Moving Beyond Cancer in NOLA: This Week at the Crescent City Farmers Market

March 29, 2021

FRESH & LOCAL:

Spring Forward!

Say goodbye to greens
Brussels, cabbage, and turnip
For the sun warms us

Farewell brassicas
Broccoli and cauliflower
May you linger on

At last, the beauty
Spring arrives with alliums
Herbs by the plenty

Hello strawberries
There’s so much you’ve endured
But it’s time to peak

Welcome spicy roots
Easter radish, mizuna
We have been waiting for you

The season may change
Winter, summer, spring and fall
We’ll love you the same

- Cristina Berthelot, Market Manager

pick of the week

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Market Closed for Easter Sunday

The drive-thru market at City Park will be closed this coming Sunday, April 4th for the holiday. Stock up for your Lenten and Passover feasts at our Tuesday Uptown 3/31 and Thursday Mid-City 4/1 markets. Order ahead for contactless, curbside pick up!

Vote for Crescent City Farmers Market

CCFM has been nominated for USA TODAY 10Best's Farmers Markets! USA TODAY 10Best's panel of food and travel experts narrowed down the field to their top 20, and now we need you to vote for Crescent City Farmers Market as your favorite farmers market in the USA. Vote once per day until voting ends on Monday, April 12 at noon ET. Thank you!

pick of the week

Natural Dye

Decorating eggs to celebrate spring has been practiced throughout history and remains tons of fun for the family today. There are all types of decorative kits at the store these days - glitter, decals, stamps... but did you know that you can source your coloring ingredients from the market? That’s right! Beautiful, locally-sourced, natural egg dye is available straight from the farm. The dense pigments from your favorite veggies like cabbage, beets, and onions are perfect for egg painting. Coffee, hibiscus and turmeric are also good to use for those looking for a variety of choices. Get your dye ready now and check out this how-to guide from The Kitchn for these color possibilities:

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs Color Combos

chopped purple cabbage = blue on white eggs, green on brown eggs
red onion skins = lavender or red eggs
yellow onion skins = orange on white eggs, rusty red on brown eggs
shredded beets = pink on white eggs, maroon on brown eggs
ground turmeric = yellow eggs

Carrots

Louisiana is a state that has quite a long carrot growing season. Carrots are planted in cool weather (about 50 degrees F) and are sown in both the fall and late winter. Louisiana’s warmer climate allows for the crop to be harvested throughout the turn of the year and into warmer months. Some producers lost crops during Zeta’s freeze, so grab a bunch when you can--available now at nearly all CCFM produce vendors. If you are considering them for a home garden, it’s too late to plant now, so save those seeds for autumn.

pick of the week

The Boil Advisory

Sometimes a boil advisory ain’t such a bad thing! Market friend James Collier recently started the Boil Advisory, a local newsletter with an emphasis on southern rituals and food ways. Last week, Market Manager Cristina Berthelot met with James on the Greenway to talk about the evolution of the Crescent City Farmers Market through the pandemic and current seasonality. Check out issue 6!

vendor of the week

VENDOR OF THE WEEK:

NOLA Flower Collective

The NOLA Flower Collective is a partnership of SPROUT NOLA and the flower farmers of the Greater New Orleans area. The collective, run by the SPROUT Truck Farm table and a rotation of their female owned and operated flower farm growers, work together to support each other and share knowledge and passion for locally grown blooms! The collective consists of Nightshade Farm & Flowers, Fat River Farm, Molly Fay Flower Farm, Flora Narra, Baby T Rex Farms, and St Claude Flower Farm. Purchasing from the Truck Farm Table at the Thursday Mid-City (pre-ordering encouraged) and Sunday City Park drive-thru market helps our community to work together and make a bigger economic impact.

RECIPES OF THE WEEK:

Collard Wraps

Collard wraps make a great alternative to a sandwich loaf or other carb-y bread. These include brown rice, but the concept of this green wrap is versatile. This recipe packs well for lunches and school meals. Feel free to swap out the beef with ground turkey or chicken, or skip the meat altogether and add cooked beans to the spiced onion and garlic fry. We’ve got great beef at Our Family Farm and T&R dairy, with collards available where produce is sold.

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook or even Twitter and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!