We’re in First?

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

July 21, 2010

Just out from American Farmland Trust:

With the summer season at its peak, we hope you are enjoying the bustle and bounty of local farmers market and, in turn, supporting them through our America’s Favorite Farmers Markets™ contest http://www.farmland.org/vote. Your role in spreading the word about farmers markets has meant that even more people can appreciate fresh, healthy food while helping our farms and farmers. With seven weeks to go, the contest is far from over and here are some new ways you can build the buzz around farmers markets!

Just this week, we have unveiled our new statewide leader boards!
Check it out: America's Favorite Farmers Markets By State
The up-to-the minute listings highlight the top five markets with the most votes in all 50 states (and the District of Columbia). Follow all the leader boards on our website or share as many as you would like with others by embedding them onto your own website or blog.

And don’t forget the easiest way to get involved - Vote!
Go to http://www.farmland.org/vote and support your favorite market!

Online submissions will be tallied until midnight on August 31 so there is still plenty of time to vote for your favorite market and encourage others to do the same. Already voted for your favorite? You can still help more markets across your state or in other parts of the country by voting for them, too. Just remember, only one vote per market!

As you relish the final weeks of summer, keep showing the love for farmers markets in your state and beyond by letting others know about the America’s Favorite Farmers Markets™ contest.

Thanks Everyone!!!

We never expected to be the top vote getter at any stage of the contest! Thank you all for your support. There is still plenty of time to vote so follow the link above. Thanks again!

The Mother of All Rutabagas

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

November 22, 2009

Ayers Creek Farm is famous for their unique and robust vegetables. This root vegetable takes the cake. Anthony commented last week that he had rutabagas the size of a baby’s head. This one I think is the size of the baby. It was almost as big as the Musquee de Provence squash.

Grapevine April 19 2009 Market

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

April 16, 2009

The market session this Sunday marks the end of the winter schedule. There is no market April 26th but we will be back to begin the 8th season on Sunday May 3, 2009. The weekly season will end on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, November 22, 2009. When the market returns to the weekly schedule, the no pet policy will again be in effect. Animals may return to the market in December.

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, I will be sending out a market preview on April 23rd. There aren’t too many changes but we will have a few new vendors and a few vendors have changed their schedules.

Verdura Culinary Gardens will be at the market again this Sunday and on April 19th to help you with gardening questions.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What’s Coming To The Market This Week?

Cauliflower and broccoli along with several kinds of raabs will be available this week. Another sure sign of spring, radishes, leeks, nettles, asparagus and morels will be available as well. You will also find kale, chard, spinach and several kinds of salad and braising mixes this week. Apples and pears will be available as will kiwi.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who’s coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling. The list is posted Thursday afternoon and updated through the weekend. You can find Sunday morning updates on our Twitter feed located in the right column of the list page.

IN
Happy Harvest Farm
Linda Brand Crab
Sweet Briar Farms

OUT
Deep Roots Farm (back in May)
Garden Color (back in May)
Vanveen Bulb (back in May)

Cooking Ideas - Alu Gobhi (Potato-Cauliflower Curry)

Trying to decide what seasonal item to focus on for the recipe can be tricky in the spring and fall. When Jeff Rosenblad of Happy Harvest Farm called and told me that he had a lot of cauliflower, I immediately thought of this recipe. There are a lot of alu gobhi recipes around. Some recipes add peas, others add carrots but at its core, alu gobhi is about cauliflower and potatoes. It’s really not hard to make and it tastes great. You can find the alu gobhi recipe above in our featured recipes or in or newsletter recipe box. Enjoy!

Grapevine April 5 2009 Market

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

April 4, 2009

this week
- What’s Coming To The Market This Week?
- Getting Your Garden Ready
- Cooking Ideas - Early Spring Soupe Au Pistou

It’s April and we are in the last month of our winter schedule. The last two winter market dates are April 5th and April 19th. The market begins its 8th season on Sunday May 3, 2009. By customer and vendor request, we have extended the weekly schedule into November. The weekly season will end on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, November 22, 2009. When the market returns to the weekly schedule, the no pet policy will again be in effect. Animals may return to the market in December.

I am working on the vendor lineup for the upcoming season. Instead of a market letter, I will be sending out a market preview on April 23rd. There aren’t too many changes but we do will have a few new vendors.

Verdura Culinary Gardens will be at the market this Sunday and on April 19th to help you with gardening questions. Edgemaster will also be at the market to sharpen your garden tools. The rain will eventually stop and the temperatures will rise, so why not plan for the summer? In the meantime, there is a great selection of seasonal foods available to eat.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What’s Coming To The Market This Week?

Kale, chard, spinach and several kinds of salad and braising mixes will be available this week. You should also find several kinds of raabs. There will be some asparagus available too. Apples and pears will be available as will kiwi.

With Passover starting the evening of April 8th and Easter on the 12th there will be a higher than usual demand for eggs. Kookoolan Farm, Greenville Farm, Fraga Farm and Sweet Briar Farms will all have eggs this week.

If you are planning ahead for your Easter dinner, Sweet Briar Farms will have pork and Draper Girls Country Farm will have lamb and goat. Both welcome pre-orders. You can reach Sweet Briar Farms at 541-683-7447 and Draper Girls at 541-352-6625.

Check the availability list above for the complete list of who’s coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling. The list is posted Thursday afternoon and updated through the weekend. You can find Sunday morning updates on our Twitter feed located in the right column of the list page.

IN
Kookoolan Farms
Market Fruit/Packer Orchards
Vanveen Bulb

OUT
Ayers Creek Farm (back in July)
Garden Color (back in May)

Getting Your Garden Ready

Don’t know where to start when planning your garden? Verdura Culinary Gardens will be at the market April 5th and 19th to help you out. Caroline and Larry Lewis started up the business to help Portlanders, even people with little experience or time to garden, grow organic food in their own yard. Verdura Culinary Gardens designs and maintains organic vegetable gardens in raised beds. The gardens are designed to be compact and intensively planted, therefore requiring far less space than conventional row gardens. Caroline and Larry will be available for questions and will have a demo raised bed for you to see.

While it is still too cold to plant tomatoes there are many other plants you can put in the ground now. Nancy Seaman from Farris-Seaman Plants will have more Hellebores, including a few doubles. Yarrow, maybe some Monarda ‘Jacob Kline’, some Polemonium ‘Stairway to Heaven’, Salix (both curly willow & the Dappled willow), Lavender ‘Gross’, & white seedless grape plants will be available as will some herbs, including chives, rosemary, & greek oregano, & possibly others. Sungold Farm will be bringing vegetable starts, peonies and other perennials, herbs and possibly a few hanging baskets. Gales Meadow Farm will be bringing a wide assortment of starts. Anne listed them in the last newsletter. If you can’t find your copy, you can find the newsletter here.

Cooking Ideas - Early Spring Soupe Au Pistou
Caroline Lewis is not only an expert garden designer, she is also a trained chef. Caroline studied under another regular market shopper, Robert Reynolds. Caroline writes about gardening and cooking at Culinate. (You can find her articles here.) This recipe accompanied an article Caroline posted recently. I like the recipe for the same reason Caroline does - it hints of the summer to come. Enjoy! (The recipe can be found in the featured recipes above.)

Grapevine March 22 2009 Market

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

March 19, 2009

this week
- What’s Coming To The Market?
- Getting Your Garden Ready
- Cooking Ideas - Potato, Green Onion and Parmesan Frittata

Spring officially starts this weekend. Perhaps the weather will cooperate. (I’m not holding my breath on that though.) And since spring is here then that means the nursery folks are coming back. Farris-Seaman Plants, Gales Meadow Farm, Garden Color and Sungold Farm are all returning this Sunday. Vanveen Bulb should be back in April.

We have an additional feature in the Grapevine for the next few markets. Getting Your Garden Ready will highlight each of our nursery vendors. This issue is written by Anne Berblinger of Gales Meadow Farm. The other vendors will be highlighted too, each offering their own take on getting your garden ready for the year.

So get those garden tools cleaned up. Edgemaster will be at the market Sunday to sharpen your tools.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What’s Coming To The Market This Week?

There are quite a few greens available this week - kale, chard, spinach and several kinds of salad and braising mixes. You will also find a nice variety of carrots, parsnips, beets, potatoes and more. You’ll also find a wide variety of apples and pears. There should be a good supply of kiwifruit too.

It’s not too early to think about your garden either. Gales Meadow Farm and Sungold Farm will have a nice selection of vegetable starts. You find a nice variety of hellebores, peonies, tree peonies and other plants from Farris Seaman Plants and Garden Color.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who’s coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Farris Seaman Plant
Gales Meadow Farm
Garden Color
Kookoolan Farms
Salmon Creek Hydroponics
Sungold Farm

OUT
Ayers Creek Farm (back in July)
Savory et Sweet (back in May)
Vanveen Bulb (back in April)

Getting Your Garden Ready
by Anne Berblinger of Gales Meadow Farm

There is no need to wait until June or July to enjoy fresh vegetables from your garden! We will be bringing many kinds of hardy vegetable starts, the kind that can be planted right now.

Here is what we will have:
A hardy lettuce mix, including ten kinds of lettuce - red and green leaf, romaine, and butterhead
A mix of Bulls Blood, Detroit Dark Red, and Golden beets
A mix of endive and escarole
Hardy bulb fennel
Catawissa Topsetting onions
Broccoli
A mix of yellow, white, and red full season onions, mostly sweet varieties
Little Marvel and Dwarf Gray Sugar Peas, both of them suitable for planting in the ground or in containers.
Marjoram
Curly Parsley
Italian Parsley
Sage
Chives

You might not be familiar with the topsetting onions. Each of the tiny bulbs we planted in January will turn into 5-10 red spring onions, But you don’t want to pull them all. As they mature, tiny new onion bulbs will grow at the top of succulent stems. Let those harden a bit and replant them for a super abundant crop next year.

We will also be bringing a few “mini-gardens.” These are gallon pots with hardy greens, lettuce, and/or peas. They do not need to be transplanted - just keep them in a sunny spot and pluck off a few leaves or pea shoots at a time for a salad or garnish. As a bonus, the arugula seeds we added to them a few days ago will provide baby arugula leaves in a couple of weeks.

Visit our website for more information about our vegetable varieties and herbs.

Cooking Ideas - Potato, Green Onion and Parmesan Frittata

A frittata is basically a big omelot with the fillings stirred in. The basic method is straightforward - cook your filling and cool, beat eggs, prep an ovenproof skillet with oil or butter, add the egg mixture and cook. There are three ways to finish your frittata - flip the frittata and cook on the stovetop, broil, or bake in a 350 degree oven. I prefer to bake but the choice is yours.

This recipe is from Kelly Myers of Market Chefs and a regular Culinate contributor. Kelly suggests several good variations in her introduction. Try hers and make your own variations too. Enjoy!

Reminder - Winter Season Schedule

It may not seem like it yet, but winter is coming to a close. The market goes back to its weekly schedule on Sunday May 3rd. The remaining winter dates are:

March 8, 22
April 5, 19

Dogs on a leash are permitted through the April 19 market.

The market will go back to its no-pet policy during the weekly season (May 3 -Nov 22).

Enter to Win $25 in Hillsdale Market Tokens

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

March 18, 2009

If you are reading this post then you recognize Culinate as the place where you can find recipes published in the Grapevine newsletter. You know that can save and share recipes, create your own food blog, follow writers like Deborah Madison and Ivy Manning and chat about your favorite food places.

You can also become a shopper of this and other markets. The Hillsdale Farmers Market and Culinate have teamed up for a giveaway. Become a shopper of the market before 9AM Sunday March 22, 2009 and you will be entered into the drawing. Just click on the “I shop at this market” on the left side of this market's page (under our name). Culinate will pick a winner at random before the market this Sunday, March 22. We’ll announce the winner via our Twitter feed and in the next newsletter. There will be a Culinate shopping bag and $25 in market tokens waiting for the winner at the information booth.

Congratulations to William, last market’s winner.

Grapevine March 8 2009 Market

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

March 5, 2009

Special note: Congratulations to William who won $25 in market dollars for joining the Culinate community this week. What would you buy if you win?

this week
- What’s Coming To The Market?
- Cooking Ideas - Mache Salad

Spring is coming and a few more regulars are coming back. Creative Growers, Copper Crown and Garden Color return this week. Farris-Seaman Plants, Gales Meadow Farm and Sungold Farm return on March 22nd. Ayers Creek Farm finished up their winter season last week but will be back in July with berries, frikeh, preserves and more.

Daylight Savings Time starts at 2 AM on Sunday. Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour this weekend.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What’s Coming To The Market This Week?

There are quite a few greens available this week - kale, chard, spinach, mache and several kinds of salad and braising mixes. You will also find a nice variety of carrots, parsnips, beets, potatoes and more. You’ll also find a wide variety of apples and pears. There should be a good supply of kiwifruit too.

It’s not too early to think about your garden either. You find a nice variety of hellebores, peonies, tree peonies and other plants too.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who’s coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Copper Crown
Creative Growers
Garden Color

OUT
Ayers Creek Farm (back in July)
Farris Seaman Plant (back March 22)
Gales Meadow Farm (back March 22)
Kookoolan Farms (back March 22)
Salmon Creek Hydroponics (back in March)
Sungold Farm (back March 22)

Cooking Ideas - Mache Salad

Mache is tender winter green. Also known as lamb’s lettuce, corn salad or soncino, mache is characterized by its rosette of rounded leaves. Mache has a mildly sweet taste. While it can be cooked like spinach, its flavor makes mache a great choice for a late-winter or early spring salad.

Here is a very simple recipe. If you are a beet lover, consider adding a boiled or roasted beet cut into strips. Like spinach, mache works well with bacon. Instead of egg, add bacon instead. You’ll find the recipe here Enjoy!

Grapevine February 22 2009 Market

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

February 19, 2009

this week
- What’s Coming To The Market This Week?
- 3rd Annual SW Hope Campaign Begins
- Cooking Ideas - Winter Pestos

We’ve got another good market lined up this weekend. A few vendors are out this week but all will be back on March 8. This market is the last 2008-2009 winter market session for Ayers Creek Farm. Anthony and Carol will be back in July when the blackberries are ready.

The Blog for Food campaign is going well. Thank you all for your support. Another drive closer to the market starts this Sunday. SW Hope (Feb 22nd through April 5th) is a campaign for Neighborhood House’s Emergency Food pantry. Please read the story below for details.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What’s Coming To The Market This Week?

Greens will be in good supply again this week. You should find plenty of arugula, escarole, chard, mache, collards, kale and spinach. Salad mixes and braising mixes should be readily available as well. Winter squashes, beets, carrots, celeriac, leeks, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, hamburg parsley and turnips should be plentiful this weekend as well. As for fruit, apples, kiwi and pears will be available this week. It’s not too early to think about your garden either. You find a nice variety of hellebores, peonies, tree peonies and other plants too.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who’s coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Ancient Heritage Dairy
Boyco Foods
Packer Orchards/Market Fruit

OUT
Copper Crown (back March 8)
Creative Growers (back March 8)
Farris Seaman Plant (back in March)
Kookoolan Farms (back March 22)
Salmon Creek Hydroponics (back in March)
Sungold Farm (back March 22)

SW Hope - Neighborhood House
Feed the Hungry Campaign - Feb 22 - Apr 5

Hungry neighbors need us more than ever. Neighborhood House’s emergency food supply is running low as many come for help and the resources dwindle. A year ago, the program was serving around 270 families per month on average. In October 2008, the pantry assisted an unprecedented 429 households.

The third annual SW Hope campaign begins this Sunday. This year’s campaign collection goal is 100,000 pounds of food or the cash equivalent. Local businesses and faith communities have stepped up to lend a hand as demand for food assistance increases. Contact Tia Sherry at tsherry(at)nhweb.org or (503) 246 -1663 ext 118 to find out how you can help.

Cooking Ideas - Winter Pestos

Basil pesto is one of those things that just say summer. But you can make pesto in the winter as well. Arugula and spinach are two leafy greens which make great pestos. Spinach pesto is mild and creamy. You can add pine nuts or walnuts but if you want a creamier sauce then leave the nuts out. Arugula has a much stronger flavor and needs a nut like walnuts to round out the flavor. Both are great seasonal pestos. Links to both recipes are featured above. Enjoy!

October 19 2008 Market List

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

October 16, 2008

N.B. This availability list is subject to change. Weather and other factors affect what the farmers bring to the market. This list is posted on the Thursday before the market and updated as necessary. Check Market Updates in sidebar for changes.

(O)= certified organic

Produce

Creative Growers, Noti: (O)
Leafy Greens: arugula, kale, lettuce, radicchio.
Herbs: Basil, sage.
Root vegetables: carrots (bunch), celeriac, potatoes (purple and yellow), garlic.
Other: basil, broccoli, celery, eggplant, romanesco, tomatoes (many varieties).

Deep Roots Farm, Albany:
Leafy Greens:Kale, rainbow chard.
Root vegetables: Walla Walla onions, shallots.
Other: Basil, green beans, tomatoes, pumpkins.

Draper Girls Country Farm, Parkdale:
Fruit: Apples, pears.

Gathering Together Farm, Philomath: (O)
Bulb/Root vegetables: beets, carrots (many colors, bunch and loose), potatoes, onions, beets, fresh walla walla onions.
Herbs: cilantro, dill, basil.
Leafy Greens: chard, kale, lettuce, salad mix.
Other: tomatoes, tomatillos, winter squash.

Gee Creek Farm, Ridgefield, WA: (O)
Fruit: apples.
Bulb/Root vegetables: carrots, radishes, onions, scallions.
Leafy Greens: Arugula, lettuce, salad mix.
Other: broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes.

Happy Harvest Farm, Mount Angel:
Other: broccoli, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, zucchini.

Packer Orchards, Hood River:
Fruit: Apples, pears.

Rick Steffen Farm, Silverton:
Bulb/Root Vegetables: Leeks, scallions, onions, potatoes.
Other: cauliflower (white, orange, purple), green beans, kohlrabi, tomatoes, tomatillos, zucchini.

Salmon Creek Hydroponics, Battle Ground, WA:
Other: tomatoes.

Springwater Farm, St. Helens:
Mushrooms (wild): white and yellow chanterelles, lobster.
Mushrooms (cultivated): Cioppino, maitake, lion’s mane (monkey head), nameko, shiitake.
Other: dried morels, reishi.

Stephens Farm, Grand Island:
Fruit: apples, Apples, pears, asian pears.
Bulb/Root Vegetables: leeks, onions, potatoes.

Sungold Farm, Forest Grove:
Fruit: apples, cantaloupes, pears.
Other: cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, dried bean mix, broccoli. winter squash, pumpkins.

Unger Farms, Cornelius:
Fruit: grapes.

Other Foods
Ancient Heritage Dairy: sheep’s milk cheeses.
Boyco Foods: honeys and honey based dressings and sauces.
Brownie Farm: brownies, shortcakes.
Columbia River Fish: salmon.
Crabapple Company: tapenades, sauces, spreads.
Draper Girls Country Farm: Apple cider, pear cider, cherry-apple-pear cider, meats (goat, lamb).
Fressen Artisan Bakery: German and Austrian breads and pastries, granola.
Jacobs Creamery: ricotta, marscapone, yogurt, butter, milk, ricotta pies.
Kookoolan Farms: chicken eggs, chicken, chicken organ meats, taking orders for beef (by one-eighth animal), lamb (by one-half animal) and holiday turkeys (visit their site for more information).
Salvador Molly’s: tamales.
Savory et Sweet: crepes and salads.
Serious Bread: pitas, toasting bread (The Toast of Portland), rye bread, bagels.
Souper Natural: soups.
Stephens Farm: apple cider.
Sweet Briar Farm: pork (cuts and sausage), grilled sausage.
Tastebud: bagels and bagel sandwiches, salads.
The Smokery: Lox (hand sliced, cold-smoked hook & line caught, ocean-going Chinook Salmon), Hot-Smoked Flavors (all hook & line caught, ocean-going Chinook Salmon)
Plain (salt, honey & lemon), Old Irish (salt, brown sugar, molasses, onion & garlic powder and dill weed), Peppered Old Irish (same as above + fresh cracked pepper), Whiskey (salt, Jack Daniel’s, brown sugar), Ivory (salt, honey & lemon), Sable (salt, honey & lemon), Smoked Salmon spread (smoked salmon, cream cheese, horseradish, shallots, tabasco & lemon juice).
Wild Oregon: seafood.
Zbeanz: coffee.

Flowers & Nursery:
Farris-Seaman Plants: perennials, herbs, vegetable starts.
Garden Color: perennials.
Herr Family Farm: cut flowers.
Rick Steffen Farm: cut flowers.

Grapevine October 5 2008 Market

From Hillsdale Farmers’ Market — Blog by Hillsdale Farmers' Market

October 2, 2008

We’re entering the final month of the regular season. The market will run weekly through October 26th and then switch to the twice-monthly winter schedule. The 2008-2009 winter dates are: Nov 9, 23 Dec 7, 21 Jan 11, 25 Feb 8, 22 Mar 8, 22 Apr 5, 19.

This weekend is the first market of the month which means it’s Jam Day with Josh. Liepold Farms and Chanka’s are finished for the season but Boyco Foods, Wild Oregon and Pine Mountain Ranch are back this week. Greenleaf Farm from Jefferson, OR joins the market this week.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What’s Coming To The Market This Week?

Peach season is winding down but you should find a few late season varieties this week. Same goes for nectarines. Grapes should be in good supply if there isn’t too much rain. Apples and pears will be abundant. Strawberries should be available too.

Tomatoes, corn and summer squash should still be readily available. There should be a good selection of greens like arugula, lettuce, collards, chard, kale and spinach. Eggplant, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, celery and radishes should be available as well. Check the availability list for the complete list of who’s coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Linda Brand Crab
Wild Oregon

OUT
Chanka’s (finished for the season)
Liepold Farms (finished for the season)
Salubrious

Cooking Ideas - Arugula-Pear Salad

As much as I love both vegetables, it’s time to start moving away from tomato and lettuce based salads. Here is a fairly simple arugula pear salad. The peppery flavor of arugula works really well with the pears. While the recipe calls for blue cheese, Ancient Heritage’s Heritage Cheese works really well too. Enjoy!

Arugula-Pear Salad

Ingredients
1/2 lb. arugula
1/2 cup walnuts pieces, toasted
1 Red Anjou or Starkrimson pear, thinly sliced
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp. fig vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
4 Tbsp. olive oil
~ sea salt
Steps

Wash and dry arugula. Trim ends as necessary. Tear arugula into bite sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Add walnut pieces. Mix together vinegar and olive oil, add to salad and toss. Sprinkle a little sea salt, add crumbled blue cheese and toss again. Arrange pear slices on top and serve.

You’ll find a printable version of the recipe here.