Local diet update - May 11, 2009

As you can tell from Friday's post, we're very close to harvest time here at SGF (in fact we picked some green beans this weekend). The tomatoes are starting to ripen, and the kale, onions, sage, and lambs-quarter are ready whenever I am. The last two weeks, declared Pantry Weeks, did wonders for whittling those pantry goodies down to a more reasonable size. Who knew I had so much already preserved. Ok. I knew I had so much already preserved, but who goes for the canned stuff when you can have fresh year-round?

Right. Right. So back to the pantry. I'm currently stocking 7 quarts of soup and 8 pints of stewed tomatoes (both 100% deliciously local!!!). I guess that means one more week of Pantry Week (Round 3), although I have plans to sneak in a few fresh meals as well. I already have plenty of potatoes and some whole wheat egg noodles left from the previous farmers' market. Similar to the last couple weeks, the plan was to pick up a few fresh foods, but concentrate my eating efforts on what's already canned. One more week and I should have the pantry ready for the upcoming harvest. But could I keep this is mind when faced with all those gorgeous, fresh veggies at the market?

Saturday morning, we got up early and headed on down to the market to set up our info booth. Twenty-two vendors joined us with another drool-worthy harvest. Calling to me from the four corners of market heaven were:

Veggies: garlic, yellow onions, red onions, green onions, snow peas, spinach, turnips, beets, radishes, artichokes, lettuce, swiss chard, yellow squash, red potatoes, white potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, kohlrabi, carrots, collard greens, kale, herbs, arugula, green beans, purslane

Fruits: dried cranberries, dried apples, strawberries

Canned Goods: jams, jellies, salsas, pickles, chow-chow, relishes, tomatoes juice, canned veggies

Baked Goods: both white and wheat flour egg noodles, yeast breads, sweet breads, cakes, pastries, cornbread, puppy cookies, 

Other Foods: eggs, olive oil, locally-roasted coffees, grits, cornmeal, whole wheat flour, trail mix, raw food snacks

Plants: ornamental plants, veggie plants, herbs plants, flowers

Crafts: dolls, puzzles, journals, purses, aprons, crocheted boxes, pot-holders, jewelry, soaps, candles

So how did I do? I walked away with wild grape jelly, freshly ground whole wheat flour, two gorgeous tomatoes, a bag of fat carrots, dried cranberries, puppy cookies, trail mix AND (not pictured here) dill (when I chopped it up I ended up with 2 gallon-size ziplock bags full) and 2 packs of dates stuffed with chocolate, nuts, and coconut (not pictured because it was breakfast). 

Back at home, I'm planning the week's meals, keeping in mind my desire to work in those pantry foods. What's on the menu? Well, you'll just have to check back for Thursday's Market to Table post to find out.

In the meantime, I know I'm lucky to have a year-round market, but what about you? Has your market opened for the season? What fresh local goodies have you discovered?

Happy (and mindful) eating!

To find out what's happening in other farmers' markets around the county, check out this week's on To Every Meal There is a Season.