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Creamy Tomato Soup

March 21, 2013 By marketeditor

On a deepest, coldest, darkest night in winter, a person driving the along unlit Route 22 near Salem or exploring the back roads of Shushan in Washington County might wonder about the glow in the sky or the bright lights up ahead on Juniper Swamp Road. If newcomers inquire at Yushak’s store in Shushan, they’ll learn the glow comes from the 18,000 square feet of greenhouses where Wayne and Phyllis Underwood grow hydroponic tomatoes, herbs, greens, and cucumbers at Shushan Valley Hydro Farm.

It feels like spring all winter inside those houses. Phyllis explained, “The tomato plants grow to 45 feet long on elaborate trellises from the time they begin to bear in October until the season ends in early July.” The aromas of basil, thyme and other herbs fill another greenhouse where greens like lettuce and arugula also grow, and cucumbers fill the third.

Customers at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market can enjoy these summer-time treats from fall through winter and into early summer. They can make salads and sauces, such a Caprese salad from the farm’s locally grown super-fresh tomatoes, basil, and Argyle Cheese Farmer mozzarella, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. They will know that the hydroponically grown vegetables and herbs are free of herbicides and pesticides. And as Phyllis explains, “The eco-footprint of our operation is much less than for the same ingredients shipped to New York from Mexico or California.”

Wayne and Phyllis were not always farmers and nor were they always in this vegetable business, but their own roots are in Washington County. Although Wayne’s parents had been farmers, they sold out when he was four years old. Drawn to farming, Wayne would visit neighbors and eventually worked on some farms. Phyllis’ father had hobby farm to provide good food for the family. Together Wayne and Phyllis rented a dairy farm in Fort Edward, and soon began searching for a place of their own.

One day in 1983, long before Shushan became an in-place to live or to start a farm, a realtor took them along Juniper Swamp Road. “Grass was growing up the middle,” Phyllis remembers, “And I thought, ‘Where are you taking me?’” They settled into the 200-acre farm, and had the dairy for five years.

When they realized that the dairy farm wasn’t going to work out for them, they again began scouting for another farming enterprise. Around that time they took the kids to Disney World and Epcot Center. On a behind-the-scenes tour at Epcot, they saw vegetables growing hydroponically in greenhouses, with the roots in nutrient solution and the greenery pointing toward the sun.

Soon the Underwoods were taking workshops, building greenhouses, buying supplies, planting summer crops at the end of the summer, and marketing the products first to wholesale customers, and today at several farmers’ markets. “Talking to customers at farmers’ markets and providing them with quality, healthy, locally grown products is the most rewarding,” according to Phyllis.

The greenhouses occupy only a small portion of the 200 acres, which Wayne and Phyllis still own. Now they let other farmers use some hay and pasture land and they raise Japanese larch and red pine on about 50 acres. The hydroponic vegetable business has grown enough that five other family members also work on the farm.

Becky Dennison, Phyllis’ niece, is the face of the farm at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, the second farmers’ market the Underwoods joined. Talk to Becky; she’ll tell you all you need to know about the farm and the veggies.

Creamy Tomato Soup  

Click here to print recipe – PDF

(Serves 6. From start to finish, this soup takes only 35 minutes to prepare. Ingredients marked with * are available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.)

What to use

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion *

2 cloves garlic *

3 large stalks fresh Shushan Select basil *

1 sprig of fresh Shushan Select thyme *

1 bay leaf

2½ tsp tomato paste

2 lbs. ripe Shushan Select tomatoes * cored cut into quarters

Pinch of sugar

1 cup chicken stock (either purchased or homemade from market soup chickens *)

⅓ cup Battenkill Valley Creamery heavy cream *

Parmesan cheese from Longview Farm, grated *

Croutons made from Mrs. London’s or Murray Hollow bread *

 

How to make it

Separate the basil leaves from the stems, cut into a chiffonade (very thin slices across the leaves) and reserve.

Slice the onions and mince the garlic and basil stalks.

Heat the olive oil in large pan. Cook the onion 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and basil stalks, along with the thyme, bay leaf, tomato paste, and fresh tomatoes.

Season with salt, pepper and sugar, pour in chicken stock, bring to boil cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf and puree the rest of the soup. Add the heavy cream and reheat but do not boil.

Serve in warmed bowls, and top with basil and cheese, and optional croutons.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes

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Get ready to mushroom into a world of flavor at th Get ready to mushroom into a world of flavor at the Saratoga Farmers' Market! 🍄🌱 This week, we're thrilled to highlight the Mushroom Shop and their incredible selection of locally grown and harvested mushrooms. We spoke with owner's Jacob and Elysee to learn more.

Q: What are some of the health benefits associated with consuming mushrooms?

A: Mushrooms contain a multitude of medicinal compounds. The mushroom species Cordyceps militaris contains cordycepin, which increases your blood's ability to absorb and transport oxygen, improving exercise performance. Mukitake or Panellus serotinus possesses compounds that have shown in recent studies to improve liver function in people suffering from fatty liver disease. Reishi mushrooms improve immune health, warding off sickness and reducing inflammation. Other medicinal mushrooms include Turkey Tail, Chaga, Agarikon, Maitake, and Lions Mane.

Q: What inspired you to start selling mushrooms at the farmers' market?

A: We initially got our inspiration from a mushroom farm based in Tennessee called Mossy Creek Mushrooms. They have many videos on Youtube covering every aspect of operating a mushroom farm from building and maintaining equipment to harvesting and marketing mushrooms. Jacob has had an interest in growing mushrooms as a hobby for about eight years when he discovered a patch of oyster mushrooms growing in the wild. We got the opportunity to lease land in the beginning of 2021 and shortly after started selling at farmers’ markets.

Q: How do you recommend customers prepare and cook the mushrooms they purchase from you?

A: At our farmers markets we always provide printed recipes that utilize the mushrooms available during the current season. Like meat, mushrooms can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as sautéing, roasting, and grilling to create a flavorful dish. One of our recent favorites is a Spicy Crispy Lion's Mane Sandwich- a thick slab of Lion's Mane mushroom battered and fried on a toasted bun with spicy mayo and pickles. This is a delicious take on a chicken sandwich made entirely of whole, natural produce. 

*Find the Mushroom shop year round at our Saturday markets!*

#saratogafarmersmarket
Get ready for a mouth-watering adventure! 🍴🌍 Get ready for a mouth-watering adventure! 🍴🌍 Join us on Saturday, March 25th from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Saratoga Farmers' Market's International Flavor Fest in the Wilton Mall food court! 🎉 Indulge in frgál cakes, julekaker, burek, curries, samosas, and more, representing cuisines from all around the world! 🌎 There will be live music, family-friendly activities, and food tastings that will take your taste buds on a journey around the globe! 🎶👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Plus, our friends at the World Awareness Children's Museum will be hosting a paper fortune cookie making session for the kiddos! Don't forget to pick up your passport for a chance to win a prize by filling it with stamps from market vendors! Let's celebrate our traditions, history, and community through the language of flavorful food! 😍🍴

 #InternationalFlavorFest #SaratogaFarmersMarket #FoodieAdventure #CommunityConnection
Join us tomorrow for our Saturday market! From 9:3 Join us tomorrow for our Saturday market! From 9:30-1:30 you can find all your favorite vendors in the Wilton Mall Food court. We’ll by joined by the Academy of Life Long Learning, AIM Services, and musician Lee Paquin. Hope you can make it!!!

Photos of: @squash.villa.farm , KOKINDA Farm, and @eurodelicaciesco by Graciela Colston

#saratogafarmersmarket #saratogasprings #farmersmarket #agriculture #shoplocal
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is seeking donation The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is seeking donations to help improve our market and keep our nonprofit organization running. Your donation will be used for essential functions of the market as well as helping us reach more of our long-term goals for the community. We are looking for additional resources to expand our community offerings such as hosting family friendly events, programs and activities.

You can help us by donating via our GiveButter account (link in bio) or in person at the market via our market manager. Thank you for your ongoing support. We couldn’t do it without you! 

#saratogafarmersmarket #supportlocalfarmers #nonprofit #communitylove #givebutter

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