Spring officially arrives on Sunday! Most farmers tailgate markets around the region have opening dates starting in April and May. We’ll have a rundown of times and locations for Buncombe County markets in next week’s report. Though it will still be a month or so before we see asparagus, rhubarb, or strawberries at markets, we’re definitely feeling the turning of the season. This week, we’re excited to see green garlic, a herald of spring, from Lee’s One Fortune Farm, at ASAP Farmers Market and River Arts District Farmers Market.
Green garlic is simply a young version of garlic, harvested before the head has matured. It looks similar to scallions, but you can tell the difference by the leaves, which are flat instead of tubular. It differs from garlic scapes, harvested in late spring or early summer, which are the curly shoots that extend out of the garlic plant with closed buds on top. Green garlic is milder than both head garlic or scapes, making it particularly suited to delicate herb sauces or salads.
Chermoula is a Moroccan herb paste made from garlic, spices, and herbs. You can use it to marinate fish or meat, stir it into soup or stew, or thin it out and use as a dressing for salad or roasted vegetables. To make it with green garlic, prep the stalks by removing the root end as well as the tougher green tops. Roughly chop two bulbs along with the tender section of the stem. Put in the bowl of a food processor along with half a cup of cilantro, one third cup parsley, zest of one lemon, and a fourth teaspoon each of salt and sweet paprika. In a small pan, lightly toast half a teaspoon each of cumin seeds and coriander seeds, and add them to the food processor. (Ground spices will work as well, if you want to skip this step.) Add a dash of chili flakes, if you want. Pulse the food processor until everything is roughly chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in about a fourth cup of olive oil or more, depending on your desired consistency. Cilantro is available from Lee’s One Fortune Farm.
Other herb sauces, like pesto, chimichurri, or salsa verde, also work great with green garlic.
Or use green garlic for a spring take on tabbouleh salad. Measure one cup bulgur wheat into a bowl and pour two cups of boiling water over. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop about a cup of tender green garlic stems (reserving the bulbs for another use), two cups parsley, and half a cup mint. Dice a few in-season vegetables, such as carrots, snow peas, or radishes. When the bulgur is cool, mix everything together with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add local feta or cooked chickpeas for a more complete meal.
At winter markets now you’ll also find beets, turnips, and winter greens like, kale, spinach, bok choy, broccoli rabe, and cabbage, as well as tender lettuce and baby greens. Markets are also stocked with a variety of meats, cheese, rice, pasta, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region, including winter hours, in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.
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Community in Action Projects
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What does connecting health and local food and farms look like in your community?
As part of ASAP's Farm Fresh for Health initiative, we are seeking applications for Community in Action projects. These projects can be new or expand upon existing activities that connect community members to local foods and positive healthy-eating experiences. Examples might be partnerships between farms and healthcare practitioners; workplace CSA or other wellness programming; addressing barriers to healthy cooking; and much more. Selected projects will receive $1,000 to $5,000, as well as technical and marketing assistance from ASAP.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with the first round due March 31. Learn more and apply.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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Southside Community Farm is holding a GoFundMe campaign to raise $15,000, reports the Mountain Xpress. “We started a farmers market last summer for BIPOC farmers and vendors to bring healthy food into the Southside neighborhood,” says farm co-manager Chloe Moore. “We also hold BIPOC-only garden days; a time for us to heal and have some joyful and consensual time with the land and each other.”
Food hub and delivery service Mother Earth Food has received a grant for $750,000 from the USDA's Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) to purchase more from local farms, reports The Laurel of Asheville. According to Rand Gifford of Greenshine Farms, "They’re willing to work with smaller farms and pay them a fair price for their goods. The biggest obstacle to local food is farmers being able to make a living off of growing it. If we really want to change that paradigm, it starts with farmers being able to get a fair price for their goods.”
At its March 15 regular meeting, the Board of Commissioners officially designated March 22, 2022 as Buncombe County Ag Awareness Day with a proclamation.
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