This Week at the Durham Farmers' Markets

Great variety and authenticity are expressed exceptionally well in Durham’s food - that's why Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South. Part of Durham’s exciting food culture comes from a fascination with locally grown and raised products, and from the chefs who prepare celebrated cuisine recognized in regional and national media. Each week at Durhams's farmers' markets everyone can be a chef with access to fresh local produce.

Produce available this week includes: tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant, mushrooms potatoes, peaches, okra, onions, sweet potatoes, watermelon, zucchini and more! Also look for meats, cheeses, flowers, specialty items and crafts.

Durham Farmers' Market
Tomorrow chef Shane Ingram from Four Square will be cooking on the lawn from 9am until Noon.Visit the Durham Farmers' Market Saturdays from 8am- Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm in Durham Central Park.

South Durham Farmer's Market
This week, the Harvest Book Drive will be on site. Plese bring any gently used children's books to donate. Music will be performed by the Deepwood Ramblers. Visit the South Durham Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 8am-Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm at Greenwood Commons, 5410 Highway 55.

Visit the farmers' markets, tour a farm, and discover more great agritourism opportunities in Durham.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Markets

Great variety and authenticity are expressed exceptionally well in Durham’s food - that's why Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South. Part of Durham’s exciting food culture comes from a fascination with locally grown and raised products, and from the chefs who prepare celebrated cuisine recognized in regional and national media. Each week at Durhams's farmers' markets everyone can be a chef with access to fresh local produce.

Produce available this week includes: tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant, potatoes, okra, onions, sweet potatoes, zucchini and more! Also look for meats, cheeses, flowers, specialty items and crafts.

Durham Farmers' Market
This week there will be storytelling with Cynthia Raxter from 9-Noon and the Kid's HomeFries Cooking Class will be taught by Cece Lopez of Bull City Burger from 9:30-11am. Visit the Durham Farmers' Market Saturdays from 8am- Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm in Durham Central Park.

South Durham Farmer's Market
This week, food truck Olio & Aceto will be on site with music by Kristi Dixon. Visit the South Durham Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 8am-Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm at Greenwood Commons, 5410 Highway 55.

Visit the farmers' markets, tour a farm, and discover more great agritourism opportunities in Durham.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Markets

Great variety and authenticity are expressed exceptionally well in Durham’s food - that's why Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South. Part of Durham’s exciting food culture comes from a fascination with locally grown and raised products, and from the chefs who prepare celebrated cuisine recognized in regional and national media. Each week at Durhams's farmers' markets everyone can be a chef with access to fresh local produce.

Produce available this week includes: peas, blueberries, peppers, garlic, corn, tomatoes, peaches, melons, eggplant and more! Also look for meats, cheeses, flowers, specialty items and crafts.

Durham Farmers' Market
This week, at 10 am there will be a canning demonstration and tasting with local writer and author Andrea Weigl. Visit the Durham Farmers' Market Saturdays from 8am- Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm in Durham Central Park.

South Durham Farmer's Market
This week, Captain Ponchos and Bulkogi food trucks will be on site with music by Chelsea Vanderhamm. Visit the South Durham Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 8am-Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm at Greenwood Commons, 5410 Highway 55.

Visit the farmers' markets, tour a farm, and discover more great agritourism opportunities in Durham.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Markets

Great variety and authenticity are expressed exceptionally well in Durham’s food - that's why Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South. Part of Durham’s exciting food culture comes from a fascination with locally grown and raised products, and from the chefs who prepare celebrated cuisine recognized in regional and national media. Each week at Durhams's farmers' markets everyone can be a chef with access to fresh local produce.

Produce available this week includes: tomatoes, jalapenos, corn, carrots, cucumbers, garlic, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, yellow squash, zuchinni, peas, peppers and more! Also look for meats, cheeses, flowers, specialty items and crafts.

Durham Farmers' Market
This week will be the annual Tomato Tasting Day with more than 50 varieties of tomatoes to taste. Visit the Durham Farmers' Market Saturdays from 8am- Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm in Durham Central Park.

South Durham Farmer's Market
This week, the La Farm Bakery food truck will be on site. Visit the South Durham Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 8am-Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm at Greenwood Commons, 5410 Highway 55.

Visit the farmers' markets, tour a farm, and discover more great agritourism opportunities in Durham.

This Week at the Durham Farmers Markets

Great variety and authenticity are expressed exceptionally well in Durham’s food - that's why Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South. Part of Durham’s exciting food culture comes from a fascination with locally grown and raised products, and from the chefs who prepare celebrated cuisine recognized in regional and national media. Each week at Durhams's farmers' markets everyone can be a chef with access to fresh local produce.

Produce available this week includes: strawberries, arugula, beets, mushrooms, potatoes, rhubarb, sugar snap peas, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, and more! Also look for meats, cheeses, flowers, specialty items and crafts.

Durham Farmers' Market
Visit the Durham Farmers' Market Saturdays from 8am- Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm in Durham Central Park.

South Durham Farmer's Market
This week, there will be music by Dave Ellis and an appearance by Le Farm's Bread Truck. Visit the South Durham Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 8am-Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm at Greenwood Commons, 5410 Highway 55.

Visit the farmers' markets, tour a farm, and discover more great agritourism opportunities in Durham.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Markets

Great variety and authenticity are expressed exceptionally well in Durham’s food - that's why Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South. Part of Durham’s exciting food culture comes from a fascination with locally grown and raised products, and from the chefs who prepare celebrated cuisine recognized in regional and national media. Each week at Durhams's farmers' markets everyone can be a chef with access to fresh local produce.

Produce available this week includes: sugar snap peas, squash, zucchini, asparagus, green onions, bell peppers, lettuce, strawberries, cauliflower, and more! Also look for meats, cheeses, flowers, specialty items and crafts.

Durham Farmers' Market
Visit the Durham Farmers' Market Saturdays from 8am- Noon and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30pm in Durham Central Park.

South Durham Farmer's Market
This week, there will be a kids activity where kids will make edible strawberry mice and food truck Humble Pig will make an appearance. Visit the South Durham Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 8am-Noon at Greenwood Commons, 5410 Highway 55.

Visit the farmers' markets, tour a farm, and discover more great agritourism opportunities in Durham.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

Asparagus is back at the Market! This year, it is coming in a little bit later than we've grown accustomed to. The cool, wet weather kept it from sprouting early this year. If the weather stays springlike and doesn't get too hot, too fast, we can expect several weeks of fresh, locally grown asparagus at the Market!

Asparagus is a very thirsty crop. When it is first harvested, the end that is cut is dripping with water. From the moment that it is picked, it starts losing the moisture that is stored inside. So, once it is harvested, the race against dehydration is on! The faster that it can get from the farm to the eater, the better. It tastes fresher and sweeter, and there is a lot less waste from the end that has started to dry out.

Asparagus is also a very fast growing plant. Some farmers find that to get the best spears it needs to be harvested once a day. Through the week, as they harvest, they take great pains to keep it fresh and hydrated so that you get the most flavorful and nutritious asparagus possible. All of the asparagus available at the Market was harvested during the week that it is being sold and some of it is even harvested within hours of coming to the Market. It just doesn't get any fresher than that!

In my opinion, fresh asparagus is one of the highlights of eating locally grown and in-season foods. Most asparagus available commercially (year round) in the United States was grown in Peru or China. That means, it has to travel thousands of miles to get to a grocery store and spends weeks in refrigerated trucks, barges, and storage before being displayed at the grocery store. By then, the top is often rubbery and the bottom half dried out and woody. After so many weeks in storage, it barely has the sweet, asparagus-y flavor that makes freshly harvested asparagus so special. And, to top it off, the rise in asparagus production in Peru is doing terrible ecological damage: Peru's Asparagus Boom Threatens Water Table

To celebrate the asparagus season, Katie Coleman, owner of Durham Spirits Company will be our Chef in the Market tomorrow! She'll be making several recipes that highlight this wonderful vegetable. Cooking, tasting and recipes will be available on the Market's Central Lawn starting at 10am.

In other, non-asparagus, yet equally exciting news...
1. There will be the first few strawberries at Market tomorrow. Come early to get them!
2. Spinach will be at the Market in abundance for the next couple of weeks! This is one crop that does not like the hot weather, once it gets hot, there won't be anymore spinach until the late fall. So, don't miss this window.
3. The Wednesday Market opens this week! You can re-stock all of these wonderful spring vegetables and meet our new vendors. The Wednesday Market hours are 3:30-6:30pm, weekly! See you at the Market,

Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram


Upcoming Events
 Tomorrow: Chef in the Market, Katie Coleman from Durham Spirits Company. Recipes featuring ASPARAGUS! 10am-Noon on the lawn.

Tomorrow: Storytelling by Cynthia Raxter, 9am-Noon. Cynthia will be telling tales about growing up on the farm in western NC. Fun for kids of all ages!

Wednesday: WEDNESDAY MARKET OPENS! Hours 3:30-6:30pm! Meet our new Wednesday vendors and see some familiar faces too. Storyteller, Cynthia Raxter will be back telling stories, bring the kids!

Next Saturday: Durham County Beekeepers will be bringing their demonstration hive. Watch the bees at work and learn about honey production!

Fresh this Week....
FRUIT: Strawberries! (just a few)
VEGETABLES: ASPARAGUS! Arugula, Asian Greens, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Claytonia (Miners Lettuce), Cilantro, Cress, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Dried Herbs, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mache, Micro Greens, Oyster Mushrooms, Parsley, Pea Shoots, Popcorn, Radishes, Reishi Mushrooms, Rhubarb, Salad Mix, Scallions, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: Pork, Beef, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Vegetable Seedlings: Kale, Collards, Broccoli, Cilantro, Lettuce, Spinach. Fruit Plants: Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Figs. House Plants, Bedding Plants.
FLOWERS: Ranunculus, Hyacinth, Anemones, Poppies, Tulips, Stock, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...


Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmer's Market

Last Saturday, after weeks of bad weather, the first spring seedlings started to show up at Market!

It was a welcome sign for all of us that are wanting to get into the garden and start planting a garden! It was also a good sign that our farmers have confidence that spring really IS on the way!

During the winter, many of our farmers start a majority of their crops from seed in their greenhouses. A bunch of them make sure to plant more seedlings than they will need on their farm so that Durhamites eager to get their hands dirty can have high quality vegetable starts for their home gardens.

Are you one of the many people itching for springtime gardening? Here is what you can expect to find at the farmers' market, in terms of seedlings, in the coming weeks:
Lots of greens - lettuce, kale, collards, swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, and fennel.
Strawberry plants
Bare root Raspberry Canes
Herbs - Parsley, Cilantro, Thyme

Then after the threat of frost passes, around the middle of April, summer crops including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, squash, cucumbers, basil, and watermelon will start to become available!

Also, when you shop for seedlings at the Farmers' Market, remember that you are buying plants from serious farming professionals! They have put a lot of time into choosing varieties and caring for the seedlings because they want what you want - healthy plants to harvest and eat this spring. Also, they have all kinds of tips and advice about planting and growing these tiny plants. So, if you have a question, don't hesitate to ask. These folks are masters at growing vegetables!

Upcoming Market Schedule Change

Saturday Summer Hours (8am-Noon) Start April 5th

Wednesday Market (3:30-6:30pm) Opens April 16th

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram


VEGETABLE SPOTLIGHT: CLAYTONIA aka MINER'S LETTUCE
Claytonia is a little known vegetable that only comes to Market occasionally during the winter time. I'm relatively unfamiliar with it so I decided to to a little bit of research to find out what it is. This week several farmers will have it available.

Claytonia is a green, leafy vegetable that this native the mountain and coastal regions of Western North America (Alaska to British Columbia). It prefers cool, damp conditions which is why some of our farmers grow it during the winter time. It can be eaten in salad or steamed like spinach.

Where did it get its name? During the California Gold Rush, miners ate it to help prevent scurvy because it is a good source of Vitamin C. Other names for it include Winter Purslane and Indian Lettuce.

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Fresh this Week....

VEGETABLES: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Beet Greens, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Miners Lettuce (Claytonia), Minutina, Potatoes, Napa Cabbage, Parsnips (possibly), Pea Shoots, Radishes, Salad Mix, Scallions, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: Pork, Beef, Quail, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Vegetable Seedlings: Kale, Collards, Broccoli, Cilantro, Lettuce, Spinach. Fruit Plants: Strawberry, Raspberry. House Plants.
FLOWERS: Hyacinth, Anemones, Poppies, Tulips, Stock, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

By now you have probably noticed that there is a big blue ATM at the entrance of the Pavilion. For years, customers asked if it would ever be possible to get an ATM at the Market. With lots of research and the support of Durham Central Park (our landlord and partner), we figured out the logistics and the ATM (finally) came to the Market.

But, did you know that that ATM actually helps to support the Market? For each transaction, $1.50 of the $3 fee goes directly to the Market. When we learned that would be the case, the Market's Board of Directors resolved to use those funds to support the implementation and ongoing costs of setting up a system so that the Market's vendors can accept SNAP/EBT benefits.

During 2013, the Market's Board and staff laid the groundwork to set up our program. Starting this April, the Durham Farmers' Market will begin to accept SNAP/EBT benefits! SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a program formerly known as Food Stamps. SNAP benefits are issued through Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit cards. Each month millions of low income Americans, including over 50,000 Durhamites, receive SNAP benefits to help put food on the table.  

This program is going to be a great opportunity to reach more of the community by increasing accessibility to good food for all people in Durham.  SNAP/EBT customers will be able swipe their card at an info table at the market and receive wooden tokens that will be worth $1 each. They can use the tokens to shop for eligible foods, such as breads, fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry and dairy products. The Market will also be offering a Double Bucks program where shoppers using SNAP benefits will receive up to ten additional tokens when they spend $10.  The Double Bucks program will be funded by local sponsorships and grant money.

Over the winter, we hired Jenny Elander as our SNAP/EBT Coordinator. Jenny is very excited to help get this program off the ground. "I think it's great that the community is helping to fund this program at the Durham Farmers' Market through their use of the ATM, because it is something that will benefit everyone" says Elander. "This program has the potential to greatly improve the health of our community by increasing access to fresh, local foods.  We are really excited to get it off the ground this spring!"

Tomorrow at Market:
Our farmers are finally starting to recover from the extreme cold and excessive precipitation over the past couple of weeks. So, you can look forward to a steadily increasing supply of green vegetables along with all of the other yummy things the Market vendors have to offer!

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Beet Greens, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs, Garlic, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Miners Lettuce, Minutina, Potatoes, Napa Cabbage, Parsnips (possibly), Pea Shoots, Radishes, Salad Mix, Scallions, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: Pork, Beef, Quail, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: A few House Plants.
FLOWERS: Anemones, Poppies, Tulips, Stock, Mixed Bouquets, Dried Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the Durham Farmer's Market
Over the past few weeks, I feel like all I've been talking about is how challenging this weather has been for farmers. So, this week, instead of continuing on that track, I'm going to update you on some of the work that has been going on behind the scenes at the Market. Every winter, the Market's board and staff has time to focus on projects that there is little time for during the busy Market season.

Presently, the Market's Board and staff are working on the following projects:

• Reviewing applications for new market vendors. The 2014 batch of new vendors will be announced next month!
• Overhauling and upgrading the Durham Farmers' Market website.
• Implementing a system so that our vendors can accept SNAP (formerly know as Food Stamps). This project has been in the works for a long time and our projected start date is in April. 
• Hiring a new Assistant Market Manager.

 Today, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Emily-Kate Hannapel, our new Assistant Market Manager! Emily-Kate graduated from NYU with a degree in Community Health and Food Studies. After graduating, she worked as the Outreach Coordinator at a small women's health clinic and natural birth center.  Since moving to Durham two years ago, Emily-Kate has been a regular Market customer and has worked at several small food related businesses. Emily-Kate also started, with her partner, Laura, a small garden on Mangum St., Sweet Beet City Farm in 2013. They operated a small weekly farm stand and sold to a few area restaurants. Emily-Kate lives close to the Market with her backyard chickens and bees.

Emily-Kate will be replacing Shanna Bierman who has been our Assistant Market Manager since 2010. While she was working for us, she was also attending school at Watts School of Nursing. Last summer she graduated and became a Registered Nurse. Recently, she got a great job in the Mother Baby Ward at Durham Regional Hospital and has shifted her focus to her new fulltime job. We couldn't be more proud of her! Thank you, Shanna, your years of hard work and dedication to the Durham Farmers' Market!

Tomorrow at Market, our hardworking farmers, bakers and crafter will be bringing a good haul of winter produce, meats, artisan breads and food AND fresh, winter flowers!

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Cress, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Garlic, Green Onions, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Potatoes, Napa Cabbage, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rutabega, Salad Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Turmeric,  Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: Pork, Beef, Quail, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: A few House Plants.
FLOWERS: Anemones, Poppies, Tulips, Stock, Mixed Bouquets, Dried Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the Market

'Cinderella' Pumpkin grown on Hurtgen Meadows Farm
Well, we've had another week of low temperatures in the teens! These kinds of temps do not make winter farming easy at all.

Our farmers have spent the week protecting their crops and animals from the cold. Dale Fluke of Little Tree Farm, reported in her weekly farm newsletter, that they are running the heat lamps in order to keep their hens warm. They are also collecting their eggs more frequently to ensure that the eggs don't freeze!

During these cold winter months, I like to ask DFM customers what they plan to cook with the winter-time fare that our farmers bring to market. Last week, I was chatting about this with a customer named Frank. Frank was carrying a lovely, heirloom pumpkin around as he finished his shopping. I asked Frank what he planned on making with his pumpkin. A big smile came across his face and he said, "the easiest, most delicious pumpkin soup possible!"

Frank went on to tell me his method for making his pumpkin soup. He said that he planned to cut the pumpkin into quarters, scoop out the seeds and roast the pumpkin in the oven until it was soft. Then, let the pumpkin cool, scrape the flesh off the skin and puree it. Once the pumpkin is pureed, mix it with a can of coconut milk, and heat on the stove. Add salt and pepper to taste and then the soup is ready.

I haven't tried to make Frank's Easy Pumpkin Soup yet, but it certainly sounds delicious. Our pumpkin growing farmers will definitely have pumpkins (and winter squashes) available at Market tomorrow. So, if you are looking for a new recipe or new ways to use produce that is in season, this may be the perfect week to warm up with a bowl of pumpkin soup!

Despite the cold temps (and the windy Saturday morning forecast), lots of our farmers are planning to be at Market with fresh, locally grown produce, eggs, cheese, and meats! You can also expect to find fresh baked goods, including gluten free, jams, preserves, nut butters and other hand crafted items. It is shaping up to be a bustling winter market! So, bundle up and come support your local farmers & vendors!  
See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Brussels Sprouts, Claytonia, Cabbage, Carrots, Chinese Cabbage, Cress, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Escarole, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Frisee, Garlic, Green Onions, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rutabega, Salad Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Turmeric,  Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: PORK, Beef, Quail, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal, Rabbit
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES:Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding Plants, and House Plants.
FLOWERS: A FEW Mixed Bouquets, Dried Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

I feel like it is safe to say that everyone is familiar with broccoli and cauliflower. But are you familiar with the odd looking, light green spikey head that is often displayed in and around broccoli and cauliflower at the Market (pictured)? Well, that odd looking vegetable is called Romanesco broccoli!

Romanesco is related to broccoli and cauliflower. And although it is referred to as a broccoli, it is more closely related to cauliflower. It has a similar texture to cauliflower and keeps its shape while cooking.

Romanesco broccoli is an heirloom vegetable variety. It has been traced back to the 16th century and was first documented in Italy, hence the name.

Like broccoli and cauliflower, it has a 2 fairly short windows of availability at the Market. The first season starts around early November and usually lasts up until Christmas. During January and February, because of the cold weather and short days, broccoli, cauliflower and Romanesco take a brief hiatus. In mid to late March, with the longer and warmer days, all return to the Market and tend to be available until May. After the weather heats up, these crops are done until the cooler weather returns. In fact, most vegetables that are in the same family (kale, collards, turnips, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts) don't like our hot, humid summers which is why you'll never see any of these vegetables during the summer time.

So, if you are looking to expand your culinary repertoire and want to try Romanesco broccoli, here are a couple of ideas for cooking it. You really can use it in the same way and in the same recipes that you use broccoli or cauliflower. It is good raw, steamed or stir-fried.

My favorite way to cook Romanesco broccoli is to roast it, which couldn't be more simple. To make roasted Romanesco, cut the head into florets, toss them in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread them out onto a roasting pan and put them into an oven which has been pre-heated to 400 degrees. Roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring once. When they come out of the oven, toss a little bit of lemon juice on them and enjoy!

Remember: The Market is in its Winter Hours (10am-Noon) and will be open rain, shine, sleet or snow! During the Winter, the Market starts with the ringing of the Opening Bell at 10am sharp. Some vendors have moved around, so if you are having a hard time finding a vendor, stop by the Market's info table and we'll help you out.

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: KIWIS!
VEGETABLES: CLAYTONIA, Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Brussels Sprouts, Bok Choi, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cress, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dandelion Greens, Delicata Squash, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Frisee, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mache, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Radicchio, Radishes, Salad Mix,  Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tat Soi, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  LAMB & MUTTON, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Pork, Veal, Rabbit, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding Plants, and House Plants.
FLOWERS: HOLIDAY GREENERY, A FEW Anemones, Dried Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Raw Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market Pre-Thanksgiving Market

Put on your galoshes and grab a rain coat because the Durham Farmers' Market will be OPEN TOMORROW afternoon, from 2:00-5:00pm, for a special Pre-Thanksgiving (and this year, Pre-Hanukkah!) Market! About 25 vendors will come together under the Pavilion with the freshest, local vegetables, meats, cheeses, baked goods and artisan foods for your holiday meals! Check out the list below to find out which vendors you can expect at Market tomorrow.

Tomorrow, during the Market, local cooking instructor Russ Lane will be blending Thanksgiving and Hanukkah by demonstrating how to make sweet potato and root vegetable latkes! He'll also whip up several seasonal sauces to eat with them. The demo starts at 2pm, stop by for a taste and a recipe. Also, if you have any last minute cooking questions, Russ will be happy to help you!

Because of the holiday(s) this week, the Market will be CLOSED this Saturday (Nov. 30). This is the one Saturday during the year that we are closed. So, spend Small Business Saturday shopping at all the other great local businesses Durham has to offer! The following Saturday, December 7th, the Market will OPEN again with our winter hours of 10am-Noon. Remember, Market will be open EVERY Saturday this winter, no matter what the weather!
 
Vendors coming to Market on Tuesday...

Vegetables
Abanitu Farms
Bluebird Meadows
Ever Laughter Farm
Hurtgen Meadows Farm
Lil Farm
Lyon Farm
Maple Spring Gardens
Roberson Creek Farm
Root Down Farm
Speckled Bird Farm
Sunset Farm
Waterdog Farm

Meats, Eggs, Cheeses
Celebrity Dairy
Chapel Hill Creamery
Fickle Creek Farm
Little Tree Farm
Meadow Lane Farm
Spain Farm

Bakeries
Chicken Bridge Bakery
Imagine That Gluten Free
Loaf
Scratch Baking

Artisan Foods and Alcohol
Benjamin Vineyards & Winery
Farmer's Daugher
Fullsteam Brewery
Melina's Fresh Pasta
Tempeh Girl

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Recipe of the Week
This year, 9 Triangle Farmers' Markets got together to promote our special Pre-Thanksgiving Market. We have put together a large resource of Thanksgiving Recipes. Check them out here: Triangle Farmers Markets Recipes

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES: CELERY, DRIED BEANS, PARSNIPS, POPCORN, Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Brussels Sprouts, Bok Choi, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower (White, Orange, Purple & Romanesco), Chinese Cabbage, Cress, Collards, Dandelion Greens, Daikon Radish, Delicata Squash, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Frisee, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mache, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Sweet Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radicchio, Radishes, Salad Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tat Soi, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Duck, Beef, Chicken, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
FLOWERS: HOLIDAY GREENERY, Asian Lilies, Cabbage Flower, DRIED Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Pasta, Tempeh, Creamed Honey, Cornmeal,  Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Gluten Free Baked Goods, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves,
CRAFTS: Goats Milk Soap, Calendula Salve, Woodwork
Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

North Carolina produces more sweet potatoes than any other state in the country. In fact, in 1995, the sweet potato was officially designated as State Vegetable of North Carolina. Right now, sweet potatoes are in season and, because they store well, will be available at the farmers' market all winter long!

I used to think (please remember, I'm from north of North Carolina) that sweet potatoes were fairly uninspiring and un-versatile. I remember, as a child, eating huge hunks of baked sweet potatoes or a sticky, sweet mess of "candied yams" with a thick marshmallow topping. Having lived in North Carolina for lots of years now, I have learned that, not only are they delicious and nutritious, but also they are a actually a very versatile vegetable and can be used in lots of ways. I look forward to trying new ways to cook with them every year!

Last night, I had dinner at my parents house. My dad made Portuguese Kale Soup which is a really hearty winter soup that includes lots of kale, carrots, garlic, and potatoes. This is a pretty standard recipe in my parents house and because it is so packed with vegetables, my parents used to make this healthy soup when my sister and I got sick. This time, as he was making the soup, he went to the pantry to grab some potatoes and when he opened the door, found only a couple of sweet potatoes. So, because sweet potatoes are in season and my mom had gotten a bunch at the farmers' market, he decided to use them instead. It was an delicious substitution! It changed the color and the flavor of the broth in an excellent way. As we were enjoying this version, my dad declared that, in the future, he'll be using a combination of potatoes and sweet potatoes when he makes this soup.

In my experimentation with sweet potatoes, I have found that another good way to cook them is to roast them in the oven with coconut oil. My mom told me about this method, she loves combination of the flavor of the two. Below is a recipe from the New York Times which goes through the method how how to do it. But, according to my mother, just sweet potatoes, coconut oil and salt is enough! She says when she uses fresh sweet potatoes from the farmers' market, there is no need to add extra sugar.
Coconut Oil Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

And finally, I recently learned a great tip for peeling sweet potatoes. The shape of sweet potatoes at the farmers' market can vary greatly. Our farmers grow lots of different varieties of sweet potatoes and their farms have many different types of soil which can have an effect of the shape of the tuber. Because of the variation in size and shape, peeling can be difficult. So, the way to get around that is to slice your sweet potatoes into rounds and then simply peel the round instead of having the deal with all of the nooks and crannies.

I hope that you are enjoying this year's crop as much as I am! If you have any great recipes for cooking sweet potatoes that you would like to share, please send them to me and I'll put them in the newsletter this fall and winter.

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Upcoming Events
Saturday November 23rd, 10am - Chef in the Market! Amy Tornquist & Matt Lardie from Watts Grocery will be cooking and sampling some Thanksgiving-y dishes!

Tuesday, November 26th, 2-5pm - PRE-THANKSGIVING MARKET! This year we'll be holding another special Market for you to stock up on the freshest, local food for your holiday meal. If you are looking for a local turkey, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders to holiday birds!
 
Saturday, November 30th - MARKET CLOSED. This is the one Saturday during the year when the Market closes. Have no fear! We'll be open all winter!
 
Saturday December 7th - WINTER HOURS BEGIN! This Saturday, the Market will switch to our Winter Hours and will be open weekly from 10am-Noon. We'll be open rain, snow, sleet or shine! And you'll get to meet some new vendors too!

Fresh this Week

FRUITS: Asian Persimmons, Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, 

VEGETABLES: RADICCHIO, SPINACH, Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Daikon, Delicata Squash, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley), Frisee, Galangal, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tat Soi, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Turnop Greens, Winter Squash, and more

MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit

Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs

CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses. 

PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants. 

FLOWERS: Mixed Bouquets

SPECIALTY ITEMS: Raw and Creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool 

CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers Market

TOMORROW AT MARKET
Last week, I briefly talked about how the frost turns certain vegetables sweeter. I knew that it was a often talked about phenomenon and I have even tasted it, but I didn't know the science behind the sweetness. This week, I took some time to delve a little bit deeper into that topic.
 
Old ladies, experienced farmers, and seed catalogs all say that certain varieties of in the Brassica family (Kale, Collards, Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage to name a few) are "sweeter after the frost". Author Steve Solomon explains in his book Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades that the sweetness in the vegetables is a physiological response to cold weather. He says, crops like kale and collards "increase the amount of sugars and other substances in their cells. This sugar solution acts like an anti-freeze." The increased sugars protect the plant and delight the eater!

Carrots and other root vegetables also benefit from increased sweetness with the frost. Unlike the greens which produce extra sugars, carrots convert their starches into sugars for a similar protective effect. In his book Four Season Harvest, author Eliot Coleman says "the effect of cold temperatures on root sweetness turns normal carrots into 'candy' carrots".

In an email interchange that I had with Norm Budnitz from Four Leaf Farm, he helped to explain the science behind the increased sugars and the anti-freeze effect. Norm told me that as the sugar increases in the plants, it helps to "lower the freezing point of the water in the cells". He goes on to say that, "when the outside temperature dips below 32F, the water [in the plants] stays liquid and the cells don't burst." He also used the analogy of sea water to help explain the protective effect that the increased sugars which are in solution with the water molecules has in these plants. He said that "sea water, full of dissolved salt, freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water".

As the weather gets colder and more frosts occur, try and take a mental note of how the flavor of vegetables change in response to the weather! It is fascinating to me how many factors change the flavor of the foods that we eat - soil, elevation, geology, water, temperature. Every single farm that sells their vegetables, meats and other goods has slightly different conditions on their farms and the vegetables and meats pick up these flavors, the terroir. It certainly makes eating locally grown foods exciting and a constant learning experience. The Durham Farmers' Market has maintained it commitment to offering you great, local foods for the past 15 years and we will keep doing it for many, many years to come!

With wintertime around the corner, the Market will soon be changing to Winter Hours. Below is are some important dates to remember as the winter comes...
 
2013 FALL SCHEDULE
Tuesday, November 26th, 2-5pm - PRE-THANKSGIVING MARKET! This year we'll be holding another special Market for you to stock up on the freshest, local food for your holiday meal. If you are looking for a local turkey, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders to holiday birds!
 
Saturday, November 30th - MARKET CLOSED. This is the one Saturday during the year when the Market closes. Have no fear! We'll be open all winter!
 
Saturday December 7th - WINTER HOURS BEGIN! This Saturday, the Market will switch to our Winter Hours and will be open weekly from 10am-Noon. We'll be open rain, snow, sleet or shine! And you'll get to meet some new vendors too!

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram


Upcoming Events
Saturday Novmeber 9th, 9am - Noon - Storytelling! Local storyteller Cynthia Raxter will be spinning tales for all ages! She'll be telling stories about Thanksgiving on the farm on Sassafras Mountain.

Saturday November 23rd, 10am - Chef in the Market! Amy Tornquist & Matt Lardie from Watts Grocery will be cooking and sampling some Thanksgiving-y dishes!

Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: Persimmons - Native & Asian Varietues, Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes,
VEGETABLES: SPINACH, TURNIP GREENS, MUSTARD GREENS, TAT SOI, CABBAGE, Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Daikon, Delicata Squash, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley), Frisee, Galangal, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Winter Squash, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Raw and Creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

TOMORROW AT MARKET
It's official, the summer growing season is over! The heavy frost that most of the area experienced last weekend, killed off the last of the summer, non-hardy crops. When I say "non-hardy", I mean the crops that can't withstand the frosts, for instance tomatoes, basil, zucchini, eggplant, etc. But, there are LOTS of vegetables that survive and thrive with colder weather and frosty nights and mornings! For instance farmers say (and eaters agree) that carrots and collards both get better when they are "kissed by the frost". Both seem to get sweeter as the weather gets colder. I don't know the chemistry behind this, but I think it has to do with the sugars in the crops becoming concentrated during the cold night. Don't quote me on that, though. For the rest of the fall and winter, there will be lots of greens, root vegetables and storage crops!

One fall/winter crop that has made an early appearance is Brussels sprouts! Usually, Brussels sprouts don't make their first appearance until the week of Thanksgiving. Farmers have told me that this summer and fall's growing conditions have been particularly good for Brussels. The weather this summer, when the plants were started, wasn't as oppressively hot and humid as usual and the fall has been slightly cooler than normal. Brussels sprouts need a longer period of cool weather in order to fully mature. So, it's looking like this year will be a good year for Brussels sprouts!!

Even though the nights are cooler and more frosts are ahead, there are still some farmers that will have a limited amount of summer time crops. As usual, farmers are innovative and always thinking of new ways to extend the seasons. Some of them are still growing tomatoes, green beans and peppers in greenhouses and they will continue to be a small supply of these things for the next few months.

With wintertime around the corner, the Market will soon be changing to Winter Hours. Below is are some important dates to remember as the winter comes...

2013 FALL SCHEDULE
Tuesday, November 26th, 2-5pm - PRE-THANKSGIVING MARKET! This year we'll be holding another special Market for you to stock up on the freshest, local food for your holiday meal. If you are looking for a local turkey, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders to holiday birds!

Saturday, November 30th - MARKET CLOSED. This is the one Saturday during the year when the Market closes. Have no fear! We'll be open all winter!

Saturday December 7th - WINTER HOURS BEGIN! This Saturday, the Market will switch to our Winter Hours and will be open weekly from 10am-Noon. We'll be open rain, snow, sleet or shine! And you'll get to meet some new vendors too!

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Upcoming Events
Saturday November 23rd, 10am - Chef in the Market! Amy Tornquist & Matt Lardie from Watts Grocery will be cooking and sampling some Thanksgiving-y dishes!

Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: Persimmons - Native & Asian Varietues, Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Raspberries, Asian Pears
VEGETABLES: PEANUTS, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CARROTS, FENNEL, DAIKON RADISH, WATERMELON RADISH,  Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Broccoli, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Galangal, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabil, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Tuberose, Celosia, Gomphrena, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

This summer, in the span of one week, two of Durham Farmers' Market's farmers passed away. First, Gary Murray of Sunset Farm and a week later, Steve Mobley of Meadow Lane Farm (and the Durham Farmers' Market president) followed. I spoke of both men in the newsletter, but it was hard to sum up the impact of their work and their lives while sorting through my own sadness.

  

Over the past several weeks, journalist Elizabeth Shestak has taken the time to learn more about both of these dedicated farmers and has written about them for the Life Stories column in the News and Observer. This morning, I encourage you to take a moment to read about these two incredibly hard working farmers and the positive work that they did to improve their land, small scale agriculture in NC, and the community.

   

To honor Steve's life, his wife, Martha, has set up the Steve Mobley Small Farmer Scholarship Fund. Contributions can be made c/o Marie Boyette, BB&T, P.O. Box 464, Louisburg, NC 27549.

TOMORROW AT MARKET

New this week: Persimmons! Both Asian Persimmons and Native Persimmons will be available. The Native Persimmons will be available for a shorter amount of time, the Asian varieties will be available through late November. Also, new this week - a limited quantity or Brussels Sprouts!

The first frost is predicted to happen TONIGHT and may have already happened further out in the country side! So, this may be the last week of tender summer vegetables such as eggplants, green beans, zucchini, field tomatoes, corn, melons, and peppers. Following the frost, we always have inventive farmers that grow small quantities of these in heated or unheated greenhouses. So, stock up before they disappear!

Finally, for the next few weeks at the Market's Info Table, we'll have the remainder of the free packets of pectin and salsa spices that we received with the Discover You Can grant from Ball Brand Jars this summer.  We'll have them available until they run out so, come by and stock up for next years preserving projects!  

See you at the Market, 

Erin Kauffman

Market Manager

Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Upcoming Events Saturday October 26th, 10:00-12:00 - Beer Brewing DemoThe folks from Bull City Homebrew will be on hand demonstrating how to brew seasonal beers. They will be brewing Pumpkin Ale using Market pumpkins. They will answer your questions and you can even stir the pot! Saturday November 23rd, 10am - Chef in the Market! Amy Tornquist & Matt Lardie from Watts Grocery will be cooking and sampling some Thanksgiving-y dishes! Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week.... FRUITS: Persimmons - Native & Asian Varietues, Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Raspberries, Asian Pears VEGETABLES: BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CARROTS, FENNEL, DAIKON RADISH, WATERMELON RADISH,  Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Broccoli, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Galangal, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabil, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs CHEESES:Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses. PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants. FLOWERS: Tuberose, Celosia, Gomphrena, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed BouquetsSPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, WoolCRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more... Produce availability depends on weather conditions

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

TOMORROW AT MARKET 
It is officially PUMPKIN time at the Durham Farmers' Market! Pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, colors and textures are abundant at the Market right now.

These pumpkins aren't just good for carving and decorating. Some varieties are really good for eating too. When looking at pumpkins, ask your farmer which ones they recommend for eating because flavors and textures differ from variety to variety. The pumpkin varieties that are best for eating tend to have a sweeter flavor and a smooth flesh. When cooked (and pureed), the flavor is absolutely phenomenal and works well in soups, stews, breads, cookies, and even pancakes. Cooked pumpkin freezes well so you don't have to worry about eating up a big pumpkin really quickly.

Speaking of pancakes, last night I made pumpkin pancakes for dinner (we are a big pancake eating family) and I found a great recipe on the internet for Pumpkin and Oatmeal Pancakes. If you love pancakes or pumpkins, I highly recommend this one. You'll need to make pumpkin puree for this, which couldn't be easier. For directions on making pumpkin puree from scratch check out this recipe HERE.

Another orange vegetable that is back is season is CARROTS! Last week, there were a couple of farmers that brought the first of their carrot harvest to Market. As summer vegetables continue to dwindle, remember both carrots and pumpkins will be around to enjoy almost all winter long!

Both carrots and pumpkins are high in Vitamin A and in general, both are really good for you. Growing up my parents always told my sister and I to eat our carrots because they would help us to see in the dark. I always thought that was a ploy to get us to eat more carrots, plus as a child, I was pretty excited about the idea of seeing in the dark. But, is wasn't just a clever ploy, there is truth in that story! Vitamin A IS good for maintaining eye health. Check out this article on DukeHealth.org about the connection between carrots and eye health.

Have a delicious, healthy week!

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Upcoming Events

Saturday October 19th, 8:00-12:00 - Bull City Coop Tour! Coop Tour and Master Gardener Egg-sperts will be back with information about raising backyard chickens. Also, Chef Wendy Woods from NOSH will be our special Chef in the Market tomorrow! She'll be demonstrating a yummy egg dish to celebrate the Coop Tour!

Saturday October 19th, 10-11am - Unveiling of Mt. Merrill in Durham Central Park. While the Farmers' Market is buzzing along, Durham Central Park, our landlord and partner, will be unveiling the first piece of the interactive play area on the east side of Foster Street near the Leaf! Check out what will be built this coming winter and spring! Read more about it on DurhamCentralPark.org

Saturday October 26th, 9:00-12:00 - Beer Brewing Demo
The folks from Bull City Homebrew will be on hand demonstrating how to brew seasonal beers. They will be brewing Pumpkin Ale using Market pumpkins. They will answer your questions and you can even stir the pot!

Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Raspberries, Asian Pears, Watermelon
VEGETABLES: CARROTS, FENNEL, DAIKON RADISH, WATERMELON RADISH,  Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Broccoli, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Galangal, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabil, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Tuberose, Celosia, Gomphrena, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

TOMORROW AT MARKET 
Well, the weather seems to have shifted from July to November in the matter of one week! Last Saturday, the temperatures were in the low 90s and by the time the Wednesday Market rolled around a few days later, there was a cold, blustery rain falling on us. What a contrast! Looks like tomorrow will be a little less extreme, temperatures will be in the 60s and 70s which will help ease us towards late fall and winter.

As it is feeling more fall like, the crops coming into Market are looking more fall-ish every week. This week, you'll find some of the first jerusalem artichokes of the fall, an ever growing selection of pumpkin & gourd varieties, and an increasing quantity of fall staples such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and greens, greens, greens! And, because we haven't had the first frost yet, there is still a plentiful supply of fall plantings of beans, squash and tomatoes. There is certainly lots to enjoy right now.

Chef Challenge Recap
In case you missed the 5th Annual Chef Challenge, here is what you missed! Chefs Katie Coleman, Mike Hacker and Justin Rakes were presented with this year's secret ingredient of EGGPLANT at 9am. After 2 hours of shopping, chopping, and cooking, the chefs presented the judges and the customers with dishes that featured 9 different creative uses of eggplant. After a long period of deliberation, the judges presented Justin Rakes and Scott Martin of (soon to be open restaurant) Salted Pig with this year's title and trophy. After Market, I tallied up the People's Choice votes and it was nearly a three way tie! Mike Hacker from Pie Pushers edged out the others to claim the People's Choice Winner.

Check out the full recap on Judge Bryan Christopher's blog Searching for Sicily. 

Thanks for a GREAT Wednesday Market Season!
This Wednesday was the final week of the 2013 Wednesday Market season! Thanks for making this Wednesday Market season the best one yet! It was open for more weeks, featured more vendors and hosted more customers than ever before in it 6 year history. You'll see some of your favorite Wednesday Market vendors on Saturday during our Winter Season which begins December 7th. You'll also see many of them at the Pre-Thanksgiving Market on November 26th! The 2014 Wednesday Market season will begin in spring of 2014, date TBA.

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
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Upcoming Events
Saturday October 12th, 8:00-12:00 - The annual Bull City Coop Tour will be held on October 19th. In preparation, there will be information about the Coop Tour and the Durham County Master Gardener "Egg-sperts" will be on hand to talk about raising backyard chickens!

Saturday October 19th, 8:00-12:00 - Bull City Coop Tour! Coop Tour and Master Gardener Egg-sperts will be back with information about raising backyard chickens. Also, chefs from NOSH will be there demonstrating some yummy egg dishes!

Saturday October 26th, 9:00-12:00 - Beer Brewing Demo
The folks from Bull City Homebrew will be on hand demonstrating how to brew seasonal beers. They will be brewing Pumpkin Ale using Market pumpkins. They will answer your questions and you can even stir the pot!

Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Raspberries, Asian Pears, Watermelon
VEGETABLES: CAULIFLOWER, GALANGAL, JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES, BROCCOLI, Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Kale, Kohlrabil, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Lisianthus, Tuberose, Gomphrena, Gladiolus, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...
Produce availability depends on weather conditions