ASAP's Weekly Farmers Market Report - December 6, 2019

Fresh at Farmers Markets

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Are you a handmade gift-giver? Farmers tailgate markets are a great place to get inspiration and ingredients for these extra-special holiday gifts (or treats to keep for yourself—you definitely deserve it). Here are a few DIY ideas to get your started this season.
 
Apple butter: The easiest way to make this spreadable gift is in a slow cooker, and it’s especially good for using up bruised or blemished apples from the bottom of a bushel. Buying local apples in bulk is a great option as they’re cheaper and will last for months. You can ask your farmer to set aside a case for you. Find our recipe for slow-cooker apple butter, including how to process in a boiling water canner, at fromhere.org. Creasman Farms : [link removed] (Asheville City Market : [link removed], River Arts District Winter Market : [link removed]) and McConnell Farms : [link removed] (Asheville City Market, The Holiday Bazaar : [link removed], West Asheville Tailgate Holiday Market : [link removed]) still have plenty of apples.
 

Candied ginger: Ginger is a versatile gift-making ingredient and can yield syrup, candy, chews, cookies, and more. You get two for one with candied ginger, since its byproduct is ginger syrup, great for adding to winter drinks. Start with a simple syrup of 3 cups water and 3 cups sugar, then add 1 cup peeled and sliced ginger and boil for about 45 minutes, until the ginger is sweet and tender. Drain the ginger (reserving the syrup) and let dry on a rack, then toss with additional sugar to coat. McConnell Farms also has ginger.
 

Dried persimmons: Lee’s One Fortune Farm : [link removed] (Asheville City Market, River Arts District Winter Market, Riverside Tailgate Market : [link removed], West Asheville Tailgate Holiday Market) has persimmons, which can be dried using a traditional Japanese method (hoshigaki) of hanging for four to six weeks until until the fruits wither and a powdery white sugar appears on the surface. Another option is to make fruit leather by blending three ripe persimmons with a few tablespoons of honey, to taste, then spreading the puree on a Silpat and baking in a 175-degree oven for several hours. 
 

Onion jam: Jam season doesn’t have to end with the last of the summer fruits and berries! Onion jam is a fantastic sweet-and-savory addition to a cheese plate, pizza topping, or sandwich spread. Slowly caramelize several pounds of sliced red onions or shallots, then combine with balsamic or cider vinegar, sugar or maple syrup, and preferred herbs and spices and cook until syrupy. Divide into sterilized canning jars and process in a boiling water canner. For meat-lovers, you can take this to the next level by adding bacon, but you’ll want to consume quickly or freeze it, as it’s not safe to preserve for the home canner. Look for onions from Olivette Farm : [link removed] (Asheville City Market) or Gaining Ground Farm : [link removed] (The Holiday Bazaar).
 

Celery salt or herb rubs: A clutch ingredient for bloody marys, celery salt is often overlooked. But you can gift fresh and local versions of this spice (or other herb rub combinations) by drying farmers market celery leaves or herbs and blending with salt. Celery leaves and high-moisture herbs like parsley, basil, or mint will dry out best in oven set to the lowest temperature possible for 30 minutes to an hour, checking every 15 minutes or so. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano can be air dried or oven dried. Look for herbs to crumble easily between your fingers before cooling completely, blending, and storing in air-tight containers. You can find celery from Gaining Ground Farm or Ten Mile Farm : [link removed] (Asheville City Market) and an assortment of herbs from Myseanica Family Farm : [link removed] (Asheville City Market, Riverside Tailgate Market).
 

Area farmers tailgate markets take place throughout the region. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org : [link removed].

December Photo of the Month

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Our December photo of the month comes from Bill Arrington, who raises Scottish Highland cattle in the steep mountains of Mitchell County. Stay warm out there!

Connect with Us

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appalachiangrown.org : [link removed] | fromhere.org : [link removed]
asapconnections.org : [link removed] | growing- : [link removed] : [link removed]
 
Donate to support local food, strong farms, and healthy communities today! : [link removed]
 
ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.



Upcoming Events

12/6
Christmas in the Greenhouse : [link removed]
 
12/7
A Homegrown Holiday Farmers Market : [link removed]

12/10
Holistic Crop Management: A Holistic Approach to Soil Health : [link removed] Asheville Holiday Market at The Mothlight : [link removed]

12/10-12/12
Acres U.S.A. 2019 Eco-Ag Conference and Tradeshow : [link removed]
 
12/11
Holistic Crop Management: Managing Weeds Holistically : [link removed]
 
12/15
Holiday Popup – A Benefit For NCNPA : [link removed]
 

12/17
Madison County Garden Club : [link removed] Asheville Holiday Market at The Mothlight : [link removed]
 
12/21
Open Farm Day: Venezia Dream Farm Alpacas : [link removed]

View the full calendar : [link removed] of events.

ASAP on the Air

Farmers markets are full of gifts this time of year. We tagged along as an Asheville local and her friend from New York City went shopping at Asheville City Market. Hear their conversations with farmers and craftspeople as they pick out holiday presents on this week's Growing Local : [link removed].
 
You can listen to all
Growing Local episodes on SoundCloud : [link removed], iTunes : [link removed], or on ASAP's website : [link removed].

Local Food & Farms in the News

The Mountain Xpress : [link removed] talks to local chefs about what menu changes they're making with the shift in seasons.
 

The Asheville Citizen-Times : [link removed] looks at why there may be a shortage of Christmas trees and lists a few places to find them (including searching for farms and markets at appalachiangrown.org : [link removed]).
 

Also on the subject of Christmas trees, WLOS : [link removed] reports that vendors will feel the crunch of this year's late Thanksgiving.
 

And Capital at Play : [link removed] digs into what it takes to grow Christmas trees for area farmers.



ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) - 306 W. Haywood Street - Asheville - NC - 28801

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