A trip to the farmers Market.

[MacArthurBug]

So in downtown Lexington they just opened up their outdoor farmers market. Lots of fresh fruit and veggies (and cheese, steak, pork, honey, cheese...) up for the offering. I've been splurging at these. Anyone else go to the farmers markets? What do you like to get fresh?

 

[Fudgey]

I wish we had a farmers market, we have what they call one but most of the vegies and fruit taste just like what you buy at the store.....yuk!! Growing up we always had a garden with wonderful vegies, I so miss that.

 

[thelook]

I love the Farmers Market!
I love the fresh flowers and the Jams!

 

[MacArthurBug]

The last city I lived in had a very small sad one- but the one here is AMAZING. I love going with no idea of what I'm getting (except the pasta, there are these two pro chefs that sell perfect little single portion bags of ready made pasta that's to die for) and walk away with a head full of meal ideas. Plus the girls and I are finally eating enough fresh fruits and veggies!

 

[Mary Kay]

We have 2 farmers markets, but one is only open on Wens morning untill 10 am! I am not up. The other is in our local flea market which is only open weekends. But when I hit it..oh boy fresh fruit, veggies and specialty items like spanish and oriental fruits and veggies you don't see any where else. Fun! Well for me..Mike won't touch them.

 

[Fudgey]

You are all just teasing me!! I will get to stock up though I am going to see my mom and she has a huge garden with all kinds of goodies and I'll be there in time for picking.....yeah!

 

[Mary Kay]

My ex MIL used to have a huge garden. When we visited she sent us home with greenbeens, pickles of every type, and lots of other veggies. But by far my favorite was her jams and jellies. Smuckers would have had a run for it's money if she went publix. The blue ribbon winner was her cinnamon apple jelly! It came complete with a cinnamon stick in the jar!
I worked in the garden with her one year. I learned:
Picking potatos is back breaking work!
Cucumbers turn into PICKLES!
Don't every eat raw beets! They are hard as rocks.
You can peel a new potato by holding it under the fawcet.
Green beans taste great as do tomatos when eating them raw, fresh from the garden, Pole beans..not so much.
Berries are delicous..the thorns hurt!
After you kill yourself planting the garden, tending the garden and picking the food...then you get to prepare the food for pickling, storing, canning and Jaring! meanwhile hubby is waiting for dinner..cause his job was done when he used a tractor to till!
Thank God for grocery stores!

 

[Fudgey]

My great grandparents had a 1 acre garden with everything you could imagine. They also had peach, pear and apple trees on another acre. I remember when everything was ripe they would can and jelly and put stuff in the freezer for weeks! They had 3 large chest type freezers. The great thing they gave a lot of it to the church or sold it at fund raisers for the church and the school. I was very glad to be to young to help. Well except for helping shucking peas, sure makes your fingers sore.

 

[marg]

We just bought a juicer in hopes of somehow getting more fruits and veg's down the hatch. So far so good but that thing is a pain to clean. *sigh*.
MK which one do you go to? The flea market on 192? Hubs has been stopping up in Zellwood on his way by, the grapefruits are great but the oranges not so great so far

 

[MacArthurBug]

Fudge: I remember canning with my grandma. WE did prickly pear mixes (PPand white grape was one of her best) picking and cleaning a prickly pear is serious buisness!!

 

[Fudgey]

Oh the yummy smells of the jellies amd jams...yummy. Did anyone elses family make chow chow, not that was not a good smell.

 

[Mary Kay]

Chow Chow? 'splain please!

 

[Fudgey]

It is pickled cabbage, shred cabbage add vinegar and spices not sure what but I know you can make it tobasco hot or not. They put it in a ceramic jug and let it ferment for like 6 months to a year maybe, don't remember how long. It's kind of like cole slaw. I don't like it but I don't like cabbage at all. This was in Louisiana.

 

[marg]

Wouldn't that be like a sauerkraut?

 

[Fudgey]

Wouldn't that be like a sauerkraut?

Yes but not as sour I think.

 

[Mary Kay]

Sounds like Kimchi!

www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Kimchi-Kim-Chee/

 

[Fudgey]

Found a recipe only difference is my grandmother canned hers in a ceramic crocks and waited longer to eat it, don't know why. I don't remember it having so many cucmbers in it.

DEEP SOUTH CHOW CHOW RELISH

1 large cabbage
1 gallon wine vinegar
1 pint kosher or canning salt
2 gallons cucumbers
1 lb. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. of turmeric
6 onions

Take one cabbage, a large one, and cut up fine. Put in a large jar or keg, and sprinkle over it thickly 1 pint coarse salt. Let it remain in salt 12 hours, then scald the cut up cabbage with 1 gal. of boiling vinegar.
2 gallon of cucumbers, green or pickled, and add to it cut in pieces the size of the end of little finger. Then chop very fine 2 gallons more of cucumbers or pickles and add to the above.


Seasonings:

1 lb. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. black pepper
2 gal. pure wine vinegar
2 tbsp. of turmeric
6 onions, chopped fine or grated

Then put it on to cook in a large porcelain kettle, with a slow fire, for 12 hours. Stir occasionally to keep it from burning. You can add more paprika than is given here if you like it hot.
Pour into clean, hot, pint size canning jars and seal according to manufacturer's directions. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Leave at least 3 weeks before using. If any jars have a failed seal when cooled, store those in the refrigerator to use right away.

 

[marg]

Hubs stopped and got some oranges and grapefruit again. Have to say the oranges are still not good but the grapefruit....... yoowza! I juiced 2 bags today, can't wait to drink some for breakfast!