GROWER NOTES

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Market Friends,
How are you all? We sure hope this cool weather finds you warm and snuggly this beautiful evening.

Our okra plants WILL NOT DIE! We have been keeping a select few pods on the stalk to save seeds for next year but even the smaller plants just refuse to give up! This would not be issue if we were not cramped for space. So today they were pulled up with an assist by Mr. Duke. Here at Bain Home Gardens everyone earns their keep. Working together to bring home grown goodness from our family to yours!

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD: Well guys, it’s happened. Fall is definitely upon us! The temperature is all over the place and it has definitely gotten cold at night. So cold in fact, that we turned our heat on at night for the first time last week. Of course with the weather changing, we want to make sure that everyone is taken care of so we’ve been checking to make sure our birds are snug outside in the big coop. We gave it a good scrubbing this past weekend and put some extra bedding in there to make sure everyone is nice and warm.

With the addition of cool weather and shorter days, the hens have gone on hiatus. Sad, but true. I will speak to you guys more about this in the next few weeks.

Thank you to everyone who tried out our basil pesto! We hope you enjoyed it. That was the last of our beautiful basil. For now we are concentrating on cool season vegetables, turning over beds, and saving seeds for next year.

HORTONS FARM: Some of you may know that we have been undergoing barn renovations in an effort to streamline the various things we do up here in beautiful Echo, AL. Today the Mr. and I mapped out a plan to include a combination kitchen/storage she-shed space for Ros. This means all the honey extraction, containers, pouring, storage, making candles, soaps, lip balms, creating new products, etc, etc, etc, can be moved OUT OF THE HOUSE. Hallelujah!

MARY’S PEEPS: I am so sorry for all the cancelled orders and not being there for all my customers in the past couple months, as I care for each and every one of you. It has been some bad times for me health wise. I have had some serious and difficult procedures, and only time will staighten them out. I keep hoping for thngs to go back to normal,  and God willing they will. Your prayers  are always welcome and appreciated. Thank you all and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Maybe 2018 will bring health and hope for a new year.  Mary Dale Peeples. (editor’s note: Please keep this dear lady in your prayers for health and healing!)

Richter Farms: Wishing all our wonderful customers-friends a Very Happy Thanksgiving! May you have a blessed time with family and friends! Love and hugs, Viki Richter

THE SCOOP ABOUT COMPOST

(editors note: THANK YOU Hawkins Homestead for this valuable information.!)

Let’s talk about compost. What exactly is it? Compost consists of vegetables, fruits, plant waste (banana peels), egg shells, fallen leaves, really almost any organic matter.

How do I start one? Got an old bin or can laying around? Well, start adding what you would normally throw away into it. Or just pick an unused corner of your yard and there you have it. Did you let those veggies sit around too long? Add it to the compost. Cooking eggs for breakfast? Save the shells and add those to your compost. Potato peels, cucumber skin, grass clippings, recyclable boxes, or cartons, manure (certain animals only), all great for your compost. They key is to have an equal balance of “green” fertilizer to “brown” fertilizer.  

What are the benefits of it? Compost is essential to organic gardening. When you think about the word sustainable, this is one major way that we do it.  We turn what grew from the soil, back into the soil. Healthy organic plants, start from healthy soil. Even if you don’t garden composting decreases waste and having less in the landfills is a win for everyone!

So try it for yourself or you can buy it from us. At Hawkins Homestead Farm, we raise chickens, grow produce, and make dirt!

MARKET CHITCHAT

It seems we always start this section with a THANK YOU! As we approach Thanksgiving season the more I think about it the more I see to be thankful for! In particular as I think about the Market this week I’m thankful for all our very excellent vendors, our amazing customers, and the patience and trust you show us every week.

That being said – THANK YOU to the Dothan folks who claimed their orders as early as possible on Friday and the Daleville folks who were kind enough to coordinate their schedule for Wendy’s absence. We hope you don’t mind doing it again this coming Friday as Ros will be doing the Daleville deliveries again.

Speaking of Wendy, Avalon Farms will be back after Thanksgiving. You’ve probably noticed other growers not listing recently – its a busy time of year! Mayim has things going on out of town, Restoration has things going on, and Mary’s Peeps continues to recover after a medical procedure. Those are just the ones I know about so if I missed mentioning anyone it was not intentional!

Today was the last of the Fall Farmer’s Market and while attendance was more sparse than previous, those of us there had a great time. Your editor even got to sit in on the Lean Bean Chef’s final class and it was EXCELLENT!

Be sure to note Christmas Open House on Dec. 7. . . can’t say too much just yet but it promises to be the best one yet!

Lastly . . . Thanks for your patience with this hasty newsletter!

2017 FOOD & FARM FORUM

The Food & Farm Forum is a statewide event that’s part-conference, part-fair, and part-reunion.  The Forum will consist of peer-to-peer, hands-on, and experiential learning, in the form of workshops, panel discussions, and breakout conversations, on topics ranging from herbal medicine and seed saving, to livestock production and farmers market management.
 
Approximately 200-250 farmers, gardeners, community leaders, and advocates for local and sustainable food, will convene for a weekend of “cross-pollinating” – swapping stories, ideas, and wisdom, with the shared goal of building a more robust and resilient agricultural system in Alabama.

Anyone who is interested is invited to attend; participants need not be existing members of ASAN’s network, and the Forum is designed to welcome people of all levels of skill and experience.
 
Parts of the Forum will be modeled after the folk tradition of the “bee,” in which community members come together to do shared work while also socializing, learning, and celebrating.  While participating in peer-to-peer discussion, participants may also be invited to shell peas, or crack pecans, or sew some stitches on a quilt.

LOCATION:  The Forum will be held at Camp McDowell (105 Delong Rd, Nauvoo, AL 35578), a summer camp owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, located in Winston County.  It is also home to the McDowell Environmental Center, the McDowell Farm School, and the Alabama Folk School.  Camp McDowell is roughly 1 hour from Birmingham, 

REGISTRATION AND LODGING:  The cost for adults is $80, which includes six high-quality locally sourced meals and all Forum programming.  Several options for on-site lodging (not included in registration) are available to accommodate different budgets.

Click here (then scroll to bottom) to reserve your spot today — registration deadline is Wednesday, November 22.  Certain lodging options are limited so early registration is encouraged!

 
___CHILDREN:  People of all ages are welcome at the Forum!  On-site child care will be provided, to make the event more accessible to people with children.  There are several different registration prices for younger participants.

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.

THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD

Last week I mentioned something called “Poutine” that we saw on EVERY menu in EVERY restaurant we visited in Nova Scotia. If you’ve not looked it up and shook your head in disbelief yet . . . .

Poutine is ridiculously simple and the variations and twists on it are ENDLESS. Drum Roll Please . . .

’

There you have it. Poutine. We ordered it three times and each time it was a bit different. John’s Lunch admitted they added a bit of clove to their brown gravy. (I know, it was weird). The plate we shared at a local diner on Prince Edward Island included donair (more about that later). The last one was at an upscale restaurant and it was probably the best of the three. But it was still plain old poutine.

Since home I’ve been nosing around on ways to serve a healthy version of this. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

1. Bake your fresh cut potatoes to make your french fries. And you can substitute or include sweet potatoes. True, it’s not the tried and true, but hey, if all the Canooks have their own versions why can’t us southerners include our healthy sweet taters?
2. The old original recipe is reported to have been made with cheese curds. Haven’t saw them since Wisconson, but I saw one recipe trying to turn tofu into cheese curds for a healthy vegan version. That’s just blasphemy. Use a good organic cheese from Working Cows.
3. Brown Gravy . . . .there again . . . Those broth bones from Working Cows and Casablanca make a mighty fine beef stock that would make a mighty fine gravy.

I guess all that’s to say this – popular comfort foods don’t have to be bad for you. I do not deny that this one needs to be enjoyed in moderation due to the high caloric content, but at least now you know how you can prepare it to be delicious, nutritious and almost guilt free.

MARKET CHITCHAT

We hope you got outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather even if you weren’t able to join us for the third Fall Farmer’s Market. We’re very aware that the schedule change due to last week’s weather threw some of our folks off and this was a case where we just ran with what we had.

And we had FUN! The crowd was great, the classes were AWESOME, (at least that’s what we were told!) and it was great meeting new folks and getting to know others better. We hope you’ll make plans to drop in next Saturday on November 11 for the final Fall Market and classes.

Speaking of such – its confirmed now that Mrs. Melody won’t be able to teach Healthy Food Preservation, but she is sharing her lesson plan and prepping some of our other folks to share this topic. That being said, there may be one – there may be three or four teachers next week for Healthy Food Preservation, so if you were planning to be with us at 9:30 am, keep it on the calendar! We promise you won’t be disappointed.

Lastly . . . Our Heart. Susan Avello, aka the Lean Bean Chef, will be speaking about Healing through Nutrition at 11:am. This will be our last class of the year and perhaps the most important one of all. Market at Dothan exists to SERVE our community through providing Fresh, Local, Sustainable and Year Round produce. Knowing that the high quality foods our growers work hard to provide make a difference in the quality of people’s lives fuels our dedication to continue doing so. How you eat DOES affect your health, and Susan is the best qualified person in the area to share about that topic. If you are reading this and struggling yourself or know someone who is struggling, come.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

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

AVALON FARMS: Excited to report the very first sugar snap pea blooms! So far, so good. Have not grown these in the fall before. Probably another month till harvest.

You’ll  notice my products are turned off as we are doing a little traveling. When the market starts up again after Thanksgiving we should have broccoli. Followed by a lull and then more broccoli.

Thank you all for traveling this road of sustainable farming with us. It certainly is a learning experience.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Hey there market friends! What a beautiful week it has been! Unfortunately we hear that some of you have been unwell and we are so sorry to hear that. Know that we are all rooting for a speedy recovery for you.

At Bain Home Gardens, things have been super busy. From expanding garden beds to planning spring beds there never seems to be enough time! With the clock falling back tonight, we will be working even harder chasing the sun!

Let’s talk mustards, Red Giant mustards to be specific. These beautiful greens aren’t green totally green but boast a beautiful purplish-maroon tint on top of a green leaf. We are cooking ours tonight but you can find yours on the market as of today! We will be trying the recipe below courtesy of the Food network channel (a guilty pleasure at the Bain Home).

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and put on medium-high heat. Toss in the garlic cloves and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook the garlic until it becomes golden brown and is very aromatic. Remove the garlic and discard.

Add the mustard greens and season with salt, to taste. Cover and cook the greens until they are soft and wilted. Stir in the vinegar. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if needed. Transfer the greens to a serving bowl and serve.
For exact measurements go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/sauteed-mustard-greens-recipe-1922016
If you have recipe that is tried and tested, scroll on over to our Facebook page and share it with us. From your family to ours and back again! See ya next week!

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: Hello friends! Today we participated in our last Fall Farmers Market. We were set up next to Smith Farms. Their lamb is delicious! Last weekend, we had the pleasure of visiting Casablanca Ranch. Mr. Anderson and his family are such kind and giving people. It’s great getting to know other growers as well as our customers. We have very much enjoyed meeting everyone. There is still one more Market Day to go next weekend so don’t miss out on your chance to meet your growers.

We have some chicks hatching out this Monday so there won’t be chickens for a while to give these guys time to grow and fatten up. We will however continue to have eggs but as the days get shorter, our girls produce less eggs. Not to worry though because, we will be concentrating on hatching out more layers (hens we hope) for the Spring as well.

In our garden we are growing broccoli, collards, and cabbage. Not sure when everything will be ready but we will keep you guys posted. We are also busy saving and gathering seeds for the Spring as well. As always we thank you for allowing our family to feed yours and we appreciate you all!

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.

WHAT LIES AHEAD . . .

We’re still going to have two more Farmer’s Markets and we’re still having all those awesome classes in our Market Pickup Area! The classes this far have been so well received and we’ve got such great reports back of folks being helped by them . . . that’s what it’s all about!!! So here’s the remaining Markets:

And yes, this is last week’s photo collection, but the the classes aren’t in the same order as the teachers.

1. Birdie Martin – Tea 101 at 9:30 on November 4.
2. Melody Forsythe-Jeschke – Healthy Food Preservation on at 9:30 am on November 11
3. Ros Horton – Kombucha on November 4 at 11:00am
4. Susan Avello – Healing Through Healthy Eating on Nov. 11 at 11:00am

We will keep you updated with additional information and (hopefully not) any changes on our Facebook page if need be.

WELCOME THE TREASURE BOX

If you have noticed something new and different in the Market listings then you’ve bumped into The Treasure Box already. Mandy and her soldier husband create all the designs in the handmade bracelets they offer through the Market. You can get to know them better by checking out our Grower page and their other websites.

FOR THE SEAFOOD LOVER

One of the things about traveling with a group is that sometimes you have to put aside your preferences for the good of the group. This was the case with the recent trip to Nova Scotia and PEI with my mom and sisters. So if confession is good for the soul this is my confession – I didn’t always eat the healthiest. When there was a good choice (like the hotel breakfast buffets), I chose the healthiest foods, but the rest of the time . . . .

We spent our first night in Dartmouth, just across the bridge from Halifax. It had been a tremendously long day and this bunch of women was HUNGRY. And hopeful to experience something different. One of my sisters found John’s Lunch & Pizza which appeared to be a local favorite.

As it turns out the menu wasn’t that different from our deep south seafood menus, but there were a few subtle differences . . . the glaring absence of catfish, lots of fresh haddock, digby scallops, and what in the world was that poutine thing listed with the sides?

We wound up getting poutine as our appetizer and splitting a couple of seafood platters. The haddock was AMAZING and the Digby Scallops . . . . oh my goodness! I’m sure I read in Hezekiah 84:17 that they will be served in heaven.

Seriously, this was a new revelation to us and it’s a good thing there were even numbers on the platters or war may have broke out at our table. It turns out that Digby is a beautiful seaside community in the southwestern part of Nova Scotia with a strong fishing industry and history. It is often named as “the Scallop Capital of the World”, because its’ scallop fishing fleet is the largest inshore scallop fleet in the world.

Wiki will tell you there’s no particular difference between the Digbys and any other scallops, but I don’t buy it. If given a chance, I will partake again! And if you like seafood and aren’t allergic, I hope you get the opportunity. You won’t be disappointed.

BAIN GARDEN WISDOM #3

This week we will be covering our third and final myth of this series. This weeks myth: I do not have time to garden! This one can be an real issue because gardening can take time and that is such a precious commodity in today’s society. If you have a desire to garden but are short on time, try applying these helpful tips:

KEEP IT SMALL! So you won’t have rows and rows of peas and carrots but that’s okay! If those peas and carrots are overrun by weeds of what benefit would it be to you and your family? Truthfully a 10×10 plot is as big as you want to go if time is an issue. This will limit how much weeding, watering and other maintenance is needed. Less work = less time!

PLANT IN POTS. Notice a theme here. Yes this has appeared in our myth buster series again! Why? Because planting in pots is awesome!!! So many things are adaptable to pots: tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, radish, spinach etc. Make sure you use a well draining potting mix with some composted material and guess what, you have eliminated the back breaking labor of weeding all together!

PLANT IN RAISED BEDS. This is also a great way to limit your workload and save time but you must again use a well draining soil mix and composted material to feed your plants. It’s also important to line the bottom of your raised bed with some type of barrier between weeds and your newly acquired soil. Landscape fabric seems to be a favorite of many home gardeners.

RAISED RAISED BEDS. I cannot complete this series without mentioning these. These can be bought and assembled or built to your specific height specifications. What this means is no bending at all when watering, planting and harvesting. This is really a great option out there for people who have back issues, are disabled, or in a wheelchair. If you really want to garden there is a way!

The last Fall Food Festival we saw some of you loading up your vehicles with plants, pots and soil. We were so pleased to see some you taking the dive into home gardening. We like to think that these myth busters helped. Either way, Bain Home Gardens wishes you the best with your bug free, inexpensive time conscience garden. Please share with us on our Facebook page your gardens, pots, and raised beds!

Editor’s Note: Thank You C. Bain for all the work you put into this informative and encouraging series! If you would like to see the previous articles in this series you will find them in the Weblog section of the Market website.

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.

”AN APPLE A DAY . . .

Such simple words and yet so profound! No doubt even in Mr. Franklin’s day men had knowledge that diet and health were related.

One of the things my family and I saw during our recent trip to Nova Scotia broke our hearts and troubled us deeply – millions of apples going to waste. We had heard that it was “apple season” in one part of the island but saw no apple orchards in production. What we did see was hundreds of loaded apple trees alongside the roads with neglected apples left to return to the earth from whence they came. We talked a lot about what we would do with such treasure at our disposal.

Canadians do like their apples though – just not the old varieties on old trees like what we saw, which were delicious by the way. (Yes, we did partake!) So it was kind of a treat to find this “Healthy At Home” recipe in a regional North Shore magazine. Unfortunately customs wouldn’t let us take our wild apples to the US, but there’s no reason we can’t enjoy a good crisp with our own varieties here.

Amped Up Apple Crisp
To make the topping gluten-free, use brown rice flour instead of whole wheat and substitute chopped nuts for oats.

FILLING
12 apples cored and sliced, with or without peels
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c dried currents
1 Tbs whole wheat pastry flour

TOPPING
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 TBS cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup canola oil (I recommend coconut instead!)

DIRECTIONS
preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To prepare filling place apples in large bowl. Fold in syrup, cinnamon and currents. Sprinkle on flour and gently fold until combined. Spread mixture into a 9×12 baking casserole.
To make topping, use the same mixing bowl and combine oats flour, nuts and cinnamon. In a separate bowl whisk together syrup and oil; add to dry ingredients and mix until crumbly. Spread topping evenly over apples, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes or until apples are cooked through. Remove from oven and serve. Serves 8 to 10.

MARKET CHITCHAT

Thank you to everyone who was kind and patient with our growers who experienced crop problems last week. Vegetable production is always at the mercy of nature’s ever changing conditions and despite our best efforts, sometimes things just don’t go as planned or hoped. This is especially true of growing without chemical amendments or pesticides as we do.

Don’t forget, if you are getting this Market newsletter that you are getting FIRST SHOT at the healthiest freshest produce in the Wiregrass! By placing an online order from the limited quantities available from our growers you are more assured of getting the items you want.

Did you know that eggs are affected by the seasons? If you’ve noticed the Market’s egg availability decreasing it’s because they lay fewer and fewer eggs as the days grow shorter.

FARMER’S MARKET SECRETS

(adapted from Reader’s Digest)

It’s best to get here early. But if you can’t make it until later, what you’ll get is still fresher than any that’s been shipped to a supermarket, as most farmers pick produce the day of or day before its sold. In the case of perishable products, some bargains can be found at the end of the day.

Many farmers depend on you to survive. Farmers count on the income from markets to get by; nearly all who participate in open markets run very small operations, and the profit margin is slim.

If you spend $100 at a farmers’ market, $62 goes back into the local economy, and $99 out of $100 stays in the state. If you spend $100 at a grocery store, only $25 stays here. So, where do you want your money to go?

Not sure? Ask to taste before buying. Almost all farmers are happy to provide a sample.

Please stop saying how expensive it is. Local farm products would sell for much more in any specialty store, where there would be additional overhead costs and markups.

Farmers don’t do deals. With the very thin margins, the prices are often incredibly fair and there’s no room for bargaining. The best way to get a good deal? Be a consistent customer.

It’s not really about retail sales. It’s about cultivating a relationship with people who are willing to spend a little bit more for something a whole lot better.

Standing out in the sun is nice, but the job isn’t easy. Up early, loading trucks with heavy produce, being mindful of money, home late. Plus, when it rains, customers stay away and bad weather can easily damage products.

Farmers care about where the products are coming from. Larger vendors may have a retail outlet, or be part of a franchise or chain business. Ask.

You can’t get everything all the time. To offer the freshest, best tasting food at a reasonable price, you have to be patient with the farmers and their growing cycles. There are seasons when certain produce isn’t available (even in California). No peaches in January, sure, but even in some regions, no summer tomatoes until late July.

The Internet has changed farm life for better. Customers from all over can keep connected to farm sites and Facebook pages, and can join mailing lists to hear about special crops, prices, CSA lists, and more.

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 CHITCHAT

Our second FALL FARMER’S MARKET was today! Thank you to all the vendors who set up and everyone who came out to visit and sit in on today’s fabulous classes! Carole Lolley taught about fermented foods and Katherine Flippo Johnson shared information and Water Kefir Grains in her class.

Two weeks from today two more fabulous ladies will hold classes in our Market Pickup Area where Carole is shown above. Birdie Martin of Martin Teas will be teaching Tea 101 at 9:30am on October 28, and Melody Forsythe-Jeschke will talk about Healthy Food Preservation. Both of these ladies KNOW THEIR STUFF! Be sure to put it on your calendar!

And the winner is . . . . On October 7 Ros managed one Facebook post while traveling that offered a $5 Market Gift Certificate to the best caption for silly photo. Our unbiased panel of one chose Philly Walden as the winner. Congrats Mrs. Philly!

BAIN GARDEN WISDOM #2

Myth Two: “Gardening is too expensive.”

Sigh…while there is a measure of truth to this myth, gardening doesn’t HAVE TO BE expensive. Again, from personal experience I have found this to be true. Here are a few tips that have helped us here at Bain Home Gardens keep productivity up and expense down:

Buy in the off season. Most stores put the gardening supplies on clearance in the fall because for them it is and off season but this isn’t the case for the fall gardener.This will require some planning but when you are paying $0.25 for recyclable starter pots (true story, just happened Sunday) your wallet will appreciate the value of your thinking ahead.

Have a garden buddy & share supplies. Most things are more enjoyable when you can share the experience with a friend. Gardening is no different. Sharing joys and pains with a friend heightens the experience and keeps you determined to garden but also keeps expenses down. How so? Well my garden buddy (Rachel of Hawkins Homestead Farm) and I have been known to share organic and heirloom seeds, split cost of products, & just share when we have an abundance or see a need that we can fill thereby keeping expense down.

Start small. Don’t feel like you have to grow EVERYTHING! Just grow what you know you & your family will eat. A small pot of lettuce, a plot of carrots or bed of collards is enough to start and maintain.

WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

What an absolute TREAT to have Emily D. Photography with us on Sept. 30! Those who have been with Market at Dothan have probably enjoyed something made by her or a family member as she is part of Spring Hill Farms whom we miss terribly! Emily is graciously sharing some of her photos with us and they’re much better than mine. Enjoy, and keep her in mind if you need a good photographer!

MARKET CHITCHAT

Just wanted to remind everyone that our regular online ordering cycle will continue without interruption till mid November when we will take a break for Thanksgiving. The last order cycle before Thanksgiving is Nov. 11-14 with pickup on the 17th.

Christmas Open House is scheduled for Thursday, December 7. This is a fun, festive event in connection with Dothan Nurseries complete with a tent style Farmer’s Market, music, food, vendors, and FUN! Be sure to put it on your calendar!

Lastly, in case anyone tries to reach your Market Manager between the time you read this and Thursday, October 12 . . . we apologize in advance for not responding! Ros is gone a few days with extremely limited internet access and no cell phone. Hopefully she’ll survive.

VIP ANNOUNCEMENT

A few days ago A Greener World made an announcement that Working Cows Dairy had qualified for certification through their agency. This is no small accomplishment as they are the 2nd dairy in the whole country to meet the grass fed and animal welfare requirements for this certification.

MARKET CHITCHAT

Obviously we’re rushed to get the Market Newsletter out on time. Thanks for your understanding and please note that regular Saturday – Tuesday online ordering will continue without interruption till mid November when we will take a break for Thanksgiving. The last order cycle before Thanksgiving is Nov. 11-14 with pickup on the 17th.

And after that . . . . Christmas Open House is scheduled for Thursday, December 11. This is a GREAT time to stock up on handcrafted and artisan gifts as well as foods to prepare for a healthy holiday season.

WISDOM FROM BAIN HOME GARDENS

Myth One:  Since I am afraid of insects and lizards I cannot garden.”  I start with this myth because I have dear friends whom I love and care for who say this to me all the time.  They may not even read this newsletter but to you almost, on the fence, I just might start a garden people out there – IT’S JUST NOT TRUE! I know because I myself am afraid of just about any insect you can find on the planet and allergic to a good many as well! I conquered my fears because I love gardening more that I hate bugs however, if you cannot do that here are some tips for you:
Plant in pots.  There are many fall plants that thrive in a pot as long as the pot contains well drained soil and is placed in a sunny location.  These plants include but are not limited to :
Spinach
Lettuce
Radish
Beets
Green Bunching Onions
Plant in the fall.  Here in Southern Alabama we do not get much of a fall or a winter which means a longer growing season.  Usually it does get cool enough for most bugs to go into some type of hibernation if only for a month or so. Take advantage of this time and plant something you know you will enjoy eating!

Adjust your view of bugs! This is where I personally have had the most adjustment. I had to understand that not all bugs are bad for the garden. In fact some bugs serve as pollinators! Also unsightly bugs like garden spiders can be beneficial because of their aggressive nature, not too many things get by them including bugs that are harmful to the garden.
That is it for this weeks edition of myth busters.  Next week we will be tackling yet another common myth.