Sunday, June 3rd: Strawberries, Sugar Snap Peas, Cherries, Broccoli, Morels & Big Honkin’ Heads of Lettuce!

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

It’s been a tough week for our community. The entire city of Seattle could use a hug right about now. We at your Ballard Farmers Market will endeavor to do just that, in the form of our weekly local food, arts and music community happening on Old Ballard Avenue. We welcome you to come and mix and mingle, get some nourishment for your body and your soul, and share some love with each other here in the People’s Republic of Ballard. Let’s get the love started flowing with some spectabulous strawberries from Billy’s Gardens in Tonasket. Billy’s returned to your Ballard Farmers Market for the 2012 season just last week. They’ve also got some amazing wild arugula, fresh cut herbs and other goodies.

Sugar snap peas from Magana Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s sugar snap peas season! Woohoo!!! Now, if that doesn’t put a smile on your face… These beauties are from Magana Farms from over in Sunnyside. They are crisp, sweet and delicious, and you will want to get twice as many as you think you’ll need. Why? Because you are going to eat so many of them before you even get home!

Burlat cherries from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Say what?!? Cherries? Yuppers! These are burlat cherries from Lyall Farms. Burlats are the first cherries to come into season each year, and where Lyall grows them in Prosser, they get a 10-14 day jump on the rest of the state with their harvest. That’s why  Lyall always has them first. And don’t think because they are early or an unusual variety that they aren’t good. Burlats rock!

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

Chopping broccoli… Oh, yeah, baby! Broccoli from Oxbow Farm. It’s like love in a vegetable! You know, I love Oxbow’s amazing tomato plants — few offer better — but I live for Oxbow’s veggies. And it’s not just broccoli they’ve got now. Their collard greens are also absurdly good. If you’ve never tried them, you must. They are sweet, delicious and tender, and they are loaded with nutrients. I love just sauteing them with a little green garlic, which they also have now, and some nice, smoky bacon from Sea Breeze, Olsen or Skagit River. Now, that’s living!

Wild morel mushrooms from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Wild morel mushroom season finally arrived, about a month late, but hey, it’s here now, right? And Foraged & Found Edibles has ‘em. Lots of ‘em! There are endless ways to enjoy morels, but my favorite this time of year is to cut them into rings and toss them with asparagus, green sweet onions and green garlic from Alvarez Organic Farms, some olive oil, salt and pepper in a big baking dish and roast the lot in a 425 degree oven until the asparagus is just tender. You get the sweetness of the asparagus and the onions, the mild garlicky flavor of its immature form, and the earthiness of the morels. Serve it as a side to some fresh king salmon or halibut from Wilson Fish, and some fresh artisan bread from Tall Grass Bakery, and you’ve got a simple, serious meal!

Kids tamales from Patty Pan Grill. Photo courtesy Patty Pan Grill.

Did you know that our own Patty Pan Grill recently introduced tamales made especially for kids? They’re half the size of their adult counterparts, and one variety has just cheese, while the other has a very simple, mild bean filling. They are available hot and ready to eat at the Market and in convenient packs to take home. “Just the thing for those parents on the verge, desperate to come up with an easy meal that isn’t full of processed garbage,” says Devra. Oh, and they are also offering a free small serving of their market-fresh vegetables along with any kids’ menu item.

Purple kohlrabi from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Stoney Plains Organic Farm down in Tenino always seems to be the first with many crops each year, and they are now with this purple kohlrabi. It can be steamed, sautéed, eaten raw with some onion dip, or find the nearest Eastern European to give you some stellar recipes! Oh, and they’ve also got lamb’s quarter, epazote and a late resurgence of miner’s lettuce right now, too. Try to find any of these on any other tables in the Market!

Jon from Summer Run Farm holds heads of red leaf lettuce bigger than his own head! Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

No, Jon from Summer Run Farm does not have a tiny head. It’s just that Summer Run grows ginormous heads of red leaf lettuce. Seriously. Just look at these suckers. They are easily twice the size of his head. Indeed, it is these magnificent specimens of leafy deliciousness for which Summer Run is famous. But you might need to bring a trailer with you today to get one of them home with you!

Split farro from Bluebird Grain Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Bluebird Grain Farm’s cracked farro makes for some amazing porridge. Or use it as a polenta. Heck, all their heirloom grain products are fantastic and nutrient dense. They mill their flours, cereals and mixes fresh before each Market, so they are at their peak of flavor and goodness when you get them, unlike so many bags of denuded flours in the Big Box Store that have been sitting in warehouses for months and have turned rancid. Bluebird makes its monthly visit to your Ballard Farmers Market today, so stock up!

Cans of albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Also making its monthly visit to the Market today is Fishing Vessel St. Jude with its incomparable albacore tuna products. They catch their tuna off the coast of Washington as the adolescent albacore swim south from their spawning grounds in the cold waters of the North Pacific to enjoy a leisurely adulthood in warm tropical waters. Because of their youth, this tuna is very low in heavy metals. Because they’ve been living in cold water, this tuna is very high in beneficial omega-fatty acids. Oh, and it is the best tuna you’ll ever taste, too! They’ve got it canned, frozen fresh, smoked, jerkied, loxed and a few other ways, just to mix it up.

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, May 6th: Oxbow Farm, St. Jude Tuna & Bluebird Grain Farms Return, Last Call for Sweet Potatoes & People-Powered Juice!

Rainbow chard modeled by lovely Adam McCurdy of Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey kids! It is our fifth gorgeous weekend in a row, and the only thing I can think of that could make it any better would be the return of Oxbow Farm to your Ballard Farmers Market! Yessir. Luke, Adam and the gang are coming out of hibernation today, and bringing with them lotsa plants and veggies to add more local deliciousness to your spring. So be sure to stop by and say ‘hi’ real loud to them, in case they still have headaches from Cinco de Mayo festivities and howling at the Super Moon yesterday!

Cans of albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is the first Sunday in May, and that means local albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. As they only visit us the first week of each month, be sure to stock up on the finest tuna you’ll find anywhere — canned, frozen, smoked, jerkied, loxed, and more. And because they catch their albacore in its adolescence, as it swims from its spawning grounds in the cold waters of the North Pacific to warmer tropical waters, this fish is high in beneficial omega-fatty acids and low in heavy metals. Whatever you do, though, if you get it in cans, don’t pour that liquid down the drain! That is the natural juices of the tuna, and it is packed with flavor. (They don’t add water.)

Brooke Lucy from Bluebird Grain Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Bluebird Grain Farms returns to your Ballard Farmers Market today for the first time since before Christmas! They, too, are going on a once-monthly rotation for their market visits this year. So again, take this opportunity to stock up on whole grain emmer and rye, cracked cereals, flours and mixes today!

Collard greens from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t forget to take advantage of the few weeks of One Leaf Farm’s attendance at your Ballard Farmers Market we get to enjoy this spring while we await the arrival of other returning farms, after which you will have to go all the way to our Madrona Farmers Market on Fridays to find them. Last week, they got cleaned out early of magnificent radishes, leeks, baby lettuces, and much more, so do visit them early!

D’Anjou pears from Martin Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

D’Anjou pears from Martin Family Orchards are juicy and sweet, but they aren’t going to be around much longer… maybe another week or two. They just pulled the last ones out of their winter storage, and once they’re gone, they’re gone until late fall. Sure, cherry season is on it’s way, but not until June. Get your pear on now, while you still can!

Sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Another short-timer crop is sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms. Indeed, this is likely the last week for them. Grab one last taste of fall sweetness. Roast ‘em up and have yourself a seasonally-confused meal with asparagus and maybe some halibut from Wilson Fish. Hmm. That sounds pretty good, don’t it?

Customers providing the power at Juice Peddler. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

At the Juice Peddler, if you want one of their smoothies made with great local ingredients, you will have to work for it. That’s because Bellingham’s Juice Peddler powers their blenders using bicycles. Hey, your doctor has been pestering you to eat right and exercise more, right? Well, at the Juice Peddler, you can kill two birds with one stone!

Red romaine lettuce from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let us finish today with lettuce – red romaine lettuce, in fact. Colinwood Farms grows this early spring beauty in its greenhouses over in Port Townsend, and it is just waiting for you to salad it, sandwich it, wrap it or grill it. Yes, it is lettuce season again. And amen for that!

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, January 22nd: No Snow, We Promise! Instead, Find Collard Greens, Purple Top Turnips, Gala Apples, Beautiful Beef, Kimchi Brine, Buckwheat Flour, Crabapple Jelly & So Much More!

Just another gorgeous day at your Ballard Farmers Market. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Thought we could all use this warm, sunny image from last May. Ah, doesn’t that sunshine feel good? And just look at that blue sky! Well, the good news is that the muck, slop and slush are just about gone, and things are getting back to normal. The kiddies will be back in school tomorrow, finally, and you’ll be back at work. And you will need nourishment to get you through it. So many of you were scared off from attending your Ballard Farmers Market last week for fear of snow that I imagine many of you practically starved to death this past week. And that is a shame, since we didn’t have any snow at your Ballard Farmers Market last Sunday – none! We could see it falling on Queen Anne — where it belongs, frankly! — but here in the People’s Republic of Ballard, it was like a magic force field had been erected, and we remained snow-free, with a full compliment of vendors! And we’ll have close to a full house today, too.

Collard greens from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

So come on down support your local farmer, and get some delicious local food in your belly after that long last week. Like these spectacular collard greens from Colinwood Farms. They will absolutely recharge you. And Colinwood will have salad mix, braising mix, some righteous kale, parnips and more today, too!

Gala apples from Tiny's Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Tiny’s Organic Produce will be in attendance today with lots of these gala apples, and a bunch of other organic apples, too. And given how many sniffles I heard while I was out and about on Saturday, you are gonna need some of these beauties in order to ensure that you keep the doctor away, right?

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

You know, being holed up in my house for a week, foraging out now and then for a brief walk in the frozen tundra of North Ballard, only to find almost every business, bank and library closed, I kinda started to develop a bit of a hankering for milder days, when I would fire up the barby on my deck to grill up a nice grass-finished beef steak from Skagit River Ranch. But this is Ballard, and a milder day simply means my Smokey Joe ain’t encased in ice. So grill I will tonight!

Purple top turnips from Full Circle Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I’m thinking a nice root roast, and some of those aforementioned collard greens, will side my steak nicely, eh? Full Circle Farm has these lovely purple top turnips now, ripe for the roasting, as well as some gorgeous celeriac, and plenty more.

Kimchi brine from Firefly Kitchens. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know what else those turnips would go well with? Some of this kimchi brine from Firefly Kitchens. You’ve had their outrageously good kimchi, right? Well, this is the juice left in the crock after the kimchi is fermented, then removed to be bottled. This stuff is incredible, and it’ll put some kick into all sorts of dishes. And like their various fermented foods, this stuff is alive with pro-biotics, and if I am anything, I am pro-biotic! Stop by and visit them for a sample taste. You will be going home with a bottle.

Gluten-free buckwheat flour from Nash's Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Back in 1999, during my first year as Executive Director of the Washington State Farmers Market Association, we had our board retreat in the tiny little city of Waterville, perched high up above the Columbia River gorge on Highway 2, surrounded by wheat fields. We met there then because grain, one of Washington’s largest crops, was essentially unheard of at farmers markets, and we wanted to be reminded of that while we met. 13 years later, much like wine, meat and cheese, we cannot imagine our Ballard Farmers Market without local grain products direct from area farms, and lots of baked goods made with local flour. But what we still have not had, until now, has been gluten-free flour. That changes today! Welcome buckwheat flour from Nash’s Organic Produce. Yup. You heard right! Enjoy!

Lavender honey from Golden Harvest Bee Ranch. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Golden Harvest Bee Ranch was one of the few vendors unable to make it last Sunday due to weather. Seems Whidbey got the gift of snow on Saturday last week. Ah, the glories of the Convergence Zone. (I mean, do you ever find yourself talking to someone from outside the Puget Sound area, and you mention the Convergence Zone, and they have no idea what you are talking about? You can find it on weather maps, but not Google maps!) Well, they are back today, with their wide assortment of local honey flavors, like this lavender honey.

Kale, zucchini & collard chips from House of the Sun. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I love these kale, zucchini & collard chips from House of the Sun. These guys make all sorts of great raw, vegan foods using local ingredients. But these chips baffle people. How do they make ‘em with cooking ‘em, folks wonder. Simple. They season them, and then they dehydrate them. Genius! Sure, we could do this at home, but it is so much simpler, and most likely tastier, to get some from House of the Sun at Ballard Farmers Market. And guess what? They no longer package them in plastic containers! That’s right. They’ve gone to fully compostable paper bags lined with natural cellophane!

Samish Bay Cheese makes a variety of delicious farmstead cheeses. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

“Blessed are the cheese makers.” Thank you, Monty Python, for that. And thank you, Samish Bay Cheese, for being one of those blessed cheese makers. Samish Bay makes quite a variety of cheeses these days, from mild to sharp, and seasoned with from chives to chocolate. This photos shows just six of them! Are you getting enough cheese?

Crabapple jelly from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Rebecca tells me she found the crabapples for her Deluxe Foods crabapple jelly right here in the neighborhood, if I’m remembering the tale correctly. See, not a lot of crabapples are grown commercially around here, which is a shame. Cuz crabapples are seriously old school. You know, Deluxe Foods specializes in heirloom jam recipes like this, made with amazing local ingredients. Stop by for a taste today, and give your toast a little more class tomorrow morning!

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, November 20th: Eat Local For Thanksgiving with Chef Dustin Ronspies of Art of the Table!

Chef Dustin Ronspies of Art of the Table performing a cooking demonstration at Wallingford Farmers Market this past June. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This is where the rubber meets the road, folks. If there is any time to eat local, it’s Thanksgiving. After all, what’s the point of giving thanks for the bounty on our tables if we do not know who to actually give thanks to? Well, when you Eat Local For Thanksgiving, you’ll know the names of each of the farms that produced the ingredients that went into your Thanksgiving feast, and that means you can thank each and every one of them by name as you give thanks over your meal. How cool is that? And to help us with great ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes is Chef Dustin Ronspies of Art of the Table, who will be performing a cooking demonstration today at noon at your Ballard Farmers Market. Dustin has built his entire business around using what’s fresh and local at your Ballard Farmers Market every week as the basis for his weekly menus, so if anyone can talk Eat Local For Thanksgiving, it’s him!

Winter squash from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, it’s time to go down the Thanksgiving grocery check list. And you might as well bring that entire list to your Ballard Farmers Market today. I mean, if for some reason you can’t find it here, you’ll still have four days to get it at the coop or Ballard Market, right? Let’s start with an absolute staple: winter squash. Just look at these beauties from Growing Things Farm. You know, like with so many crops, 2011 was not a good year for winter squash harvests, but the ones our farmers did harvest are awesome, and the Market is flush with them today, so celebrate ‘em while you can!

Fresh sausages from Sea Breeze Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

If you are looking at this photo thinking, “What the heck do sausages have to do with Thanksgiving dinner?”, then you need to broaden your horizons a bit! These beautiful, farmstead sausages from Sea Breeze Farm are perfect to mix in with your stuffing, or to toss in with your mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. Their savory, spicy, fattiness adds complex flavors to all sorts of dishes. So don’t think of them as a main course. Think of them as a seasoning!

Brooke Lucy from Bluebird Grain Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for flour to bake with, or to thicken that gravy? Or maybe you’d like to add a nice pilaf as a side dish. I imagine you have all manner of uses for the whole grains, cracked grains, flours and mixes offered by Bluebird Grain Farms. Well, Brooke Lucy returns today with your direct connection to your local grain grower. Everything else on your holiday table will be local. Shouldn’t your grain products be local, too? Not to mention fresh and delicious!

Granny Smith apples from ACMA Mission Orchards. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Granny Smith apples from ACMA Mission Orchards make for great pies and sauces, and they’ve got a gorgeous fresh crop of them, and many other varieties of apples and pears, right now. And hey, don’t just think desserts and sauces. Think stuffing, or roasting with squash and more. Few meals are more wonderful than Thanksgiving dinner for  celebrating the bounty of this year’s local harvest of magnificent deliciousness. So pull out all the stops!

Sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Beauregard sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms are another must for your Thanksgiving table. You can roast them whole, or cut them up. You can bake them in a casserole. You can mix them in with your mashed potatoes. You can even try them with a recipe I learned from some of the Mexican farmhands at Full Circle Farm years ago — cube them, steam them until just tender, and then mash them with some canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and a little maple syrup. Yeah, baby!

Fresh, local jersey cow milk from Silver Springs Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, just how many dishes will require fresh milk this week? You’ll need them for your mashed potatoes, of course. And for that chocolate cream pie. So let’s be thankful for Silver Springs Creamery for producing for us some of the most incredible, local jersey milk and goat milk you will find anywhere. Support your local dairy while enriching your meal.

Brussels sprouts from Boistfort Valley Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ah, the mighty Brussels sprout from Boistfort Valley Farm. It is peak season for them now. If you love them, you don’t need me to sell you on them. But if you are one of those phobic types, then you clearly have never had them prepared properly. They are amazing oven roasted, but I love them sautéed with pancetta, shallots and a little white wine at the end to deglaze the pan and give them a little steam. You pork-phobic types can leave out the pancetta, I s’pose, if you must. Otherwise, sweat the chopped shallots while you render the fat out of the pancetta, and when they’re both going good, add your halved and quartered sprouts. When they start to get bright green and a bit tender, hit the pan with some white wine for a few minutes, until nicely tender. Just don’t overcook them. That’s why most folks don’t like them. They’ve always had them overcooked.

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

As for those aforementioned mashed potatoes, Olsen Farms has an amazing selection of the finest potatoes you will ever want. For mashing, I am a particular fan of these Viking purple potatoes, with their creamy, white flash that is pretty much put on this earth as a vehicle for butter. But you might be a German butterball fan. Who am I to judge?

Sugar pie pumpkins from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Pumpkin pie is a staple of many a Thanksgiving feast, but too many people use that nasty canned stuff. But why, when Stoney Plains has these gorgeous sugar pie pumpkins just waiting for you? These babies are bred specifically for your pie-making pleasure. Please, do not deny them their destiny!

Artisan breads from Grateful Bread Baking. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You might be thinking, “With all the food we’ll have on our table this Thursday, do we really need bread, too?” Uh… yes!!! I mean, you are gonna take it home tonight, cube it up or tear it apart, toss it with olive oil and herbs and spices and roast it in the oven at low heat to dry it out, and then, on Thursday, you are going to make the most amazing stuffing with it. Woohoo! So stop by Grateful Bread Baking for just the right loaf, or three.

Schmaltz, a.k.a., chicken fat, from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And the secret ingredient is schmaltz, or chicken fat. Use it in just about everything. From your mashed potatoes to your baked goods to a rub-down for your turkey, and on and on. Stokesberry Sustainable Farm produces this from their chickens. And they’ve also got plenty of turkey sausage right now. Work some of that into your stuffing, too, eh?

Quince jelly from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You’ll be needing some incredible, heirloom jams and jellies to accompanying many of your dishes, and for that, Deluxe Foods has you covered. Hopefully, they’ve have some of this quintessentially Thanksgiving-esque quince jelly today, though you might have to get here early to get any. But hey, if not, they’ve go many more great flavors.

Parsnips from Nash's Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Parsnips from Nash’s Organic Produce are great added to a root roast, stew or soup, but for Thanksgiving, I recommend blending some in with your mashed potatoes. Oh, sweet, creamy deliciousness!

Rutabagas from Colinwood Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let us finish today’s Eat Local For Thanksgiving epistle with the mighty rutabaga from Colinwood Farm. These, too, can be mashed in with your potatoes, but me, I like ‘em steamed and mashed with lotsa butter all on their own. For my money, it just ain’t Thanks For The Land Day without a healthy helping of bagas.

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.