Bike Bucket Workshop - Tonight!   

Vendor Profile:  Fields Farm Fresh               

Rodney Fields' grandparents owned and operated a big dairy farm in Hendricks County. His parents took over the farm, and then a bad drought in the '80s put them out of business. The residential housing boom provided an opportunity to sell off most of the farm land, but farming was a way of life they had grown up with and loved.

"We always had a garden and sold vegetables from a roadside farm stand and provided corn for the stands at the State Fair," Rodney says.

Fields Farm offers six types of eggplant.

Now, he and his mom and dad (with the help of a part-time crew) are farming 15 acres, growing a little bit of everything -- greens, corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, peppers, and eggplants to name a few. They sell to restaurants, some home delivery services, and at five farmers markets. "We try to provide a wide variety of produce. We bring a lot of unusual items; for example, lots of heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, peppers and six different types of eggplant."

The Fields family has been part of the Broad Ripple Farmers Market for about ten years now, providing locally grown produce at their booth. The three of them are keeping very busy with all of their farming endeavors, but I have the feeling they wouldn't want it any other way. This is how many farm families are carrying on the tradition of living on and from the land and continuing a lifestyle they love.

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Focus On:  Tomatoes   

Heirloom tomatoes from the  Broad Ripple Farmers Market

When I think of summer, I think of tomato sandwiches. Give

me a juicy, ripe, flavorful, Indiana-grown tomato, warm from the garden (or the Market), easily peeled, cut in thick slices, with a little salt, a lot of pepper, and a light spread of mayo on a couple of slices of good bread. Ahhh! The aroma, the interplay of textures and tastes all take me back to the carefree summer days of my Indiana childhood.

Keep your tomatoes at room temperature. Refrigerating them inhibits the flavor. And keeping them out on the counter reminds you to eat them! Use a serrated knife for the easiest slicing. Ripe tomatoes will peel easily, but are just as heavenly left unpeeled.

In celebration of tomatoes, try these simple ideas that make the most of what ripe, in-season tomatoes have to offer. You'll be out of the kitchen quickly with dishes that are bursting with the flavors of summer.

Jamie Oliver's Mothership Tomato Salad

(See "Jamie at Home" on the food network - simple recipes with produce from his own backyard garden.)

Directions

Get a variety of tasty, local tomatoes in all different shapes, sizes and colors. Don't be put off by tomatoes that look deformed or strangely colored. These are usually heirlooms and have intense flavor plus they make the most beautiful salad. 

Tomato, Cucumber and Pickled Onion Salad from marthastewart.com

Ingredients

2 1/4 pounds mixed ripe tomatoes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A good pinch of dried oregano

Red wine or balsamic vinegar

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and grated

1 red chile, seeded and chopped (optional)

Depending on the size of your tomatoes, slice in half, in quarters and uneven chunks. Put the tomatoes into a colander, and season with a good pinch of sea salt. Toss, season again and give a couple more tosses.

The flavor is brought out by salting the tomatoes, so don't skip this. People worry about putting too much salt on their food, but it will draw excess moisture out and drip off, concentrating all the lovely flavors. Leave the tomatoes in the colander on top of a bowl to stand for about 15 minutes, then discard any juice that has drained off.

Transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl and sprinkle with the oregano. Make a dressing using 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, the garlic and the chile. Drizzle the tomatoes with enough dressing to coat everything nicely.

This is delicious to eat on its own. It's also great served with fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves like a Caprese salad or with grilled ciabatta to soak up the juices (I had mine over the weekend with Asiago bread from Cornerstone Bakery).  The basic tomato salad can also be tossed with warm pasta for a fresh sauce and topped with fresh herbs and shaved Parmesan; or roasted in a baking pan with grilled sausages, garlic and herbs. So simple, but so delicious!

For more quick, no-fuss tomato treats, click the links below.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Salad 

Tomato Cantaloupe and Basil Salad with Tomato Water 

Fresh Tomato Salsa 

Tomato Cucumber and Pickled Onion Salad 

Beet and Tomato Salad 

Stuffed Tomatoes with Peaches, Corn, Cucumbers, and Basil 

Musical Guests:     Wednesday Market - The Michaels        

                                   Saturday Market - Robert Bruce Scott         

The Michaels

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

Robert Bruce Scott's performances are relaxed, funny, informative, and include songs in more than 20 languages. Visit his website by clicking here.

The Michaels is an artistic partnership of Brett Wiscons and Jon Shoulders, two veterans of the Indianapolis and Bloom-ington live music scenes. For more, click here. 

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.     

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