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Shop Local, Eat Fresh

Owl Wood Farm

CSAs help us invest in food and farms

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By Emily Meagher

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Pattie Garrett

This time last year, we learned that a secure food supply could suddenly turn into shortages. Buying from local farms, which have a much shorter supply chain, is a great way to be assured of getting freshly harvested, quality food. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) provides an even better guarantee.

By purchasing a CSA, customers make an early investment to help farmers get their season started, quite literally giving them seed money. Then, CSA members reap the harvest season’s benefits by receiving produce at a discounted price. Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s Wednesday and Saturday outdoor markets, which begin in May, will offer several CSA options.

Owl Wood Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Owl Wood Farm is one of the farms offering CSA subscriptions. They have traditional ‘Box Shares’ that run for 20 weeks, starting in June, for $450. Each share has a salad green, a cooking green, a root crop, an herb, a type of onion, and seasonal items, like strawberries, beans, or summer squash. The ‘box share’ is an excellent option for weekly shoppers who like variety and enjoy creative cooking. A second option is the ‘Market Share’: customers get “Owl Bills” to use at the farm’s stand whenever and for whatever they want. Any prepaid dollar amount over $200 receives a 10% credit added to it. Customers may purchase shares on Owl Wood’s website or learn more at the market when they return in late April.

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Emily Meagher

Gomez Veggie Ville is also offering vegetable CSA shares to customers this season. Shares last for 24 weeks and consist of a variety of fruits and vegetables. Full shares include 8-10 items per week, depending on the season. Half shares have 4-5 items per week. Customers can opt for pre-packed boxes at $600 (full share) or $300 (half share) or choose the pick-your-own option for $650 or $325, respectively. Gomez Veggie Ville is already taking sign-ups at the Saturday farmers’ market. Contact them by phone (518-686-5212) for more information.

Other farms offer more specialized CSA options, like 518 Farms’ mushroom shares. Customers are sent a rotating list of available mushrooms two days before market day and can choose their mix to pick up on Saturdays. There is a small (½ lb per week for $140) or large (1 lb per week for $260) option; both run for 13 weeks. For more information, visit 518 Farms’ website or inquire at the winter market.

This week’s recipe: Swiss Chard and Kale Gratin

Sowing the seeds for a new season

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By Emily Meagher

Greenhouse full of seedlings at Pleasant Valley Farm

Walking around a farmers’ market, you see tables neatly displayed with mountains of produce. There is a long journey before produce lands on market tables and then, eventually, your table. Farmers are on a tight schedule to do all they can to make sure their crops flourish. Now that we are deep into winter, we asked local farmers how they are preparing for this year’s growing season.

Planting onion sets to be scallions, photo courtesy of Pleasant Valley Farm

Laurie Kokinda, owner of Kokinda Farm, says, “It’s the hardest time of year, in terms of grunt work.” Farms are working tirelessly to sanitize their greenhouses and tunnels and repair and order new equipment. Farms are starting their first seedings like tomatoes, alliums, and head lettuce. This year, many farmers ordered their seed supply earlier than usual due to Coronavirus-related increases in demand as well as mail delays. Paul and Sandy Arnold, owners of Pleasant Valley Farm, note, “Normally, we can get seeds in the day after we order. This year, we’re waiting weeks!”

Local farms often choose to work together to share resources. Pleasant Valley Farm’s Sustainable Farmers’ Network Group is hard at work in the mid-winter, bulk-ordering supplies so that farms may share discounts. Gomez Veggie Ville works with Denison Farm to get this year’s supply of organic potato seeds. And, for the first time, they will work to grow ginger. “I am learning how to grow ginger well in our climate. Hopefully, if it works out, we’ll be able to bring some to the market in September,” says Efrain Gomez.

Finished planting garlic, photo courtesy of Squash Villa Farm

Owl Wood Farm is taking this year’s seed shortages as an opportunity to try a new practice: seed saving. “We’ve wanted to save seeds that aren’t offered commercially, like tomato heirloom varieties and Abenaki flint corn, for a while. It involves a lot of work and isn’t very economical; you have to dedicate a new plot of land and grasp a whole new knowledge base,” says Mark Bascom. “But we see that seed saving is important this year especially.”

Squash Villa Farm (formerly Squashville) is trying not just a new crop or practice but also a whole new land plot after moving farms in 2020. “There’s lots of anticipation! As soon as the snow melts, I’m eager to walk the new land and just get a feel for what it’s like to step into the soil,” says Himanee Gupta-Carlson.

This week’s recipe: Beans and Greens

Shop Local at the Farmers’ Market this Holiday Season

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Supporting small businesses is always a must in our eyes, but this year it’s more important than ever. Not only does it give our local economy a boost, but you’re more likely to find unique gifts for your loved ones.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market offers a spacious shopping environment featuring 50+ local businesses, with some attending exclusively for the holiday season. These holiday season vendors will rekindle your excitement for shopping and finding the perfect gift.

Sweetbrier Farms, photo provided

Sweetbrier Farms makes small-batch, plant-infused wellness and beauty products. They offer hand-made soaps, tinctures and glycerites, herb-infused raw honey, salves and balms, and teas. Sweetbrier’s products are made from “responsibly wildcrafted ingredients” – many from their farm in Salem.

With seasonal favorites like eggnog and hot cocoa, Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes make great gifts for any “sweet tooth”. Grandma’s handcrafted, artisanal cheesecakes come in various flavors and sizes that make the perfect cake easy to find.

For the spirits connoisseur on your list, Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, nestled in the foothills of the Adirondacks, produces hand-crafted, high-quality spirits in a natural and innovative process. They make award-winning vodka, gin, rye whiskey, moonshine, Limoncello, Orangecello, and Cowboy Coffee.

Scotch Ridge Berry & Tree Farm, photo by Emily Meagher

Scotch Ridge Berry & Tree Farm has handmade wreaths, kissing balls, holiday swag, and tabletop Christmas trees all this month. Gorgeous greenery makes a memorable and personal gift, and even more so when it’s locally made.

Saratoga Suds ‘n’ Stuff makes soap the “old fashioned” way – “by hand, in small batches, using fat and lye and some essential oils to scent it.” For the holidays, find soaps in the shape of gingerbread men, Christmas trees, and other fun seasonal shapes alongside their traditional soaps.

Goodway Bakery has been baking cookies, cakes, pies, and brownies in Troy for over 40 years. Their rum cakes, in particular, have an excellent shelf life for 2-3 weeks at room temperature, making them perfect gifts.

Owl Wood Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

For the farmers’ market enthusiast in your life, Owl Wood Farm has freshly-harvested, Certified Naturally Grown produce every Saturday in December. Assemble a gift basket of produce, purchase a gift certificate, or buy a 2021 CSA subscription for a friend or family member.

Amazing authentic Indian food for Christmas? Why not! Daily Fresh Food makes to-go curries, vegan samosas, soups, and other specialty dishes that make a great gift and offer a break from cooking.

Many holiday season vendors offer pre-order for easy pickup as well as online ordering. Find their website or like them on social media to stay up to day on their products and specials.

This week’s recipe: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

‘Look, don’t touch’ keeps produce healthy and safe

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson & Madeline McCarthy

Owl Wood Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

The escarole sat crisply in my display bin at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. It caught the eye of a customer.

I greeted him, and he asked, “Is this lettuce?” As he did so, his fingers wrapped impulsively around the leaves, cradling them.

“Please,” I said. “Can I ask you not to touch?”

The customer felt bad. I did, too. But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues we all are adapting to new practices of interacting with each other and the fresh foods at the market. Asking customers not to touch products until they have committed to buying them now is among the Saratoga market’s safety rules.

As we celebrate National Farmers Market Week this week, we also highlight how not touching fresh fruits and vegetables minimizes damage while also easing the risk of Coronavirus spread. In addition, the food remains safe and healthy with the farmers being the only ones touching the produce prior to purchase.

But how does one buy without touching?

Raspberries from Burger’s MarketGarden, photo by Pattie Garrett

Jason Heitman of Green Jeans Market Farm helps customers choose tomatoes by asking them what sizes they prefer and when they plan to eat them. He checks the bottoms of tomatoes to gauge their ripeness, noting that not fully ripened fruits will continue to ripen until consumed.

Brian Talmadge of Talmadge Farm encourages customers to choose beans that look wrinkle-free and shine. Cucumbers, he says, also have a shine.

Charles Holub of Scotch Ridge Farm brings handpicked berries to market that have attained enough sweetness to be eaten immediately or frozen for later use.

Greens from Squashville Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Such greens as lettuce, kale, and escarole are harvested one or two days before market so they can be washed and cooled for maximum crispness. They might wilt during a market from exposure to sun and wind but will rebound when rinsed in cold water. If stored in a produce bag in the refrigerator, they’ll remain fresh for up to a week.

I explained to my customer who mistook escarole for lettuce that it was a green from the chicory family and often used to make Beans and Greens. I also noted that it, like many other greens, was delicious sautéed with a bit of olive oil, black pepper, and garlic.

He bought the escarole and, like many others, thanked us for keeping the farmers market safe.


This week’s recipe: Spinach Salad with Peaches and Beets

Starting small begins with dreaming big

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By Mary Pratt

Elihu Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Before Bob and I started Elihu Farm, we lived in New Scotland, self-employed writing about acid precipitation and climate change (before it became a ‘hot topic’).

Eventually one of us said, “We should do something agricultural.” Soon we bought our Elihu Farm in Easton, named for Revolutionary Patriot, Elihu Gifford. Instead of raising vegetables and berries, the book left in our house, “Raising Sheep the Modern Way,” pushed us that way. We’ve raised sheep since 1987. And concentrate on lamb cuts, pastured eggs, and wool.

The way we started has made me curious about how other Saratoga Farmers’ Market vendors began.

Argyle Cheese Farmer, photo by Pattie Garrett

Before we joined the Market, we met Marge and Dave Randles. Dave and his brother ran Randles dairy farm, founded in 1860 in Argyle. Dave explained, “Seventeen years ago, the price of milk was abysmal, so we thought of doing value-added products.”

Making cheese was Dave’s first idea, at Argyle Cheese Farm. But “Marge is a visionary,” he said, “who thought about a variety of products.”

They offer fantastic yogurt, award-winning cheese, cheese spreads, cultured buttermilk, smoothies, gelato, and more. Check out tzatziki sauce, new breads, doughnuts, and baked goods.

Something’s Brewing, photo by Pattie Garrett

When the Market needed a new coffee vendor, Beth Trattel, Something’s Brewing, at first shared a small space with Argyle Cheese Farmer. “The Market was a better fit than my coffee shop in Greenwich.”

“About two years ago, I started coffee roasting.” with sustainable beans. “It’s like making wine, or cooking,” she said. “…more creative and flexible.”

Her Battenkill River Coffee has several varieties, and she blends her own teas, blueberry lavender this week. In addition, she makes lemonade, iced black tea, iced mocha, Italian cream soda.

Mark Bascom and Lindsay Fisk, planted Owl Wood Farm in Salem five years ago. They heard owls in woods at a leased farm and their current farm.

Owl Wood Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

They studied environmental science at two colleges, including sustainable agriculture. Lindsay explained, “We started working on farms during summers, and took various apprenticeships after college.”

After the apprenticeships, they decided to raise Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, herbs, and strawberries. Lindsay said, “It’s a grassroots alternative to the National Organic Program, and we do it so we can be third-party verified.” At Farmers’ Market, salad greens are the most popular.

This week’s recipe: Iced Mocha

Psst… Some of the best things happen on Wednesdays

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Burger’s MarketGarden, photo by Pattie Garrett

Weekends are market days for many farmers. But the Saratoga Farmers’ Market would like you to let you in on a secret – there’s a midweek market, as well.

Tucked into a corner of the Wilton Mall parking lot is the Wednesday market, featuring about 15 local farmers and prepared food vendors. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., they offer eggs, fresh produce, plants, baked goods, and prepared foods.

“It’s our best-kept secret,” says market board president Beth Trattel. “A simple way to pick up the freshest foods in a safe, no-fuss environment.”

In years past, the market association promoted its Wednesday market as a family-friendly space to gather for music, children’s games, and food purchases. This year, with COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings in place, live music and games are on pause. But farmers are still coming.

518 Farms mushrooms, photo by Pattie Garrett

Who’s there and what are they bringing? Here’s a snapshot.

As you enter the market from the former Bon Ton parking lot, flowering plants and other seedlings from Burger Farm greet you. Nearby, Shushan Valley Hydro Farms offers hydroponically grown herbs and vegetables. Surrounding Shushan are baked confections from The Chocolate Spoon, casseroles from The Food Florist, and Mediterranean meals to go from Euro Delicacies.

Further into the market are more farmers: Owl Wood Farm and Gomez Veggie Ville with their colorful piles of vegetables; eggs, chicken, and more vegetables at Squashville and Green Jeans farms; mushrooms and lavender at 518 Farms; and apples and cider of both the sweet and hard type from Saratoga Apple. On another end, you’ll find My Dacha Slovenian Café with its meals-to-go offerings. And tucked in between other stalls are Saratoga Garlic with its pickled garlic and aioli offerings, Gifford Farms with produce and baked goods; and Mister Edge’s popular knife sharpening service.

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Pattie Garrett

More vendors will start attending as the state eases its COVID-19 restrictions.

For now, Wednesday remains a great space to get the fresh ingredients for one or two meals, perhaps a prepared meal for Friday, and a few sweet treats. Try carrots dipped in aioli , scrambled eggs with arugula, radishes and lettuce tossed in a salad, and more.

 

See our full listing of this season’s Wednesday vendors