Fresh Eats Blog: Potatoes

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: potatoes.

Did you know potatoes are one of the world’s most important staples? From 1845 to 1852, Ireland experienced a great famine due to the shortage of potatoes, killing about one million people.

Did You Know?

Did you know many compare potatoes to pasta or bread because of the amount of carbohydrates it contains? There are thousands of different varieties of potatoes, all pollinated by bees!

Despite the name, did you know sweet potatoes are only loosely related to potatoes?

Potatoes are in season in South West British Columbia from August until sold out the next year! Make sure you stop by the market this Sunday to try some of the province’s best!

Recipe of the Week

Salad- Stuffed Tomatoes 

Courtesy of MARTHA STEWART LIVING

Ingredients:

3 red potatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large tomatoes
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch-long matchsticks
1/2 bunch arugula (1 1/3 cups), cut into thin strips
4 onions, peeled and cut into thin rounds

Directions:

Step 1- Place potatoes in a small saucepan; cover with salted water. Bring water to a boil, and cook potatoes until fork tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and transfer potatoes to an ice-water bath until cool.

Step 2- Drain potatoes, and slice into 1 1/2-inch-long matchsticks; set aside.

Step 3- Slice off the tops of tomatoes; discard tops. Using a melon baller, scoop out the seeds and flesh; discard. Set the tomato “bowls” aside.

Step 4- In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil. Set vinaigrette aside.

Step 5- In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, cucumber, arugula, and onions. Add reserved vinaigrette; toss gently to combine. Divide salad among tomato bowls, and garnish with dill fronds, if available.

Ingredients at the Market

Cucumbers: Forstbauer Farms, Nutrigreens, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Wah Fung Farm

Potatoes: Forstbauer Farms, Shen’s Farm, Never Say Die

Tomatoes: Forstbauer Farms, Never Say Die, Ripple Creek Organic Farm

Arugula: Langley Organic Growers

Onions: Ripple Creek Organic Farm

Butter & Cheese: Golden Ears Cheescrafters

Other Greens and Vegetables: Floralia Growers, Forstbauer Farms, Langley Organic Growers, Never Say Die Farm, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Shen’s Farm, Wah Fung Farm

Steps on How To Grow

Potato Planting 101:

Step 1- Plant seeds or small portions of pre-cut potatoes in nutrient rich soil. If you are planting pre-cut pieces of potatoes, make sure you cut them about one day before in order to give it time to form a protective layer prior to planting.

Step 2- Form a trench and then spread and mix in rotted manure or organic compost in the bottom.

Step 3- Plant seed potatoes one foot apart in a 4-inch deep trench, eye side up.

Note: It is recommended to practice yearly crop rotation.

Step 4- Make sure you water your plants regularly. This is especially important when the tubers are forming. Potatoes like growing in soft soil that can be drained well.

Step 5- When the plant is about six inches tall, hoe the dirt up around the base of the plant in order to cover the root as well as to support the plant. Bury them in loose soil. This ensures the crop does not get sunburnt.

Note: If you see your potatoes have turned green, this is a result of them being sunburnt. Do not eat them!

Step 6- Repeat step 5 every few weeks to protect your crop.

Step 7- The time of harvest depends on what time of year you have planted. Harvest could occur between 60 to 90 days after planting.

Step 8- Harvest your crop after the plant’s foliage has died back. Cut browning foliage to the ground and wait 10 to 14 days before harvesting to allow the potatoes to develop a thick enough skin. Don’t wait too long, though, or the potatoes may rot.

Step 9- Dig potatoes on a dry day. Dig up gently, being careful not to puncture the tubers.

Potatoes in B.C.

Did you know potatoes make up 52% of all fresh vegetables consumed in Canada? Canada is among the top 20 potato producing countries worldwide and is the most valuable vegetable crop in Canada.

Potatoes are grown in every province including B.C.! Although not one of the main producers, there are dozens of farmers who produce this crop! As a country, we produce about $1 billion worth of potatoes annually.

Fresh Eats Blog: Garlic

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: garlic.

Did You Know?

Although garlic is native to central Asia, did you know China is currently its largest producer?

Each bulb of garlic contains many nutrients, including potassium, iron, calcium, and Vitamin C.

Garlics’ health benefits date back centuries and is believed the help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure!

The end Garlic’s growing season in South West British Columbia ends in October but can be stored for months after harvest! Make sure you stop by the market this Sunday to try some of the province’s best!

Recipe of the Week

Roasted-Garlic Bread

Courtesy of MARTHA STEWART LIVING

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Roasted Garlic
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 loaf rustic French or Italian bread

Directions:

Step 1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mash roasted garlic and cooking oil to a coarse paste with a fork.

Step 2- Split bread horizontally and spread garlic paste evenly on cut sides. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 3- Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until garlic is golden and edges of bread are crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 4- Cut into wedges for serving.

Roasted- Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Courtesy of MARTHA STEWART LIVING 

Ingredients:

2 heads garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons butter

Directions: 

Step 1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off and discard top quarter of garlic heads. Drizzle garlic with oil; wrap in foil. Bake until tender, 1 hour. Squeeze out garlic cloves; discard skins.

Step 2- Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch; season with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3- Drain, and return to pan. Heat over medium, stirring, until a thin starchy film covers bottom of pan. Remove from heat; add half-and-half, butter, and garlic. Mash until smooth; season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients at the Market

Garlic: Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Forstbauer Farm

Potatoes: Forstbauer Farms

Bread: A Bread Affair

Other Greens and Vegetables:  Forstbauer Farms, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, From Beds to Bowls Farm

Steps on How To Grow

Garlic Planting 101:

Step 1- It is recommended to grow garlic in the fall but it can be planted in early spring. A few days before you plant, break apart the cloves from its bulb but do not remove the husks.

Note: It is not recommended that you plant from store bought bulbs. Make sure you buy from a local nursery or farmers market and choose a variety that suits your growing environment.

Step 2- Make sure the space you have chosen to plant is well-drained with plenty of organic matter. If not you may choose to add organic fertilizer or mulch. Also, ensure the place where you are going is sunny.

Note: If you notice the leaves of your plants have a yellow hue, add fertilizer.

Step 3- Place cloves 4 inches apart and 2 inches deep, in their upright position. Make sure the wide root side facing down and pointed end facing up.

Step 4- During the colder, frost months, add a heavy amount of mulch. Water about 3-5 days during warmer months.

Step 5- Once you see the tip of your plants have a yellow colour and they begin to fall, it is time to harvest. Another indicator is the leaves drying out.

Note: Ensure you do not harvest too early. You want to make sure your bulb is a mature size and the wrapping quality is good.

Step 6- Carefully lift the bulbs with a spade or garden fork. Pull the plants, carefully brush off the soil, and let them cure in an airy, shady spot for two weeks. Then hang them upside down on a string in bunches of four to six.

Garlic in B.C.

B.C.’s climate is perfect for growing garlic! Dozens of local farmers produce this easy to grow crop.

To note: There many types of garlic.  But the 2 main categories are soft neck and hardneck.

In BC, hardneck is the most common category, as it is planted in October and is harvested in July.  What is great about this kind as it produces a delicious edible scape in June to be snatched off and eaten!

Soft neck can be planted here, but it is usually the type purchased in a local grocery store.  But, planting softneck garlic can give you the ability to create garlic braids!  Yes!  So pick your type to grow and have fun!

 

Fresh Eats Blog: Kale

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: kale.

Did you know kale can reduce inflammation, help the liver detox, and even protect brain cells from stress?

Did You Know?

Did you know kale contains more absorbable calcium than a small carton of milk? This nutrient packed super food is a great addition to a number of traditional meals! In one cup of kale your body will receive 684% of vitamin K, 134% of vitamin C, 206% of Vitamin A plus iron, folate, omega-3s, magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber, and 2 grams of protein- all this with just 33 calories!

Kale is in season in South West British Columbia from September all the way until March! Make sure you stop by the market this Sunday to try some of the province’s best!

Recipe of the Week

Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and Carrots

Courtesy of MARTHA STEWART LIVING

Ingredients:

tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple-cider vinegar
Coarse salt and pepper
3 cups mixed shredded kale and red cabbage
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons diced onion
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons hemp seeds

Directions:

Step 1- In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, mustard, and apple-cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2- In another bowl, combine kale, cabbage, carrot, parsley, and red onion with sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds.

Step 3- Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat.

Ingredients at the Market

Kale:

Cabbage:

Carrot:

Parsley:

Apple-cider Vinegar:

Other Greens and Vegetables: Amazia Farm, Beckmann Farm, Floralia Growers, Forstbauer Farms, Langley Organic Growers, Never Say Die Farm, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Shen’s Farm, Wah Fung Farm

Steps on How To Grow

Kale Planting 101:

Step 1- Since kale is hardy, the planting season is not as big of a concern. If you plant in the late summer, you can harvest all the way until the winter.

Note: If you add mulch during the colder months, this increases the chance your kale will last through the winter. You can also shield your kale with row covers or other homemade covers.

Step 2- Plant the seeds one quarter to half an inch deep into well-drained, light soil.

Step 3- Mix one and a half cups of fertilizer per 25 feet of row into the top three to four inches of soil.

Step 4- Thin the seedlings so that they are about eight to twelve inches apart after about 2 weeks or growing.

Step 5- Harvest your kale when it is about the size of your hand. Make sure you do not pick too many leaves per harvest and ensure you do not pick to bud found at the top of the plant.

Kale in B.C.

Kale is one of twelve varieties of vegetables that you can grow over the winter in this province.

This vegetable was once used for medicinal purposes and was abundant in Europe. Russian kale was the first to be introduced to Canada in the early 19th century by traders.

You can find dozens of farms that produce kale across B.C.!

Fresh Eats Blog: Pears

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: pears.

Did You Know?

Did you know there are over three thousand varieties of pears grown in the world but none are native to North America?

Due to their low acidity, pears are often suggested for weaning babies as they are not too hash or their digestive system. This fruit has more fibre and potassium than apples!

A medium sized pear has about 300 calories and used to be known as “butter fruit” for its soft, butter-like texture. Pears are in season in South West British Columbia from August until December! Make sure you stop by the market this Sunday to try some of the province’s best!

Recipe of the Week

Caramelized Pears

Courtesy of MARTHA STEWART LIVING

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium pears, quartered and cored
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Salt
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:

Step 1- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high.

Step 2- Add pears, one cut side down, and cook until browned, then reduce heat to medium and cook 3 minutes. Turn pears to other cut side and cook 4 minutes.

Step 3- Add sugar and 1 tablespoon water, swirling pan to combine. Turn pears skin side down and cook until sauce is thickened slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and pinch of salt.

Step 4- Serve warm with ice cream!

Ingredients at the Market

Pears:

Butter: Golden Ears Cheescrafters

Ice Cream: Rocky Point Ice Cream

Other Greens and Vegetables: Amazia Farm, Beckmann Farm, Floralia Growers, Forstbauer Farms, Langley Organic Growers, Never Say Die Farm, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Shen’s Farm, Wah Fung Farm

Steps on How To Grow

Pear Growing 101:

Step 1- In order to produce fruit, you need to plant more than one variety of pear tree. This will allow cross-pollination but ensure these varieties are compatible.

Step 2- Make sure you plant your trees in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun that has good are circulation.

Step 3- Space the trees 20 to 25 feet apart. If you are using dwarf trees, space them 12 to 15 feet apart. For trees that come from containers, remove the plant. Use shears to remove any circling roots. For grafted trees, position the inside of the curve of the graft union away from the sun when planting.

Step 4- Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots. Set the tree on top of a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole. Be sure to spread the roots away from the trunk without excessively bending them. Do not add fertilizer or topsoil to the hole.

Step 5- Make sure you water your young tree enough in order to establish roots.

Step 6- Add a small amount of fertilizer. If you have highly fertile soil, use less fertilizer.

Note: Do not add too much fertilizer because it is important for the tree to not have too much nitrogen!

Step 7- Prune your trees to either a central leader system or a modified leader system (this is easier to maintain). If you have a dwarf tree it is better to prune to a central leader system.

Step 8- During the first summer, remove any shoots that form within 18 inches of the ground. The result of this should look like a Christmas tree. Prune your trees regularly and thin the fruit as well.

Note: After your trees are established, water them regularly.

Step 9- When harvesting the fruit, pick them when they are fully grown but still very hard. Keeping the fruit at room temperature to ripen will produce the best product.

Pears in B.C.

Did you know pears are one of the very few fruit that don’t fully ripen on the tree? In Canada, commercial pear production is limited to regions with a mild winter climate. The tops producers of pears in this country are Ontario, Nova Scotia and B.C.!

The climate in B.C.’s Okanagan make growing pears easy and successful but this fruit is grown across the southern region of this province.

Hundreds of farmers have been growing pears in B.C. for decades with no sign of slowing down!

Fresh Eats Blog: Apples

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: apples.

Did you know the crabapple is the only variety of apple that is native to North America?

 Did You Know?

Did you know apples are a member of the rose family? This crop grows on a tree which typically can take five years to produce it’s first round of fruit!

Did you know it takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider? Apples are a good source of fibre and do not contain any fat, sodium or cholesterol.

Varieties of this fruit are in season in South West British Columbia from August all the way until March! Make sure you stop by the market this Sunday to try some of the province’s best!

Recipe of the Week

Apple Cherry Cobbler

Courtesy of MARTHA STEWART LIVING

Ingredients:

4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup sugar
Coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, grated

Directions:

Step 1- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking pan, toss apples, lemon juice, and cherries.

Step 2- Whisk together sugar, a pinch of salt, the cinnamon, and flour. Add half the sugar mixture to apples; stir to combine.

Step 3- Stir together oats and remaining sugar mixture. Add butter, and stir. Evenly pat oat-butter mixture over apples. Bake until oats are golden, apples are tender, and the juices are bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes.

Ingredients at the Market

Apples:

Cinnamon: Amazing Foods

Cherries: Harvest Direct, Hill Top Farms, Red Barn Plant and Produce

Oats (Try some amazing granola from): Delish Gluten Free, Gabi & Jules

Butter: Golden Ears Cheescrafters

Steps on How To Grow

Apple Growing 101:

Step 1- Planting your apple tree in the spring is recommended, but if the fall climate is mild and moist, growth can be successful. Be sure to choose a variety that best suits your growing conditions. Not all apples grow everywhere and the time needed to produce fruit varies.

Step 2- Each variety of plant has a certain amount of time when temperatures can be between zero and six degrees Celsius. This is referred to as chill hours. For example, the farther north you go, the more chill hours an apple variety needs to avoid late spring freeze problems.

Step 3- Prior to planting for maximum results, test your soil. This will determine the soil amendments necessary to correct nutrient deficiencies and adjust soil pH. The amendments should be worked into the soil to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. This is where the tree will root, not just the depth of the planting hole.

Step 4- Plant your apple trees in an area with good drainage as they do not like soil that is too moist. To ensure your soil is moderately rich and is able to retain enough moisture, include organic material in addition to your mulch. This will also provide nutrients for your trees as they decompose.

Step 5- For optimal tree growth, find a place that has full sunlight or as much as possible. This ideally means six or more hours of direct summer sunlight per day.

Step 6- Seedlings or full-size trees should be planted about 15 to 18 feet apart in a row. A dwarfing rootstock might be four to eight feet apart in one row. Dwarf apple trees are notoriously prone to uprooting under the weight of a heavy crop, so you should provide a support system for your hedge. You can grow your trees against a fence, or you can provide free-standing support in the form of a trellis.

Note: Do not plant trees near wooded areas or trees.

Step 7- Before you plant your tree, remove all weeds and the grass in an approximate four foot diameter circle. Create a hole that is about twice the diameter of the root system and two feet deep. Loosen the soil on the walls of the planting hole so the roots can easily penetrate the surrounding soil. When placing your tree in this hole, make sure none of the roots are twisted or crowded. Place soil around the roots and as you cover them. Then, more firmly pack down the soil to remove air pockets.

Step 8- Fill the last portion of the whole with loose soil and then press down once it is filled.

Note: Most apple trees are grafted. The graft union must be at least two inches above the soil line so roots do not emerge from the scion. The graft union (where the scion is attached to the rootstock) can be recognized by the swelling at the junction.

Step 9- Do not rush to prune your trees when they are young. This may delay its overall growth and fruit production. Some ways to prune young trees are to rub off misplaced buds before they grow into misplaced branches; bend a stem down almost horizontally for a few weeks to slow growth and promote branches and fruiting; and tie down with strings to stakes in the ground or to lower branches.

Step 10- Mature or adult trees can be pruned annually and you do not have to be as careful with this process. Once you have a substantial crop, thin the fruit often. This prevents a heavy crop from breaking limbs, and ensures better-tasting, larger fruit crop.

Apples in B.C.

Apples account for 50 percent of international deciduous fruit tree production. In B.C. there are fifteen varieties of apples grown in the summer alone!

Regions of this province are widely known to produce some of the best crops of apples in the country. There are a number of varieties that can be planted across B.C. so you rarely find trouble growing!

This province has become one of the most reliable contributors to the production of apples in Canada with one of the earliest apple productions breaking ground in Vernon.

Fresh Eats Blog: Cucumbers

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: cucumbers.

Did You Know?

Did you know the term “cool as a cucumber” comes from the cucumber’s ability to cool the temperature of blood? This is why they are included in skin regimes.

Cucumbers contain plenty of your daily vitamin and mineral intake, including Vitamin B, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Potassium.

Cucumbers are in season in South West British Columbia from August until October! Make sure you stop by the market this Sunday to try some of the province’s best!

Recipe of the Week

Salad- Stuffed Tomatoes 

Courtesy of MARTHA STEWART LIVING

Ingredients:

3 red potatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large tomatoes
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch-long matchsticks
1/2 bunch arugula (1 1/3 cups), cut into thin strips
4 onions, peeled and cut into thin rounds

Directions:

Step 1- Place potatoes in a small saucepan; cover with salted water. Bring water to a boil, and cook potatoes until fork tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and transfer potatoes to an ice-water bath until cool.

Step 2- Drain potatoes, and slice into 1 1/2-inch-long matchsticks; set aside.

Step 3- Slice off the tops of tomatoes; discard tops. Using a melon baller, scoop out the seeds and flesh; discard. Set the tomato “bowls” aside.

Step 4- In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil. Set vinaigrette aside.

Step 5- In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, cucumber, arugula, and onions. Add reserved vinaigrette; toss gently to combine. Divide salad among tomato bowls, and garnish with dill fronds, if available.

Ingredients at the Market

Cucumbers: Forstbauer Farms, Nutrigreens, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Wah Fung Farm

Potatoes: Forstbauer Farms, Shen’s Farm, Never Say Die,

Tomatoes: Forstbauer Farms, Never Say Die, Ripple Creek Organic Farm

Arugula: Langley Organic Growers

Onions: Ripple Creek Organic Farm

Butter & Cheese: Golden Ears Cheescrafters

Other Greens and Vegetables: Amazia Farm, Floralia Growers, Forstbauer Farms, Langley Organic Growers, Never Say Die Farm, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Shen’s Farm, Wah Fung Farm

Steps on How To Grow

Cucumber Planting 101:

Step 1- Since cucumbers are so easy to grow, feel free to plant your seeds directly into your garden in May! Cucumbers can grow in partial shade but for optimal growth, place them in as much sun as possible. When planting outside, make sure you are using a raised plant bed for the best drainage. If you are growing them inside, supplement sunlight with a growing light and transplant into a pot.  If you have a later start for planting, purchasing starter plants is ok too!  Just ensure you plant these by June 1.

Step 2- Add organic fertilizer, compost or manure to improve growth. Since they are vine crops, so it’s best to grow cucumbers on a trellis to keep them up off the ground, which help reduce the chance of pests getting at your crop. This also helps them grow vertical and straight.

Step 3- Plant your cucumber seeds about 1 inch apart, and about 1/2 inches deep. You can either make a hole in the dirt and drop the seeds into it, or you place the seeds on top of the soil and gently press them in.

Step 4- If planting indoors, place one seed per seedling tray. Due to their growth rate, you will have to transfer the plant into a pot. Options range from pea, cow or plastic pots.

Step 5- Water once you have planted your seeds. Cucumbers love water, so ensure they are watered regularly so that the soil does not dry.

Step 6- Harvesting your plant could come sooner than you might expect because of their growth rate. Cut the cucumber off the vine instead of pulling it off. Pulling could damage the cucumber itself as well as the vine.

Note: If you wait too long to harvest, the cucumber could become very seedy. It is always wise to follow the instructions on that are specified on the package of seeds.

Cucumbers in B.C.

Cucumbers have been cultivated both in India and China for about 3,000 years! Did you know Christopher Columbus is generally given credit for introducing them to North America?

Cucumbers are considered a greenhouse vegetable in this province. The industry relies on state-of-the-art facilities and production practices to produce high-quality fresh vegetables.

Without this technology, cucumbers have a much shorter season in B.C. since this vegetable does not fair well in the cold.

Fresh Eats Blog: Tomatoes

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: tomatoes.

Did you know cooked tomatoes are actually better for you than raw ones because beneficial chemicals are released?

Did You Know?

Did you know because tomatoes have seeds and grow from a flowering plant, it is classed as a fruit not a vegetable? There are more than 7,500 tomato varieties grown around the world, including Beefsteak, Oxheart and Plum tomatoes.

Tomatoes are in season in South West British Columbia from July all the way until November! Did you know they are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that is good for the heart and effective against certain cancers? Tomatoes are also packed with vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium and make a refreshing snack on a hot day!

Recipe of the Week

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Courtesy of blue bayou & allrecipes Canada

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup finely diced onion

5 chiles, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lime juice

Directions:

Step 1- Chop ingredients

Step 2- Combine ingredients in a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, chili peppers, cilantro, salt, and lime juice

Step 3- Chill for one hour in the refrigerator before serving

Put on fish, toasted bread, and more!

Ingredients at the Market

Tomatoes: Shen’s Farm, Never Say Die, and Red Barn and Plants will have heirlooms in August!

Cilantro: Floralia Growers, Red Barn Plants and Produce, Wah Fung Farm

Onions: Red Barn, Wah Fung Farm

Other Greens: Amazia Farm, Beckmann Farm, Floralia Growers, Forstbauer Farms, Harvest Direct, Hill Top Farm, Langley Organic Growers, Mandair Farms, Never Say Die Farm, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Shen’s Farm, Snowy Mountain Organics, Wah Fung Farm

Steps on How To Grow Tomatoes

Tomato Planting 101:

Step 1- Go to a garden center and purchase seeds in March. We know of a great local seed company, West Coast Seeds! Also grab some potting or seed starting soil and any apparatus to start the seeds. This could range from small pots, seedling trays, or even egg carton bottoms!

Step 2- Fill your growing vessels most of the way full of soil. Place your seeds on top (go for two seeds per vessel, it helps with germination in the case one doesn’t sprout) of the soil. Then sprinkle lightly soil on top, water lightly for all to settle.

Step 3- Put in a sunny window or under a heat mat and a grow light. Once the seed sprouts, water lightly each day and you should get a four leaf structure within three weeks.

Step 4- Pot up your little four leaf tomatoes in a next larger pot. Water and add fish fertilizer according to directions on the bottle.

Step 5- Once to a temperature outside of ten degrees Celsius at night, plant outside in the ground or in a final pot.  Fertilize it again as before and grab your staking equipment found at any garden centre. The easiest option: a tomato cage! Your plant will grow either high or bushy!  Make sure to cover your tomatoes with a plastic cover when it rains to avoid early season blight.

Step 6- Ensure you are watering each day. Tomatoes require six to eight hours of sunlight per day to grow and ripen.

Note: Having issues with your tomato plants? Register for our next gardening workshop on August 20th. It may describe to be a winter gardening workshop, but you can bring all your questions!

Tomatoes in B.C.

Tomatoes are one of B.C.’s many field and greenhouse vegetables that rely on state-of-the-art facilities and production practices. Did you know the skin colour of a ripe tomato is usually the only way to tell what type they are? The Coquitlam Farmers Market has a variety to choose from all summer!

Greenhouses only take up 0.01% of B.C.’s farmland, but produce 11% of the province’s total agriculture production! The breeze coming from the Pacific Ocean and daylight hours make the southern portion of the province one of the best regions to produce vegetables via greenhouses.

Fresh Eats Blog: Peaches

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: peaches.

Did you know peaches were once known as Persian apples?

Did You Know?

Did you know there are two main varieties of peaches: clingstone and freestone? The flesh of clingstone peaches stick to the pit while it is easily separated in freestone varieties. One of the hallmarks of summer, peaches can be found in recipes like peach cobbler and peach salads!

Peaches are in season in South West British Columbia for the month of August but are available in other regions for longer periods. Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market, we are lucky enough to have peaches early in the season!

Recipe of the Week

Peach Salsa

Courtesy of Sproule & Sons Farm, Oyama, B.C.

Ingredients:

6 cups of diced peaches
1 1/4 cups of chopped red onion
4 jalapeno pepper (chopped)
1 chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Directions:

Step 1- Simmer ingredients for five minutes.

Step 2- Pack into hot jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes or 15 minutes.

Step 3- Cool, then serve and enjoy with chips, tacos or bread.

Ingredients at the Market

Peaches: Harvest Direct Farm

Bell Peppers: Floralia Growers, Never Say Die Farm

Cilantro: Floralia Growers, Shen’s Farm, Red Barn Plants and Produce

Greens: Amazia Farm, Beckmann Farm, Floralia Growers, Forstbauer Farms, Harvest Direct, Hill Top Farm, Langley Organic Growers, Mandair Farms, Never Say Die Farm, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Shen’s Farm, Snowy Mountain Organics, Wah Fung Farm

Bread: A Bread Affair, Delish Gluten Free, Gesundheit, Marie’s Guilt Free Bakery

Steps on How To

Peach Planting 101:

Step 1- Choose a tree about one-year-old and plant in a site with well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Be sure to avoid low areas because frost can more easily settle there and destroy your peaches.

Note: For container-grown trees, remove the plant from its pot and remove any circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and using shears to cut through the roots. For grafted trees, position the inside of the curve of the graft union away from the sun when planting.

Step 2- Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots. Set the tree on top of a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole. Be gentle with the roots when spreading them away from the trunk.

Step 3- Add organic fertilizer and water regularly to increase the growth of the tree.

Step 4- Be sure to prune the tree to an open center shape. In the summer of the first year, cut the vigorous shoots that form on the top of the tree by two or three buds. Pruning and removing ripe fruit reduces the chance of diseases.

Step 5- Harvest the peaches once they are no longer green.

Note: Most types of peach trees are self-fertile, so planting one tree at a time is fine. ‘Harmony’ or ‘Canadian Harmony’ is a recommended variety because it is winter hardy and moderately resistant to bacterial leaf spot. It produces medium to large fruit and freezes well.

Peaches in B.C.

Did you know in 1846, Fort Victoria on Vancouver Island planted a six acre orchard laid out with apples, pears, and peaches?

The culture of peaches in Canada is mainly limited to southern B.C. and Ontario! Since peaches thrive where summer temperatures are high, Canadian peach trees are considered “short-lived”, lasting about ten to 20 years.  In the semiarid valleys of this province, irrigation is key for commercial culture.

While the true growing season in Southern British Columbia only lasts about one month in the summer, many places in the province with higher summer temperatures can produce peaches for close to three months. Peach farmers plant 12 or more varieties which ripen at different times.

Fresh Eats Blog: Bell Peppers

Here at the Coquitlam Farmers Market we are all about local, seasonal and sustainably grown produce. What better way to celebrate the summer months than a fresh take on some familiar foods! This week’s topic: bell peppers.

Did you know red peppers are simply green ones left on the vine longer? (Courtesy of KT Ng)

Did You Know?

Did you know peppers were named by Spanish explorers searching for peppercorn plants to produce black pepper? Also, they are considered fruits because they are produced from a flowering plant and contain seeds.

Peppers are in season in South West British Columbia from July through to October! Bell peppers are the most cultivated in the pepper family and are good in salads, pizzas, soups, sandwiches, or eaten fresh as a snack.

Recipe of the Week

Bell Pepper Egg-in-a-Hole

Courtesy Martha Stewart 

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 bell pepper (any color), cut into four 1/2-inch-thick rings

4 large eggs

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 teaspoons grated Parmesan

4 slices multigrain (or other) bread, toasted

8 cups mixed salad greens

Directions:

Step 1- Heat one teaspoon of oil over medium-high in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet. Add bell pepper, then crack one egg into the middle of each pepper ring.

Step 2- Season with salt and pepper and cook until egg whites are mostly set but yolks are still runny, this is about two to three minutes. Gently flip and cook one minute more for over easy.

Step 3- Sprinkle with Parmesan and place each egg on a slice of toast.

Step 4- Toss salad greens with one teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper; serve alongside eggs.

Ingredients at the Market

Bell Peppers: Floralia Growers, Never Say Die

Cheese: Golden Ears Cheesecrafters

Eggs: Alder Creek Heritage Homestead, Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm, Rockweld Farm

Bread: A Bread Affair, Delish Gluten Free, Gesundheit Bakery

Greens:  Amazia Farm, Beckmann Farm, Floralia Growers, Forstbauer Farms, Harvest Direct, Hill Top Farm, Langley Organic Growers, Mandair Farms, Never Say Die Farm, Ripple Creek Organic Farm, Shen’s Farm, Snowy Mountain Organics, Wah Fung Farm

Steps on How To

Bell Pepper Planting 101:

Step 1- As an option, plant three seeds in one pot, and thin out the weakest seedling. Let the remaining two pepper plants live as one plant. About a week before moving your plant into a bigger pot, introduce compost or other organic nutrients into the soil.

Step 2- Once the seedlings are large enough to transplant, place them 18-24 inches apart. Place the pot outdoors in a warm environment. You can warm up the soil by covering it with black plastic.

Step 3- Water the plants two to three times per week or if conditions are particularly dry, more frequent watering may be necessary. To help retain moisture you can add mulch to the surrounding area.

Step 4- Weed carefully around the plant and harvest as soon as the peppers reach desired size.

Note: Keep your plant as warm as possible for the best germination conditions. Also, the longer you keep the peppers on the vine, the greater vitamin C content.

Bell Peppers in B.C.

Bell peppers are considered a greenhouse vegetable by the B.C. government. The industry now relies on state-of-the-art facilities and production practices to produce high-quality fresh vegetables!

These advances in technology have extended the growing season and therefore has allowed consumers the option of buying locally during times when certain produce were not historically available.