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Athens Locally Grown
http://athens.locallygrown.net
Recipes
Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Carrots and Honey Glaze
The fresh, summery flavor of sugar snap peas is set off by the sweetness of lightly cooked carrots and a honey glaze. Sweet simplicity. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables
Serves 3 to 4
1/2–1 pound sugar snap peas
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
freshly ground black pepper
1. Remove the strings from both edges of the pea pods.
2. Cut each carrot into thirds. Slice each third, lengthwise, into quarters so that the slices are about the size and shape of the sugar snap peas.
3. Place the carrots in a steamer basket set over 1 1/2 inches boiling water, cover, and steam until they are just crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the carrots in a colander.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar snap peas; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the carrots. Continue to cook and stir until the peas are bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the honey and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly, until the peas and carrots are thoroughly glazed with the honey.
5. Remove the skillet from heat. Season generously with pepper.
Market News
The last dangers of frost are now behind us for another year, and the nights are warm enough now to keep even the tomato plants happy. If you’re still looking to fill a few spaces in your garden, we have (among many other live plants) tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedlings. Many of them are old heirloom varieties that produce fruit that is exceptional in flavor and appearance. Beware, though: growing heirlooms is one sure way to get hooked on gardening, and before you know it you’ll be wanting to sell your excess through Athens Locally Grown. If you haven’t started a garden, why not dig one hole and throw a tomato plant in it. You know, just for fun.
One of the newest innovations in sustainable farming is the “distributed farm”. There are entire CSAs fed not from one single farm, but by a group of growers who plant gardens throughout their town, using their member’s yards for space. Why have one community garden when the entire neighborhood can be a garden? It’s working well in those areas that have tried it, but one of the biggest resistances they’ve had is from subdivision covenants and other local regulations that effectively criminalize agriculture. We’ve got the same problem here. Just ask the Athens Locally Grown members who got ticketed for having a few laying hens within Athens city limits.
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Another recent innovation is the explosion of “local food blogs”, diary-like websites that chronicle the writer’s experience finding or growing local food and cooking it, often with beautiful photography. There are several in Athens, but today I want to point out two of them. The first is from one of our own growers, Nature’s Harmony Farm. Tim and Liz Young began farming only last year, but they didn’t do anything by halves. They went all in, and have been documenting their adventures, both good and bad, on their weblog. Now their site has become a destination for other aspiring farmers and lovers of good food worldwide, and is worth a regular visit from all Athens Locally Grown members who want to know what sort of love and effort goes into raising animals for meat in a way that modern factory farms have totally moved away from. Second, Twin Yolks is written by a recent transplant to Athens and a recent convert to local foods. She expresses her wonder and joy at all Athens has to offer, writes about the meals she makes with ingredients she purchased at Athens Locally Grown (and now the Saturday market too), takes great photos, and even provides recipes. She’ll inspire you to find the same joy in your food. Of course, just because you’re reading this email, I know you already do.
Thank you all for your continued support of our local growers and for doing your part to cultivate the thriving local food system we have here in Athens. We’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at the old market on Broad Street!
Coming Events
Our guest this week for Meet the Grower is Jennif Chandler from Shady Brook Farm in Danielsville. Jennif is responsible for all of the lamb available at our market. She has also recently begun “farming out” her sheep flock to people needing large lawns and other greenspaces neatly trimmed. They really are the best lawn mowers money can buy.
Our first Farmer for a Day event is a week from today, Sunday May 17th at Roots Farm. You can make reservations for this event by adding them to your order. Look in the “Event Reservations” category.
The Athens Farmers Market has re-opened for the season, and is every Saturday morning at Bishop Park. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.
The Comer Farmers Market has also begun, as have markets in Watkinsville & Winder (I believe).
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!