​Ginger is a tropical aromatic, pungent spice, commonly used in East Asian and Indian cuisine. Much of the ginger available in grocery stores around the US is travels long distances from Hawaii, Indonesia, China or India. Worried about how far your food travels? We have some creative farmers right here in southern Illinois growing local ginger for the market under plastic high tunnels. Fresh baby ginger will be available at the market now through December and freezes great!
 
Nutrition fun facts: Ginger has a long history of alleviating stomach pains, nausea, gas, vomiting, and upset stomach. Ginger is a healthy way to reduce morning sickness for expecting mothers. Ginger is also has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols, that have been shown to reduce arthritis pain and improve mobility. Adding ginger to tea can also assist with detoxification and improve immunity during cold and flu season.
 
Storage tips: Fresh ginger should be stored in the fridge, away from light and air that will cause it to cure. Fresh gingers stores well in the freezer. You can freeze ginger whole and grate frozen ginger into recipes. You can also pre-grate the ginger, measure it into tablespoon size portions and freeze on a sheet of parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe container to add to future recipes.
 
Preparation tips: Uncured baby ginger does not need to be peeled. Clean all any remaining dirt and grate or chop as specified by the recipe. A microplaner, a very fine grater, works well for grating ginger into soups, sauces, and stews. In absence of a fine grater, simply chop the ginger finely one way, then the other, aiming for small, uniform pieces. The smaller the pieces, the more even the flavor will be incorporated into your dish. 

We're still in that beautiful in between time where summer veggies, like fresh peppers, and winter veggies, like acorn squash, occupy the same tables at market. Savor the flavors of fall with a quick easy recipe for Roasted Acorn Squash with Chili Vinaigrette. The sweet squash with the spicy, garlicy sauce will transform a weeknight dinner into something to celebrate! Enjoy!

Nutrition fun facts: With their orange and yellow flesh, winter squash serve up high levels of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which converts to Vitamin A. They are also a good source of Vitamin Cm a healthy source of fiber, contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds and polysaccharides that help regulate and/or control blood sugar. 

Storage tips: Squash store best at an even 50°F in a dark place. This could be a cool and dark shelf, cabinet, or drawer in the kitchen, pantry, or closet. They also store well in a warmer section of the root cellar such as on the top shelf. If storing for winter, keep squash away from ripening fruits like apples or pears, and attempt to keep the squash from touching one another by wrapping them with cloth. Check your squash often and discard any rotting squash immediately. Properly stored squash can last through January or February. 


Preparation tips: Winter squash can be baked, boiled or steamed. Make sure the squash is rinsed under running water before it is peeled or cut. The quickest and healthiest way to prepare winter squash is to steam it. If you choose to steam winter squash, make sure it is peeled, the seeds are removed and it is cut into cubes; steaming time takes about seven minutes. If you decide to bake your squash, it doesn’t need to be peeled. Remove the ends and cut the squash in half, lengthwise down the middle. Pierce the meat of the squash a few times and bake in a pan until tender. The seeds and skin can be easily removed after it has been baked.

Don’t forget to save the seeds that you scoop out of your winter squash! Seeds are a healthy and delicious snack food and can prepared the same way as pumpkin seeds. Squash seeds need to separated from the pulp before baking. Lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 160 to 170 degrees, for about 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.

Sources:
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/enjoy_the_taste_and_health_benefits_of_winter_squash

https://cedarcirclefarm.org/tips/entry/winter-squash-storage-tips

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Another sign that the season has indeed changed, is the shortening days. Shorter days and cooler weather has led to fewer folks coming out to our Wednesday evening Downtown market. As a result, next Wednesday, October 7th, will be our last Downtown weekday market of the season. Thank you to everyone who came out to and supported the Downtown market this season! It was wonderful to get to see familiar faces, twice a week, and new faces out at the market with the additional hours.

Fear not; the Saturday market isn't going anywhere! We will continue with the outdoor Saturday market from 8-12 in the Giant City Parking Lot at Carbondale Community High School before moving inside starting November 7th. There are great things in store for the winter market, so mark you calendars! The Winter market will be complete with live music, kids activities, and tasting events. As always, we will keep you updated as to who will be at the market and what fabulous goods they will have with them. If haven't already, sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop with who will be at market each week.

We are looking for feedback on how to improve the outdoor markets for next year and need your help! Please fill out this short survey (<5 minutes) about your experience with and hopes for the Community Farmers Market. Participants will be entered into a drawing for some great prizes and market tokens to spend at our indoor market, starting this November! 

Click here to take the survey!