Sierra Vista Farmers Markets Update for 02-28-19

The Healthy Greens of Winter – – –
One of the great benefits of shopping at your local farmers market is the fresh locally grown produce you can find. Most of the produce at the Sierra Vista Farmers Markets is grown by small family farms in Cochise County.  Each week growers like Arevalos Farms, Ruth’s Garden, Irwin – the Lettuce Man, and Backyard Gardening  & Growing bring you some of the freshest and healthiest produce you’ll find.

This time of year in Cochise County it’s mostly vegetable greens and citrus that are the crops in season.  One of the great greens of winter is Kale. Kale is a cruciferous vegetable. (So is Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Collard Greens, Turnips, and Radishes.)  You might be interested to know a few of the benefits of kale.

• Kale is a great source of iron
• Kale has lots of antioxidants
• Kale is high in Vitamin K, C, & A
• Kale is a good source of Calcium
• Kale contains sulfur (which some claim helps detoxify your body)
• Kale is a great source of fiber

The Downside of Cruciferous Vegetables – – –
Of late kale has received some negative press. As a cruciferous vegetable, kale contains some glucosinolates which when consumed raw in very large quantities (like 1-2 pounds daily) can contribute to iodine-deficiency. Based upon what I’ve read, steaming or boiling cruciferous vegetables reduces the glucosinolates by 30-90% respectively. In any case, like all good things in life, moderation is important. If you are eating pounds of raw kale each day you may be overdoing it just a bit.

What To Do With Kale
In our home we mostly eat kale in salads or in our morning smoothie.  We also like it cooked in a stew.  If you’d like to try something new, here is Winnie’s Kale & Butternut Squash Soup recipe that we all really like.

Kale & Butternut Squash Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup faro (or wheat berries) or barley
6 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups peeled butternut squash cubes or sweet potato
1 (28 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon salt, optional
2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped green kale
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add faro and stir to coat. Add broth, squash, tomatoes, thyme, and salt. Bring to boil, breaking up tomatoes with wooden spoon.
Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer until squash is tender and faro is cooked, about 30 minutes. Stir in kale and simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheese when serving. Any beans would be a great addition, too.

That’s Nuts!
National  and World Pistachio Day was February 26, 2019. Although, our pistachio specialist, Steve Seplak of SAS-Z Nuts, is in California at the Pistachio Conference, but don’t worry, Donna with McDonald Farms will have his pistachios for sale. If you’d like to spice up your pistachios a bit, Steve has garlic onion, green chili garlic, chili lime and hot chili in addition to premium salted pistachios. 

Can you believe it , Americans did not harvest their first commercial crop of pistachios until 1976. We’ve enjoyed eating them since the 1800s, but the invention of pistachio ice cream by James W. Parkinson of Philadelphia in the 40s, has really brought a new appreciation of this delicious nut to the attention of the American public. 

Some of you probably remember that pistachios used to be red.  Do you know why? Before they became a commercial crop in the US most pistachios consumed were imported from countries where they were picked by hand. If pistachios are not harvested, dried, and washed within a very short time after harvesting, their shells turn an unappetizing color. So to cover these blemishes up pistachio growers would dye the nuts, shells and all.

Thanks in part to the innovation of American pistachio growers, today we can enjoy these healthful nuts without artificial coloring.

Special Announcements and Events
Mark your calendar for the upcoming Spring Festival during spring break (March 21st) and Earth Day celebration on April 25th.

Got Questions About Your Taxes this Year?
Stop by the Market this Thursday and talk to Clinton Gray of Clinton Gray CPA. Clinton has over twenty years experience as a CPA for individuals, businesses, and corporations. For those who don’t know, Clinton is also a gardening enthusiast as well as a past Sierra Vista Farmers Market vendor. Clinton has graciously donated some of his time for the next few weeks to help answer some of your more taxing questions (sorry couldn’t help the pun). Even if you don’t have any tax questions, be sure to stop by and say hi to a fellow gardener.

Music this week will be provided by Rich Rice

We hope to see you all at the Market this week!

This Week’s Weather Forecast

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