ASAP's Weekly Farmers Market Report - February 17, 2023

Fresh at Farmers Markets

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Mushrooms are a year-round staple at most farmers markets. If you find yourself growing tired of winter greens and root crops this time of year, trying a new mushroom variety might be the perfect way to switch up your local shopping! Vendors like The Forest Farmacy : [link removed] and Stump Farms : [link removed] at Asheville City Market : [link removed] and Black Trumpet Farm : [link removed] at River Arts District : [link removed] and North Asheville : [link removed] markets offer a unique collection of mushrooms each week for market shoppers to discover, including lion’s mane, oyster, chestnut, pioppino, and chaga varieties! 
 

Despite the strange appearance of lion’s mane mushrooms, they have a velvety, tender texture and a mildly sweet flavor that closely mimics that of shellfish. This vegan barbeque lion’s mane taco recipe is an easy and shareable way to start cooking with this mushroom. Start by trimming off any hard wood roots from eight ounces of lion’s mane. Next, pull the mushroom into small pieces with your hands. In a large skillet, heat about half a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat, then toss in the shredded mushrooms, one teaspoon each of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, then half a teaspoon each of cumin and oregano. Stir to coat the mushrooms evenly, and cook the mushrooms for about three or four minutes on each side to evenly brown. After the mushrooms are golden brown, reduce heat to medium-low, then add half a cup of barbeque sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and is absorbed by the mushrooms. Heat the tortillas and assemble the tacos with the barbeque lion’s mane and your choice of taco toppings. We recommend avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, and pickled red onions! 
 

There are plenty of oyster mushroom varieties at farmers markets to try, including blue, golden and pink oysters! Although the flavor of oyster mushrooms can vary depending on what kind you decide on, they generally have an earthy, mildly sweet flavor. Oyster mushrooms taste great in just about every dish you want to add them to, but this Vietnamese salad is a simple way to use them in your cooking this week. In a large bowl, add five chopped scallions, one small julienned carrot, a large handful of chopped cilantro, and a large handful of sprouts. Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil and half a teaspoon of sesame oil in a skillet over high heat, then add six ounces of any oyster mushroom variety. Cook for a few minutes until they are soft but not soggy. Add half a teaspoon of soy sauce at the end to caramelize a little and remove from heat, setting aside to cool. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil and cook three-and-a-half ounces of rice noodles according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and wash under cold water. Add the mushrooms and noodles to the vegetable mixture and mix together. To make your dressing, in a bowl whisk together two and half tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of brown rice vinegar, a quarter teaspoon of sesame oil, two finely sliced red chillies, a grated one-inch piece of ginger, a teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds, and a pinch of salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Serve by itself, or garnish with sesame seeds or fried onions!
 

At winter markets now you’ll also find carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, cabbage, kale, salad greens, winter squash, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. 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 : [link removed].

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

2/20
Small Farm Boot Camp: Season Extension : [link removed]
 

2/23
New to Vegetable Gardening? : [link removed]
 

2/24-2/26
30th Annual Spring Conference 2023 : [link removed]

2/27
Small Farm Boot Camp: Produce Safety & Post-Harvest Handling : [link removed]

3/1-3/2
Navigating Food Safety on Small Farms : [link removed]
 
Find upcoming events (or post your own) at
asapconnections.org : [link removed].

News from ASAP

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Meet Your Farmer: The Forest FarmacyWatch the latest Meet Your Farmer video : [link removed] from Growing Minds. Kat Houghton and Chris Parker of The Forest Farmacy : [link removed] take us into a world where forest meets the farm to talk about mushroom cultivation and farm life. You can find more Meet Your Farmer videos, as well as related lesson plans and classroom resources, on the Growing Minds website : [link removed]. Thanks to Fusion Digital Media : [link removed] for producing this video!

Local Food & Farms in the News

A teaching farm is under construction at Haywood County's Tuscola High School, reports WLOS : [link removed]. “We’re going to have cattle," says Tuscola High Agriculture teacher Jamie Moody. "So, we'll have both beef and dairy. We are going to have swine, and we will have sheep and goats as well. So, we'll have pasture. This is about 11 acres so we'll have pasture all throughout."



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

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