Greens, Pesto, and More! (11/03/2017)

~~How ’bout this weather? Great for growing, so I can’t complain.  Fire ants love it though, and they have been horrible in the garden this entire season (including summer).  We’ve lost a few young lettuces and mustards–there’s always something!! We have lots of goodies this week, including Lacinato (Dino) kale (which is an heirloom, by the way), heirloom collards, broadleaf and redleaf mustards, gorgeous arugula, wild purslanewild lambsquarters (a wild green–not animal!), green onions, cilantro, patty-pan squashes and more.
~~ The ‘fruit of the week’ again this week (cheaper) will be Florida Cranberry; not a true cranberry, but tastes similar, it actually comes from Roselle, a plant in the hibiscus family (okra is also a hibiscus) This site has some good information and preparation tips, as does http://www.floridacranberry.org/  http://www.appalachianfeet.com/2010/02/08/how-to-grow-and-use-tea-hibiscusflorida-cranberry/
You may have tasted roselle before in Red Zinger tea (Celestial Seasonings); and it makes a gorgeous red jelly!
~~In a few weeks we expect loads of starfruit to start coming in.  Strawberry plants are still really small, but starting to bloom a bit already. A few squash/zucchini are just starting to come in; we have several varieties of patty-pans planted.  The tomatoes are really slow to fruit well; big heirloom tomatoes have green fruit, but it will be awhile yet.  Sungolds aren’t ripening fast enough for us! Carrots, beets, turnips, and daikon radishes will be several weeks or more. Lettuces are still a couple of weeks out too. Okra is just about done, so if you want some before we remove them better grab them asap.
~~Last week at the market some of you got to taste the great  Pure Cane syrupSuper Nutra-loaf, Moringa Mint Herbal tea and Seasonal Pesto that we sell. This week we will have a new batch and the pesto will have our first lambsquarters of the season! Maybe Karen will periodically come in to help us with tasting of some of the wonderful cottage food products that we offer. Come early to the market or you may miss out on the only local farm grown produce currently available at the market–last week we sold out of everything 2-3 hrs. early!
~~Raw Water Buffalo Milk & other ‘Pet Consumption’ *;) winking products (ask us if you don’t know what this means):  When milk is plentiful we’ll have good farmers cheeses, Kefir, buttermilk (best for cooking; the fluffiest pancakes ever!), unsalted creamy white butter, Whey  http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/05/36-ways-to-use-whey-and-5-ways-to-make-it/and of course Raw Milk, which is regularly priced at $9/half gal. or $17/gal. However, we have been eating/drinking all of this ourselves and other than the Raw Milk can only make it for you if you order ahead of time(Please give us a week – ecofarmfl@yahoo.com).
~~For our complete availability list (except for last minute items) check the bottom of this email.
~~Thanks for your support!!  See you at the Market Saturday *:) happy
Check this out from the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curbmarket Newsletter:Text to Win!

Keep up with Market news via text message!

  • Just to make it fun, we are running a weekly contest. Text Keyword CURB to 51660 to join our text program and enter to win $10 worth of Market Bucks, which can be spent with any Market vendor. Winners will be notified via text each Saturday.
  • What happens if you don’t win the week you joined? No worries! You can try again week after week. Just text CURB to 51660 each week (SundayFriday), and you’ll be entered for that week’s drawing!
 
~~We are always happy to take your used, clean plastic grocery bags (no garbage please) and green pint baskets that strawberries come in…Please remember to bring them to us this week…Thanks!
~~ Italian ischia sourdough starter http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkadvice/10638629/Pizza-recipes-how-to-make-artisan-pizza-in-your-own-home.html and Pizza dough, ready to use right away–active and ready to use (please pre-order this a week before so it can be activated) $9. Also, let me know ahead of time and we can have a Kombucha ‘mother’  available for making your own brew (also $9).

 
~~Raw Water Buffalo Milk sales: We normally sell milk in plastic half gallon containers @$9 and a convenient quart size plastic container for $5. If you would prefer quart or half gallon wide mouth glass containers there will be a $1& $2 deposit to cover the cost of the jars and you will need to let us know ahead of time by email. Kefir only comes in quart sized jars ($8 or $7 with a wide-mouth quart jar to trade). Butter comes in 8 oz. plastic containers for $8. Remember, this is for ‘Pet Consumption Only’ by Florida law. Your ‘Pet’ will be eating like royalty 🙂 


~~We grow everything organically; all ‘chemicals’ are OMRI approved for Organic growers and our fertilizers consist of composted manures (buffalo and more) and fish emulsion. We are not Certified Organic as the cost and ongoing paperwork is prohibitive for ‘real’ farmers–and there are too many variances allowed for Corporate Organic farms.

 
Ecofarm is currently able to participate in only one market with super fresh, organically grown produce (not Certified) and other farm products for your convenience:


Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curbmarket Saturday8AM-2PM all year except August. We are located on Kentucky Avenue in front of Crispers restaurant. Check out the market website at www.ldda.org/home/farmerscurbmarket.aspx and sign-up for the market e-newsletter. Dogs, children and fun galore!
Temple Terrace Farmers Market – Saturdays 9AM-1:00PM – A true Farmers Market – For more information check it out at:http://www.ttfarmersmarket.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/ttfarmersmarket 
Note: We have been providing some of our produce to this market and will continue to increase our support whenever possible. 


~~The Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curbmarket is now taking your EBT/SNAP cards; and you can double your dollars by purchasing Florida grown produce & honey!! There are about 25 of us selling honey, cane syrup, cottage industry foods, produce, breads, seeds, edible plants and more that qualifies for SNAP; and about six of us that can double your money with our produce, thanks to the Fresh from Florida program. The Market booth is set up at the south end of the market and they can explain the process and you can purchase tokens. Vendors participating in the program will have a sign in front of their booths. In addition, you can ride the bus free in Polk County to come to our market and participate in this program. Please pass the word!


Following are some of the products we may be bringing to the market this week:


Super-Nutra Loaf – Fresh weekly; full of seeds & nuts. 
Pesto! Various Seasonal ingredients – great for seafood, pasta, potatoes and more!
Florida Red-Bay leaves – use like other dried bay leaves in soups, beans, etc. 
Tropical Pumpkins – Finished for the season (I have some damaged ones in the cooler; contact me if interested in using them asap)
Fresh Rosemary – We may bring a couple of small bags
Sweet potatoes – not available for a few weeks until new batch ready to dig
Dino kale! – The most heat tolerant kale; more varieties coming soon
Green onions – beautiful bundles this week!
Heirloom collards – nice bundles
Mustard greens – nice bundles
Arugula – good supply, nice large leaves
Red radishes – decent supply this week
Cilantro!
Lambs-quarters – Wild greens that are super nutritious and tasty
Wild purslane – another wild plant that is more nutritious that what we try to grow–and tasty too!
Israeli basil – very heat & rain tolerant; tastes and smells wonderful!
Lemongrass culms/leaves – may be available some weeks
Powdered Moringa – just a teaspoon in your breakfast or other meals does wonders
Okra – small supply, we may be taking them out soon
Starfruit – Not this week
Roselle ‘pods’ – great for cranberry-like jelly, tea, homemade cough drops, etc.
Homemade jams made with very little sugar (organic)   strawberry, strawberry/basil, peach 

Pure Cane syrup – Yes!  Give our own local, sustainable sweetness a try; not just for pancakes.
Luffa seed packets – not currently available
Luffa sponges – Check out the real thing–and no, they don’t come from the ocean!
Java Planet Coffees (whole bean, Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown & Bird Friendly!) Good Selection of single, blends, dark & medium roasts



Thanks for supporting local farmers, artists, musicians and craftspeople!

Debbie, Jon & Billy plus C.J. & Hayley–the kiddies that inspire us
Ecofarmers do it in the dirt!