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, March 31st: Happy Easter! Get Your Ham, Wine, Flowers, Greens & Even Hot Crossed Buns!

Freshly smoked hams from Sea Breeze Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Happy Easter! What? You didn’t get your ham yet? Never fear! George tells me he’ll have plenty of these lovely, delicious, freshly smoked hams from Sea Breeze Farm today at your Ballard Farmers Market. No thawing required. And even if you’re not hosting the Easter feast, you should get you some of this ham. Just look at the way it mesmerizes the public in this photo. And it tastes even better than it looks!

Brent Charnley, winemaker at Lopez Island Vineyards, hold the new release of his Wave Crest White table wine. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And let’s just say you’re going to someone else’s feast this afternoon or evening. Don’t show up empty handed! Be an instant hero with a bottle of wine from Lopez Island Vineyards & Winery, made by this guy — Brent Charnley. He holds in his hands his latest release, Wave Crest White Puget Sound Table Wine, and he has a nice selection of award-winning whites and reds running the flavor spectrum. Enjoy!

Tulips from Ia’s Garden. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t you dare show up at Grandma’s house today without some fresh flowers. Your Ballard Farmers Market is awash in spring flowers right now, like these gorgeous tulips from Ia’s Garden. And with all six of our regular flower farmers in now, plus the spring arrival of Choice Bulb Farm, there is no excuse not to celebrate the holiday, or just the fact that it’s spring, sunny and in the 60s, with some beautiful blooms.

Cabbage greens from Stoney Plains Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How about some spring greens for your Sunday dinner? These cabbage greens from Stoney Plains Organic Farm are a spring treat. See, as the over-wintered cabbage plants start to bolt, they throw out these sweet and tender little leaves. I enjoyed some last night, simply sautéed in olive oil — not even any garlic. Just a little salt to taste. They are just plain lovely.

Spicy salad mix from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of easy, if you are expected to make the salad for tonight’s feast, or any night really, I recommend you grab some of this spicy salad mix from Colinwood Farms. It is a wonderful mixture of mustard greens, mizuna, arugula, kale and a whole bunch of other stuff. It’ll make your body and mouth happy, and everyone will compliment you on the awesome salad you worked so hard to assemble!

Easter fun from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s time for the Easter Spud Bunnies at Olsen Farms to bring you a rainbow of potatoes for your holiday table. It’s an annual tradition at Olsen to make these fun displays at Easter. This one’s from last year. Olsen also has freshly smoked hams ready to go today, too.

Hot Cross Buns for Easter from Grateful Bread Bakery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hot Cross Buns anyone? These are from Grateful Bread Bakery, and Tall Grass Bakery should have some today, too. They are a traditional European Easter treat — a brioche dough filled with dried berries and such, and capped with the sugary sign of the Cross in honor of the Big Guy. Look for other traditional Easter baked goods at both bakeries, too!

Goat eating pant leg at Twin Oaks Creamery. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Or perhaps you would prefer some pants for dinner. Apparently, this goat at Twin Oaks Creamery thought mine would make a nice snack. You can enjoy the product of this goat’s hard work (when she’s not eating my trouser leg) producing delicious milk in the form of bottled goats milk, goat cheese and goat yogurt, all available right here at your Ballard Farmers Market from Twin Oaks.

Molasses ginger caramels from Jonboy Caramels. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How about some sweets for the sweet on this spectabulous spring day? Jonboy Caramels are as good as they get, are made right here in Ballard, and are made using many local ingredients! Above are their molasses ginger caramels. Sorry. I know that just made you drool on yourself. It happens. But get down here on the double before you look like a Newfoundland on a hot summer’s day!

Dark Chocolate Torte by House Of The Sun. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And for dessert, how’s about a raw, vegan dark chocolate torte from House of the Sun? Raw? Vegan? How do they do that? How can it be good? Stop asking so many questions and try one… or three. They are really good! Have I ever lied to you? (Okay, this time last year, my entire post was lies for April Fool’s Day, but today, I speak the truth!) Oh, and grabs you some kale chips while you are there. Bam! You can thank me later.

Tacos from Los Chilangos. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Finally, today we welcome our newest vendor, Los Chilangos. This mobile taqueria is the first new prepared food vendor at your Ballard Farmers Market in years. They will offer breakfast and lunch tacos, burritos, tortas and huaraches, made fresh with many ingredients from local farmers. Come check them out today!

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, December 23rd: Happy & Merry, All! Everything You Need For A Special, Local Holiday Is Right Here!

Hams for the holidays from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This is it, good folk of the People’s Republic of Ballard! This is the last call before Christmas for local beauty and deliciousness from your Ballard Farmers Market. You have but five hours left today to load up on everything you need from wine to smoked salmon to festive breads to broccoli to jam, cheese, butter and milk! Everything from candles for your table to wreathes for your door, from a shaving kit for dad to a gold pendant for mom, from handcrafted clothing to handcrafted woodwork to handcrafted cups and bowls, and so much more! Make this the most special of most special times of year. Bring home everything you need for the holidays direct from the local folks that produced it, and celebrate with the highest quality, most beautiful, tastiest wonderfulness to be found anywhere, all while investing in local businesses, local production and local jobs. Talk about gifts that keep on giving!

You’ll need a centerpiece for your holiday dinner table, don’t forget. No, I’m not talking about flowers. I’m talking about roast beast. Like these gorgeous hams from Olsen Farms. They’ve also got some primo tenderloin roasts, prime rib roasts and pork loin roasts, as well as every kind of potato you’d ever need to pair with it. Just remember, you can’t expect the Grinch to carve the beast for Cindy Lou Who if you’ve forgotten to bring the beast home in the first place!

Shiitake mushrooms from Sno-Valley Mushrooms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Have you met the newest farm at your Ballard Farmers Market yet? Sno-Valley Mushrooms is based in Duvall, and they grow lion’s mane, blue oyster and these shiitake mushrooms. I enjoyed some this past week, and they are delish. We’ve been waiting for cultivated mushrooms for years, and they are finally here. So add some mushrooms to that holiday feast, baby!

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

Parsnips are a holiday must, and this stack of them from Nash’s Organic Produce is also just plain awesome. How’s about a parsnip, potato and celery root mash? Maybe some parsnip and celery root soup? Ooh, I know. Gather up a whole bunch of roots, from parsnips to sunchokes to rutabagas to carrots to turnips and more, toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast them in a nice, hot oven until tender and caramelized.

Red mustard greens from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yes, there still remain some lovely greens at your Ballard Farmers Market. These gorgeous red mustard greens are from Children’s Garden. They make for a nice, spicy salad, and they’re great just lightly sautéed with a little garlic, just until their wilted. Yummers! And Children’s should have a few more holiday wreathes today, too.

Martini Stix and pickled peppers from Purdy Pickle. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Purdy Pickle has added a few new items to its picklicious lineup, just in time for the holidaze! They’ve got Martini Stix (pickled carrot sticks with capers), pickled peppers and mixed pickles. Plus, they have a huge variety of other pickled things to add to your table, or your favorite cocktail, all made from fresh, local ingredients from many of the farms you know and love at your Ballard Farmers Market.

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

Mmm. Nothing like sweet potatoes on the holiday menu, eh? And our own Lyall Farms is the only farm in Washington bringing sweet potatoes to farmers markets here in Seattle. So stock up, and roast them, mash them, candy them… do that voodoo that you do with them. You can thank me later!

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

Some lovely wild Yellowfoot chanterelle mushrooms from Foraged & Found Edibles provide a lovely accent to a nice beef roast or some salmon. And ’tis the season for them right now. They are gorgeous, clean and delicious! Sauté them in a little butter, and you’re good to go.

Hard ciders and berry wines from Rockridge Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t forget some liquid love in the form of hard ciders and berry wines from Rockridge Orchards. You don’t want to be the one showing up empty handed to the party, do you? You do want your feast accented by the right beverage, don’t you? And never fear. Rockridge has the kiddie table covered, too, with great sweet ciders by the half gallon jug.

Prairie Spy apples from Booth Canyon Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Whether for crunching or cooking, Booth Canyon Orchards has an apple for you. They grow an amazing selection of heirloom apples, many of which are sought out far and wide by their longtime loyal customers. Like these Prairie Spy apples, or Macoun apples that’ll transport you back to an ancient orchard in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

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

Winter squash from Stoney Plains Organic Farm will certainly help round out that feast. Can’t you just smell it roasting in the oven right now, filling your kitchen with its sweet aromas. Whether your goal is soup, pies, mashed, roasted or sautéed, Stoney Plains has an edible gourd with your name on it!

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

This is the last week until sometime next summer that you will find Boistfort Valley Farm at your Ballard Farmers Market. Make sure you stop by and load up on deliciousness like these stunning rutabagas, some greens, maybe even some kohlrabi or garlic, and thank them for another great year!

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.