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Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
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Recipes

Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

“Just pickles!!! These are easy to make, and are a great way to use vegetables from the garden.” From allrecipes.com

Makes 8 Cups

1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups white sugar
6 cups sliced cucumbers
1 cup sliced onions
1 cup sliced green bell peppers

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Boil until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.
2. Place the cucumbers, onions and green bell peppers in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Transfer to sterile containers and store in the refrigerator.

Market News

Right now we’re at the peak of the summer season. In a few weeks, it’ll probably be too hot for most flowers to set fruit, cutting down on the availability for a while. But for now, we’re awash in summer flavors. I see 95 listings for tomatoes, 50 for peppers, 27 of garlic, and even 11 of okra. The blueberries will be gone in a week or two, but for now there are plenty. And on and on, down the list. So much variety, so many things to try. If you’re like me, you can’t help but to gorge on your favorites and try as many different things as you can, before they’re gone. Eating locally grown foods means for the most part eating with the seasons, and when the seasons change, our available foods do too.

That doesn’t mean when the weather turns cool we have to go without, though. I’ve been enjoying the bicolor corn from McMullan Family Farm so much, for example, that last week, for the first time, I canned about a bushel of corn. Turns out it was really easy (well, once I bought an OXO corn stripper for under $10), and it’s probably something I’ll be doing every summer now. Yesterday I turned about ten pounds of Roots Farm cucumbers and Sundance Farm onions into a bunch of jars of bread and butter pickles. That took no time at all (other than waiting along the various steps), and the hardest part was slicing all the cucumbers. Today I froze a gallon or more of Jim’s Farm blueberries. Next month I’ll can a bunch of Mills Farm roma tomatoes. As soon as my favorite poblano peppers from Backyard Harvest are ready, I’ll roast and freeze as many as I can afford. I know it sounds like I must have a root cellar full of shelves of jars, but really it’s not like that at all. I don’t try to put enough food away to be able to live off of it all winter, but instead just enough of my favorites to be able to break open a jar now and again when I get a craving for sweet corn, or blueberry crisp, or strawberries. By spending a few hours here and a few hours there throughout the summer, I can enjoy the labors of my farmers even if their fields are fallow.

Most home canners know this already, but it might be surprising to you: UGA is recognized as being the expert on home food preservation. Pretty much every canning recipe has its roots in the National Center for Home Food Preservation, located on campus. If you’ve heard old stories about jars exploding, or making people ill, or whatever, well, the folks at UGA have made that a thing of the past through scientific testing and the development of easy to follow fool-proof recipes for preserving pretty much anything that can be preserved, whether you’re canning, smoking, freezing, fermenting, or what have you.

Building on that knowledge, people have written many cookbooks that take the functional recipes from UGA and embellish them in ways that transform an ordinary jar of pickles (for example) into something really quite special. One of those books is “Canning for a New Generation” written by Athens author Lianna Krissoff. She had a book signing at Gosford Wine (former home to Athens Locally Grown) last Thursday. Of course I was at ALG instead, but I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy and try some of her recipes out. If you’ve never tried preserving some of our locally grown bounty, don’t be intimidated. Start small, and you’ll see how great it is to have a taste of summer in December.

And now, on to other news…

Due to some logistical conflicts, both Split Creek Farm and Mac’s Eggs will be going to an every-other-week schedule through the end of August. This is an off-week for both of them, but they’ll return next week.

If you’ve got an old iPhone or iPod touch lying around you don’t need, would you consider donating it to us? With the two iPads we have at the pay table and if each of the six volunteers filling orders had an iPhone or iPod touch, we will save a ream of paper a week. That’s a lot of paper, and it adds up fast. Not only that, but doing everything live on the website has really helped us cut down on the errors that we sometimes make filling orders, and at the very least makes sure you get a proper refund when we do leave something out. It’s also greatly cut down on the behind-the-scenes work I do keeping all the books in order. It doesn’t matter how old it is. We’ve been given three of them, one of each model Apple of iPhone has made, and all three do exactly what we need. One even has a cracked screen! Only three more, and we can go entirely paperless. Thanks!

We’ve re-instated our regular “Meet the Grower” table during the Thursday pickups. There’s not currently a grower signed up for this week, but we’ll try to get somebody there on Thursday. While you’re waiting for us to fill your order, step up to the table and say hi!

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: August 7, Saturday, at Flatwoods Farm (Elbert County)

“USDA Certified Organic. We are located in the Flatwoods area of south Elbert County. One of the goals of local sustainable agriculture is to grow crops befitting the culture, the land and the nature of a given area. We specialize in growing organic fruits and vegetables that are best suited for the consumers, retail outlets, markets and restaurants of northeast Georgia and the surrounding area. We concentrate when possible on producing heirloom varieties and raise all our crops in the ground, no hydroponics or container produce.” There are slots still available for both our August and September Farmer for a Day events, and you can find more details on all of them on the Market page of the website, under the Event Reservations category.

• Athens Locally Grown Hunter’s Moon Feast*: October 23, Saturday, at Boann’s Banks (Royston, Franklin County)

“The October full moon has been known as the “Hunter’s Moon” for millennia, and was a time of feasting throughout the Northern hemisphere. We revive the notion here with a day of feasting at Boann’s Banks (the farm of Athens Locally Grown managers Chris and Eric Wagoner) on the banks of the Broad River outside Royston. It’ll be a low-key affair, without any farm work for you to do. Just good food and drink (Eric will prepare a variety of dishes using locally grown vegetables and locally raised meats, and perhaps brew an adult beverage. There’s also the possibility of home-brewed beer, and the likelihood of good live music. There’ll certainly be good company (all of you), and a river to splash in. There’s even some camping space, for those who really want to enjoy the moon. Come any time, but I’ll be aiming for 2pm to have the BBQ and other dishes ready. Stay as long as you’d like, even into Sunday. Nights are chilly, though, so bring a tent if you’re wanting to do that. There is no charge for Locally Grown members and their families. We do ask that you bring a dish to share, and if it’s made from Locally Grown ingredients, so much the better." You can make your reservations for the feast on the Market page of the website, under the Event Reservations category.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. 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.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!