Growing Vegetables

Locally Grown Sweet Potatoes Add a Fat-Free, Nutritional Boost

January 23, 2017 By marketeditor

By Mary Peryea

Did you know that the sweet potato is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. This orange tuber offers an unsurpassed source of beta carotene; providing 214 percent of the daily requirement for Vitamin A in a single cup serving; and a significant source of Vitamin C, manganese, Vitamin B6, and potassium. That single cup serving contains only 180 calories and no fat.

Pleasant Valley's stand. Photo by Pattie Garrett — Pleasant Valley’s stand. Photo by Pattie Garrett.

Paul Arnold, of Pleasant Valley Farm, is one of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market vendors who sells sweet potatoes throughout the winter. Arnold began growing sweet potatoes about eight years ago. He sees them as a good crop to push through the long winter months until April. In May, he plants the next crop.

Sweet potatoes like loose sandy soil and warm weather. Ideally, the soil temperature should be above 50 degrees. That can be a challenge in our regions and helps explain why most sweet potatoes grown commercially come from the South.

In May, “slips” – or plants with no roots cut from last year’s harvest of sweet potatoes – are planted. They grow until late September, when cooler temperatures begin to prevail. Then, a “bed lifter” pulled by a tractor loosens the soil in the fields and the sweet potatoes are pulled up by hand. The sweet potatoes can’t be harvested by machine because they skin too easily.

After the harvest, the sweet potatoes are cured for five days at a temperature of 90 degrees. In the South, they can be left in the fields to cure. Here, they require some help. Pleasant Valley Farm has a room dedicated to storing winter squash and sweet potatoes, which require similar conditions. This process of curing turns the potatoes’ starch to sugar, sweetening them up.

Following the curing, sweet potatoes are stored at 55 to 60 degrees, with a humidity of 70 per cent. The storage room at Pleasant Valley Farm is heated, insulated, and dehumidified. In this environment, sweet potatoes can be stored for up to eight months.

What’s the best way to eat a sweet potato? For Arnold, the answer is like candy – almost. Steam the potatoes until soft, then slice or mash and eat them plain. Their inherent sweetness shines through.

Visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Baths Building in the Saratoga Spa State Park.

Sweet Potato Fries with Yogurt Honey Dip

Adapted from recipe in Cooking Light, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 4

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

• 2 sweet potatoes*
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary*
• 2 garlic cloves, minced*
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt*
• 4 teaspoons of honey*
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Clean the potatoes and cut into steak fries.
2. In a medium bowl, add olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. Add the potatoes slices and coat well. Sprinkle with paprika.
3. Place potatoes on a sheet pan and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until tender and browned.
4. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey and vanilla. Chill and serve with potatoes.

A Winter’s Salute to Kale

January 20, 2017 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Admittedly, kale jokes abound. But that’s only because this green leafy vegetable – once primarily the domain of fancy plate garnishes – has evolved into a farmers’ market staple year round.

Shannon Cowan describes kale in a blog piece for Earth Easy (a website devoted to sustainable living) as the “workhorse of your winter garden” and urges year-round gardeners to keep the crop going for its beauty, its flavor, and nutritional content.

While I would like to say that I follow Cowan’s advice, I have to admit that my own garden’s kale usually loses at least its beauty and flavor by late December. After repeated hard frosts, snowstorms, and freezing rains followed by thaws, my own kale starts to look rather limp and spindly. It retains a semblance of its freshest in-season flavor, but is not, quite frankly, what it was in October. I am happy at this point to acquire my weekly stash of kale from the produce vendors at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. This experience also gives me the chance of sampling many different varieties of kale, ranging from curly to winterbor, to purple to red.

A couple of weeks ago, I spotted a particularly striking bunch of kale. The leaves were grayish green but flecked admirably with thin veins of purple. The kale, at the Gomez Veggie Ville stall at the market, is known as “coral”. The Gomez family started the crop in early fall for its late fall and early winter markets. It is now keeping the plants growing and harvesting fresh from their greenhouses in the most brutal months of January.

Coral was crisp, thick, and tasty – full of the kind of fresh succulence that my taste buds seemed to be craving after the holiday months of rich sauces, big meats, and bottles of wine. The stems were stock and thick, and might serve as a potential addition to a meat stock or vegetable broth down the line. The leaves, however, were kale through and through, though they did seem heartier than the spring, summer, and fall selections. I found that they took a little more time to cook, maybe three or four minutes more.

Searches of the Internet did not give me a seed variety for “coral kale.” Instead, I found that it was listed as an ornamental and not generally eaten. This kale, however, tasted quite lovely. Try using my classic preparation: thinly sliced garlic sautéed in oil, the kale washed in cold water and steamed for about five minutes before being tossed into the garlic and oil with a sprinkling of black pepper on top.

Farmers Bring Old World Tomatoes to New Clientele

August 29, 2016 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Tucked into a corner of the Saturday Saratoga Farmers’ Market is a truck, a set of tables bearing tomatoes in multiple shapes, sizes, and colors, and a grinning wood donkey, clad in overalls. The donkey, named Paco, welcomes visitors to Old World Farm and its of growing good food to nourish a community.

“We specialize in heirlooms,” owner Paul Moyer said, “Partly because we love the flavors, and partly because it’s a part of our heritage. It’s a way of helping people also connect with their pasts, and to gain an understanding of the value of saving these varieties for their flavor and beauty.”

An heirloom vegetable is one that is grown from seeds that are open-pollinated and saved from one season to the next, often for generations. Heirlooms differ from hybrids that result from crossing selected varieties. Despite the bountiful harvests that hybrid seeds produce, a growing number of farmers and customers are seeking out heirloom varieties. Moyer, a former chef, is among them.

Moyer began growing vegetables and herbs at his home while teaching culinary arts. His garden grew and he decided in 2009 to expand his passion for growing food into a small farm. He acquired a former horse farm in Stillwater in 2010, and works with Rich Tooker, Sandy Perryman, and a handful of others to raise produce on 1-1/2 to 2 acres. Their crops include 33-plus varieties of heirloom tomatoes, broccoli, garlic, cucumbers, eggplants, brussels sprouts, greens, and ground cherries. Into the mix also are chickens, eggs, herbs, and flowers. All of the work is done with minimal equipment, no pesticides, and an attentiveness to nature.

“We plant deep and always uneven,” Tooker said. “Nature doesn’t like even numbers.” We use hay to mulch and to help wick off excess water. We save all of our seeds.”

Besides being a carpenter and third-generation farmer, Tooker created Old World Farm’s donkey sign. The idea came as a result of a friendship between Paco the donkey and a mule at a neighboring farm. “They seemed to represent what we were trying to create,” Moyer said. “A community that is healthy from eating good food.”

Old World Farm sells at the farmers market on Saturdays from July through September. Moyer can be reached at chefmoyer@gmail.com, or 518-428-1244.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open through October from 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m to 1 p.m. Saturdays at High Rock Park.

Heirloom tomatoes available from Old World Farm

Beef steak, Purple Cherokee, German Striped, Green Cherokee, Yellow Brandywine, Great White, Amanda Orange, Prudence Purple, German Johnson, Kellogg, Pink Brandywine, Gold Medal, Black Krim, Black Prince, Rutgers, Crimson Red, Indigo Apple, Red Cherry, Indigo Rose, Yellow Pear, Green Cherry, Goldies, Striped Cherry, Gold Nugget, Green Cherry Tiger Striped, Blush, Yellow Tiger Striped

Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes

(Recipe by Sandy Perryman)

Ingredients

* Ingredients available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Markets

• 10 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1-2 inch cubes *
• 2-3 large garlic cloves, chopped *
• 1 onion, chopped *
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil *
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil. *

Directions

1. Place cut tomatoes in a roasting pan.
2. Top with garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
3. Pour olive oil over top and toss until combined.
4. Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
5. Remove excess liquid and save for soup stock or tomato sauce.
6. Roast for an additional 30 minutes.

Enjoy over pasta, crunchy bread, or any other way that you would use tomatoes.

Growing a New Generation of Farmers

July 25, 2016 By marketeditor

By Julia Howard

Agriculture is vital to the health of rural communities such as the Saratoga region. Yet, for many years, the health of agriculture has been in doubt. The average age of those who farm full-time is over 60, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture continually reports that the number of young people who choose to farm for a living is on the decline.

However, there is a silver lining: According to the USDA’s most recent AgCensus data, a new generation of farmers is on the rise. That generation consists of individuals who are in their thirties through their early fifties. Charles Hanley are among that group.

Hanley is the owner and operator of Hanley Farm, one of the newest produce vendors at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. He returned recently to New York with his wife Michael and two children to take up farming full-time, and currently are leasing land from the Otrembiak Farm, one of the longest running vendors at the Saratoga market.

“I started growing seeds in the greenhouse this just this past April,” Hanley said. “I’ve always been intrigued by the thought of farming, but never had a chance to start a farm until this year.”

The Hanley Farm stall can be found Saturdays at the farmers’ market pavilion at High Rock Park. It is located midway in the market, facing the street. The stall is small, but Hanley’s enthusiasm is reflected in his abundant array of produce: several varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, summer and winter squash, eggplant, lettuce, cabbage, watermelon, corn, and herbs. In a few weeks, the stall also will feature Hanley’s favorite vegetable: potatoes.

“I have explored some different potato varieties in my past gardening and planted some of my favorite at our farm this year,” Hanley said. “I find that the difference in taste and texture of a home grown potato is far superior to that of a store bought potato.”

The Otrembiak Farm supports Hanley’s endeavors. “As long as we have the space and people are willing to work the land and learn, we are happy to help,” said Steve Otrembiak.

Hanley Farm also sells at farmers markets in Gansevoort and Queensbury, and at a farm stand at the Crossroads General Store in Chestertown. They can be reached at Hanley.farm1@gmail.com.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at High Rock Park.

Cucumber, Carrot, and Cabbage Slaw

Recipe adapted from David Tanis’s Ginger, Cucumber, Carrot, and Cabbage Slaw
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

* Ingredients found at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and julienned *
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned *
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage *
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage *
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro *
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
• Juice of 1 large lime

Preparation

Put the cucumber, carrot and cabbage in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Add the ginger and lime juice, then toss again. Let the vegetables marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Note: Julienned means cut into short thin strips.

Starting Up Summer | Did You Know…

June 14, 2016 By marketeditor

By Sadie Ross

Did you know that it’s not too late to get tomato plants into the ground?

If you were busy Memorial Day weekend and couldn’t get all of the plants you purchased from the Saratoga Farmers’ Market into the ground, don’t sweat it. Many of the solanaceous vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants) prefer the heat and warm soils that occur a week or two past the popular planting weekend. Even cucumbers thrive in the heat; unlike pumpkins that don’t mind the cold rainy days of May. If you are planning for a mid-June planting, here are a few tips:

Preparing to transplant. If you purchase starter plants at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, store them in the shade until you’re ready to transplant them and give them less fertilizer than usual. You don’t want them to outgrow their pots and start to get root bound; a situation that refers to the thickly woven roots inside the container. Root bound plants suffer from transplant shock and will take extra time to adjust to the garden environment. If plants have gotten root bound, be sure to tease out the roots by pulling the bottom of the root mat outward and breaking up some of that woven mess.
Dig deep. Tomato plants that have been happily growing for a while in their pots may be taller than what you would typically plant. Plant these large plants deep. Break off the bottom few branches of leaves and put them 6-8 inches into the soil. Don’t want to dig a hole that deep? That’s ok; tomato plants will grow roots up their stems if given the right conditions. This means you can dig a shallower hole but dig horizontal and lay the plant on its side 6-8 inches then burry it. The top should be bent, without breaking the stem, so it grows up right. The shallower hole also keeps the roots in warmer soil.
Any plant that requires staking should be done at planting. Once a large plant is placed into warm soils and given proper water and nutrition, it is going to take off, roots included. Rather than stabbing into the root system with a stake in the ground after the plant requires support, place it in early and allow the roots to grow around it. This includes cucumbers that enjoy climbing up a tomato cage just as much as a tomato does; leaving more room in the garden and keeping the cucumbers up off the ground and easier to see and pick.

Turning Today’s Scraps into Tomorrow’s Topsoil

May 17, 2016 By marketeditor

By Sadie Ross

If you visit one of the 40,000 farms in New York State, chances are that you’ll be greeted by a smell that evokes pungent goodness. It is neither the scent of a fresh harvest nor the fragrance of bee and butterfly attracting flowers. Rather, it is compost, the rotting remains of yard waste, food scraps, and other foodstuffs that reside in heaps, barrels, or massive bins, breaking down slowly to produce new fertilizer for farmers to work into and revitalize their current topsoil.

This is compost, a mixture of decaying organic substances typically used to amend soil. When added to a garden, compost improves the organic matter content of the soil, leading to increased water and nutrient holding capacity.

The best news about compost is that it is easy to make in your own backyard. Compost comes in three varieties: yard waste, food scraps, and table scraps (which include such items as meat bones and leftovers that are heavy with oil, butter, or other additives.) While local farmers regularly incorporate table scraps into their compost piles, I advise that home composters stick to yard waste and food scraps. This is because home compost piles rarely get to a high enough temperature to guarantee that other table scraps will be effectively sterilized.

Yard waste – leaves, grass clippings, perennial cuttings – can be left to decompose quite simply in a heap. Chicken wire or wooden pallets placed on three sides keeps the heap contained so the center of the pile remains hot, allowing the material to decompose. One partition area can serve as the pile that is being left to “cook” and a second can be used for actively accepting materials. Both piles should be placed in the sun and turned with a pitchfork whenever the center has been hot enough long enough to decompose some of the core.

worms at Fresh Take Farm — Worms at Fresh Take Farm

One of the best ways to compost food scraps is in a barrel, either homemade or purchased. Place such items as vegetable peels, fruit rinds and relatively clean napkins and paper plates into containers that have screens at the bottom to allow air to come into the container and lets the water created from decomposing materials out. The container should be easy to spin to allow for the materials to get turned over and mixed up but be sealed enough to keep animals out. Many people prefer to use a food grade container if their compost is going to be used in their vegetable garden.

Some rules for good compost are smell, color, and texture. Good compost should smell like the earth, be dark brown or black in color, and be somewhat clumpy in texture. Basically, to make good compost there should be more “brown stuff” than “green stuff”. But keep in mind that green stuff has a lot of water in it, so you can add a lot of cut leafy perennials and grass clippings compared to dry brown leaves. Food compost will almost always need additional materials. Paper towels, egg cartons, pizza boxes and other food grade “brown things” will add the carbon and structure necessary.

Kale Salad with Micro Greens

Adapted from Faring Well

Image courtesy of Pattie Garret. Salad Bowl with Compost Bowl.

Ingredients

Salad:
• 1 bunch of Kale, stems removed and chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 1 bunch of radishes, tops and bottoms removed and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of micro greens, (e.g. pea shoots, radish shoots)
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds

Tahini Dressing:

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup tahini
• 1 ¼ cup water
• 1 green garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Instructions:

For dressing: Blend ingredients together and adjust to taste. Recipe will make 2 ½ cups. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

For salad: Toss ingredients together. Plate servings and drizzle on dressing and top with sunflower seeds (or pepitas).

Options: add goat cheese, use favorite dressing.

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