Getting to Know You . . .

If you are not familiar with To Work With My Hands it is our great delight to introduce this blog and the wonderful woman behind it.

To Work With My Hands was well underway and going strong when I first met Karen King a few years ago and my respect and admiration for her has only grown with the passage of time. She is one of those rare individuals who manages many things well and still finds time for growth, improvement, doing things she loves and SHARING. Her sweet generous spirit is one of the unspoken things that comes through her photos, her writing and now Facebook Live videos.

If you missed her last week on Hometalk, it is available to view in the May 31 posts and well worth scrolling down for. And for more good news, three more are scheduled! Watching them in real time is fun as viewers can interact with her, and if you’re like me and have to catch one later, it’s still informative and inspirational. I’m wishing now I had stopped by Hobby Lobby for some 26 gauge wire on the way home from Market yesterday as I have a ton of great beads that I know what to do with now!

Here are the dates and times for the other Facebook Live Videos on the Hometalk page:

You’re sure to enjoy your visit to To Work With My Hands and we hope you’ll catch Karen’s videos every chance you can. And when you find yourself waiting to pick up an order some Friday alongside a sweet lady with a familiar face, well, now you know who she is and we know she’d love to meet you too!

In Season

One of the great things about interacting with people is learning new things, and with the Market, learning about new ways to use fresh foods is always fun. Feel free to share what inspires you the way these two items have inspired us this week!

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.

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!

Organic vs. Conventional

(Market Note: Market at Dothan makes no claim to be an “Organic” Market as the bulk of our growers and vendors are too small and too busy growing food that exceeds National Organic Practices (NOP) standards. What we do claim to be is SUSTAINABLE which produces equal and superior foods, farms and families. The following article explains the difference between our values and conventional farming better than we can despite the use of the “o” word.

The differences between organic and conventional foods stem directly from the farming methods that were used during the food’s production. Many people are unaware of some of the differences between the two practices. Agriculture has a direct effect on our environment, so understanding what goes into our agriculture is important. Below is a list of some of the key differences between organic and conventional farming. One of the biggest differences that is seen time and time again across all research between the two farming practices is the effect on the land. Organic farming works to increase sustainability, biodiversity, and to encourage good soil and air quality. This is maintained by the use of natural growing practices, the avoidance of harmful chemicals, and the continued practice of crop rotation and other natural farming methods.

Organic Farming
Organic farming minimizes chemical usage
Organic farming promotes biodiversity
Soil health is improved with organic farming practices
Only natural methods are used in organic farming

Conventional Farming
Conventional farming makes use of chemicals, synthetics, and other materials to manage weeds and pests
Conventional farming uses unnatural farming methods
Conventional farming use of pesticides has garnered attention towards acceptable levels of toxicity, and whether there should actually be an acceptable level
Pesticides used in conventional farming can be damaging to your health.
There are many other differences between organic and conventional farming, but these seem to be the most spoken of in regards to consumer health. There have been arguments around whether or not conventional farming methods are safe for one’s health. This is because of the pesticides and GMO’s used in the conventional farming practices. Many people are concerned that those growing practices promote unsafe chemical use, especially because the level of toxicity is said to be under a “safe” level, but what is really safe?

Luckily, many places make it easy to get ahold of seasonal, local and organic products. There are many CSA’s, grocery delivery services and organic markets that promote a more healthy way of eating.

(End note: That last paragraph describes Market At Dothan and our four core values of FRESH, LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE and YEAR ROUND. Our goal is to provide you the best in the Wiregrass!)

D’s Jellies

Sometimes we never know the greatness that moves among us! Our very own Dianne Herring is a case in point. Dianne has been a part of Market at Dothan for many years, well known and well loved for those delicious jams and jellies made with homegrown mahaws, blackberries, peppers, , etc from her farm.

Did you know she’s also an accomplished cook whose work is regularly featured in Wiregrass Living magazine?

Congratulations Dianne! We’re proud to have you as part of our Market family and can’t wait to get a copy of the magazine!

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.

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!

A Solemn Charge

“Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation’s gratitude, the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan. “ JOHN A. LOGAN, Commander-in-Chief, May 5, 1868

“In this time of unprecedented success and prosperity throughout our land, I ask that all Americans come together to recognize how fortunate we are to live in freedom and to observe a universal “National Moment of Remembrance” on each Memorial Day. This memorial observance represents a simple and unifying way to commemorate our history and honor the struggle to protect our freedoms. “ William J Clinton, May 3, 2000

Memorial Day Trivia:
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of those who have died serving our country.
General John Alexander Logan ordered the Memorial Day holiday to be observed by decorating the war dead.
On Memorial Day, the flag should be at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff.
Red Poppies are recognized as the Memorial Day flower.
“Taps” is often played at ceremonies on Memorial Day.
Memorial Day was first called “Decoration Day” because of the practice of decorating soldier’s graves with flowers.
New York was the 1st state to officially recognize Memorial Day.
Flowers and flags are the two most popular items people use to remember soldiers.
The south refused to honor the dead on Memorial Day until after World War I when the meaning of Memorial Day changed from honoring civil war dead to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war.
Memorial Day was declared a federal holiday in 1971.

Formal Observance of Memorial Day:
Wear a red poppies on Memorial day to honor those who died serving the United States during war.
At 3 p.m. local time, Americans should pause for a moment of silence or listen to “Taps”.
Visit cemeteries and place flags or flowers on the graves of veterans.
Visit a memorial.
Attend a parade to honor fallen heroes.

In Season

The words, the culture and the country may change, but the deep sentiment and call to honor our dead have not. Memorial Day is now also regarded as the unofficial beginning of summer and often includes family gatherings and picnics and GRILLINNG! To that end we dedicate this section of available Market foods in hopes this will be your most delicious Memorial Day ever.

No picnic is complete without Deviled Eggs. Market at Dothan is blessed to have Kathy’s Churpers, Mary’s Peeps, Richter Farms, Sandspur Farms, and Horton’s Farm who all have eggs. Avalon Farms now has pickles and relishes available for making them. For especially healthy toppings, try microgreens and sprouts from Restoration Gardens and Mayim Farms.

No picnic is complete without a refreshing beverage. May we suggest The Tea Cart’s Honey Bush Peach Apricot tea infused with fresh fruit and lightly sweetened with honey from Horton’s Farm?

If you still have room after all that a Cream Cheese Pound Cake from Mary’s Peeps travels well and is the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

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.

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!

Welcome Restoration Gardens!

What a joy to welcome Restoration Gardens to Market at Dothan! We hope many of you tried their microgreens last week as together we were scrambling to get their current products listed after Market opened. The Tavares family are new Wiregrass residents having recently moved to Slocomb from Tennessee where they were involved with several area Farmer’s Markets around the Cumberland Plateau.

Rather than re-invent the wheel I’m going to let them tell you their story in their own words.

“Restoration Gardens is a very small, Christian, deep-organic family farm. We function with a mission to bring glory to God by restoring the land to health and productivity, and subsequently, the people who depend upon it for life and health. We are so happy to fill our place in this virtuous employment alongside so many other wonderful folks. This is a necessary work that we are thrilled to see a revival of. It’s our belief that human life started with the soil, and that there is an immutable connection between the soil and our society’s health and well being – thus the name Restoration Gardens – connection with God through/and nature is restorative.

The term “deep-organic” signifies that we use mostly organic growing practices, but go still further, or deeper, by trying to grow healthy soil, plants and people – a whole, healthy ecosystem. Unlike “certified organic,”  which only substitute the worst chemical poisons with less objectionable ones, we are striving for a real transformation in our agriculture that will truly leave the land better than we found it, and do the same for people, too.

We are also well defined by other popular terms, such as:
Ecological and Bionomic – signifying that we are attempting to grow (and live) according to the laws of life ruling the universe and, as mentioned previously, nurture a healthy, thriving ecosystem.

Non-GMO – We strictly appose the development, and use of all GMOs (genetically modified organisms). We do all in our power to avoid supporting that killer technology in anyway, and certainly to avoid having ourselves or other people eating it from our own hands.

Remineralized, and balanced soil – Through the course of centuries of erosion and deplorable agricultural practices, our land has been steadily depleted of vital nutrients necessary not only for optimal plant health and vigor, but also human health. Many statistics are showing frightful decreases in the amounts of certain nutrients found in food now compared to levels recorded only decades earlier, food back then had hundreds of times more of certain elements, this is something no doubt contributing significantly to our current medical crisis.
As the old adage says, you are indeed what you eat. And the plants you eat are of no higher quality than what they eat. Thus we strive to balance our soils according to the monumental work done by the late, world-renowned scientist William Albrecht and those walking in the light he shed upon this essential field.
All the loss of nutrients from our land is going somewhere, and the bulk of it lands in our seas and oceans. By utilizing kelp meals, fish and seaweed fertilizers, and concentrated sea minerals, we are recycling lots of this “gold” back on to our gardens and essentially into us, the consumer.
Another area we find a rich mine of essential elements for plant and human growth and health is in the mineral reserves of the earth. Just think, the rocks and minerals have captured, virtually unchanged in many instances, the elements of by-gone eras and made them available to us now. When we use these minerals on our gardens, the results are outstanding.

The path to a balanced soil and healthy garden ecosystem is a progressive path through many, many seasons of constant tweaking and re-tweaking as we learn more and more, although we may not have attained total success yet, we are on that path.”

Still Serving Farmers

Those among you who have been with the Market a long time may remember Susan Owens who was associated with the Market in its beginnings. Like all of us, Susan experienced major life changes and her situation meant she couldn’t continue being involved, but being Susan, she has never stopped serving others.

Recently, as part of her many years with Vivian B Adams school, she is working with USDA and the Farm Service Agency organizing workshops for “home gardeners, small produce farmers and the general public.” Topics covered are 1) Growing and Marketing Produce 2) Local Networking Opportunities and 3) FSA programs for fruits, vegetables and specialty products. The first of several such workshops will be held May 23 at Backyard Orchards just north of Eufaula and you are invited!

This Week’s Grower Notes

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

AVALON FARMS: Thanks to everyone for coming out to the Dothan Nursery Open House Thursday night! It was great to connect with old market friends and put faces with new online market friends!! You are all a great blessing to me. All this work is only worthwhile if someone enjoys the fruits of the labor. Love seeing those smiling faces.

For the latest in farm news, check us out on Facebook AvalonFarmsProduce

SANDSPUR FARMS: Special thanks to everyone who braved the gnats to come out and see me Thursday. I love putting names with faces at all of our events, and seeing old customers again. We are restocked on our bacon and pan sausage. We’ve also added our cubed steak as well.

(Carnivores Like Sandspur veggies! Friday evening I caught one of our German Shepherds being quite naughty with her front paws up on the stove. Frankie had scarfed down all but a bite or two of the leftover Sandspur zucchini I had planned to have for lunch the next day! Ros)

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.

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!

Meet Lily Twigs!

There are no words to describe how honored, humbled and grateful we are to host this young company owned and operated by an even more amazing young woman. Lily Twigs is going to be with us for Open House next Thursday, May 11 and we couldn’t be more excited. Rather than tell you all about it, we’ll let Brannah tell you herself in her own words.

Messages from Our Growers

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

AVALON FARMS:
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Spring Open House. We’ll have samples of our Sassy Apricot Habanero Jam, Pear Honey, Ginger Pears and Pear Preserves.

The sunflowers are getting close!! I’m like a little kid, everyday I check to see if the golden petals have started to open. If some open they’ll be available at the Open House.

The first blackberries are getting a blush of color. These berries are huge, thumb sized jewels of deliciousness. Extra sweet, because we don’t pick them until they are fully ripe. They should start coming in end of the month.

D’S JELLIES: D’s Blueberry Preserves is my new product and will be available at Spring Open House.  Our Mayhaws are ripening and I have been busy gathering them for D’s Mayhaw Jelly.  D’s Blackberry Jelly will be available, too.  D’s Hot Pepper Jelly should be available in June when our peppers are ready.  There will be samples of my jellies and preserves for you to taste at Open House.  I hope to see you there!

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.

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net

Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan

For Friday Pickup: Dothan: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville: Daleville Chamber of Commerce Office

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!

Cooking Thyme

If you love learning, good food, good company and a great time, Cooking Thyme is a unique opportunity for anyone age 6 and above to experience all those things.

Cooking Thyme was founded in 2014 by a fellow Market at Dothan customer, Allison Moody. The back story of Cooking Thyme is that Allison was diagnosed with AML Leukemia after a 16 year career in furniture sales.  After surviving cancer, her desire was to share her long time passion for food in a meaningful way by offering informal instruction in the art of cooking to people of all ages.  In the spring of 2016, she returned to her furniture sales career, but periodically offers cooking classes and a variety of freshly prepared foods throughout the year.

“The idea of Cooking Thyme was inspired by Hebrews 13:2 which reads “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so, some have shown hospitality to angels and did not know it”. The goals of Cooking Thyme are to provide freshly prepared food items that comfort the soul and the opportunity for hands-on training to people of all ages in hopes they find joy in cooking as a means to show hospitality to others.”

Cooking Thyme is now scheduling a variety of camps and classes for younger cooks this summer. For adults, Allison offers customized lesson/events to suit many needs; everything from Girls Night Out and How to Survive in the Dorm to a Date Night for couples.

So if you looking for a great experience for your budding chef or want a different kind of intimate social event, or just want to expand on your own base of culinary knowledge, look no further!

Schedule

This Week’s Grower Notes

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

SANDSPUR FARMS: The time has come!! As you are reading this, I’m probably finishing the first “pickin” of our squash. We will start this week with our CSA boxes! Squash, green beans, zucchini and who know what all else will come ready between now and Friday. Our blueberries should be coming very soon as well. There will be several types, so be sure and read the descriptions.
Also, we have reduced the price of our ground beef and offer some bundle packs. If you have not yet tried it, you really should! It has very little to no fat to drain off. It also has no additives for color or anything else. The dark red color is what wholesome, 14 day aged ground beef looks like. Plus, it’s not from old dairy cows either. Thanks again for your continued support!

HORTON’S FARM: Honey Flow! Our bees continue to work hard bringing in nectar for this years honey crop. Out here in rural Dale County they have access to some blooming (nuisance) plants that are not normally found in urban environments where property is managed more closely. A case in point is the Southern Prickly Ash. Ours were COVERED in bees for three days last week. The last time they bloomed this well our honey had a quality/taste to it that can only be described as “buttery”.

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.

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net

Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan

For Friday Pickup: Dothan: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville: Daleville Chamber of Commerce Office

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!

After the Holiday . .

It seems that no matter how good our planning or intentions are going into a holiday celebration, we often find ourselves on the other side of it wishing we hadn’t ate this or so much of that. Here at the Horton house we enjoyed a wonderful Easter meal with roasted vegetables, smoked meat and Quinoa Salad (pictured further down), along with BLT Macaroni Salad and Mint Chocolate Cake from Mary’s Peeps! Those last two . . . oh my! SO GOOD! But not so good for the waistline.

With that in mind it was interesting that the vast majority of this last week’s Market purchases were VEGETABLES! What a blessing that we have so many from so many growers! And Sandy Valley even blessed us with fresh peaches! It wasn’t much of a surprise to learn that people are already canning/freezing/drying to enjoy high quality Market produce all year round.

With all of us trying to stay on track with good eating habits it seemed like a good time to examine some popular weight loss and lifestyle diets and that (mostly) fit with the type fresh foods Market at Dothan offers. There are WAY too many to list here so what follows are informative links that we hope will inspire and help you in your own quest to eat and live well.

Healthline reviews 26 popular weight loss plans with pros and cons available for each one.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) focuses on healing the GI tract and is very similar to the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet and the Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Diet.

This is a fun link to learn more about Paleo.

This website examines nine diets including Paleo, Vegan and Atkins.

Important Daleville Announcement

As of next week our Daleville pickup location has been permanently changed to the Daleville Chamber of Commerce Office. Be sure thank to Mrs. Nancy there who has graciously welcomed the Market and made it possible for us to serve our customers in that area.

Schedule

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’ve been working on infrastructure. That’s a big word meaning we’ve been working to make our farm more efficient and productive. The biggest addition is an 8 × 10 walk-in cooler that we built ourselves (proud DIY moment :). We can run that baby all the way down to 32 degrees, BUT that isn’t what summer veggies love. They like it around 40 to 50. Now we’ll be able to pick our vegetables at the peak of ripeness and store them properly to maintain the utmost in quality and freshness.

Squash are coming on strong. Zephyrs, patty pans and crook necks will be listed this week in small amounts.

Sugar Snap Peas – moved to the next row of peas. Had to abandon the older row after just 3 weeks due to these hot days. If you would like some over mature sugar snaps (they lose the sweet flavor) for yourself or animals let me know. Goats and rabbits still love them. wendy@avalonfarms.us

HORTON’S FARM: We are pleased to announce a new recipe/dish/product we LOVE and think you will too. Ros has always been a fan of quinoa and our Rice Blend Plus is the result of figuring out how to get it inside a meat and potatoes man. Now we’ve had another success as the Mr. likes this QUINOA SALAD. We’ll give you the recipe if you ask, but we’re making it easy by packaging everything except spinach (available from Mayim Farms). We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.

SANDY VALLEY: Thank you for sticking with us during this busy season. We have onions and carrots back on the Market website this week.

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.

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net

Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan

For Friday Pickup: Dothan: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville: Daleville Chamber of Commerce Office

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!

Ramblings from Ros

Many of you are aware that I spent a few days in Memphis late March and early April. It was a great trip on many levels, the main one being meeting our newest grandson! Daniel Judson Cowherd arrived April 3 and joins rollicking big brother Colby who already knows more about trucks and trains than I do.

Now that that’s out of the way let me share another highlight – the MEMPHIS FARMER’S MARKET! We were able to visit on opening day, April 1.

Memphis Farmer’s Market is local within 150 miles of the city. Vendors come from Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. The city has a nice pavilion close to the river complete with electricity and bathrooms. Vendors are able to back their vehicle up to the the pavilion and work from there, or set up tents and/or tables. As expected, it is a traditional market with foods grown traditional ways, but they also had one vendors who was certified Naturally Grown. Artisans selling pottery, soap, jewelry, etc were also on hand. We all sampled bean pie which tasted a lot line sweet potato or pumpkin pie. Another unique thing was kombucha on tap. It was great! People were lined up getting growlers filled for $10!

There were a LOT of food items available, and a few food trucks, but the part that surprised and delighted me was that they didn’t have any vegetables that Market at Dothan doesn’t have. Lettuce, onions, carrots, kale and chard . . . that was about it! I was secretly delighted as the variety we have offered this year far surpasses theirs.

And of course I chuckled when I overheard one woman complain that they didn’t have any fruit.

The main thing I noticed that we don’t currently offer is cut flowers. While they were breathtaking to behold, I think Nursery plants are superior as they don’t need to be replaced in a week. Music was the other thing. I doubt we’ll have any street musicians on board anytime soon but I could bring my harmonica one day . . . .

Schedule

This Week’s Grower Notes

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

HORTON’S FARM: With the full moon last week we spent a lot of time planting tomatoes and peppers, including some varieties Ros found in Memphis. We hope to offer a bundles from Caspian Pink, Old German, Black Krim, Green Zebra and Cherokee Purple later this year.

MARY’S PEEPS: It’s been another wonderful week and sales were so generous. Thank you for trying my cakes and other sweets, and those who bought my eggs, I hope you made something great with them.  I appreciate all of the customers, new and old who tried my products.  I try  to bring something new from time to time, and making them for you is my pleasure. I would also like to thank everyone who recycles, because it helps all of us in the market to reuse when we can.  Again I thank all of you who supports all of little farms to bring the freshest and best we can.  Mary Peeps,  Mary Dale Peeples

SANDY VALLEY: We appreciate everyone buying our vegetables from the table display at the Market. This is a busy time of year for us and with unpredictable quantities and an unpredictable schedule this method works best for the time being. We are fussy about providing the absolute best products possible and won’t deliver anything that’s not perfect.

Footnotes

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net

Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan

For Friday Pickup: Dothan: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville: Corner of Daleville Avenue and Hwy 134

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!

Healthy Holiday Series

Holidays are always such a joyous occasion and most are celebrated with FOOD! The downside is that many of the delicious foods our culture has come to associate with said holidays are not the best for us and leave us regretting that big meal or decadent dessert.

It doesn’t have to be that way! Following are some tips to avoid the regret and further down in this newsletter we are sharing some recipe inspiration in hopes that this will be your best Easter dinner ever!

Following are Ten Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating by Greta Macaire

1. Be realistic. Don’t try to lose pounds during the holidays, instead try to maintain your current weight.

2. Plan time for exercise. Exercise helps relieve holiday stress and prevent weight gain. A moderate and daily increase in exercise can help partially offset increased holiday eating. Try 10- or 15-minute brisk walks twice a day.

3. Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.

4. Survey party buffets before filling your plate. Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite. Include vegetables and fruits to keep your plate balanced.

5. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy.

6. Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating; non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar.

7. If you overeat at one meal go light on the next. It takes 500 calories per day (or 3,500 calories per week) above your normal/maintenance consumption to gain one pound. It is impossible to gain weight from one piece of pie!

8. Take the focus off food. Turn candy and cookie making time into non-edible projects like making decorations, baskets or coloring eggs. Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t all about food. Try serving a holiday meal to the communityor playing games.

9. Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering.

10. Practice Healthy Holiday Cooking. Preparing favorite dishes lower in fat and calories will help promote healthy holiday eating. Incorporate some of these simple-cooking tips in traditional holiday recipes to make them healthier.

Schedule

Recipe Inspiration

Try this Honey Baked Pork Roast instead of a traditional cured ham. This recipe bakes the flavors of honey-baked ham into a pork picnic roast. The meat slowly roasts so that the sugar-honey spice rub bakes into a shellac-like crust. And the roast slices like ham, with firm but juicy slices that go perfectly with a simple honey-mustard sauce. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin when done, but leave the fat layer on to insulate the meat as it cooks.

What goes with Honey Pork? Honey Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots! The sweetness, the savoriness, the simplicity of the recipe, it’s pretty much perfection as far as super tasty side dishes go. Never mind that Peter Cottontail would be excited to see it on the menu.

The color may not be natural but these Easter Deviled Eggs are sure to be a crowd pleaser, especially with younger folks. The recipe is simple and fun enough they may just want to make them!

Nothing says “spring” like a Seven Layer Salad. This version made us chuckle a bit as it claims to be vegetarian but includes chicken. That being the case why not just use crumbled bacon from Sandspur or Richter Farms?

Tortellini Salad with Kale Pesto & Cherry Tomatoes is a stunning and healthy salad addition to any meal but is also a good recipe to keep in mind recipe for those crazy nights when you literally need to put something together in less than 20 min.

Sandspur’s Frozen Biscuits would make up nicely for this Savory Herb & Cheese Monkey Bread. This is another dish the younger folk would enjoy helping to make. The results are stunning and delicious!

A Horton Family Favorite! Oven Roasted Root Vegetables are a healthy and delicious side dish. They are perfect for a simple dinner or a holiday feast. We like to add a taste of pizzazz by using infused olive oil.

Eggstraordinary has many ideas for decorating and eating eggs.

Easter Ideas: is a newer board with a smattering of non-egg Easter ideas.

Footnotes

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net

Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan

For Friday Pickup: Dothan: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville: Corner of Daleville Avenue and Hwy 134

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!

The Low Down on Eggs

If you’ve been a member of our Market Family any length of time you’re aware that EGGS are one of our most popular products. The very first Grower to sell eggs is still at it and many more have joined since that time. This is a good thing as we even offer goose eggs now!

With Easter around the corner and the chickens laying more as the days have got longer it’s time to revisit this great natural food. We hope you’ll enjoy the information that follows.

*Can’t remember if an egg is fresh or hard boiled? Just spin the egg. If it wobbles, it’s raw. If it spins easily, it’s hard boiled. A fresh egg will sink in water, a stale one will float.

*Eggs contain all the essential protein, minerals and vitamins, except Vitamin C. But egg yolks are one of few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D. Eggs also contain choline, which is necessary for healthy cell membranes in the body. Choline stimulates brain development and function and helps preserving memory. Eggs also are good for your eyes because they contain lutein which helps prevents age-related cataracts and muscular degeneration. In fact, eggs contain more lutein than spinach and other green vegetables.

*The color of the egg shell is not related to quality, nutrients, flavor, or cooking characteristics. White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. Brown egg layers usually are slightly larger and require more food, thus brown eggs usually cost more than white eggs. An egg shell has as many as 17,000 pores over its surface.
*A whole egg is about 3 tablespoons worth of liquid, the egg yolk measures about 1 tablespoon of liquid. Older hens tend to lay bigger eggs but double-yolked eggs are produced by younger hens whose egg production cycles are not yet synchronized. There are about 70 calories in an uncooked egg and 77 calories in a cooked egg.

• Worldwide China produces the most eggs, at about 160 billion per year. In the US, about 280 million hens produce more than 65 billion eggs per year. A hen can lay about 250 eggs per year.
  *The color of an egg yolk is determined by a hen’s diet. Like shell color, it has nothing to do with an egg’s nutritional value. If you crack open your egg to discover a dark yellow yolk, the hen was probably fed green vegetables. A medium-yellow yolk would indicate a diet of corn and alfalfa while a light-yellow yolk could be the result of eating wheat and barley.

Schedule

This Week’s Grower Notes

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

HORTON’S FARM: We are “almost” back from Memphis (complete with a visit to opening day of the Memphis Farmer’s Market!) and our products are available for order this week.

If you plan to decorate eggs for Easter, take advantage of the “almost fresh” eggs laid during Ros’s absence. They are perfect for Easter decorating and anything where you want your boiled egg to peel nicely (as very fresh one’s don’t!). They are mostly light brown so any color added to them has a depth and richness you don’t get with white eggs.

MARY’S PEEPS: I will begin adding my Easter cakes and specialty items coming up for ordering for Easter time. Just so that everyone has a chance to get a look. Thanks for everything, Mary Peeps, Mary Dale Peeples

RICHTER FARMS: Happy Spring! The farm is keeping us busy with lots of eggs and piglets! We are putting our roasts on Sale 20% off for your Easter Celebrations! I’m happy to see the Sourdough Starter has been a favorite at the market! And don’t forget the yummy homemade bread and muffins!

Footnotes

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net

Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan

For Friday Pickup: Dothan: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville: Corner of Daleville Avenue and Hwy 134

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!