Northampton Winter Fare Farmer's Market: The Review

I made it to the first annual Northampton Winter Fare Farmer's Market this past weekend. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to get to there until close to the end of the event, and almost all of the goodies had already been purchased. I saw the empty bins of breads, the picked-over root vegetables, completely empty crates that held greens, milks, lovely and soft sheep skins, pickles, and other tasty morsels. I was kicking myself for not having gotten over to the market as soon as it opened, but even at 1pm when I arrived and everything was exhausted, the market was still bustling. We returned home with a large container of Maple Syrup from Sunrise Farms in Colrain, MA, and Dutch Gold cheese from Chase Hill Farm in Warwick, MA. Delicious!!

Had I been organized, I'd have brought a few jars of jam to barter. The bartering room was small, but smelled of pickled goods as soon as we walked in. There were jams, pickles, and I think even dried beans that I saw out of the corner of my eye.

I'm looking forward to next year's event, and hope it proves to be even better (and I swear I'll get there first thing!)

If you missed the Northampton Winter Fare, fret not...There is a Winter Farmer's Market at the Greenfield High School on February 6, 2010 from 10am-2pm.

A Bushel of...Meat?!

So, we decided to test out the meat CSA that the Austin Brothers farm offers (I mentioned it in the Summer Wind Down post.) We went halvsies with our friends who share our veggie CSA with us, and we chose the 20lbs of meat per month option...that means 10lbs per couple, per month...the meat will always be a combination of pork and beef, but we'll never know what cuts of meat to expect. This is daunting for me, because I'm not really a meat-cooking expert. I generally like good cuts of meat prepared simply, (or prepared fancy but made for me by someone else!), so this is going to be a challenge. The good part is that all the meat comes freezer sealed and frozen, so there's no handling of icky raw meatiness, and I don't have to use it all at once.

Here's what was in our first 10lb package:

• pork chops
• top round
• beef stew
• ground beef
• chuck roast
• short ribs
• beef shank
• sweet italian sausage

So far, we've only eaten the pork chops, which Dave quick-marinated in Teriaki sauce, and I pan-fried, so they were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I served them with sauteed onions and homemade cheese pierogi that the women of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Easthampton, MA make each year. I buy a bunch and then freeze them for the year. (I'm not Polish or Catholic, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the tastiness of pierogi, right?) I also made a quick apple-cardamom preserve that I'm working on, but that's not quite ready for it's debut yet. Regardless, everything was delicious.

Throughout the late fall and winter months, don't be shocked if I'm posting meatier recipes. Our veggie CSA ends this month, which means posts will have to take a slight turn in direction to the carnivorous side...but it's not like I won't also be eating grains and veggies all winter.

On a side note, anyone know where I can get free-range eggs for not a million dollars a dozen? And chicken??? I'd love to find a way to purchase my poultry from a local farm...

Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic Soup

We love butternut squash. I've tried multiple butternut squash soup recipes, some sweet, some spicy, and this version is my favorite. I've been making this version for a while, and it is a soup that David requests every year as soon as butternut squash is abundant, and I make it at least twice a season.

Winter Warmth Granola

Every winter I make lots of this granola. The smell of baking granola makes my home feel warm and toasty, and eating fresh, homemade granola makes me feel so much more healthy than eating any store bought brand! I eat it for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert, either combined with plain yogurt or milk, or extra fresh fruit. I've even been known to warm the milk and cereal up for an in-between version of cereal and oatmeal.

Northampton Winter Fare Farmer's Market

Just wanted to give you a head's up that the Northampton Winter Fare Farmer's Market will be this Saturday, January 9th, 2010, at the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, in Northampton, MA, 10am-2pm.

The Winter Fare is sponsored by the Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, www.cisa.org. There will be local farms selling goods, workshops to attend, a soup cafe, and a Barter Market, where attendees can bring excess home-canned goods to trade.

Interested? I am!

Take a look here for more information.