Written by Amber Southerland Polk and edited by the CFCM Board
From the Board:
Please join us in extending a very warm welcome to our newest vendor, Omega Farms. Omega will start this Saturday and bring Ferns, Hosta and Japanese Maple trees.
Produce Spotlight: Fresh cabbage, strawberries and spring onions will be at the market this Saturday from Smith’s Nursery. According to Wikipedia, a spring onion is also called scallion, green onion, or salad onion. Harvested for their taste, they tend to be milder than other onions and may be steamed or set in salads in western cookery and cooked in many Asian recipes. Diced scallions are often used in soup, noodle and seafood dishes, and in sauces in eastern dishes, after removing the bottom quarter-inch or so of the root end.
Vendor Spotlight: Each Saturday when David “The Mushroom Man” McKinney of Riverman’s Mushrooms sets up, he also brings one of his oak logs with real Shiitake Mushrooms growing on it as a demonstration. David says he grows his mushrooms on the bank of the Neuse River because the shade and moisture content make it the perfect environment. He has dried and fresh mushrooms that he keeps cool during the market in a dark refrigerator he made himself.
In addition to his mushrooms, David also grows a type of Elephant Garlic that he has been growing in Johnston County since he went to Wilson Mills High School in 1969. It is called Elephant Garlic because each clove is about 7 times bigger than regular silver skin garlic. It has a milder flavor so you can use it in salads and put it in stews and cooked beans without overpowering the dish.
One of his prized products is seeds he saves from his Texas Hill Country Okra each year. He says the seeds originally come from okra his father planted and they make big okra plants that are the “best tasting okra around.”
Even though David describes himself as “old school” he is way ahead of the game on a lot of things. He proudly states that he has been organic since 1969 and the only thing he sprays on his product is water. One of the reasons he started selling his hand split, red oak charcoal is because of the chemicals in the commercial version. David says they put all kinds of stuff in the industrial charcoal that you do not want to cook into your food. He says try his all natural charcoal for “the best steak you ever had in your life.” David says his favorite part about the Clayton Market is talking to people that come out each Saturday.
Just click Forward: If you know someone who would enjoy receiving The Clayton Farm and Community Market Newsletter please forward it to them. If you are receiving this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up for your own copy by sending an email to claytonmarket@earthlink.net. We will let you know who and what will be at the market with just one email each week.
Look What I Bought at the Clayton Market! Leslie Hubbard writes in, “I used the red oak charcoal to grill lamb chops a few weeks ago. Perfectly complimented the earthy richness of the lamb. Only way I'll cook it from now on.”
Leslie also offers up this natural charcoal tip for those of us who had rather keep the entire grilling process chemical free and not use lighter fluid: “Use a little piece of fatpine or paraffin & wood chip fire starter stick (found in almost every store's camping section) to start the charcoal. Light one of the starter sticks up with a bic lighter and lay it down in between two pieces of red oak charcoal. Takes only a few minutes for the natural stuff to catch and burn. No lighter fluid required. mmmmmmmmm.”
Are you impressed by something you bought at the Clayton Market? Do you have a favorite recipe using one or more of the products found at the market? Send an email to claytonmarket@earthlink.net and let me know about it. I’ll feature you and your favorite product in an upcoming newsletter.
Local Business Sponsor of the Week: Walden GreenScapes brings earth friendly, organic, “green” landscaping services to the Clayton - Raleigh Area. We provide a range of landscape services from simple ‘mowin’ and blowin’ to total lawn and landscape services. We use only the finest organic fertilizers and weed control products and we would be honored to make your lawn a masterpiece. We serve both commercial and residential properties with the same attention to detail. Walden GreenScapes, LLP provides a variety of services for you so that your lawn will look its best no matter the season. Please contact Walden GreenScapes at (919) 550-1886 or view the attached flyer.
Want to advertise your local business to over 300 Clayton area residents? Email Claytonmarket@earthlink.net to receive the introductory rate. All proceeds will go to support the upkeep of the Clayton Farm and Community Market.
Vendors on 5-16-09:
Crafts:
• Beva Turpin
• Nancy’s Candles
Baked Goods
• The Cleveland Cake & Coffee Co., Inc.
• Flying Fork Bakehouse
Produce, Plants, etc.
• Riverman’s Mushrooms
• Toad Song Farm
• Seasonal Selections
• Smith’s Nursery
• Omega Farms
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