Well apologies for the absence but I'm sure you all have been quite happily enjoying the bounty of the summer harvest, which is now full on. There's really more than I can write about here but I'm sure you've noticed that farmers' markets and market stores are now filling up with all the makings of hodge podge (new potatoes, beans, peas and carrots in butter/cream and milk). The green and yellow beans are so good I can't stop eating them raw. There are also lots of summer greens including swiss chard (excellent with a little butter and vinegar) and still more beets and beet greens (I'm on the hunt for kale though, I love kale, it's very good for you, and the commercial varieties are high on the Dirty Dozen list of most heavily pesticided foods). You lucky dogs who are members of CSAs are probably seeing even more variety than we're seeing in the farm stands ( I would kill for some mizuna and lamb's quarters).
My favourite moment so far: the "magic" moment - which lasts all of two days - when strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are all available at once. This magic moment sadly passed about five days ago (sorry not to have been on line to tell you) but hopefully most of you caught it too. I'm always sad when the strawberry seasons ends however and this year I was quite remiss in freezing sufficient numbers of strawberries (only four quarts put away this year - hardly enough). I hoping the rest of you did manage, but there is hope for those who, like me, just kind of missed the opportunity. Before you run out and start buying California strawberries (remember, they're laden with pesticides) take note that in the Annapolis Valley at least they're growing strawberries until late into October under some complicated plastic arrangement. Okay, they do get a little dear, but still, think about how much you pay for those tasteless California berries come December! So, if you are short on strawberries this fall just call your friends in NS and have them help you out. However, despite my moaning about the strawberries, we can all be happy that raspberries are appearing everywhere (and yes, I'm freezing those as quickly as possible, just sticking them on cookie trays like I do for strawberries) and blueberries are coming in early and strong. Blackberries can only be around the corner... I've also seen local gooseberries at Baleman's and sour cherries at Cochrane's (as well as in the Moncton area). I eat the sour cherries as they are, although I guess many use them for cooking. But I think they're a great alternative to grapes at this time of year.
Another important development - the chanterelles are here! Yes those gorgeous, kind of apricotty mushrooms that mysteriously appear and disappear at the blink of an eye so if you're not paying attention you might never even know they existed (I just happened to spy one lonely box the other year and asked where they came from, to which the reply was "we'd have to kill you if we told you"). I think there's a secret communications network that just "knows" whent the chanterelles have come in and they quickly swoop in as soon as the few precious boxes hit the market stands. My wonderful market stand in Shediac actually called me to let me know they had arrived so I could rush over there before they disappeared. They're lovely just sauteed in butter with a little garlic and cream - sublime really. But again the window of opportunity is very small so keep your eyes peeled!
Things are moving so fast now that I'm thinking it's time to pull out the canner. I've already seen local field tomatoes at Kredl's as well as NB green peppers (and red ones from Ontario but I don't know how much better they are than the Mexican variety in terms of pesticides - general rule of thumb, if you can't get it from the Maritimes, get it from Quebec, which has much more stringent rules on pesticide use than anywhere else in Canada). And of course the pickling cukes are all over the place as well as fresh dill. (Of course you can just cut the cukes up, pour on some vinegar or sour cream, chop some dill on them and you've got a great cucumber salad.)
Oh and how could I forget! Hunter's corn! Beautiful peaches and cream corn - I've found at both Cochrane's and Kredl's.
Otherwise I've really been enjoying traipising around to various markets and farm stands while I make my summer journeys between Shediac and Saint John. I've made a number of discoveries that I can share with you later - like where to find organic flax and canola oils made in NS (hint: the Sussex health food store Winterwood Natural Foods - more on them later) and all the groovy flavours of chips being put out by a local NB chip company Covered Bridge. But really, more on that later....
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
the Spring Harvest
Look at what customers are receiving from CSA farmers this week.
2 large bok choi; Fresh Dill; Fresh Cilantro; Romaine Lettuce; Carrots; Sugar Snap Peas; Beet Greens; Radishes; Spanish Onions; Kale; Broccoli - lots of it! Organic Strawberries; 12 Free Range Eggs
2 large bok choi; Fresh Dill; Fresh Cilantro; Romaine Lettuce; Carrots; Sugar Snap Peas; Beet Greens; Radishes; Spanish Onions; Kale; Broccoli - lots of it! Organic Strawberries; 12 Free Range Eggs
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Sussex Market
Heavens, I've really fallen behind here - not in the marketing and eating of course, just is the documenting of it. So while I have yet to catch you up on Fredericton Market finds -- including the most gorgeous "braising greens" from Jemseg River Farms (organic - running a CSA and going to F'ton market on Saturdays) and all sorts of lovely interesting things like lovage and kohlrabi from another "traditional" family farm (not certified organic but organic nonetheless), "spruce tea", and more Au Fond du Bois cheese -- I had better get on to my most recent market visit, which was to the Friday afternoon farmers' market in Sussex. Here were my happy, happy finds...
There are the lovely Joel and Jennifer (and their baby daughter Gwendolyn) who've moved from Montreal to Spring Meadows Farm in Head of Millstream. They're raising free range chickens (and turkeys). I bbq'd one of the chickens this week and it was amazing. They also have pork and Joel's dad raises range fed beef. Their farm is at 57 McMillan HIll Rd, Head of Millstream and they sometimes come to Sussex market but Joel will bring things into Saint John. Just give him a call at 506-433-1407. (He has email but frankly, Head of Millstream doesn't exactly have high speed and being "spoiled" by living in Montreal, as Joel puts it, he really doesn't see the point of even trying very hard when all you can get is dial-up). But really, it's worth a call. The chickens cost around $3.40/lb. And if people wanted to get together on beef, Joe's Dad, Jerald Coburn, processes one steer a month and can sell it in 50lb or more lots. (His number is 506-433-4885).
My other really happy find at Sussex market involved dairy, of course, it is Sussex. But oh, this was really special. It was my favourite kind of dairy: ice cream. Sussex icecream is run by Dave Freeze and only available at either Sussex or Dieppe markets and it's absolutely lucious. The flavours are to die for. I had lemon, made from real lemons, and my other half had the fresh strawberry - incroyable. We also tasted the peanut butter/chocolate combo made with organic pb and 70% dark chocolate - heaven! You can buy it by the dish or in pint containers to take home. Really, you have to seek them out if you are in either market. They're just building their website at www.sussexicecream.ca - or you can call them at 506-433-0996 if you want to know more. I love summer...
I also picked up some very good, and very inexpensive honey from bees that had been feeding on blueberry plants. Very nice flavour. This was from R&J Honeybee Farm - who also carry great blocks of beeswax - which is great for furniture polishing among other things.
I also dropped in on the Green Pig in Salisbury - and again very, very glad I did because there to my delight they had that great Maritime delicacy (well, I thought it was a Maritime delicacy but turns out it originally came from Europe) Sandfire or Samfire greens (or as they are known in Acadie "tetines de souris" - Yes, you bilingue folks, that's exactly what they're called, go look it up, really, you can look it up here, scroll to the bottom of the page:!Acadian food words). I was introduced to these as a kid in Shediac. They're a marsh green so they have that lovely salty flavour of marsh greens - kind of like salty asparagus. You steam them a bit, throw on some butter and then pull the flesh off the stems with your teeth. Delicious. They only show up here and there and unpredictably - unless like my family you sail to Shediac Island to pick them. But there they were at the Green Pig. So if you haven't tried them, this is your chance...
There are the lovely Joel and Jennifer (and their baby daughter Gwendolyn) who've moved from Montreal to Spring Meadows Farm in Head of Millstream. They're raising free range chickens (and turkeys). I bbq'd one of the chickens this week and it was amazing. They also have pork and Joel's dad raises range fed beef. Their farm is at 57 McMillan HIll Rd, Head of Millstream and they sometimes come to Sussex market but Joel will bring things into Saint John. Just give him a call at 506-433-1407. (He has email but frankly, Head of Millstream doesn't exactly have high speed and being "spoiled" by living in Montreal, as Joel puts it, he really doesn't see the point of even trying very hard when all you can get is dial-up). But really, it's worth a call. The chickens cost around $3.40/lb. And if people wanted to get together on beef, Joe's Dad, Jerald Coburn, processes one steer a month and can sell it in 50lb or more lots. (His number is 506-433-4885).
My other really happy find at Sussex market involved dairy, of course, it is Sussex. But oh, this was really special. It was my favourite kind of dairy: ice cream. Sussex icecream is run by Dave Freeze and only available at either Sussex or Dieppe markets and it's absolutely lucious. The flavours are to die for. I had lemon, made from real lemons, and my other half had the fresh strawberry - incroyable. We also tasted the peanut butter/chocolate combo made with organic pb and 70% dark chocolate - heaven! You can buy it by the dish or in pint containers to take home. Really, you have to seek them out if you are in either market. They're just building their website at www.sussexicecream.ca - or you can call them at 506-433-0996 if you want to know more. I love summer...
I also picked up some very good, and very inexpensive honey from bees that had been feeding on blueberry plants. Very nice flavour. This was from R&J Honeybee Farm - who also carry great blocks of beeswax - which is great for furniture polishing among other things.
I also dropped in on the Green Pig in Salisbury - and again very, very glad I did because there to my delight they had that great Maritime delicacy (well, I thought it was a Maritime delicacy but turns out it originally came from Europe) Sandfire or Samfire greens (or as they are known in Acadie "tetines de souris" - Yes, you bilingue folks, that's exactly what they're called, go look it up, really, you can look it up here, scroll to the bottom of the page:!Acadian food words). I was introduced to these as a kid in Shediac. They're a marsh green so they have that lovely salty flavour of marsh greens - kind of like salty asparagus. You steam them a bit, throw on some butter and then pull the flesh off the stems with your teeth. Delicious. They only show up here and there and unpredictably - unless like my family you sail to Shediac Island to pick them. But there they were at the Green Pig. So if you haven't tried them, this is your chance...
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Local produce and organic stores
I decided it was time to have a look see at that other venerable market in our area - the WW Boyce Farmers' Market in Fredericton - last Saturday morning and I'm glad I did. It reminded me that not only do I have lots of farm markets to cover (Thursday in St. Andrews, Friday in Sussex, and Saturdays just about everywhere) but I should remind people that you don't have to run all over God's half acre visiting individual farms to get local food: you have the markets, obviously, and you have CSAs (community supported agricultural boxes which are delivered to you or you can pick up once a week - there are a number of those running in NB right now) and, you have your lovely farm market stores which at least carry some local produce and/or organic produce stores.
If you live in the Fredericton area you really have an embarrassment of riches to choose from when it comes to both local and organic sources. Two stores in the downtown serving this need: the True Food Organics store on Charlotte St. (run by and supplied in part by their organic farm in Keswick Ridge and which carries an amazing array of stuff - including organic sunflower and flax oils from NS) and the long-running Aura health food store. *And* at the market I got to talk to the folks running the Apple Bin Farm store which is *dedicated* to NB produce and is just a few minutes outside Fredericton at Keswick Ridge. The Apple Bin carries NB fruits, veggies, meats, eggs, dairy and other things like honey and cider and herbs etc. Really, Freddybeach has no excuses whatsoever. Nonetheless I had an interesting conversation with the Apple Bin folks who are finding it hard to educate people on local food (the "yes we have no bananas" song comes to mind) and have had to cut their hours back to Wed-Friday afternoons (1-6) and Saturday afternoons (1-5). Phone 506-260-2498. We would die to have such stores in Saint John (more on that soon.) People in the Fredericton area can also drop by Joseph's "Urban Organic Garden" in Marysville on Tuesdays between 4 and 7) or he's in the market on Saturdays. Last Saturday he had scads of scapes and sprouts and he assured me that the number of different things available on Tuesdays is much greater as he pools resources from two of his gardens.
In Saint John we have Baleman's in the market which brings in stuff from its farm and other local producers when available and Grand Bay Westfield has the Corn Crib and there's Cochrane's in the Valley.
Towards Sussex, in Berwick just up the #10 highway towards Cambridge Narrows, there's a new one to me: Goddard Farms Shop (433-2544) which sells both animal and vegetable products "no growth hormones, pesticides or sprays" - and that includes pet food. It's open Mon-Sat. "mornings and evenings are best for dropping in, or call ahead."
Moncton not only boasts two very fine markets on Saturdays but has a lovely natural foods store, Sequoia, 114 Highfield St. (http://www.sequoiafoods.ca)
And, if you're going down the highway towards NS, a great stop is the relatively new "Green Pig" farm store at Salisbury - you know where you'd normally turn off to go to the Tim's and the Irving Big Stop. Well, go right, not left, if you're coming from Moncton and you'll immediately see the Green Pig (http://www.greenpigmarket.com) - open every day 9-8 in the summers. The Green Pig (the story behind the name is on their website) is dedicated to local products (including a lot of stuff they grow/raise themselves). They carry Speerville products, local cheeses, Just Us coffee from NS, and they have a great bakery to boot! (You can get organic pumpkin pie there in the fall).
Now if you get all the way into NS and you're headed for Truro or Halifax, just before Truro and again just 2 minutes from the highway, is Masstown Market. A fabulous stop if you're looking for coffee (they serve Just Us) and a snack - they have a whole cafe counter/bakery thing happening - they also have a liquor store, a plant store, a craft store, a deli counter and a grocery store - but most importantly for our purposes they are again dedicated to local products. It's the only place I know where I can buy local (okay south Shore NS) *line-caught* haddock. They're very into supporting sustainable fisheries. But there's also loads of local meat, cheese and produce. So if you're passing through bring a cooler with you so you can stock up...
Okay, so that's what I know at least in the Southern NB region (or nearby). Feel free to add!
If you live in the Fredericton area you really have an embarrassment of riches to choose from when it comes to both local and organic sources. Two stores in the downtown serving this need: the True Food Organics store on Charlotte St. (run by and supplied in part by their organic farm in Keswick Ridge and which carries an amazing array of stuff - including organic sunflower and flax oils from NS) and the long-running Aura health food store. *And* at the market I got to talk to the folks running the Apple Bin Farm store which is *dedicated* to NB produce and is just a few minutes outside Fredericton at Keswick Ridge. The Apple Bin carries NB fruits, veggies, meats, eggs, dairy and other things like honey and cider and herbs etc. Really, Freddybeach has no excuses whatsoever. Nonetheless I had an interesting conversation with the Apple Bin folks who are finding it hard to educate people on local food (the "yes we have no bananas" song comes to mind) and have had to cut their hours back to Wed-Friday afternoons (1-6) and Saturday afternoons (1-5). Phone 506-260-2498. We would die to have such stores in Saint John (more on that soon.) People in the Fredericton area can also drop by Joseph's "Urban Organic Garden" in Marysville on Tuesdays between 4 and 7) or he's in the market on Saturdays. Last Saturday he had scads of scapes and sprouts and he assured me that the number of different things available on Tuesdays is much greater as he pools resources from two of his gardens.
In Saint John we have Baleman's in the market which brings in stuff from its farm and other local producers when available and Grand Bay Westfield has the Corn Crib and there's Cochrane's in the Valley.
Towards Sussex, in Berwick just up the #10 highway towards Cambridge Narrows, there's a new one to me: Goddard Farms Shop (433-2544) which sells both animal and vegetable products "no growth hormones, pesticides or sprays" - and that includes pet food. It's open Mon-Sat. "mornings and evenings are best for dropping in, or call ahead."
Moncton not only boasts two very fine markets on Saturdays but has a lovely natural foods store, Sequoia, 114 Highfield St. (http://www.sequoiafoods.ca)
And, if you're going down the highway towards NS, a great stop is the relatively new "Green Pig" farm store at Salisbury - you know where you'd normally turn off to go to the Tim's and the Irving Big Stop. Well, go right, not left, if you're coming from Moncton and you'll immediately see the Green Pig (http://www.greenpigmarket.com) - open every day 9-8 in the summers. The Green Pig (the story behind the name is on their website) is dedicated to local products (including a lot of stuff they grow/raise themselves). They carry Speerville products, local cheeses, Just Us coffee from NS, and they have a great bakery to boot! (You can get organic pumpkin pie there in the fall).
Now if you get all the way into NS and you're headed for Truro or Halifax, just before Truro and again just 2 minutes from the highway, is Masstown Market. A fabulous stop if you're looking for coffee (they serve Just Us) and a snack - they have a whole cafe counter/bakery thing happening - they also have a liquor store, a plant store, a craft store, a deli counter and a grocery store - but most importantly for our purposes they are again dedicated to local products. It's the only place I know where I can buy local (okay south Shore NS) *line-caught* haddock. They're very into supporting sustainable fisheries. But there's also loads of local meat, cheese and produce. So if you're passing through bring a cooler with you so you can stock up...
Okay, so that's what I know at least in the Southern NB region (or nearby). Feel free to add!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Not in your body but on it... Olivier comes out clean
Okay so this isn't food exactly, but it is stuff that you put on your body and therefore gets absorbed into it. We're talking soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, cosmetics that sort of thing. Now there has been lots of criticism of the cosmetic industry and the stuff they put into "beauty products" like phthalates (plasticizers), but good old US-based Environmental Working Group has a whole database on cosmetic products and the chemicals they contain that is pretty scary. EWG brought this database to my attention again in an email in response to a US Presidential Cancer Panel that admitted that "health officials have grossly underestimated the extent of environmentally induced cancer among the 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with the disease annually". EWG put out its Cancer Prevention Tips - you know, filter your water, avoid things like Teflon and Scotchguard, eat the Clean 15, avoid the Dirty Dozen - but they also pointed to things like avoiding carcinogens in cosmetics (including sunscreen by the way - check out their report on that one!). Well so I checked out their database (you pump in a cosmetic brand name/product and out pops an analysis of just how chemically contaminated the thing is).Well I put in "moisturizer" and what to my wondering eyes should appear on the "clean" list but moisturizer by Olivier soapary as one of the cleanest products they have listed. That's Olivier from right here in New Brunswick. Yup, Bouctouche way for the original soapery but Olivier products are available in Saint John, Moncton and Dieppe markets and they have shops in other spots (they're opening one soon in Riverview across from Moncton, complete with a cafe and local art). And you can order stuff on-line. Anyways, as you can guess from the title the main ingredient of Olivier's stuff is olive oil (obviously not an NB product, but hey, the soaps and moisturizers and shampoos and lip balms etc. etc. are all handcrafted here in NB). So yay for us and Olivier.
Check out EWG's cosmetic database at: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/?inlist=Y
And Olivier, if you don't know them yet: http://www.oliviersoaps.com/
Check out EWG's cosmetic database at: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/?inlist=Y
And Olivier, if you don't know them yet: http://www.oliviersoaps.com/
Fundy Gardeners
Another site of interest is the blog sponsored by Fundy Gardeners, a local group of approximately 125 gardeners who meet monthly to listen to landscapers, expert gardeners of all kinds and specializations, as well as producers, and biologists. These talks are often accompanied by beautiful slide or powerpoint presentations.
During the summer members open their gardens to other members every Wednesday night. The focus tends to ornamentals, shrubs, and flowering plants, but there are many members who have outstanding vegetable gardens as well.
All members receive discounts at a large number of local garden supply stores and nurseries.
http://fundygardeners.blogspot.com/
During the summer members open their gardens to other members every Wednesday night. The focus tends to ornamentals, shrubs, and flowering plants, but there are many members who have outstanding vegetable gardens as well.
All members receive discounts at a large number of local garden supply stores and nurseries.
http://fundygardeners.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Peas!
Yes the peas are here now. Beautiful new peas just came in to Baleman's in the Saint John City Market from the Baleman farm. This really does mean that hodge podge (that Maritime treat of fresh garden veggies - peas,carrots, potatoes, beans - drowning in milk and butter) will soon be with us. At the moment I'm happy to eat the peas raw!
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