The Market is Open

Good Morning Marketmicians,
Rewind two months: I’m in Denver, standing in a closet passing for a micro-brewery. There are six chairs and one table, with a chalk board and bar counter serving as the focal point for the tiny space. On the chalk board are six beers, all with mystifying titles. Yet the place is packed with people. Is it a business or someone’s garage hobby? I guess this kind of place is a Denver thing.
I hand the twenty-something bartender my I.D. He looks like he spends all his free time rock climbing and parachuting off of cliffs on a mountain bike.
He snorts.
“Arkansas?”
I nod.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes,” but I really wanted to say, “No. This is a hilarious joke I’ve engineered! My work here is done. Goodbye now!”
“Man, this is like a unicorn’s I.D. It’s like the land of fairytales. Is Arkansas even real?”
I wondered if this guy thought he was being friendly?
My parents taught me to hold my head and retain my nobility in moments like these, so I said nothing and ordered a beer in the most neutral accent possible. Plus, I couldn’t think of anything sarcastic or biting to say, with all those bar goers looking at me and enjoying a little communal solidarity at the alien hick’s expense.
We’ve all been there, once we step outside the safety of Arkansas’ borders. But I’ve also enjoyed the inverse, in which friends come to visit and do a double take for a state that they, “never knew was so beautiful.” I take them to the mountains. I take them to the farmers’ markets and the Root Cafe. They come to think of this place as a hidden gem. Perchance a diamond? Or crystal?
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Urgent announcement….

Loblolly Creamery has chosen ALFN for its non-profit of the month!
What could this mean?
That Loblolly has a special ALFN ice cream at the Green Corner Store soda fountain: Fig and Chocolate Chunk Goat’s Milk ice cream. I tasted the first spoonful. Delicious and locally sourced. Go get a scoop or pint at the Green Corner Store and support ALFN’s work.
Coming up: a Loblolly Happy Hour with ALFN, August 17th, 4-7pm. Farmers will be in attendance, with locally sourced toppings. Tons of goodness.
More on this soon!
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The Market is open…

• Ozark Razorback Cowpeas from the Victory Garden. My curiosity is aroused. They are a red-and-white calico pea developed in our very own Salem, AR. I tasty bit of local heritage.
• 1lb Special on Cured Garlic from Arkansas Natural Produce. Nothing like fresh, locally grown garlic. Get it now or forever hold your peace until next year.
• Sweet Banana Peppers from Kellogg Valley Farms. I know just what to do with these: slice ’em and throw them into a jar with a basic brine (equal parts water and vinegar, sugar, and salt) and keep them in the fridge. The sweet bite of the pepper with the briny flavor is so perfect.
• Bulk Yellow Squash from Kellogg Valley Farms. Naturally grown. Here is a good way to put by tons of squash: make Squash pickles! Cut them into spears and pack them into sanitized jars with a hot pepper, sprig of dill, coriander seed. Heat up a mixture of apple cider vinegar, water, and salt, and pour into jars. Then, do the canning thing, boiling them, processing them, etc. Squash pickles are delicious.
• Black Cherry Tomatoes from the Victory Garden. This might be my favorite tomato variety: beautiful in color, deep and satisfying in flavor. Naturally grown, right here in Little Rock.
• Loring Peaches from Barnhill Orchards. A classic, grandmotherly peach, perfect for the table.
• Don’t forget the Herbs section: tons of basil varieties, seeds and herbs for cooking, edible flowers. Everything you need!
• Meat. I don’t mention meat much. I don’t know why. I guess because I don’t cook with meat very often. But that is no reason not to celebrate how excellent our farmers’ meat offerings are. Farm Girl has heritage pastured chicken and there is plenty of bacon, sausage, and bratwurst to go around. Maybe we need some freelance submissions from a more carnivorous person?

The Market is open. I’ll say it again!
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Meet a Durn Farmer…
Armstead Mountain Farm is a current heavyweight in the market. Come this time of the season, we see a lot of their high quality, organic produce on Saturdays. Sue and Rusty Nuffer farm on 80 acres, nestled in the Ozarks. They’ve been Certified Organic since the 80’s. They offered high quality, organically produce throughout Little Rock long before anyone else. Perhaps they share the responsibility for paving the way in our local food system, though, knowing Sue and Rusty, they would deny this harsh accusation.
Our Local Food Club actually began with only one grower: Armstead Mountain Farm. Katy Elliott and Nao Ueda wanted to find a way to keep Armstead’s vegetables and berries coming to Little Rock, after Sue and Rusty had decided to end their presence at the Little Rock Farmers’ Market. They created the Little Rock Local Food Club nearly seven years ago, and Armstead Mountain Farm is still with us.
Want to see what they’re growing? Scroll down to Display Options and select Show Specific Growers to see Armstead’s offerings.
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I have, like, a lot more news to share with you. There’s the Green Groceries program we’re working on with Christ Episcopal Church. There are ALFN t-shirts and 2nd edition FRESH directories and workshops in the mix, but I’ve saturated this e-mail, dear readers. The news will wait for another time.

Sincerely,
Sam Hedges