| Upper Haight Farmers' Market August 2014 | | Wednesdays, 3pm to 7pm, through October 29, Waller and Stanyan. | COMING UP CORN!
There's nothing better than sitting down to sweet summer corn on the cob, hot off the grill. Sweet corn is a real treat that's hard to top for flavor, freshness, and just plain delicious summer fun.
Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and mature (dent stage), sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. You’ll find white, yellow, and bi-color sweet corn at the farmers’ markets right now and it will be available through most of October. More here.... |  In This Issue | FARMING IN DROUGHT - Grass-fed Meat Producers Struggle to Grown Grass
by Sarah Trent
 Lisa Leonard opens the gate to her sheep pasture in the heart of the Capay Valley, and walks a few paces inside. In the distance, the hills flanking this narrow Yolo County valley rise up, covered in patches of green forest -- stark contrast to the dry, yellowed fields and browning oak trees on the valley floor. Behind us, the rest of Winddancer Ranch is dotted with a dozen Spanish turkeys and a collection of rusty-but-working farm equipment; the plott hound keeping watch has kicked up a cloud of dust. As we move forward into the field, some 400 Navajo-Churro ewes flock together.
Lisa and her partner, Jim, came here 10 years ago from the Bay Area to raise rare, heritage breeds of meat animals on grass rather than commercial feed-lots -- Lisa’s only alternative to becoming vegetarian, she said. This year, she’s harvested more lambs than usual, culling her herd because there’s not enough grass to support them.
Read full article here. | FEATURED MARKET PRODUCERS Inzana Ranch: Peaches, nectarines, oh my! And grapes, figs, and apples are on their way already! Try their dried fruits and nuts from pistachio and walnuts to almonds and pecans. They're all great for baking and snacking. Make your own fresh trail mix for handy appetizers.
Green Oaks Creek Farm & Retreat: Organic micro-farmed lettuces, carrots, zucchini, and other summer vegetables, tomatoes, Seascape strawberries, herbs, flowers and eggs. Try the padron, the Jimmy Nardello and Shiahito peppers, all great on the grill!
Rainbow Orchards: Mountain-grown blueberries are still here. Try their early Fuji and Gala apples. More apple varieties are arriving each week as the month progresses. Can't wait for their yummy fresh-pressed apple juice!
Sticks: A real summer treat - hand-dipped corn dogs made on site. Hot links, chicken apple, artichoke and garlic dogs, tofurkey, and lots of loaded fries.
Quick 'n' Ezee: Gourmet Indian food sure to please the discriminating palate. Spices, chutneys, 'naanwiches,' and other delicious Indian foods. The Tandoori marinade and tikka masala are especially nice. Take some home for "quick 'n' ezee" meals!
MARKET HAPPENINGS All month: Enter to win two trapeze classes from the Circus Center! What fun is that!  ►Keep up-to-date! Check the farmers’ market Facebook page for event updates or changes.
FARMERS' MARKET PHOTO CONTEST!
National Farmers’ Market Week is August 3 to 9. Communities are converging to celebrate a simple miracle: farmers coming together to share a harvest that’s feeding local families. The result? Farmers' markets are bolstering local economies, improving community  health, and bringing diverse groups of people together through a shared social space. We're celebrating with our second annual "Love My Market" PHOTO CONTEST! To participate, snap a photo of what you love about YOUR local farmers’ market (the unusual produce, knowing your farmer, the sense of the community). Grand Prize is a one night stay for two at the Capay Valley Bed & Breakfast and tickets to the Hoes Down Festival at Full Belly Farm. Second Prize will be two tickets to the Farm to Fork Dinner presented by CAFF at the Guglielmo Winery. Third Prizes include “Carrot Cash” (which is good at any farmers’ market that PCFMA operates) and a reusable market bag filled with fresh seasonal produce.
Submit the photo to lovemymarket@pcfma.com OR post the photo on Instagram with the hashtag #lovemyPCFMAmarket between August 1 and August 31. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @pcfma. Please include the name of your farmers' market in your caption or email. One photo submission per person, please. | COOKIN' THE MARKET with Chef Mario
Epazote Native to Central America, especially Mexico and Guatemala, epazote is a very pungent and assertive  herb that is used commonly to those cuisines. The strong, lemony and slightly bitter herb is delicious in quesadillas and soups. Epazote is a rare find at our markets, but definitely worth looking for and adding to your next pot of black beans. Tell us how you have used or tasted epazote by commenting on our Facebook page! We'd love to hear from you!
►Look for recipes, cooking tips, tricks, and more on both the Cookin' the Market website and Facebook page!
MAD FOR MELONS
Big watermelon, fragrant cantaloupe and honeydew, and a variety of specialty melons like Persian, casaba, canary, and Crenshaw are in season. Each melon has a distinctive sweet flavor and each is a must-try this season. Cube into fruit salads, blend into a smoothie, or even make a melon margarita!
COOKING TIPS
Storing Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are fantastic this time of  year. The fragrance and the taste will make all of your recipes sing with flavor! From the basics - parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary - to the exotic - Asian chives, lemongrass, and chili leaves, you'll find a wide selection of interesting herbs at your farmers' market. Read about fresh herbs.
IN SEASON
Fruit: Apriums, blackberries, blueberries, figs, grapes, nectarines, peaches, plums, pluots, raspberries, strawberries.
Vegetables: Artichokes, beets, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, green beans, herbs, hot peppers, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, spinach, summer squash, and tomatoes. | LOCAVORE
Contributing to California's crop diversity, Asian vegetables are among the most popular and the most unusual offerings at your local farmers' market. The vegetables are mostly grown in the Central Valley with over 1,500 Hmong and other Asian nationalities farming the land. Their produce is slowly becoming more popular with the increased interest in the flavors and simplicity of Asian cuisine. Many consumers now want to try these recipes at home.
But you can be  overwhelmed with the abundance and the variety of exotic greens and funny-looking gourds and melons, beans, and herbs. Don't be intimidated by it all! Use the expertise of the farmers who grew it. They are more than happy to talk to you about how to prepare and use this interesting produce.
Learn more about Asian produce and the farmers who grow it here.
GET FIGGY WITH IT!
(Photo: Anna Buss)
Figs are so good right now. Grilled, broiled, eaten out of hand, whatever! There are literally hundreds of fig varieties, but only about a half dozen are grown commercially in California.
During a normal year, the season for the first crop of fresh Mission figs grown in the San Joaquin Valley begins in early to mid-June and lasts approximately two weeks.
The second crop of Mission figs, as well as other varieties, including Calimyrna and Kadota fig are available mid-July. Brown Turkey figs may be available as early as late-May through November.
More fig facts.... | 
AUGUST RECIPES Summer Veggies Galore! Tomatoes, corn, peppers, and squash are at their best now!
Grilled Tomatoes with Basil Vinaigrette
Tomatoes and Basil - a perfect combination!
Stuffed Zucchini
Simple stuffing makes these zucchini easy and delicious.
Corn Relish
Made with bell peppers, onions, corn, and vinegar, a great side dish that's tangy and crisp.
Summer Veggie Pizza
Loaded with veggies and cheese, even the kids will like this one!
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Oh, the flavor of an heirloom tomato! This simple recipe brings out all its amazing flavor. Find more great recipes on our website! And pick up the Summer Produce Guide at your market's info table for tips on how to purchase and store your fresh summer produce. | 
Back in the 1980’s the TV show A-Team launched the catchphrase "I love it when a plan comes together," a phrase that was uttered when everything worked out despite everything having gone wrong. Last month at Fresh Approach those of us old enough to remember the 80’s were repeating that phrase as our VeggieRx class in Richmond launched. Weeks of planning were met with more than a few wonderful surprises: more interest from local residents than anticipated, dozens of potential participants who were monolingual Spanish speakers, and lots of parents of young children anxious to participate.
The combination of incredibly talented summer interns, a great turnout of local volunteers, our community partner Weigh of Life willing to offer childcare to class participants, and our strong Fresh Approach staff team allowed us to hold classes for everyone interested. This plan came together to support over 75 local families on their path to a healthier future through VeggieRx.
Our success in Richmond, and throughout the Bay Area, would not be possible without this "A-Team" of partners and volunteers. Want to be part of it? Send a message. We'd love to hear from you.
LOCAL FOOD FESTIVALS
Gravenstein Apple Festival
Saturday and Sunday, August 9 & 10, Ragle Ranch Park. Live music on two stages, delicious food, cooking demonstrations from local chefs, arts and crafts booths, a petting zoo, pony rides, apple pie contest, and so much more.
Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival
Saturday & Sunday, August 23 & 24, at 16885 Bodega Hwy. Enjoy a juried fine art and craft marketplace, a variety of foods with an emphasis on seafood, three stages of entertainment and large dance floor, kids games, and wine and beer tastings.
YOUR COMMUNITY
San Francisco Street Food Festival
Saturday, August 16, 11am to 7pm, Mission District on Folsom St. from 20th to 26th, 21st and 25th from Treat St. Food and music that celebrates street food and the people who love to make it.
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