02 May Celina Thymes July 2014
Market News
The market grew tremendously in June with 10 vendors supplying customers with baked treats, hand crafted items, and fresh produce. July promises more growth with two new produce vendors, Bill Keck and Robert Collins joining the market. July is a great time to stock up on local produce that can be eaten fresh or frozen for future use. Don’t forget to come and visit the market during the Lake Festival and come early for the best selection.
Interview Thyme
Since July is the first month which offers a large supply of local produce, three of the largest produce vendors were interviewed this month. The Bowman Family has been selling produce at the Celina Farmer’s Market for nearly as long as the market has been in existence. Joseph Bowman runs the Celina Market where they sell fresh produce and baked goods the entire season, plants in the Spring and mums and pumpkins in the Fall. Joseph sets up shop every Saturday 8-1, May thru October, no matter the weather. In July the Bowmans will have Georgia peaches, fresh blueberries, and a variety of other fruits available.
The Wakelands have been selling produce at the Celina Farmer’s Market for 4 years. Their fresh produce comes from Amish growers in Indiana. Currently they sell cauliflower, zucchini, cucumbers, Georgia peaches, candy onions, broccoli, green peppers, and kolhrabi. They will be featuring sweetcorn and watermelon in July. Kyle Sudhoff is new to the market this year. He has a half acre of garden space full of tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, kohlrabi, turnips and green beans. He uses only organic sprays on all of his produce. Kyle also sells an array of cut flowers including sunflowers and zinnias. Many of the produce vendors sell out fast so come early for the best variety at the market
What’s Cooking
Zucchini pancakes
Servings: 3-5
Total Time: 30 min
2-3 medium zucchini (about a pound), shredded 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
2 eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese salt and pepper to taste
Place shredded zucchini into a colander with a weighted bowl on top. Let drain for 15 min and discard liquid. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients and then fold in the zucchini until just combined.. For each zucchini pancake, spoon a rounded tablespoon of batter onto a hot, lightly oiled griddle or heavy skillet, spreading to form a 3-inch circle. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the pancake is golden brown.
Keep pancakes warm in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven while cooking remaining pancakes Or cool, and place in layers in a freezer container with waxed paper between layers. To reheat; preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until hot and slightly crisp. Makes about 15 pancakes.
What’s Growing
The garden’s bounty explodes in July filling every shelf of the refrigerator and spreading onto the counter tops and tables. July brings with it the first taste of cucumbers, early tomatoes, eggplants, green beans, and the extensive summer squash family. The picture of a cylindrical yellow vegetable with a straight neck or crooked neck may be entering your mind with the mention of summer squash, however, this term is a category, not a variety. Back long ago when people could not wander into a store in January to buy fresh produce, it was important to devote some garden space to vegetables and fruits which could be stored in a cool place for the winter months without spoiling. Members of the squash family with thick, inedible skin on harvest day were good for long-term storage and were categorized as “winter”. Winter squash typically need to be cooked to be edible and come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors.
The squash varieties with tender skin which do not store well were considered “summer” squash varieties since they should be eaten in the summer and will rot before winter arrives. The generic yellow squash and green zucchinis are the only varieties likely to be found in the supermarket, but venture into the summer squash section of a local farmers’ market and you may find scalloped squash, squash which resemble lemons, white squash, patty pan, and even the warty decorative gourds can be eaten as summer squash when picked young.
All parts of the summer squash, including the skin and seeds, are edible. Even the squash blossoms themselves can be eaten. It may be surprising to know that if you are seeking a meal high in antioxidants, put down those blueberries and have a bowl of steamed squash instead. Squash contains high levels of copper, magnesium, vitamin C, potassium, several types of B vitamins, vitamin K and much more. If mothers want to serve their children a vegetable which is “good for their eyes”, perhaps they should leave the carrots in the bottom of the fridge and grab a squash instead. They contain an unusual amount of antioxidant nutrients, including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are especially helpful in the protection of the eye, including protection against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
When selecting summer squash, choose those which have unblemished, shiny rinds. The rinds should not be hard since this indicates the squash is over-mature and will have large seeds and stringy flesh. Store unwashed in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Summer squash can be frozen for later use, though it can make the flesh softer depending on the variety. To freeze, cut up the squash into cubes or grate them and steam for 3 minutes to minimize nutrient loss. Cool before dividing into freezer bags. Cubed, frozen squash can be added to winter soups and dishes while grated squash can be used in breads and to make squash (zucchini) pancakes.