Local Producer: Black River Organic Farm

This Saturday the Farmers' Market will be blessed by the return of Black River Organic Farm after a well deserved vacation. They took a break during the transitional season between summer and winter crops, and I can't wait to see what they bring with them. Black Rivers' assistant farmer and market manager, Noel Mooney, answered some of my questions a while back:

1. You obviously know alot about what grows in this region - did you grow up here?

Yes, I grew up just north of here in Jacksonville, NC.

2. How did you get started with Black River?

I've known Stefan, the owner of Black River, since I started farming. I started a vegetable growing operation on another farm's land and worked a sharecropping situation for three years. During those three years I built a loyal customer base at the local farmers' markets and restaurants. Stefan asked me if I would work with him and continue the farmers' market with his farm.

3. I hear you're quite the forager. What's the oddest thing you've ever foraged for consumption?

I guess a lot of things I forage some people would consider odd. Lately I've been collecting Purslane, Black Cherries, Peppergrass, Indian Fig cactus pads, Chufa nuts, Yarrow, various Pine parts, Mullein, Chantrelle Mushrooms, Reishi mushrooms, Huitlacoche (aka corn smut) and several other plants and funguses.

4. Black River is the only certified organic grower at the market - tell me about that process. It's pretty complicated, no?

We have an on farm inspection every year, which inspects the operation from top to bottom. Not only inspecting what we do, but also looking for any potential for contamination through water, neighboring farms, etc. We also have to keep records for every seed and activity involving the land. All of this ensures that products carrying the USDA certified organic seal are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically engineered organisms.

5. What are some North Carolina specific things I can look forward to in the fall? Also, will I ever be able to find the following things around here: artichokes, asparagus, rhubarb, portobello mushrooms - or do I have to say goodbye to them forever?

Well, North Carolina is the number one producer of sweet potatoes so you'll definitely see plenty of them at the market. You'll also see crops such as: broccoli, kale, collards, mesclun mix, carrots, radishes, arugula, turnips, and rutabaga.

Artichokes can be grown here and I have heard of one farmer in Jacksonville who had them but your best bet would be to grow them in your garden. There are new annual varieties that can be grown in one season and don't need zone 9 conditions. Asparagus can also be grown here my mom has a patch in her garden, and if I'm not mistaken I believe Lewis Farms carries them in the spring. Rhubarb isn't typically grown in NC since it likes cool temperatures and hates hot summers but if you baby it you could probably grow some in your garden, but I wouldn't expect to ever find it at the farmers market. Shiitakes would be your best bet for a Portobello substitution for the time being. Dr. Omon Isikhuemhen of NCA&T is working hard with lots of farmers from across the state to turn North Carolina into one of the top mushroom producing states in the country, so I wouldn't be too surprised to see local portobellos soon.

Noel is a fountain of knowledge - there's more where this came from! Stop by the Black River Organic Farm stand at the market and visit Noel, Danielle and the other lovely staff this weekend. Or, visit their website at http://www.blackriverorganicfarm.com/

The reason for the season

If you had asked me to tell you about my favorite season, up until about last year I would have gone on and on about how much I love Summer. Summer, Summer, Summer. Maybe it's because I'm getting old, or perhaps it's the irritating drought conditions or stifling humidity getting to me, but I am now a total Autumn convert. Summer had a good run, while I lived in Pennsylvania and the blessed microclimate of Northern California, but in North Carolina, Fall is where it's at.

Not only is the weather absolutely perfect, but all of the yummy produce that I've been missing since Spring is coming back! (Spring is great too, but because I prefer Halloween to Easter, Fall wins in the favorite season category) Thank you Mother Nature for creating the climate here that way. I'm already salivating over the recipes I've got in the works to include the sweet potatoes that are already showing up at the Market. And the lettuce - oh, the lettuce! I bought 5 varieties from Shelton Herb Farm today, and will use some for dinner tonight before even planting it- why wait?

Photo: 20 lettuce plants. Did I go overboard? I think not.

Local Producer: Gilbert Farm

It's always a pleasure to talk with Don and Jane Gilbert of Gilbert Farm! You can find them together on Saturdays, working as a delightful team in a way that only people who have been married over 50 years can. They've always got something new to try - the past few weeks have brought baby turnips and scuppernong grapes to the table. Recently, the Gilberts were kind enough to take the time to answer some of my questions:

You both used to have other professions (a teacher and small business owner)-tell us a little about how and when you started Gilbert Farm.

Gilbert Farm really was never officially formed. It just kind of evolved after we sold our hydroponic business back in the late 90's and went into growing for farmers' markets and restaurant direct sales exclusively. However, I had been active in the local farmers' markets since we moved here in 1985.

Some of your produce is hydroponically grown. What is the benefit of growing this way, and how is it different than produce that is greenhouse grown?

Hydroponic growing is done in a greenhouse with strict controls without soil or chemical pesticides, and allows us to grow fresh vine ripened produce during the off season when local field grown produce is not available. Growing this way allows us to feed the plants exactly what they need when they need it to obtain maximum yields and superior taste in the off seasons.

What is your favorite produce to grow?

I like it all. In addition to regular produce, we attempt to grow as many specialty crops as possible that are normally not available in the supermarkets, such as Kohlrabi. My favorites are tomatoes and red raspberries.

You recently switched to the Southport Farmers' Market on Wednesdays. How is business down there?

Business at Southport is about the same as at Poplar Grove except we don't have as much competition as we did at Poplar Grove. The riverfront location is also nice and since I live in Brunswick County I feel some obligation to support Brunswick County business.

Is there anything else you'd like us to know about Gilbert Farm?

It should be noted that in addition to what we grow at our home base Leland operation, we network with two other quality growers in Pender County who do not desire to sell at farmers market. They are Thomas Produce Farm just west of Burgaw on NC53 and St. Helena Nursery in St. Helena just south of Burgaw. They grow a large variety of field grown and hydroponic grown produce. We work together on who plants what and when, and assist in the harvesting, packing, and selling of the products. This is an oncoming trend in the agricultural business, particularly with small growers who are being forced out of business by large growers and cheaper foreign imports.

Local Producer: Grassy Ridge Farm

I absolutely love the chicken and eggs at Grassy Ridge Farms! The broiler chickens we buy there make at least three meals for us during a week: we roast the chicken with some veggies, use the leftover chicken in another recipe, and make broth for soup later on. That's a great value when you consider the quality. They also reuse egg cartons that customers return, which is both resourceful and ecologically sound. Tons of reasons to visit them at the Market or on the farm. Here's an interview with Marie Wallace, owner of Grassy Ridge Farm:


Tell us a little about the history of Grassy Ridge Farm, and your involvement with the Farmers' Market.

We started Grassy Ridge Farm in 2003. We visited Joel Salatin's farm in Virginia and got interested in raising free range chickens. We also raised 100 laying hens and started selling eggs off the farm and at Tidal Creek. We were one of the first vendors at the Wilmington Downtown Market. We sold our eggs and vegetables. We are able to sell our chickens at the Market for the first time this year because we now have our meat handlers license. We also sell at Poplar Grove market on Wednesdays.

What makes your chicken and pork products different from what is available in the average grocery store?

We do not feed our animals antibiotics or hormones. They are raised free range and are happy chickens and hogs. We feed them organic feed which is shipped from Virginia and we mix corn and oats with the supplement. The pasture where they graze is all organic.

How often do you process your animals?

The broilers are processed when they are 7 weeks old. We have been trying to have a batch to process every month. We will raise them until the end of October. The hogs take longer to raise and at the present time we only have two more to process this year. We have three hogs which we breed, and hope to raise our own pigs.

Your eggs are delicious! How many layers do you have, and how many dozen eggs per week do they produce?

We have approximately 225 layers and they are producing 50 dozen eggs a week so far. 125 of them are young and should start producing more. We are also going to purchase 125 more in September.

Is there anything else you'd like us to know about Grassy Ridge Farm?

I would like my customers to let me know how many chickens they need yearly. I can only raise the chickens from March to October because of the weather. I would also like customers to come to the farm and purchase chickens when we process so they can cut them up and package as they like. We are interested in raising grass fed beef and hope to get started soon. Thank you to all of our customers and we are glad you are enjoying our product!

Note: Grassy Ridge Farm is located at 399 Beaver Ridge Dr. in Riegelwood, NC. You can reach them at (910) 655-4665

The Cadillac (make that: Prius) of composters

This weekend we finally got around to purchasing an upgraded composting system fromProgressive Gardens on Oleander. We went for the EnviroCycle Composter (in fashionable green), which looks like it's going to be a whole lot easier than what we had before. Our previous bin was a plain ole stacking tier system that fell apart regularly and was just a general pain to deal with. Plus it took forever to get a decent product.

Our new fancy shmancy deal makes it easier to produce compost more quickly because it rolls on its base, which keeps the ingredients well mixed and aerated. It looks like one of the better rolling composters on the market, because it doesn't take a ton of muscle to spin - which is important for this weakling girl. We also like the added bonus of the 5 gal. liquid collecting base - we can use the collected "compost tea" to the rest of our garden as an organic fertilizer.

I think it's going to be fabulous - we'll let you know.

Me on a soapbox for a second.

I don't know if you've heard about this study yet, but it's been all over the news today. As a Behavior Specialist and local eater, this breakthrough information solicited a big "Well, DUH!" from me.

Here's an excerpt:

THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Some common food colorings and preservatives appear to increase the risk of hyperactive behavior among children, British researchers report.

The link between food additives and hyperactivity has long been suspected, but this is the first study to show a direct connection.

The findings have already caused the British government's Food Standards Agency, which funded the study, to issue a warning to parents about food additives.

"Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an increasingly common problem, and theories abound to account for that," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. "Among them is the notion that food additives induce hyperactivity."

It goes on to say how they gave two groups of children either commercially available additive loaded or additive free drinks (who lets their kids be in these studies????) After 6 weeks, the kids who consumed the drink with additives displayed significantly more hyperactive behavior, as well as shorter attention spans.

This is beyond disturbing to me, but also - is there anyone out there who thought that perhaps additives may be good for kids? I totally understand the appeal of convenient food, and will admit to partaking in a delicious bowl of Cap'n Crunch once in awhile as a child. But by no means were additives a regular part of my diet, nor are they now - and I certainly won't be feeding them to my future children. Maybe I'm being too harsh on parents, not being one myself, but I think that there has to be a link not only in the additives, but in the type of parenting that would allow children to be consuming that level of additives on a daily basis. Throw a Pop Tart in your kids hand before sending them off to school with their Lunchable, mix up some Kool-Aid, toss some dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets in the oven for dinner and serve them up with a side of FD&C Red No.40 and ADHD. Fabulous.

Okay, seriously, I do understand that parenting is the most difficult job ever - that's why I've avoided the position for so long. And I also understand that companies are sneaky about throwing in a little Quinoline Yellow into an otherwise healthy looking beverage. It's just that I think there is something to be said for just slowing down to give our kids what they need, not just what's most convenient.

Photo: Tartrazine (E102), commonly added to carbonated beverages and lollipops. Mmmm.

Local Labor Day

To celebrate our long weekend, Sal and I decided that we were going to do nothing - absolutely nothing....which of course blossomed into three days of doing all kinds of work around the house. It was a good kind of work though, the kind where you feel productive, but not overstressed and resentful.

We started off Saturday with our trip to the Farmers' Market downtown - stocked up on some essentials and picked up some treats for an end of summer celebration. Sal also bought a 1/2 gallon jug of Organic Lager from Front Street Brewery which turned out to be lovely - and refillable to boot. Sweet.

We then ventured up to Swart's in Castle Hayne because we heard word that they were selling tomatoes for $1.25 a pound. True, true, so we got 25 pounds to make up for the sauce disaster of August '07. We also found beautiful garlic there from Boone, as well as muscadine grapes, which are destined for jelly.

The rest of the weekend had us trimming back plants, transplanting herbs and generally preparing the garden for some winter veggies. We also managed to make some tomato sauce with great success. Bless that food mill.

For our end of summer grill out session, Sal opted for Tarheel Beef burgers on my homemade hamburger buns, topped with my pickles and mixed peppers, with a side of fries cut from Pridgen's potatoes. I opted for a fried green tomato from Hanchey's for my sandwich, which was maddeningly delicious. We were so stuffed after that we didn't even get to our seedless watermelon from Mr. Gilbert, but we're on assignment to taste it before Saturday to give him a quality report.

All in all it was a yummy, busy weekend. I hope yours was as well.

I was the only one taking photos of beer in Front Street Brewery. Strange.

Our super-efficient tomato sauce making set up. I really did help, I swear.