The Market is Open and Community Fund Update!

Happy Sunday, Y’all,

The market is open and full of all sorts of local goodness! It’s been a wonderful weekend of cool weather and yummy local food: Yesterday’s Food Club was a veritable melon fest, I had a great time at the Root Cafe and the Green Corner’s Store’s Birthday Block Party yesterday, and as you’re reading this weblog you just might still have time to catch the tail end of today’s Watermelon Fest at the Bernice Garden Farmer’s Market. Even as the weather warms back up to actual Arkansas summer temps, it’s such a wonderful thing to be part of such a blossoming local food scene. On the market this week…

• After carving up 10 lbs. of Hardin Farms’ yellow meat watermelon, the girlfriend and I wondered what could be done with all that leftover rind (It was more than even three dogs could handle). Luckily, she found some incredible recipes that include everything from pickling to wrapping in bacon…though I’m pretty certain we’re set on trying this watermelon rind curry.

• Though we were so, so sad to see MeatWorks go, we’re thankful that Bluebird Hill Berry Farm is back with all of their great cuts. They’ve got beef bratwurst, brisket, liver, ribs, heart, roasts, tips, soup bones, and all sorts of steaks, as well as whole chickens and fully cooked Barbeque Pork. YUM!

• Lucky for us, Kornegay Berry Farm has five varieties of fresh blueberries that produce at different times. Undeniably one of the healthiest foods out there, blueberries aren’t just for baking: Someone made an incredible blueberry salsa at the Root’s potluck yesterday.

• There’s a new honey on the market courtesy of Green Acres Atkins. This is pure wildflower honey from Mr. Green’s organic farm out in Atkins, and boy does it look fantastic! And yes, you can put it on just about everything.

• I’ve been loving a bit of Bee in my Bonnet lemon basil with just about everything I eat. It provides a great balance to spicy-grilled anything, but is absolutely perfect with some local tomatoes and cheese.

• Each week at Food Club some folks are inevitably disappointed that we’ve run out of Arkansas Fresh breads on the extras list. To fix this, I suggest ordering a sourdough, honey flax sourdough, ciabatta, or birdseed multigrain to have one waiting with your name on it!

• Kristie Jones of Love On Main Street posted this wonderful recipe for an all-Arkansas peach and tomato salsa, getting all the ingredients from local farmers. We’d love to hear what recipes you make using all of these wonderful, local ingredients!

ALFN is proud to announce that this past Spring, we gave $500 grants to three awesome organizations through our Community Fund: CANAS, the Dunbar Community Garden Project, and Little Rock Summer of Solutions.

• CANAS used their grant to purchase the materials they needed to finish a hoophouse at the Victory Garden Project.

• The Dunbar Community Garden Project used their grant to fund their garden-to-cafeteria program. With ALFN’s support, Dunbar harvested 91 pounds of lettuce that were donated to Dunbar Magnet Middle School. The lettuce was used to make salads that sold out each day they were available!

• Little Rock Summer of Solutions is using their grant to expand access to fresh, local food in the 12th Street Community, transforming the 12th and Oak Garden into an urban oasis of fresh fruits and vegetables.

For more info and pictures of these wonderful community organizations at work, or to apply for the next round of funding, go to our website.

Happy Summer, Y’all!

- Alex Handfinger
Director of Operations

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!