Sunday, April 6th: Asparagus, Fiddleheads, Tuna, Brokale, Purple Sprouting Broccoli & The Return Of One Leaf Farm!

First of the year asparagus from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

No, this is not a late April Fools joke. Asparagus is here! That’s right. Our friends at Lyall Farms are once again the first farm with asparagus this year at your Ballard Farmers Market, as they have been for the past several years. Of course, as this is the first harvest, there will be a limited supply, so get here early. Last year, it sold out by noon! But never fear. They still have lots of sweet potatoes and apples, too. Also, we have some additional breaking news: Frog’s Song Farm will be joining us today for one day only with what has been called the best salad mix in Washington. We are accommodating them as they are in a bit of a pinch because a restaurant cancelled an order on them, so avail yourself of this rare treat. And if that isn’t enough, Pam’s Place Plants, from Langley, joins us today as our newest farm vendor, bringing in a great selection of plants and garden starts just in time for spring!

Lady Fern Fiddleheads from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And the hits just keep on coming! Yes, it is now ladyfern fiddlehead season. Woohoo! This wild-harvested delicacy is a right of spring, as the ladyferns in the forest begin to push up out of the forest floor after their long winter’s slumber. Foraged & Found Edibles has them now, as well as stinging nettles and miners lettuce.

Baby arugula from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D., Lyons.

But wait! There’s more! One Leaf Farm, from Carnation, returns today for the 2014 season. Yippee ki yay! Entering their fourth year this year, One Leaf came out of gate in 2011 already quite the rock star farm, and we just count ourselves fortunate they have chosen to call our markets home. Today, they will roll in with plenty of this gorgeous baby arugula, some beautiful over-wintered leeks, a few raabs and more. Git down here and welcome them back!

Pea starts from Growing Things. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Growing Things Farm will have pea starts ready for planting in your garden tomorrow. They also have baby salad mix and arugula, and their jumbo chicken eggs will be on sale for a mere $7.50. And if you think that is expensive, you clearly have never tried their eggs… and you are ignoring the math, too. I look at it this way: if you eat two of them — and two is plenty, as they are huge — that’s $1.25 per serving of very high quality protein. They are high in beneficial omega-fatty acids, because these happy hens get to eat a natural diet, get fresh air and exercise, and hang out with roosters. They are super fresh. And they are delicious. How much are you paying at the Big Box store for factory farmed animal protein that was produced who knows where and who know how by who knows who? What can you get on a menu at a fast food restaurant for $1.25? In other words, $7.50 a dozen for these jumbo eggs is a steal!

Purple sprouting broccoli. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Another early bird alert: Alm Hill Gardens will have a bit more of this wonderful purple sprouting broccoli today, but it won’t last long. Of course, the good news is that they’ve got lots of other goodies coming on now, too, for all you late sleepers, like the return of their famous spicy salad mix, baby spinach, braising mix and more!

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

Yes, it is the first Sunday of the month, and that means the best albacore tuna on earth is here at your Ballard Farmers Market from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Whether you prefer the sashimi grade frozen loins or the best canned tuna ever, you can’t go wrong with this stuff. Caught young in cold northern waters, it is high in beneficial omega-fatty acids, which makes it delicious and good for you.

Brokale from Gaia’s Harmony Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This is brokale. Brokale is a cross between broccoli and kale. It is not kale’s “bro.” It has a milder flavor than both broccoli and kale, while being loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals, and other goodness. It is great simply sautéed, in salads, juiced, even quickly grilled. You’ll find it from Gaia’s Harmony Farm today at your Ballard Farmers Market.

Garlic chives from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Children’s Garden is awash in flowers and herbs right now, including rosemary, cilantro, mint and these garlic chives. They will make a great addition to your salads, sautés, soups and more. Oh, spring, how I love thee!

Easter hams from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t forget to get your Easter hams now from Olsen Farms. They have plenty of them, large and small, ready for you and your guests come April 20th. And that is just two weeks from today! They also have a great selection of lamb and beef roasts, too, and all the potatoes you could ever want!

Terry Meyer of Stoney Plains Organic Farm stands alongside garden starts. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let’s finish this week’s installment celebrating all things spring with a look at the amazing selection of plants and garden starts from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get Vanna White here to model with their plants, so the farm’s Terry Meyer will have to do. (A little something for the ladies!) And this gorgeous rack of plants is but one of several. It’s time to get some dirt under our fingernails again, folks!

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, March 24th: Spring Has Sprung, Bringing Fiddleheads, Easter Hams, Plants For Your Garden & More!

Easter hams from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Easter is in one week, and churches all over are handing out palm fronds today. Time to get you a ham! Olsen Farms has plenty of freshly smoked hams for your holiday feast at your Ballard Farmers Market today. But if a beef or lamb roast is more your speed, they’ve got those waiting for you, too. But do pick it up today, so you are ready to go next Sunday, eh? And it’s not too late to pick up some lamb or a nice brisket for Passover, too, though you’ll want to start it thawing as soon as you get home today. After all, Passover begins at sundown Monday.

Ladyfern Fiddleheads from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I know I’ve been talking about signs of spring for weeks now, but this past Wednesday, spring actually finally arrived. If the 12 hours of daylight didn’t give it away, certainly the snow showers and wind storms should have. Ah, March in the Pacific Northwet. Well, as if to formally pronounce the arrival spring, Foraged & Found Edibles brings the first Ladyfern fiddleheads to your Ballard Farmers Market today. Woohoo! And if that weren’t enough, they’ve got wood sorrel and stinging nettles today, too!

Blueberry plants from Cascadian Edible Landscapes. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

April approacheth, the sun is out, and it is time to get back into the garden! And Cascadian Edible Landscapes has returned to help us in that endeavor. They’ve got a tremendous selection of vegetable starts and berry plants. Like these beautiful blueberry plants. Imagine stepping out your backdoor to enjoy blueberries from your very own blueberry bush for years to come. Sounds pretty nice, eh? Well, get ’em now, and get ’em in the ground, while it is still the rainy season. That way, they’ll get their roots established before things dry out this summer.

Red Vein Sorrel from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Stoney Plains Organic Farm has sorrel of the domesticated variety this week. This is Red Vein sorrel, though they also have regular sorrel, too. This regenerative, herbaceous leafy green is just what the doctor ordered, perhaps literally, for spring. Stoney Plains also has plenty of garden plants, too, including strawberry plants. Get them in the ground now, and enjoy your own berries come June!

Tulips from Pa Garden. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Did you notice how full the Market was last week? We had five farms return last week, including all of our Hmong flower farms. And if that ain’t an harbinger of spring, I don’t know what is! Of course, this week, they were probably harvesting flowers in the snow in the Lower Snoqualmie Valley. Stop by today, and grab some of these lovely tulips from Pa Garden. Fresh from the field, they are ready to burst open in brilliant color in a vase on your table!

Kale Raabs from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The start of spring also signals the approaching end of kale season. Yeah, I know. Around here, it is always kale season. But the fact is, this time of year, kale wants to reproduce, just like any other healthy species. So, the kale plants in the field, as well as the collards, cabbages and many roots, start to bolt, sending out their flowers in pursuit of procreation. The result is raab. Yes, this time of year, we get to enjoy any number of different kinds of raabs as these plants reach the end of their lifecycle and get on with the job of producing the next. Raabs, those tender, flowery tops of these plants, are lovely simply sautéed with some garlic, and they can be great grilled, too. And Nash’s Organic Produce has a whole bunch of them right now!

Gil holds ducklings at Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Here is this week’s installment of This Photo Is Almost Disturbingly Cute. This is our own Gilbert holding three adorable, fluffy ducklings at Stokesberry Sustainable Farm during our visit there a few weeks ago. I suppose the cuteness factor may trouble some folks, but for those who enjoy duck, know that these little guys will enjoy a happy, healthy and loved life before they come to Market. That’s just the way the Stokesberry’s roll.

Dandelion greens from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of regenerative greens for a spring tonic, how’s about some of these tasty dandelion greens from Children’s Garden? These quite bitter greens may make you pucker a bit, but dress them with some anchovies, olive oil and some of that Twin Oaks goat feta, and maybe a drizzle of some balsamic vinegar, and you’ve got one delicious, nutritious salad. Or you can make soup, tea, or even juice them, and grilling them is not out of the question. Your liver will thank you!

Succulents from Phocas Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t forget the ornamental side of your garden. And if you’re lazy, like me, these succulents from Phocas Farms are for you! Get them in the ground now, and let them get their roots well established while it’s still rainy, and they will reward you all summer long by being draught tolerant… and gorgeous! Just look at all these colors. Phocas Farms propagates more than 200 varieties of them. So get a whole bunch of them, and make for a colorful summer without all that watering.

Red mustard greens from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

More scrumptious greens for spring — these being red mustard greens from Colinwood Farms. These are great lightly wilted with olive oil and garlic, or raw in a nice, spicy salad, as they are very tender. Colinwood has lots of other greens now, too, as well as new carrots. Enjoy!

Fresh eggs from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

With Passover and Easter looming ahead this week, you need eggs! Lots of eggs!!! For your seder plate or your Easter egg hunt, for your famous deviled eggs to bring to the Easter gathering at Grandma’s house, or for that extraordinary brunch you’ll be cooking up next weekend. We’ve got an abundance of eggs in your Ballard Farmers Market right now, and these are the best eggs you’ve ever tasted. Seriously. The eggs above, for instance, are from Growing Things Farm, and the farm is renowned for their amazing eggs. They have hard shells and big, beautiful, richly yellow yolks, and they are laid by happy chickens that get to run around outdoors and hang out with roasters. I know. I’ve seen them. So, stock up!

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 3rd: More Green Things, More Hams, More Flowers & Some Other Deliciousness!

Fresh spinach from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

As the calendar marches ever onward towards spring… oh, wait… it IS spring… Okay then, let’s talk spinach. Yes, spinach means it’s spring, dag nabbit, no matter what the weather forecast says, and Colinwood Farms has spinach! Celebrate it! Grab a bag or three. Just do it early enough in the day, because they always run out.

Smoked ham hocks from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Olsen Farms has holiday hams. You should order yours now. These hams are so illusive, I don’t even have a photo of them. That’s why I have this photo of their sliced ham hocks. But at least they get the point across, right? Just remember, Easter is only three weeks away. You’ll be wanting to pick up your ham at your Ballard Farmers Market, or your leg of lamb or standing rib roast, in two weeks at the latest, so it will be ready for your holiday table. So order it today, and be sure it’ll be here for you. And don’t forget your Passover needs, either! (By the way, Olsen Farms has chuck roasts on sale this week!)

Fiddlehead ferns from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ah, sweet fiddleheads. Spring, indeed! It’s April, and we saw Foraged & Found Edibles bring in the first fiddleheads of the season just last week. Hopefully, they’ll have more today, but again, these puppies go fast, so get here early!

Another beautiful bouquet from Pa Gardens. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yes, our Hmong farmers returned in abundance last week, and with them come their spectabulous flower arrangements. The bouquets they put together in a minute most of us can only dream of assembling maybe once in a lifetime. Just look at this beautiful bunch from Pa Gardens from last week. And let’s face it — we are all hard-pressed to figure out where exactly spring is this year, right? Well, at least you can bring a little bunch of it home with you to brighten it up!

Dandelion greens from Stoney Plains. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Dandelion greens. They’re not just for Round Up anymore. What looks like the enemy in your yard is actually quite delicious on your plate. Just imagine some of these dandelion greens from Stoney Plains tossed with some Spanish white anchovies for the perfect salty and bitter salad. And dandies are good for you, especially this time of year. Did you know that they are a very good liver tonic? I mean, it’s not like these so-called weeds are naturally occurring around here. The Europeans brought them here centuries again… for food! Try them in soup or tea!

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

I love it when I get a call from Clayton up at Alm Hill Gardens telling me, “Hey, I just found a whole lot of…” Well, I got such a call recently telling me they have a whole lot of storage onions still. I said, “Hey Clayton, get those suckers down here. We need onions!” And here they came. You’ll find them amongst Gretchen’s beautiful tulips.

Fromage Blanc and Creme Fraiche from Golden Glen Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The good ladies up at Golden Glen Creamery have added a couple more great products to their lineup recently: fromage blanc and creme fraiche. If you are looking for cream cheese or sour cream locally that is not overly processed, is fresh, and is delicious, try out one of these two items. I love using the fromage instead of cream cheese on bagels, and a dollop of creme fraiche on your russet will make you smile!

Gilfeather rutabagas from Nash's. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s just about the end of the line for rutabagas, so grab some of these gilfeather bagas from Nash’s, while they last. These are a somewhat sweeter variety than their yellow cousins, but I love ’em both. So get your rutabaga on one last time before they’re gone until next November!

There is much more waiting for you at your Ballard Farmers Market today. Just check the What’s Fresh Now! listings in the upper right-hand corner of this page for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now. But please note that due to our recent cold weather, some crops may not be available as anticipated.

Sunday, March 21st: Happy Equinox! It Is Officially Spring Now.

Herb starts from Prana Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

With the passage of the vernal equinox, there can be no more debate. It really is spring. So get out there and plant something! Fortunately, a number of farms at your Ballard Farmers Market have stuff for you to put in your garden(s). For instance, even if you depend on the Market for your fresh veggies, fresh herbs are something you will love having right in your yard for whenever you might need them, and they are really easy to maintain, too. Check out these lovely herb starts from Prana Farms, just waiting for you to give them a good home.

Raspberry canes from Cascadian Edible Landscapes. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Cane berries, like raspberries, marionberries, blackberries, etc., are another fairly low-maintenance crop you can grow in your yard that will come back, with a vengeance, year-after-year. Cascadian Edible Landscapes, new at Ballard Farmers Market, has a variety of cane berries from which you can choose.

Nash's cover crop seed blend returns nutrients to your garden's soil naturally, without the need for harsh chemical fertilzers. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Perhaps you have a patch of dirt that needs a little nutrient rebuilding, so that you can turn it into a nice vegetable garden down the road. Sow it with Nash’s cover crop seed. It’s nitrogen-fixing plants will give your soil a boost, and then you turn it all back into the ground so it composts even more nutrients back into the soil.

A vast selection of succulents from Phocas Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Now is a good time to get your drought-tolerant ornamental gardens going. To that end, Phocas Farms offers literally hundreds of different types of beautiful succulents from which to choose. Plug them into that plain rock wall of yours. Your neighbors will thank you!

Various cuts of goat meat from Quilceda Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

With Passover and Easter fast approaching, you’re probably looking for an appropriately large piece of meat for that big holiday gathering. For Easter, you’ll find hams and turkeys from Skagit River Ranch, and these tasty goat roasts from Quilceda Farm. For Passover, pickup a brisket or some lamb from Olsen Farms. Olsen is also running a special on lamb loin and sirloin chops this week.

Fiddlehead ferns from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s fiddlehead fern season. Pick some up for an early spring treat from Foraged & Found Edibles.

Yogurt and feta cheese from Samish Bay Cheese. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Perhaps you want to take a Greek route with some that aforementioned lamb. Samish Bay Cheese offers fresh feta cheese, as well as regular and Greek-style yogurts. Just think of the possibilities!

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

Fishing Vessel St. Jude is back this week with their vast array of delicious, local albacore tuna products. From frozen tuna loins to smoked tuna to a great selection of canned tunas (above), this stuff is low in mercury and high in omega fatty acids, and it will be the best tuna you’ve ever tasted.

Meredith Clark of the Poem Store being interviewed by KOMO-TV. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Meredith Clark operates the Poem Store regularly at your Ballard Farmers Market, where she crafts fresh poetry on demand to feed your soul, while all our farmers are feeding your body. What she is doing is so unique that KOMO-TV featured her on their 5 & 6 p.m. newscasts last Sunday.

Alexandra Kruse interviews Kyra Hedman while Kruse and Jenny Rodenhouse film her. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Indeed, Ballard Farmers Market seems to attract all sorts of creative spirits these days, such as amateur filmmakers Alexandra Kruse (above left) and Jenny Rodenhouse (foreground). They and a group of friends were carrying out a challenge to create zombie-themed short films for a backyard movie party later this year. They interviewed many Market shoppers last Sunday, asking the question, “What would you do if you were the last human being alive on earth, and everyone else had become zombies?” Hopefully, they will load their film onto YouTube so we can share it with you.

New cinnamon rolls from Tall Grass Bakery. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know and love their crusty, artisan breads. But have you tried Tall Grass Bakery’s new cinnamon rolls? Treat yourself to one or three today.

Spicy and delicious paprikas from Some Like It Hott! Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

We can all use a little extra spice in our lives, and trust me, a little of this spice goes a long way. Some Like It Hott! is growing a great variety of peppers in its greenhouses in Port Townsend, then carefully smoking and drying them, then grinding and blending them into great paprika. They have many different flavors and heat levels. Why buy paprika with thousands of frequent flier miles when you can get great local paprika right at your Ballard Farmers Market.

Josephines from Hot Cakes. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Finally, don’t forget to pick up dessert at Hot Cakes. Of course, these gorgeously luscious Josephines might not make it home, but that is why you will be getting several molten chocolate hot cakes to pop in your oven for later. And don’t forget the caramel sauce!

And remember, your Ballard Farmers Market is chock full of all sorts of goodness for  your kitchen, from meat, seafood, poultry, cheese, to all sorts of fruits and veggies, baked goods, sauces, confections, fresh-cut flowers and fresh milled flours, plants for the garden, wild mushrooms, and on and on. For a fuller accounting of what you’ll find at the Market today, go to “What’s Fresh Now!” in the upper right-hand corner.