All Over Albany

Talking with the new manager of the Troy farmers' market

The Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market starts is it's new outdoor season this Saturday morning on River Street in downtown Troy.

And its 17th season includes a new manager: Liz Hammond. She comes to the job with experiences that include both working on farms and the Veggie Mobile, Capital Roots' mobile vegetable market.

We met up with Hammond this week to talk about the state of the market, its place in the local food scene, and the connections between the market's producers and customers.

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Beekeeper Lloyd Spear retiring

Lloyd Spear, the local farmers' market-famous beekeeper, is retiring from the retail business, according to a message posted on his Facebook page:

To our Loyal, Wonderful Customers:

I am 73 years old and need to reduce my workload, so I will no longer sell honey at farmers markets and other retail locations. October 31 will be our last day in operation.

I will still be selling bees and taking care of my approximately 200 hives. The honey will be sold in 60 pound buckets.

Thank you, thank you. We have tried hard to offer quality products, and your response has been truly wonderful. It has this decision extremely difficult.

Dr. Seuss says, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Please join me.

With Gratitude,

Lloyd

Lloyd Spear honey has been a staple of farmers' markets in the Capital Region, where both Lloyd and his honey won many fans. Last year in an Eat This! for AOA, Daniel B. talked with Lloyd about his honey-producing process, and explained what set his honey apart from the stuff you usually find.

So... it's time smile -- and stock up.

Other local honey? With the news of Lloyd Spear's retirement, Christina asks via Facebook: "Any suggestions for other local honey retailers?"

FarmieMarket expanding

FarmieMarket -- the local online farmers' market -- announced today that it's expanding in the Hudson and Mohawk valleys. Starting June 12 it will serve customers in Columbia, Greene, Otsego, Herkimer, Montgomery and Fulton counties.

The roots of FarmieMarket were planted in 2010 when Sarah Gordon started Heldeberg Market to connect farms in the Hilltowns of Albany county with customers in Albany County via online ordering and weekly deliveries. She expanded to all four core counties of the Capital Region in 2011 under the FarmieMarket banner. Last year FM expanded to include Dutchess and Ulster via a base in Poughkeepsie.

Gordon grew up on a farm -- her dad runs a grassfed cattle farm in Knox. The online farmers market idea grew out of thinking about how to connect the farm with new customers.

Earlier on AOA:
+ Interesting in 2011: Sarah Gordon
+ Touring the Hilltowns, a farm at a time

photo courtesy of Sarah Gordon

Albany Bagel Co.

Albany Bagel Co. everything bagels.

Perhaps you are among the many who have been intrigued by the mysterious Albany Bagel Co., which appeared out of nowhere late last year. They have been tweeting, creating interesting maps of Albany, and teasing all of us with the promise of great bagels.

Well, the wait is almost over. The Albany Bagel Co. will begin retail operations at the Colonie Farmers Market at the Crossings this Saturday.

But who are they? Why are they doing this? And what can we expect when they finally start selling their bagels to the public? We talked with one of the founders to find out.

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Spa City Farmer's Market

From left to right: Shannon Campagna, The Peanut Principle; Sue Kerber, RAD Soap Co.; Colleen Zorbas, Zorbas Natural Foods.

What's the hardest part about starting a new farmers' market?

All the texting.

At least, that's what Sue Kerber, Colleen Zorbas and Shannon Campagna think. Together, they're the founders of the new Spa City Farmer's Market. And after three months of planning, the business owners admit 2 am texting has gotten old for them... and their husbands.

But that planning has the new Sunday market ready to launch later this month.

So why start another farmers' market?

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Outside season starting for farmers' markets

Magnolias. Ice cream trucks. Outdoor farmers' markets. It must really be May.

Three of the biggest farmers' markets in the Capital Region are starting their outside seasons this weekend:

Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market
Saturday, 9 am-2 pm
River and 3rd Street (Monument Square) in downtown Troy (map)
(The market's first "twilight market" is part of the Troy Night Out on Friday, May 31 in Riverfront Park.)

Saratoga Farmers' Market
Saturday, 9 am-1 pm
High Rock Park in Saratoga Springs (map)
(The Wednesday Saratoga market is back outside today (May 1), 3-6 pm.)

Schenectady Greenmarket
Sunday, 10 am-2 pm
Jay Street around Schenectady City Hall (map)

Of course, there are a bunch of other farmers' markets around the area. Some of the smaller markets -- like the Empire State Plaza market (Wednesdays, 10 am-2 pm) -- are already open. Others will be popping up through this month, and into June.

photo: Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market

Troy Farmers' Market adding "twilight market"

The Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market is adding a "twilight market" starting in May, according to a posting today on its Facebook page.

The market will be the last Friday of each month (as part of Troy Night Out) in Riverfront Park (map), from 5-8 pm. The posting pitches the evening time as an alternative for people who can't it make on Saturday morning. The plan is continue the twilight market through October.

And based on a follow-up comment, it looks like the farmers' market will be back on River Street when it heads back outside.

Broccoli rabe from Migliorelli Farm

Green and leafy through the winter.

By the time November rolls around most community supported agriculture programs are closing up shop for the winter. Farmers' markets move indoors. And those who care about eating locally-produced fruits and vegetables get ready to bear the brunt of the next few months of winter storage crops.

And you know, it's not so bad. In fact, winter storage crops are some of the best things we grow in the region. Cabbage, onions, beets, potatoes, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, carrots, celery root, sweet potatoes, and winter squash are all incredibly versatile. Which is a good. Because these are my new vegetable staples.

But wait. What's that big pile of greenery Migliorelli Farm has on its table? Oh, well they must come from a greenhouse. No? And they aren't hydroponic either. Well how do they do it then, and why is their broccoli rabe so good?

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Talking peaches with Tom Maynard

There's a secret to picking the best doughnut peaches.

Tom Maynard of Maynard Farms is a fixture at the Schenectady Greenmarket. He's been selling a wide variety of peaches, plums, nectarines and pears since the market started in 2008. And he grows some delicious fruit on his Hudson Valley farm.

"We try to deliver an honest-to-god good product to every customer who leaves here," he says. "My goal is for people to come here, buy our peaches and then come back next week saying, 'Wow, that was a really great peach.' Once they try it, they realize this isn't supermarket fruit."

Maynard has a friendly, outgoing presence, and you can often catch him talking about the finer points of fruit with customers.

I talked with him at the market recently for a quick guide on peaches and nectarines -- what separates the different varieties, how to make sure they're ripe, what the fuzz is called, and why you should look for the ugly ones.

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Chinese cabbage is a cool (weather) customer

Pak choi at Kilpatrick Family Farm.

We're very happy to welcome From Scratch Club founder Christina Davis to AOA. (Also, over at FSC today: AOA Greg on baking bread. Yes, really.)

I don't know about you but I'm ready for the flavorful and colorful bounty of the summer months: strawberries, cherries, tomatoes, and much much more. We are already seeing a few glimpses of what's to come with wild-foraged ramps and fiddleheads, along with asparagus and spring peas.

Until then -- while we're in "winter market" season -- you can still find some crisp cooler-weather greens at your local farmers market. To me, there is nothing better to dine on in the drawn-out grey months of winter and early-spring than fresh leafy greens: arugula, spinach, mustards, mesclun.

And then there are the Chinese brassicas: the broad, leafy greens pak choi and boy choy, and the densely-packed heads of Napa cabbage. Hands down, if you're looking for a taste of summer salad with the crunch of your summertime broad-leafed romaines and the slight watery texture of a head lettuce varieties, pak choi/bok choy has you covered for the remaining weeks of spring. I know I know, you usually add the choy to stir fries and fried rice dishes or you sauté with some garlic, hot pepper flakes and oil for a more Italian broccoli rabe-inspired side, but trust me when I say, eat it raw in salads or use as a cup for lettuce wraps. It will make you miss summer BBQs and park picnics just a little less.

We are lucky in the Capital Region to have a handful of farms that grow various leafy greens year-round, including Slack Hollow Farm (at the Troy Farmers' Market) and Kilpatrick Family Farm (at the Saratoga Farmers' Market), where I'm the community supported agriculture (CSA) coordinator.

I recently got a tour of how these greens are grown during the cold weather.

(Plus: a recipe for Asian greens salad.)

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Lloyd Spear Honey

Buzzzzz.

Consider me converted.

Upon arriving to the area, my family was struck by the many varieties of local honey available at farm stands and farmers' markets. Part of eating local was enjoying these naturally sweet products.

Except there was a problem: granulation.

Really, it's not a problem. It's more of a nuisance. Because all honey eventually granulates, and it can be easily fixed by placing the jar in a pot of warm water until the crystals dissolve. But who wants to do that?

So we fell off the wagon and found some reasonably tasty supermarket honey. But recently all has not been well in bee-land. There have been all kinds of problems going on from colony collapse disorder to reports of fraudulent and contaminated honey being brought into the United States.

That, in addition to the rising price of supermarket honey and the very vocal fan base of local beekeeper Lloyd Spear led me to his stall at the Schenectady Greenmarket earlier this year. We've been buying Lloyd's honey ever since.

Recently when picking up a donation of honey he was making to the Jewish Food Festival, I had a chance to chat with him and find out what makes his stuff so good.

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Interesting in 2011: Sarah Gordon

Sarah Gordon and FarmieMarket's delivery van.

All this week we'll be highlighting some of the interesting people we've gotten to know over the past year.

We have a lot of respect for people who start something new from scratch. And that's just what Sarah Gordon did last year when she launched an online farmers' market connecting farms and customers in Albany County. Even more impressive: she's figured out how to grow it -- this year Sarah expanded the concept to become FarmieMarket, which includes farms and customers in all four of the Capital Region's core counties.

The idea for FarmieMarket comes from a very personal place for Sarah: her own family's farm in Knox. After using her digital savvy to help grow the family's grass-fed beef and hay farm, she realized she could also help other local family farms trying to carve out a spot in the market. This isn't just a business -- it's a cause. And a worthy one. Think about it: for every local family farm that's able to find its place in the modern world, there are ripple effects: open space preservation, economic development, better tasting food.

So, it's safe to say we're impressed. And we think after you hear a little bit from her, you will be, too.

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The year of the garlic scape

We joked on Twitter last night that it's become The Year of the Garlic Scape.

Vaguely aware of garlic scapes before this year, we seem to be seeing them everywhere this summer -- their green tentacles reaching out of CSA boxes, spilling from baskets at local farmers' markets, haunting our dreams. Maybe it's like when you take note of something random and then start seeing it everywhere.

So, what's a garlic scape? It's the green part of the garlic plant that grows above ground (or, uh, you know, when you leave the cloves too long on the counter top).

Aaron, Stephanie and Christine all recommended making pesto last night from the scape abundance. (There was also a rather fussy conversation about whether that's actually pesto.)

Christine even has a garlic scape pesto recipe posted over at the From Scratch Club -- in fact, there's seems to be a whole garlic scape week going on over there. (What, you're not reading FSC? You should!) Leah's used scapes with eggs. And over at Serious Eats: 7 Things To Do with Garlic Scapes and Garlic Scape Tart.

photo: Flickr user krossbow

FarmieMarket is now open

The expanded version of the local online farmers' market Heldeberg Market -- FarmieMarket -- opened today. The market now covers the four core counties of the Capital Region. ("Farmie" is a play on "foodie.")

Heldeberg Market started just about a year ago. It and FarmieMarket are the creation of Sarah Avery Gordon -- she's an environmental consultant, and grew up on her parents' farm in Knox.

We've been interested in Heldeberg -- and now Farmie -- Market because it looks like an interesting bid to help develop the local food economy. So we bounced a few questions to Sarah today to hear about how things are going -- and where the market is headed.

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FarmieMarket

Heldeberg Market, the online farmers' market that's been serving Albany County, announced today that it's expanding to the rest of the Capital Region -- under the name Farmie Market.

The website says it will start taking orders in July. (And it explains that "farmie" is a play on "foodie.")

Heldeberg Market started last summer. It's the creation of Sarah Avery Gordon -- she's an environmental consultant, and grew up on her parents' farm in Knox.

Chicken sale at local online farmers' market

Heldeberg Market -- the local online farmers' market -- has a sale on chicken this week. "All-natural ... anti-biotic, hormone and preservative free" whole chickens from Mountain Winds Farm are roughly $3/pound.

Sure, that's more expensive than what you'd pay for a "regular" chicken in the supermarket, but for a local "all natural" bird, that seems like not a bad price. And if you're wondering what you'd do with a whole chicken, we have one word for you: soup.

If you want a chicken this week, you have to order by the end of today (delivery is on Thursday).

Speaking of Heldeberg Market... Has anyone used this online market? How was the experience? Were the products good?

Earlier on AOA:
+ Details from Heldeberg Market's launch this past summer.
+ Changing Albany's chicken laws

Indoor Farmers' Markets

The markets are moving indoors for the season.

Capital District farmers' markets are getting ready to make their move indoors.

The Schenectady Greenmarket moves inside this Sunday and next Saturday ( November 7th) the Troy and Saratoga markets head indoors.

So what can you get at a farmers market in the winter?

Here's a list of where you can find the winter markets and what you can expect when
you get there.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

Outdoor market time is slowly slipping away. Get out and enjoy it while you still can. This week: pumpkins, gourds and a few tomatoes.

Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week: Lots of apples, winter squash and other good stuff.

Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week there's a late summer bounty of melons, berries, corn tomatoes and a whole bunch of other fruits and veggies.

Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week: Apples, pears, corn and -- yes-- tomatoes.

Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week: blueberries, all kinds of peppers, sweet corn and even a few tomatoes.

Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week: berries, eggplant, onion and summer squash.

Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week: all kinds of berries, a little bit of corn, and yes, in spite of the rain, a few tomatoes.

Here's what local markets tell us they're expecting this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week blueberries, raspberries, onions, cauliflower, corn and a whole bunch of other seasonal deliciousness!

On the way out: Strawberries, asparagus and cherries. Get 'em while you can!

Here's what local markets tell us they're expecting this weekend.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week -- the first corn of the season! Also sour cherries and other yummy fruit.

Here's more info on what to expect at local markets.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

Fuji apples and ramps are gone and the first crop of radishes are pretty much finished (though there are more radishes to come), but this week you can get beets, asparagus and all kinds of other good stuff. And there's a new market in Albany.

Here's a breakdown of what you'll find this weekend at the farmers' markets around the Capital Region.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the capital region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week's bounty includes asparagus, arugula, salad greens, rhubarb, and radishes. Lots and lots of radishes.

Here's a breakdown of what you'll find this weekend at the farmers' markets in Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the capital region is shopping the farmers' markets. All the local weekend markets have moved outdoors and they're stocked with lots of yummy, seasonal goodness.

This week's bounty includes rhubarb, greens, scallions, radishes, all kinds of seedlings and fiddleheads.

Here's a breakdown of what you'll find this weekend at the farmers' markets in Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga.

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Shopping the farmers' markets

Local farmers' markets are moving outdoors this weekend and there's lots of yummy, seasonal food to be had.

This week's bounty includes ramps, asparagus, arugula, spinach and all sorts of seedlings.

Here's a breakdown of what you'll find at the weekend markets in Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga. Don't forget, the Troy market moves to its new location in Riverfront Park this week.

Next week we'll have more from these and other area markets.

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