Original artwork by Grant Wood. Ths version by Chris B.
Howdy! I’m guest-blogging for the Local Food Bee. Thanks, Tara!!
Open-air farmers markets have come to a close for 2011, sadly. Fret not! Utah growers and food producers are NOT out of local goods!
If you’re considering buying in bulk, it’s worth calling a nearby farmer to see if they’ve got what you want. If you’re looking for onions, potatoes, apples, garlic, squash, even tomatoes, plenty of farmers have a lot still in stock.
Even if you’re not a canning/freezing/drying maniac, there are still many ways to eat locally during the winter. Below you’ll find several suggestions for how to maximize your localvore street cred and minimize your forkprint.
JOIN A WINTER CSA
If you haven’t ever joined a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) venture, you should! Farmers ask for a monetary commitment for a certain length of time to assure that they can remain viable throughout the growing season and beyond. Members share in the experiences of the farm by seeing what’s harvested each week and communicating directly with the food source. Typical CSAs deliver during the height of the growing season, but winter CSAs run by growers that specialize in season extension and greenhouses are becoming more popular.
CSAs aren’t just limited to fruits and vegetables. Some also offer meat, bread, cheese and other versions of the CSA model to satisfy any localvore.
Here are a few winter CSAs you might consider:
Here’s a sample week from Zoe’s Garden from a few weeks ago, “raspberries, Italian prunes, Macintosh apples, pears, San Marzano tomatoes, tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, marketmore cucumber, lemon cucumber, poblano pepper, mariachi pepper, mirasol pepper, green bell pepper, broccoli raab, bok choi, black radish, chinese red radish, broccoli, baby turnip, banana squash, kohlrabi, and for the meat shares, ground lamb.”
Jacob’s Cove promises “7 lbs of produce weekly for each share you purchase. Each box consists of 5 to 8 items. You will get our heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes as well as some sort of greens almost every week. The remainder will be a mix of our wide range of produce.”
Bell Organic says, “While every season is different, our goal and what we plant for is 5-7 different veggies a week bunched or bagged as you would find them in the fresh food section of the grocery store. Picture a bunch of spinach, kale, chard, carrots, beets, radish, a head of lettuce, etc…A good way to get an idea of the amount of produce you will receive each week is to grab a basket at the grocery store, and put 5-7 different items in it, and that is about what a share will look like. Certified Organic.”
Chad’s Produce also has a CSA on offer… Check Facebook for more details.
Christiansen’s Family Farm – pork and/or beef shares, “gourmet quality meats. We raise non-commercial heritage breeds that are raised ethically and sustainably, fed premium 100% vegetarian feeds grown in Utah, handled humanely, and processed in clean owner operated USDA inspected facilities. As always, we don’t use antibiotics, hormones, or any other chemicals in raising our animals. The beef is never fed grain and is 100% grass fed.”
Besides being a full-service grocery with a focus on local & sustainable, Liberty Heights Fresh has their own version of a CSA termed the “Sustainably Farmed Food” program. They have several options for your eating pleasure, including meat, cheese and egg add-ons.
If committing to a CSA isn’t your cup of tea, there are still several options for getting fresh, local fare.
SHOP AT LOCALLY-OWNED, SMALL, INDEPENDENT MARKETS
NOTE: Listed are the markets in and around Salt Lake City. There are multiple markets and marketspaces popping up all the time. Local Harvest and My Fresh Local are both good sources for finding local food availability near you.
Friday, November 25, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 26, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 10, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Over 60 local artisans, including breakfast served until 12:30pm.
Caputo’s Localvore Market
Caputo’s Market and Deli, 314 West 300 South, SLC
Saturdays, starting November 5, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Call Vanessa at 801.531.8669 for more information.
Chad’s Produce Market at the Oasis Cafe
151 South 500 East, SLC
First three Saturdays each month from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (may vary)
E-mail to receive weekly updates. CSA available.
Crossroads Community Food Co-op’s Monday Market
No membership required!
Co-op Warehouse, 1726 S 700 W, SLC
Mondays, 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. (excluding major holidays)
Cash, credit, debit, and EBT food stamp cards are accepted
Market on State
1050 South State Street, SLC
Saturdays and Tuesdays, 3:00 – 7:00 p.m.
COMMIT TO COOKING MORE!
If you lack the space, time or wherewithal to preserve leftover or excess food, here are some quick and easy recipes from Utah folks using Utah products that will help you sort out how to use what you’ve got too much of.
Kalyn’s Kitchen
The Top 10 Utah Food Blogs via Utah Stories
Brewtah Foodavore
VISIT FARMS OR DO SOME NEIGHBORHOOD GLEANING
If you’re outdoorsy and want to get your hands dirty, there are a few options left, too.
Salt Lake City has put together a map of trees from which you can glean fruit that will otherwise go unharvested. There’s still time to nab Italian plums; Concord grapes will be ready in several weeks!
The fine folks at the Salt Lake Art Center had a Fallen Fruit exhibit with maps of publicly-available fruit trees in the 9th & 9th and Marmalade neighborhoods. Please read up on proper etiquette when pursuing fruit!
There are several farms that may still have PYO (Pick-Your-Own) produce available, too, especially apples and squash this time of year. This is a great site to check back with year-round, whether to find farm information, canning tips or other food-related information. NOTE: Please call any farm before visiting to confirm times and availability of produce!
LIKE RAW MILK??
West Jordan now has a pick-up for raw milk from C2 Farms grass-fed cows! Not sure about the safety risk? Not sure about how much to consume before it “goes off”? Here are some tips for handling raw milk. If you haven’t experimented with making cheese or yogurt, you’ll want to try it with raw milk, too. It freezes really well, to boot.
While picking up raw milk at Utah Natural Meat, pick up eggs, pork, beef, poultry, honey goat-milk soap and other locally-produced items!!
ANY QUESTIONS? EMAIL ME!
Whatever you end up eating this winter, try to remember that your dollars make a huge difference. By keeping your buying power local, you are encouraging a healthy economy that affects you, your neighbors and the larger community as a whole.
Another great idea if you’re traveling: do some research! You’ll be amazed at the variety in products and differences between markets all across the country (and the world). I frequently bring an extra bag and fill it with citrus, nuts, fruit and other stuff that you can’t get here in Utah. AND, you’ll again be supporting whatever local economy you’re visiting!
