The Weblog
This weblog contains LocallyGrown.net news and the weblog entries from all the markets currently using the system.
To visit the authoring market’s website, click on the market name located in the entry’s title.
Dothan, Alabama: June 22, 2019 M@D Newsletter
This Week’s Newsletter:
Blueberry Bliss
Buying “Organic” Part 6
LOTS of Market Chitchat this week
Grower Notes
IN SEASON
We couldn’t resist. Blueberry season is upon us and something about these nutrient packed little balls of bliss turns us into a kid again. They’re just so GOOD, and so versatile. We’ll never discount eating them fresh and raw, but we are sharing some recipes from our Market family. All are tested and true and most are pretty healthy.
ON THE HOME FRONT
This is part 6 and the last in a series reprinted with permission from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Previous installments of this may be found on our Weblog.
Simple ways to enhance garden management:
Protect and increase soil organic matter by using compost (make your own!), mulch, and cover crops and by choosing organic fertilizers, such as fish emulsion, kelp, and manures***.
Use an adequate mulch layer, even in a vegetable garden, to help conserve water, prevent soil erosion, and build a food source for beneficial soil microbes.
Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to reduce water waste due to evaporation, and use these irrigation systems only when the weather calls for it. Learn how your plants use water by digging in the soil to determine how quickly it dries or stays moist because consistent soil moisture reduces plant stress.
Choose plants and vegetable varieties suited for your climate. This reduces water use, susceptibility to pests, and overall plant stress.
Use caution when applying any pesticide as some can also kill beneficial insects, such as honey bees and predatory insects. Think first of other control methods, such as row covers and trap crops that confuse pests, or the pick-and-stomp method (levels 1 and 2 above). Most important, realize that produce does not have to look like a grocery store display—a little aesthetic damage does not mean the vegetable tastes less yummy than the unblemished one.
Learn to recognize beneficial insects (lady beetle larvae, big-eyed bug, braconid wasps, etc.) that help reduce pests in your garden and landscape.
Finally, when you cannot grow it yourself, buy locally grown and locally made products. Knowing your farmer is one way to learn how the food on your table was produced.
Know the N to P (Nitrogen to Phosphorus) Ratio
- Most plants use a 5:1 ratio of nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P). If the organic fertilizer contains a 1:1 ratio of N to P (as do manures), it will be necessary to apply excessive amounts of P so that the plant’s N needs can be met. This leads to excessive amounts of unused P in the soil. Soil test annually, or every second year, to ensure that P levels do not exceed the recommended amounts, and read the product label to learn nutrient percentages of the fertilizer you intend to apply.
MARKET CHITCHAT
A special invitation from our friend, Susan Avello, aka The Lean Bean Chef. Susan and The Kitchen have partnered to offer a HAND MADE TORTELLINI and RAVIOLI Workshop in July. If you LOVE Italian food Susan will walk you through the process from creating the perfect hand-made pasta dough, to the myriads of fillings and the art of shaping pasta by hand and cover the types of sauces that can be used to finish the pasta. There’s more, but if you’re already hungry just thinking about it she may be reached at [email protected]. She’ll be glad to fill you in on the details . . . and don’t wait, there are only a few spaces left.
We’re excited to announce a new book by a local author, Robin O’Sullivan Robin teaches in the History Department at Troy University. She has a Ph.D. in American Studies, M.A. in American and New England Studies and specializes in environmental history & cultural history.
Looks fascinating doesn’t it? If you’d like to see more it’s available on both Kindle and Hardback through Amazon where you can read a few pages, and check out both the reviews and the author.
New & Relisted Products – Woo-Hoo!
- Perpetual Spinach from Avalon Farms
THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES
We have the best Growers in the Wiregrass! Please learn more about them on our Grower Page.
D’S JELLIES: D’s Hot Pepper Jelly is wonderful served with fresh peas as well as an appetizer with Ritz crackers and cream cheese. D’s BlackBerry Jelly is the best for your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or a hot buttered biscuit. D’s Mayhaw Jelly is the best jelly for buttered toast. Jellies are unique gifts! Treat yourself or someone special. Dianne Herring
~~~~~
AVALON FARMS: I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the state of the farm lately. We’re in the crazy time of year, doing both M@D and Poplar Head markets. It’s always difficult to keep up with the farm work schedule, even in the non crazy times: planting, weeding, harvesting, watering, fertilizing, weeding, delivering. (Repeat) The super hot weather and being down with my foot surgery made it even more interesting. Through all this I’ve been learning to prioritize even more. (and pondering the difference between making excuses and explaining reasons! )
You might have noticed that I pulled all the squash and cucumbers from the market. I thought they were coming back from the heat wave….extra water and fertilizer. But they were still dropping fruit and showing signs of disease. Had to put on my big farmer pants and mow them. That’s a very hard lesson for me to learn, but I’m learning. In order to be productive you sometimes have to cut your losses and move forward.
Sigh. I hate it. The 3rd planting of squash and cukes are growing, but it will probably be a month.
Okra will be coming soon. Saw the first blooms a few days ago. Been working on rescuing them from the crab grass.
Sweet potatoes are in the ground. Another weeding task!
Winter squash are next on the list to get planted.
Have a new product for this week: Perpetual Spinach. This faux spinach is in the chard and beet family but it tastes like spinach! And it grows in our Summer heat! Give it a try!!
FOOTNOTES
We would love to hear from you! If you have a favorite recipe, want to write a product review, have an idea or request for an article or information, let us know! You can reply to this newsletter or write [email protected].
Order Saturday 5pm to Tuesday 5pm weekly for Pickup the following Friday
Dothan Pickup: 10am – 12pm, Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville Pickup: 11am – 11:30am, Parking area behind Daleville Chamber of Commerce
Enterprise Pickup: 12pm – 12:30pm, Grocery Advantage, 1032 Boll Weevil Circle, Enterprise
Our Email: [email protected]
Join our Online Discussions! www.facebook.com/groups/MarketatDothanDiscussion
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!
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Suwanee Whole Life Co-op: Market is closed this week
Just a reminder that the market is closed this week. We’ll open up again for orders on June 28th.
Fresh Harvest will still deliver produce bins on Wednesday, June 26th but they will be outside under awning. Please do NOT bring your empties since the market will be closed and the doors locked.
If you need milk, you can TEXT Sam your order and he will deliver on TUESDAY in parking lot outside Cultured Traditions around 2:30 and will contact you directly.
All the farms and vendors contact info is on website on Growers tab if you want to visit farms or contact vendors. Many of them are also at the Suwanee Farmers Market on Saturday.
See you at the Market again on July 3rd!!
Champaign, OH: Market Love!
It’s Thursday evening, and that means it’s time to open another week of ordering fun!
Don’t miss out on the local love!
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Champaign, OH: How The Garden Grows!
Today! Your market managers will have limited quantities of organic produce from the Hippie and the Farmer gardens!
Russian Kale!
Leaf Lettuce!
Mescaline Lettuce!
Sugar Snap Peas!
Mini Cucumbers!
Cash and Carry!
Independence,VA: Market is OPEN for June 26th pickup!
*
Good evening,
It’s time to place your Online Market order for the week! Be sure to come out to the Ice Cream Social THIS Sunday from 2-5 pm at the Grayson Landcare office if you are available! We’ll shut down the whole street, have some awesome music by Bill Baldwin, and have fun things to do for the kids (not to mention the delicious ice cream and toppings!).
To Shop: Independence Farmers Market.
Upcoming Events:
Join us this Friday at the Market in Town Park from 9 am – 1 pm for FIBER DAY! Stop by the Kid’s Corner from 10-11 am to celebrate the Summer Solstice by making nature crowns! Activities are designed for all ages and always free.
In case you didn’t read above, THIS Sunday, June 23rd, please head over to the Grayson Landcare office for a good ol’ fashioned Ice Cream Social! We’ll shut down Courthouse St., have some lovely music and enjoy ice cream with the community bring a friend, or two, or three! All proceeds will go to support the Independence Farmers Market!
Thank you for supporting the Independence Farmers Market!
Abby
Miami County Locally Grown: Becky's Back, Early Honey, and Yarn Galore!
Becky’s Buckeye Naturals is Back on the Market this week with her Shampoo Bars, Laundry Butter, Bastille Soaps, Shower Fizzies, and More!
And calling all knitters, crocheters, crafters, and spinners…
Check out the lovely roving and yarn from the Grumpy Goat Experiment! The descriptions of the wool from each different sheep and goat is hilarious – makes my fingers just itch to feel each one!
Plus, thanks to Doc Allen of Troy’s Pumpkin Patch, we are now able to offer the first Honey of the year! Raw, unheated, unfiltered, and local, this delicate, light early Honey has to be tried to be believed!
We’re Open til 8pm Sunday!!
:-)
www.miamicounty.locallygrown.net
www.facebook.com/miamicountylocallygrown
The Cumming Harvest - Closed: Weblog Entry
The Online Market is open for ordering from 8 AM Wednesday till 8 PM on Thursday.
Spring time is upon us again. The planting of vegatabels and flowers is in full spead as we work to provide an aboundance of fresh new products. Please feel free to make your selections from the great products available this week.
Remember the New Customer Referral Program
From March 20 through June 30
How it Works
1. Tell a friend about the CUMMING HARVEST farmers market.
2. Have them register at cumming.locallygrown.net. (the market managers will contact all new customers to ask who referred them)
3. After their third purchase (3 different weeks), your credit will be applied to your account.
Thank you for sharing your love of healthy food and for helping to support our local growers!
Jaclyn Barnum
Market manager
Heritage Farm : Wednesday Farm Truck today....Please read
Farm truck running today. Dont forget your orders if you have one on todays truck.
Dunwoody delivery is at a new address!!! Pull in drive and go around back. Coooler is in the sunroom….
Thanks,
The Hutchins Family
Heritage Farm
770-377-5380
www.heritage-farm.net
[email protected]
Miami County Locally Grown: Here comes another awesome week!!
Ah, summer is close! And we’ve all kinds of goodies to ring in the new season!
Such a variety of lovely, healthy plants from Honey Creek Farm – everything from beautiful Snake Plants and Dahlias to useful Aloe Vera and Toothache Plants!!
Plus snow peas, new microgreen varieties, cucumbers, radishes, and a beautiful assortment of lettuces and kales!
And don’t forget our incredible local meat selection, with plenty of grilling options… pork chops and bacon, chicken wings and breasts, beef burgers and steaks… plus brats and patties in pork, chicken, or beef! Awesome!
www.miamicounty.locallygrown.net
www.facebook.com/miamicountylocallygrown
CLG: Tuesday Reminder - Market Closes Tonight after 10pm.
Hello friends!
Check out all the varieties and flavors of coffee now listed. Roasted and ground just up the road in Rosebud, Arkansas! There’s still time to place your order for pickup this Friday, June 21st.
The market closes TONIGHT after 10pm, maybe even midnight! Come early on Friday for the best selection from the Extras table. See you Friday!
The market is now OPEN for orders. Click here to start shopping:*
https://conway.locallygrown.net/market
How to contact us:
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Instead…
Phone or text: Steve – 501-339-1039
Email: Steve – [email protected]