Farmers Market and Thursday Links

Hello friends. I have some fabulous links for you today. But first, I want to chat a bit about something I feel really really passionate about: Farmer's markets.

Since our Somerville Union Square farmer's market opened three weeks ago, I've been featuring a lot of fabulous things I picked up on this site. I have been getting a bunch of comments and emails about some of the produce I've found. Garlic scapes, baby spring onions, salad turnips and purple carrots are just some of the unique produce I've found. I get many questions and comments about these things because they are not traditionally available in the supermarket. Which just illustrates the amazing awesomeness of farmer's markets. So I wanted to take a minute and share some data I found with you.

Anyone not living under a rock knows that times are tough right now. Supporting your local economy and small businesses is one of the best things you can do with your dollars. Local markets produce very tangible personal, economic and environmental benefits.  

Here are 18 reasons why farmers markets kick ass:

1. Most local farms use organic or low-pesticide farming techniques and also use non-GMO seeds.
2. Farmer's market produce is the freshest you can get. Usually it was picked that morning or the day before. Vivid colors correlate to high levels of vitamins and nutrients.
3. Local farms support polyculture. Industrial and factory farms practice monoculture - the practice of planing only one crop. Monoculture farming drains the soil of nutrients and makes crops more susceptible to disease and pests, which requires more pesticides and fertilizers. These practices are extremely environmentally unfriendly as well as unhealthy. Polyculture planting encourages the diversity of natural ecosystems and utilized crop rotation and companion planting to maintain soil nutrients and grow strong and nutrient-dense crops.
4. Local markets create jobs. A recent study by the Farmer's Market Coalition found that establishing 21 farmer's markets in Oklahoma created 112 new full time jobs. Spending money locally not only helps the farms employ workers, but also circulates your money within the local community, which creates as well as preserves jobs. 
5. Markets also help stimulate economic grown in their immediate vicinities. 60% of market shoppers also patronize neighboring businesses on market day.
6. A 2006 study from the New Economic Foundation found that the London Queens market produces $48 of economic activity for every $19 spent at the market itself.
7. Low waste. Farmer's pick precisely what can be sold, minimizing waste. In addition, leftover produce is preserved, turning tomatoes into sauce or apples into juice. Unsaleable produce is composted to return nutrients back to the fields. 
8. Service to the community. In addition, most local markets have arrangements with local food banks and soup kitchens for leftover goods. In Seattle, farmer's markets donated 40,000 pounds of produce to local food banks in 2007. 
9. Super fresh food just tastes better. Farmers pick at the peak of freshness and get it to you ASAP. You can taste the differences in flavor and texture.
10. Markets highlight unique and local produce. Usually the variety is far greater than the supermarket. Last week, our market had five different varieties of kale! I find that when I see these great ingredients I am more motivated to cook and try new recipes.
11. Knowledge and control. When you shop locally, you know exactly where your food came from. You can chat with farmers and learn about the farms and their growing techniques. Usually, you can also visit these farms or sign up for CSA programs as well.
12. Market produce has accumulated less "food miles" which means it has not traveled across the country (or the world) to reach you. This saves substantially on fuel costs, which drives down the actual prices as well as the environmental impact.
13. Markets use way less packaging that traditional grocery stores. Cutting down on plastic and paper, as well as bringing your own reusable bags, is better for the environment.
14. Yummy prepared foods. Our market has fresh bread, homemade cheese (the string cheese is incredible!), fresh fruit popsicles, baked goods, plants, flowers, sauces, hummus and mini whoopie pies!!! All of which are produced locally.
15. Support local farms. Supporting local small business is important, but especially your local farming community. Having access to local, fresh food is a great privilege, and its essential to keep family farms in our communities for many generations. Purchasing your produce locally helps to give family farms the necessary capital to keep operating.
16. Family farms are not industrialized. Don't give your money to corporations who poison people with pesticide and fertilizer while shipping jobs outside the US.
17. Price. Farmers price their good competitively, and can usually offer great prices because markets cut out the "middle man." Generally, savings are greatest on organic produce.
18. Local markets also build community, bringing people together to interact and enjoy local goods. Our market features local artists and performers and weekly activities and programming for kids.

Did I miss anything? Why do you love your local farmer's market? Tell me in the comments!!!

So now, onto some healthy links!!!

• Watch out for detergent pods! They pose a poisoning risk - NYT
• Best and worst foods for digestion - Health.com
• Habits of successful dieters - CNN
• Seven benefits of regular exercise - Mayo Clinic

Green Rice (Arroz Verde)

For our Mexican feast this Saturday, I made some tasty and tangy green poblano rice, called arroz verde in Spanish, to accompany the pork chops. This is a simple dish that combines lots of fresh healthy veggies and herbs with spicy poblano pepper and rice. It makes a lovely accompaniment for grilled meats.

Poblanos are large, mild peppers, somewhere between a bell pepper and a jalepeno on the spicy scale. They add an intensity and heat to the dish without too much spice. Combined with cooling herbs, in this case cilantro and mint, it adds a lot of flavor to this simple dish.

There are many ways to make this dish, and you can use a number of different herbs, types of rice, or veggies to make it your own. I used the various things I had just grabbed at the farmers market: spinach, spring onions, baby leeks, cilantro and mint. But parsley and basil can also add some fabulous flavors. I made a big batch of this planning for some leftovers and I have not been disappointed. I brought some cold for lunch today and it was fantastic. I think next time I may add some nuts for crunch.

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Chili Brined Pork Chops with Cilantro Vinagrette

Craig is the official Grillmaster in our home. He calls prepping, lighting, and cooking on the grill his "man time" and he usually spends this time with a beer in hand. Anyway, Craig has been bugging me about grilling pork lately. We've grilled pretty much everything else, so it seemed about time to try this. I got some great bone in pork loin chops and decided to do a Mexican style brine with beer! I love to cook with beer, it's very underrated. With so many different types and tastes, it's a versatile ingredient that can really enhance a dish.

Brining is the process by which meat is soaked in a saltwater based mixture before cooking. It enhances flavor and tenderness while reducing cooking times. You can use a number of different things to brine. Anything from plain old saltwater to a more complex recipe will yield great results. This is a really simple brine that uses beer as a liquid base. I combined this with chilies and garlic for flavor and some acidity to help tenderize the meat. Generally, you can brine large cuts of meats for up to 24 hours. I would recommend brining these for at least 2, but as much as you can. I left mine for about 6 hours and they were juicy and tasty.

After all the time prepping and brining these chops, a crazy thunder storm rolled in just as we were about to light the grill. So I ended up cooking these in my cast iron skillet, which means I'll have to make them again so Craig can finally grill himself a pork chop.

Full recipe after the jump!
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