This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

Local Baby

Andrea Reusing, in her fantastic (local!) cookbook Cooking in the Moment, aptly described her and her husband’s approach to feeding their daughter her first bites of solid food: 

"When Oona was ready, we dutifully bought a box [of rice cereal], but at the last minute, we roasted her a sweet potato instead.  Before boxed flakes, sweet potatoes must have been the classic first food.  They are earthy, fruity, and gently sweet like milk, but with a novel new texture.  Guaranteed photo op."

We love that, not only did she decide to make her baby’s first bite of food a celebration, but that she decided to opt for a simple local ingredient that is both delicious and highly nutritious.  Lately, we’re also finding that more and more new parents are choosing to make their own baby food using SDFM ingredients in order to feed their children nutritionally supercharged foods that minimize harmful chemicals and additives. 

Tips and Tricks:

• In the beginning, focus on feeding baby a single food at a time to help discern if there are any food allergies.  Many parents use the 4 day wait rule. Be sure to discuss any questions about allergies and other nutritional topics with your pediatrician.  As baby gets older, the types and styles of foods that she can enjoy will grow.
• When preparing baby foods, there is never any need for additional salt or sugar.  If you need to sweeten things up a bit to get baby to try certain foods, sweeten them with a little mashed fruit instead.
• Like the little humans they are, sometimes it takes a few times of trying out a new food for them to like it - and sometimes taste preferences change.  So, if your baby refuses to eat a particular food…try, try again. Some parents also try mixing the less preferred food with something they know that baby loves to get them to be more adventurous.
• When combining ingredients, do not be afraid to combine options that generally make little sense to adults.  We have witnessed babies happily eating a combination of mashed roasted red peppers, bananas, apples, and stewed tomatoes.
• It is relatively easy to prepare baby foods in advance and freeze (or can) them for later use (hint, check out our Pinterest page!).
• Lastly, you don’t have to be a short-order cook to feed your baby.  Incorporate items from YOUR dinner table into their diet – after all, farmers’ market foods are just as good for you as they are for mini-you.

Most of all, have fun trying new foods with the little ones!

Durham Ukulele Orchestra!

Bring your dancing shoes because the Durham Ukulele Orchestra is playing at the market from 9am to 11:30am this Saturday! The band has been delighting audiences since 2007 with a diverse set of songs that pull from jazz standards, classic rock and alternative rock. Nothing goes better with local food than local music! Learn more about the band on their website.

Master Gardeners Come to Market

This Saturday, we are fortunate to once again be visited by Master Gardeners. These generous volunteers come the last Saturday of every month to teach interested market shoppers how to grow a sustainable, healthy garden and to answer all your horticultural questions.

 

Every Master Gardener is extremely knowledgeable, having received 40 hours of training with Extension agents and completed a 40 hour internship. Additionally, they must fulfill 12 hours of continuing education every year. Community involvement is very important to the organization, which requires 20 hours per year of volunteer service from each Master Gardener.

If you are in need of serious backyard help, these volunteers offer plant clinics, workshops, garden tours, and a gardening hotline. We encourage you to visit their stall tomorrow to learn more!