Wednesday Market     

More and more people are discovering the pleasures of the Wednesday Evening Market from 5:00-8:00 p.m. in Broad Ripple Park. With over 30 vendors selling fresh produce, flowers, artisan oils, breads, bakery sweets, dog treats, birdseed, honey, coffees, teas and prepared foods, there is something for everyone to love!  

Come listen to the music, grab a grilled pizza or a fish taco for supper, and see for yourself, every Wednesday evening through September! 

Vendor Profile: Seldom Seen Farm      

What does it take to chisel out a first-generation vegetable farm in Indiana clay loam? John Ferree, of Seldom Seen Farm, says it took wife Kelly and him three years just to get their bearings and five years to feel like they really knew what they were doing. This is their tenth season with the farm. They are a transitional organic operation, which means they adhere to the list of prohibited, allowed, and restricted materials for organic production. John's mission with the farm operation is to strive for high quality produce with a longer shelf life, and of course, the best flavor they can achieve.

There is an enormous amount of work involved in running a farm. Katie Lietz is one of Seldom Seen's full-timers who also helps out with the website and blog. Bob Boyer has taken on a bigger role running farm operations, so that John can do oversight of all facets of the business and take care of daughter Laila.  As for why they started farming, John says on their website, "We can live our lives as our own instead of at the mercy of an employer or our own debt. At the same time we have the ability to succeed or fail at our own hand."    

One of the challenges is to work with the clay soil, which holds water. John has to look for ways to keep the farm producing viable CSA crops even when the weather doesn't cooperate. Greens have been one way to meet that need, as they continue to produce in the cooler, wet conditions. In talking about greens, John introduced me to the Asian varieties he brings to the Market. The farm started growing greens like Bok Choy, Komatsuna, Mizuna, and Tatsoi for their versatility.  They grow quickly so there is a good turn-around.  

You can read more about Seldom Seen Farm and find updates on Kelly Funk's recovery on their website at www.seldomseenfarm.com.

Focus On: Greens

With the spring weather we've had, summer veggies are taking longer and spring greens are stretching their season. I know what to do with lettuce and spinach, but give me kale or swiss chard, and I am lost. So, I went right to the source and toured the Market, asking the farmers themselves how to prepare fresh greens.  

Rodney from Fields Farm Fresh advised braising and showed me what to look for, as well as fixing me up with some lovely swiss chard and kale to experiment with. John from Seldom Seen Farm likes beet greens and chard raw, but says the more bitter greens are tasty if you balance them with a sweet sauce. He steered me to some lovely Komatsuna, an Asian green that he recommended for stir-fry.  

I also spoke with one of our Market regulars. Lynn told me to taste the greens raw, because when you cook them, the flavor will intensify. She also recommends experimenting to see what you like best. She enjoys her greens raw in salads or braised and added to other vegan dishes. She even adds them to her smoothies!

  Basic Directions for Preparing Cooked Greens  

Fresh greens should be washed thoroughly by immersing them in water and swishing 

Creamy Swiss Chard Pasta

them around. After a few minutes, any dirt will settle to the bottom. Remove the leaves, drain the sink, refill and 

repeat the process. Cut off the stalks where they meet 

the leaf and discard. Then cut the leaves in smaller pieces. Sauté the greens with olive oil and garlic. You can add a little broth or water and bring to a bubble, turn off the heat and cover for a few minutes to allow the leaves to tenderize. Sturdier greens may need longer.  

This basic method will give you lovely cooked greens to eat on their own or add to dishes such as pasta, omelette, soup, pizza, etc.  Here is a sampling of recipes for healthful and delicious greens from the Market!

 Kale -Wrapped Dates with Almonds

Braised Tuscan Kale with Pancetta &Carmelized Onions

Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing

Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans & Fresh Tomatoes

Creamy Swiss Chard Pasta

Steamed Asian Greens with Honey-Soy-Sesame Dressing

Musical Guests:      Wednesday Market - Tom Shinness  

                                    Saturday Market - Evan Slusher  

Tom Shinness

Don't forget to stop by the entertainment booth at either market and catch our musical guest of the day. 

Composer, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, Tom Shinness is on a constant quest for innovation and fresh new sonic textures. 

Evan Slusher is a singer/songwriter from Noblesville, IN. He plays a mixture of his own original music as well as a variety of cover songs.

As always, the entertainment is provided at no cost to the BRFM.  If you like what you hear, please consider purchasing a CD and/or leaving a tip.    

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We apologize for the error in last week's newsletter, listing the Michaels for Wednesday Market. It was actually Caleb Hawkins who gets credit for last Wednesday's excellent entertainment. The Michaels will be at the Wednesday Market on August 10th. You can catch Caleb Hawkins again at the Saturday Market on August 27th.

About the Market

With more than 50 vendors, you'll find just about everything you need at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market (BRFM).  We are open rain or shine, every Saturday from May through November, 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Broad Ripple Magnet High School, 1115 Broad Ripple Avenue and every Wednesday from June through September, 5 until 8 p.m. in Broad Ripple Park, 1550 Broad Ripple Avenue.   

Market Master:  Barbara Wilder 

Newsletter Coordinator: Jinny Sauer Bastianelli