Month: May 2017

Market Fresh

by Karen Curtis (KICS Gourmet) for Tri-City News 

In spite of the cold wet spring, Mother Nature has prevailed! My rhodo was only a week behind this year, and my trip to market Sunday filled my basket with lots of lovely food. I even saw purple asparagus!

My favourite purchase was the bag of mixed spring greens I picked up from Ripple Creek Organic Farm. Chris calls this blend his Baby Lettuce Mix. There are six different lettuces in the bag, including butter lettuce, romaine lettuce, and red and oak leaf. The seeds for this blend are sown close together so that the lettuces can’t form heads. Once the plants reach 3-4 inches in height they are harvested and bagged. This blend is so colourful and tasty; all it needs is a light vinaigrette to perfect it. After chasing California romaine all winter it is wonderful to have all our local greens coming back.

This Sunday will see the return of Ripple Creek’s Spring Mix. This one doesn’t have any lettuce in it at all! It includes baby Red Russian Kale, Mizuna, Ruby Streaks, Tatsoi, Golden Frills and Suehlihung. Aside from the Red Russian kale, I’ll bet you haven’t a clue what the others are! Suehlihung, Tatsoi, Golden Frill, Ruby Streaks and Mizuna are all varieties of mustard greens. Mustard greens are members of the brassica family, more commonly known for cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. Mustard greens do share many of the same nutritional benefits such as high levels of Vitamin C, folic acid and calcium. They have a slightly bitter taste to them, but not as bitter as arugula. One advantage to this prolonged cooler weather is that the greens are tender and sweet.

While green may be the biggest colour at market this time of year, you can find other colours too. Thanks to a little extra protection from the greenhouse, peppers and tomatoes are available now too. And what about that purple asparagus? Amazia Farms, one of the new vendors this year, is bringing limited quantities of purple asparagus to market. This variety is less fibrous and sweeter that it’s green cousin. You can even eat it raw.

How about some ruby red rhubarb? It ranks right up there as a source for Vitamin C, as well as Vitamin K. Did you ever dip a stalk of rhubarb in sugar and eat it raw? If that isn’t to your liking, rhubarb is very versatile and can be used in all sorts of ways, from chutney to wine.

A perfect way to get your kids involved in learning about these great greens is to sign them up for POP (Power of Produce). This brand new weekly kids program kicks off on June 4th. For the first week, two local nutritionists will be running cooking classes with the kids. Then, get ready to get your hands dirty as kids will plant a few seeds for their home garden. Activities run from 9am – 1pm. This event is for kids ages 5-12.

If that isn’t enough colour for you, be sure to stop by Floralia Growers for some of their lovely hanging baskets, Never Say Die Farm for some fresh cut Gerbera daisies, or a perfect perennial from S & S Nursery.
Here a couple of recipes to make the most of the new spring greens and rhubarb

LEMON HERB VINAGRETTE
1/3 c olive oil
1/3 c KICS Lemonade Syrup (or lemon juice if you prefer a less sweet dressing)
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp original AJI (A South American condiment found at market)
1/2 tsp fleur de sel with herbs d`provence
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 clove minced garlic
½ c chopped fresh herbs (basil, thyme, tarragon etc)

Combine above ingredients and let rest 20 minutes or so to let the flavours mingle

NANA OF THE NORTH’S RHUBARB CHUTNEY
6 lbs Rhubarb, washed and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 10 cups)
8 c white sugar
2 c white vinegar
4 c chopped onions
2 tsp each- ground allspice, cinnamon, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and simmer over low heat until dark brown, about 3 hours. Will keep for several weeks in the fridge, or can be frozen.

Just in case you need more recipes, come visit the market on June 11th and sign up for my class – The Perfect Summer BBQ Workshop! Find out more here! I hope to see you there!

Get Growing Your Own Tomatoes This Season

by: Jackie, contributing freelance writer

Fun fact: Canada is a vegetable superpower! We ship more tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to the states than they ship to us, despite their longer growing season. With proper planning and planting, this could be the year you too start growing your own tomatoes. Here’s a few key tips you want to keep in mind.

Know when to plant

The big picture key to a home garden is knowing when to start seedlings inside and when it’s safe to transplant them or alternatively start plants from seed or seedlings outside. Almost all online plant vendors rate their seedlings using the basic methodology of the United States Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones. However, the Natural Resources Canada specifically details hardiness zones for growing at home in Canada. These are based on seven different climate variables, one of which is the minimum temperature necessary for successful planting.

Now while the hardiness zones will give you the broad outline of when to grow, what you really want is when to start tomato seedlings indoors, when you can plant them outdoors where you live, and when you can expect to harvest. The Old Farmer’s Almanac web site covers both the US and Canada: just enter a nearby town or city, look down the chart until you see tomatoes and there’s the growing season. For example, here in Coquitlam, BC, start tomato seedlings indoors between Feb 21-Mar 7, and start tomato plants outdoors between Apr 26-May 17.

Know which varieties to plant

As you browse the Poirier Street Farmers Market, keep a sharp eye open for vendors selling tomato varieties that do well in this part of BC. That’s the easiest way to make good choices among the over 3,000 varieties of heirloom or heritage tomatoes in active cultivation worldwide and let alone the 15,000 known varieties of tomatoes, many of them available commercially and online.

Your local seedling vendors will know which varieties do the best in our growing climate – and which are the best for salads, sauces or canning, just ask!

Where to plant

Tomato vines like sheltered, sunny locations. For example, the south wall of your house or against a south-facing fence are both good locations. And they don’t like rain – a rainy summer can easily wipe out 90 per cent of your crop, so plan to use some form of a rain awning that protects your tomatoes but lets in beneficial insects.

Space tomatoes well and pitch them often

Tomatoes start small and get big – very big. Plan on spacing your tomato seedlings outdoors at least 2 feet apart. And, tomatoes put out a lot of branches if left to their own devices – you want to pinch (literally – cutting does more damage) Sucker shoots which are the shoots that appear in the elbow between the stem and a branch.

One last suggestion

Tomato plants love certain kinds of company – especially basil, the scent of which deter many injurious insects – and hate others, like cabbage. Enjoy growing your own tomato plants this year and their addition to your tasty Caprese salad in the months ahead!

For even more information: Click Here!

Job Posting: Farmers Market Manager

The Coquitlam Farmers Market Society (CFMS) invites applications for the Market Manager position. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Market Manager is responsible for the smooth operation and promotion of our weekly, outdoor Farmers Markets.

About the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society:
Coquitlam Farmers Market Society (CFMS) is a non-profit, volunteer driven organization and is one of the longest running suburban farmer’s markets in the Lower Mainland, our beginnings rooted in a community economic development project initiated by SFU students in 1996.

• Manages Summer Markets – May – October attends weekly Sunday markets (7am – 2pm)
• Manages Winter Markets – November – April attends Sunday markets (8am – 3pm)
• Manages Annual Christmas Market – second Saturday in December (7am – 5pm)

On Market Day:
• Facilitates the set up of the Market including: determining tent layout, assembling tents, tables, banners, and other Market day materials
• Manages vendors: directing vendors to their locations, collect fees, market currencies, and handle vendor queries
• Assists Assistant Market Manager to oversee staff and volunteers; community group participants; and entertainers
• Provides Market information to shoppers and vendors; and positively handles concerns and queries
• Positively represents the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society to the community.

Beyond Market Day
• Vendor Management: manage vendor relationships, create and maintain vendor schedule, create monthly newsletter, answer queries, recruit new vendors
• Marketing and communications: create and implement plan to promote farmers market
Creates monthly newsletter, distribute press releases, create content and manage social media presence
Creates general, event and promotional materials
Maintains website – blog posts, social media promotions, vendor profiles, events and workshops
• Program Management: implements and manages programs operating through the market • Attend monthly board meetings
• Responds to general inquiries, through phone and email
• Represents the CFMS at community events in the Tri-Cities
• Works from home office

We are looking for someone who:
• Enjoys working in a fast paced environment, has a passion for local food, and enjoys being outside in all weather conditions
• Has excellent management abilities and strong marketing skills
• Has an interest and/or experience in community development and is familiar with the
not-for- profit sector
• Is self directed, reliable, responsible, and works collaboratively as part of a team
• Can handle simple conflict situations with sensitivity
• Can manage others and delegate tasks appropriately
• Has excellent written and oral communication skills
• Has regular access to a computer, printer, and email
• Is computer literate, with good working knowledge of basic software applications (Word,
Excel)
• Graphic design and knowledge of design software an asset
• Can lift up to 10 kg of equipment
• Has a valid BC drivers license, and access to a reliable vehicle to bring market day items to
market, and to use when posting signage with the surrounding community
• Familiarity with the Tri-Cities area an asset

Term of Contract:
The market manager position is to cover a one year maternity leave.
• 1 year contract, 30 hours per week
• $31,200 annual

Please forward a cover letter and resume, describing how your background/experience meets the above criteria by email to info@makebakegrow.com

We thank all applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.