For the 2015 season, we are introducing a new app called FarmFan. It will allow us to communicate with you on market day by text message to give you the latest information about what will be at the market that day. In addition, you will be able to check in at the market and get loyalty rewards for coming often through the season.

After you become a FarmFan, one hour before the market, you will get a text message from us with what’s fresh on that market day. The update may also include specials that are available only to FarmFans, so be sure you sign up! You may unsubscribe at any time, by responding STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE to any text message you receive from us.

Additionally, if there are is a problem that would cause the market to close (such as bad weather), we will be touch through this text message so we can save you the time of coming down the market.

Stop by the market table each week we will give you a passcode that you will text back in to get checked in for that market day. Frequent shoppers will be eligible for the following promotions:

·       Check in 5 times: Get a $5 Market Token

·       Check in 10 times: Get an Eat Southern Illinois T-shirt

·       Check in 15 times: VIP Invite to the End of Season Farmer Potluck

To sign up to be a FarmFan, visit:

https://farmfanapp.com/foodworks/signup

As always, your support is appreciated and we hope this new app increases your enjoyment at the market! Thank you for your interest!

May is National Strawberry month. Strawberries are the first fruit of the season, and their bold taste and color make them a welcome treat in spring. Unfortunately, the strawberries have not been as abundant as in years past. Why you may ask? These unseasonably cool spring days, rain and cloud cover have slowed the growing season, left fruit susceptible to rot in the fields. Though fewer in numbers, there are still strawberries for sale at our Community Farmers Market: East this Saturday. Get to the market early and grab a quart as they will go quick this week!

Nutrition fun facts: Strawberries are nutrient powerhouses. Each cup of strawberries contains over 100% of your daily recommended dose of Vitamin C! For maximum anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, a full serving strawberries must be eaten a minimum lf 3 times per week.

Storage tips: Strawberries are extremely delicate and should be eaten within two days of harvest for maximum nutrition. Most strawberries at the farmers market were harvested within 24 hours of market. If you cannot eat your strawberries right away, sort and remove overripe berries and store in the crisper drawer in their container.

Preparation tips: Strawberries are great eaten raw, but can also be made into quick sauces, jams and even salad dressings. Strawberries are great frozen and can be thrown in smoothies, added to batter, or reheated with some liquid sweetener for a quick sauce.

This week the SIU Sustainable Farm to Fork will be featuring the first big harvest of Asian Greens. They have grown 14-16 different varieties of Asian greens as a trial for an Illinois Specialty Crop grant program. Asian greens have many good qualities for farmers and consumers alike. They are fast growing, heat and cold tolerant, highly nutritious, fast and versatile to cook and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, textures and flavors. Many can be harvested as baby leaf and used in salad mixes or allowed to grow to maturity, cut and allowed to grow again. This week SIU Sustainable Farm will be giving free samples of Asian Greens to Community Farmers Market FarmFans and newsletter recipients. Please inform the folks at the SIU Sustainable Farm to Fork table that you are a newsletter recipient or FarmFan to receive your free sample!

SIU Sustainable Farm hopes that this grant will help these Asian greens become more common at farmers markets and for customers to become more comfortable with incorporating them into their everyday cooking. They plan to have several of these greens available throughout the growing season. For more information about Asian Greens or this study, please contact April Vigardt avigardt@siu.edu.

Nutrition Fun Facts: Bok Choy has some of the highest nutritionaly rankings among other members of the cabbage family.  It is a source of over 21 nutrients including omega-3s, zinc and an excellent source of vitamins C, A and K. (1)

Storage Tips: Store in a plastic bag with as much of the air removed as possible. Will keep for up to one week.

Preparation Tips: You can use both the crunch stalks and leaves of bok choy. For even cooking, chop the leaf portion into 1/8” slices and the stems into ½” lengths. For maximum health benefits, let bok choy sit for 5 minutes before cooking. (1)

And we’re back! We’ve planted, prepped for months and are finally ready to share our the fruits of our labor with you! Come out to the market this Saturday, May 16th, to say hello and stock up on vibrant greens, fragrant herbs, and ruby red strawberries! 

This week’s vendors include:

• Homer Grown: dinosaur kale, lettuce, herb starts
  
• Karl Sweitzer Produce: kale, radishes, herb plants, green onions and sweet potatoes and hard squash
  
• Flora Bay Farm: Flower bouquets, kale (heirloom mix, red Russian), frisée chicory/endive, cut herbs, and garden starts (heirloom tomatoes, hot peppers, herbs)
  
• SIU Sustainable Farm to Fork: kale, Asian greens, strawberries, mint and dill, spinach, salad mix, baby kale mix, baby spicy greens mix and stir fry mix of greens
  
• McLaughlin’s Strawberries
  
• Paula’s Fabric Flowers
  

There will be music by Nate Staub, activities for the kiddos, and recipes and nutrition information for the grown ups. Stop by the market information table to learn more about our new nutrition education station or to get some market tokens. We accept EBT, credit and debit cards in exchange for market tokens that can be used like cash at the market.

Nutrition fun facts: Asparagus is loaded with anti-inflammatory nutrients and antioxidants that are some of the best risk reducers for common chronic health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, even cancer! (1)
 
Storage tips: Trim the ends of your asparagus and store it upright in an inch of water in the fridge. Asparagus looses nutrients at a faster rate than other vegetables and should be consumed within 48 hours of harvesting for maximum nutrition. (1)

Preparation: Fresh thin asparagus requires little preparation. Larger stalks may need the tough ends trimmed off and outer layer of stringy skin peeled. Asparagus can be eaten raw, chopped up on salads, sautéed with olive oil or butter, baked, or even grilled. (1)

Recipe: Healthy Asparagus Sautee

Heat 5 TBS of broth (vegetable or chicken) in a large skillet. Once bubbles begin to form, add whole asparagus, cover, and sauté for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with your favorite dressing. (1