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Slate Valley Farms

Sugaring Season is Changing, But So Are Producers

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By Olivia Glaser, SFM Intern

The New York State Plastic Bag Ban, which was implemented on March 1 under the Plastic Waste Reduction Law, continues the effort to reduce plastic waste introduced into the environment.  Plastic grocery bags are no longer available, and consumers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags for shopping.  For Gina Willis of Slate Valley Farms, post-consumer waste has been a hot topic with her maple and honey production.

Glass bottles at Slate Valley Farms, photo by Pattie Garrett

Willis sells maple in 16 and 32 ounce glass jars in addition to the standard plastic jugs of maple syrup. This reusable, zero-waste packaging works on a closed-loop system: customers put down a 50 cent deposit on their jars and when they bring them back, they can either get their 50 cents back or put it towards their next purchase.  Willis cleans the jars by boiling and sanitizing them in her autoclave machine.  She explains that her great grandmother also packaged syrup this way when she ran the family farm.  The packaging started as glass jars and switched to ceramic jugs, tins (which Willis still sells as a novelty product), and then plastic.

As I was talking to Willis at the Market, Julia, a customer of Slate Valley Farm stopped by to return her glass jar, calling choosing glass over plastic “the intuitive choice.” She chooses jars as they are reusable, recyclable, and she uses them to store granola at home before returning them.

Gina Willis from Slate Valley Farms, photo by Pattie Garrett

Willis has noticed a shift among her consumers, who are more concerned about their plastic use.  By giving them the chance to purchase a zero waste product, it’s win-win for her and the consumer.

Given the effect of our changing climate on her operation, Willis explains that “things have definitely changed” over the course of her life. The sugaring season used to start in March and run through April.  Now, the warmer season comes early and she can see the difference as early as January.  A long spring is necessary for a successful harvest, as temperatures must be freezing at night and above freezing during the day for the sap to run.  A maple season, which used to be about eight weeks long, can now be as short as three or four weeks.  “You need spring!” she emphasizes.

For Willis, sugaring is ultimately getting more expensive in addition to the climate-related difficulties.  “It’s testing me,” she explains, but adds enthusiastically that “I’ll always do this.”

This week’s recipe: Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Saratoga Farmers Market Gift Guide, Part 2: Gifts for Foodies

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By Emily Meagher

Last week we showed you farmers’ market items that make great gifts for the holidays. This week, our guide to help you find great local gifts continues with what the farmers’ market does best: food!

 

Saratoga Chocolate Co, photo by Pattie Garrett

The time leading up to Christmas can be stressful, with gifting opportunities left and right. First, there are stocking stuffers. These items are usually small, not too expensive, and should be shelf-stable. For a sweet item, try Slate Valley Farms’ miniature maple syrup containers, available in seasonal shapes like gingerbread men and log cabins. Or consider Saratoga Chocolate Co.’s chocolate Santas, peppermint bark, or truffles, for some indulgence. What about treating your pet a little too? Mugzy’s Barkery has seasonally decorated, bone-shaped peanut butter biscuits for your dog to enjoy.

 

Argyle Cheese Farmer, photo by Pattie Garrett

Then comes Christmas morning, which always seems to arrive in the blink of an eye. Prepare by stocking up on local gifts from the farmers’ market any Saturday before Christmas. Several of our farms offer gift packages, such as Argyle Cheese Farmer’s cheese variety baskets, yogurt combos, and a set dubbed “The Argyle Mile” which is full of goodies made within one mile of their cheese house. Or give a gift that will last through the year with Argyle’s “Cheese of the Month Club” where the recipient will receive a locally made cheese every month.

 

 

High Peaks Distilling, photo by Pattie Garrett

Then comes Christmas dinner, and if someone else is hosting you it might be nice to contribute a local food item to the feast. The farmers’ market has many great farms that sell meats such as fresh lamb, poultry, beef, and even more specialty meats like goat. Christmas time also brings even more selection to the market – how good does a local beef rib roast sound?! For after dinner, a bottle of local liquor will be welcomed by all. High Peaks Distilling, Yankee Distillers, and Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery all offer a unique set of products ranging from whiskeys to gins to cordials.

 

A local product always feels that much more special as a holiday gift. Our 50+ vendors offer an abundance of fantastic items, sure to please no matter what your loved one’s taste. In addition, several of our vendors (as well as the farmers’ market as a whole) offer gift certificates.

 

This week’s recipe: Mulled Apple Cider

Exploring the Sweet Side of the Farmers’ Market

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By Julia Howard

The Chocolate Spoon, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Beneath a dozen eggs and some carrots with sprawling greens lay some of the most delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted. The Chocolate Spoon was the last stop on my list this past Saturday, and the farmers’ market crowd was beginning to swell. Once the cookies were safely tucked away in my basket, I headed for my car.

Indulging in a sweet treat has become a part of my Wednesday or Saturday shopping ritual – a reward for working hard all week. The rewards vary. Last week, it was applesauce from Saratoga Apple. The apples, slowly and gently cooked, have the perfect chunky consistency and balance of sweetness and tart. With no sugar added, I felt like I was doing something good for myself. The week before that, my treat was Mrs. London’s famous buttery almond croissant. And, the week before that, I fondly recall rich, creamy chocolate milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery.

Slate Valley Farms, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Whatever farmers’ market sweets I choose to indulge in, they are always fresh, delicious, and an ode to quality, local ingredients. Perhaps that’s why they have become my shopping tradition. And, they are treats that I don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing myself.

Argyle Cheese Farmer, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Market sweets come in a variety of sizes to accommodate any desire or occasion. Satisfy a small craving with a honey stick from Slate Valley Farms or personal-sized Sweet Greek yogurt from Argyle Cheese Farmer. Looking for a larger quantity to share? Perhaps a pie from The Food Florist or cheesecake from Grandma Apples Cheesecakes. Tiramisu from Giovanni Fresco is some of the best you’ll try, and baklava from Euro Delicacies is authentic and sweetened with local honey. Dickinson’s Delights’ Nutella crepes are filled with seasonal fruit and make for a decadent and gooey dessert that could be eaten for breakfast.

Looking for gluten-free or dairy-free options? Farmers’ market vendors have those too.

What about the unique chocolate craving that we all succumb to? Saratoga Chocolate Company has a variety of handmade cocoa creations to satisfy that specific desire that must be met.

The next time you’re shopping at the farmer’s market, make time for something on the sweeter side. You’ll be glad you did.

For this week’s recipe, I leave you with chocolate chip zucchini muffins. They are cake-like, sweet, and satisfying with a healthy touch.

Sweets, Meats, and Other Easter Treats at Saratoga Farmers’ Market

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By Emily Meagher

Easter evokes images of eggs hunts and other community events. We invite you to make next Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market a part of these events. On Saturday, April 20, arrive early and fill your shopping bags and baskets with our fresh, locally grown, raised and produced foods.

Kokinda Farm Eggs, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Near the market entrance, look for the eggs. Not the edible ones – those come next – but rather the reusable gift containers, available while supplies last. Inside each will be a coupon offering a discount from one of the market vendors.

 

Now, for real eggs. Elihu, Kokinda, and Squashville farms are offering them in abundance. Check out their hues and try them for their fresh, farm-raised flavor. Keep an eye out, too, for rich duck and giant goose eggs.

Saratoga Chocolate Co. Easter Basket, photo courtesy of Saratoga Chocolate Co.

This weekend, the market also will be featuring chocolate eggs. Further in the market are such treats filled with maple cream and maple marshmallow at Slate Valley Farms. Other sweet treats include homemade marshmallows from The Chocolate Spoon, chocolates formed into nest and bunny shapes from the Saratoga Chocolate Co., hot cross buns from Mrs. London’s, and cheesecakes in a range of sizes and flavors from Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes.

That’s dessert. Now, let’s look for vegetables and main course meats.

Many vendors are offering Easter specials on their farm-raised meats: At Lewis Waite Farm, fresh and smoked ham roasts and steaks are five percent off. Longlesson Farm is offering 10 pounds of ground beef for $60 (instead of $80), and Mariaville Mushroom Men is taking 20 percent off its pork. If poultry is your preference, try Ramble Creek Farm’s turkey or Squashville’s chicken.

And there are the early spring vegetables to consider: Pea shoots from Saratoga Urban and Pleasant Valley farms, along with Pleasant Valley’s super-sweet spring parsnips. Storage vegetables remain abundant at Gomez Veggie Ville and Pleasant Valley, and mushrooms at Mariaville and Ramble Creek.

Looking for libations? Try Saratoga Apple’s farm-brewed hard and sweet ciders, spirits from Yankee Distillery, cyser from Ballston Lake Apiaries, Battenkill Valley Creamery milk and Something’s Brewing’s home-roasted coffees.

And, there’s more: apples, pickles, cheeses, and cured meats.

 

‘Coffee Lady’ Wakes Up Saturday Farmers’ Market with Her Special Brews

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

For many Saratoga Farmers’ Market regulars, Saturday morning starts with a stop at Something’s Brewing owned by Beth Trattel, aka “the coffee lady.” Trattel offers coffees made from beans that she roasts herself, teas, ciders, Italian sodas, and a range of other beverages, brewed out of Trattel’s imagination and willingness to do a little “homework.”

Roasted Coffee by Something’s Brewing. Photo by Pattie Garrett

“I’m here to support farmers,” she says. “To help them make a living.”

Trattel grew up in Argyle, on land adjacent to a dairy farm. Her father yearned to be a farmer, but her mother wanted a home with a sidewalk in front. Her father became a cooperative extension agent with a large garden on the side.

Trattel inherited her father’s love for growing flowers, berries, herbs, and simple greens. She began working in the restaurant industry at age 19, and in 2004, opened Something’s Brewing as a coffee shop in Greenwich. In 2008, Dave and Marge Randle, owners of Argyle Cheese Farmer, suggested she bring her brews to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

“They had nothing of the sort at that time,” she recalls.

Trattel uses and promotes market ingredients in her offerings: milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery, cider from Saratoga Apple, marshmallows from The Chocolate Spoon, maple syrup from Slate Valley Farm, to name a few.

She also creates ingredients on her own: She makes syrup for Italian sodas out of berries she grows and creates teas with flowers and herbs from her garden, gathering, dehydrating and blending them herself.

“I like experimenting,” says Trattel.

Real Maple Latte

In 2018, Trattel embarked on a new experiment. She began roasting her own coffee beans, creating hearty, flavorful blends. She now sells her blends in half-pound packets, giving customers who like their Saturday morning market coffee an opportunity to make their own at home.

“I enjoy roasting,” said Trattel. “It’s interesting to work with beans in this way.” 

As for her mother, she did get her house with a sidewalk when her parents retired and moved to a house in Ithaca, leaving their daughter to carry out her father’s passion for growing edible things.

Maple Syrup Pudding

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Adapted from the recipe by Schoolhouse Maple, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 4

 

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • ⅓ cup dark maple syrup*
  • 2 cups milk*
  • 3 Tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 large egg* yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon butter*

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Whisk syrup, milk, cornstarch, and egg in a saucepan. Cook on medium high heat for 8 minutes while continually whisking. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter.
  2. Pour in 4 individual dishes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

NOTES:

Top with whipped cream:

1 cup whipping cream (heavy cream*)

3 Tablespoons maple syrup*

Beat cream until soft peaks begin to form. Add maple syrup and continue beating until stiff peaks form.