Food & Farm Notes for Evanston Market Friends

LATE-BREAKING NEWS from Henry's Farm!

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:25:00 GMT

Apologies if you received this twice...just in case I'm sending it again...  Greetings, Evanston market friends!  We are in the midst of harvesting and preparing a plethora of beautiful, nourishing vegetables for the market tomorrow- AND we are writing now to entice you with a few last-minute bits of information about the food we'll have at market in the morning-- *This week is the LAST week of the SPINACH.  It is also probably the LAST week for the RADISH and ARUGULA until the fall.  Get it while you can!   *In addition to basil and snowpeas, we'll also be bringing up the FIRST of the Spring CHINESE CABBAGE, the FIRST of the RADICCHIO, the FIRST of RAINBOW CARROTS and PURPLE CARROTS, and the the FIRST of the DOMESTICATED PURSLANE.  Get excited for the fresh delights! *AND the AMAZING WALL OF LETTUCE will be back tomorrow!  in Supreme Form!  All Lettuce for the whole market will be on SALE at 2 heads for $5! All right!  See you in the morning! --Rebekah!

LATE-BREAKING NEWS from Henry's Farm!

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:21:00 GMT

Greetings, Evanston market friends!  We are in the midst of harvesting and preparing a plethora of beautiful, nourishing vegetables for the market tomorrow- AND we are writing now to entice you with a few last-minute bits of information about the food we'll have at market in the morning-- *This week is the LAST week of the SPINACH.  It is also probably the LAST week for the RADISH and ARUGULA until the fall.  Get it while you can!   *In addition to basil and snowpeas, we'll also be bringing up the FIRST of the Spring CHINESE CABBAGE, the FIRST of the RADICCHIO, the FIRST of RAINBOW CARROTS and PURPLE CARROTS, and the the FIRST of the DOMESTICATED PURSLANE.  Get excited for the fresh delights! *AND the AMAZING WALL OF LETTUCE will be back tomorrow!  in Supreme Form!  All Lettuce for the whole market will be on SALE at 2 heads for $5! All right!  See you in the morning! --Rebekah!

June 15th Food and Farm Notes!

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:12:00 GMT

Hello folks.  So looking forward to the Evanston Farmer's Market this Saturday, June 15.  We will have so much good food for you all!  At Henry's, you'll find basil, fresh shallots, peas, garlic scapes, broccoli and so much more!!  At Teresa's, strawberries and sage are all the rage. Check out our <a style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 51, 153); " href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_06_15%20Evanston%20Market">blog</a>, Brockman Family Farming, for all the info, some recipes, and a few haiku.  See you Saturday, rain or shine! Love, Rebekah and Audrey (at Henry's Farm)!

Food & Farm Notes for Evanston Market Friends Message

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 04:08:00 GMT

Hello folks.  So looking forward to the Evanston Farmer's Market this Saturday, June 15.  We will have so much good food for you all!  At Henry's, you'll find basil, fresh shallots, peas, garlic scapes, broccoli and so much more!!  At Teresa's, strawberries and sage are all the rage. Check out our <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_06_15%20Evanston%20Market">blog</a>, Brockman Family Farming, for all the info, some recipes, and a few haiku.  See you Saturday, rain or shine! Love, Rebekah and Audrey (at Henry's Farm)!

OMG Lettuces, Strawberries, Lamb's Quarters, Cilantro, Mint, and Kiwi S--x

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:26:00 GMT

<a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_06_08%20Evanston%20Market">Click here</a> for some truly amazing news, recipes, and photos (don't miss Teresa's kiwi blossoms and kiwi arbor) about what's happening on Henry's and Teresa's Farms, and what's coming to the Evanston Market this Saturday. To whet your appetite: <ul> <li>Henry's Amazing Wall of Lettuce (39 varieties this week!)</li> <li>Teresa's beautiful mint and cilantro (check out the recipes for Cilantro-Mint Pesto, and Mint Salsa)</li> <li>Lush Lamb's Quarters (use like spinach - try the recipe for Pad Thai with green onions, lamb's quarters, and lots of cilantro)</li> <li>Nearing the end of Henry's spinach </li> <li>First of his escarole and frisee</li> <li>First of <a href="http://www.thelandconnection.org/blog/farm-fresh/broccoli-the-007-vegetable/">the 007 vegetable (Broccoli.  James Broccoli.)</a></li> <li>Aronia Jelly, and Hot Pepper Aronia Jelly</li> <li>Great Goat's Milk Soaps for Father's Day (and for you, too)</li> <li>Strawberries! (only for those who roll out of bed and get over to the market early)</li> </ul> I (Terra), along with Henry's salesman of the year (Joel), will be away for 2 weeks in Jordan and Turkey, so our multi-talented interns and farm-hands (Audrey, Gabe, Rebekah, possibly others) will be multi-tasking and telling you about what's happening on the farm and what's coming to market the next two Saturdays.  Stay tuned!

Baby Bunched Chinese Cabbages, French Tarragon, and much more!

Fri, 31 May 2013 03:54:00 GMT

You may be getting tired of the rainy weather, but the vegetables and herbs (and weeds!) are loving it.  <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_06_01%20Evanston%20Market">Read all about what's happening on the farm and what's coming to market </a><a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_06_01%20Evanston%20Market">here. </a> Don't miss Teresa's Plant Sale -- every tomato, cucumber, pepper, eggplant and herb start is Half Off! And don't miss her lush and lovely French Tarragon.  Recipes for a Zesty Herbed Dressing, and a Salsa Verde with Tarragon and Chervil are <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_06_01%20Evanston%20Market">in the blog. </a> Henry says don't miss livening up your salads, and your life, with Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled Cress, which is not only the best named, but the most complex vegetable/herb you've ever had -- starting with mustard and ending with horse radish, with about 12 other herb and spice flavors in between. <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_06_01%20Evanston%20Market">Learn more on our blog</a>, especailly about the baby bunched chinese cabbage -- tender and sweet, great as a stir-fry green, or in a salad -- see the recipes in the blog. With all these rainy days, Teresa's been spending time indoors making herbal teas, and will bring these healing and tasty teas to market: <ul> <li>Stinging Nettle with Chocolate Mint Tea</li> <li>Chamomile Tea</li> <li>Peter Rabbit's Tea</li> <li>Aronia Berry Tea</li> <li>Lemon Medley Tea</li> <li>Tulsi Tea</li> <li>Blue Shiso Tea</li> </ul> If you're a Facebooker, be sure and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/henrysfarm"> "like" us on Facebook </a> . . . but more importantly, in person, this Saturday, rain or shine!

Late-Breaking News!

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:36:00 GMT

Henry wants you to know that this is the first week the beautiful and pungent Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled Cress!   It's great in salads or sauteed, so pick some up.  And he'll be offering a special combo deal on the lovely spring spinach and juicy green garlic.  Just chop the green garlic (bulb and stem and leaves too), saute in a little olive oil or butter until soft, then put in the rinsed spinach, cover and cook a few minutes, stirring now and then, and within minutes you will have a fabulous side dish, or a full dinner if you put it on toast with some cheese on top! This is also the first week for regular arugula.  Add it to your salad, and put on sandwiches too! And  . . . it's the first week all our Brockman Books will be at the market.  Pick up a copy of Henry's Solstices and Equinoxes, Zoe's The Happiness of Dirt, and Herman's Celebration of a Century of Family Farming.  Terra's The Seasons on Henry's Farm will also be available.  If you haven't read these yet, now's the time! And finally, Henry is bringing up his famous Japanese hand-hoes -- perfect for dealing with all those weeds threatening to take over after the rains. Have a great market day, and holiday weekend!

Pink Beauty Radishes

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:39:00 GMT

Henry and Teresa tell me some people are wandering by their stands at the Evanston Market, doing a double-take, and saying, "I didn't know you were here!"    So we want to make sure you know that "Here" is over near University Place, not far from the Metra tracks, diagonally opposite from where we've been these many years.  Come visit us out in the northwest territories -- where there's room to breathe, and room for all of our wonderful vegetables, fruits, herbs, and plant starts! To get all the inside info, click over to<a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_25%20Evanston%20Market"> our blog to read all about what's coming to market this week.  </a>In the Brockman Family Farming Blog this week, you'll learn about: <ul> <li>Teresa's Half-off Sale on hybrid and plum/paste Tomato Starts (they're getting too big for their britches)</li> <li>Henry's suddenly Amazing Wall of Lettuce (Because Henry had to clean out the hoophouses to make way for the late tomatoes you'll indulge in this fall, the lettuce has to go. And it will go to your kitchen table if you come early! )</li> <li>Last week for Wild Nettles at Teresa's stand</li> <li>All about Radishes, including a recipe for meltingly delicious radishes braised in butter and sprinkled with spring herbs</li> <li>NEW!  NAKED (unwrapped) goat's milk SOAPS at Teresa's Stand - Save a Tree, Save a Buck! </li> <li>and  . . . Our family's all-time favorite recipe for Henry's fabulous rhubarb: Rhubarb Supreme!</li> </ul>   <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_25%20Evanston%20Market">The Brockman Family Farming blog</a> is not only where you get news and photos about what's happening on our farms and what's coming to market.  It's also an easily searchable repository for information and recipes on just about every fruit, vegetable, and herb we grow.  Simply put key words in the search box (upper right) to search for, e.g., any information or recipes we've posted on Lamb's Quarters, or Spinach, or Rhubarb.  You can also use the menu bar along the right side of the blog page. If you click on the second tab, Content Categories, you can then click on "Fruit Focus" or "Veggie Vitae" or "Recipe Card" to find all of those posts. All you really need to know is that the blog is where you can go at any time to find out more about what you got at the market, and recipe ideas about what to do with it. So bookmark it and keep it handy! The full  listing of <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_03_01%20Plant%20Starts ">Teresa's Plant Start varieties is here. </a>   Of course we welcome your comments and questions on the blog, and if you are on Facebook, be sure and "like" us at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/henrysfarm">www.facebook.com/henrysfarm</a>  You can also use that forum to share photos of what you make with your vegetables, post comments, questions, etc. See you Saturday, and have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Overwintered Spinach, Fresh Herbs and Herb Plants, and a Swarm of Bees!

Fri, 17 May 2013 04:29:00 GMT

<a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_18%20Evanston%20Market">This week's installment is here </a>-- read and see what's happening on Henry's and Teresa's farms, what's coming to market. and what to do with it. And remember, our farm stands are at a new location at the Evanston Market this year -- near University Place and the Metra Tracks, diagonally opposite where we used to be. Come find us, and tell all your friends where to find us, too! Highlights on our blog this week (at http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_18%20Evanston%20Market) <ul> <li>On Teresa's Farm: A Frost, and a Swarm of Bees (check out the photos!)</li> <li>At Teresa's Stand: the last of the brassicas and greens for your garden, but lots of tomato, pepper, and eggplant starts, and now's the perfect time to plant them. </li> <li>On Henry's Farm, the transplant marathon is nearly over,  and Henry is just about caught up . . . and he'll be at the market for the first time this week, with lots of overwintered spinach, new lamb's quarters (check out the Veggie Vitae and recipes), and much, much more. Different location; same amazing vegetables you've come to know and love.</li> </ul> <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_18%20Evanston%20Market">  Read all about it here</a>, and let us know if you have trouble accessing the site, which we've discovered usually means you need to download a newer version of your web browser. See you Saturday!

Teresa's Plant Starts, Henry's Veggies, Jill's Goat Milk Soaps - don't miss the Mother's Day Market Specials!

Fri, 10 May 2013 03:27:00 GMT

As most of our long-time Market Friends know, the largish Brockman clan got a new website and blog together last season so that all our fruit, vegetable and herb profiles and recipes can be easily searched and accessed, and so that we can put up photos and details about what's happening on the farms and what's coming to market. This year, these emails will be brief, so you can get to the good stuff right away by clicking over to the<a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_11%20Evanston%20Market"> latest batch of Food & Farm Notes</a> at our Brockman Family Farming blog. That's where you can learn:  <ul type="disc"> <li style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in" class="MsoNormal">Where Henry's and Teresa's stands at the Evanston Market will be this year (yes, after 10 or so years in the same place, we've moved!) </li> <li style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in" class="MsoNormal">What is coming to market this week from our farms (and why Henry himself won't be coming this week . . . but don't worry, he'll be up next week)</li> <li style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in" class="MsoNormal">About some great Mother's Day presents from our<a href="http://www.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/the-family/jillbrockmancumm.html"> sister Jill's</a> Red Barn Farm and the goats </li> <li style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in" class="MsoNormal">About the 74 kinds of tomatoes, 42 kinds of peppers, 10 kinds of eggplants, and much, much more for your windowsill herb garden, patio pepper plants, or big backyard garden.  You're sure to find something you'll like, and something that special Mom in your life will like, too. </li> </ul> Plus, once you're on the site, you can access any of the archived recipes, and every Herb Blurb, Fruit Focus, Veggie Vitae and On The Farm report we've posted since we started our blog last Spring (just use the blog's search field or the drop down menus at the right edge of the blog)  There are also a few pages on the website about our farms, and about us, if you'd like to know more. We are looking forward to a veggie and fruit full year! See you Saturday!

First Market This Saturday!

Fri, 03 May 2013 04:07:00 GMT

Welcome to another season of delicious, healthy food from Henry's and Teresa's farms!  Read all about <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_02%20Evanston%20Market">what's happening on the farm and what's coming to market here.</a>  (To make your life easier, you can go to the bottom of the right column of icons, and subscribe directly.) The big news is that we've moved! You will find Henry's and Teresa's stands way out in the Northwest Territory -- at the opposite side of the market from where we've been all these years, near University Place and the railroad tracks.  For those of you who get meat from our neighbors Larry and MarilynWettstein (Organic Pastures), we will be in that same row. And with them, we'll form the market's new “Woodford County Corridor." Because Henry and Hiroko's son Asa is graduating from college this Saturday, Henry won't be at the market, but Teresa's bringing up everything he's harvesting: bagged leaf lettuce (tender and delicious), chives (regular, garlic, and Mongolian), sorrel, Lamb’s Quarters (from inside the hoophouses, with big, tender leaves – use as you would spinach), and over-wintered, newly-sprouted Spigarello Kale. Teresa's Herbs, Aronia, Nettles, and Plant Starts Coming to Market The main things you'll see at the first market are Teresa's herb and brassica (cabbage family) starts -- ready to put into the ground, or a pot on you windowsill or patio. She'll have a few tomato plants, and some fruit starts, too. <a href="http://www.blog.brockmanfamilyfarming.com/search/label/2013_05_02%20Evanston%20Market">For details, click here.</a>   Plus don't miss the vitamin-rich wild nettles, and frozen aronia.  And it's not too soon to pick up some of Jill's pure and mild goat's milk soaps for Mother's Day. p.s. If anyone would like to help out at Teresa's Fruit & Herb stand this year, come talk with her this Saturday.