Last week was the opening weekend of the Ecosystem Farm Market which offers fresh, organic produce to the public every Saturday from 10 am – 2 pm. (But don’t worry if you miss it on Saturday, there will be produce available for sale in the Visitor Center on Sundays–though I’m sure that the best veggies will go early!) It was a successful opening, welcoming approximately 50-60 locavores who found us via online, by following the road signs, read about the market opening in an email sent to members, or just so happened to have stumbled upon us!
Farmer Holli with Farmhands Mark, Heather, and volunteer “The Baron” welcome you to the on farm market.
Week two on the farm is sure to be a hit as well. This week’s On Farm Market pick list includes:
Spicy Salad Mix Bok Choy Carrots Loose Beets Egyptian Walking Onions Napa Cabbage Mustard Greens Salad Turnips Chard Collards Blueberries and a few of the first Eggplants and Squash of the season. Huzzah!
With such nice weather in the forecast for this weekend, turn your market shopping into more of an adventure by taking one of the nature trails to the farm. The Blackberry Trail is the most direct route, leading from the main entrance road to the farm road (hang a left and walk up the dirt road to the farm entrance.) Staff and volunteers worked very hard this week to blaze this trail, making it more passable for trail visitors. Linda will be in the Visitor Center, ready to answer any question visitors have about the market and other park activities going on this weekend — like the workshop on composting for modern homesteaders.
Not sure what to do with Bok Choy? Try this uber-delish coleslaw recipe from the Sweet Beet and Green Bean blog. I made a variation of this last weekend; served it along side pork BBQ; adding an apple for an extra sweetness the family couldn’t resist. I didn’t get a good picture (it was gobbled up too fast!), but here is a lovely image from the recipe online.
Isn’t that purdy?
Bok Choy (or Pak Choi) is an Asian Cabbage with a crunchy tenderness unlike the typical head of cabbage you’ll find in the grocery market. Try swapping it out for cabbage in a slaw by using more of the crunchy stem, or saute the leafy parts for a stir-fry, it’s all a great way to introduce this new veggie to your household.
So this weekend, add stopping at the farm market to your To-Do list, and rest assured you are getting quality for a fraction of grocery store prices. We are excited to offer fresh, locally-grown organic produce each and every week. It’s part of our mission to inspire a commitment to sustainability. Speaking of sustainability, remember to bring your reusable tote bags (or reuse those plastic bags). We’ll have some on hand for you if you forget, but it’ll be helpful to both the farm and the earth if you reuse and bring your shopping bags from home.
