Sunday, April 28th: Pasture-Raised Chicken, Organic Asparagus, Cardoons & Adorable Little Lettuces!

Whole pastured chicken from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I remember my first Growing Things Farm chicken way back in 1999. I drove out to the farm in East King County on a rainy, muddy November day and picked it up, fresh, to bring up to my family in Bellingham for Thanksgiving dinner. It was the first time my family had ever had chicken instead of turkey on that holiday. And boy, howdy, were we thankful! My dad, who grew up on a farm, was thrilled to eat a chicken that tasted like, well, a chicken! And I, for the first time, learned what a chicken was supposed to taste like. We’ve been eating chickens at Thanksgiving ever since! Well, Michaele has a fresh harvest of chickens today at your Ballard Farmers Market, so head on up to the 22nd Avenue end of the Market an grab one or three, and enjoy real chicken! You can thank me later. (Oh, BTW, there is a difference between “pasture-raised” and pasteurized.”)

Organic asparagus from ACMA Mission Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Been looking for certified organic asparagus? ACMA Mission Orchard has it! In fact, did you know that all of ACMA’s crops are now certified organic? Yup! So stop by and get your asparagus on today, and grab some apples, while you’re at it. Oh, asparagus, we love you so! Especially roasted in a hot oven with morel mushrooms from Foraged & Found Edibles and some green sweet onions, or grilled on the barby.

Tom Thumb lettuce from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Under the heading of, “those are friggin’ adorable,” come these little heads of Tom Thumb lettuce from One Leaf Farm today at your Ballard Farmers Market. One Leaf loves growing all manner of lovely lettuce varieties, and this early spring lettuce is so sweet and crunchy —  you know you’ve missed it all winter long. Look also for Little Gem lettuce, as well radishes!

Stokesberry Sustainable Farm sausages by Link Lab. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Have you met the new lineup of link sausages from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm? They are made using Stokesberry’s wonderful forrest-raised pork by Link Lab Artisan Meats in Wallingford. They come in three varieties, from left to right above – Shiitake & Sage, Fremont Beer Bratwurst and Chipotle Tequila. Link Lab’s Fremont Beer Brats recipe is perhaps the best bratwurst recipe in Seattle, I dare say. So get thee to Stokesberry, and get your sausage on! Just save me a package of brats!

Cardoon from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

No, this is not rhubarb. It is cardoon. A member of the artichoke family (not to be confused with Jerusalem artichokes, which are not related to artichokes at all, but are in the sunflower family), they grow tall and put out big, brilliant artichoke flowers that are edible. However, cardoon is most commonly harvested for the long stalks of its leaves, which are cooked by braising them in liquid. Like all things artichoke-y, cardoon is favored in Italy and throughout Southern Europe. Pick some up from Oxbow Farm today and experiment with it!

Rhubarb from Sidhu Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This is rhubarb! This rhubarb is grown by Sidhu Farms in Orting, along the Puyallup River — the most prolific rhubarb growing region in the United States. Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, though it seems most commonly used as an ingredient for desserts, which may explain why the State of New York reclassified it as a fruit in 1947. Of course, it makes for great sauces for savory dishes, too, as well as fabulous cocktails. But let’s face it — rhubarb crisp is a reason unto itself to live!

Carrots from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ah, carrots, how we have missed you! But carrots are slowly returning to your Ballard Farmers Market. Colinwood Farms was the first this spring with these lovely specimens (above). and while more and more are coming each week, they are still in limited supply, so get here early, if you want any. Otherwise, when you show up at the Market Information Desk at 2 p.m. asking about carrots, we may have to tease you. Consider yourself warned.

Al Pastor tacos from Los Chilangos. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Have you visited the newest prepared food vendor at your Ballard Farmers Market yet? Los Chilangos cooks up brilliant Mexican street food for breakfast and lunch every Sunday, using many ingredients from Market vendors. Their fish tacos are made with rockfish from Wilson Fish. Their pork comes from Olsen Farms. Their eggs are from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. And they source cheese from both Samish Bay Cheese and Twin Oaks Creamery. Try finding another taqueria around here doing that!

Growlers and growler coolers from Soda Jerk Fresh Soda. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Right next door to Los Chilangos, you will find fresh sodas from Soda Jerk Fresh Soda to quench your salsa-induced thirst. Like their newest flavor, Lime-Cilantro-Jalapeno. You can get a cup of soda to go, or you can get a growler to take home and enjoy. Growlers are a half-gallon, and Soda Jerk now has these nifty new reusable growler cozies, to keep your soda cool and well-carbonated until you get it back to your fridge. Plus, growlers are refillable! Bring it back next week and exchange it for a fresh bottle.

Please remember bring your own bags every Sunday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Ballard Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, February 3rd: Milk (Cow & Goat), Eggs (Chicken & Duck), Carrots (Sweet & Delicious), Succulents (Beautiful & Drought Resistant) & Other Wonderful Stuff!

Bottled cows milk from Twin Oaks Creamery. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Did you get a chance to meet our newest farm last Sunday at your Ballard Farmers Market? If not, let me introduce you to Twin Oaks Creamery. Twin Oaks, meet Ballard. Twin Oaks is a small, family-owned and operated dairy farm in Chehalis that manages both dairy goats and cows. And they bring with them to Ballard the return pasteurized bottled milk from both, as well as fresh and aged cheeses, and soon, yogurt. Their milk is whole milk, not homogenized, so it is real milk, and it is delicious! We’ve been without pasteurized milk since September, and we are very excited about the arrival of Twin Oaks. So come meet your local dairy farmers today, and tomorrow, you can have a super bowl of cereal with delicious local milk! (Did you see what I did there?)

Chicken (top) and duck eggs from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

In years past, we’ve been lean on eggs at your Ballard Farmers Market this time of year. But not this year. In fact, our egg producers are flush with eggs right now, and for the first time in months, they actually didn’t sell out of eggs this past Sunday. So, if you’re one of those folks who has simply given up hope of getting farm-fresh eggs on Sunday afternoon, because you just can’t drag yourself down to your Ballard Farmers Market before 1:30 p.m., this is your winter! Fear not. And get thee down here today. These lovely eggs (above) are from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. The white ones are duck eggs and the brown ones are chicken eggs. And just so’s you know I ain’t just blowing smoke, I took this photo last Sunday at — wait for it — 3 p.m.! Just sayin’.

February’s Tamale-of-the-Month from Patty Pan Grill. Photo courtesy Patty Pan Grill.

Patty Pan Grill just launched at the new year a great new program of offering seasonal tamales that changes each month. Made with great local ingredients, you can take them home to cook or eat them here. February’s offering is Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Olsen Farms Potato Tamales. Stop by and grab some today, because February is a short month!

Nash’s Best Carrots from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

There’s a reason why they call them Nash’s Best Carrots. They are really good carrots! And Nash’s Organic Produce has lots of them… but not for long. In fact, I hear that they may only last through next Sunday’s market. But they keep incredibly well in your fridge, so stock up today. Then you’ll have them for soups, salads, juices, root roasts, stews and more for the rest of the winter. But if you dillydally, you’re gonna miss them until the next harvest begins weeks from now.

Succulent chicks from Phocas Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Just up the road from Nash’s, a little west in Port Angeles, is Phocas Farms. They seem to mysteriously disappear from your Ballard Farmers Market every fall, but it is really no mystery at all. Fall is when the saffron harvest happens, and Jimmy puts all of his attention into plucking, cleaning and drying every delicate thread of saffron all day long for two or three months. Then he shifts his attention to transferring the fall’s crop of succulent chicks from their parents into small pots to get all set and ready for coming back to your Ballard Farmers Market… TODAY! So if you are developing a gardening itch already, but you realize it is still too early to plant most other stuff, get you some succulents from Phocas Farms today, get them in the ground, and then they will be all ready to do what they do best come summer, which is to flourish despite your neglect and weeks without rain!

Baby baby bok choy from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

From the department of redundancy department comes baby baby bok choy from Stoney Plains Organic Farm in Tenino. These are the most delicate of baby shoots of the vegetable that is correctly known as baby bok choy. See, baby bok choy is not baby bok choy. They are completely different beasts. So, in this case, these really are baby baby bok choy. And perhaps the most fascinating thing is how long I can go on with this inane discussion with seemingly no shame. But never you mind that. Get yourself some of this deliciousness today! Toss in hot pan with olive oil and garlic. Give a quick toss or two. Done. You can thank me later. Just don’t come too late looking for these, as they’ll sell out early. (Oh, and Terry, please save me some, eh? Thanks!)

D’Anjou pears from Booth Canyon Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Today is the last day for Booth Canyon Orchard for the season. They will exhaust today their 2012 fall harvest of heirloom apples and pears, like these D’Anjou pears, and they will retire to the Methow Valley to prune trees (or, if they’re smart, they’ll spend a week or three in Mexico) in preparation for their triumphant return next September. So stop by, stock up, thank them for feeding us so well, and send them on their way with a hug!

Canned local albacore tuna in a variety of flavors from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s the first Sunday of the month, and that means our monthly visit from Fishing Vessel St. Jude with the finest canned, smoked, frozen, dried, and just generally delicious local albacore tuna you’ll find anywhere. Remember, it’s low in mercury and high in beneficial omega-fatty acids, because this is adolescent tuna from the North Pacific. So stock up for the month, as we won’t see them again until March 3rd!

Please remember bring your own bags every Sunday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Ballard Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, November 25th: Happy Buy Local, Direct From The Producer At Your Ballard Farmers Market Sunday!

Sunshine rings from Itali Lambertini. Photo courtesy Itali Lambertini.

It is now officially the Holiday Season, and folks are in a frenzy of gift buying and partying around Ballard. We love that yesterday, when it came time for the talking heads on the TV news to talk about Small Business Saturday, they brought their cameras here to Ballard. Why? Because our entire neighborhood is full of great, locally-owned small shops and boutiques full unique gifts. And it is no coincidence that these merchants surround your Ballard Farmers Market. Many of them set up shop here because of Ballard Farmers Market. After all, where else in Seattle would they find thousands of people like you and I who are committed to buying local flocking to one neighborhood — indeed, one block — religiously, every week? (BTW, check out this stunning ring set from Itali Lambertini at your Ballard Farmers Market. They make their heirloom-quality jewelry from recycled gold, so not only is it magnificent, it is also better for the environment, and it reduces the need for more destructive gold mines, like the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska.)

Carrots from Gaia’s Natural Goods. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Today is what we have deemed, Buy Local, Direct From The Producer At Ballard Farmers Market Sunday, and that means you can make the local economic impact of your holiday shopping go even further. You see, when you spend your dollars at a locally-owned store, they recirculate in our local economy with about three times the impact of dollars spent at some national or international chain. But when you spend your dollars buying something locally-made directly from the producer of that product, that impact doubles to about six times. Plus, you get the satisfaction of being able to meet and support the producer, and thus directly support good, local jobs. (Besides great gifts, we still have plenty of local deliciousness available now, too, like these beautiful, sweet carrots from Gaia’s Natural Goods. They are extra sweet this time of year, after they’ve been kissed by just a little frost!)

Non-toxic scented candles from Ascents Candles. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Your Ballard Farmers Market, with your support, continues to incubate new, local businesses. One we are quite proud of is Ascents Candles, which is dedicated to making non-toxic candles scented with natural essential oils. This time of year, when it’s cold and damp outside, it is difficult enough to keep the air inside your home clean without adding to the indoor air quality problems by lighting some nasty, imported candle made with petroleum products. Why not make the mood even more romantic with a beautiful, fragrant candle that won’t shorten your mate’s life?! And they’ve got gorgeous, scent-free candles for use at dinnertime, too!

Savoy cabbage from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Stunning fall crops, like this Savoy cabbage from Nash’s Organic Farm, are still abundant at your Ballard Farmers Market, and frankly, they are at their peak of quality and flavor now, too! Local fall crops thrive on lots of rain, cold nights and minimal daylight, and they are sweeter and tastier, and even more nutritious, for it. Remember, your Ballard Farmers Market is your year-round, locally-grown grocery store. And what you get here is so fresh that it is often fresher come the following Saturday, after sitting in your fridge since the previous Sunday, than what you can get at the Big Box stores. So comfortably stock up for the entire week. Plus, many fall storage crops can be held simply in a cool, dark storage room, or your garage, meaning you don’t need to have a huge fridge to hold it all for the week.

Color-accented cups from Daily Bird Pottery. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These color-aceented clay cups from Port Townsend’s Daily Bird Pottery are more than just a beautiful way to enjoy your morning cup of joe or your evening tea. The unglazed cups actually reduce the bitterness in the flavor of your beverages. It is a type of chemical reaction between the clay itself and whatever you put in the cup, and it is a form of culinary technology that people from India to Mexico have been using for centuries. These cups are fired very hot, and they are as strong and durable as any pottery you’ve encountered — perhaps stronger. And these particular cups are extra cool in that the lovely, colorful accent of glaze around the rim also provides a more pleasant mouth-feel as you drink out of them. Swing by and pick up a couple of cups to try out this week. You’ll be amazed by them! And once you are, you’ll want to get them for everyone on your list.

Porchetta from Sea Breeze Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I find that I often make George, Liz, Rose and the gang at Sea Breeze Farm blush when I comment on what a beautiful piece of meat they are, err, I mean have. Exhibit A: this spectacular porchetta from last Sunday’s Market. I took home about a pound of it and ate it for dinner a couple of nights. And they, err, I mean it is as delicious as it is beautiful. Best of all, it is not just cooked on Vashon Island, but the pigs are forest-raised on Vashon Island, just up the hill from the Fauntleroy Ferry dock. Of course, what they’ve got in their refer case varies from week-to-week, based on what they harvested that week, so stop by today to check out their sexy meat selection for this week!

Shaving kit from Brown Butterfly. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Dad’s are difficult to shop for, right? They don’t want lots of shiny things, unless it’s a new sports car, and unless you live in Medina, you probably have neither the money nor the space under the tree for giving dad a new sports car for Christmas, as much as Lexus would like you to believe everyone is giving $50,000+ cars as gifts this year. One thing Gillette won’t let you forget this holiday season, however, is that dad’s shave, and that you can buy dad shaving gear. But how personal and special is a can of Foamy and a Mach III razor from Bartell’s, eh? Why not get dad one of these lovely shaving kits from Brown Butterfly that will make dad feel like the real man that he is! Let him reconnect with his Wild West cowboy roots, shaving with a brush, mug and soap with a nice sharp razor. Brown Butterfly’s shaving soap will leave his face smooth and soft, like a baby’s bum, it smells nice and manly, and it comes with the added benefit of not coming out of an aerosol can that cannot be easily recycled, too!

Salad mix from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

After this past week of overindulgent eating, you just really want a nice salad, am I right? Well, this spicy salad mix from Colinwood Farms makes it a breeze! Just fill up your bowl, add some of those Gaia’s carrots… maybe some radishes — Colinwood has some nice daikon radishes still — dress, and you’re done. Your body will thank you, and it will reward you with the loss of the 2-3 pounds you put on this past week in short order. Seriously.

Hemp fabric clothing from Texture. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Texture, from Bellingham, makes gorgeous, comfortable, durable and fashionable clothing from hemp fabric, with pieces to suit your every mood and situation. From formal and office to out on the town, you will look fabulous in Texture’s garments, and you’ll know you are wearing unique, local creations, direct from the designer, and made with environmentally-responsible fabrics. And talk about a gift that will be appreciated every time she’s wears it!

Please remember bring your own bags every Sunday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Ballard Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Saturday, October 28th: A Tribute To Essential Fall Crops!

Winter Luxury pumpkins from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey, kids. It’s pumpkin pie season. And you can’t get much better for pie making than these Winter Luxury pumpkins from One Leaf Farm. They are not only beautiful, they are delicious! Indeed, they are aptly named. Stop by One Leaf for a couple of these cool looking gourds, and perhaps some lovely radicchio, too.

Sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Nothing like sweet potatoes fresh out of the oven on a cool, fall night. They fill you with warmth while stoking your energy and pleasing your palate. And while they are a perfect side dish to so many proteins, try adding them to a simple or downright busy root roast. I love cutting them up and roasting them with parsnips, or with beets, carrots, parsnips and sunchokes. Or you can mash them with garlic, some chipotles in adobo sauce, and a touch of maple syrup. Yeah, baby. These Beauregard (left) and O’Henry sweet potatoes (above) are from Lyall Farms.

Golden Nugget squash from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These Golden Nugget winter squash from Stoney Plains Organic Farm have a sweet flesh with a wonderfully smooth texture that’ll just make you purr. And isn’t that what you want from fall foods? It’s cold. It’s wet. It’s dark. Give us comfort food! This is comfort food.

Yellow storage onions from Nature’s Last Stand. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

What doesn’t call for onions in the recipe this time of year. And while the onslaught of October rains may quickly be making our record warm and dry stretch this summer a distant memory, the truth is that that weather made for an epic onion harvest. They loved the sun, and then they were able to dry and cure without getting wet and moldy. That means we’ve got more storage onions, like these yellow onions from Nature’s Last Stand, than we’ve had in years at your Ballard Farmers Market. Enjoy!

Celery from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This also seems to be a stellar year for celery, too. It is bigger, crunchier, even sweeter than in years past. And again, every recipe seems to call for it, from roasts to soups to stuffings. Nash’s Organic Produce has some lovely celery right now at your Ballard Farmers Market.

Viking purple potatoes from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These Viking Purple potatoes from Olsen Farms are one of my favorites, and not just because they are gorgeous and have a really cool, Ballard-friendly kind of name. They have this amazingly fluffy, snow-white flesh when they are steamed that just begs for a big dollop of your favorite butter. Mmm.

Shallots from Summer Run Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Shallots also find their way into many a fall recipe. One of my faves is to caramelize them in the same pan with some nice chunky bacon, then toss in some Brussels sprouts, and cook them until they just start to get tender. Then deglaze the pan with some white wine, which will finish cooking the sprouts while it reduces. The shallots above are from Summer Run Farm.

Purple Goddess pears from Jerzy Boyz. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Fall is an excellent time to enjoy pears, like these Purple Goddess pears from Jerzy Boyz. So great in salads, baked, in pies and tarts, or just on their own, eaten right off the core. Right now, there is a great selection of pears at your Ballard Farmers Market, so do enjoy them while you can!

Carrots from Gaia’s Natural Goods. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let us not forget the formidable carrot, whose own ubiquitous presence can be found on almost any fall recipe page. Carrots are sweeter this time of year, due to cooler whether, making them great for any application, or just plain munching on their own. The lovely specimens (above) are from Gaia’s Natural Goods.

Spanish red garlic from Jarvis Family Garlic Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And perhaps no ingredient from your Ballard Farmers Market is more called for in your fall cooking than garlic, and lucky for us, Jarvis Family Garlic Farm from out of Sequim joined us this year with a bunch of amazing heirloom varieties of garlic for you to enjoy. After all. there is no such thing as too much garlic!

Fresh cranberries from Bloom Creek Cranberry Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let’s finish off this week’s installment with one of the most quintessentially fall crops — cranberries. Bloom Creek Cranberry Farm returned last week with their gorgeous cranberries, so there’s no excuse for you not to bring fresh cranberry sauce with you to grandma’s house on Thanksgiving, is there?

Finally, another reminder to please bring your own bags every Sunday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Ballard Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.