count Egg Flat- Relisted
• Vegan Granola from Yard Eatins
• Rosemary Rub from Hortons Farm – Relisted
• Organic Basil Snack Bag- New from Hawkins
• Green Pears from Restoration Gardens
• Asian Mini & Solid White Mini Eggplants – New from Restoration Gardens
• Organic Lime Basil- New from Hawkins

Don’t forget to vote this Tuesday! Market at Dothan has endorsed Gerald Dial for Commissioner of Agriculture and we hope you’ll support this outstanding public servant.

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: Marketeers!
    How are you? We hope you are all well. We are doing our best to beat the heat but is that really possible anymore? Since we have much to do in the garden we must rise early! It really is the best time to be out there for multiple reasons. Besides the temperature, it gives time for meditation. As I walk through the various garden beds, I can’t help but be so thankful to God for the ability to grow our own food. Watching how things grow makes me more and more appreciative each day. Along with that, I’m really able to examine the plants without distraction, inspect them, talk with them (it’s therapeutic), & make plans for the future all while listening to the orchestra of birds singing, bees buzzing, and the gentle morning breeze blowing. Soon the scorching heat of the sun arrives and it over – till the next morning.
   Speaking of future plans, we have so much to do to arrange garden beds for fall. Remember the issues we had with trellises falling over earlier this spring? We are hoping to avoid that this fall by staging a new area against a fence line. This is being done as you read. In one section we will plant another planting of pole beans, later in the second plot will go fall plantings of peas.  
    You guys have come to know that Bain Home Gardens is really interested in growing the unusual, some would say exotic, veggies that you just don’t find in the grocery stores locally. This year we have experimented with Pigeon Peas, Oriental Yard Long Beans, Turkish Orange Eggplant, Poona Kheera Cucumber, and more!

On a small scale we planted these to test out our ability to grow them successfully. We are happier with some more than others but now that we have perfected the growing process of these unique heirlooms, next year we will grow many of them in larger quantities. Look forward to seeing them on in the market page – from our family to yours!

DANNY’S GREENS Danny sends word that he’s hanging in there raising awesome salad greens despite the heat. He’s had to cut back on the amount he can list because growth is SO SLOW right now. Once the nights start cooling off the lettuces will grow faster and produce better. In the meantime if you’ve not tried his green onions you are missing out! We’ve found that the best way to enjoy them is to chop them up right away and put them in the refrigerator. You’ll fill several containers and have them ready to use in all your favorite dishes. They will last several weeks that way.

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: Hello Market Friends! New this week we have our organic lime basil. Never heard of it? Haven’t tried it? Well now is your chance! Bursting with full citrus tones, it smell so good and tastes even better. Of course our organic sweet basil is in full swing, so grab both if you like. We have even decided to package it in a smaller size for those who don’t need a quart. Just because we like basil in abundance, doesn’t mean everyone else does too!

Here on our urban farm, Fall planting is in full swing. We have pulled and cleared out most of our Spring veggies. We have a lot to look forward to in the next coming months, but for now our organic produce will be slim.

We recently took a trip out to Working Cows Dairy to pick up some organic mulching hay. Did you know that not only do they have organic ground beef, milk, butters, yogurts, and cheeses, but even organic hay?!?! That works for us! We miss them on the Market and if you do too, why not take a short drive and pick up a few things? We suggest the chocolate milk and their new cheeses are worth the drive itself! (Market Note – Working Cows is an approved Market Vendor. They stopped delivering earlier this year and prefer that people come to the farm to buy direct.)

When we first moved here, it was hard to believe that there were SO many farms, but very few organic or chemical free ones. Many of you know that’s why we decided to start our own. Thankfully we found this Market as well  as a very select few growers who are doing it the right way. We have been growing more this year than we ever have and it’s helping to feed our family. More and more of our meals come from right here! When we venture out, we shop less at the grocery store and more with local sustainable and organic farmers. We love that we’re able to do this with those on the Market and off. So wherever you decide to spend your money ALWAYS ask questions. Make sure what you think you’re getting is what you’re ACTUALLY getting. We are always open for questions! So please ask away and thank you for your continued support of the Market and us!

HORTONS FARM: Have you ever wondered about all the tinctures you see listed on the Market? If you’re curious about the who/what/when/where & why of tincutres you should reserve a spot at the Westgate Library for Tincture 101 on Tuesday, July 17 at 5:30 pm. Our classes are designed to remove the mystery and give beginners the tools and information they need to safely DIY their own products at home. Contact Keith Brantley at 334-793-9767 ext. 4216.

MARY’S PEEPS Mary sends word from Florida to thank everyone for their understanding when she had to cancel last week’s orders because of a death in the family. She’ll be back next week and is looking forward to getting back on track and filling your orders.

YARD EATIN’S: Yard Eatins is now making two new kinds of granola. (Woo hoo!) We will continue with our traditional granola, and we are adding a VEGAN VERSION of that recipe (i.e., replacing the honey with maple syrup) AND adding a grain-free version for our Paleo friends. We are So Excited about the new recipes and can hardly wait to share. The vegan granola will debut at the July 12 Market, and the grain-free granola will debut at the July 19 Market. AND ALSO, our oats will be certified gluten-free starting with the July 12 pickup-day batch. We are NOT raising prices with the shift. We’ve also been hard at work perfecting our granola bars, and those will be available for the July 19 pickup day.