COMPARISON SHOPPING AT FARMERS MARKETS AND RETAIL STORES

Prices for local food products are about the same at farmers markets – within a 10% price range – as at retail stores, and, for some foods, they are even less.  Local, certified organic products at farmers markets are almost alwayscompetitively priced with those at retail stores. These are just some of the findings from a recent project conducted in Vermont. Researchers compared the average prices of 55 products – such as produce, meat, poultry, and eggs – at 12 Vermont farmers markets and five retail stores.  They found that many items sold at farmers markets are similarly priced to those sold at traditional retail outlets.   For example:

• Prices for organic produce at farmers markets is competitive with retail establishments 92% of the time, including: apples, broccoli, carrots, chard, kale, lettuce, raspberries, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini.
• Produce identified as “local” at farmers markets is competitively priced with retail establishments 89% of the time, including: carrots, chard, garlic, lettuce, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini.
• “Local” meat at farmers markets is competitively priced with retail establishments 57% of the time, including: eggs, sirloin, and ham.

Source: USDA, 5/19/126, Comparison Shopping

No cash? No problem at the Farmers Market!

With farmers market season arriving today, just a reminder that you can use a debit card of a SNAP EBT card at the farmers markets in St. Lawrence County.  Here's how....

Farmers market season is here!

With May right around the corner, visions of garden-grown meals have probably begun to engulf your every thought. Reveries of lightly roasted asparagus spears fill your consciousness, begging for the day when you can simply head to the farmers market for a generous share of this bountiful veggie. Never fear! It's just about market—and asparagus—season! 

Starting May 13, the Canton Farmers Market will take place every Tuesday and Friday from 9:00am to 2:00pm. Starting May 14, the Potsdam Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9:00am to 2:00pm.  You can swipe your credit, debit, or SNAP card at the market manager table located at each market. Also, SNAP recipients will get double the amount to spend this year! (Example, if you swipe $5 on your SNAP card you'll get $10 in tokens to spend!)  If you have any questions, visit the market manager at the farmers market, or email GardenShare at info@gardenshare.org.

The makings of a delicious spring meal are right at your fingertips!

Spring Dinner Meal Plan:

Start with a tossed green salad of mixed lettuce, arugula, and mustard greens, followed by a side dish of roasted asparagus with rosemary and lemon. A main course of chicken with creamy green onion sauce is a hearty staple, and for the vegetarians, the green onion sauce can be mixed over chickpeas and rice. Top it off with a warm rhubarb pie, baked with rhubarb straight from the farmer. The recipes are listed below:

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Rosemary

Showcase the rich flavor of asparagus by complimenting it with herbs and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Prep time: 10 mins    Cook time: 15 mins    Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 whole Lemon

1 bunch of asparagus

Handful of rosemary sprigs

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Thinly slice half of lemon.
2. Along with the lemon slices and rosemary, spread asparagus shoots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, as well as salt and pepper. Squeeze juice from remaining half of lemon.
3. Roast in oven for 7 minutes, then carefully turn asparagus over and continue roasting for another 8 minutes. Watch for preferred doneness. Add additional time if needed. Total roasting time should be between 15-20 minutes.
4. Serve warm.

(Recipe from http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/sidedishes/roasted-asparagus-with-lemon-and-rosemary)

Chicken with Creamy Green Onion Sauce

For the vegetarians, omit the chicken and instead pour the sauce over a mix of some chickpeas and rice.

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

6 medium chicken breasts

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

⅓  cup chopped green onion

¾ cup chicken broth

¼ teaspoon salt

pepper

1-2 tablespoon Dijon mustard (to taste)

1 cup plain yogurt

Preparation:

1. Melt butter over med. high heat.
2. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly.
3. Reduce heat to medium.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients except yogurt. Make sure you stir the green onions into the sauce at this point. The release of these flavors as it warms is what makes the sauce!
5. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens (3 to 5 minutes).
6. Stir in yogurt and heat through.
7. Serve over baked or sautéed chicken breast.

(Recipes from http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-with-creamy-green-onion-sauce-291657)

Rhubarb Pie

This recipe takes a bit more effort than the previous two, but will be well worth it in the end!

FOR THE CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
⅔ cup vegetable shortening, plus 2 tablespoons
6 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE FILLING
5 cups sliced rhubarb
1 ¼ cups sugar
5 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ tablespoons butter

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Make the crust: before measuring the flour, stir it to leaven with air and then measure out 2 cups. Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Cut the shortening into the flour with a fork or pastry blender. Stop as soon as the sheen of the butter disappears and the mixture is a bunch of coarse pieces. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water at a time over the dough, lifting and tossing it with the fork. When it begins to come together, gather the dough, press it into a ball and then pull it apart; if it crumbles in your hands, it needs more water. (It's better to err on the side of too wet than too dry.) Add a teaspoon or two more water, as needed.
2. Gather the dough into two slightly unequal balls, the larger one for the bottom crust and the smaller one for the top. Flatten the larger ball, reforming any frayed edges with the sides of your hand. Dust with flour and roll the dough, starting from the center and moving toward the edges. Take a knife or thin spatula and quickly work its edge between the crust and the counter top. Lift the dough to the side; dust the dough and counter top with flour. Roll again until the diameter is an inch or 2 larger than that of the pie pan. Lay the rolling pin a third of the way from one of the edges. Roll the crust onto the pin and then unroll the crust into a 9-inch pie pan and press it into place. Place in the freezer.
3. Make the filling: in a large bowl, blend the rhubarb, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Pour into the crust-lined pie pan. Dot with butter.
4. Roll out the top crust. Dab the rim of the bottom crust with water to create a glue. Then place the top crust over the rhubarb; trim, seal and cut several vents. Bake for 15 minutes; reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until a bit of pink juice bubbles from the vents in the crust.

(Recipes from http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9420-straight-up-rhubarb-pie)

Written by Lanika Sanders,  Intern at GardenShare

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Farmers Markets Open This Week

The Canton Farmers Market opens this Friday, May 13, on the green in Canton.  This Market will be open from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM every Tuesday and Friday until October.

The Potsdam Farmers Market opens this Saturday, May 14 at Ives Park in Potsdam.  This Market will be open from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM every Saturday until October.

Farmers Markets are held rain or shine.

In May at the Farmers Markets, you may find asparagus, lettuce, green onions, parsnips, dried beans, and rhubarb, among other things.  In addition, the markets frequently have other food, wine, and craft vendors. 

Both Farmers Markets are equipped to accept debit cards or SNAP-EBT benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps).  To use these cards, the customer should visit the Market Manager's booth, where the cards can be swiped and tokens will be provided to spend with the farmers.  GardenShare manages this service for the Farmers Markets and more information can be found at http://gardenshare.org/content/farmers-markets

This year, thanks to a generous grant from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, GardenShare will be able to double the value for anyone purchasing at the Farmers Market with a SNAP-EBT card.  For each $5.00 charged to the SNAP-EBT card, the customer will receive $10.00 worth of tokens that can be spent for SNAP approved items like fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, or food plants at the Farmers Market.

In addition, SNAP-EBT customers will receive a frequent customer card.  After visiting and purchasing food at the market five different days, the SNAP-EBT customer will receive an additional $20.00 in tokens to be spent at the Farmers Market for these food items.  This benefit is also supported through the grant from Excellus BlueCross Blue Shield.

Shopping at our local Farmers Markets not only gives the consumer the freshest, healthiest produce possible, it also supports our local farmers and keeps that money in the local economy.  GardenShare is pleased to be able to make the benefit of this healthy, locally-grown food accessible to our lower-income neighbors and especially grateful to Excellus BlueCross BlueShield for funding the bonuses to those who rely on the SNAP program in order to feed their families.

For more information, visit www.gardenshare.org