It’s easy to feel like you, a lone citizen, have no control over things  that happen in our country. Take our dependency on oil for example- what are you suppose to do, not drive your car anymore? It often feels like one person cannot make a difference, so things just stay the same.  As I have watched and read the array of articles about the salmonella outbreak this week, the same feeling comes over me. What can I do to stop this?  The beauty of food related problems is that we have much more power than we think. As the consumer, each of us have the power to make a decision daily about where our food comes from and how that effects the industry. Demanding that we have lots of cheap eggs allows for the production of eggs to look like a concentration camp with several chickens sharing a tiny cage and thus being susceptible to diseases like salmonella. Dr. Marion Nestle of the department of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, and the author of “Food Politics” and “What to Eat”, is a member of the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production. She toured several factory farms last year.”It’s hard to explain unless you actually see one of these places,” she tells CBS News. “Try to imagine an enormous warehouse, as long as two or more city blocks, packed with hundreds of thousands of chickens. And that’s ‘free range.’ Otherwise they are caged six to nine in a cage. If one gets sick, they all get sick.”

If you are able and willing, (not for children) check out this video below on how commercial egg farms are really run.

Every week you have the opportunity to shop at small local farms that have a true passion for what they are doing and treat their animals humanly. They are a farm, not a factory. Join the movement. Shop local. Know your farmer.

Check out our local meat farmers to see their values http://www.westwindfarms.com/t-about.aspx or http://peacefulpastures.com/

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I can’t believe that it is the middle of August, and before you know it it will be the end of October. So what happens when you can’t get fresh local food during the winter? An easy way to make sure that you have fresh fruits and vegetables all winter long, is to freeze them now. When you commit to buy local food seasonally, you don’t have much to choose from during the cold winter months. This requires a little planning ahead, and if canning seems to ambitious you should try freezing. You can pretty much freeze anything – raw fruit and vegetables, cooked sauces, prepared foods, and meats. (To see a list of things NOT to freeze click here)You just need to know a few simple things:

1. Invest in some good quality rigid plastic containers or freezer safe plastic bags
2. Freeze food in 0 degrees or lower
3. Master the technique of blanching your vegetables
4. When you package your food, allow room for your food to expand and account for head space.
5. Make sure you know how to thaw each item of food. It’s different for meats, vegetables, fruits, and prepared foods

You can find a thorough list of how to freeze just about anything here:

This week why not try freezing some fresh corn to enjoy during the winter.

Corn

Preparation – Select only tender, freshly-gathered corn in the milk stage. Husk and trim the ears, remove silks and wash.

Corn-on-the-cob – Water blanch small ears (1¼ inches or less in diameter) 7 minutes, medium ears (1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter) 9 minutes and large ears (over 1½ inches in diameter) 11 minutes. Cool promptly and completely to prevent a “cobby” taste. Drain and package. Seal and freeze.

Whole Kernel Corn – Water blanch 4 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and cut from cob. Cut kernels from cob about 2/3 the depth of the kernels. Package, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.

Do you have any special techniques, or favorite foods for freezing?

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Last week a regular Farmers’ Market customer was sharing with me that she’d better get a bread box for the bread she bought every week. “If I don’t eat the bread quick enough, it gets moldy by the end of the week.” It reminded me of a constant issue in my house, throwing away produce because I didn’t cook it in time- something that drives my husband crazy! I realized that there is a big learning curve for those of us making the change from processed foods to fresh foods. Most items that you buy from the grocery store are packed with preservatives, which is why a loaf of bread can last you about a month. (If you want to read more about the dangers of chemical preservatives you can click here) This is a challenge and a shift in thinking to someone who starts shopping local. They want to be able to keep their fruits and veggies for a couple weeks in the fridge, and if you’re like me you realize after a week that you will be throwing some things out. Fresh, local food is really fresh, and typically has been harvested the morning of the Market. It doesn’t need to have a “shelf life”. That is what makes the food from the Farmers’ Market so delicious! The pies, tarts, pastries and breads are also made without preservatives and need to be consumed probably within 3-4 days. I am still learning how to actually make this work, and it’s a constant reminder of how disconnected from fresh food I really am. Let us embrace our access to local food and enjoy the freshness!

How do you keep from throwing away unused rotten produce every week? Is it best to go to the Market with a plan for what you will be cooking that week? (From South Nashville Life)

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Recently we sent out a survey that asked people what they loved about the Farmers’ Market and here is what a few of them had to say:

“The selection of vegetables is great! Most vendors can offer cooking suggestions for the foods they sell as well. It seems to be brining the community together. I have friends at work who stop on their way home and shop for their dinner tables, as I do.” – Carole

“I’ve got a lot more veggies in my diet now, and it is encouraging me to try new recipes. Before farmer’s markets, I’d never tried to do anything with an eggplant. I also like the variety at the WFM, with all the cheeses, meats, breads, and pastas, as well as veggies.”  - Anonymous

“I love the simply fact that we have a farmer’s market in Woodbine and that I don’t have to drive to East Nashville or Franklin to get local, organic produce. One week we didn’t even go to the regular grocery store at all because of all the goodies we got at the market! I love being able to gorge on delicious, ripe food, the way it was meant to be enjoyed. We all happily eat lots of veggies when they’re from the market instead of from the frozen food aisle.” – Gretchen Abernathy

“Knowing that I can stop by on my way home from work and pick up amazing fresh and artisan food… just makes me SO happy! Everything I have purchased there has been superior in taste and quality, and I am able to connect with local vendors and then continue supporting them on other days of the week. For example, I went to Roast, Inc. yesterday to buy some coffee. Now I know that they are there and I can support them. It’s just great all around.” – Hilary

“I really like to buy fresh food. Some vendors have said they’ve just harvested what I see in their booths!” – Susan Heffernon

“I love that we have this resource nearby. I love shopping at Farmer’s Markets and having one in the neighborhood gives me huge incentive to do so! I am currently pregnant so knowing I have a place to get truly organic, local fruits and veggies- not to mention milk and bread- nearly is jus awesome and takes a big stressor out of my pregnancy! I belong to a CSA but there are times I don’t get enough of some ingredient and I can either go get what I need from the CSA (Real Food Farms) or from another vendor. It’s great!” - Sara Harvey

“I’ve always shopped at ALDI until I passed by the Market one day and decided to stop. I bought some tomatoes and milk and couldn’t believe how delicious the tomatoes were. My wife said they tasted like candy. I now come back every week and buy fresh vegetables. You just can’t get that quality and taste from a grocery store.” – Fred Sisel

What do YOU love about the Farmers’ Market?

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Looking for something to do this weekend? Hit up the first concert of the 12th South Concert Series at Sevier Park. The Woodbine Farmers’ Market will be there with our booth to help spread the word of our Market.  We will be doing another $40 Market Bucks drawing and be giving out 100 free totes to those who come by to say hello first.

This Saturday at 6pm the line up includes:

• 6 PM – Sleepless Truckers
• 7 PM – Troy Brooks & Friends
• 8 PM – Jack Silverman Ordeal

You can even order ahead and pick up a boxed dinner for $8 from restaurants like Rumors, Burger Up, the Blind Pig, 12th South Tap Room, Frothy Monkey and Green Light Market and Deli. Join the movement – shop local, do local, be local.

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