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Farmers’ Market Gazpacho

September 6, 2023 By marketeditor

Adapted from the recipe by Julia Moskin, featured in New York Times Cooking

Yields 8 to 12 servings, about 1 quart

Cook time: Approximately 20 minutes, plus chilling time
Ingredients

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

● About 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes*, cored and roughly cut into chunks
● 1 green pepper*, cored, seeded, and roughly cut into chunks
● 1 cucumber*, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
● 1 small mild onion* (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks
● 1 clove garlic*
● 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste
● Salt
● ½cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling

Preparation

1. Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion, and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand
blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very
smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber
spatula.
2. With the motor running, add the vinegar and 11/2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the
olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and
emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until
texture is creamy. Optional: to ensure smooth consistency, strain the mixture through a
strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle.
3. Transfer to a large pitcher and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a
few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few
drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

Grazin’ Acres: Family farm brings meats and more to the farmer’s market

August 30, 2023 By marketeditor

By Andrea Grom

Farming is a family affair for the Mattisons. From sun up to sun down, Nathan and Meghan are hard at work on their 270-acre farm in Hebron, NY. More often than not, their children, McKenna (10), Landon (8), Kylie (4), and Nolan (1), are alongside, learning and helping.

The Mattisons are happy to return to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market with their all-natural pastured pork and poultry, grass-fed beef and lamb, and golden honey. The family began attending the market in 2021 but took one year off after Nolan was born. Meghan, her girls, and the baby are at the market every Saturday.

Nathan and Meghan met at the Washington County Fair in 2003 and bonded over their love of beef cattle. They decided to go into business together in 2010 when they merged their herds. A year later, they added pigs, chickens, and turkeys to the mix. In 2012, they had their first child and began to raise a family. Their farm and family have only grown since!

The Mattisons are strong proponents of regenerative agriculture. Nathan and Meghan’s beef, pork, and chicken are New York Grown and Certified, and they work closely with New York Soil and Water to ensure that they follow good environmental and animal welfare practices. Their cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens are regularly rotated on their land, giving them regular access to fresh pasture. They also put up their own hay and supplement the animals’ feed with local, non-GMO grains. Currently, the family is working with the USDA’s Natural Resources and Conservation Services to explore silvopasturing their pigs in their 70-acre forest. Clearly, all of their animals are lovingly and humanely raised, resulting in high-quality products.

In addition to raising animals, the Mattisons have two acres of sustainably-grown vegetables, which they sell at the Chestertown and Glens Falls Farmers’ Markets and through their online store and CSA program. They also blend various seasoning mixes for their meats and are thinking of adding salads and minimally processed vegetables to their offerings now that they have a licensed 20c commercial kitchen.

Find out more about Grazin’ Acres at https://www.grazinacresfarm.com/ and follow them on Instagram @grazinacres and Facebook at Grazin’ Acres Farm. And be sure to visit Megan and her kids at the Saturday Saratoga Farmers’ Market for delicious meat and honey!

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Wednesdays from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at High Rock Park in Downtown Saratoga. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Crafting Smoothies with Seasonal Market Finds

August 23, 2023 By marketeditor

By Graciela Colston

As the summer sun carries on and temperatures stay high into the fall, there’s nothing quite as refreshing and cool as a nutrient-packed smoothie. The combination of vibrant flavors, invigorating ingredients, and the ability to pack in various nutritional powerhouse ingredients make smoothies the ultimate go-to treat for the summer season. If you’re wondering what you can find at the market and tips for crafting these beverages to perfection, look no further – we’ve got you covered!

Upstate New York’s produce is in its prime this time of year. When browsing the market for smoothie ingredients, you’ll stumble upon classic staples and unique finds. With their high water content, cucumbers provide a refreshing and hydrating base for your summer blends. Celery and kale bring a crisp earthiness that complements the sweetness of fruits. Raspberries are full of antioxidants and add vibrant color and tangy flavor, while beets infuse your smoothie with earthy richness.

Grab some bee pollen and raw honey from Ballston Lake Apiaries or Slate Valley Farms to bring out the natural sweetness and an extra dose of nutrition. Pick up protein at Saratoga Peanut Butter, with fun varieties and exciting flavors, including “Just Almonds” butter. Stop by the Argyle Cheese Farmer for Greek yogurt, a great option for thickening smoothies. Add apple cider vinegar from Awakened Tonics or seed-cycling blends from Moon Cycle to support total health.

Once you get home from the market, start by freezing fruits to maintain freshness and enhance creaminess. Frozen fruits result in a consistency that’s icy but drinkable. Haley Gerarde, owner of Jenny Joe’s Smoothies, emphasizes prepping in the freezer: “At Jenny Jo’s, we do not use any water or ice in our smoothies. Freezing your fruit ahead of time is a great ‘hack’ to gain that desired consistency and temperature for your smoothie without having to use ice, which essentially waters down the smoothie.” If it’s too thick, you can always add juice, coconut water, or your favorite choice of milk, plant-based or cow.

Scotch Ridge Berry Farm Raspberries by Graciela Colston

As the market stalls burst with seasonal delights, embrace the world of summertime superfood smoothies. Create your own blends, explore the market’s offerings, and craft a cooling concoction that nourishes your body and delights your taste buds.

Eating with the seasons – even in February

February 16, 2023 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta

One belief about eating local is that we cannot do it in February. The ground is frozen. Nothing is growing. It is cold.

We grit our teeth as we head for the grocery store, knowing that what we’ll find will have traveled several hundred miles and will not be cheap.

Pretty bleak?

It need not be.

While it is true that farmers cannot grow much in frozen soil, they still can offer foods grown, raised, or made at their farms. That is what the Saratoga Farmers Market brings you every Saturday. Even though the offerings and number of vendors are smaller at this time of year, there’s good stuff available for delicious meals throughout the week.

Consider:

Soups made with butternut squash, carrots, turnips, and potatoes. Gomez Veggie Ville and Lovin’ Mama Farms have these classic winter vegetables. Cook them with bone broths from King’s Creek Farm or simply water. For a creamy touch, give the soup a light puree with a blender, and then stir in some A2 milk from the Argyle Cheese Farmer. Put some microgreens from the Perfect Plant Farm on top.

A2 milk from Argyle Cheese Farmer, photo by Madison Jackson

Meats. Chicken, duck, goat, pork, beef, and veal are currently available. Think about roasts, stews, meatloaf, chili, casseroles, and burgers – just to get started. Farm-raised meat might seem expensive by the pound. However, many cuts are available in smaller packages, such as stew meats and chops. And our meat producers are good cooks who know how to prepare a larger cut, such as a roast or a whole duck or chicken, and also how to create marvelous second, third, or even fourth meals with leftovers. They’re happy to share their tips. Stop by the tables of Hebron Valley, Hepatica, Jireh, King’s Creek, Longlesson, and Squash Villa farms, and ask.
Homemade sides and treats. In addition to sweet and savory baked goods are stuffed dates, pickled beets and cabbages, jams, cheeses, granola mixes, and hummus. Combining farm-made foods with vegetables and meats can add a healthy, flavorful balance to winter meals. Look for such items at Kokinda Farms, Nightwork Bread, Puckers Gourmet Pickles, Parchment, Sweet Prophecy, and The Cookie Lab, among others.

And the days are getting longer, so popular items such as eggs, spinach, kale, and salad greens are becoming more available.
One trick for making the most of a farmers market visit both now and year-round: Treat your shopping list as a guide, not a rule. Take in all of what the market offers. Let yourself make changes and substitutions because you can. That’s what makes eating local possible and exciting, even in February.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Farmers’ market programs help keep fresh food affordable

August 10, 2022 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta

Summer is the season of abundance for fresh fruits and vegetables. However, for some, rising food prices might make this bounty harder to afford.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market seeks to bridge that gap through several initiatives.

This summer, the market is participating in a partnership between the Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan and Greenwich-based Comfort Food Community that makes $5 vouchers available to CDPHP members for shopping at the farmers’ market. Through the program, participants in CDPHP Medicaid plans can receive up to $100 in vouchers throughout the outdoor market season. The vouchers are redeemable for food items from participating vendors at the farmers’ market. Comfort Food Community representatives distribute vouchers at the market every other Saturday.

This program supplements the market’s year-round EBT token redemption program. Through this program, customers who own an EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card can exchange their SNAP benefits for farmers’ market tokens to purchase fresh foods, including fruit and vegetables, bread and baked goods, meat, fish, and poultry, dairy products, honey and maple products, and value-added foods like soup mixes, sauces, and jams and jellies. Herb plants and plants that produce food are also approved purchases with EBT coins. The market additionally offers SNAP incentive programs, such as FreshConnect, that provide extra coupons or tokens to spend, meaning customers receive more value than they spend. With FreshConnect, for every $5 a customer spends with their EBT benefits, they receive a $2 FreshConnect coupon to spend at the farmers’ market.

The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) also offers coupons in the summer months. Through this New York State program, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) participants and seniors can receive $5 coupons to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market. Our local WIC office distributes WIC coupons. Saratoga County Office for the Aging distributes senior coupons. Individuals aged 60+ with a limited income may pick up a booklet containing five $5 coupons (limit one per person).

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Pattie Garrett

Vendors cannot give change for items purchased with such coupons. However, many will work with you to ensure you receive that the goods you receive are of at least an equal value to the coupons used in making the purchase.

To use FMNP coupons at the market, look for the blue poster at participating vendors’ stalls or simply stop by the market information table for a complete list of farms accepting FMNP coupons. The FMNP season runs from June through October.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Blueberry compote recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Ways to enjoy blueberry compote with cornbread cookies:

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