What's Up at
the Market in September
Every week brings something new to the Sammamish Farmers Market. Here's what you can look forward to in September:
SEPTEMBER 1 - Bike and Walk to the Market Day
Senior Citizen Day at the Market
Singer and song-writer Charlie Spring will entertain us with a musical repertoire of folk songs, blues, ballads, country, children's songs, rock 'n roll and more.
Children's event - Children can let loose their creativity and fashion animals out of a variety of vegetables and toothpicks!
Non-profit group - Camp Fire USA
SEPTEMBER 15 -Sustainable September at the Market Sponsored by the Market and the Sammamish Chamber of Commerce. The second annual Sustainable September at the Market event includes 15 exhibitors who will demonstrate the importance of "living green." Learn how to garden without chemicals, reduce energy use, co-exist with wildlife and more. The fair runs from 4 to 8 pm.
At 6 pm, you can get some tips on how to create your own rain garden at the Sammamish Library, which hosts a presentation by Katie Pencke from the Seattle Tilth.
Artisan/Craft Day at the Market
The Snoqualmie Tribe demonstrates weaving and entertains with story-telling.
Listen to the nationally touring acoustic rock band Everyday Jones!
Children's event - Children can decorate their own bookmarks just in time for school.
Non-profit group -Sammamish Citizen Corps Council (CERT)
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Sky Valley Farm -
Sustainable Production
of Eggs and Pork
The Rappuhn family, third generation farmers, uses sustainable farming practices to produce their delicious eggs and pork. Cindy Rappuhn tells us how:
"In the family since 1950, we are the third generation (our kids are the fourth) of Rappuhns dedicated to sustainably farming our acreage. Our farm is about 40 miles northeast of Seattle and situated in the rugged Skykomish River valley (hence the name "Sky Valley Family Farm"). Part of our farm is wooded hillside, part is seasonable pond, and the rest is lush pasture. Besides our home, it is home to many mammals, amphibians and birds.
Using his degree in biology (Go Cougs!) and experience growing up on the farm, Brent is the animal manager and farming director. Cindy, a former teacher with a math degree (Go Cougs!), is the "egg counter" and educator. We have three children (two teens and a 20-year-old) who round out the farm with their own farming interests (currently row crops and berries), skills, and enthusiasm.
We view the farming of our land as a blessing, a great privilege, and an even greater responsibility. We are dedicated to sustainable, ecologically-sound farming practices and view grass farming as the foundation on which all our products are built. Our goal is to be good stewards of our acreage and animals and to share the bounty of our farm with others.
How it all works together
To this end, we continue to fine-tune our offerings with products that benefit each other. We've added berries
and row crops to capture the benefits of our brooder manures. We're experimenting this year with various heat-loving plants to see what works in our greenhouses which are nutrient rich from over-wintering hens. Our hogs have again done a fine job of fully tilling and weeding our garden in preparation for planting. The ducks and hens work hard to de-slug and de-bug our property. You get the picture of how we're trying to integrate everything we do!
Eggs and why pastured eggs are better
Both our chicken and duck eggs are available this year. Our ducks and chickens are kept healthy, antibiotic-free, and happy by ranging on fresh, certified organic pastures in the sunshine and fresh air. According to Mother Earth News, eggs from hens on pasture have four to six times more Vitamin D, one-half the cholesterol, one-fourth less saturated fat, two-thirds more Vitamin A, two times more Omega-3 fatty acids, three times more Vitamin E, and seven times more beta-carotene than typical supermarket eggs. Besides a great, rich taste, they are packed with vitamins!
Pork from happy pigs
Our pasture-raised pork is available as a variety of cuts and sausages. We raise our hogs completely free from antibiotics on certified organic pastures. They spend their time rooting, eating, and relaxing in the sunshine with access to portable shelter as needed. Our "off the farm" sales continue to expand, and pork will again be available as halves and wholes. We recommend placing an early order as we had many disappointed people by the end of August last year who had put off ordering too long. You will certainly be able to "taste the difference" because of the way we raise them.
As always, our goal in everything we raise is to have it optimally healthy and flavorful as a result of our vibrant, healthy, chemical-free soils. For our livestock and poultry, this involves pasturing. Nutritionists continue to extol the increased health benefits of products raised on fresh pasture."
From the Rappuhns -
Brent, Cindy, David, Anna, and Robert
Sky Valley Family Farm
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Thank you to our Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor:
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Sustainable September at the Market -
Coming Soon!
 Hoping to build a rain garden in your own backyard? Yearning for a ride on an electric bike? Want to meet Wayne Drop?
On September 15, from 4 to 8PM, the Market will host the second annual Sustainable Sammamish event in City Council chambers, giving you a chance to learn about gardening sustainably, reducing your water and energy use, establishing a wildlife habitat on your property, building a rain garden and more. You will have a chance to talk to new and returning exhibitors about how you can make small adjustments to the way you live in order to sustain our environment for future generations.
 More than 15 exhibitors will be on site, each with a passion for sustainability and each with expertise they want to share with you.
Last year, hundreds of enthusiastic Sammamish residents visited the informational tables, talked to the experts and carried home information. It looks like this year will be even better.
Don't miss it. It's fun, it's informative, and it's free. See you there! |
Organic - Is It Worth It?
 When I see an "organic" label on a package at the grocery store or on a sign at the produce stand, I often wonder what it really means. Is it a defined term? Or is it just marketing hype, like "new and improved" or "antioxidant-rich"? Well, as it turns out, there is a legal definition for the term "organic." Federal law defines three levels of organics. Products made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods can be labeled "100% organic." Products with at least 95% organic ingredients can use the word "organic." And foods containing a minimum of 70% organic ingredients can be labeled "made with organic ingredients."
 The National Organic Program, enacted as federal legislation in 2002, restricts the use of the term "organic" to certified organic producers. Certification is handled by state, non-profit and private agencies that have been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Growers selling under $5,000 a year do not have to apply, but are still required to submit to a records audit if requested. And many growers, including some at our farmers' market, follow organic practices, but do not choose to submit to the certification recordkeeping practices.
Whether certified or not, organic farmers differ from their conventional counterparts in several important ways: - Conventional farmers apply chemical fertilizers while organic farmers apply natural fertilizers such as manure or compost;
- Conventional farmers spray insecticides while organic farmers use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease;
- Conventional farmers use chemical herbicides to manage weeds while organic farmers rotate crops, till, hand weed or mulch;
- And conventional farmers use antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease and spur growth while organic farmers prevent disease through the use of organic feed, outdoor grazing and clean housing.
On balance, organic sounds better, right? No chemical pesticides or fertilizers, sustainable farming practices, reduced impact on the environment. But there is a price to pay. Organic fruits and vegetables cost between 13 and 36 cents per pound more than conventional produce. And milk that has been certified as hormone- and antibiotic-free can cost almost twice as much as ordinary milk. Is it worth the price?
 It depends. Are you looking to reduce negative impacts on the environment? If so, you're getting something for your money. Organic farming is definitely designed to be more sustainable. Are you after improved taste? Some say they can definitely taste the difference, that organic products burst with flavor that's lacking in conventionally-grown food. Others say that, for most products, there's little or no difference. Are you hoping for improved health benefits? That's where you'll find the biggest controversy. Many experts - including the Mayo Clinic - contend that there is no conclusive evidence to show that organic food is more nutritious than conventionally-grown food. And the USDA - even though it certifies organic food - doesn't claim that these products are safer or more nutritious.
Should everyone switch to 100 percent organic? Probably not. Currently, according to the USDA, organic foods represent only about three percent of the total market. If everyone shifted overnight, there wouldn't be enough organic capacity to meet the demand. So most of us pick and choose. Every tomato eater knows that an overly-engineered grocery store tomato tastes nothing like its freshly-picked organic cousin. And a locally-grown strawberry will always win the flavor test over its conventional grocery store counterpart. But an organic banana? Maybe not.
So, what's the answer? Is it worth it? As time goes on - and the price differences narrow - many are making the switch. Even if the nutritional benefits haven't been consistently verified, organic production methods are clearly easier on the environment. And there's a lot to be said for reducing our exposure to chemical pesticides and fertilizers. More and more, as I weigh the evidence, the scale tilts toward organic. |
The Market and Healthy Eating
Sammamish Market Vendors Donate to the Issaquah Food Bank
Do you ever wonder what happens to the produce our farmers have brought to the Market but haven't sold by the end of the day? It goes to the Issaquah food bank, generously donated by our farmers and delivered there through the efforts of Irmgard Tank.
 1,800 pounds of produce donated so far this season
Irmgard, a Sammamish resident, volunteered early this season to organize a food bank program, including talking to our vendors about donating their produce, picking up crates of donations at the end of the Market day, and delivering the food to the food bank in Issaquah every week. This season so far, she's brought over 1,800 pounds of produce to the Issaquah Valley Community Services Food Bank.
Market produce is gone from food bank shelves within an hour
A group of food bank volunteers then sort through the donations on Thursday mornings. Since food banks receive mostly canned food and dry food to distribute, food bank employees are particularly delighted to see our Market produce.
According to Cherie Meier, Executive Director of the Food Bank, produce donations from the Sammamish Farmers Market are usually handed out during the first hour of opening.
Sustainability
Irmgard is committed to improving healthy nutrition for everyone and to upholding concepts of sustainability. As she states, "For me sustainability means to learn to live within our means and not consume more resources and/or energy than we can ultimately give back into the system. There is an element of balance in my definition that requires respect and appreciation for all beings in their natural environment. We all live together, are connected and need to learn to share resources in a fair way that takes care of all needs."
 Irmgard, who works in Finance at Symetra Financial in Bellevue, follows organic, sustainable growing practices in her own garden and is always interested in learning more about how to use more unusual produce. Below is her salad recipe for kale, one of the most nutritious vegetables:
Irmgard's Kale Salad
Ingredients:
A big bunch of fresh kale
Two teaspoons salt
One avocado
One apple (or fresh strawberries)
Dressing with vinegar, oil, dried mushroom bits, and sesame seeds
Massage two teaspoons of salt into washed and torn kale; this will alter the consistency of the rather tough kale leaves; they will soften and wilt almost as if they were blanched in boiling water; the kale will also lose a lot of its original volume; then rinse out the salt from the kale.
Cut avocado and apple into small bite-size chunks and add to the kale.
Add dressing, toss, and enjoy!
Interested in learning more about sustainability?
Irmgard recommends three books that helped shape her views. She shares her comments about the books here:
Gardening When It Counts by Steve Solomon - "A very useful and practical guide for vegetable gardening. I recommend it to anybody who would like to start a garden. We are now in our third season of our own vegetable garden and still like to refer back to it for useful tips. If you are lucky enough to have your own garden, consider planting a "row for the hungry" and share your harvest."
Food - Not Lawns by Heather Coburn Flores - "For any reader who is willing to entertain some more radical ideas about sustainability. The author is extremely committed to sustainability and shares a wealth of creative ideas how to lead a simple but fulfilled life. Even if you don't agree with her, reading her book will give you a different perspective."
The Systems Thinking Approach to Strategic Planning and Management by Stephen G. Haines - "A business book, but the concepts of holistic and creative thinking really apply to everybody who wants to successfully manage change."
"Come and visit the Farmer's Market before the end of the season, enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere of this Sammamish community-building center of activity, and support our vendors who deserve a roaring "Thank You" from all of us!" |
Let's Talk About Market Food
How many daily servings of fruits and vegetables are you supposed to eat?
 Health researchers, nutritionists, and diet gurus tell us in no uncertain terms we should consume multiple servings of fruits and vegetables each day. They disagree in just how many servings we should have, but they do agree with one statistic, and that is that only 20% of us manage to eat five or more servings a day.
The USDA's food pyramid recommends the types and amounts of food- dairy, vegetables, fruits, etc. - we're supposed to eat. The pyramid has different suggestions for male and female by age and defines amounts by cups rather than servings. (Click on any of the food groups on the right and then on "How much is needed.")
 According to the USDA, a 31- to 50-year-old female should eat 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 1 ½ cup fruits each day. Here's an idea of what constitutes 1 cup:
1 c. raw or cooked vegetables or juice
2 c. raw leafy greens
2 medium carrots
2 large stalks of celery
1 medium baked potato
1 banana
1 large orange
1 small apple
The CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has similar information but in a different format that even includes a neat interactive tool allowing you to create an instant analysis of your chosen plate of food, |
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Loreen Leo and Judy Petersen, Editors
Photos by Loreen Leo and Larry Petersen
Desktop Publishing - Sue Johnston
(c) Sammamish Farmers Market 2010
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