Sunday, July 29th: Tieton Cider Works, Organic Sweet Corn, The Cherry’s Cherry, Heirloom Tomatoes & Oh, So Much More!

The hard cider lineup from Tieton Cider Works. Photo courtesy Tieton Cider Works.

Happy Sunday, good citizens of the People’s Republic of Ballard, as well as our regular readers in Qatar, Norway and Pakistan, and even the four of you in England who apparently spent the day yesterday reading this blog instead of paying attention to the Olympic frenzy that has embroiled your fair nation! It is the last Sunday of the month, and that means we get a visit from another member for the Washington Cider Association in the place of Finnriver Farm & Cidery. Today, we welcome Tieton Cider Works with a lovely variety of ciders they like to call, “Traditional Ciders, Re-Invented.” Stop by, say hello, and grab a bottle or three. You can thank me later.

Sweet corn from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, the wait is over. Organic sweet corn has arrived from Alvarez Organic Farms at your Ballard Farmers Market! Woohoo! But wait, there’s more! Alvarez also now has tomatillos, tomatoes, eggplant, okra and soon, peppers! Oh, I so love this time of year.

Vans cherries from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Vans cherries from Collins Family Orchards are the cherry’s cherry. They are the dark cherry, with a beautiful, deep, rich flavor that is not overly sweet or watered down. If you like cherry that smacks you upside the head while you exclaim, “Boy, howdy!” at the top of your lungs, then try some of these bad boys. Because Rainiers and bings are not the only cherries out there… heck, they’re not even the best cherries out there. But vans have a relatively short season, and not too many farms bring them to Market, so take advantage of this opportunity to try them today.

Buttercrisp Bibb Lettuce from Nature’s Last Stand. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Is not this buttercrisp bibb lettuce from Nature’s Last Stand gorgeous? Delicious and refreshing, too! And look at that beautiful heart. Seriously, you are imaging munching on it right now, aren’t you? Of course you are!

Japanese truffle heirloom tomatoes from Billy’s Gardens. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Dear summer. Thank you for heirloom tomatoes. Sincerely, everyone! Yes, that’s right. Billy’s Gardens is now harvesting the heirloom tomatoes for which they are famous, including these Japanese truffle tomatoes. Stunningly beautiful, and equally tasty. It’s time to celebrate! Grab some basil from Alm Hill Gardens and fresh mozzarella from Golden Glen Creamery, and makes you some caprese!

Peppers from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Peppers, yo! Yes, those crazy cats at Colinwood Farms just keep winning the race to be the first to come to Market with one crop after another — this time, with these lovely peppers from their greenhouses. And for those of you who think greenhouses are cheating… are you out of your minds? I keep hearing people saying, “Oh, but that’s from a greenhouse…”, like something is wrong with greenhouses? No, what’s wrong is the headedness of people who think that way. Greenhouses have been around for a very long time. They are just another tool farmers use… you know, like tractors… and dirt! I suppose these pretend purists would  rather have a shorter harvest season. Heck, let’s forget tomatoes altogether in Western Washington, for that matter, because I have yet to meet a farmer who doesn’t use a greenhouse to at least start their tomato plants. As if.

Flavor supreme pluots from Tiny’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of stunning, how’s about these flavor supreme pluots from Tiny’s Organic Produce? I think they might be the most beautiful of stone fruits. (Coolest looking is reserved for donut peaches, also in season now.) Pluots, a cross between plums and apricots, are firmer than both while still being plenty sweet and juicy. And they come in all sorts of varieties. Now’s a great time to experiment with them, as so many are currently in season.

Squash blossoms from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These squash blossoms from Growing Things Farm are so brilliant, it seems a shame to eat them. But hey, if you don’t, they’re just going to shrivel up and turn to mush in a couple of days, so you might as well stuff them with some fresh goat chevre from Port Madison Farms and fry them up for dinner tonight, eh? Oh, and with these flowers comes summer squash, too. Growing Things has their famous baby squash available now, too!

Shiro plums from ACMA Mission Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Shiro plums are the pride and joy of Japan, and they make for some absolutely amazing wine. But not too many folks grow them around here. Lucky for us, our own ACMA Mission Orchards does! This mildly flavored, sweet, juicy little plum is a delight, but only for a few weeks do we get to enjoy it, so grab some while you can.

Treviso radicchio from Full Circle Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

One of the most beautiful of vegetables, for my money, is this treviso radicchio from Full Circle Farm. This is also my favorite radicchio. When cooked, it is the sweetest of these bitter chicories. Try slicing it down the middle, lengthwise, dousing it in olive oil, and grilling it, finished with a nice sea salt and some good balsamic vinegar. Or cut it up and sauté it with some nice, smoky bacon. It is a perfect side for a nice steak or chop!

Red oakleaf lettuce from Boistfort Valley Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Last but not least today, we remind you of last week’s return of Boistfort Valley Farm after an unusually long winter hiatus this year. But they came in as strong as ever, making it worth the wait. Boistfort Valley is known both for its stunning produce and its stunning displays, and as one small example, just look at this red oakleaf lettuce. Spectacular, eh? And yummy! Stop by and welcome them back, and pick up some amazing deliciousness from Southwest Washington.

Finally, another reminder to please bring your own bags today, and 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, July 1st: BYOB = Bring Your Own Bag! Celebrate Independence In Seattle From Plastic Handle Bags!!!

Canvas holiday Ballard Farmers Market shopping bags at Venue and the Market info desk. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Happy Canada Day, eh? And to celebrate the myth of Canadian independence from Great Britain, Seattle is instituting its new ban on single-use plastic bags today. That means those pesky plastic handle bags, often called “t-shirt bags” (though most folks think they look more like a tank top, frankly), are no longer legal in Seattle. So please bring your own bag with you today to your Ballard Farmers Market. Yes, you may continue to see some of those plastic bags around for a little while longer as folks use up their inventories, but don’t count on them. And hey, while you are at it, please practice at the Market what you do at home – separate your waste. That’s right. Your Ballard Farmers Market now has three kinds of waste receptacles: blue for recyclable, green for compostable, and brown for “heading to a landfill in Oregon.” Please pay attention to what you are throwing into which container, because when you are lazy and put stuff in the wrong container, it can cause the whole lot to be landfilled instead of recycled or composted, and that costs extra money and is bad for the environment. Your thoughtful cooperation is greatly appreciated. And if you don’t know what goes where, please ask for assistance.

An explosion of carrots from Gaia’s Natural Goods. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

In honor of Independence Day, coming up this Wednesday, we give you this explosion of baby carrots from Gaia’s Natural Goods. It really does kinda look like a big firework bursting high above Lake Union, doesn’t it? You know, with the 4th just a few days away, today is a great day to stock up on local deliciousness for you holiday, whether you plan to stay home, grill and watch fireworks, go sailing or go camping. Farmers market produce is so fresh, it’ll hold up at least a week longer than stuff from the Big Box stores.

Early bing cherries from Martin Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Martin Family Orchards has the first of their fresh early bing cherries today from their orchards in Orondo, north of Wenatchee. One of the most northern of our cherry farms, they tend to come in latest in the season, but when they do, they come in strong! And they may even have a last few of their lovely d’anjou pears from last fall, too!

Jerry Stokesberry of Stokesberry Sustainable Farm holding one of their fresh chickens. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Meet Jerry Stokesberry of Stokesberry Sustainable Farm in Olympia. Jerry raises soem of the most delicious chickens and ducks you will find anywhere, and they’ve actually got them fresh in their little black fridge for you right at the Market. I’m thinking one of these birds would be great on the barbecue with a can of beer up its bum on the 4th, don’t you?

Alice holding huge heads of Jericho romaine lettuce from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey kids, it’s two faces in a row! How often does that happen on this blog? Today, the lovely Alice is modeling some of Oxbow Farm’s ginormous heads of Jericho romaine lettuce. These suckers are bigger than Alice’s head! And the big leaves are perfect for lettuce wraps, or chop it up for an awesome caesar salad, and you can even toss it in a little olive oil and grill it. Yummers!

Red, white and blue potatoes from Nature’s Last Stand. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Nature’s Last Stand returns today to your Ballard Farmers Market for the 2012 season. Of course, since John’s got us all on pins and needles about just what he’s bringing to Market today, I get to play, “guess what the farmer will have today.” Okay, I know a lot of you are thinking, “isn’t that what you do every week?” Well, sorta, but in this case it is hard to even make an educated guess. That said, I have chosen this photo of red, white and blue potatoes from 2010. Why? Because John has always liked to have red, white and blue potatoes for July 4th. And even if he doesn’t this year, the idea is a good one, don’t you think?

Salad mix from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Is this not some lovely salad mix from Growing Things Farm? I think so! It has taken a while for things to dry out over in the Snoqualmie River Valley at Growing Things, but now Michaele and her posse of interns are starting to crank out some serious veggies for us to enjoy. Of course, they’ve still got plenty of their famous eggs and chickens, too.

Fresh porchetta roast from Sea Breeze Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hopefully, Sea Breeze Farm will have more of these fresh porchetta roasts for us today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Sure, the ones they have already roasted that they will slice off a chunk of for you are plenty delish, but one of these puppies fresh out of the oven or off of the barbecue is simply to die for. Oh, the herbaceousness. Oh, the pork bellyliciouosness. However, if they were just teasing us with these last week, the good news is, they’ll still have plenty of other tasty hunks of dead animals today, ready for the grilling this coming week!

Paglia e Fieno fettuccine from Pasteria Lucchese. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Paglia e Fieno fettuccine from Pasteria Lucchese is as much fun to eat and it is to pronounce! This best of both worlds pasta just begs for being tossed with summer’s bounty, fresh from the Market. And Sam can’t wait to give you any number of delicious, simple recipe ideas for working with it. Even if you already know what you are going to do with it, ask Sam for ideas, if only to listen to his charming Italian accent and watch him gesture his description of a “tear drop of cream.”

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

Summer Run Farm grows some of the most beautiful, perfect cauliflower you will find anywhere, and the good news is that you will find it here, at your Ballard Farmers Market, fresh out of the field and ready for munching. Roast it. Grill it. Make gorgeous salads with it. Or just dip it in freshly made cocktail sauce, like my mom loves to do!

Purslane from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

What up?! It’s purslane (not to be confused with Lois Lane) from Alm Hill Gardens. This crunchy, tangy green is the stuff of legendary salads and gorgeous garnishes. And it is pretty darned good for you, too! But it isn’t around for very long, so grab some today and enjoy! You can thank me later.

Apriums from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Apriums from Collins Family Orchards are sweet and juicy right now. Apriums are a hybrid between apricots and plums, favoring apricots in appearance and flavor. They are the earliest of the larger stone fruits with a limited season, so enjoy them while you can!

Patty pan summer squash from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yay! Summer squash is in the house! Yup, Alvarez Organic Farms has kicked summer into high gear with eight different kinds of summer squash already, and even more to come. This patty pan squash is awesome on the grill alongside your favorite hunk of meat or fish, and it is so simple to prepare, though you are perfectly welcome to take a more difficult route, if you so choose. Oh, hey, BTW, it is the first Sunday of the month, and that also means we get our monthly visits from Fishing Vessel St. Jude with local albacore tuna and Bluebird Grain Farms with emmer and emmer flours, mixes, etc.

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, June 24th: Eaglemount Wine & Cider, Fresh Alaskan Salmon, Artichokes, Cabbage, Fava Beans & The Return of Bill’s Fruits!

Wine and hard cider from Eaglemount. Photo copyright 2012 by Gregory Heller.

Happy summer, all y’all! Did you know that on the last Sunday of each month, a different member of the Northwest Cider Association from Washington takes over Finnriver Farm & Cidery’s space at your Ballard Farmers Market? This week, we are visited by Eaglemount Wine & Cider from Port Townsend. Port Townsend is fast becoming a cider making mecca here in Washington. Stop by and check out why by picking up a bottle or two of Eaglemount’s excellent ciders today!

Gorgeous lettuce from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

There are those who may not think lettuce is sexy. But look at this beautiful lettuce from Oxbow Farm — three different heirloom varieties, brilliantly colorful, crisp and delicious. Lovely lettuces like this aren’t available year-round, and this is the peak season for them. Let’s face it, the stuff in the Big Box Stores from Arizona is just plain boring. So enjoy your local lettuce now, while you can! Think beyond salads to wraps, sandwiches, grilling and more!

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

Yes, these are some of the most stunningly beautiful strawberries you have ever seen, and they are not the magic of Photoshop. These strawberries from Gaia’s Natural Goods really do look like this, and they taste ever better! See, many early strawberries have an astringent quality to them, but not these. And they are so clean and perfect looking because Gaia’s uses row covers. That keeps the rainwater from splashing all the dirt up onto them, and it also keeps the plants warm, so they bare fruit sooner. If you haven’t introduced yourself to Gaia’s yet, you must do so today!

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

Mmm. Fresh artichokes from Nash’s Organic Produce. There are countless ways to enjoy these over-sized thistle buds. Just ask any Italian you know. Or, you can just take the lazy route and simmer them with some herbs and then just tear off the leaves, dip the fleshy end in some nice mayo, and enjoy!

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

Do I really need to spend much verbage on why you should love carrots? I mean, they’re carrots! We all wait on pins and needles for carrots to come into your Ballard Farmers Market this time of year, and when they do, we forget what polite Ballardites we are, knocking each other out of the way for that last bunch. I mean, you’d think we were talking about eggs here, or the first asparagus of spring. Well, these lovely carrots are from Summer Run Farm. Try not to injure anyone as you dive into their tent headfirst, like Pete Rose, for a bunch of them today.

Baby cabbages from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Another humble crop that makes summer just that much more summery is cabbage. With all those backyard barbecues and picnics on the beach coming up, we will need some serious slaw action, right? Or maybe even some homemade kraut for our dogs. Heck, however you love your summer cabbage, head on over to Stoney Plains Organic Farm to get some of the first cabbages of summer today!

Jonah Knutsen of Loki Fish filleting salmon for market. Photo courtesy Loki Fish.

Fresh Alaskan salmon is another right of summer here in Ballard. In a few weeks, we’ll shut down the whole of Downtown Ballard for an entire weekend to celebrate our longstanding relationship with the Alaskan salmon fishing fleet based right here in Ballard’s Salmon Bay. One of those boat’s is our own dear Loki Fish, and today will be the first of many Sundays to come that Loki will have fresh salmon flown down from Alaskan for us to enjoy. Happy summer indeed!

Fresh fava beans from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of fava beans, oh, for some liver and a nice chianti right about now, eh? For it’s fava bean season at Alvarez Organic Farms. They also have snow peas, English shelling peas and more today. Heck, before long, they’ll have sweet corn for us, too. I can’t wait! But I will enjoy the joy of favas and peas now, while I can. Won’t you join me?

Bing cherries from Bill’s Fruits. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Today, we also welcome back Bill’s Fruits for another season of delicious stone fruits from the Yakima Valley. They’ll have bing and Rainier cherries to start, and it won’t be long before we see apricots and nectarines, too! Woohoo!

Hey, there is plenty of 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, June 17th: Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

The first raspberries of 2012 from Sidhu Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I must admit to a bit of excitement today, as I get to spend Father’s Day with my dad for the first time in many years. Living on opposite coasts for a long time, I appreciate being able to hang with him for dinner this Father’s Day. So, what are you making for your dad for dinner tonight? Whatever it is, we’ve got it fresh and local for you at your Ballard Farmers Market today! In fact, as a special treat just for dads everywhere, we’ve got the first raspberries of the 2012 season from Sidhu Farms today. Woohoo! But get here early, before they sell out, because they will sell out!

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

Yes, I know this is the third week in a row I’ve featured broccoli, but it’s just that it is soooo good this time of year! This gorgeous broccoli is from Summer Run Farm, one of the finest growers and purveyors of broccoli this side of the Rockies, for my money. I enjoyed some for dinner last night, lightly steamed and then sautéed with some Sea Breeze bacon, some Colinwood green garlic, and a little Pipitone crushed red pepper flakes for good measure. Yeah, baby! And hey, broccoli grills nicely, too — perfect for Dad’s Day dinner.

Sausage from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of grilling for dad, how’s about some delicious sausages from Skagit River Ranch? I mean, what dad wouldn’t be happy being treated to fresh, hot sausages right off the grill? Simple, delicious, and because it’s Father’s Day, doctors be damned! Being an ex-pat New Yorker myself, I am particularly fond of their sweet Italian sausages. They are as close to what I grew up with back East as any I’ve found here. But truth be told, I have yet to have any sausage from Skagit River Ranch I haven’t enjoyed.

Red Russian kale from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know, you can take kale, like this red Russian kale from Growing Things Farm, toss it with olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill it, too. It gives it a nice smoky flavor, and it makes cooking and cleanup easy. It’s been pretty gosh-darned wet over at Growing Things this spring, so their first crop harvest has been a while in coming, but here it is – dino kale, collard greens, curly kale and more!

Apriums from Tiny’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Say what?!? Apriums? Already? Cereal. I mean, how crazy a spring is this that the Westside greens are slow in coming, but the Eastside cherries and apriums are early? Go figure. But why spend a lot of time pondering this. Instead, let’s just enjoy an early start to what by all accounts is going to be a record year for stone fruit in Washington. Oh, and apriums are one more thing you can grill for dad! Just cut ‘em in half and on the grill they go! These apriums from Tiny’s Organic Produce are genetically about 70% apricot and 30% plum, thus favoring apricots in flavor and appearance. Enjoy!

Green garlic from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I love the fact that our farmers have figured out how to have each of their green garlic harvests come in at different times this spring. The result is that we get to enjoy this true spring treat for many more weeks. I forego cured garlic cloves this time of year for  green garlic, like this from Children’s Garden. I use the whole thing, including the greens. It is milder than mature garlic, and sweeter, with a bit of grassiness, and it cooks up tender and full of wonderful garlic flavor. Just cut it up like you would a scallion and toss it in with your greens, asparagus, broccoli, what have you!

Strawberries from Jessie’s Berries. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Jessie’s Berries in the house! Yes, today marks the triumphant return for the 2012 berry season of Jessie’s Berries from Fir Island. They will have a healthy supply of their famous strawberries for your enjoyment. Time to load up on shortcake and cream and eat strawberries until you pop, yo!

Deer tongue lettuce from Full Circle Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey, that lettuce is sticking its tongue out at you! And that’s because it is deer tongue lettuce from Full Circle Farm. We missed Full Circle for several weeks as they shifted from their winter to their spring crop rotations, but they are back with a vengeance now, with heirloom lettuces, Japanese wax turnips, mizuna, radishes and more!

Rainier cherries from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s cherry season at Collins Family Orchards in Selah. They’ve got lots of these beautiful Rainier cherries, as well as some nice Chelan cherries, available right now, as well as the last of their 2011 harvest of pink lady apples. Won’t be long until they’ve got every kind of stone fruit imaginable, and a few you’ve never even dreamt of!

English shelling peas from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Alvarez Organic Farms is rocking the peas right now. They’ve got sugar snap peas, snow peas and these first-of-the-season English shelling peas. Grab a bag for dad to shell and eat on the deck this afternoon while he watches you mow the lawn and cook him dinner!

Frisee from Stoney Plains Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let’s end this week’s epistle on a slightly bitter note with some lovely frisee from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Want a nice, simple, elegant salad? Put some frisee in a bowl and toss it with some fresh crumbled bleu cheese. Chunk up some thick bacon and render it out in a hot skillet. Pour the bacon and some of its fat while still hot over the frisee and bleu cheese and toss to coat. The frisee will wilt and the cheese will break down into a nice, pungent dressing with the bacon grease. You can thank me later!

Hey, there is plenty of 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.