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Sunday, March 11th: Spring Forward With Shamrock Cookies, Goat Milk, Stinging Nettles, Filler-Free Burgers & Garden Starts

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 09:47:36 +0000

The Ides of March approacheth, and that means Daylight Savings Time is here — that annoying, archaic leftover from the Industrial Revolution that was meant to save energy and make us more productive, but that really ends up scrambling all of our brains for a week or two every March, resulting in billions of dollars in lost productivity. (I love you, Ben Franklin, but was this really necessary?) Of course, it also means St. Paddy’s Day is upon us. Time for everyone to dress up in kelly green, pretend to be Irish, eat corned beef, drink green beer, and party in blissful ignorance that St. Patrick was the guy credited with crushing the last remaining Pagans of Ireland under the weight of the Roman Catholic Church way back in the 5th Century. (See, there were no snakes in Ireland. The snakes Patrick drove out actually refers to the Pagans.) But hey, like so many other holidays that I enjoy more for their tradition than their true origins, I do enjoy reveling in my own Irish roots with some corned beef made from Skagit River Ranch beef, some cabbage from Nash’s, some potatoes from Olsen Farms and some rutabagas from Boistfort Valley Farm… all washed down with a little Rockridge hooch. And why not finish it all off with some of these lovely shamrock cookies from Grateful Bread?

Up at Silver Springs Creamery in Lynden, just south of the Canadian Border, the goats have been kidding now for a few weeks, and that means that goat milk, fresh chevre and goat yogurt are back, baby! No kidding! (Sorry.) So if you’ve been suffering woe these past two months without your goat dairy products, while the girls up in Whatcom County were taking their winter break, suffer no more!

Go ahead. Stick your hand into these leaves. I dare you! (Okay, not really. Cuz your hands will hurt for hours.) Yup, its wild stinging nettles season again, boys and girls, and Foraged & Found Edibles has ‘em for you today. Make tea, pesto, sauté them, do that voodoo that you do with them. Just de-sting them, first!

It is time to start thinking about gardening again, and Stoney Plains Organic Farm already has garden starts for you — stuff you can plant right now that’ll make you so happy in May! Like these lovely rhubarb plants. Mmm. Homemade rhubarb crumble, strawberry-rhubarb jam, rhubarb ice cream.

At your Ballard Farmers Market, we offer you access to grass-finished beef direct from the farmer, like this ground beef from Skagit River Ranch. You will never find any “pink slime” added to their meat. Live life free of “pink slime”. Eat real meat from local farms at your Ballard Farmers Market!

Someone asked over on our Facebook page what “grass-finished” means. Sometimes you will see the term “grass-fed” associated with beef. However, use of the term “grass-fed” does not guarantee that the cattle were never fed a grain diet. In fact, much “grass-fed” beef is “finished” on grain in order to increase marbling. However, feeding cattle grain also increases cholesterol, saturated fat and the acidity in their stomachs, which in turn increases the likelihood of the presence of dangerous forms of E-coli in their digestive tracts. “Grass-finished” beef is from cattle that eat a diet of grasses and other leafy forage their entire lives. Their meat is lower in cholesterol and saturated fats, higher in beneficial omega-fatty acids, and as their digestive tracts stay in their natural alkaline state, they are less able to pass along to most dangerous forms of E-coli that thrive in an acidic environment, which includes human stomachs. Eat Wild is a great source for more info on the benefits of raising beef on natural grasses.

And just because they are so gosh-darned cute, let’s finish off this week with these baby leeks from Colinwood Farms. I mean, don’t you just want to give them a hug? Okay, maybe not, but they are delicious. And Colinwood has got all sorts of goodies coming out of their greenhouses right now. Stop by for a taste of the Banana Belt!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, March 4th: Another Sunny Winter's Day Brings Spinach, Salad Mix, Jazz Apples, Gluten-Free Bread, Raw Milk & More!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 10:02:59 +0000

I’ve got Sirius by The Alan Parsons Project playing to fire me up to write this week’s epistle, as I am still fairly dain-bread from this past Monday’s Farmer-Fisher-Chef Connection. It’s kinda funny how a song by a bunch of nerdy studio musicians in the late 1970s is still widely used to whip sports fans into hysteria at stadiums around the world. Anywho, lucky for me, I took a bunch of fresh photos of lotsa cool stuff at your Ballard Farmers Market now, in spite of what the calendar says. Indeed, now that it’s March, we’ve turned a corner into spring as far as local crops go. Odds are slim we’ll get a killer freeze to take out the hardy crops now. And many other crops are making a comeback already, like this spinach from Full Circle Farm. All you folks who question the point of getting up in the morning without spinach to enjoy at some point during the day can relax now, and even celebrate a little. It’s back!

How about some freshly dug over-winter Detroit beets, complete with beet greens, from Gaia’s Natural Goods. By now, you have probably tried their delicious pickled beets. Well, these are the beets from which those pickled beets come.

This is one of the best apples you will ever sink your teeth into. It is a jazz apple from Collins Family Orchards. They pull these out of storage this time of year, still firm and crisp, and at their peak of flavor. If there is any time of year you’ll want an apple a day to keep the doctor away, this is it, and this apple is one that will make eating an apple a day easy!

Okay, dino kale is not exactly a re-emergent crop, but it is incredible this time of year. It’s leaves are getting smaller and more tender, and after surviving more than a few very cold nights of winter, it is very sweet and full of flavor. And this dino kale from Nash’s Organic Produce basking in February sunshine kinda gives us hope, doesn’t it?

Phebe Rossi of Dolce Lou is known for her gluten-free sweets that not only fill a void in the lives of people who must maintain a gluten-free diet, but are also so good that everyone else loves them, too. And now, she’s putting that same passion into loaves of gluten-free bread. You’ve gotta love gluten-free bread that is also, well, you know… edible. Cuz a lot of it isn’t! Check out Dolce Lou for gluten-free bagettes and sandwich bread.

It’s back! Yup, the greenhouses atop the hill that is Alm Hill, after which Alm Hill Gardens is named, are cranking out their famous spicy salad mix again. Woohoo! Now, that’s gotta give you hope of immanent spring, eh?

Raw milk products can be hard to find around these parts. Washington state has some of the strictest regulations on the production of raw milk products anywhere in the country. Lucky for us at your Ballard Farmers Market, we’ve got Sea Breeze Farm. They’ve jumped through the various hoops necessary to bring us raw milk, cream, buttermilk and more!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, February 26th: A Tribute To Seattle's Farmers Market Loving Chefs!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 09:36:07 +0000

To be honest, I am exhausted this week, so I’m gonna go a little light on this week’s post. But I have a good excuse. You see, my other gig is working with the Seattle chapter of Chefs Collaborative, and tomorrow is their biggest event of the year — Farmer-Fisher-Chef Connection — and I am one of the main organizers. Every year at this time of year, 400 farmers, fishers, ranchers, food & beverage artisans, chefs, retailers, distributors, institutional buyers, etc., get together for a day and network, establish business relationships, take workshops, problem solve, eat and drink great local stuff, and generally celebrate the amazing local food community of which they are all part. Tomorrow is the 7th annual such gathering, and it is the largest of its kind in the nation — part of what makes Seattle the best local food town in the country.

When Seattle Chefs Collaborative first began to organize in 1999, restaurants with chefs dedicated to using local ingredients numbered less than 50, and many ingredients we take for granted at our farmers markets today — from flour to grass-fed beef to hard cider to dried beans — were not yet available locally. That seems like a lifetime ago, and all of these local ingredients are commonplace today — we couldn’t imagine life without them. Restaurants featuring local ingredients number in the hundreds now in Seattle, and they can be found in local communities throughout the state. Heck, Ballard alone has almost as many such restaurants now as could be found in the entire city 13 years ago.

What is special about tomorrow’s event is that it is the living embodiment of how, in the case of Seattle’s local food movement, it does, in fact, take a village — indeed, it couldn’t happen without the involvement of the entire village — and it is at Farmer-Fisher-Chef Connection that that village will be gathered Monday. This is not a “foodie” event. It is an event for working professionals intent on making the nation’s best local food scene even better, and it is not just the “usual suspects” and big-name chefs. You’ll find an institutional food service chef who cook for bureaucrats at the FAA in Renton and another who cooks at Nordstrom, a coastal processor who believes Washington sardines are to good to simply be used for bait, a farm on Lopez Island that raises pigs and goats, and harvests pink salmon and butter clams, a guy who makes grappa and vodka from Washington apples, and an Oregon wasabi farmer.

Seattle Farmers Market Association, which manages your Ballard Farmers Market, has a long relationship not only with the farmers, fishers, ranchers and food and beverage artisans of Washington, but also the chefs of Seattle who are committed to using local ingredients on their menus. We have always seen our mission as going beyond merely bringing the neighborhoods we serve with our markets great local food. We also see them as opportunities for community building, and that’s why we offer cooking demonstrations at all of our markets featuring chefs only from the area surrounding each market. Our Wallingford Farmers Market was the first in Seattle to offer a chefs-only period at the start of the market, and the photo above shows three of Seattle finest chefs, Dustin Ronspies of Art of the Table, Seth Caswell of emmer&rye, and Rachel Yang of Joule & Revel, at Wallingford picking up fresh, local produce for their restaurants.

The other yummy photos today are of various concoctions made by Seattle chefs at our markets over the course of the 2011 market season, using ingredients they got from our market vendors. Each dish is simple, beautiful, delicious, and easily replicable by you and I at home. And that, in the end, is truly what makes Seattle’s local food scene so amazing. You see, when people ask, “What is Seattle’s cuisine?”, the answer isn’t Creole like New Orleans, cheese steaks like Philly, or Kansas City barbecue. In Seattle, our cuisine is a celebration of the finest local ingredients treated with reverence by local chefs in straightforward recipes that make the ingredients themselves the stars. You can see it in the photos above, or on just about any menu in town. Sure, each menu may be different, and food styles diverse. The commonality is in how they celebrate the ingredients they use. That is Seattle’s cuisine. That is what makes Seattle a special food town. And tomorrow, Seattle’s local food community takes time out to gather, network, and celebrate. It’s our day. It’s our annual family reunion. So do us a favor. Load up on great local ingredients today at your Ballard Farmers Market, cuz you’ll be doing your own cooking tomorrow night!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, February 19th: Find An Extraordinary Diversity Of Local Deliciousness Year-Round At Your Ballard Farmers Market!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:55:40 +0000

Yes, we still have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables at your Ballard Farmers Market today, even in February, but let’s take a moment to revel in all the other kinds of local deliciousness to be found here. Like these amazing farmstead sausages from Sea Breeze Farm. They raise the animals. They butcher them. They make the sausage. All right on Vashon Island. It’s some gosh-darned yummy sausage, too, if you ask me. And apparently, Sea Breeze has hidden a “golden ticket” in one of their packages of sausage this week. Some lucky soul will not only get to enjoy these tasty links, but they will also get a $100 gift certificate, too!

You will find farm-fresh eggs from a number of farms at your Ballard Farmers Market, including these beauties from Growing Things Farm. And we’re not just blowing smoke here, like so many who claim their eggs are “farm fresh”. I mean, you ever get a tilted dog-head look from a server when you ask them, “So, this ‘farm egg’ on the menu — exactly what farm did it come from?” And I think my favorite current “farm-washing” campaign comes from a big soup company that brags that their vegetables are “farm-picked”. Um, yeah? As opposed to what? But I can attest, when you see any eggs at your Ballard Farmers Market, they have come directly from the farm, it is the farm actually selling those eggs to you, and once you taste them, you will never tolerate eggs from a Big Box store again. Heck, why do you think the Market sells out of eggs before 1:30 p.m. every week?

Kombucha is all the rage around these health conscious, tofu and sprouts eating parts these days. But don’t hold that against it! It actually is quite refreshing, is a living, healthful beverage, and will make you feel good, even if you aren’t singing songs around a campfire on a full moon at Golden Gardens. And if you want to feel even less self-conscious, how about this? In order to get some of CommuniTea’s outstanding, fresh, local… and uncompromising kombucha, you have to be 21! Seriously. That’s because the natural fermentation process that makes it so good, and good for you, generates just enough alcohol as a byproduct that the US Treasury Department actually regulates it. Ah, see? Now, you are beginning to soften to it, aren’t you? Because it has a naughty side!

Pasta doesn’t get much better than that from Ballard’s own Pasteria Lucchese. Sara & Sam handcraft their artisan pastas the old-world way every week, and most weeks, you have to get to the Market pretty early if you want your choice of what they make, as it sells out fast. And just like they would do in Italy, they make their pastas using as many ingredients from right here at your Ballard Farmers Market as possible. Indeed, this saffron tagliatelle is made with saffron grown by Phocas Farms in Port Angeles — you know, that succulents guy, Jim. Just try to find that anywhere else around here!

Artisan, heirloom jams? Okay, now, it’s just gone too far! Humbug, I say. For these jams deserve these titles and more. Deluxe Foods’s Rebecca Staffel creates these jams with local ingredients, time-tested recipes and love, and the result is the best friggin’ toast you’ve ever tasted! I mean, just take a gander at the labels on the two jars in the front. Hel-low! Old Bachelor’s Jam and Quince Jelly! These are the jams of the gods and the ages, people. Can I get an amen? And if this isn’t enough over which to be joyous, today Deluxe Foods introduces an amazing line of, wait for it, cocktail syrups. Woohoo! Yes, Seattle’s cocktail revival lands at your Ballard Farmers Market. So get out there and get a bottle of local gin or vodka before the Big Box stores drive them all out of business this summer, and mix yourself a refreshing beverage this evening. You can thank me (and Rebecca) later!

Schmaltz. The cooking fat of Jewish mothers everywhere. This schmaltz, or chicken fat, is from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm in Olympia. And when schmaltz comes from a farm like Stokesberry that feeds is chickens a healthy diet and treats them well, it is actually a healthy fat to use. Generations of Jews can attest to that! I mean, really, it is chicken butter, right? Only less saturated. It is delicious. It is perfect for pan-roasting a chicken leg or breast, for seasoning beans and more.

“Blessed are the cheese makers.” Thank you, Monty Python, for that. And while you may know Silver Springs Creamery for their amazing, farm-direct milk and yogurt, they make some amazing cheeses, too. They’ve got aged and fresh cheeses, cow and goat. When you stop by for a bottle of milk or a tub of their award-winning yogurt today, treat yourself to some of their cheese, too. After all, it is the oldest form of food preservation.

With all that sausage, cheese, jam, pasta and schmaltz, you will need some superb artisan bread from Tall Grass Bakery. Tall Grass got its start with us when your Ballard Farmers Market was still part of the Fremont Sunday Market back in the 1990s. Back then, they only sold at that one market, and they borrowed the bakeries of others to make their bread. Today, they have a storefront just blocks from the Market, and can be found in fine grocers and restaurants all over Seattle. But their tasty, chewy, crusty breads, like the hominy and oat & honey loaves above, just seem to taste better and fresher here at their home market. So grab a loaf or three, and a pastry for the road, to go along with all the other diversity of deliciousness you have gathered up today at your Ballard Farmers Market, and thank you for supporting local farmers, fishers, ranchers and food artisans.

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, February 12th: To Quote U2, "In The Name Of Love...", Because Hallmark Says So!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:04:27 +0000

Yes, it is our annual obligation to encourage you to forego Hallmark’s demands that you go to your local mall to pick up stuff made by the millions in China that is supposed to represent how much you care for someone you love, and instead to get said symbols of your undying love and affection from local producers right here at your Ballard Farmers Market, because when it comes to guilt, guilt begins right here at home! So let’s start you out with a beautiful bouquet of fresh tulips from Alm Hill Gardens. They were cut yesterday, so they are super fresh, and they will keep for many days to warm the heart of that someone special. And hey, when they realize you got them today at your Ballard Farmers Market, they will not only know you cared enough to get them the best, and that you care enough to support local farmers, but it will also let them know that you remembered to get them a full two days before Valentine’s Day!

Beautiful, non-toxic, scentless candles from Ascents Candles. Photo copy 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Along with tulips, you will need some candles to help set the mood. For that, visit our own Ascents Candles for some of these beautiful, scentless candles that are also blissfully non-toxic. That means the stunning meal with which you are about to dazzle your darling will not be disturbed by the smoke from that romantic candlelight. Yup, we think of everything here at your Ballard Farmers Market!

Sweetbread Cellars is the label for the fabulous wines made by Sea Breeze Farm. And right now, they have some beautiful vintages for your sipping pleasure, including their 2006 Syrah, and their 2009 Vashoneuf, their red table wine blend. Forget the Three Buck Chuck, and show your sweetie you are so cool that you get your wine direct from the winemaker!

Why not surprise your little lamb chop with some actual lamb chops from Olsen Farms? They’ve got lamb loin chops on sale today just for you. And they’ve got New York steaks on sale, too! Hey, anybody can make reservations and take their honey out for a fancy meal. But you are going to hit a home run this year by cooking that fancy meal yourself, right?!?

And to keep your in-house, romantic dinner humming along, looking mighty sophisticated, whilst still keeping it easy on you in the kitchen, why not grab a bag of tasty salad mix from Colinwood Farms? They are harvesting it out of their greenhouses this time of year, and it is what your body is craving right now… well, besides the undying gratitude of your dining companion.

For this one, I recommend that you just don’t tell them that you bought this pie from Deborah’s Homemade Pies. Make pretend you slaved all day making it yourself. Leave some extra dirty bowls about the kitchen and a bit of stray flour here and there. The fact that you didn’t actually make from scratch the best flippin’ pie your little cupcake has ever tasted will just be our little secret.

Let’s finish off the night with, um, well, more wine! And hey, why not buy that special someone part of a vineyard? Okay, well, not really. But today is your last chance to get in on Lopez Island Vineyards “Siegerrebe Futures.” They are taking preorders for case quantities of their Puget Sound Siegerrebe at $20/bottle, prepaid. This wine will be $25 when released in late March! Also, last call on their 2010 Riesling at $10/bottle – that’s $4 off! Hey, you’ll be serving up fine wine while saving some cash. That shows you can be thoughtful and romantic, while being responsible all at the same time. That makes you a keeper!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, February 5th: There's Just Something Fishy About Ballard!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:30:42 +0000

As I walked about Ballard this week, I found myself observing with pleasure the rustic look many of us wear here. Full disclosure, I grew up in New York, and after spending most of my adult life out here, I note, when I return there, that folks just plain look different. It’s like we’re from different countries, you know? But heck, you can experience that just going over to Bellevue. Ballard has its roots in the fishing and timber industries, and we still wear Carharrt, flannel shirts, have long hair, grow facial hair, and when the smell of the sea permeates the air in Ballard, our hearts still swell. So this week, let’s pay tribute to the industry that calls Ballard home, too — the industry we are so aligned with, we host a festival in its honor every July — the fishing industry. We’ll start with a hat’s off to Fishing Vessel St. Jude, which works out of our own Fishermen’s Terminal. They catch some of the finest sashimi grade albacore tuna on earth off the coast of Washington. This fish is low in mercury and high in beneficial omega fatty acids, because it is juvenile tuna, caught as it swims south from its spawning grounds in the North Pacific to spend its adult life in tropical waters. Cold water fish build up that healthful fat to keep them strong, and these guys are too young and have been in cleaner waters to have built up heavy metals in their flesh.

Wilson Fish catches spectacular king salmon off the Washington coast that, when it gets to market, is so fresh, they like to say it’s from the future. Its rich flavor and generous fat content cause it to rival the best king salmon anywhere, and their smoked salmon is nothing short of a religious experience. And while they don’t have the fresh king this time of year, just frozen, they do often have fresh true cod or fresh rockfish.

Oysters on the half-shell, on the beach at Hama Hama Oyster Company. Photo courtesy Hama Hama Oyster Company.

Any true connoisseur of oysters appreciates the merroir of the briny, delicious little puddles of snot. Merroir, you say? What’s merroir? Well, you’ve heard of terroir, right? That’s the concept that the wine you are drinking, or the cheese you are eating, tastes of the place — of the earth — it comes from. Well, the same is true of oysters, except they come from the sea (mer), not the earth (terra). Got it? See, around here, true oyster lovers don’t ask what species an oyster is before they ask what bay the oysters are from. Each bay has its own distinct mix of salt and minerals in the water, and the oysters from that bay taste of it. Hama Hama Oyster Company raises their oysters on Hood Canal near Lilliwaup on the tidal flats created by the Hamma Hamma River, after which the company was named in 1922. Their oysters taste of that place, and that place tastes good!

Loki Fish bases its two boats at Ballard’s Fishermen’s Terminal, too. They fish in Alaska by summer and Puget Sound by fall. In Puget Sound, they participate in the still strong keta salmon fishery each October and November. Keta salmon, once looked down upon by some, has made a comeback of late, and its milder flavor that takes well to sauces and smoking, as well as the fact that it is a sustainably harvested wild fish at a competitive price, have made it an excellent alternative for that nasty, drug and food coloring fed farmed “Atlantic” salmon many of the unscrupulous Big Box stores try to foist upon you. Keta also offers up a wonderful byproduct — ikura – or fish eggs. These babies are little bombs of briny awesomeness just waiting to explode in your mouth as you eat them atop pasta, a salad or a cracker and some fresh goat cheese.

Today, we welcome a new vendor to your Ballard Farmers Market: Dolce Lou. Dolce Lou makes gluten-free goodies of all kinds — especially great if you are gluten intolerant. But even if you’re not, these are some of the most amazing cookies, cakes and pastries you will ever find anywhere. The point is, gluten-free does not have to mean it tastes like sawdust. Yes, I know it has been a while since we’ve had a vendor specializing in gluten-free products. That’s because we didn’t just wanna let any gluten-free products in. We wanted fabulous gluten-free products, made using local ingredients as much as possible, and produced in the same spirit you find from all our other marvelous vendors every Sunday. So welcome Dolce Lou today, and buy two of everything… one to eat here, and one to bring home!

And finally, today, we celebrate the return of Phocas Farms from Port Angeles. Jim is back with his extraordinary variety of succulents — they grow over 200 — some of which they even created! Now’s a great time to get these bad boys into your garden or rockery, while its cool and damp, so they can lay down a footing and be ready to stand up against the driest weather summer has to throw at them. And come July, they will begin to explode in even more colors than your see at the Market today, and they will begin to bloom, like the ones above, and you will be so happy you planned ahead and got them now!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, January 29th: Greens, Carrots, Sprouts, Apples, Kohlrabi. Winter, Schminter!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:17:58 +0000

A week ago, Alm Hill Gardens, which is just a few miles south of the Canadian border in Whatcom County, was buried in snow and ice, as the wrath of Old Man Winter poured out of the Frasier River Valley and punished Western Washington. But the beauty of snow surrounding hearty winter greens is that it insulates them from the bitter cold, and when the thaw comes, the greens spring back to life. So swing on by your Ballard Farmers Market today for some of Alm Hill’s braising greens mix, some kale, heck, even fresh tulips. ‘Cuz winter ain’t got us beat yet!

I heart pink lady apples, and Collins Family Orchards has some of the best pink ladies to be found anywhere. And this time of year, surprisingly enough, is the best time of year for them. Fresh out of storage, they are firm, crisp and sweet, and they will lift your spirits whilst you await longer, warmer, drier days in the months to come.

Last week, the only greens in the Market were from the greenhouses of Colinwood Farms, and few freshly harvested veggies were to be had, as the great thaw had just begun. But today, Growing Things Farm has some freshly-dug carrots, which are especially sweet now, as a result of the recent cold whether. See, veggies protect themselves from the cold by producing sugars that act as an anti-freeze for them. And we benefit from extra-sweet veggies! Oh, and don’t forget to pickup some eggs, chicken, spuds, Brussels sprouts, and a little farmstead soap while you’re at it.

Sea Breeze Farm has plenty of stellar pork, chicken, sausage, and all manner of other deliciousness this time of year. Get yourself some of their raw milk, and learn why they wear t-shirts in the summertime that say, “Legalize Milk.” Learn to enjoy meat and dairy again, the way it’s supposed to taste!

Nash’s Organic Produce was long on the roots and grains last week, as their farm was under 7″ of snow. But that’s all a distant memory now, and their kale, red cabbage, and these gorgeous Brussels sprouts survived the winter blast just fine – heck, better than fine! So come on down and get your veggie on!

Last week, Rockridge Orchards couldn’t even make out of Enumclaw, let alone make it to your Ballard Farmers Market. They had lots of snow and ice, no power, and trees were down all over the place. It was one of the few Markets they have ever missed. And we missed them, too. But they’re back today with their awesome selection of sweet and hard ciders, fruit wines, and vinegars.

And when is came to snow last week, Stoney Plains Organic Farm, from way down south in Tenino, took the big, err, prize with two feet! They weren’t going anywhere. But they, too, are back today, with all sorts of vegeliciousness. They have mastered the art of the year-round vegetable harvest, and a little — okay, a lot — of snow and ice isn’t about to stop them now. Swing by for greens, roots and legumes!

Welcome our newest vendor to your Ballard Farmers Market: Gaia’s Natural Goods. These pickled beets are made from beets from the family farm in Snohomish. And you can even take home a bottle of the pickling brine, great for dressing salads, as a marinade, or to do a little pickling of your own. Gaia’s Natural Goods celebrates beets as a superfood, nutrient dense with a laundry-list of benefits to one’s health. They pickle both golden and Detroit (red) beets. Serve them with a little fresh goat cheese for an extra special treat.

The good people behind Cupcake Luv picked a wise couple of weeks to go home to tropical climes in Asian. This missed all our Winter Blast mayhem. I imagine they enjoyed a good snicker at our expense while watching us act like idiots on YouTube during the calamity. And who can blame them? We are a laughable lot when it comes to winter weather around here, are we not? In any case, they, too, return to your Ballard Farmers Market today with their lovable cupcakes. Mmm. Cupcakes.

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, January 22nd: No Snow, We Promise! Instead, Find Collard Greens, Purple Top Turnips, Gala Apples, Beautiful Beef, Kimchi Brine, Buckwheat Flour, Crabapple Jelly & So Much More!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:56:45 +0000

Thought we could all use this warm, sunny image from last May. Ah, doesn’t that sunshine feel good? And just look at that blue sky! Well, the good news is that the muck, slop and slush are just about gone, and things are getting back to normal. The kiddies will be back in school tomorrow, finally, and you’ll be back at work. And you will need nourishment to get you through it. So many of you were scared off from attending your Ballard Farmers Market last week for fear of snow that I imagine many of you practically starved to death this past week. And that is a shame, since we didn’t have any snow at your Ballard Farmers Market last Sunday – none! We could see it falling on Queen Anne — where it belongs, frankly! — but here in the People’s Republic of Ballard, it was like a magic force field had been erected, and we remained snow-free, with a full compliment of vendors! And we’ll have close to a full house today, too.

So come on down support your local farmer, and get some delicious local food in your belly after that long last week. Like these spectacular collard greens from Colinwood Farms. They will absolutely recharge you. And Colinwood will have salad mix, braising mix, some righteous kale, parnips and more today, too!

Tiny’s Organic Produce will be in attendance today with lots of these gala apples, and a bunch of other organic apples, too. And given how many sniffles I heard while I was out and about on Saturday, you are gonna need some of these beauties in order to ensure that you keep the doctor away, right?

You know, being holed up in my house for a week, foraging out now and then for a brief walk in the frozen tundra of North Ballard, only to find almost every business, bank and library closed, I kinda started to develop a bit of a hankering for milder days, when I would fire up the barby on my deck to grill up a nice grass-finished beef steak from Skagit River Ranch. But this is Ballard, and a milder day simply means my Smokey Joe ain’t encased in ice. So grill I will tonight!

I’m thinking a nice root roast, and some of those aforementioned collard greens, will side my steak nicely, eh? Full Circle Farm has these lovely purple top turnips now, ripe for the roasting, as well as some gorgeous celeriac, and plenty more.

You know what else those turnips would go well with? Some of this kimchi brine from Firefly Kitchens. You’ve had their outrageously good kimchi, right? Well, this is the juice left in the crock after the kimchi is fermented, then removed to be bottled. This stuff is incredible, and it’ll put some kick into all sorts of dishes. And like their various fermented foods, this stuff is alive with pro-biotics, and if I am anything, I am pro-biotic! Stop by and visit them for a sample taste. You will be going home with a bottle.

Back in 1999, during my first year as Executive Director of the Washington State Farmers Market Association, we had our board retreat in the tiny little city of Waterville, perched high up above the Columbia River gorge on Highway 2, surrounded by wheat fields. We met there then because grain, one of Washington’s largest crops, was essentially unheard of at farmers markets, and we wanted to be reminded of that while we met. 13 years later, much like wine, meat and cheese, we cannot imagine our Ballard Farmers Market without local grain products direct from area farms, and lots of baked goods made with local flour. But what we still have not had, until now, has been gluten-free flour. That changes today! Welcome buckwheat flour from Nash’s Organic Produce. Yup. You heard right! Enjoy!

Golden Harvest Bee Ranch was one of the few vendors unable to make it last Sunday due to weather. Seems Whidbey got the gift of snow on Saturday last week. Ah, the glories of the Convergence Zone. (I mean, do you ever find yourself talking to someone from outside the Puget Sound area, and you mention the Convergence Zone, and they have no idea what you are talking about? You can find it on weather maps, but not Google maps!) Well, they are back today, with their wide assortment of local honey flavors, like this lavender honey.

I love these kale, zucchini & collard chips from House of the Sun. These guys make all sorts of great raw, vegan foods using local ingredients. But these chips baffle people. How do they make ‘em with cooking ‘em, folks wonder. Simple. They season them, and then they dehydrate them. Genius! Sure, we could do this at home, but it is so much simpler, and most likely tastier, to get some from House of the Sun at Ballard Farmers Market. And guess what? They no longer package them in plastic containers! That’s right. They’ve gone to fully compostable paper bags lined with natural cellophane!

“Blessed are the cheese makers.” Thank you, Monty Python, for that. And thank you, Samish Bay Cheese, for being one of those blessed cheese makers. Samish Bay makes quite a variety of cheeses these days, from mild to sharp, and seasoned with from chives to chocolate. This photos shows just six of them! Are you getting enough cheese?

Rebecca tells me she found the crabapples for her Deluxe Foods crabapple jelly right here in the neighborhood, if I’m remembering the tale correctly. See, not a lot of crabapples are grown commercially around here, which is a shame. Cuz crabapples are seriously old school. You know, Deluxe Foods specializes in heirloom jam recipes like this, made with amazing local ingredients. Stop by for a taste today, and give your toast a little more class tomorrow morning!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, January 15th: Snow Schmoe! We've Got Salad Mix, Tomato Sauce, Fresh Fish, Dried Beans, Hearty Bread & Farmstead Butter To Keep You Warm!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:53:03 +0000

The talking heads on all the local TV news programs have been whipping us all into a rabid, snow-obsessed frenzy this week. They’ve got their artists working overtime to come up with updated looking “Winter Blast 2012″ graphics, and their IT guys are designing all kinds of new toys for the weather reporters. People are waiting in line at Les Schwabb for hours to get snow tires, and riots are breaking out in Home Depots over shovels and window scrapers. But here in Ballard, we fear not! We are of Viking stock, after all, and we would not have been the first Europeans to land on North American shores by traversing the North Atlantic if we were a bunch of weather wusses. Am I right, people?!? So bring on the snow! Show us your worst! We will don our winter boots, our cross-country skis, our snow shoes and our toboggans, and we will make our weekly pilgrimage to our Ballard Farmers Market, no matter the weather, just like we did in December 2008.

And to show winter what we really think of it, we will eat spicy salad mix from Colinwood Farms in the middle of January, because we can! We are hearty folk, and we eat what’s in season, but because we support our local farmers year-round, they have been able to adapt along with us, and that means they have figured out how to feed us salad in January. Boo-yah!

We will eat local tomatoes in the dead of winter, in the form of vodka cream sauce from Tomato Goodness, because they had the good sense to make a whole lot of sauces from Billy’s tomatoes this past summer. Genius! Heck, they’ve even straight-up canned some of those tomatoes whole. And the vodka in their cream sauce is local, too!

And we can store things, too. Like apples & pears. Martin Family Orchards does just that. And they’ve got plenty of lovely pears like these, as well as apples galore, from this past fall. Ah, fresh, local fruit, all winter long. Now, that impresses me about our species a lot more than the latest smart phone upgrade!

You go to the local Big Box store, and the fish there is from, um, like Thailand or China. What’s up with that? I mean, Ballard is first and foremost Seattle’s maritime community, where its fishing fleet is based. We should be eating local fish, sustainably harvested, as direct from the boat as we can get it. And here at your Ballard Farmers Market, you can do just that. How about some of this lovely fresh Washington true cod from Wilson Fish, for example. I love this stuff tossed in a simple little breading mixture of whole wheat flour and corn meal, some garlic powder, cayenne powder, some nice sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a little bit of baking powder, to help the breading crisp up when I pan-fry it. And to get it to cook evenly and get more breading flavor, I cut it up into bite-sized pieces before breading it. Oh, sweet codlicious satisfaction!

We’ve still got a good selection of hearty greens at your Ballard Farmers Market this week, including these awesome collard greens from Children’s Garden. Did you know that collard greens are one of the most nutrient dense veggies out there? And they are delish! Okay, maybe you are one of those people who has only ever had them cooked to death, Southern-style, and you don’t think you care for them. Our northern collards are different. They are sweeter, and more tender, and they don’t require more than a gentle sauté with some garlic and maybe some salty, smoky pork product until just wilted, but still bright green. They are an amazing side to a nice steak, some sausage, or just starring on their own. And they are at their prime right now. Amazing what a little cold weather will do to bring out their inner beauty!

Our local farmers have been working hard with Washington State University to develop varieties of shelling beans that will thrive in our diverse climate zones around here. Several years ago, you would have been hard pressed to find shelling beans at local farmers markets. Today, farms like Stoney Plains have them year-round, fresh during their harvest season, and dried the rest of the year. Visit them today for some dried cannellini, cranberry or fava beans!

Nothing like some stick-to-your-ribs all-rye bread from Tall Grass Bakery to get you through a cold winter’s day. This stuff is so hearty and delicious, and it’ll stoke your fire for hours. I love this with a healthy shmir of some local, farmstead butter. Hmm, where can I get some of that?

Oh, yeah, right! Golden Glen Creamery has local, farmstead butter, and they’re back today, after several weeks hiatus to do some major maintenance on their processing facility. And they make some incredible butter. It is available in a selection of flavors, and even unsalted, but me, I like it plain old lightly salted. So back off! That one’s mine!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Nettle Honey

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:07:29 +0000

For more information on Nettle Honey, please see their Facebook page.

Farmer's Market in January

Dea — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:34:16 +0000

Welcome to the Ballard Market in January! I know it is a lot of pictures, but it was the only way to really show the wide variety of meats, veggies, fruits and other products available. Hope you enjoy the farmers market today!

Full Circle Farms with carrots, turnips, leeks and celery

Bok Choy from Full Circle

Italian/Tuscan/Lacinato Kale

Dried Mushrooms and Nettle from "Foraged and Found"

Frozen Berries from Siddhu Farms

Seabreeze Farms - dairy, meat, stock and much more

Meat Case at Seabreeze Farms

Loki Fish for all of our salmon needs - frozen, smoked and canned

Mmm... Pork chops!

Mmm... bacon

Best ground beef around

My favorite place for eggs and chicken

Chicken breasts - bone out, skin on

New vendor - Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce

Vietnamese hot sauces made by Four Sisters

Wines and vinegars

Loaves of Bread

Handmade Pasta

Yummy Hot Sauce

Live entertainment

Busy day at Nash's Produce

Sunday, January 8th: We're Back & We Missed You, Too! Farewell Christina. Thanks for the Food Love.

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:20:25 +0000

With sadness, we share the news of the passing of Christina Kim Choi, a talented young chef who spent many days working at Ballard Farmers Market for Foraged & Found Edibles, which she co-founded with Jeremy Faber, as well as as a shopper. She dedicated herself to local, sustainable food. Christina passed away on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 from a brain aneurism at the age of 34. Rest well, Christina.

Jeremy Faber of Foraged & Found Edibles let me know that he will have his first Washington black truffles of the season today at your Ballard Farmers Market. This rare treat is lovely enjoyed simply shaved over some buttered emmer pappardelle from Pasteria Lucchese. Stop by, pickup some truffles, maybe some chanterelles, pay your respects to Jeremy, then go home tonight, cook up some amazing, local deliciousness with your love ones, give them a hug, and raise a glass to Christina. Because if you love Seattle’s locavoric food scene, whether you realize it or not, Christina’s fingerprints are all over it.

We are sooo glad to be back today at your Ballard Farmers Market today. We’ve missed you woe these three long weeks. You know, it is a bit of a crap shoot for me today to tell you what you’ll find on the tables of the farmers at your Ballard Farmers Market in advance of them arriving this morning, since we haven’t seen them since December 18th. So I am shooting from the hip here. Last I recall, Jerzy Boyz assured me that they would have these gorgeous purple goddess pears for a while. Lets hope “a while” includes today. But if not, I am sure they’ll have plenty of other fruit for you to enjoy!

And I am fairly certain Nash’s Organic Produce with have more of these loverly cabbages today. Hey, we’ve got a favor to ask of you. Please help us save the Farmers Market Nutrition Programs from the Governor’s budget axe. This federal-state partnership program leverages $900,000 of federal funds into our state with just a $100,000 state investment. It is also a rare government program that works, and that, in the end, actually pays for itself by generating local economic activity. Please call your state legislator tomorrow or Tuesday at (800) 562-6000 with this simple message: “restore funding for the Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.” To learn more about these program, see yesterday’s blog post on the subject.

This jersey cow yogurt from Silver Springs Creamery took top honors in its class at the 2010 American Cheese Society Awards. And it’s no wonder. This is some of the most amazing yogurt you will ever taste. It comes with a thick, creamery cap atop it that is as rich tasting as any yogurt you’ve ever encountered. If you’ve been looking for some yogurt with some body, with an attitude, that ain’t no wussy yogurt, this is for you. And best of all, it comes to you directly from your local dairy!

The weather’s been pretty mild since we saw you all last, and so I am going out on a limb and predicting that Full Circle Farm will have some of these mustard greens today. See, we haven’t gotten completely frozen out yet, so hopefully these beauties are still hangin’ in there. But if not, you can count on them to have plenty of other good vege today.

Mmm. Bacon. Salty, smoky, fatty porkiliciousness for any season, direct from George and Eiko at Skagit River Ranch. But get there early today, cuz just like their eggs, their bacon always sells out. Mmm. Bacon.

And, of course, Olsen Farms will have all manner of spudtasticness today, with potatoes of every shape, color and size. I am a particular fan of these desiree potatoes. They have a waxy, yellow flesh that is perfect steamed and slathered with lots of good butter. And they stand up well to being thrown in the pot with your corned beef, too.

Fishing Vessel St. Jude makes their monthly appearance today with the best albacore tuna you will find anywhere, made all the better because it comes to you right from the boat that caught it off the coast of Washington. This tuna is high in beneficial omega-fatty acids and low in mercury, because they catch it young as it is swimming from the cold waters of their birth in the North Pacific on their way to the tropics to get their party on as young hipsters. Get it as frozen loins, ready to sear or eat raw as sashimi, or get it smoked or dried, and it is the best canned tuna you will ever taste. Just don’t drain off the liquid when you open the can. That’s not water. It’s the flavorful natural juices of the fish!

Let us finish with dessert. Mind you, I am a charter member of Dessert First! But most folks eat it after their meal. Go figure. Well, Deborah — the Deborah of Deborah’s Homemade Pies – tells me that she just may have some of these incredible, gluten-free chocolate muffins and chocolate decadence cake today. Seriously, this stuff is amazing. The muffins are moist and delicious, and the cake is rich, dense and, as it should be, decadent. You’ve had a week to get over your holiday gorging. It’s time to treat yourself again!

Just a reminder to please help us save the Farmers Market Nutrition Programs from the Governor’s budget axe. This federal-state partnership program leverages $900,000 of federal funds into our state with just a $100,000 state investment. It is also a rare government program that works, and that, in the end, actually pays for itself by generating local economic activity. Please call your state legislator tomorrow or Tuesday at (800) 562-6000 with this simple message: “restore funding for the Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.” To learn more about these program, see yesterday’s blog post on the subject.

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Help Us Save A Government Program That Works!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:24:09 +0000

PLEASE CALL OLYMPIA 1-800-562-6000 TODAY!

TO PROTECT THE FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAMS

Imagine a program that not only helps feed low-income seniors and families with young children, but also educates them about how to choose a more nutritious diet. How about a program that encourages people to support local farmers by shopping at farmers markets? And what do you think about a federal plan that is designed to insert tax dollars back into local economies? One federal program accomplishes all of these: the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). But it has been eliminated at the state level in the Governor’s budget, and we need your help to restore it. Please, read on…

Federal/State Partnership Smart Use Of Scarce Tax Dollars

“I think this program is the best tax dollars spent. It gets the people to the best quality produce, at the lowest prices, with the knowledge that this is where the money is going,” wrote one farmer in a 2003 Senior FMNP survey conducted by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. “It supports small family farms, and it supports and creates community.”

There are two companion FMNP programs funded by the USDA, which also sets base rules for the programs. They are the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) FMNP and the Senior FMNP. USDA first launched WIC FMNP in 1989. WIC FMNP is designed as a companion to the larger Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which provides lower income families with young children with vouchers redeemable at approved retailers for certain types groceries defined as nutritional staples by USDA. The much smaller WIC FMNP gives eligible WIC families checks that can be redeemed at their local farmers market for fresh produce purchased directly from local farmers. USDA launched the Senior FMNP, which helps low-income seniors, in 2000. While the larger WIC program is funded to the tune of billions of dollars nationally each year, the WIC & Senior FMNPs combined amount to less than $50 million nationally each year.

“[The Senior FMNP program] was great,” wrote one senior in response to the survey. “I was not eating nearly enough fruits and veggies because I couldn’t afford them. I feel healthier because of your help.”

In Washington, it works like this: Two state agencies manage the programs, the Department of Health (DOH) for WIC FMNP and the Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS) for Senior FMNP. These agencies take the federal FMNP food dollars, convert them into checks redeemable only for fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets, and distribute these checks to their eligible WIC & Senior FMNP clients. WIC & Senior FMNP clients then give these checks to local family farmers at farmers markets in exchange for their produce. The farmer gets the full retail dollar. The FMNP client gets nutritious food direct from local farmers.

The Benefits Are Many

“While the program provides a little extra sales revenue for me,” wrote another farmer, “I particularly like that it helps mothers, children and seniors eat more fruits and vegetables than they might otherwise consume.”

The benefits to FMNP clients, markets and farmers do not stop there.

Clients get access to fresh produce that is usually only hours from its harvest.
Clients get exposed to varieties of fruits and vegetables that are simply not available at large grocery stores.
Clients often get recipes, storage tips and other information about the crops they purchase.
Farmers often give FMNP clients more produce than the value of their FMNP checks.
Year-after-year, survey data has shown that more than 90% of FMNP clients report spending more than their FMNP check allotment during their farmers market trips, and they say they will return in the future with cash.
FMNP also gives farmers and markets an opportunity to educate FMNP clients, many of whom are also enrolled in the federal food stamp program, that they can redeem those at farmers markets, too.

“I thoroughly appreciated the coupons as with diabetes and cancer I am supposed to eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, which I always have, but on a limited income is very hard to afford at times now that I am no longer able to grow my own garden,” one senior wrote.

“There were lovely peaches at the market,” wrote another senior. “I purchased several boxes and canned them. I have been eating them 2 or 3 times a week. They taste wonderful. I wouldn’t have gotten them without the coupons. Thanks.”

The program benefits farmers as well.

Farmers get appreciation for what they do.
Farmers get immediate access to funds, without having to wait for a wholesaler’s check to arrive months later.
Farmers get to feel like they are giving something back to the communities that support them.
Farmers get a break from the isolation of the farm to interact with the community and other farmers while at the farmers market.

“I have spoken with many people who make healthier food choices when they shop at the farmers market,” commented one farmer. “People often try new vegetables, and form better eating habits when the checks are specifically for fruits and vegetables. This is an excellent program. It provides opportunities for people to better their diets and the diets of their children. It also supports local agriculture, which is invaluable to the local economy.”

Farmers markets also get a healthy dose of diversity as well as expanded foot traffic and increased sales. And when seniors participate in FMNP, they get a healthy social excursion while experiencing a little bit of their old world, from the markets themselves and from buying the varieties of produce they remember from their youths, but that they cannot find in grocery stores.

“I got to have more fresh fruit and vegetables then if I bought them from my monthly [social security] checks, and … I got out and met some very nice people and enjoyed the trip,” commented one senior surveyed. “…I’m unable to walk. I use an Electric power chair, so I don’t get out as much as I used too, so I really enjoyed going to the Farmers Market”

“This program was great for our seniors, and many of the other community members remarked on the positive values it has,” wrote one market manager. “It was also great for the vendors to hear the senior life experiences. Many of our seniors have had farming experiences in their past.”

FMNP By The Numbers

While the FMNP is a simple concept, it is complicated on paper, and it has been a constant struggle to keep it funded. In 2011, WIC FMNP received only $19.96 million in federal funds to cover the entire U.S., with Senior FMNP funded at $20.6 million. In 2011, Washington State received $894,000 of those federal funds to support the WIC & Senior FMNPs. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) contributed another $320,000. Yet this tiny government program provided benefits to about 76,000 WIC clients, and supported some 887 participating farms at 130 farmers markets in 38 counties statewide.

“A government program that works!!” one farmer summed up nicely. “Let’s expand it!”

Here’s The Problem

Given our current state budget crisis, advocates have already gone along with a $220,000, or almost 70%, cut in DOH funding for the FMNPs in last year’s budget, leaving just $100,000 in the budget from state coffers for the programs. We understand that everyone must accept some cuts. But state bureaucrats and legislators are considering cutting the remaining $100,000 from the state budget. This would be, quite simply, penny wise and pound foolish! You see, that remaining $100,000 in state funding is necessary in order to help pay for the state’s share administrative costs as required by USDA, and without it, Washington would release the $900,000 in federal funds. And given competition for scarce federal funds, Washington’s allotment would quickly be reallocated to another state, perhaps never to be made available to Washington again in the future, even if the state refunded its share of the program at a later date.

Who within the sound of my keyboard would, in their right minds, turn down an investment opportunity guaranteed to pay off a minimum 900% return, especially in this economy? Because that is exactly what state legislators would be doing here. And that does not even begin to take into account the fact that, according to recent studies, for every $100 spent at a farmers market, $62 is reinvested locally, and $99 stays in the state – money that continues to re-circulate, and thus get re-taxed, bringing more revenue in state coffers. Not to mention how many jobs it creates – as many as 600 farm jobs alone, by some measures.

Some in government think this program so small that no one will miss it. They are wrong. 76,000 Washington low-income residents would miss it. 887 Washington farms would miss it. 130 Washington farmers markets would miss it. And anyone who misses good, effective government spending will miss it. Some 150 farms, markets, anti-hunger, social justice and faith organizations, and local businesses and community leaders have already signed onto a letter (download PDF) requesting that this great program be reinstated in the state budget. But we need your help, too. Every call, every letter and every email counts. Copy this article across the state. Blast it on your Facebook page, your Twitter feeds, your blogs and websites. Support a government program that, for a tiny investment in state funds, actually makes money for our state! In a word, duh!

PLEASE CALL OLYMPIA 1-800-562-6000 TODAY!

TO PROTECT THE FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAMS

By Zachary D. Lyons, Communications Director, Seattle Farmers Market Association

Sunday, January 1st: Happy New Year! We're Off Today. See You Next Sunday!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:33:55 +0000

Happy 2012 to our Ballard Farmers Market extended family! We are taking another day off today (Sunday) so our farmers, fishers, ranchers, food artisans, artists, buskers and market staff can enjoy a relaxing New Year’s Day with our friends and families, sleeping off last night, watching endless football games, or maybe just taking a nice, long walk on what is shaping up to be a nice day.

Thank you for your continued support for all things local, delicious and beautiful in 2011. Together, we have built the biggest, bestest, most award-winning farmers market in Washington, and around it has grown an extraordinary neighborhood of amazing, locally-owned, family businesses, from restaurants to bars to bakeries to clothiers to specialty shops to kitchen stores, and on and on and on. Ballard is a boomtown in a shaky economic world, and that’s because folks around here understand that when you make the effort to buy local and support local businesses, it pays dividends many times over, creating local jobs and vibrant communities. Locally spent dollars recirculate through the community many more times than one spent with an out-of-state chain store, and spend that dollar on something locally produced and the effect increases exponentially. And every time that dollar recirculates, it gets taxed again, meaning it helps with our government budget crisis. Pretty cool, eh? So please make your first resolution of the new year be that you will try your hardest to buy as much local stuff from local folks as possible from here on out.

Now, a New Year’s thought… have you noticed that, by-and-large, the whole planet stops to party in peace on New Year’s? So, I propose that we change our calendars. Why not make every year only one day long? That way, every day is New Year’s Day, and every night is New Year’s Eve, and the whole world will be too busy partying peacefully all the time to fight with each other. Who’s with me?!?

Okay, enjoy going out for noodles for long life in Chinatown or brunch at Bastille (yes, they’re open) today, and we will see you right back here on Ballard Avenue for your Ballard Farmers Market on Sunday, January 8th!

Sunday, December 18th: Frenzied Final Purchases, Fond Farewells, An Amazing & Unusual Year!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:37:46 +0000

Holy holiday hams, Batman! Yup, Olsen Farms has a slew of freshly smoked hams for your holiday table. Be it for Solstice, Christmas, Festivus, Zappadan, Kwanzaa, or Chanukah… okay, maybe not Chanukah… but these beauties are awesome, and you can tell your guests it came straight from the farm! Yeah, they took a little longer to get here this year, but that’s okay, right? I mean, you know why it takes so long to smoke a ham, don’t you? Cuz it’s hard to keep them lit! (Can I get a rimshot?)

We know you are scrambling to get all your holiday shopping done now, and there is no place better than your Ballard Farmers Market for that. Lotsa local loveliness and deliciousness to be had. Like these fragrant candles from Ascents Candles. They are made using the finest essential oils and oils that do not produce toxic smoke in your home. Of course, you can also get beautiful odorless candles, too, for your table during your holiday feasts, so the scent doesn’t interfere with your ability to taste everything. And Julianna has got some gift boxes of votives and some cool new sizes of candles this year.

Hey kids, it’s that holiday favorite, mistlefaux, from Alm Hill Gardens. Since the real stuff doesn’t grow around here, we’ve got the next best thing! BTW, now’s as good a time as any to remind you that we will be taking a holiday break for the next two weeks, since both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Sundays this year. The staff and vendors of your Ballard Farmers Market will be spending those days with friends and family, or eating Chinese and going to the movies, but we’ll be right back here on Sunday, January 8th. So remember to stock up on food stuffs from your favorite farmers today!

How about some sweet holiday breads from Tall Grass Bakery? Some almond bread and stollen will brighten up any holiday feast. Of course, they’ll have their full line of baked deliciousness today, too, so stock up for the holiday break. It freezes great!

Everyone is getting in the holiday marketing spirit around your Ballard Farmers Market. Even those crazy cats at Collins Family Orchards. They’ve rolled out several different gift boxes, like this one full of pears. If you’re gonna give someone a box of fruit, shouldn’t you at least make it truly special by including the name of the farm that grew it? Otherwise, it is just another box of fruit!

It was kind of an off year for the bees this year, since the snow level was so low so late into spring. We got to learn from Tahuya River Apiaries this year that honey, too, is seasonal. But one flower in abundance for the bees to pollinate in the Olympic Mountains was Japanese knotweed, and the result is this beautiful, dark wild Japanese knotweed honey from Tahuya. Now, wouldn’t that be a sweet stocking stuffer! Think of the charoset! And hey, it’ll boost your immune system, too!

You know why it takes so long to smoke a salmon? Wait, have you heard this one before? Well, in any case, Wilson Fish has smoked whole sides of king salmon they caught off the coast of Washington this past summer. Blow the roof off of your New Year’s Eve party when you bring a platter covered with one of these!

For several years now, we’ve all had the pleasure of working with Lizzie from Lyall Farms. She has kept us in apples and sweet potatoes and then some, always with a blinding smile on her face. But alas, while Lyall Farms will be back with us come January 8th, Lizzie will not. She is heading out on a major life adventure to a great city that straddles two continents, half a world away. For our sake, we hope to see her return someday off in the future, but for now, we wish Lizzie happy, safe journeys fertile with years of grand stories. Stop by Lyall Farms today, load up on sweet potatoes for the holidays, and wish Lizzie well. Hey Lizzie, send us a post card, eh?

We also bid a fond adieu to Terry Whetham and Quilceda Farm. Terry has been bringing us delicious goat meat for years, teaching us of its nutritional value, giving us recipes, and helping us to understand why it is the most commonly eaten meat on earth. Well, Terry has decided to pack it in. No kidding. (Uh, sorry.) Yes, Terry is retiring. He’s heading off to greener pastures. (Again, my apologies.) Actually, I think he’d expect nothing less than a good razzing sendoff from me. Perhaps what I will miss about Terry the most is how much good-humored grief he would give me every week. Just ask any of the vendors around him. They will testify to the back-and-forth we had. So stop by with a gold watch for Terry, and make one last purchase from him. After all, he’s got your goat!

Another of the true characters of the farmers market world is Jerry Pipitone of Pipitone Farms, a.k.a., the Rock Island Brand. For more than 30 years, Jerry has cranked out some of the finest apricots, peaches and Italian prunes, as well as garlic, shallots, jams, dried herbs, heirloom Italian tomatoes and more. He has been a great leader in both the farmers market and organic farming communities, and he has been quite simply a hoot to have around, always with a bad joke or a crusty story. Well, Jerry, too, is retiring. I had the pleasure of visiting him at his farm on Rock Island, just down river from Wenatchee, this past spring, where I captured this photo of him out standing in his field. I look forward to visiting him again out there, in retirement, and maybe taking in a game of bocce ball with him.

And as we honor these wonderful folks as they leave us for their next stages of life, let us take a moment to remember two lovely ladies who graced us with their musical talents many times over the years here at your Ballard Farmers Market — Arwen and Teresa Morgan. Arwen and Teresa (Arwen’s mother) played together in their family’s band, The Cutters, but they also individually busked at the Ballard Farmers Market, Arwen playing fiddle, and Teresa playing hammer dulcimer. Sadly, we lost both of these lovely, talented women in 2011 — Arwen in July and Teresa in late November. You can learn more about both women, and share your own thoughts via this Facebook page, which includes information on a memorial service being held this evening for Teresa in Magnolia.

Finally, let us look back with fondness on what has been, perhaps remarkably, a remarkable year here at your Ballard Farmers Market, and for Ballard in general. As the Market keeps getting bigger and better, Ballard itself continues to grow in international prominence as a food mecca, and just generally a cool place to be. Your Ballard Farmers Market won “Best Farmers Market” again from both the Seattle Weekly and Seattle Magazine, and we came in a respectable #8 in the America’s Favorite Farmers Market contest, garnering the most votes of any market on the West Coast. And we got to watch our influence continue to spread over Ballard with the opening of seemingly countless new eateries, bars and food related businesses. Remember 10 years ago, when we first moved the Market to Ballard Avenue? There were tumbleweeds blowing down the street on Sundays. Now, during the worst economy in 80 years, Ballard is booming, and all the celebrated chefs of Seattle want to open up shop here. National and international magazines cannot mention Seattle without mentioning Ballard. And the beauty of it is that we’ve built a robust local economy here in Ballard around small, local businesses. Heck, our friends and neighbors at Bastille built their restaurant around the Market, and they built their menu around its farmers. Thank you, Ballard, for being so kind to us, for supporting our vendors, and for embracing the spirit of local upon which this Market stands. And here’s to a great 2012!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Clive Barry

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:27:16 +0000

Sunday, December 11th: Our Holidaze Localpalooza Continues! Welcome One Leaf Farm & Cape Cleare Fishery! Gorgeous Glassware, Bodacious Bread, Hazel Nuts (see what I did there?) & Pie!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 09:34:01 +0000

One Leaf Farm is King County’s newest farm, launching this past spring on a small patch of fertile earth in Carnation, right across the Snoqualmie River from Full Circle Farm. And these kids have been hitting it out of the park from Jump Street. We had the pleasure of their presence all summer at our Interbay and Madrona farmers markets. And today, we welcome them to your Ballard Farmers Market. Today they have Brussels sprouts, collard greens, Viking purple potatoes, Japanese wax turnips, daikon radishes, arugula, some lovely cabbages and winter squash, this beautiful kale (above) and more! So please give them a big old Ballard welcome, won’t you? And remember, this year, your Ballard Farmers Market will not be open on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, which both fall on Sunday. So start stocking up your pantry and fridge now!

Cape Cleare Fishery returns today with their pedal-powered operation. Yes, these are the folks who ride their bikes from Port Townsend with trailers filled with all manner of fishliciousness. They’ve got flash frozen and smoked wild Alaskan salmon they caught this past summer, as well as usually a few other surprises, from canned tuna to frozen ling cod.

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: Deborah’s Homemade Pies are as good as any pies on the planet. Okay, maybe I’ve never said it quite that way before, but I’m saying it that way now. Her crusts are the stuff of the dreams of many a pastry chef, and she fills those crusts with all manner of awesomeness. Indeed, I told Deborah I would post a photo of one of her apple pies today, but I couldn’t find the photo. I am guessing I must have eaten it. Mind you, I’ve always thought my dad’s apple pies were unrivaled. Heck, in most cases, I won’t even bother trying another apple pie. They just all disappoint me. See, my dad grew up working apple orchards in Upstate New York and making pies with my grandmother. Well, Deborah’s apple pie can honestly go toe-to-toe with those of my dad, and I say this with the full confidence that my dad will never read this post, so please, don’t tell him. Of course, this pecan pie (above) is equally outrageous. And while I know you really want to slave away in the kitchen the entire holiday season, impressing family and friends with all the deliciousness you can crank out using the amazing ingredients you source at your Ballard Farmers Market, let’s face it. There’s gonna be that one party you go to, that one dinner you throw, that one office party for which you just say to yourself, “If I have to cook one more thing!” Well, Deborah’s got your back. And hey, if you just wanna be really lazy, use her pies for every occasion and lie that you made them!

I don’t know how Wileyware gets these glass tumblers and their other glassware to look so cool. I mean, just look at the brilliant colors in these glasses. There’s no special lighting, no trick photography, no more editing than the simple stuff I normally do for cabbage and lettuce photos. They really look like this. Now, I’ve asked them how they pull this off, and I’ve been told that they could tell me, but then they’d have to kill me. So I’ll just live in blissful ignorance, enjoying the pretty colors.

We continue our hit parade of holiday wreathes this week with this beautiful entry from Children’s Garden. I just love how each farmer puts their own individual touch on their wreathes each year. Heck, it is one of the few times of year they get to really show off their artistic sides, you know? Children’s has some wonderful dried flower bouquets right now, too. So brighten up your home for the holidays, eh?

This is stollen. Says Wikipedia, “A stollen is a loaf-shaped cake containing dried fruit, and covered with sugar, powdered sugar or icing sugar. The cake is usually made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts and spices. Stollen is a traditional German cake, usually eaten during the Christmas season.” Let’s just say, it’s a rare holiday treat, sweet, chewy and delicious, and Grateful Bread Baking has it now, by the loaf or the slice.

I heart pink lady apples, and Collins Family Orchards has lots and lots of them this time of year. They are sweet and crunchy, and they will keep the doctor away, make teacher happy, and generally bring joy and happiness into the world. And why not? They’re pink ladies, after all.

Whether you call them hazelnuts or filberts does not matter. They are one of the great nuts, and they are one of the few nuts that grow in abundance around here. Wow, just talking about them has got my mouth watering, my sensory memories active and my brain puzzling out where I stored that nutcracker. Swing by Alm Hill Gardens today, and get you a bag of these beauties, and celebrate our local nut.

Holidaze require wine. Lots of wine. It doesn’t matter if you’re celebrating with family and friends or trying to drown out an irritating child who’s whining that they didn’t get that thing that the TV has been telling them they must have, wine will make everything seem a little better. Especially when it is direct from the local winemaker, in a great selection of award-winning varieties. And that is exactly what you’ll find from Lopez Island Vineyards: great, local, award-winning wines.

Sunchokes, like these red sunchokes from Stoney Plains, are commonly referred to as Jerusalem artichokes. But the name “sunchoke” more accurately captures what they are — the edible tuberous root of a member of the sunflower family. Sunchokes are native to North America, and the earliest European settlers and explorers learned from local tribes of them as a valuable food source. They are plenty versatile. They make for great soups, purees, are wonderful roasted, work as a substitute of potatoes as home fries and many other applications, and so much more. If you are unfamiliar with them, why not give them a try this winter, and get down with your bad colonial pilgrim self! And just another reminder Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both fall on Sundays this year, and that we’ll be spending those days celebrating with our loved ones. It rare, but we’ll be taking those two days off. So stock up now, and next week, for our two-week hiatus, and we’ll be back, of course, on January 8th!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, December 4th: Wreathes, Hot Sauce, Warm Clothing, Rocksalmic Vinegar, Arkansas Black Apples, Tasty Fish Eggs & Dried Chiles! It Is The Holiday Season!!!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:27:24 +0000

In the immortal words of Andy Williams, “It’s the holiday season, so whoop-dee-doo, and dickery-dock, and don’t forget to hang up a sock.” And don’t forget to hang up one of these spectabulous holiday wreathes from Alm Hill Gardens, either. Not only beautiful and aromatic, they last forever. Heck, I’ve still got mine from last year hanging on my living room wall, ready to be replaced this week with a fresh one.

Twice a year, Rockridge Orchards bottles some of its prized, long-aged Rocksalmic vinegar, and this is one of those times. This stuff is the closest thing we’ve got to local balsamic vinegar around here. It is a thick, sweet, smooth vinegar made from Rockridge’s Asian pears, and once you’ve tasted it, you won’t feel the need to bother stocking balsamic from the other side of the planet in your kitchen anymore, cuz you’ll have the good stuff from Enumclaw. But get it today, and early today at that. It will likely be sold out before the day is done. And hey, if that’s the case, you can still get you some sweet or hard cider, or some berry wine, right? They’ll bottle some more Rocksalmic for you around tax time.

A holiday treat of sorts are these crisp and tart Arkansas black apples from Tiny’s Organic Produce. See, they show up every December, kinda like satsumas, just in time for the holidays, it seems. So enjoy these special, heirloom apples while you can. Hey, if you can’t go to Arkansas, at least Tiny’s can bring a little Arkansas to you, right?

Many folks know Pieter Muller of Pieter Muller Designs as “the fleece guy,” as he is renowned for his unique, original fleece creations, perfect for the Pacific Northwet, and so much more attractive than the mass-produced fleece available in, well, blue or black, and made in China, from the Big Box stores. I mean, just look at this stuff! It’s fabtastic! And he also makes an entire line of clothing from recycled fabrics, too. Talk about clothing with purpose.

After a brief post-Thanksgiving hiatus, Oxbow Farm returns today, along with several others, so your Ballard Farmers Market will be flush with produce and other deliciousness today. Like these crunchy purple haze carrots, perfect for roasting. And remember, this year, your Ballard Farmers Market will not be open on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, which both fall on Sunday. So start stocking up your pantry and fridge now!

Looking to spice up your life a little? Then stop by Zane & Zack’s World Famous Honey to sample their award-winning hot sauces. Single bottles of hot sauce make for great stocking stuffers, or for the more adventurous ones on your gift list, pick up one of their holiday sampler boxes. And don’t forget to pick up a bottle or three for yourself. Support your local hot sauce this holiday season.

Christine Groutier has been a mainstay for handcrafted jewelry for years at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just look at the way these sets of earrings pick up the light, eh? Their colors kinda just explode out of them. Why not brighten up the ears, and the eyes, of someone special by slipping a pair of these in their stocking.

Whitehorse Meadows Blueberry Farm drops in on us today with some of their blueberryliciousness. They’ve got gift baskets that include, among other things, their awesome blueberry mango salsa, made from their own certified organic blueberries.

Mmm. Tasty fish eggs. This is ikura, or keta salmon roe, from Loki Fish. And tasty, they are. I like ‘em with some fresh goat cheese on a crostini, or make some sushi with them. Heck, sprinkling them on your seafood-based pasta as a wonderful finishing touch. They are briny deliciousness that literally explode in your mouth with incredibleness.

Karmela Botanica handcrafts lovely soaps. And I’m not just talking to look at, though they are easy on the eyes. But they are made will all sorts of gorgeous herbs and essential oils that will soothe your senses and your skin. Just resist the overwhelming temptation to eat them. And you will want to eat them. Especially the chocolate soap. Yeah, baby.

Alvarez Organic Farms hopes to stretch their season out through the end of the year, but keep in mind, the end of the year for your Ballard Farmers Market is December 18th, since we’ll be taking a holiday break both on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day this year. (Of course, we’ll be right back in January.) So start stocking up now. One thing you can stock up on are these awesome dried red chile de arbol. Grind ‘em. Toss ‘em whole into your soup or stew. They’ve got huge, spicy flavor. And Alvarez has several other peppers dried for you this December, from mild to wild, along with all their dried beans, onions and garlic – all great storage crops, so stock up now for the winter!

We may be in the midst of the coldest, darkest, wettest time of the year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little color to your life, or to the life of someone special. How about one of these delightful skirts from Marmalade Originals? Talk about adding color to your day! So come to your Ballard Farmers Market, and meet your local fashion designer today. Yes, you will meet the actual creator of these gorgeous garments. Try doing that at the Big Box stores, where you’ll just be another amongst millions wearing the same made-in-China stuff. Get yourself something original, something local, something that creates local jobs, and something that comes with fresh air instead of a stuffy, crowded, dehumanizing mall. (Shutter.)

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, November 27th: It's "Buy Direct From The Local Producer" Sunday! (Okay, I just made that up, but you get the point.)

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:03:23 +0000

Spirited Apple Wine from Finnriver Farm & Cidery. Photo courtesy Finnriver.

Okay, folks, we’ve made it through the Thanksgiving gorge, the Black Friday riots, and Small Business Saturday (which we fully endorse, as small businesses have created 65% of all new jobs over the last 17 years, even without government bailouts and tax breaks). Now, it’s time for what I like to call, “Buy Direct From The Local Producer Sunday.” And where better to do that than right here at your Ballard Farmers Market, where every vendor is a local producer. Yes, these folks are small business owners, but more importantly, they are all producing what they are selling right here in Washington, then selling it directly to you. You can’t get much more of a face-behind-the-product than this. So give a gift with true meaning. It’ll be unique, local, have a story and face to go with it, and it will create local jobs, which in turn might end up ultimately saving yours! Pretty cool, eh?

Today, we welcome back Finnriver Farm & Cidery, and their amazing line of estate ciders, fruit wines and brandies made on their farm in Chimacum with much of their own fruit. Heck, they even grow most of the hops used in their hopped cider. And today, Ballard Farmers Market will be the only place in Seattle to get a bottle or three of their Spirited Apple Wine, pictured above. (Go to the Ballard Farmers Market Facebook page for info on a special offer just for you today from Finnriver!)

Not the sexiest photo ever, but what you see here is something revolutionary. These are three cups of tea — one in plastic, one in glazed ceramic and one in a Naked Pottery cup. It is part of an informal taste test we did this past April. See, Naked Pottery likes to rave about how their pottery actually improves the flavor of, well, just about everything, from whiskey to breakfast cereal to, um, tea. It’s some sort of a chemistry thing between the particular clay they use and the food or beverage in it. In most cases, the result is a cleaner, less bitter flavor. Now, I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t experienced it firsthand. but indeed, the tea in the Naked Pottery tea cup was smoother and less bitter tasting than the glazed ceramic cup, and, of course, the plastic had a chemical taste. We also tasted one of their bowls against a steel bowl with some of Daddy’s Muesli and soy milk. Again, the Naked Pottery bowl’s food tasted better. Give it a shot this week, and then buy it for everyone on your gift list this holiday season!

This may be the last week for Alvarez Organic Farms at your Ballard Farmers Market for the 2011 season, so now’s the time to stock up on garlic, onions, potatoes, dried peppers, dried beans, winter squash and their amazing pepper wreathes and strands.

Sip-T has returned to your Ballard Farmers Market with their wonderful artisan tea blends they handcraft in Bellingham. Stop by for a sample, and then grab some herbal deliciousness to warm you up during the long, dark, wet, cold Northwest winter. And hey, their teas make for great stocking stuffers, too!

Look kids, Pete’s Perfect Butter Toffee has branched out again — this time to the glorious world of peanut brittle. Woohoo!!! Break out the good set of chompers, grandpa, and run (or shuffle) down to see Pete right this very second! Trust me, you will not survive another week without this stuff.

Let me put this as simply and clearly as I can… Brown Butterfly makes the finest shaving soap I have ever used. If that special person in your life uses shaving soap, they will be eternally grateful for a gift of this shaving soap. And notice that I was gender neutral here. Yes, this stuff works just as well on faces as it does on legs. And it is formulated in a way that nurtures, instead of harming, your skin. And if you are still using foam from a can, it is time to kick that habit. This stuff is less wasteful, less destructive to the environment, better for your skin, less expensive, and best of all, you get it direct from the people who make it. And if you, or your special someone, needs to kick the can and join the shaving soap revolution, Brown Butterfly has these complete shaving kits to get you and yours started.

Corrine Mirenda makes a lovely collection of knitted wares and beaded jewelry that is bound to fill a slot on your holiday gift list. Everything she makes is truly unique — one-of-a-kind items for your one-of-a-kind loved ones. This year, give a gift that truly does have meaning, a story and a face behind it.

Looking for a unique, delicious and healthy snack, especially after your Thanksgiving gorge? How about some of these kale & collard chips from House of the Sun? They use local ingredients from Market farmers to make them, and they are both raw and vegan. What? Raw? How’s that, you say? Simple. They dehydrate them instead of roasting them. Mystery solved. Appetite quenched. Deliciousness had by all.

We all know and love Bluebird Grain Farms and their incomparable emmer, right? Well the good folks at Pasteria Lucchese have begun making pasta from it — emmer pappardelle and emmer fettucine. They use Bluebird’s emmer flour to make a toothsome, nutty, whole grain pasta that is perfect this time of year. Toss some of it with some of Wilson’s smoked king salmon and some frozen peas, or toss it with some Golden Glen Creamery butter and grab some Washington black truffles from Foraged & Found Edibles to shave over the top. Oh, yeah, baby! That’s living!

And our bodies need a little extra boost to get us going on a cold, dark, wet morning, right? How about one of these yummy turnovers from Little Prague European Bakery? They’ve get ‘em in chocolate and apple. Oh, the sweet deliciousness!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, November 20th: Eat Local For Thanksgiving with Chef Dustin Ronspies of Art of the Table!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:02:07 +0000

This is where the rubber meets the road, folks. If there is any time to eat local, it’s Thanksgiving. After all, what’s the point of giving thanks for the bounty on our tables if we do not know who to actually give thanks to? Well, when you Eat Local For Thanksgiving, you’ll know the names of each of the farms that produced the ingredients that went into your Thanksgiving feast, and that means you can thank each and every one of them by name as you give thanks over your meal. How cool is that? And to help us with great ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes is Chef Dustin Ronspies of Art of the Table, who will be performing a cooking demonstration today at noon at your Ballard Farmers Market. Dustin has built his entire business around using what’s fresh and local at your Ballard Farmers Market every week as the basis for his weekly menus, so if anyone can talk Eat Local For Thanksgiving, it’s him!

Okay, it’s time to go down the Thanksgiving grocery check list. And you might as well bring that entire list to your Ballard Farmers Market today. I mean, if for some reason you can’t find it here, you’ll still have four days to get it at the coop or Ballard Market, right? Let’s start with an absolute staple: winter squash. Just look at these beauties from Growing Things Farm. You know, like with so many crops, 2011 was not a good year for winter squash harvests, but the ones our farmers did harvest are awesome, and the Market is flush with them today, so celebrate ‘em while you can!

If you are looking at this photo thinking, “What the heck do sausages have to do with Thanksgiving dinner?”, then you need to broaden your horizons a bit! These beautiful, farmstead sausages from Sea Breeze Farm are perfect to mix in with your stuffing, or to toss in with your mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. Their savory, spicy, fattiness adds complex flavors to all sorts of dishes. So don’t think of them as a main course. Think of them as a seasoning!

Looking for flour to bake with, or to thicken that gravy? Or maybe you’d like to add a nice pilaf as a side dish. I imagine you have all manner of uses for the whole grains, cracked grains, flours and mixes offered by Bluebird Grain Farms. Well, Brooke Lucy returns today with your direct connection to your local grain grower. Everything else on your holiday table will be local. Shouldn’t your grain products be local, too? Not to mention fresh and delicious!

Granny Smith apples from ACMA Mission Orchards make for great pies and sauces, and they’ve got a gorgeous fresh crop of them, and many other varieties of apples and pears, right now. And hey, don’t just think desserts and sauces. Think stuffing, or roasting with squash and more. Few meals are more wonderful than Thanksgiving dinner for celebrating the bounty of this year’s local harvest of magnificent deliciousness. So pull out all the stops!

Beauregard sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms are another must for your Thanksgiving table. You can roast them whole, or cut them up. You can bake them in a casserole. You can mix them in with your mashed potatoes. You can even try them with a recipe I learned from some of the Mexican farmhands at Full Circle Farm years ago — cube them, steam them until just tender, and then mash them with some canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and a little maple syrup. Yeah, baby!

Okay, just how many dishes will require fresh milk this week? You’ll need them for your mashed potatoes, of course. And for that chocolate cream pie. So let’s be thankful for Silver Springs Creamery for producing for us some of the most incredible, local jersey milk and goat milk you will find anywhere. Support your local dairy while enriching your meal.

Ah, the mighty Brussels sprout from Boistfort Valley Farm. It is peak season for them now. If you love them, you don’t need me to sell you on them. But if you are one of those phobic types, then you clearly have never had them prepared properly. They are amazing oven roasted, but I love them sautéed with pancetta, shallots and a little white wine at the end to deglaze the pan and give them a little steam. You pork-phobic types can leave out the pancetta, I s’pose, if you must. Otherwise, sweat the chopped shallots while you render the fat out of the pancetta, and when they’re both going good, add your halved and quartered sprouts. When they start to get bright green and a bit tender, hit the pan with some white wine for a few minutes, until nicely tender. Just don’t overcook them. That’s why most folks don’t like them. They’ve always had them overcooked.

As for those aforementioned mashed potatoes, Olsen Farms has an amazing selection of the finest potatoes you will ever want. For mashing, I am a particular fan of these Viking purple potatoes, with their creamy, white flash that is pretty much put on this earth as a vehicle for butter. But you might be a German butterball fan. Who am I to judge?

Pumpkin pie is a staple of many a Thanksgiving feast, but too many people use that nasty canned stuff. But why, when Stoney Plains has these gorgeous sugar pie pumpkins just waiting for you? These babies are bred specifically for your pie-making pleasure. Please, do not deny them their destiny!

You might be thinking, “With all the food we’ll have on our table this Thursday, do we really need bread, too?” Uh… yes!!! I mean, you are gonna take it home tonight, cube it up or tear it apart, toss it with olive oil and herbs and spices and roast it in the oven at low heat to dry it out, and then, on Thursday, you are going to make the most amazing stuffing with it. Woohoo! So stop by Grateful Bread Baking for just the right loaf, or three.

And the secret ingredient is schmaltz, or chicken fat. Use it in just about everything. From your mashed potatoes to your baked goods to a rub-down for your turkey, and on and on. Stokesberry Sustainable Farm produces this from their chickens. And they’ve also got plenty of turkey sausage right now. Work some of that into your stuffing, too, eh?

You’ll be needing some incredible, heirloom jams and jellies to accompanying many of your dishes, and for that, Deluxe Foods has you covered. Hopefully, they’ve have some of this quintessentially Thanksgiving-esque quince jelly today, though you might have to get here early to get any. But hey, if not, they’ve go many more great flavors.

Parsnips from Nash’s Organic Produce are great added to a root roast, stew or soup, but for Thanksgiving, I recommend blending some in with your mashed potatoes. Oh, sweet, creamy deliciousness!

Let us finish today’s Eat Local For Thanksgiving epistle with the mighty rutabaga from Colinwood Farm. These, too, can be mashed in with your potatoes, but me, I like ‘em steamed and mashed with lotsa butter all on their own. For my money, it just ain’t Thanks For The Land Day without a healthy helping of bagas.

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, November 13th: Chef Jason Stoneburner of Bastille Helps Us Eat Local For Thanksgiving!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 09:37:47 +0000

Thanksgiving is just 11 days away, and it is time to think about how we can all Eat Local For Thanksgiving, with the help of your Ballard Farmers Market, of course. To that end, our annual Eat Local For Thanksgiving cooking demonstration series returns this week and next. Today at noon we welcome Ballard Avenue’s own Chef Jason Stoneburner of Bastille Café & Bar. Jason is no stranger to working with the bounty of your Ballard Farmers Markets. His menu incorporates ingredients from many Market farmers, fishers and ranchers. Today, he will give us some simple, delicious ideas for preparing Thanksgiving side-dishes without all the stress.

Oysters enhance many a Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, not to mention oyster stew. Hama Hama Oyster Company offers fresh, shucked jar oysters in various oyster and jar sizes, as well as smoked and pickled oysters to help you liven up your holiday meal or party, or just to enjoy as comfort food on a cool, dark, wet November night.

You’ll want some winter squash as part of your holiday meal, and talk about a simple, low-stress side dish. Just take a few of these beautiful delicata squash from Oxbow Farm, cut them in half, lengthwise, scoop the seeds out, then just slather them in olive oil and place them face down in a glass baking dish and roast them in a 375 degree oven until tender — 20-30 minutes. Its deep sweetness will concentrate wonderfully. You can even eat the skins! And toss the seeds with some olive oil and salt in a pie tin and roast them right alongside the squash for a crunchy, salty snack. The seeds take only about 10 minutes to roast at most. Just stir them once, mid-roast.

If you are like me (as terrifying a thought as that may be), you probably think of cranberry sauce as something tin can-shaped, complete with the ridges, and horribly sweet. But cranberry sauce need not be so repulsive. Washington is one of the nation’s top cranberry producing states, so there is no excuse not to get fresh cranberries to make fresh cranberry sauce. Just stop by Bloom Creek Cranberry Farm today at your Ballard Farmers Market and grab some of their fresh cranberries, and you, too, can be liberated from the dreaded canned cranberry sauce forever!

Red Barn Farm from Enumclaw returned just last week to your Ballard Farmers Market for the fall harvest season. Julie’s got this beautiful cabbage right now, which I am certain you can use to warm up your kitchen and your belly now that the cold, wet November we know and love has finally come back to us in ernest.

It’s pumpkin season, and that means Pasteria Lucchese is making lots of pumpkin ravioli with pumpkins from Oxbow Farm. And where there’s pumpkins, there’s pumpkin seeds. Sam and Sarah finally decided, and bless them for this, to roast the many pumpkin seeds they have been amassing lately, and the result is these yummy bags of the crunchy squash spawn. Mmm.

Wait, what?!? Are those, um, blackberries? In November? Yup. In this, the screwiest weather year in memory, the harvest schedule has been turned on its head. That means, among other things, that Hayton Berry Farms still has blackberries a good month after they should. So why not make some last-minute jam, or some berry cobbler. And have fun explaining it to your friends and family.

Hey, kids! A second farm has local sweet potatoes now at your Ballard Farmers Market. Alm Hill Gardens has found a variety of beauregard sweet potatoes that has been bred to grow in their cool climate just south of the Canadian border in Whatcom County. They don’t grow as big as other sweet potatoes, but they still eat plenty good!

Booth Canyon Orchard grows an extraordinary variety of heirloom tree fruit in the Methow Valley over in Okanogan County. Among their many apples are these prized Macoun apples. You have no idea just how hard it was to capture this photo last Sunday, because so many people kept shoving me out of the way so they could buy these.

The fresh coastal salmon season for Wilson Fish has now passed, but they still have plenty of the best smoked king salmon you will find anywhere. Add it to your holiday table, or just keep it to yourself! I recommend tossing it with some Pasteria Lucchese pappardelle, some peas, and a little olive oil. Yeah, baby!

Chocolates By George has also recently returned to your Ballard Farmers Market with its many award-winning confections. George Brunjes — that’s the “George” behind Chocolates By George — has concocted a delicious array of chocolate treats in his mad scientist laboratory up on Whidbey Island. He even has a special flavor this month that incorporates wasabi. Bam! Stop by, say hi to George, and satisfy that sweet tooth today.

For a refreshing drink that’ll cure what ails you, grab a bottle of kombucha from CommuniTea. They call their brew, “Kombucha without Compromise!” See, the feds have been forcing most kombucha off store shelves because it contains a small amount of alcohol as a byproduct of the natural fermentation process — small, but enough for the feds to regulate. Well, Chris from CommuniTea decided to let them regulate him, and he went and got himself a brewery license. That means you now can enjoy the real deal from him. It also means you need to be 21 to buy it.

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

p.s., it’s just not the same writing this blog in the wee hours of Sunday morning with my dear feline friend, Polly, on the couch behind me, rousing with every curse I blurt out when I screw something up. She passed away on Friday, November 4, 2011 at the ripe old age of 19 — or about 130 for you and me. We should all live so long. Polly, you are missed.

Bob Goldstick

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 08:29:14 +0000

For more info on Bob Goldstick, see his website.

CSA Week 20: Pan Fried Fennel Patties

Lucy — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:57:55 +0000

I picked up my last organic produce share of the 2011 season from Growing Things Farm at Ballard Farmers Market.

Roxy and Cassius are content with the last CSA share of the season

Although more abundant than the first share in late June, the dominant color of produce is green—which I’m happy to see. In our house we eat a lot of greens. From salads to sautes, green vegetables are part of almost every meal. This week’s share included:

1 bunch green kale
1 bunch turnip greens
1 bunch arugula
1 lb salad mix
1 lb Brussels sprouts (freshly cut from stalk)
1 yellow winter squash
1 large bunch tiny fennel bulbs with fronds
half dozen eggs

Last night I roasted the Brussels sprouts and served it with baked, wild rocksole and carrot and herbed couscous. Meals have been built around the contents of the weekly CSA shares. When it’s time to cook, I look at what we already have, and then build a meal around it. It takes creative thinking sometimes, but at least the outcome is always fresh.

I have a recipe for panfried fennel cakes that I got from Alice Waters, who at the time was visiting the French Culinary Academy in New York City. It’s a really simple recipe – one that I transcribed in my notebook, that I haven’t seen in her books or online. It’s a really great way to showcase a bunch of tender fennel bulbs, like the ones I got in my CSA share yesterday.

Pan Fried Fennel Patties

5-6 small fennel bulbs, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (preferably crushed in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of coarse sea salt)
2 medium eggs (beaten)
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika (whatever you prefer though smoked may overpower the fennel)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano or good quality domestic parmesan cheese
olive oil
coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
lemon

Combine the first six ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until evenly incorporated. In a frying pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil and wait until it just starts to glisten. Take a heaping tablespoon-size mound of fennel mixture and make a small patty with your hands. Place the patty into the hot oiled pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until light golden brown. Depending on the size of the pan, you can cook a few at a time, but be careful not to overcrowd the pan or the patties will be soggy. As each one is done, lift each patty gently with a spatula and place on clean chefs paper or a smooth towel to drain excess fat. Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve right away. Can be reheated but they won’t be crispy.

Sunday, November 6th: Did You Set You Clocks Back An Hour? Booth Canyon Orchards & Red Barn Farm Return, Plus Much More!

Zachary D. Lyons — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:43:14 +0000

I hope you set your clocks back overnight, lest you show up at your Ballard Farmers Market at 9 a.m., thinking it’s 10 a.m., at which point our staff will undoubtedly giggle at you. And hey, join us in welcoming back Booth Canyon Orchards this week. Stina Booth grows beautiful fruit over in the Methow Valley, including these d’anjou pears. These pears are something special, so if you haven’t tried them, do seek them out today. A perfect eating pear, they are also wonderful poached.

Red Barn Farm also returns today to your Ballard Farmers Market with all kinds of great veggies from Enumclaw. Pick up some of these great Yukon gold potatoes and other deliciousness, from greens to garlic, and more.

Four Sisters Gourmet Sauces produces excellent Vietnamese-style chili sauces from peppers grown by Alvarez Organic Farms. They’ve got five different varieties, as well as spring roll sauce and more. You know, I just got back from Louisiana, where I spent two weeks eating my way through New Orleans and Cajun Country. They know a thing or two about hot sauce down there, too, but what Four Sisters makes is an entirely different type of hot sauce from Louisiana hot sauces like Tabasco. Do give it a try. And if you find yourself in Louisiana, you can skip Tabasco’s “plant tour”, as it’s pretty lame. Spend your time elsewhere!

Yay! It’s parsnip season at Colinwood Farm! Woohoo!!! I love parsnips. They are so sweet and versatile. Roast them. Steam and mash them with potatoes. Make soups with them. Add them to stews. It is fall. Enjoy the fall deliciousness!

It is the peak of apple season at Tiny’s Organic Produce now. And among their many varieties of sweet, crunchy apples are these gala apples, tree ripened and ready for adding to your kids’ lunches, or for a snack during the work day. And they still have some nectarines and pluots, too.

Alvarez Organic Farms has just a few more weeks left in their 2011 market season. Be sure to pick up one of these beautiful pepper wreathes today to decorate your home for the holidays. They also still have onions, garlic, dried beans, peanuts, winter squash and more.

Always a treat is this fresh goat cheese from Port Madison Goat Farm & Dairy. It is great to add to your holiday platters. But enjoy it now, before Port Madison takes its annual winter hiatus, as their dairy goats switch from producing milk to producing baby goats.

Fishing Vessel St. Jude returns today for their monthly visit to your Ballard Farmers Market with the finest albacore tuna products to be found anywhere. They catch their albacore tuna as juvenile fish off the coast of Washington, as they travel from their spawning grounds in the North Pacific to tropical waters. Because they are young and have been in cold waters, they are low in heavy metals and high in beneficial omega fatty acids, and they are just plain amazing — like buttuh.

And for dessert, how about some Cupcake Luv. They make their cupcakes, like these Luv Potion #1 cupcakes, using local flours from Shepherd’s Grain or Bluebird Grain Farms. And for my money, they are the best cupcakes in Seattle.

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

CSA Week 19: Fresh Shell Bean Gratin

Lucy — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:53:07 +0000

I think it’s exciting to work with vegetables that aren’t commonly found in the produce department. Take shelling beans. Typically these little gems are only available dry or canned unless you grow your own. Canned and dried beans are what I grew up with and it’a also what I often use, but to have access to fresh beans is pretty luxurious in my opinion. In the last two CSA shares Farmer Michaele has included green flagelot shelling beans

Organic Green Flagelot Shelling Bean Pod

and tonight I’m putting them to use before they go bad in a delicious sounding Fresh Shell Bean Gratin recipe from Alice Waters’ Vegetables cookbook that I’ve held onto for years. I found an adaptation of the recipe that I used tonight on Michael Ableman’s Website, Fields of Plenty.

It’s been chilly and wet in Seattle lately and so I had lowered my expectations for this week’s CSA share #19. But I was pleasantly surprised because this is shelling bean season, and fresh cannellini beans– one of my very favorites– were included in my share along with huge orange carrots for roasting or to throw into homemade chile tomorrow night.

When I picked up my Growing Things Farm CSA share today from the Ballard Farmers Market, I was reminded that next week was the last week of our CSA season. Here’s what the nineteenth CSA share included:

Roxy and Cassius are happy with CSA Share #19

half dozen eggs
1 bunch cilantro
2 lbs. yellow potatoes
1 bunch large orange carrots
1 lb. fresh cannellini beans (in pods)
1 bunch arugula
1 acorn squash

Using last week's turnip greens in the Fresh Shell Bean Gratin from Alice Waters' Vegetables.

Ready for breadcrumb topping: cooked flagelot beans, turnip greens, home-canned yellow tomatoes, onion, garlic and sage.

Fresh Shell Bean Gratin with a salad (by the way those are some of the pickled beets I made this summer)