downtoearthmarkets

[downtoearthmarkets]

Celebrated in April, Earth Month aims to raise awareness about environmental issues, encourage sustainable living, and mobilize people to take action to protect the planet we all call home.

This year the theme of Earth Month is "Our Power, Our Planet," emphasizing the need to transition to renewable energy sources. The food supply chain accounts for 11.5% of total annual U.S. fossil fuel use, making food production one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. While the number of U.S. farms with a renewable energy producing system increased by 15% from 2017-2022, there is still much room for improvement in this sector.

This means that what we choose to eat at every meal has significant implications for the health of the environment. Here’s why shopping at the farmers market is a great way to minimize your fossil fuel impact and associated carbon “foodprint” at every stage of the food production process.

🚜 On Farm: Primary food production encompasses animal feed production, chemicals, farm equipment operation, heating & cooling, representing 23% of annual energy expenditure

The first step in any food production is the initial cultivation or raising of food, whether it's crops (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, roots, tubers and nuts) or livestock (for meat, dairy and eggs).

Most supermarket produce and other crops are grown on industrial mega farms located in far-off places such as California and Mexico. These farms plant vast monocultures that require massive inputs of water and agrochemicals to grow. This causes biodiversity loss, air and water pollution, and soil degradation. Harvesting is done using giant pieces of agricultural machinery to automate and streamline the process.

In contrast, the produce sold in our farmers markets is cultivated on small, diversified farms. To protect the ecosystem and minimize environmental impacts from energy use, our farmers often hand-harvest crops and use a variety of regenerative agricultural techniques such as intercropping, cover cropping, reduced tillage, crop diversification, composting, and animal integration.

A wonderful example of animal integration is practiced by Great Joy Family Farm in Pine Bush, NY. They use a flock of ducks to help with weed and pest control in their rice paddies by the Wallkill River. The ducklings are command trained with a bell or voice signal to enter the paddies. They tear up weeds, eat snails, slugs and other insects, naturally fertilize the plants with their manure, and oxygenate the water and loosen the soil with their movements. After they get too big and the rice starts to flower, they’re taken to the farm for egg laying. In the winter, the birds are harvested and brought to market, which creates a fully closed-loop farming system.

Like Great Joy Family Farm’s ducks, the livestock on our farms lead a very different life to animals on industrial factory farms. Our farmers pasture-raise their cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other poultry, giving them unfettered access to the outdoors where they can forage for food, move around freely, and enjoy fresh air and sunshine whenever weather conditions allow.

🏭 Manufacturing/Processing: Handling, processing, packaging and storage is the biggest fossil fuel consumer at 42% of annual energy expenditure

After harvest, industrially produced food undergoes a high volume of handling, processing, packaging and storage to maintain quality, prevent spoilage and extend shelf life. Food can sit in storage and on supermarket shelves for weeks or months before it’s purchased and consumed. Additives, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors are often added to make it long-lasting. Excessive packaging in the form of plastic, glass, metal and paper is also necessary.

This stage of the production process is the biggest fossil fuel hog and emits major amounts of carbon into the atmosphere from running machinery, heating and refrigeration, and packaging manufacture. It also creates land and water pollution by injecting discarded plastic and other food packaging into the waste stream.

Alternatively, farmers market food has undergone minimal handling, processing and storage and typically arrives in the market only hours or days after harvest. Fresh produce is sold loose, while other products have little to no packaging. Many of our vendors will take back empty, rinsed glass containers for reuse. Additionally, we require shoppers to use their reusable totes and produce bags to further reduce plastic pollution.

🚛 Transport, Warehousing, Retail: Distributing and retailing represents 11% of total energy use

Industrially produced food often travels thousands of miles during its journey from production sites to distribution centers and then onto final retail locations. Distributors often have warehouses to store food products to maintain optimal conditions to ensure freshness and quality. Food may be repackaged or relabeled at distribution centers to meet specific retailer requirements or for shelf-life purposes. These activities require large expenditures of energy from burning fossil fuels which adds up to sizeable carbon emissions along the way.

Farmers market food is sold directly from the farmer to the consumer, which cuts out any need for corporate food distributors or other middlemen. Instead of retail supermarket brick & mortar structures that require heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting, our farmers markets take place outdoors using natural daylight and fresh air. Plus, most of our farms are located within 150 miles of the farmers market, which brings food miles, transportation time and associated energy use down to a minimum.

♻️ Consumption & Waste: Refrigeration, food prep, waste management consists of 24% of total annual energy use

The final stage of the food production process is where you come in! This stage encompasses the purchase, preparation, consumption, and disposal of food and food packaging by consumers.

The FDA estimates that between 30-40 percent of the U.S. food supply is wasted every year, amounting to 219 pounds of food waste per person. In fact, Americans throw away more food than any other country in the world, generating significant greenhouse gas emissions. According to the World Wildlife Federation, carbon emissions from wasted food in the United States is equivalent to that of 37 million cars.

By doing your grocery shopping at the farmers market, you are consciously choosing to select and buy food that has minimal environmental impact on the planet from field to fork. To make your purchasing power even more eco-efficient, cut down on food waste by buying only what you need and using up food you’ve already bought before it spoils. Of course, some food waste is inevitable, but you can backyard compost at home, use your municipal food scrap recycling service, or drop off food scraps in the collection bins at some of our farmers markets.

Given the outsized impact of industrial food systems on fossil fuel use and carbon emissions, farmers markets provide a vital alternative for sourcing local, seasonal and sustainable food. We wish you a happy Earth Month and look forward to seeing you in the farmers market this weekend.

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The first day of spring has officially sprung with the vernal equinox transpiring at 5:01am this morning! After a long winter marked by extreme weather events throughout our region, the change of season is a particularly welcome occurrence this year. For Down to Earth’s farmers, it means a host of springtime activities are already underway in fields, pastures, sheds and barns as life slowly emerges from its winter hibernation. Here’s a glimpse into some of what’s happening on our farms and how the seasonal transition will impact what you’ll find in the market this weekend and in coming weeks.  Egg Production The start of spring heralds egg-cellent developments with eggs! Chickens are light-sensitive, so their egg production is closely tied to the length of daylight. As spring arrives and daylight hours extend, hens are stimulated to lay more eggs. Chickens require twelve to fourteen hours of daylight to keep producing eggs, so natural egg production drops off precipitously during the winter. They reach their peak egg-laying potential when the day length reaches approximately 16 hours, which occurs around the summer solstice here in the northeastern United States.

Our farmers’ small flocks of free-range, pasture-raised hens enjoy time outdoors when the weather permits during winter daylight hours. This natural light is supplemented by barn lighting to provide them with adequate production exposure. Now that the longer days and warmer weather are here, they will spend most of their days pecking and foraging outside in the sunshine.

In contrast, battery farms keep their giant flocks inside under artificial lighting throughout the year to maintain consistent egg production at commercially optimal levels. This constant, intensive energy expenditure is one of the reasons these factory farms have an oversized environmental footprint. The hens living on these farms never see daylight or get outside in the fresh air to stretch their wings and engage in natural chicken behaviors.

While light is the primary factor, temperature also plays a role in egg laying. Chickens lay best in a comfortable range between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit, and extreme temperatures in either direction can negatively impact egg production. So, the arrival of longer days and spring temperatures mean that our poultry farmers should have greater egg supplies on hand now that the change of season has occurred. This is egg-citing news, don’t you agree?

Return to Pasture Livestock, including sheep and cows, are often brought in from pastures in the fall (around October) and remain in barns or shelters to protect them from harsh conditions such as cold, wind, and snow and lack of food availability during the winter months. As the weather warms and grass starts to grow, the animals are released back to graze in fields come early spring. After being cooped up inside for months eating hay and silage, the release to fresh pasture is a sight to behold with cows and sheep frolicking, kicking and jumping in the air from sheer joy and delight!

To protect the health of their farmland and surrounding ecosystems, our farmers often employ rotational grazing and other regenerative grazing practices. Rotational grazing is a land management practice which entails moving livestock between different pasture areas (paddocks) on a regular basis, allowing each area to rest and regrow, improving soil health, plant biodiversity and pasture quality.

Birthing and Newborns Most farm animals are naturally inclined to give birth in the spring, coinciding with forgiving weather and the peak of grass growth and other natural food sources. This means there are many adorable new arrivals cuddling with their mommas and taking their first wobbly, teetering steps on our livestock farms right now.

The availability of fresh, nutritious grass in the spring is directly linked to a boost in milk production in dairy sheep and cows. This, in turn, is great news for our cheese vendors who source their dairy from small, local farms. 

Transplanting To get a head start on the growing season, farmers initiate a wide variety of crops inside under the protective, controlled environments of grow rooms, greenhouses and polytunnels during late winter. With the arrival of spring and thawing of fields, cold-hardy plants including cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, onions, leeks, lettuce, spinach, and peas are ready to be hardened off and transplanted outside. These hardy seedlings can survive an errant frost with the protection of row covers while continuing to grow and mature.

A bevy of summer crops such as tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, melons, peppers and eggplant are also seeded indoors in early spring. The ambient climate for these delicate seeds must be monitored closely to provide the optimal amount of warmth, air and moisture required to trigger germination and prevent exposure to lingering cold. Artificial lighting can be used to supplement natural light and give seedlings extra hours of light a day. These warm-weather crops won’t be ready for transplanting into fields until after the last expected frost when the soil has warmed up and nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50°F.

As we celebrate the arrival of spring, there is much to look forward to before the growing season kicks into high gear. From a boost in egg and milk production to an abundance of newborn lambs, chicks and calves, spring on our farms truly is a time for renewal, rebirth and growth. We look forward to seeing you in the farmers market this weekend!

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May the luck of the Irish be with you as St. Patrick’s Day arrives next Monday! St. Patrick's Day was originally observed in Ireland with religious services and feasts in honor of the country’s patron saint. When Irish immigrants brought their traditions to the United States, the day evolved into a secular celebration of the Emerald Isle’s culture, people and heritage marked by parades, music, dancing, green attire, and a host of special Irish food and drinks.

Whatever your plans for this fun and festive holiday weekend, your Down to Earth farmers market will have an array of locally grown, sourced and produced goodies to make your St. Paddy’s Day spread as green, jolly and delicious as can be!

Irish Breakfast What better way to kick off your celebrations than a traditional Irish breakfast? This tasty meal likely evolved from its close counterpart, the full English breakfast, that became popular during the Victorian era with farm laborers needing substantial and energy-rich sustenance to fuel their grueling day’s work. The hearty fare typically features bacon, eggs, sausage, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, fried potatoes, and black and white pudding served with a side of soda bread or brown bread for soaking up the juices. The full Irish breakfast is a symbol of Irish hospitality and considered a great way to start the day on a strong note.

Your St. Paddy’s Day classic Irish breakfast will have extra appeal when this recipe is made with pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed meat and fresh, local veggies from the farmers market:

Ingredients for 2 servings:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 Goode & Local by Don Rodrigo Mangalitsa pork sausages

4 rashers Goode & Local by Don Rodrigo hickory-smoked bacon

1 large Jersey Farm Produce hothouse tomato

1 cup Mushrooms.NYC King Oyster mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon Maplebrook Farm butter

2 potato cakes made with Halal Pastures Farm potatoes

Wave Hill Breads brown bread, for toast

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Irish Stew The first Irish stew recipe dates to the 1600s when this simple, rustic preparation was made with just mutton, potatoes, and onions by shepherds and rural farmers who could access only a few ingredients but needed a hearty and nourishing meal. While it has evolved and adapted over time to include a variety of ingredients and cooking methods like in this recipe, it remains a classic dish to serve on St. Patrick’s Day or anytime you’re craving warming winter comfort food.

Irish Pies Pies have long been a part of Irish culinary tradition as a way to celebrate the bounty of the land while using up leftover ingredients, making them a practical and economical option. Noble Pies has a full menu of festive St. Paddy's Day-themed pies and traditional Irish goodies to make your life as easy as pie this weekend! Place your pre-order on their website for these delectable sweet and savory options:

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Onion & Leek Quiche

Sweet Leprechaun Pie

Green Key Lime Cream Pie

Green Chocolate Cream Pie

Irish Oatmeal Scones

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Coffee The Irish Coffee was born on a dark and stormy winter’s night in 1942 at Foynes Airbase on the wild west coast of Ireland. At that time, the airbase was a key refueling depot and stop-off for civilian air travel between Europe and the Americas, often welcoming Hollywood celebrities and other high-profile passengers. An airport restaurant was created to cater for these dignitaries who were often midway through their long journeys and in need of refreshments.

That famous night a passenger plane destined for New York was forced to return to Foynes due to severe weather over the Atlantic before making another flight attempt the next day. Upon hearing of the aircraft’s imminent return, head chef and bartender Joe Sheridan hastily prepared coffees mixed with brown sugar, Irish whiskey and cream to revive and comfort the cold and weary passengers. After sipping on the warming elixir, one of the passengers piped up and asked, “Are these Brazilian coffees?” to which Sheridan replied “No, they’re Irish coffees!”. And thus, the legend of Irish Coffee was born.  

Add some pep to your step this St. Patrick’s Day with this classic Irish coffee recipe featuring the bold flavor of Cano Coffee Company’s dark roast to offset and complement a shot of strong Irish whiskey. Cano Coffee Company’s beans are grown on small, family-owned microlots in the high mountains of El Huila, Colombia and roasted in New York. Their beans are handpicked at the fully developed stage by experienced cafeteros, then spring water washed and sundried to perfection.

Ingredients

1 cup hot, black, freshly brewed Cano Coffee Company Midtown Rush Dark

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 shot Irish whiskey of your choosing

Double cream

Directions

Heat a tall, traditional Irish coffee glass with boiling water.

Pour away the water, add the brown sugar and coffee and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Add a shot of whiskey to the coffee and stir slowly to mix.

Using a jug with a thin spout, pour cream slowly over the back of a warm spoon onto the coffee without breaking the surface until you reach the rim of the glass.

While you’re busy enjoying these classic Irish delights, we hope you find your lucky four-leafed clover and pot-o-gold at the end of the rainbow this St. Patrick’s Day weekend! We look forward to seeing you in the farmers market.

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The arrival of March is always a welcome event at Down to Earth Markets. Not only does it mean spring is almost here, it’s also our annual celebration of B Corp Month. Down to Earth Markets first became a Certified B Corporation™ in 2014. This important designation means that we hold ourselves to a higher standard of corporate responsibility by continuously prioritizing people and the planet over profits in everything we do. To achieve B Corp status, we voluntarily undergo a rigorous, yet rewarding, external third-party assessment every three years.

As a mission-driven Certified B Corp, Down to Earth Markets believes there’s a better path to a better world—one of action and purpose, inspiration and community. We are committed to contributing towards transforming our economic landscape into one that uses business as a force for good. We envision an economy that benefits everyone, not just a few; an economy that balances profit with purpose; an economy that embraces interdependence instead of individualism; an economy that values regeneration over extraction; an economy that addresses society’s most critical challenges like climate change and social inequity.

This year, B Corp Month is centered around the emerging generation of people who recognize the urgent need to reshape the pillars of capitalism to achieve this vision. Generation B (#GenB) refers to everyone in this cohort—no matter what their numerical age—working towards positive change and a more sustainable future for all. Our employees who direct their passions and dedicate their work efforts towards these goals form the backbone of this movement at Down to Earth Markets. In anticipation of B Corp Month, several of them recently shared their thoughts about what it means to be working for a Certified B Corporation.

Trisha, Larchmont Farmers Market Community Manager After Covid hit and the world shut down, it was important to me to realign my work to better reflect my values as a human being. A big part of that was looking at companies that are certified B Corps and who believe in that mission.

I love that Down To Earth Markets stands behind their mission to use business as a force for good, and this is reflected in our market on an ongoing basis. We believe in being good stewards of the earth and creating a community hub that furthers that ethos. From providing locally grown, farm fresh products to handcrafted and locally sourced food, our market is an important resource and community gathering venue for the greater Larchmont area.

Bryce, Larchmont Farmers Market Site Manager I think B Corp [certification] is important because it holds companies to high standards. B Corp ensures that certified companies have the right values benefiting employees and the community around them. By not only ensuring that companies treat their employees well but also making sure they are aware and thoughtful of their community, B Corp is setting the bar for other companies to have widespread impact on community.

To me, being employed by a certified B Corp company means being more involved with my community and meeting lots of new people. It also means a very positive work environment. Going into the future I think certified B Corps will play an important role in inspiring other businesses to have high ethical standards, and overall, increase the wellbeing of employees and consumers.

Jon Zeltsman, Owner For me business has always been about delivering an honest product. Being a benefit corporation with B Corp certification alerts our customers that we have values beyond profit, yet includes profit in the mix. We are conscious about not being a not-profit organization. Financial health is a precursor to being an economically sustainable company.

Being employed by a Certified B Corp matches my values. I feel that I am contributing to the many communities where we work and supporting the many small businesses that are our customers. In the future, being a Certified B Corporation would ideally bring attention to the fact that there is more to business than shareholder value. 

Kevin, Cunningham Park Farmers Market Community Manager I believe our status as a Certified B Corp isn't what provides value to our customers and clientele. It's the companies that make being a Certified B Corp status valuable. I'm glad that Down to Earth Markets has that status as an organized effort to show the world that our company believes in progressive, humanitarian ideals. But the value of our status will always be defined by our actions, not by our pedigree.

Being employed by a Certified B Corp gives me implicit permission to be the best person I can be at Down to Earth. It sets a standard that inspires me to think beyond my financial impact on the company. Professionally, it gives me a simple way to indicate to colleagues, clients, and new acquaintances what my values are, and hopefully, that can make them feel more at ease, more inspired to get on my level.

As industry work and environmental standards come under attack, being a Certified B Corp will mean more than it ever has. Hopefully, people will see that status and assume we are part of the solution. Still, it will mean that being a B Corp isn't about meeting a minimum standard but going above what is socially or politically acceptable in terms of how we treat workers, how we treat the environment, and how we treat our communities.

We invite you to celebrate along with us as we observe B Corp Month and look forward to seeing you in the farmers market.

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Halal Pastures Farm is a diversified organic farm located in the famous black dirt region of Orange County, NY. Farmers Samer and Diane firmly believe in sustainable agriculture and that soil health is the most important ingredient for producing a healthy crop. We recently chatted with Diane to learn more about their approach towards farming and the certified organic produce, eggs and pastured halal meats they offer.

How did Halal Pastures Farm get started? We started our farm out of a need to provide our growing family with wholesome food. Back in 2011, Samer read an article that Egypt rejected several tons of corn from the USA because it was genetically modified. That was the first time we heard of the word GMO (Genetically Modified Organism). We looked to our own faith to understand what kinds of food we are supposed to be eating. We discovered that, as Muslims, we are supposed to be eating food that isn’t just halal, but also Tayyab – which means wholesome, pure and good. We rejected GMO foods and wanted to feed our family wholesome food. Since we couldn’t find the food we needed to feed our family, we started making it ourselves.

Were you always farmers or did you have other interests and careers before becoming farmers? Diane is a lawyer and Samer is in finance. We are first generation farmers. Diane stopped practicing law to focus on the farm. We also homeschool our children. There is a statistic that 70% of farmers have income from a non-farm source, and we are no exception to that. Our careers helped support the farm and Samer continues to work his other job to sustain it.

As your name implies, Halal Pastures Farm produces halal meats and meat products. What does that mean exactly for those who aren’t familiar with halal? In Islam, halal just means permissible. If something is halal, it means it is permissible to do, consume or use. When it applies to meat, it means that the meat was slaughtered in accordance with Islamic rules.

What are your main flagship products? Our main products are halal meat, vegetables and eggs.

Do all your shoppers follow halal? Or do you have non-halal shoppers? Everyone shops from us [including people who are not following halal]. The common theme amongst everyone who buys from us is that they really appreciate good food made with intention.

Halal Pastures Farm is a diversified farm which means you grow a variety of crops and animals on a single farm. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach to farming? In terms of geography, our farm is spread out across Orange County. The crops that we don’t sell or are spoiled are saved and given to the chickens to eat. And we are experimenting this year with using the manure from our chickens as fertilizer for the soil in which we grow our crops. We also work with farmers throughout upstate NY who raise the animals organically and in accordance with their life cycle.

Halal Pastures Farm grows a lot of different types of fresh produce. How many different varieties of fruits and vegetables do you currently grow? We are currently growing around 600 varieties of vegetables and fruits. We try to grow varieties that are unique and different to what you would find in a supermarket. For instance, [this past summer] we grew a yellow pointy tomatillo called Chupon de Malinalco1. We grew an eggplant called Rosa Bianca2 and a tomato called Orange Strawberry3. We also grew a fruit called the husk cherry4 that people just loved. 1Chupon de Malinalco is an heirloom Mexican tomatillo that grows up to four inches long. It’s lemon yellow in color with a cone, slightly heart-shape and tapered tip. It tastes sweet and fruity with a slightly tart taste. It’s great for making salsas and can be enjoyed fresh. 2Rosa Bianca is an Italian heirloom variety of eggplant noted for being particularly creamy and tender. 3Orange Strawberry is a German heirloom tomato variety that produces large, bright orange fruit shaped like strawberries or oxhearts with a meaty flesh and sweet, rich flavor. 4A husk cherry, also known as a ground cherry, is a small, sweet fruit that grows in a papery husk. They are related to tomatoes and tomatillos. Their exotic, mild flavor has been compared to a cross between tomato, mango and pineapple.

You have an extensive network of greenhouses that allow you to grow through the colder months. Are your greenhouses heated or unheated or both? We have both heated and unheated greenhouses in which we are currently growing winter greens and spring greens including kale, chards, mustards and spinach. We overwinter our greens because it concentrates the minerals in the vegetables and makes them taste sweeter.

Halal Pastures Farm is a certified organic farm. Does this refer to all your products? Our produce and eggs are certified organic. Our meats are certified organic and/or 100% grass-fed and grass finished.

What are some of Halal Pastures Farm's newest products and value-added products? We have many new products that have come down the pike. We have introduced organic halal chicken bone broth, smoked organic chicken breast (its nitrate and nitrite free), tomato sauce, jams (strawberry, rhubarb, and ground cherry ginger flavors), pickles, tomatillo salsa, harissa, garden pickles and pickled beans.

What are some of your best-selling products? Thankfully, all our products do well. The eggs are a top seller right now.

What are some of Halal Pastures Farm’s plans for the future? We hope to one day purchase land that is large enough to house our full farming operation.

Is there anything else you’d like our shoppers to know about Halal Pastures Farm? We work really hard, love what we do and take our work seriously. We are loyal to our customers and hope to always produce food that is wholesome and good for them.

Thank you, Diane, for taking the time to talk with us and sharing more about your farming philosophy and operations. Find Halal Pastures Farm and their wide range of certified organic products and halal meats on Sundays year-round at our Park Slope Farmers Market and during the summer season at our Cunningham Park Farmers Market.

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As frigid temperatures abound, it seems that Punxsutawney Phil was accurate when he predicted six more weeks of cold weather after seeing his shadow earlier this month. However, there is still reason to take heart as February is the last full month of winter and our clocks spring forward in only a couple of weeks’ time. While we eagerly await the return of warmth and sunshine, let’s not forget to relish the all-star lineup of late winter produce that’s reaching peak season in the farmers market right now. 

What a Sweetheart February is the month of love and heart health awareness, so what better winter vegetable is there to enjoy than aptly named sweetheart cabbage? Also known as Hispi, sugarloaf, pointed or conehead cabbage, sweetheart cabbage hails from the fertile plains of Germany’s Filder region where it’s been cultivated since ancient times. If you’re not a fan of stronger-tasting cabbage, this petite, heart-shaped brassica is sure to melt your heart and your taste buds with its delicate, remarkably sweet, subtle flavor.

Ever since The New York Times declared cabbage to be cool again, sweetheart cabbage and its cruciferous siblings have been having a moment while popping up on the menus of renowned fine-dining restaurants everywhere. Because its tender green leaves are softer, less dense and cook faster than those of ordinary white cabbage, sweetheart cabbage is more easily digestible and extremely versatile for use in many dishes.

Charring sweetheart cabbage is a delicious way to coax out its natural sweetness and create an umami-laden, caramelized exterior. Pick up one of these cruciferous cuties from the farmers market this weekend and enjoy making this quick, easy and heart-healthy recipe. If you can’t find sweetheart cabbage, a medium-sized head of white cabbage will work well too.

Just Beet It Beets do best in cool weather and can tolerate light frost so many varieties can be grown inside cold frames and unheated greenhouses during late winter. With their brilliant red, purple and golden jewel tones, beets are chockfull of pigments called betalains that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Thanks to their superfood status, beets have been steadily gaining in popularity over recent years to become winter produce darlings of the farmers market. While roasted beets are perhaps the most common and popular preparation in this country, these English-style marinated beets, that I grew up on and still delight in to this day, offer a simple way to quickly transform an underrated veggie into a bright, tangy and peppy dish:

Ingredients

1 bunch (4 or 5) farmers market red beets

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Remove greens from beets and save for future use, if in good condition (they can be cooked like Swiss chard). Scrub beets free of any dirt.

Place beets in saucepan and cover with water by about an inch. Bring beets to a boil on high heat then lower heat and maintain a simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, until they are easily pierced with a fork.

Drain beets and rinse with cold water. Use your fingers to slip the peels off beets. The peels should come off easily. Quarter or slice the beets.

Make vinaigrette by whisking together balsamic vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and dry mustard with a fork. Adjust to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine beets and vinaigrette in a bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Enjoy on the spot and cover and store any leftovers in fridge.

Eat your Greens! A staple in Southern cuisine, collard greens taste best in winter due to a phenomenon known as cold sweetening. When exposed to cold temperatures, the collard plant naturally converts its starches into sugars to act as a protective antifreeze that lowers its freezing point. This survival mechanism allows collard greens to withstand frigid temperatures and makes them taste sweeter and less bitter after a frost.

Like other leafy greens, collards are a fantastic source of calcium, folate, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, B2, B6, C and K. While many people consider kale to be king when it comes to leafy green nutrition, collard greens actually contain 18% more calcium than kale, making them a delicious way to promote bone health during the winter.

Enjoy this classic southern recipe for collard greens using ingredients from the farmers market:

Ingredients for 8 servings

1 pound washed and chopped farmers market collard greens

4 bacon slices, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 pinch cayenne pepper

5 cups water, or more as needed

Directions Combine collard greens, bacon, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a stockpot. Pour in enough water to cover greens completely. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer until greens are very tender, about 2 hours. 

February is often overlooked as a great month for enjoying a full all-star lineup of locally grown winter produce from the farmers market. Unlike most grocery store produce, the arrays of colorful, crisp vegetables at our farmstalls are sold much closer to the time they were picked and have traveled minimal distances which helps preserve freshness, flavor and nutrient-value.

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The February deep freeze has settled in with its hard baked, greyed out landscapes. The earth outside lies encrusted with snow and ice, seemingly dormant while patiently waiting to thaw back to life. As we dream of spring, now is the perfect time to take refuge in your cozy kitchen, delighting in comforting, warming and flavorful winter dishes!

Flavor bases formed by aromatic vegetable trios provide the foundation for a range of nourishing and healthy cold weather fare. These culinary starters leverage the heft of winter’s fresh produce while adding taste, texture and visual appeal to a variety of homecooked meals. While different regions of the world have their own unique twists and variations, these four classic flavor bases connect and anchor them all.

Mais Oui: French Mirepoix The best-known flavor foundation used in Western cooking is mirepoix, a fragrant trio of diced onions, celery, and carrots. Mirepoix is a long-standing part of traditional French cuisine and is used as a base in a wide variety of dishes, including stocks, soups, stews, and sauces. The term was popularized in 18th century France by the Duke of Mirepoix’s personal chef, who promoted the combination as a cooking technique to bring flavor to many dishes.

The correct recipe for mirepoix is a ratio of two parts onions, one part carrots, and one part celery, with bouquet garni herbs like bay leaf, thyme and parsley often added. The mixture is cooked slowly over very low heat in either butter or oil to sweeten and release the vegetables’ flavors without coloring or browning them.

This Pioneer Woman recipe for delicious White Bean & Bacon Soup uses a classic mirepoix to set the stage for the introduction of its heartier, richer ingredients: 

1 lb. dried white beans

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 lb. thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 bay leaves

Chopped, fresh parsley, (optional)

Muy Bien! Spanish Sofrito Sofrito, which means “to lightly fry” is Spain’s answer to France’s mirepoix. This savory sauce is based on a triad of aromatic vegetables that grow well in southern Europe’s hotter, drier climate – garlic, onion, and tomato. The three are sautéed together in olive oil until they become soft, sweet and caramelized. Sometimes bell peppers and fresh herbs such as cilantro, parsley, thyme and oregano are added.

Sofrito is common throughout Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Latin American cuisines. There are many regional variations which form the rich flavor base for iconic rice-based dishes including Spanish paella, Colombian arroz con pollo and Puerta Rican arroz con gandules. It also features heavily in soups, empanadas, egg dishes, and stews.

Break out a large frying pan and try your hand at making this traditional Spanish paella using a sofrito base, Hudson Valley grown rice, locally caught seafood and other fresh ingredients from the farmers market.

Gutten Essen: German Suppengrün Literally meaning "soup greens," suppengrün is a German flavor base typically consisting of three key ingredients -- carrots, celery root (celeriac), and leeks. This triumvirate is a staple in German cooking and is used to infuse deep flavor in many traditional recipes such as creamy potato soup, hearty broths and Fuhrmannsbraten, a braised beef roast. Bulbs of knobby celeriac are a fixture in the farmers market right now as it’s harvested in late fall and in season till early spring. Be sure to remove its tough, fibrous skin before using celeriac in any recipe.

Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler! Creole “Holy Trinity” Reshuffle the ingredients from the other traditional flavor bases and you have yourself the “Holy Trinity” made from equal parts onion, bell pepper and celery. When sautéed together, the medley lends color, natural sweetness and brightness to everything it touches. This Southern belle of a culinary combination originates from Louisiana and underpins quintessential Creole and Cajun concoctions such as jambalaya, gumbo, and crawfish étouffée.

All four of these traditional flavor bases, as well as their variations from around the world, are nutritious, healthy and consist of ingredients that are easy to find in the farmers market right now. Using these tried, tested and true culinary classics as the building blocks in a range of hearty winter fare is a great way to insert rich flavor, color and texture into your recipes straight from the outset.

[downtoearthmarkets]

Love is in the air as Cupid’s favorite day of the year swoops in upon a heart-tipped arrow next Friday! The exact origins and history of Valentine’s Day are muddled and remain cloaked in legend since the holiday became widely popularized during the 18th Century. One story goes that the celebration of love is named after a Christian priest named Valentine who performed secret wedding services for soldiers who were forbidden to marry in the Roman Empire at that time. He is said to have been executed by Claudius II on February 14 in the 3rd Century CE, with his martyrdom honored by the Catholic Church on the feast of Saint Valentine.

Whether you choose to celebrate romantically or platonically with Valentine’s, Galentine’s, Palentine’s or Singles’ Awareness Day, your Down to Earth farmers market will have a bounty of locally sourced, sustainably produced love-themed goodies to make the perfect present for everyone on your gift list this year.

Heart Baked Tell your valentine “I Loaf You” with a basket brimming with freshly baked treats from the farmers market. These artisanal goodies feature real-food ingredients, showcase deft craftsmanship and many prioritize whole, local grains and natural ingredients to enhance their nutritional value and nutrient bioavailability.

Melting Hearts Everywhere Chocolate is synonymous with Valentine’s Day because it’s not only delicious, it can also boost your mood, induce euphoria and benefit your health. Dark chocolate can even help keep your ticker healthy as it contains flavonoids including a particular subtype called flavanols that is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Pick up some direct-trade craft chocolate at the farmers market in the form of a bar, bonbon, cookie or chocolate croissant!

Olive You! Plan a romantic spread with a loaf of artisan bread, charcuterie, cheeses and a dipping bowl of zingy olive oil brought directly from family groves in Greece and California, or kick off your evening with cocktails and nibbles, including a variety of gourmet olives from our pickle makers.

Love on the Half Shell Are you planning to open a bottle of bubbly to celebrate on this all-too-rare Friday Valentine’s Day? Channel your inner Casanova by treating your valentine to a romantic champagne dinner at home featuring this quick and easy recipe for Roasted Oysters with Garlic-Parsley Butter:

Ingredients:

24 oysters (in the shell)

1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon roasted garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Valentine’s Day offers the perfect opportunity to support your local farms, artisans and food makers. With so many delicious, locally sourced choices for gift giving, the farmers market is sure to have something uniquely special and heartfelt with which to delight your special someone. We look forward to seeing you at the market.

[downtoearthmarkets]

Here’s some fun football trivia: did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day for food consumption in the United States after only Thanksgiving?! In fact, people eat more snacks during the big game than on any other day in the year. For many Americans, the Super Bowl is not just a watch party to cheer on their chosen team, it’s a time to get together with friends and family while enjoying their favorite comfort foods, snacks and drinks.

With two more farmers markets before the big day you have time to plan an enticing combo of fun and healthy snacks, all with a local twist!  So, hustle straight to the farmers market this weekend. We’ll have plenty of great options to help you have a food-ball with your football because the sport’s biggest showdown of the season is rushing in for a tackle on February 9th.

Hail Mary or Bloody Mary? A staple of Sunday NFL Countdown brunches across the country, the Bloody Mary is thought to have been invented by a young bartender named Fernand “Pete” Petiot at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1921. Dr. Pickle’s recipe for spicy game day bloodies is your ‘License to Dill’ for the ultimate Super Bowl cocktail. It's fun and flavorful enough that you can skip the vodka if that’s your preference.

Hot Pepper Mary

Ingredients:

Dr. Pickle Hot Pepper juice

1 lime wedge

3 ounces vodka

4 ounces tomato juice

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 farmers market celery heart stalk

Dr. Pickle jalapeno stuffed olive skewer for garnish

Directions

Fill an ice cube tray with hot pepper brine and freeze (this recipe skips regular ice as it waters down the drink).

Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake thoroughly. Pour into a highball glass.

Drop in a few hot pepper ice cubes and garnish with olives and celery.

Enjoy your Bloody Mary that will get even tastier as the ice melts!

Chips, Dips & Drop Kicks It wouldn’t be a Super Bowl party without a few bowls of assorted chips & dips to satiate the cheering hordes!

Grab some bags of salty, crunchy tortilla chips as Halal Pastures Farm has just launched a brand-new tomatillo salsa. This special salsa features a blend of their own farm-grown tomatillos including Chupon de Malinalco, an heirloom tomatillo variety that can grow up to four inches long and is known for its tropical fruity, sweet-tart flavor.

Taiim Shack Mobile’s line of freshly made, nutritious hummus features seasonal flavors to entice your Super Bowl guests and have them coming back for more. Choose from a full menu of party favorites including Cilantro, Roasted Garlic, Truffle Oil, Spicy Red Pepper and Artichoke. Don’t forget a few packs of Taiim’s crispy Seasoned Pita Chips in Za'atar or Mashiseo for dipping.

Labneh is a thick, creamy yogurt-based dip that’s popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. White Moustache Yogurt’s labneh is made from their same Persian yogurt recipe but strained for longer to remove more whey for a thicker, shareable dish. Wow your Super Bowl guests by picking up some of their delicious labneh in Plain, Shankleesh and Kurdish flavors to serve with crispy pita chips for easy dipping.

If chips and dip are not your sports-watching snack-of-choice, Great Joy Family Farm grows peanuts on their diversified farm in Pine Bush, NY that they harvest and sell in their shells! Inshell peanuts have been a popular baseball snack since the late 1800s but, after the 1990 Super Bowl halftime show featured costumed dancers dressed up as Peanuts characters, they have become a ubiquitous refreshment sold at football stadiums too.

Winging It Chicken wings, especially Buffalo wings, have been considered the quintessential Super Bowl food since the Buffalo Bills played in the big game for four consecutive years in the early 1990s. Great Joy Family Farm's and Yellow Bell Farm's chicken wings come from happy, healthy, pasture-raised birds whose delicious meat will make the perfect party pleaser in this healthier version of the classic recipe:

½ cup Great Joy Family Farm soft wheat flour

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

10 Great Joy Family Farm or Yellow Bell Farm chicken wings

2 tablespoons Maplebrook Farm butter

¼ cup hot sauce

1 dash ground black pepper

1 clove farmers market garlic, minced

Heaping portion of refreshing, crunchy farmers market celery and carrot sticks for counterbalance

With all these locally grown and produced ideas and options for healthier game day snacking, you can rest assured that you and your guests won’t go hungry on Super Bowl Sunday! So, get ready to score one heck of a tasty touchdown and we look forward to seeing you in the farmers market this weekend. 

[downtoearthmarkets]

There’s been much froth about broth since bone broth in its many forms and applications exploded onto the food scene in the mid-2010s. In recent years, this ancient cooking staple has expanded beyond the kitchen and into the limelight due to a surge in its popularity amongst health and wellness advocates and the rise of diets emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods.

Amid the brothy brouhaha, if you’ve ever scratched your head and wondered what the differences are between bone broth, stock and regular broth, you’re not alone! While there are some notable distinctions, all three of these warming, nourishing liquids are culinary essentials that deliver an ideal way to maximize every animal harvest and minimize the creation of food waste both in commercial settings and your own kitchen.

Regular Broth: The OG Ah, broth. Just its very name conjures up cozy meals and other home comforts on these cold winter days. Regular broth is made by simmering meat or fish and other protein trimmings, vegetables, seasoning, and possibly a few bones, in water for a short period of time, typically less than two hours. The resulting amber liquid is clear, lightly colored and mild in flavor.

Chicken broth is the most common and well-known type of broth. Many chefs think of chicken broth as savory-flavored water since it has the same consistency but will add depth and taste to many recipes. You can use regular broth for blanching, poaching, boiling, thinning a sauce, or as the foundation for a stew or soup that doesn’t need much added texture or a super-rich flavor base.

Because it’s a clear liquid made from simple, plain ingredients, chicken broth is often used as a home remedy for common illnesses. It’s considered good to sip on when sick because it's hydrating, contains important electrolytes, and has small amounts of essential vitamins and minerals. Warm chicken broth can be particularly soothing for a sore throat, help reduce congestion, and replenish fluids lost during gastrointestinal illness without irritating the digestive tract. Athletes also use chicken broth for hydration and electrolyte replacement both during and after their workouts.

Chicken broth is straightforward, quick and easy to make at home using pasture-raised chicken and winter vegetables from the farmers market. Just follow this recipe to make your own.

From Good Stock Unlike regular broth which focuses on meat for its flavor and is cooked for a short length of time, stock is made by simmering animal bones for several hours to extract the protein, nutrients and flavor. Stock is thicker, darker and cloudier than broth, which is typically lighter colored and thinner. Many cooks strip away all the meat from the bones before including them in stock, as meat can make it murky and oily.

Adding an acidic ingredient such as wine, lemon juice or vinegar to a stock will accelerate the breakdown of cartilage and other connective tissue in the bones while it cooks. When chilled, a good stock will become thick and gelatinous due to its high collagen content. Although the term “vegetable stock” is now widely used in modern culinary circles, stock traditionally refers to a liquid made from animal bones. However, vegetable stock can be easily substituted for bone-based stock in a variety of meat-free dishes.

Stock is a key ingredient in many winter dishes as its deep, umami flavor and rich mouthfeel forms the backbone of deliciously tasty soups, stews, gravies, sauces and more. Because it’s made from bones and vegetable scraps which would otherwise be discarded, making stock is a great method for reducing the creation of food waste in your kitchen.

One of the easiest ways to procure enough bones for making homemade stock is to save the carcass from a whole roast farmers market chicken. As soon as the chicken has been picked clean, strip off any remaining meat to save for use in other recipes and follow the directions in this link.

If you regularly eat bone-in meat, develop a habit of freezing and saving the large, nutrient-rich bones. Once you’ve reached critical mass, you can make a meat stock by following the same steps above but cooking for longer as bigger, denser bones require several hours of additional simmering time to extract their goodness and flavor.

Bone Broth: Make No Bones About It While some have labeled bone broth as a fashionable fad food and marketing hype, this liquid elixir has been around for thousands of years. Bone broth combines the best ingredients of both stock and regular broth as bones, meat, and sometimes skin or other trimmings go into the recipe, which also features a higher ratio of bones and meat to water.

Many hours and sometimes days of cooking are required for bone broth to reach its thick, dark, rich consistency. The ultra-long cooking time breaks down the bone collagen into gelatin and glycine which are considered especially beneficial for the body. It also contains minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and magnesium, and vitamins A and K2. Bone broth’s nutrient-dense profile lies behind its status as a popular health food and it’s believed to support joint health, digestion, and immunity.

Taking inspiration from his Korean heritage, Edlin Choi, the founder of Reclamation Foods, turns unused animal parts from local farmers into a line of nourishing foods and drinks that maximize every animal harvest. Their award-winning Korean bone broth, a 2024 Good Food Award Winner and a 2024 Shelfie Awards Finalist, is part of a range of pantry staples. Their flagship collection features beef and pork bone broths made with just two ingredients: bones and water, meant to be seasoned by you. Their deliciously rich broth is great for sipping, cooking, and even using in lattes and smoothies! 

We hope this helps clarify the different ingredients, cooking times and flavors that form the basis of bone broth, stock and regular broth. While these terms are often used interchangeably, there are some important distinctions that set each apart and make them uniquely suited for certain uses and recipes. However, a common characteristic amongst all three is that these deliciously savory tonics form a wonderful foundation for warming winter dishes of many kinds. Bon appétit and we look forward to seeing you in the farmers market this weekend.

[downtoearthmarkets]

Pastry chef Tanya Ponder is the one woman wonder behind Via Piante, a gluten-free bakery producing delicious, nutrient-dense breads and other baked goods that she sells through our farmers markets. Ponder spent five years working under Michelin-starred chefs including Daniel Boulud, Michael White and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Via Piante is the evolution of Sundae Fundae, her original enterprise that was reinvented and rebranded in early 2024. She recently took the time out of her busy schedule to chat with us about her background and personal journey inside the world of professional baking.

How did your interest in baking get started? I have always loved to bake. It all started with a lower-level cabinet in the far corner of my childhood kitchen, which became my favorite “toy box”. In my child’s eye, the cabinet contained a treasure trove of recipes: a mix of handwritten notecards, newspaper clippings, magazines, and recipe books. There was also a very eclectic blend of new and old-world baking equipment that my mother inherited from her grandmother and brought with her when the family immigrated to the U.S. from Croatia.

I absolutely loved to rummage around in the cabinet, looking at the old pictures and reading the recipes. Inevitably, I would demand that we bake one of the recipes, or at the very least, have my mother explain how the odd tools like the rosette irons, engraved rolling pins, and antique cookie presses were used. I continued to bake with both my grandmothers on every visit and with every babysitter who would let me.

You attended cooking school and worked under Michelin-starred chefs. What were those experiences like? I loved baking school. I went to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) in Napa Valley, and it very much felt like a nine-month vacation in a gorgeous setting surrounded by mountains and rolling vineyards. Class was rarely intense, but we touched on everything from beginner breads to ultra-fancy wedding cakes and traditional European pastry techniques to modern “New American” baking.

In 2013, I moved to New York City and worked for some notable chefs and restaurants such as Daniel, Marea and Jean-Georges. Restaurant work was very tough, and ultimately not for me. I learned a lot of discipline from the traditional French brigade system, saw some incredible artistry and tasted meals that I will remember for the rest of my life. However, the long hours, combined with the rather extreme treatment of young cooks, were more than I could take.

As a child, I was taught not to quit, so I stayed with it and spent a little over a decade in the restaurant industry and I eventually advanced. However, for me, baking and cooking are acts of self-care and nurturing of others, and I could not reconcile that mindset with the reality of behind-the-scenes restaurant work. So, when the pandemic struck, I welcomed the opportunity to build something more in line with my own values.

What was the main driver behind rebranding from Sundae Fundae to Via Piante? When I started Sundae Fundae, I had never worked for myself. After years working for some very hard-driving chefs, I just wanted to have fun (hence the name) and explore my own creativity. Unfortunately, that’s not a great strategy for growing a business. Eventually, choices must be made, and processes must be streamlined. I also couldn’t make the economics of small-batch ice cream work as its production, storage and distribution are all very expensive. As much as I loved it, I simply couldn’t see a path forward with that as my main product.

From the beginning, I had offered gluten-free and gluten-full pastries alongside the ice cream. This stemmed from my restaurant experience, where we were required to offer gluten-free choices on the menu. However, I had never really had the time to explore it. The more I started to tinker with gluten-free baking, the more interested I became in it. Most of the specials that I brought to market were gluten-free because I was really enjoying the challenge of creating gluten-free versions of classic treats. From a professional point of view, it was like having to completely relearn my craft, which I found very exciting.

Before I knew it, the gluten-free items were outselling my gluten-full ones. Then those same customers started asking me to make bread. I brought a few items out quickly in response, but I wasn’t happy with the results. So, I decided to keep it behind the scenes for a while. My ciabatta was the first recipe that I was truly excited about, and it took about a year to develop.

Have your Sundae Fundae customers followed you during this rebranding? Have you gained new customers too? Yes, and yes! Even the ones who can eat gluten!

What is gluten and why do some people need to avoid it, and others choose to avoid it? Gluten is a protein found in every variety of wheat including emmer, einkorn, spelt, farro, durum, khorasan and kamut. It’s found in all wheat-derived products such as bran, berries, bulgur, germ and graham flour. It’s also found in rye, barley and some oats (depending on farming and harvesting practices). Certified gluten-free oats are available.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects about 1% of the population. People with this disease must avoid gluten because it damages their small intestine and prevents them from absorbing nutrients from food. There are other medical reasons to avoid gluten, including IBS and gastrointestinal irritation caused by gluten sensitivity and intolerance.

The reason I most often hear cited from those who chose to eat a gluten-free diet is that they are avoiding the pesticides, specifically the glyphosate found in American grown wheat. Glyphosate is found in the herbicides used to keep pests away from grains while growing and is also sprayed on wheat as a harvest accelerant to speed up the drying process and get this high-demand product to market faster.

Do you follow a gluten-free diet? I am not medically required to follow a gluten-free diet. However, I love the bread that I make and enjoy it regularly. I have noticed that I feel more energetic and less lethargic when I stick to my own bread. I’m not a nutritionist, but I attribute this to the high quantity of whole grains in the breads that I bake, which makes them a slow burning carb. In contrast, when I eat the shelf-stable white breads in grocery stores, I always get a sugar crash.

How do you bake without using grains that contain gluten? What are some substitutes for gluten-containing grains? My favorite grain to use for its flavor is amaranth, an ancient grain. I also like to use both buckwheat and millet in moderation, as they can get bitter when used alone. A blend of brown and white rice flour helps to mellow them out.

I rely mostly on psyllium as a binder. It’s become very popular, especially when baking bread. Via Piante is a gum free bakery, but xanthan and guar gum are both very effective ingredients as well. There are others, but I can’t give away all my secrets 😉.

Are some heritage and ancient grains a good, and perhaps healthier, substitute for traditional grains? Yes, heritage grains have not been modified to maximize caloric output. They are classified as “largely unchanged over the last 100 years,” according to the Whole Grains Council. This renders them higher in nutrients such as omega-3’s, B vitamins, and zinc. They are also higher in fiber and richer in minerals such as manganese, iron and magnesium.

Can people who aren’t gluten-free enjoy Via Piante’s products? Yes, our products are made with everyone in mind, and I have many loyal customers who do not need to eat gluten-free.

Do you use locally grown grains and other ingredients in Via Piante’s products? We use locally grown produce in our crostatas and muffins whenever possible. There are very few certified gluten-free grains grown and produced locally, so most of those are sourced from Canada and the north Midwest. The only exception is Birkett Mills Buckwheat. There are some locally grown oats, but they are not certified gluten-free so we would not be celiac safe if we sourced those.

What are some Via Piante customer favorites? OMG the crostatas…I can barely keep up with the demand for them. The plum and the apple are seasonal favorites. Our ciabatta has been a best-seller since day one, and our faux rye bread is also very popular.

Thank you, Tanya, for sharing this glimpse inside the inner workings of Via Piante. You can find Via Piante and their range of artisanal gluten-free breads and other baked goodies at our Morningside Park farmers market every Saturday this winter.

[downtoearthmarkets]

It’s a brand-new year which means industry soothsayers have peered into their crystal balls to bring us their best predictions for the top 2025 food trends. As we’ve traditionally done at the outset of each year, we’ve looked at what the forecasts and projections show and how these overall trends might influence what people choose to consume in the coming months. While locally grown, sustainably produced and nutrient dense foods will always be the hallmark of Down to Earth’s farmers markets, here are some notable trends that are worth exploring to help introduce diversity to your table and keep dishes fresh, fun and interesting.

Super Saucy  Who doesn’t relish extra sauciness? According to New York Times food critics, sauces will be a national obsession in 2025, especially those with global flavors. Thanks to the surge in post-pandemic travel that exposed people to a wider range of international cuisines and exotic foods, consumers’ palates have broadened as they seek to recreate the tastes they experienced while vacationing abroad.

Sauces are a great way to insert flavor, moisture, and visual appeal into your meals, and can also enhance foods texture and nutritional value. Try topping plain baked fish or chicken with a spoonful of spicy salsa, roasting cauliflower in a creamy bechamel sauce, or giving extra zing to pasta, eggs, salads, soups and sandwiches with this easy to make kale pesto.

Crunchy is Cool Crunchiness is set to reign supreme as the texture of the year, so we’ll see crunchy elements popping up in all sorts of unexpected edibles. You can’t go wrong with the crunch factor as it makes foods satiating by requiring more chewing and stimulating and engaging your palate. Luckily, you’ll find plenty of crunch-filled foods and seasonings in our farmers markets this winter.

Hardy winter vegetables are the kings of crunch! Cold weather causes plants like carrots, parsnips and cabbage to convert some of their starch into sugar to lower the freezing point of their cells and protect them from frosts, much like a natural antifreeze. This defense mechanism firms up their structure by trapping more water inside resulting in a crisper, crunchier texture. These vegetables also taste sweeter in the winter due to their higher sugar content, which is known as cold sweetening. 

Nothing beats the crunch brought to you by Dr. Pickle's briny, tangy, zesty pickles! Choose from sweet gherkins, cornichons, pickle chips and whole pickles in a variety of flavors such as hot & spicy, half or full sour, horseradish, flaming dill and more. Serve crunchy pickles with burgers, brats, hotdogs, charcuterie boards and sandwiches or chop them into deviled eggs, potato and tuna salads for some bright acidic zing.

Roasted winter squash seeds are a perfect vehicle for adding satisfying crunch to an array of sweet and savory dishes. Everyone’s tried pumpkin seeds, but did you know that you can roast the seeds inside any squash from butternut to delicata to acorn? Almost all winter squash are great candidates for seed roasting. Plus, squash seeds are chockful of fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals so why let them go to waste? Instead, turn them into something delicious with this easy tutorial.

Transform a bowl of plain yogurt by showering it with Blissful Table’s crunchy, healthy granola. Their granola started with one flavor, the "OG", which quickly grew to over twenty seasonal and special edition blends. All Blissful Table’s granolas are made with a base of rolled oats from River Valley Community Grains in New Jersey and use a three-grain blend including quinoa and crispy brown rice. Each small batch is sweetened with pure maple syrup, local honey or agave and every bag is hand packed with love. It's even an ingredient on their label.

Slowcocoa’s cacao nibs are unlike anything you've ever nibbled on. They’re made from the cacao bean, which is the seed of the cocoa tree fruit. The beans are fermented, dried, and roasted to develop their flavor, then crushed into small pieces. Think of them like unsweetened chocolate chips, with an extra crunch and loaded with antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, iron and fiber. These nibs are yummy enough to nibble on by the handful. Or try a sprinkle atop your favorite smoothie or salad bowl, oatmeal, cereal, ice cream, or even in pastas or baked goods.

Luxx Chocolat’s Luxx’K Pistachio Caramel Krunch Bark with Kadaifi has the crunch built right into its name! Decadent fine category 72% dark chocolate (cacao Venezuela) is filled with their award-winning classic pistachio caramel and studded with organic pistachios and toasted Kadaifi phyllo pastry. All of this deliciousness is perfectly accented with rosemary-infused sea salt.

The Lentil Co. is on a mission to bring extra plant-based crunch to your life in 2025! Their exceptional collection of distinctively crunchy, tasty snacks featuring mung lentils, millet, lotus seeds and other exotic ingredients are delicious as standalone treats or when sprinkled on top of salads, curries, casseroles and soups. Plus, they’re high-fiber, high-protein, vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO to boot.

Protein Primetime Protein is one of the three macronutrients—fat and carbohydrates being the other two—that the body needs in large amounts to function properly. Fueled by the popularity of gym culture, impact of fitness influencers and growing number of Americans on weight-loss medications who need extra protein to maintain muscle mass, high-protein diets are currently all the rage. Protein is also increasingly being consumed by individuals looking to maintain energy levels throughout the day and support their overall health and wellness goals. In addition to its role in muscle growth and repair, protein promotes feelings of fullness, which can help with weight management by reducing overall caloric intake.

When increasing your protein intake, consider the big (health) picture and opt for nutrient-dense, whole foods that deliver a package of diet benefits. Lean cuts of grass-fed meats and pastured poultry are good options, as is fish of all kinds as the fat content in seafood is unsaturated so even high fat fish like tuna and mackerel are healthy choices. Other protein-rich items you can find in the farmers market this winter include pastured eggs, yogurt, Great Joy Family Farm’s handmade tofu, chickpea hummus, The Lentil Co.'s ready-to-cook lentil mixes, and Wave Hill Breads and Orwashers Bakery's whole grain breads. Regarding the latter, you may be surprised to learn that two slices of whole wheat bread contain the same amount of protein as one egg! 

Nothing Sour About It Sourdough saw an uptick in popularity during the pandemic, when many chefs and home cooks tended to sourdough starter cultures during quarantine. Sourdough bread is rich in nutrients, easier to digest than white bread, and contains prebiotics which feed the good bacteria in your gut. Since 2020, sourdough has spread beyond bread, so we are set to see sourdough applications in all sorts of recipes in our farmers markets this year including cookies, s’mores, pizza crust and bagels.

Badass Bagels’ sourdough bagels are entirely different from a standard yeast bagel. They’re light, chewy, crunchy, and end with a tang. Badass Bagels begins each batch with a rye flour-based starter that has become very happy and active – so active that it often bubbles, expands and takes over the counter it’s resting on. This special culture allows the bagel dough to be naturally leavened without using commercial yeast. Many people with gluten sensitivities say that they can enjoy these bagels without issue. Or you can enjoy their gluten-free bagels, which are now available to pre-order (ask at the stand).

Wave Hill Breads’ Wild Yeast Sourdough Miche, Sourdough Batard, Sourdough Baguette and Sourdough Boule are made onsite at their artisan micro-bakery. They believe in making delicious, hand-crafted European-style breads and pastries by using a traditional age-old approach that requires a three-day process from mixing to baking in small batches. Wave Hill Breads pride themselves on using locally sourced organic grains which are personally milled at their baking facility to enhance the freshness, flavor and quality of each loaf.

Orwashers Bakery's Chardonnay Miche is a classic French country loaf, reinterpreted with a mix of different sourdough starters that provide a satisfying and complex flavor. Their sourdough bagels are made with a heritage sourdough starter and steamed instead of boiled. The end result is a bagel that is chewier and more complex than your standard NYC bagel.

We hope you enjoyed this preview of the top 2025 food trends predicted to influence Americans’ eating habits over the course of the coming year. While consuming a balanced, sustainable and healthy diet is always advisable, sampling current food fashions within the context of farmers market shopping can be a fun way to refresh your recipes, introduce new ingredients, experiment with unfamiliar foods, explore different cuisines, and keep yourself out of a food rut this winter.

[downtoearthmarkets]

Happy New Year from all of us at Down to Earth Markets! If you’re like most Americans, you made a resolution or two as the countdown began and the silver ball slowly descended in Times Square. In addition to saving money and exercising more, committing to eating healthy consistently ranks amongst the top resolutions made at the start of every new year. So, if a better diet is on your list of goals for 2025, we’d like to remind you that your local Down to Earth farmers market is here for you this winter through rain, sleet, snow, ice and shine!

Toss the Junk 🍟 Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are foods that have been extensively modified from their original state through industrial processes. Their production involves the addition of chemically altered ingredients, preservatives, and high amounts of sodium, saturated fat and sugar to artificially enhance their flavor and shelf-life, while they lack essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Many prepackaged convenience foods such as microwave dinners, canned soups, instant noodles, store-bought cookies and cakes, fruit-flavored yogurt and potato chips are ultra-processed.

Regular consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. In addition to their negative toll on human health, the manufacture of ultra-processed foods is damaging to the environment and wellbeing of farm animals. So, if you are looking to limit the intake of these foods and prioritize whole, unprocessed options whenever possible, make it a habit to visit your neighborhood farmers market each weekend. Our regionally based farms and food makers bring a cornucopia of freshly harvested, sustainably produced, wholesome, flavorful, nutrient-dense foods to nourish your belly and serenade your taste buds all season long.

Turn up the Heat 🥘 While we all enjoy the occasional dinner out, resolving to cook more at home is one of the best things you can do to improve your diet in 2025. Many restaurants serve large portions and use unhealthy oils, excessive salt and sugar, and preservative-packed sauces to make food look and taste better. These practices can increase caloric intake and compromise the quality of your diet.

Cooking your own food allows you to control the caliber of ingredients and portion sizes in your meals. This typically results in healthier eating and the ability to tailor dishes to your dietary needs and preferences while reducing exposure to the cheap, unhealthy additives sometimes found in restaurant food. Not only is it good for your physical wellbeing, cooking is also helpful in boosting your mental health as studies show people who regularly engage in culinary pursuits feel more relaxed and happier in their everyday lives. Plus, who doesn’t relish the delicious aromas, comforting warmth and cozy ambience that fill your kitchen when cooking during wintertime?

Switch on the oven, fire up the stovetop and break out the spatula, as Down to Earth’s farmers markets are a veritable playground for all kinds of home chefs, from the novice to the very experienced. We know that olive oil and other healthy fats are fundamental to the preparation of many homecooked meals. To that end–and to spare you additional trips to the supermarket–we sell high quality extra virgin olive oil from single-origin, small-batch producers in addition to our wide range of locally grown and produced foods.

Plant it Forward 🥬 Plant-forward diets have been steadily gaining in popularity thanks to a multitude of benefits for personal health and the environment. Meatless Mondays have been a thing for over two decades, but there’s also Veganuary–an annual month-long campaign started in 2014 that encourages people who want to give a vegan diet a try in January.

If emphasizing plants was already on your resolution radar this lunar cycle, fear not because our farmers markets are replete with a diversity of colorful, delicious, in-season produce throughout the colder months. All winter long, you’ll find everything from storage vegetables including potatoes, rutabagas, celeriac, carrots, cabbage, turnips, onions, garlic and leeks to apples, pears, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, kale, celery, indoor grown leafy greens and so much more. Plus, our food makers offer a variety of vegan options including ready-to-cook lentil mixes, soups, sauces, pastas, baked goods and whole grain breads.

Of course, if you prefer not to cut out animal products entirely, you can rest assured that our eggs, dairy, poultry and meat are sourced from small, local farms that firmly prioritize animal health and wellbeing and ecosystem protection. Plus, our seafood vendors provide a rotating menu of fresh fish that is locally and seasonally caught along with a variety of sustainably harvested shellfish.

Whatever healthy eating resolutions you’ve planned for January and beyond, Down to Earth Markets looks forward to being part of your food journey and edible experiences this year. We hope that our range of delicious and nutritious local fare continues to add joy and flavor to your plates and palates and elevates your at-home culinary endeavors from the ‘taste less’ to the ‘taste full’. We look forward to seeing you in the farmers market this weekend!

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Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry, with plenty of occasions to raise a glass of good cheer before we make our resolutions and flip the calendar. This year, December 25th is not only a celebration of Christmas but also heralds the start of Hanukkah which falls late in 2024 and begins at sundown with the lighting of the first candle in the Menorah. Then, without skipping a beat, New Year’s Eve follows hot on the heels less than a week later. So, to avoid finding yourself empty handed over the holidays, here are some suggestions for festive libations that are just as tasty spiked with locally distilled spirits as they are served zero proof.

Christmas Cocktails 🎄 Nothing embodies Christmastime quite like a warming mug of fragrantly spiced, homemade eggnog. Eggnog originated from an early medieval British drink called posset that was made with hot milk curdled with wine or ale and flavored with nutmeg and cinnamon. By the 13th century, monks were adding eggs and figs to the hearty concoction which was often used as a cold and flu remedy. Because eggs, milk and sherry were scarce and expensive, drinking eggnog was a luxury reserved for the elite who used it in toasts to prosperity and good health.

Eggnog crossed the pond along with English settlers where it first made its appearance in the 1700s. In the colonies, eggs, cream and rum distilled from Caribbean molasses were plentiful and the drink became more widely consumed. Eggnog was particularly popular during yuletide because of its warm temperature and the addition of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean that evoke the winter season.

This festive and flavorful eggnog recipe is easy to make at home using fresh, local ingredients from the farmers market. Adding a dash of booze is entirely optional and can be skipped altogether so your holiday nog can be enjoyed by everyone.

Ingredients:

2 cups Goodness Dairy whole milk

6 SOVA Farms large egg yolks

3 whole cloves

2 tbsp + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3⁄4 tsp ground fresh nutmeg, plus more for garnishing individual glasses

1 pinch kosher salt

3⁄4 cup sugar

1 1⁄4 cup light rum (optional)

1⁄4 cup Coopers Daughter Spirits Black Walnut Liqueur (optional)

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup heavy cream

Chanukah Cheer 🕎 Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE, after the Maccabees–a small group of Jewish rebels–liberated it from occupying foreign forces. When the Jewish resistance fighters entered the Temple, they sought to relight the Temple’s menorah but found only enough oil to keep it lit for one night. Miraculously, the menorah stayed aflame for eight days and nights which was seen as a sign from God.

Olive oil was the fuel used by the ancient Israelites to light the menorah and is still the preferred oil for use in the menorah during Hanukkah today. During the holiday, food fried in oil such as potato latkes and Sufganiyot (jelly filled donuts) are eaten to commemorate and symbolize the Hanukkah miracle.

Another fun way to incorporate the story of Hanukkah into your celebratory treats is to use it in festive, holiday drinks. Adding olive oil into cocktails will give them a bright, peppery flavor, silky mouthfeel and lusciously smooth texture. There are several creative mixology recipes to try, but you can never go wrong with a classic martini. This recipe lets the olive oil shine through using an infusion technique known as fat-washing:

Geoffrey Zakarian Olive Oil Martini:

One 750-milliliter bottle of Coopers Daughter Spirits vodka or non-alcoholic spirit substitute

4 ounces Arlotta Food Studio extra virgin olive oil

2 sprigs fresh thyme from the farmstalls

Dash dry vermouth

3-5 shakes LabelMaker Drinks Tuscan Tears bitters

2 pitted Dr. Pickle green olives plus ½-ounce Dr. Pickle olive brine

If you prefer to save time by skipping the fat-washing prep, this olive oil martini can be whipped up on the spot in under two minutes.

New Year’s Nectar 🥂 The tradition of drinking champagne on New Year's dates back to the 17th century when wealthy French citizens would pop open a bottle of this sparkling wine as a symbol of prosperity. Toasting the ball drop at midnight with a glass of bubbly gets even tastier with the addition of locally pressed apple cider and a cinnamon sugar rim for fun farm-to-flute flavor:

Instructions:

Fill a shallow plate with cinnamon sugar (1 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon) and dip each rim of glass in water, then in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. 

Pour each glass 1/2 full of Locust Grove Fruit Farm or Orchards of Concklin chilled apple cider and top with champagne, prosecco or non-alcoholic sparkling wine. 

Chink your glasses together and enjoy!

We hope these locally inspired libations add a dash of festive freshness to your upcoming holiday celebrations! Many cheers to that and we look forward to seeing you at the farmers market this weekend.

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The popularity of charcuterie boards has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to their creativity, visual appeal and social media shareability. Given the many different iterations of charcuterie boards that this trend has given rise to, including actual cured meats is optional as the term is now used interchangeably to describe serving boards neatly arranged with any kind of individual-sized, party-ready finger foods. So, if you’re looking to create a fun, festive and tasty charcuterie board this holiday season, here are some on-point ideas using fresh, local ingredients from the farmers market.

CharcuTREE A Christmas tree-shaped charcuterie board made with red, white and green edibles is sure to put your guests in the festive spirit. Plus, you can make it ahead of time, cover it and pop it in the fridge for relaxed, stress-free hosting.

The first step is to outline the shape of your triangular-shaped tree with rosemary sprigs, or deck the board with boughs of rosemary, if you will. Fresh rosemary is not only seasonally aromatic, it also resembles fir tree branches to bring your charcuterie board to life! Next, gather your ingredients and tailor the quantities to suit the size of your board:

Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo salami medallions or sliced jamon – Choose from their reddish, pink meats to stay within the Christmas theme. Options include their Black Peppered Lonza, Hot Coppa, Finocchiona Chubs, Hot Napoli Sopressatta or Iberico Presunto. If desired, you can use toothpicks to string together and artfully arrange your cured meat.

McGrath Cheese Company plain cheese curds or cubed Maplebrook Farm block feta.

Red radishes to add a splash of Santa Claus red to your Christmas board.

Maplebrook Farm Ciliegine -- Ciliegine are bite-sized fresh mozzarella balls that look like Christmas ornaments or snowballs. Drizzle them with pesto on the board for an extra festive touch.

Dr. Pickle green olives of choice.

Dr. Pickle antipasto peppers – Marinated peppers are bright red, perfect for the board.

Fresh parsley – Parsley will give you a fresh pop of vibrant greenery.

Crostini or crackers – Homemade crostini or crackers make the perfect tree trunk.

Coarse salt – Coarse salt sprinkled around the board looks like snow.

To assemble your tree, layer each ingredient in separate rows, starting from the bottom of the triangular tree shape as the longest row and tapering your way up to the top of the tree. Use a star-shaped cutout of cheese or charcuterie to top off the tree.

Plants-a-Plenty Plant-based foods are squarely in the limelight these days due to the myriad of eco and health benefits they confer. Given the lower carbon footprint of a plant-forward diet, it’s no surprise that Plant is spelled like Planet, just minus the e! So, delight your guests with a planet-friendly, plant-based charcuterie board this holiday season featuring locally grown and produced ingredients from the farmers market to bestow it with even greater eco appeal:

Individual slices of bread and crackers will serve as the anchor and main foundation of your plant-based board. Weave in small pieces of Wave Hill Breads or Orwashers Bakery's focaccia, ciabatta, sourdough and baguette throughout the presentation.

Mix Agape Olive Oil’s extra virgin olive oil with their flavor-infused, barrel-aged Modena vinegars for a delicious dipping station in the center of the board. 

Go wild with winter produce to add vibrant colors and refreshing crunch to your board. Think red, purple and white radishes, snappy carrots, crisp celery, cute cauliflower florets, spicy fennel, sweet kohlrabi and more.

Instead of soft cheeses, substitute small bowls of creamy Taiim Shack Mobile or Nana's Home Kitchen's hummus and baba ghanoush.

Simple Fine Foods' salty, savory black olive tapenade is delicious when spread on top of bread or crackers.

Pickles from Dr. Pickle make the perfect tangy, briny accompaniment to a plant-based charcuterie board. Introduce cornichons, pickled mushrooms, stuffed olives, pickled Brussels sprouts, pickle chips and any other pickled or marinated edibles.

Don’t forget a bowl of juicy Kalamata olives from Agape Olive Oil. They’re grown in a small, family olive orchard in Messinia, Greece. 

Balance out the savory components of your board with little pots of Peck's of Maine's seasonal jams which are made using New York State fruits whenever possible.

Dried fruits are a classic charcuterie board staple. It’s easy to make your own by thinly slicing apples and pears from the farmstalls, sprinkling them with cinnamon, lining a baking sheet with parchment paper and dehydrating them in the oven.

Sugar & Spice  Dessert charcuterie boards are all the rage so why not sweeten your holiday with one of these decadent spreads! Our farmers markets have no shortage of scrumptious treats so you can fill your holiday platter with an array of locally made goodies:

Slowcocoa Craft Chocolate's delicious gelt is a mindfully vegan twist on the classic Chanukah treat. Their bestselling 49% dark+oatmilk is slowly hand-poured into individual gelt coins, then lovingly coated in 24-karat edible gold leaf.

Who doesn’t love donuts? Orchards of Concklin apple donuts are flavored with their very own ciders made from pressed orchard fruit.

Pick up a box of Orwashers Bakery’s festive Blue + White Cookies, Rugelach, and a variety of other artisan pastries!

Wave Hill Breads has a full menu of locally baked holiday treats including Panettone, Chocolate Cannoli, Maritozzi, Sfogliatella, Traditional Cannoli, Mixed Berry Crostata and Coffee Cake.

Luxx Chocolat's award-winning, handcrafted chocolate and confections are exquisitely designed to capture the eye, imagination and every taste bud. Their new collections of artisan chocolate include the Honey, Harvest & Hay Cube Collection featuring the viral toasted shredded phyllo pastry and chocolate holiday barks. 

We hope these mouthwatering charcuterie board ideas have filled you with seasonal glee and festive inspiration! We look forward to hearing about the array of creative holiday boards you come up with as you browse our vendors’ stalls at the farmers market this weekend.

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December has arrived in all its festive glory and ushered in an unusually chilly cold snap just in time to launch us into the holiday spirit! While conditions have seemingly ricocheted from one extreme to another, the range of produce on offer at our farmstalls is still redolent of the long stretch of hot, dry fall days that extended the backend of this year’s growing season well beyond its typical expiration. However, all good things must end, and it’s now last call for many tender field-grown greens and other warm season veggies until the soft rains and mild temperatures of spring coax them forth again. Let Us Enjoy Lettuce Lettuce is a shoulder season crop here in the northeast as this cool-weather-loving plant is typically grown in the spring and autumn. In the spring, lettuce bolts when it matures and reaches the end of its lifecycle, which is usually when daytime temperatures head above 75°F and nighttime temperatures remain over 60°F. In the fall, lettuce can withstand light frosts but needs protection from heavy frosts or harsh, freezing conditions. Lettuce is commonly used as a foundational base for green salads thanks to its versatility, mild flavor, crisp texture and ability to showcase a wide range of salad dressings. In contrast to loose leaf lettuce varieties, the leaves of head lettuces such as romaine, butterhead and iceberg form a dense rosette which develops into a tight, compact head like cabbage. If you’re a salad aficionado like me, the unusually warm and sunny autumn has let us (lettuce!) enjoy this refreshingly crunchy and hydrating leafy vegetable in a variety of delicious preparations for weeks longer than normal. If lettuce-anchored salads are non-negotiable during the cold winter months, you’re in luck as some of our small farms like Great Joy Family Farm, Newgate Farms and Sun Sprout Farm have built greenhouses to facilitate year-round production. The panels of a greenhouse allow sunlight to pass through and trap it as thermal energy to heat up the air inside and create a warm, regulated growing environment. The structure itself protects plants from extreme conditions such as wind, heavy rain, frost and snow. When sunlight is unavailable, supplemental heat from gas, propane or fuel is generally used to keep greenhouse temperatures above freezing. Ar-u-goo-goo for Arugula? Another highly popular salad green, arugula is a member of the Brassicaceae, or cruciferous, family that includes cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale. This peppery mustard green is native to the Mediterranean region where it has been widely cultivated since Roman times. Like lettuce, arugula thrives in cool weather and is considered a cool-season crop. While it can withstand the recent light frosts in the field, its tender leaves must be protected from heavy frosts and snowfall by row covers or other frost protection measures. Arugula can be sown inside a greenhouse during the winter as it germinates well in cool soil temperatures and will grow in an unheated structure.  Given the challenges of growing arugula outside during the winter, this spicy, tangy green will be harder to spot at our farmstalls after this weekend. Make the most of the last field-grown harvests by scooping up a few bags to make this goat cheese, arugula & pear salad: Ingredients Dressing:

2 tablespoons Sun Sprout Farm chopped shallot, (about 1 small shallot)

1 Sun Sprout Farm garlic clove, chopped

¼ cup Arlotta Food Studio extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Newgate Farms honey or Maplebrook Farm maple syrup

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Salad:

5 ounces Great Joy Family Farm arugula

⅓ cup Sun Sprout Farm thinly sliced red onion

1 Locust Grove Fruit Farm green or red pear, cored and sliced into 1/4″ half-moons

⅓ cup toasted walnuts

2 ounces SOVA Farms soft goat cheese, crumbled

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

½ cup mixed Guoz Garden microgreens, optional

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Curb your Herb Enthusiasm While dried herbs can be at our fingertips all winter long, certain non-woody herbs lose their signature flavor, boldness and aroma when dried. Basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon and chives are just a few examples that will always taste and smell better when enjoyed fresh! Most herbs are delicate plants that require milder, temperate conditions to thrive outside in the field, so will rapidly disappear from farmstalls now that our “second summer” is over. If you stumble upon any lush bunches of field-grown herbs at the farmers market this weekend, grab them while you can and whip up a big green salad, whirl them into a pesto in your food processor, or finely chop them and toss them into an omelet. For more ways to enjoy fresh herbs, consult this handy link. While greenhouse cultivation will enable many of our farms to bring an assortment of fresh greens to the farmers market all winter long, supplies can be limited due to the competing demands and restrictive nature of indoor growing. We’ve been lucky enough to enjoy an extended season for a host of fresh produce, but now that the weather has finally turned, this weekend will be the last call for many tender field-grown veggies. Be sure to make the most of the ones you can find, and we look forward to seeing you at the market!

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Get ready for a fun weekend of farmers market grocery shopping because the biggest food holiday of the year arrives next Thursday! Thanksgiving marks a time to gather with family and friends to express gratitude over a feast of turkey and other traditional New England foods. But, while you’re busy preparing the main meal, your guests will need a little something to whet their appetite. Here are a few ideas for tasty yet simple Thanksgiving appetizers that you can make with ingredients sourced at your local Down to Earth farmers market this weekend.

It's a Stickup! Featuring plenty of seasonal flavor, with pretzel sticks as edible toothpicks for ease-of-handling and no fuss cleanup, these maple-glazed sausage bites are sure to be a Thanksgiving crowd-pleaser. The glaze delivers the coup de grace with its irresistible combination of sticky sweet maple syrup, earthy, herby crumbled sage and tangy stone ground mustard.

Ingredients: Makes 16 sausage bites

⅓ cup Maplebrook Farm maple syrup

1 tbsp stone ground mustard

½ teaspoon dried, crushed sage leaves

12 oz Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo, SOVA Farms or Stone & Thistle Farm cooked sausage

16 pretzel sticks

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, mustard and sage.

Cut sausage into 1" slices. Place on a rimmed baking tray.

Bake sausage for 8 minutes. Brush generously with maple glaze. Bake for an additional 8 minutes or until sausage is heated through.

Insert a pretzel stick into each sausage bite for easy serving.

Enjoy!

We’ll Always Have Brussels Brussels sprouts are currently in peak season as this winter vegetable grows best in cool or lightly frosty weather. You can often find Brussels sprouts being sold on the stalk in our farmers markets–just the way nature intended and eliminating the need for any excess packaging. Simply twist the sprouts until they break away from the plant.

These “mini cabbages” are considered nutritional powerhouses as they are high in fiber, potassium, and folate, and are an excellent source of vitamins C and K. They also contain antioxidants and minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium.

There are many fun holiday appetizers you can make with these cruciferous cuties. Anything with bacon is sure to be a hit, so try whipping up these bacon-wrapped parmesan Brussels sprouts. You probably have most of the simple ingredient list in your pantry already, so pick up a pound of Brussels sprouts from the farmstalls and bacon from Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo and give them a whirl! Or how about these adorable sliders that substitute sprouts for the buns?

If you’re hoping to up the ante with your Thanksgiving appy or just discover a delicious new way to serve Brussels sprouts on any occasion, look no further than this vegetarian recipe. You’ll want to select the largest sprouts available and grab some whole milk ricotta from Maplebrook Farm before they sell out. Also, be sure to watch this short and very helpful instructional video before getting out your paring knife.

Pro Antipasto? Italy’s answer to France’s charcuterie boards, antipasto platters feature an array of classic Italian delicacies including cured meats, cheeses, marinated veggies, olives and bread. In addition to spreading antipasto across a large platter, it can also work great hors d'oeuvres-style when threaded onto individual toothpicks or skewers.

To assemble your antipasto skewers, thread from bottom to top: 1 Dr. Pickle pitted olive of any kind, 1 marinated Maplebrook Farm ciliegine, 1 fresh basil leaf, 1 cherry or grape tomato, 1 slice Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo cured meat (fold over once or twice before threading), 1 Dr. Pickle marinated artichoke heart quarter, 1 Dr. Pickle roasted red pepper slice (fold over once or twice before threading), 1 basil leaf, 1 olive, and 1 small piece of Wave Hill Breads or Orwashers Bakery baguette. Arrange finished skewers on a serving platter.

Sleek As a Leek Party Dip A member of the allium family which includes onions, scallions, chives and garlic, leeks are a fall and winter crop that can be harvested even after it starts snowing. Leeks need to be cleaned thoroughly before using because dirt can get trapped between the layers of leaves. To clean, halve the leeks lengthwise with the root still intact, then run them under cool water.

It’s not a party without a dip and, with only five ingredients, this melted leek dip is the gift that keeps on giving! While making your farmers market rounds, look out for crunchy veggies like carrots and celery and freshly baked loaves that will work great for dipping.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons SOVA Farms unsalted butter

4 large leeks from the farmstalls, white sections only, halved, and thinly sliced into half-moons

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pint full-fat sour cream

Crudités, Norwegian Baked LLC crackers, or toasted Wave Hill Breads or Orwashers Bakery baguette (for serving)

We hope these appetizing appetizer ideas got you primed and ready for Thanksgiving farmers market shopping this weekend. As always, our farms and food makers will have an array of freshly harvested, regionally grown and locally produced goodies to help complete your shopping list and fill your reusable shopping bags. We look forward to seeing you there!