Sunday, May 12th: Happy Mother’s Day!

KaYing, The Old Farmer, arranging one of her beautiful bouquets of flowers. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Mother’s Day is not a Hallmark holiday. It has far cooler, and more important, roots than that. In fact, Julia Ward Howe proclaimed the first Mother’s Day in 1870 as an anti-war holiday in response to the U.S. Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. She was tired of mothers having to bury their sons. Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated worldwide at many different times of year in different countries to honor the important role of mothers in our lives and societies. Heck, looking at the list of international dates, one could reasonably say that every day is Mother’s Day somewhere! Now, we know that round about all of you within the sound of my keystrokes plan to pick up flowers today from one of our seven flower farmers at your Ballard Farmers Market, like KaYing, a.k.a., The Old Farmer. I suspect she will be channeling the spirit of Julia Ward Howe today, given what she’s seen in her time on earth.

My advice to you is to arrive early today for the best selection of flowers, and to pack some patience with you, as there will be lines. But given our beautiful weather lately, the flower selection this year for Mother’s Day is wonderful. So get mom some flowers that mean something. Get local flowers with a face behind them. She will appreciate what that means. After all, she gets that whole nurturing thing. Oh, and peace be with you!

Sparkling ciders from Finnriver Farm & Cidery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, we celebrate the return of Finnriver Farm & Cidery to your Ballard Farmers Market! They produce a wonderful selection of artisan hard ciders and fruit dessert wines on their farm over in Chimacum in Jefferson County. They’ve been busy bottling ciders of 2012 vintage in recent weeks, and now it is time for you to treat mom with some… and yourself!

Red Leaf Lettuce from Summer Run Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Today also marks the glorious return of Carnation’s Summer Run Farm for the 2013 season. Summer Run is famous for their beautiful and ginormous heads of lettuce, like this red leaf lettuce. Tired of living without great, local lettuce, or of eating that so-called “lettuce” from the Big Box stores all winter that seem devoid of flavor? Your long, dark winter is over! And doesn’t mom deserve a nice salad made by you tonight for dinner?

Fresh, wild, Washington king salmon from Wilson Fish. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of great dinners for mom, how’s about some wild Washington king salmon, caught just off of the Washington Coast by Wilson Fish? They like to say, “It’s so fresh, it’s from the future!” And frankly, that’s not far from the truth. If you’ve never had this king salmon, and you are thinking of holding out for Copper River salmon at almost twice the price, you need to forget the TV hype and give this a try. Once you’ve tried it, you won’t go back to that over-priced stuff from Alaska with all the frequent flyer miles!

Asparagus from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know what goes great with king salmon? Asparagus, of course. And Alm Hill Gardens grows some of the sweetest, most tender and delicious asparagus anywhere right up on the Canadian border in Whatcom County. Grill your mom some of that salmon, and side it with some of this asparagus, and you will be golden for the rest of the year!

It’s green garlic season at Alvarez Organic Farms! Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And you know what goes great with asparagus? Green garlic! Every spring about this time, farmers like Alvarez Organic Farms thin their garlic fields. They bring the thinned out baby garlic, know as green or spring garlic, to Market for us to enjoy. It is sweet, mildly garlicky, and you can eat the whole thing, from root to tip! Think of it like a green onion. You can grill them or sauté them, but I tend to like them best tossed in a big glass baking dish with olive oil, salt & pepper, some spring sweet onions, asparagus and wild morel mushrooms…

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

Or wild porcini mushrooms, if you like. Foraged & Found Edibles has them both today! In fact, the forests and coastline are providing us will all manner of deliciousness for mom’s day today, including wild watercress, goose tongue (that’s a plant, BTW), sea beans and more! So, stop by Foraged & Found, and grab some indigenous local goodness!

Strawberry plants from Red Barn Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Today seems like as good a day as any to get that strawberry patch started for mom. And Red Barn Farm has these beautiful strawberry plants for it! They also have raspberry plants, cabbage starts and plenty of other great things for your garden.

Tomato plants from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And if tomatoes, ripe from the vine in your yard or on your deck or porch, are the stuff of your dreams, check in with Stoney Plains Organic Farm. They have tomato plants in an amazing selection of varieties from which to choose, as well as racks and racks of other goodies for the planting!

Olive fougasse from Tall Grass Bakery. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t forget bread for mom’s dinner! And it is now olive fougasse season at Tall Grass Bakery. This stuff is so good, I can eat a whole loaf in a single sitting. Just don’t dillydally getting to Market today if you want any. This stuff, like many of today’s featured items, will sell out early, and you really don’t want to have to explain to mom that you don’t have any because you slept in, do you?

A variety of pies from Deborah’s Homemade Pies. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Finally, let us not forget dessert! Bring mom one of the best pies on earth from Deborah’s Homemade Pies. Made with local flour and lots of other local ingredients, there are many flavors from which to choose, as long as you get here early enough!

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.

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.

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, April 7th: Asparagus, Local Tuna, Lettuce, Fresh Salmon, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Cheddar & The Patty Pan Tamale Of The Month!

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

All those teasers in the headline, and I start with leeks, you wonder? Yup! That’s because we celebrate the return today of One Leaf Farm to your Ballard Farmers Market, and these are their leeks! They will also have some rapini, arugula and other deliciousness. So come welcome them back, and celebrate the fact that here in King County, we’re adding new farms (One Leaf in 2011), while much of the country is still losing them.

Local albacore tuna loins from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is also the first Sunday of the month, and that means local albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude! They visit us once a month, so it is a great time to stock up on their incredible albacore, sold frozen in loins, canned, dried and more! This is the best tuna you will ever taste. It is high in beneficial omega-fatty acids, and low in heavy metals, as they catch only young tuna from cold northern waters. And the frozen tuna is sashimi grade, great served just barely seared, sliced and over a salad, as sushi, or whatever meets your pleasure.

Asparagus from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

April also means the first asparagus of the year, and this year, with our mild winter and early spring, it is earlier than ever! And again this year, the first farm to have asparagus is Lyall Farms. They grow asparagus on their acreage in Sunnywide, in an area that’s just a bit warmer than the rest of the state. And we get to enjoy early asparagus because of it. Woohoo!

Fresh red king salmon from Wilson Fish. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

What goes better with asparagus than fresh, local King salmon from Wilson Fish? That’s right! Salmon season has opened early this year, too, and today, Wilson Fish will have the first fresh salmon of 2013 at your Ballard Farmers Market. But odds are, it will sell out very fast, so get here early!!!

Delicious purple sprouting broccoli from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And the hits just keep on coming! Today, we also celebrate the return of Oxbow Farm! Wow. What a day! They will this amazing purple sprouted broccoli, as well as Rapini, Collard Greens, Arugula, Red Cabbage, Braising Mix, Parsley and Rhubarb. You know, I am just about beside myself with giddiness right now!

Cheese maker Heather Howell of Twin Oaks Creamery holds up a wheel of her curry cheddar. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I took this photo of cheese maker Heather Howell during our visit to Twin Oaks Creamery last month. She is standing in her aging cave, holding a wheel of one of her raw cows milk flavored cheddars, which they just began bringing to market last week, along with their Romano and plain cheddar. They are all great, and while the cheddar is still a bit young, it is fabulous and very creamy. I imagine, as some of it ages longer, it will just get better and better. As for their cave, what I love about it is that it is built into the back of an old coffee shop and greasy spoon that was sitting vacant in historic downtown Chehalis until they took it over late last year. They do much of their cheese making there, and, of course, the aging, while at the same time they are helping to revitalize one of the most economically depressed cities in the state. And when you buy their cheese, you are helping, too!

Red leaf lettuce from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Wait. Now, I must be pulling your leg, right? I mean, lettuce? Yes, this is red leaf lettuce from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. And they’re not tiny baby lettuces, either. This is actual head lettuce with full-sized leaves, perfect for salads, topping sandwiches, or making lettuce wraps. You’ve been pining for local lettuce since last fall, haven’t you? Well, it’s back, baby!

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

We finish this week’s epistle with the Tamale of the Month from Patty Pan Grill: Chorizo & Kale Raab. They are made with pork from Olsen Farms and kale raab from Nash’s Organic Produce. Get you some to warm up and fill your belly at the Market, and then get some frozen to take home with you to enjoy later! Oh, how I love April!

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, September 16th: Nectarplums, Purple Carrots, Banana Cantaloupes, Asian Pears, Greek Yogurt, Earl Grey Tea Jelly & Other Deliciousness!

Purple carrots from Boistfort Valley Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Now, them’s some carrots, eh? Purple Haze carrots from Boistfort Valley Farm, in fact. Stunning, aren’t they? And admit it. You either just hurt your fingers or smeared your nose all over your screen trying to get at these, didn’t you? These beauties are plenty satisfying raw, but they really shine cooked. They get a big, deep, wonderful carrot flavor to them — more earthy, less sweet, and just plain delicious. Plus, they look really cool, too! Stop by Boistfort Valley Farm today to see all the stunning produce they’ve got for you this week at your Ballard Farmers Market.

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

Lettuce is still rocking your Ballard Farmers Market, and Oxbow Farm has some amazing heirloom varieties of lettuce to please every palate and fit every application. This lovely oak leaf variety of lettuce is called Bolsa Chica lettuce. It is bold and beautiful, with its deep green color and its spiky leaves, and it packs a big flavor and tons of nutrients. This ain’t no Big Box store iceberg lettuce, my friends!

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

Hey kids! It’s another one of those stone fruits from Collins Family Orchards that has two names, because it is a hybrid of two different fruits. These are nectarplums — part nectarine, part plum. All delicious. This is one of those new stone fruits that consistently blows away anyone who tries it. Of course, that means you should probably get to Collins early, before they sell out!

Winter squash from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Winter squash has arrived at your Ballard Farmers Market! Find kabocha, butternut, delicata, spaghetti and carnival winter squash now from Alvarez Organic Farms. I realize that winter squash might seem premature on your menu, but remember, if you let the stems dry fully, and store them in a cool, dry, dark place with stems intact, they will last for months.

Banana cantaloupe from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This weird looking creature is a banana cantaloupe melon from Lyall Farms. It is large, long, and quite fragrant, and it is bright orange inside, just like any cantaloupe. Stop by Lyall Farms today and give one of these a good sniff. Then bring it home, cut it open, and dribble its juice down the front of your chin and shirt as you devour it!

All Blue potatoes from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Potatoes also keep well, so stock up on them, too! These all blue potatoes from Olsen Farms are exactly what they sound like — all blue, through and through. They are great roasted in a hot oven, steamed and mashed with good butter from Golden Glen Creamery, or even chipped and fried. Yes, blue potato chips! In fact, pick up some red-fleshed and white fleshed potatoes from Olsen, and make red, white and blue potato chips!

Thompson seedless grapes from Magana Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Wanna make raisins? Then you’ll want some of these seedless Thompson grapes from Magana Farms. They are perfectly sweet. And this is an amazing year for grapes. Bring them home, separate them from their vine, give them a good wash, and then load them into your dehydrator. In no time, you’ll have your own homemade raisins! Yeah, baby!

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

These cured red onions from Nature’s Last Stand are great on sandwiches, sautéed, pickled, what have you, and they will store for months in a cool, dry, dark place. Nature’s also has the first yellow storage onions of the season now, too, plus lots and lots of great spuds and greens.

Asian pears from ACMA Mission Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How’s about some Asian pears, while we’re at it? This lovely harbinger of fall has a flavor unto itself — oh, so much more that just a pear. It contains a symphony of tasting notes, like any fine wine, and it comes with a texture that’ll make your teeth sing and bring a tear to your eye. Heck, I’m a bit verklempt just writing about it. Find them at ACMA Mission Orchards today!

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

Tomato season rolls on. With our late-starting warm, dry summer, they are hitting their peak right now! Doesn’t a salad with lots of these cherry tomatoes from Summer Run Farm sound lovely right about now? Or how about poaching them in some olive oil and then adding them to a lovely succotash or pasta dish. Seriously. They’re vine-ripened tomatoes. How can you got wrong?

Jersey cow yogurt from Samish Bay Cheese. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know Samish Bay Cheese for their unique and delicious cheeses and their meat, but did you know that they make yogurt and Greek yogurt, too, from Jersey milk? Yup! Here it is right here. (I wouldn’t kid about something like that.) Now, with the departure of Silver Springs Creamery for an indefinite period of time, this is very good information for yogurt lovers to know!

Baby squash from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Sure, we featured winter squash above, but it really is still summer, both on the calendar and the weather report! So why not continue to enjoy these gorgeous, sweet and delicious summer squash from Growing Things Farm? Make some ratatouille, pickle it, grill it, roast it, make bread with it, do that voodoo that you do with it. But enjoy it while it is fresh, sweet and local, cuz you know that the stuff from the Big Box store does not compare.

Gluten-free dinner rolls from Dolce Lou. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These savory gluten-free dinner rolls from Dolce Lou will please any palate, whether or not your diet requires you to avoid gluten. Of course, if your diet does, these rolls will make you extra happy! They are moist, chewy and full of flavor — words not often associated with gluten-free bread products. Then again, everything Dolce Lou produces is special!

Earl Grey Tea jelly from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And let us finish off this week’s epistle as you should be finishing off every piece of toast — with jams and jellies from Deluxe Foods! Their products are made from heirloom recipes handed down over many generations going back to old Europe, and they use the finest local ingredients fresh from the farmers at the Market. Check out this Earl Grey Tea jelly, for instance. Talk about a morning time-saver! Just make toast, and then add a schmear of this, and BAM, you’ve got tea and toast in a single bite! You can thank me later.

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.