NEWS FROM THE FARM

Market Summary

November 1, 2017

The local season for leafy greens, herbs and beans is winding down fast as the weather gets cooler and the days shorter. Round and heirloom tomatoes from Eckerton Hill in Pennsylvania and Latham on Long Island are the last local summer items left. Cultivated white, button, oyster and cremini mushrooms from Pennsylvania are difficult now and will be through Thanksgiving. This is because Hurricane Irma damaged supplies of the compost and peat needed to grow them in Florida. Baldor will have, but pricing is higher. Local root vegetables are terrific now!  New-crop baby carrots, turnips and radishes are in from local organic farms, fresh from the ground, not out of storage. They have great aesthetics and great flavor. 

Fruit | New large, crunchy, late-season pluots are in from Kingsburg Orchards. Eat them while still firm; they will be juicy with a crisp, rather than tender, texture.  New varieties of specialty and heirloom apples are arriving this week from Champlain and Scott Orchards in Vermont and Comice pears are finally starting in Washington. We have some high-brixing honeydews and cantaloupes from southern California and Mexico this week. The first small size California navels and early Satsuma mandarins are in, as are red grapefruits from Florida. The mango market is climbing with mostly firm fruit.

Vegetables | Eggplant, green peppers and cucumbers have moved south to Georgia and prices are higher because yields are lower than expected due to rain and pest infestation in the fields. Hothouse cucumber prices have double almost overnight because shorter daylight in Canada means lower yields.   Hothouse tov’s and grape tomatoes are also climbing for the same reason. Field grape, cherry, round and Roma tomatoes are higher because rain last weekend in North Carolina wiped out many plants. Colored cauliflower heads are difficult to source this week. Sugar Snap and Snow peas are finally trending down.  

Organics | Berries are still tough this week. Organic lettuces choices this week include baby lettuce mixes from County Line Farms in Calif and from Remembrance Farms in upstate New York

Unique + Foraged | Crosne are here from France. These sweet and crunchy little tubers arrive clean, leaving little for the chef to do besides shave them raw over salads, saute in butter or pickle. The season for exotic Italian radicchios and chicories has begun. Stunning Castelfranco, Rosa di Veneto, puntarella, frisee , endive and Escarole from the Veneto region of Italy are now in stock, all excellent served raw in salads.