Displaying items by tag: Saratoga Farmers' Market

Thursday, 18 March 2021 15:05

My Job to Carry the Torch

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

During our current coronavirus pandemic, many of us are spending more time at home. Cooking has meant consistency at a time when everything has changed. This past year has been a time of trying new things to make and bake in our kitchens. The silver lining of having so much time on our hands has led to much more baking and trying out the desserts we have been longing to make.  Let’s talk about desserts, a confectionery course that completes your meal or maybe more than that, brings joy to everyone’s face after a delicious bite. There is no denying the fact that desserts bring us some level of happiness. My father-in-law’s favorite part of the meal was the dessert. Although he would always finish everything on his dinner plate, he would have room for the anticipated dessert that was to come. I have to admit that I have a bit of a sweet tooth as well. 

Among the plethora of baking items that our customers have been coming into the store for, the cooking torch has become a must-have kitchen accessory for any gourmet home chef. The cooking torch lets you achieve that crunchy, caramelized layer of sugar on top of your custard. The cooking torch is not limited to just crème brûleé, though. You can use it for bread puddings, baked Alaska, and even for melting cheese on top of soup. Here are some other ways to use your cooking torch: Although we love adorning fiber- and protein-packed oatmeal with fun and healthy toppings, some mornings need a little more than a drizzle of honey. Torching your toppings is the perfect way to give your oats an exciting new makeover. Not to mention, it’ll totally wake you up. Top your bowl with fat-blasting unsweetened cocoa powder and cinnamon, and torch away to lend the spices some smokiness. For those with a sweet tooth, make a simple bananas foster oatmeal by mixing a few drops of vanilla extract into the oats and then garnishing with sliced bananas, cinnamon, and honey. Then, allow the torch to caramelize the toppings. Whether you’re layering slices on sourdough or sprinkling the good stuff on a bowl of homemade French onion soup, perfectly melted cheese can be achieved in minutes with a kitchen torch. For meat that’s best served a little undone—like lamb, prime rib, and roast beef—lightly char the surface with your torch before popping the protein in the oven. This method also works well with fish. Just scald the skin on your salmon fillet for that extra bite. And for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, wrap grilled asparagus in turkey bacon and set it aflame to up the flavor factor and impress your guests before dinner is even served.

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store to get the tools you need to make delicious desserts and when you are asked to “carry the torch.”  Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & PaulaREARDON PassionFruitPie

Published in Food

Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga and translates to “science of life.” Application of Ayurveda requires foundational knowledge of three constitutions, called doshas. Doshas are energetic systems of the body that influence body type and characteristics.

There are three doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, derived from the five natural elements; air, ether, water, fire, earth. Vata is composed of air and ether (think light, flowing, movement). Pitta is of fire and water (think powerful, transformational, bold). Kapha is of earth and water (think grounded, calm, cohesion). In short, the goal of Ayurveda is to keep these doshas balanced for good health. 

What you eat influences your doshic health. Seasonal, organic, and local fresh foods are the best to consider for dosha balance. Ayurveda’s taste types are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, astringent, and bitter. Each taste has a specific effect and can be aggravating or balancing to a dosha type. For example, pungent foods like hot spices, garlic, onions, chiles- which stimulate digestion- can aggravate Pitta and Vata but can balance Kapha. On the other hand, oils can aggravate Kapha but balance Pitta and Vata. These elemental influences are not only present in your body but correspond to the seasons and climate. 

Enjoy these simple recipes, using ingredients you can find at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market! Use as a main dish for vegan and vegetarian options, or pair with a meat protein. You can find turkey, chicken, beef, fish, pork, goat, veal, and lamb at the farmers’ market. [Ramble Creek Farm, Squashville Farm, Longlesson Farm, Bunker Hill Creamery, Hebron Valley Veal, Pura Vida Fisheries, Moxie Ridge Farm,  Elihu Farm]. Don’t forget to stop by Muddy Trail Jerky Co. to spice things up. Moon Cycle Seed Company recommends these recipes for hormone health and to pair with your seed cycling protocol for women’s health.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For online pre-ordering and curbside pickup, visit localline.ca/saratoga-farmers-market.

FM GingerCarrotSoup

FM RootVeggieSautee

Published in Food
Thursday, 11 March 2021 14:19

A ‘New Normal’ for Saratoga Farmers Market?

The outdoor season for the Saratoga Farmers Market begins in eight weeks. What will that mean for vendors, market staff, and the market’s many loyal shoppers as Saratoga and its surrounding communities start to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic?

The market was in a state of flux, even before the pandemic. It moved its indoor location in 2019 from the Saratoga Spa State Park, where it had been for six years, to the Wilton Mall. The market shut down for a week in March 2020 when the strictest restrictions were imposed but was able to reopen quickly by moving outdoors to the empty mall parking lot outside the shuttered Bon Ton. Summer construction work and continued safety concerns made a return to its traditional outdoor locale at High Rock Park impossible, so the market remained at the mall.

That decision proved successful in keeping the market strong, says Mark Bascom, co-owner of Owl Wood Farm and president of the market association’s board. “It wouldn’t have been possible without our dedicated customers who have kept on supporting us through our transitions.”

Now, with a new outdoor season approaching, the market is unsure where its summer home will be.

Bascom said a survey of vendors shows they are split between moving back to the park or remaining at the mall. The market board plans to survey customers, as well.

The mall’s outdoor parking lots are spacious, which creates space for many vendors to operate with appropriate distances between them. Creating that kind of space at and around High Rock Park would require some reconfiguring, says market manager Emily Meagher. Still, to many vendors and shoppers, High Rock is home.

Overall, farmers’ markets nationally have had an increase in business throughout the pandemic, according to retail analysts. This increase has been somewhat true for the Saratoga Farmers Market, as well.

“During the first few months of the pandemic, when farmers’ markets seemed to be one of the only trusted places to shop, business was really booming for our food vendors,” says Meagher. “That was due in large part to being outside.” 

“When we moved back indoors, our market tapered down,” she added. “That’s to be expected. A lot of our customers just don’t feel comfortable shopping indoors right now.”

The market has responded to that discomfort by establishing an online pre-ordering service. Customers can access the online shopping service at localline.ca/saratoga-farmers-market or through the farmers’ market’s website saratogafarmersmarket.org. Online shoppers may view offerings from 9 p.m. Monday through 9 p.m. Thursday and place orders for a large variety of goods. Market staff gather the items from vendors and package them for customers to pick up at a site just outside the market.

Some vendors also have chosen to cease attending because of safety concerns. However, newer vendors have joined and are energizing the market as “customers catch on to their presence and the high-quality products they offer,” Meagher says.

Other vendors are learning to adjust to changing conditions. Beth Trattel of Something’s Brewing used to draw much of her business from sales of hot and cold beverages sold on the spot. Those sales have fallen as customers have begun visiting the market more to shop and less to hang out. However, Trattel has seen more robust sales of her fresh-roasted coffee beans that customers take home to make. This shift also has been real for some prepared food vendors. Giovanni Fresco, for instance, offers take-home meals as well as fresh pasta. 

Bascom said warmer weather might allow the market to move outdoors earlier than usual, which would help ease safety concerns. “Farmers' markets always are changing,” he says. “That keeps things interesting for the customer. But overall, we are glad that they are viewed as an integral part of the food system.”

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For online pre-ordering and curbside pickup, visit localline.ca/saratoga-farmers-market.

Published in Food
Thursday, 11 March 2021 14:19

Let the Stories Begin

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner.  My mother, who was Italian, used to say “Everyone is Irish on St. Patty’s day.” My father, who was Irish, always agreed because if he didn’t he ran the risk of not getting her delicious Corned Beef and Cabbage and a cold tall glass of beer. My dad’s best friends were all my Mom’s brothers and nephews, who were all very Italian. On this holiday, he was treated almost as though it was his birthday.  He loved celebrating the day. He would get all of the family members to sing Irish songs and drink green beer. There were always very “interesting” stories to be had as well. So here is to all of our “Irish” lads and lassies.

Is your St. Patrick’s Day incomplete without a pint of green beer? If you have been enjoying an emerald-colored beer at the bar year after year and now want to make it at home, it may just surprise you how easy it actually is. Green beer is a novelty that American drinkers have latched onto and it has quickly become the drink to have each and every St. Patrick’s Day. There is something appealing about turning everything green on the Irish holiday and beer just happens to be one of the most popular items to play with.

There is no trick to making green beer and it requires no special bartending skills. It is, quite simply, a light-colored beer that has a drop of green food coloring added to it. The flavor does not change, only the color. It should be noted that if you want to drink like a real Irishman and celebrate the Emerald Isle’s heritage, nothing is more appropriate than a pint of Guinness or a shot of Irish whiskey. Any beer will work when making green beer; however, some produce a brighter green color than others.

To get the greenest of beers, begin with a light-colored brew. This includes any of the popular American lagers like Budweiser, Miller, Busch, or Coors. Those are favorite beers and, given the novelty aspect of green beer, may be the best choice.

However, do not forget about all of the great pale-colored craft beers, the amazing German pilsners, and any of the other higher quality beers that are available today. The beer market is vast and there are many more choices than those from the giant breweries.

If you would like to play around with a darker beer, you will find an interesting effect. Stouts and other dark beers have a rich color that is not transparent enough to allow the green food coloring to give that signature emerald green beer look.

However, the body of the beer will turn darker and have a slight evergreen hue in the right light. The coolest part is the head because the foam will pick up the food coloring and, though it may not last long, take on that green color. Green beer is fun and food coloring is cheap, so feel free to play with it.

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, we carry various types of glasses to help accommodate your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Traditional Irish toasts are a must on St. Patrick’s Day, so you’ll want to be ready with a list of toasts under your lucky green belt if you’re called upon to utter a few wise, witty or wry words of Irish good cheer before the beer disappears. Stop by for any of the items you need to make your Corned beef and cabbage or the Irish Soda Bread to go with it. Wishing you all a Happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day. Share the stories of days gone by. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & PaulaREARDON IrishSodaBread

Published in Food
Thursday, 04 March 2021 15:01

Like “Buttah”

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

I love watching vintage SNL (Saturday Night Live) shows. Among my favorites is a classic skit of Mike Meyers playing Liz Rosenberg in “Coffee Talk.” During the “Coffee Talk” sketch featuring Mike Myers, Madonna, and Roseanne Barr; Barbra Streisand made a surprise appearance! In the skit, the three ladies from Queens had all finished saying that Barbra was “like buttah.” Barbra poked her head out and said, “All this talk about food’s got me hungry, girls!” 

With all of the talk about butter, brings up how to store butter. I came to realize that while I use butter quite frequently with my cooking, having soft, spreadable butter was a missing component. I wanted my quality butter at room temperature from time to time, and I did not want the spreadable tubs found in the refrigerated section at the grocer which also (or only) contained margarine. My mind drifted back to my introduction to the butter pot from years past. The pottery container consists of two parts: a lid which resembles a bell, in which you pack the butter into; and the base, which the lid is placed into which contains water, about 1/4 inch to a 1/2 an inch depending on how big your butter keeper is. The lid combined with the water creates an airtight seal which keeps oxygen out, thus negating the need for refrigeration, and thereby allowing the butter to remain spreadable. The beauty of the butter keeper is that it serves as a presentation dish as well. Simply take the bell out of the base, flip over and place on the table. It looks as though it was intended to be a bowl holding butter. And when finished, no need to dirty another dish, just flip it back over into the base.

How to use a butter pot:  Make sure the butter is soft enough to work into the lid. If it is too hard, then air pockets will develop within the butter in the lid, which creates a suction affect when the lid is removed from the base of the crock. We recommend using the back of a spoon to push the butter into the lid. Make sure the butter is smoothed around and no air pockets are found. The butter must adhere to the inside of the lid, meaning there should be no space between the butter and the lid. By smoothing the butter internally within the lid, this should ensure that it properly adheres to the insides of the bell. Add the cold water to the base, and replace every 3 days with fresh water. If you carefully follow these directions, you should have no problems with the butter falling into the water.

Store the Butter pot away from heat.  Once your butter pot is packed with butter and ready to use, do not sit it next to the stove or store in direct sunlight. If the crock becomes heated, the butter can melt and fall out of the lid.

Change the water in the base of the crock. It is recommended to replace the water in the base of your crock every 3 days, with fresh, cold water. In warm summer months, we also recommend adding a few ice chips to the water to retain its coolness.

Wash in between uses. Your butter pot should be cleaned in between uses. It is very important to make sure that the lid of the crock is thoroughly dry before packing butter into it – otherwise the butter will not adhere properly to the inside of the lid.

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, we carry marble and stoneware butter pots. We also carry butter dishes for those who like to refrigerate your butter. Storing butter is a preference. I know I like soft butter especially when making toast on Sunday mornings, having a cup of coffee, and maybe even watching or listening to Barbra Streisand. Her voice is like “buttah”. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & PaulaREARDON ButterCake

Published in Food
Thursday, 04 March 2021 14:57

CSA’s Help Us Invest In Food and Farms

This time last year, we learned that a secure food supply could suddenly turn into shortages. Buying from local farms, which have a much shorter supply chain, is a great way to be assured of getting freshly harvested, quality food. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) provides an even better guarantee.

By purchasing a CSA, customers make an early investment to help farmers get their season started, quite literally giving them seed money. Then, CSA members reap the harvest season’s benefits by receiving produce at a discounted price. Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s Wednesday and Saturday outdoor markets, which begin in May, will offer several CSA options.

Owl Wood Farm is one of the farms offering CSA subscriptions. They have traditional ‘Box Shares’ that run for 20 weeks, starting in June, for $450. Each share has a salad green, a cooking green, a root crop, an herb, a type of onion, and seasonal items, like strawberries, beans, or summer squash. The ‘box share’ is an excellent option for weekly shoppers who like variety and enjoy creative cooking. A second option is the ‘Market Share’: customers get “Owl Bills” to use at the farm’s stand whenever and for whatever they want. Any prepaid dollar amount over $200 receives a 10% credit added to it. Customers may purchase shares on Owl Wood’s website or learn more at the market when they return in late April.

Gomez Veggie Ville is also offering vegetable CSA shares to customers this season. Shares last for 24 weeks and consist of a variety of fruits and vegetables. Full shares include 8-10 items per week, depending on the season. Half shares have 4-5 items per week. Customers can opt for pre-packed boxes at $600 (full share) or $300 (half share) or choose the pick-your-own option for $650 or $325, respectively. Gomez Veggie Ville is already taking sign-ups at the Saturday farmers’ market. Contact them by phone for more information.

Other farms offer more specialized CSA options, like 518 Farms’ mushroom shares. Customers are sent a rotating list of available mushrooms two days before market day and can choose their mix to pick up on Saturdays. There is a small (½ lb per week for $140) or large (1 lb per week for $260) option; both run for 13 weeks. For more information, visit 518 Farms’ website or inquire at the winter market.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For online pre-ordering and curbside pickup, visit localline.ca/saratoga-farmers-market.

FM SwissChardAndKaleGratin

Published in Food
Friday, 26 February 2021 15:00

Snow Fort Army Chow

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

This winter is certainly giving us plenty of snow. As I glance out into the white wonderland and watch the children in our neighborhood play, I reflect on some of my own fondest childhood memories playing in the snow. I enjoy sharing this story with you each winter. I grew up during a time when the average was at least four children per household and you were literally thrown outdoors to play and told not to come back home until the street lights came on. Playing in the snow included making homemade sleds to slide down the golf course hills, making snowmen, and of course, building the best snow fort in the neighborhood.  In our house we divided up the tasks to ensure that our “fort” could withstand repeated attacks of snowball wielding elementary school kids. In the creation of our snow fort, my brother Danny was the engineer and he mapped out how high and thick the walls should be. My youngest brother Billy was the builder and shaped the inside of the fort for the chairs, refrigerator and snow TV. The baby of our family Patty was support staff.  Since I was the oldest of the Reardon children clan, I was the recruiter and went door to door finding my soldiers and builders.  We were not allowed to use the phone back then (adults only), so when I came to the door and knocked you could hear a stampede of children in the house trying to get to the door. To get them to work on the fort I would tell them that my mother was making meatball sandwiches!  My mother’s meatballs were the envy of the neighborhood and far exceeded the bologna and spam the other kids were getting. My first stops were Dave and Karl’s houses and they lived next door to each other.  They were my age but already almost as tall as most of our fathers at the age of six. Dave turned out to be 6’8” and Karl is 6’6”. If you want your walls to be the highest, I thought, get the tallest kids.  My mother would grimace when she saw them coming as she knew she would need a lot more meatballs. Our first forts were wrecked at night by teenagers until my brother Dan came up with the idea to put water on the outside walls and it would turn them to ice.  You could hear the howls of the mean teenagers when they kicked the walls and they didn’t give so easily. 

To this day, when I talk with some of my childhood friends, they join me in reminiscing about the fun snow forts, and the reward of my mother’s meatball sandwiches. To this day, her meatballs remained unparalleled. However, Paula’s meatballs are on target with them especially since my mother did share her “secret” method with Paula. 

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, we carry skillets to make your meatballs in, saucepans to make your sauce, baking sheets to pop your meatball hoagies into the oven with, and other really “Cool Tools for Cooks.” Meatball Hoagies are a great way to deal with these frosty winter days.  The neighborhood kids will love you!! Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

REARDON MeatballSub

Published in Food

Wintertime is a slower season at the farmers’ market. There are fewer vegetables and fruits in season, and there is a more intimate group of vendors. But innovation never stops for local businesses; customers can find new products almost every week. Here are some new arrivals and hidden gems to look out for the next time you shop in person or online at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

More digestible than cow milk yogurt and less processed than most plant-based options, R&G Cheesemakers’ goat milk Greek yogurts offer a solution for lactose intolerant yogurt fans. Choose from plain or strawberry. Their goat milk cheeses include more unusual finds like feta, which are also a great option.

Want an easy dinner solution that’s fresher than grocery store-bought? Try Argyle Cheese Farmer’s frozen pizzas, available in double cheese, garden veggie, and meat lovers-style (“Dave’s Fave”). They make the crusts with whey from their cheese which adds more protein, and they top the pies with their cheese curds.

Does your dog keep whining for a bite of your beef jerky? Next time you shop at Muddy Trail Jerky, add a chicken jerky pack to your bag. They make this jerky from dehydrated chicken breast, with dogs specifically in mind.

Do you hear more and more about the health benefits of some varieties of mushrooms? 518 Farms provides an even easier way to reap these benefits by offering pure lion’s mane and reishi mushroom powders. Add to loose leaf tea or coffee grounds, or make a mushroom tea or stock.

The cheesemakers at Nettle Meadow are always inventing. Their newest Schroon Moon, a line of spreadable cow milk cheeses, offers various flavors such as savory olive or chive or sweet lemon poppy seed.

Locally grown beans might not be what you would expect to find in Upstate New York in February. But now is prime time to pick up some legumes from Squash Villa Farm as the 2020 harvest is dried and ready for consumption. Choose between heirloom varieties of pinto or kidney or a variety pack of black, red, and white beans.

Something’s Brewing is known for its coffee beans and drinks, but don’t miss products like herbal tea (their hibiscus, vanilla, rose, and rooibos blend is refreshing) and coffee sugar (organic sugar blended with freshly ground spices).

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For online pre-ordering and curbside pickup, visit localline.ca/saratoga-farmers-market.

FM BeefShank

Published in Food

From Europe to the Middle East, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has authentic foods from around the world available for take-out every Saturday. So even though we all had to cancel our travel plans this past year, you can still get a taste of your favorite international foods. What’s better is that you can take a break from cooking and enjoy delicious meals prepared by people who love sharing their native cuisine.

Euro Delicacies offers various flavorful Mediterranean dishes like stuffed grape leaves (dolma), baklava, and stuffed peppers. Try their moussaka; a casserole layered with potatoes, ground sirloin, and caramelized vegetables with bechamel sauce. Or spanakopita; a Greek pastry filled with chopped spinach, cheese, onion, olive oil, and seasonings. Euro Delicacies began in Sarajevo by the Hrelja family, now sharing their Eastern European heritage with the Upstate New York community. 

Giovanni Fresco has a selection of freshly made pasta, homemade sauces like alfredo and meat sauce, and entrees such as penne alla vodka and eggplant parmigiana. Some items can be purchased frozen as well so that you can stock up and enjoy fresh Italian food whenever you want. Giovanni Fresco was started in 2017 by Giovanni and Francesca, an Italian couple who moved to America with the hopes of bringing authentic and traditional Italian dishes to their new community. 

Petra’s Pocket Pies makes savory pita pies, a dough stuffed with combinations of vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Owner Sabreen Samman was inspired to share flavors from her home country of Jordan and began selling her savory pastries at the farmers’ market in 2018. Samman uses a blend of Mediterranean seasonings for her food and offers American style options, like buffalo chicken and Philly cheesesteak. 

My Dacha Slavonian Cafe makes various entrees like pierogies, lasagna, beef stroganoff, and cabbage stuffed with ground beef, tomato sauce, parsley, and rice. They offer a variety of homemade Slavic foods from Eastern Europe. Aladdin and Nataliya Kamel, from Egypt and Ukraine, blend their unique backgrounds to make classic dishes that reflect their home countries and their Italian cuisine knowledge. 

If you’re looking for fresh and tasty take-out food, try the melting pot of cuisines every Saturday. For complete menu options, online ordering, and delivery, check the businesses’ websites or retail locations.

EDITORS PICKS:
FAVORITE DISHES NOT TO MISS AT THE MARKET!

Euro Delicacies’ sweet potato salad is probably the best we’ve ever had. It’s made with steamed sweet potatoes and topped with walnuts, cranberries, and scallions, and tossed in an olive oil dressing. This dish is also vegan.

Giovanni Fresco has fried snacks that are a must-try. They make Italian-style arancini (fried rice balls) that are stuffed with cheese, meat, or vegetables. They also make American-inspired fried mac & cheese.

Petra’s Pocket Pies has a roasted chicken pita pocket with garlic aioli; a tasty comfort food that includes aioli sauce from Saratoga Garlic Company.

My Dacha’s lasagna is a Ukrainian take on traditional Italian comfort food. 

DONT FORGET THE DESSERT!

Euro Delicacies has baklava, a Turkish dessert made from a sweet pastry of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. Their famous apple strudel is a version of a Mediterranean apple pie made with filo dough.

Giovanni Fresco makes traditional and Nutella tiramisu; an Italian dessert made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavored with cocoa.

My Dacha Slavonian Cafe’s sweet crepes are filled with raisins and cheese, or poppy seeds. They are the perfect dessert to follow any of their savory dishes. They also offer Neapolitan cake, tiramisu, and baklava. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For online pre-ordering and curbside pickup, visit localline.ca/saratoga-farmers-market.

Published in Food
Thursday, 11 February 2021 15:15

Sowing Seeds for a New Season

Walking around a farmers’ market, you see tables neatly displayed with mountains of produce. There is a long journey before produce lands on market tables and then, eventually, your table. Farmers are on a tight schedule to do all they can to make sure their crops flourish. Now that we are deep into winter, we asked local farmers how they are preparing for this year’s growing season.

Laurie Kokinda, owner of Kokinda Farm, says, “It’s the hardest time of year, in terms of grunt work.” Farms are working tirelessly to sanitize their greenhouses and tunnels and repair and order new equipment. Farms are starting their first seedings like tomatoes, alliums, and head lettuce. This year, many farmers ordered their seed supply earlier than usual due to Coronavirus-related increases in demand as well as mail delays. Paul and Sandy Arnold, owners of Pleasant Valley Farm, note, “Normally, we can get seeds in the day after we order. This year, we’re waiting weeks!”

Local farms often choose to work together to share resources. Pleasant Valley Farm’s Sustainable Farmers’ Network Group is hard at work in the mid-winter, bulk-ordering supplies so that farms may share discounts. Gomez Veggie Ville works with Denison Farm to get this year’s supply of organic potato seeds. And, for the first time, they will work to grow ginger. “I am learning how to grow ginger well in our climate. Hopefully, if it works out, we’ll be able to bring some to the market in September,” says Efrain Gomez.

Owl Wood Farm is taking this year’s seed shortages as an opportunity to try a new practice: seed saving. “We’ve wanted to save seeds that aren’t offered commercially, like tomato heirloom varieties and Abenaki flint corn, for a while. It involves a lot of work and isn’t very economical; you have to dedicate a new plot of land and grasp a whole new knowledge base,” says Mark Bascom. “But we see that seed saving is important this year especially.”

Squash Villa Farm (formerly Squashville) is trying not just a new crop or practice but also a whole new land plot after moving farms in 2020. “There’s lots of anticipation! As soon as the snow melts, I’m eager to walk the new land and just get a feel for what it’s like to step into the soil,” says Gupta-Carlson.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For online pre-ordering and curbside pickup, visit localline.ca/saratoga-farmers-market.

FM BeansGreens

Published in Food
Page 6 of 19

Blotter

  • New York State Police The New York State Police announced that it issued 5,576 tickets during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day enforcement initiative. The campaign began on Friday, March 15, and continued until Sunday, March 17. During the campaign, funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and underage drinking and sales to minors detail. State Police also ticketed distracted drivers who use handheld electronic devices. State Troopers arrested 132 people for DWI and investigated 199 crashes, which resulted in 25 people being injured and no fatalities. As part of the enforcement, Troopers also…

Property Transactions

  • BALLSTON Heather DiCaprio sold property at 473 Garrett Rd to Justine Levine for $288,000 Sharon Willman sold property at 99 Jenkins Rd to Charles Lemley for $165,000 CORINTH George Montena sold property at 422 Oak St to Stephen James for $142,250 Mark Makler sold property at 313 Oak St to Sabrina Sinagra for $195,000 GREENFIELD Landlord Services of Upstate New York sold property at 1935 NYS Rt 9N to Cochise Properties LLC for $210,000 MALTA  Linda LaBarge sold property at 35 Snowberry Rd to Qu Haozheng for $270,000 Dennis Mitchell sold property at 60 Village Circle North to BGRS Relocation…
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