Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Moringa Herbal Tea (11/10/2017)

~~Boy oh boy do we have some beautiful produce this week!! Loads of luscious greens; including Heirloom Lacinato kale, Heirloom collards, green old-fashioned mustards, Red mustards (milder with slight wasabi flavor), Wild lambs-quarters and Wild purslane.  Cucumbers!! Patty-pan & zucchini squash, Cucumbers!! more Sungold Cherry tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, Cucumbers!! and more! Fruit-wise we’ll have some Pink Pomellos, Florida cranberry and Passionfruit.  More yummy Seasonal Pesto, Super Nutra loaf and several flavors of Moringa/Herbal tea mix.
~~Well I tried making a Florida cranberry (Roselle hibiscus) jam, loosely following directions and using only one cup of organic sugar & 1/2 cup of our organic cane syrup, and Jon likes it better than strawberry, but he’s weird.  It’s still pretty tart and not super jelled, but I think I’ll bring some. I saw a recipe for sauerkraut using roselle instead of cabbage–for the climates too hot for cabbage…interesting, and it may soon be too hot for lots of cool season produce here in central Florida. I checked the large tomatoes AGAIN today (everyday), waiting for them to start ripening….not yet…and there won’t be as many as in the spring due to weather/disease issues, but they’re the best!  The Red Sails lettuces are getting big enough to see in the garden, so maybe two more weeks for some of those. We’re also growing dandelions (slow) and Charleston Wakefield cabbages, which are the pointy kind. We’ve got a cool area, a wide row in part of the garden, where a number of wild and cultivated long-term things are growing, such as lambs-quarters, wild purslane, beets, Israel basil and fennel–it looks so nice, wish I could get a decent photo of it; you’ll just have to settle for eating some of the bounty.
~~This year we will be doing our first sugarcane squeezin’ on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so that more friends can attend. It’s also a potluck of sorts, and just a chance to get to observe, visit and also see what’s going on at the farm (and yes, we really do have a herd of water buffalo).  If you’re interested please talk to me at the market or send us an email. Supervised children are definitely welcome too.

~~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 (Sunday–Friday), 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–and now they are certifying hydroponics and many original Organically Certified dirt farmers are speaking out and/or dropping their certifications, which are now meaningless. Remember: Ecofarmers do it in the Dirt!

 
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 Saturdays 8AM-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. 
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 of broadleaf green and Red Giant
Arugula – good supply, nice large leaves
Red radishes – decent supply this week
Cilantro!
Cucumbers!
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 and Cranberry Hibiscus

 

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!