The Market is Open!

Good Day Food Club,

The market is open with more variety than ever!

• It’s the return of Laughing Stock Farm and their incredible red and mango fresh turmeric! This is a surprisingly versatile root that has a whole host of health benefits. Look for it under herbs & spices.

• And what a week, Hardin Farms is also back on the market with tons and tons of pecans! I’ve been known to say that pecans are one of my favorite things about Arkansas…they’re a great addition to salads and are the main attraction in my favorite dessert.

• Cabbage is here from Barnhill Orchards, and that means it’s time for some gut-healthy, probiotic-dense homemade sauerkraut!

• More delicious preserved products from The Root Cafe. This time it’s honey pilsner pickles and pear sauce…YUM!

• Yesterday’s Food Club volunteers were treated to wild boar snacks generously donated by Ratchford Farms. Food Club is only made possible thanks to our incredible volunteers, and we’re always looking for more helping hands. E-mail littlerockfoodclub@gmail.com to get on our volunteer listserv and receive wonderful snacks, coffee, fellowship, and $5 market credit every time you answer the call.

I’ve just found out about an amazing new restaurant: The Table Cafe. They’re serving a free community meal the first Sunday of each month out at First Pres Argenta. All they ask is that you use the time you would spend preparing the meal to gather round the table with friends and family. There is no cost for the meal, but donations are welcome to help cover basic expenses so that everyone might enjoy the opportunity to dine together. They’ll be open tonight, but if you can’t make it in time simply follow them on facebook to stay in the loop on future meals.

Happy November!

- 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!

Weblog Entry

Each and every year, the crispness of autumn air ushers in a whirlwind of awesome events. As a Food Club member, you’re already ahead of the game in streamlining the “must do’s” to maximize time for the “want to’s.” Order all you can eat from The Market, and you can grab all the great food you need for the week in one efficient stop. That leaves plenty of time for:

• Boo & Brew at The Rep. Wednesday at 6:00PM enjoy a pizza and beer reception before settling in for a thrilling production of Wait Until Dark!

• Central Arkansas New Agrarian Society’s Fall Mixer. This Thursday evening head to Good Food by Ferneau and enjoy tasty local food, mingle with like-minded folks, and learn more about all the great things CANAS has been up to.

• The 7th Annual B Street Rib Off is happening this Saturday at Argenta Plaza. Indulge in some friendly competition, or just sit back and enjoy the spoils.

And if all that doesn’t leave you in a post-event stupor, you’ll have a few days to perfect that secret family recipe for The Arkansas Cornbread Festival. Whether you’re in it to win it or simply there for the samples, you won’t want to miss this spectacularly southern celebration of all things maize.

It’s true. There really is no better time than fall to be in Arkansas. Just like there’s no better time than now to order from The Market.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

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!

The Market is Open and CANAS Fall Mixer!

Good Morning Market,

In the words of a famous musical I may or may not have starred in back in high school, Oh, what a beautiful morning! I write you from the comfort of my front porch, a slight breeze blowing as the birds chirp in the warmth of the sun. I just finished a local tamale and fried egg breakfast with loved ones, and there’s a pot full of coffee to keep my fingers typing. Though I grew up in Pennsylvania, it’s mornings like these that make me especially glad to be an Arkansan.

All this great weather also means great food. The market is open all year-round, but this is just about the most prolific time of year for our amazing farmers. We’ve got almost 800 different locally-grown and produced products, just some of which include…

• This will be the last weekend ever to purchase hardy woody plants like tea plants, pawpaws, blueberry bushes, and blackberry bushes from A B C Nature Greenhouse and Herb Farm. Snag some incredible deals on these Arkansas-grown, no-hormone and no-spray plants, teas and herbs!

• 100% pasture-raised, grassfed lamb from McSwain Ranch out in Lonoke. If you’re not already in love with this highly nutritious and delicious delicacy, get some ground for the absolute best lamburgers, roast a leg for a tender feast, or sear some loin chops and you’ll be glad you did!

• Who’d a thunk you could grow a Japanese Minowase Daikon radish right here in Arkansas? Little Rock’s own Willow Springs Market Garden, that’s who! There’s lots of ways to enjoy a daikon, but I believe in pickling whenever possible. Check out the prepared foods section for their two kinds of pepper jellies!

• Snag some chicory/Italian dandelion from Food for Thought Farm’s Bigelow food forest. These leaves are high in vitamins A, C, and iron and are absolutely delicious sauteed with garlic and olive oil.

• Our market is the place to get your restaurant-quality locally-grown herbs & spices. Use them for everything from teas and medicines to adding incredible flavors to your favorite dishes. We’ve got the standards like basil, sage, and thyme as well as the stuff you can’t get at the grocery store like olive leaves, elderberries, and gotu kola leaves.

Our sponsored project CANAS is having a Fall Mixer this Thursday, October 30th from 6:30-9 at the new Good Food by Ferneau. Come mix and mingle with other local agrarians and foodies while enjoying some great local food from Butcher and Public, drinks by Garden Press, and music by DBK! Costumes are welcomed but not required.

Happy Halloween!

- 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!

Howdya Like Dem Apples?

Take a gander at the fruit section of The Market and you’ll notice we have apples available. Lots and lots of apples. Over 250 pounds of apples in a handful of varieties, and they all could be yours by the end of this week. You may be wondering what one would do with such a plethora, but there are endless delicious and creative ways to enjoy what may in fact be the most versatile fruit.

Aside from simply eating them out of hand, you can be a traditionalist and bake the perfect pie, stimmer a sensational sauce, or bottle the best cider. But human kind cannot live on pie alone, or so I’ve heard. Luckily, apples can be a show-stealing ingredient for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can infuse your soups, salads, and sides with that classic autumn essence. And, of course, there are plenty of ways to preserve them.

So even if your plans don’t include bobbing or carameling, stock up on apples before The Market closes and you may never have to see a doctor again.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

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!

The Market is Open!

Good Morning Food Club,

The market is open with the bounty of Autumn blooming our product selection. The variety of our products really is one of my favorite reasons for eating local: I’ve never seen such beautiful and delicious diversity in the aisles of any grocery store. As the seasons change, so do the products, and really, isn’t that how things are supposed to be? Some of the wonderful food this week includes:

• Freshly processed, pasture-raised, GMO-free fed whole chickens from Falling Sky Farm. Unlike most broiler chickens, these have access to fresh air, green grass, sunlight, and the chickens are processed on the farm to ensure a clean and low stress environment. You can taste the difference by roasting one and using the leftovers for chicken salad and chicken stock.

• I’ve never seen a market with more varieties of greens, so now’s the time to try some new ones! Arkansas Abundance has got delicious joy choy, arugula, bibb lettuce, gourmet lettuce, mustard greens, and spinach, while Barnhill Orchards brings us baby bok choy, broccoli greens, green and red butter crunch, collard greens, curly leaf and Florida broadleaf mustard greens, turnip greens, dino kale, and green and red leaf lettuce. Meanwhile, Crimmins Family Farm has got all certified organic arugula, white-stemmed bok choy, endive, mixed asian greens, turnip greens, kale, green butterhead, green leaf crisp, and last but certainly not least, mizuna. PHEW!

• The Root has preserved the sweetness of summer for us in the most delicious way possible. Their red or golden muscadine preserves would be the perfect sweet to add to your morning carbs, and I’m definitely going to put some sweet summer squash relish on the next sausage I see.

Another huge thanks to all our friends that made it out to Foodcraft last weekend! We want to know what other types of workshops y’all would like to see in the future. Please take 5 minutes to fill out this survey and you’ll be entered for the chance to win $15 in Food Club credit!

Happy Eating!

- 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!

The Big Picture.

A little birdy told me that total farmer sales through the entire locallygrown network recently passed the $13 million milestone. That’s money that didn’t fund the environmental devastation of single crop, industrial farming. That’s money that didn’t patronize the cruelty of concentrated animal feeding operations. That’s money that was spent in quantifiable support of a stronger, safer food economy. Best of all, that’s a lot of great local food making its way to a massive number of people! It may seem like our little food club couldn’t possibly influence the greater food economy, but we are one of many, and our collective impact is real.

We owe it all, of course, to you! We only exists because you continue to shop local, support sustainable farms, and spread the word. So let’s keep the momentum going! If you haven’t already this week, or even if you have, take a virtual walk around The Market before it closes at noon tomorrow and know that every item you order paves the way for a better, tastier future.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

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!

The Market is Open and Thank You!

Good Sunday Market,

First off, a HUGE thank you to everyone that made our fundraiser such a success yesterday. From all of the participants that purchased tickets to our wonderful Board members and volunteers for helping it run smoothly, we had such an amazing time learning how to make honey pilsner pickles, ricotta cheese, and bavarian pretzels. Speaking of which, we can not thank our teachers enough for volunteering their incredibly value time to lend us their expertise. If you’re interested in giving them an extra thank you, they’ve all got wonderful products on the market:

• Angela Gardner of Garden Works led a wonderful workshop on transforming plain old cucumbers into delicious honey pilsner pickles. Garden Works has got plenty of other great preserved local products on the market like sweet apple cider butter and tomato juice. Angela also helps The Root Cafe preserve their pickled okra, nabak kimchi, and my personal favorite, their spicy garden pepper marmalade.

• Kent Walker taught participants how to make a delicious, fresh, and surprisingly easy ricotta cheese. Though he doesn’t sell ricotta on the market, he does have some amazing aged cheeses, including bluff top gouda, garlic montasio, habanero cheddar, leicester, and what I would describe as incredibly soft and delectable ophelia.

• Ashton Woodward of Arkansas Fresh Bakery led us through the steps of making truly authentic bavarian pretzels, the likes of which can not be found on the market. Many folks show up right when Food Club opens to snag whatever delicious extras Arkansas Fresh sent us that week, and you can always add their Arkansas sourdough, birdseed multigrain, ciabatta, or honey flax seed sourdough to your order and guarantee yourself the best bread in town.

Let us not forget that the inaugural St. Joseph Farm Fest is just one week away! Farm Fest is a weekend celebration of sustainable agriculture and healthy lifestyles presented by St. Joseph Farm and the Farm and Food Innovation Center. Join us during two days of farm tours, speakers, artisan craft demonstrations, local music, and good food and drinks at St. Joseph Farm in North Little Rock. You can donate here to help make this amazing festival happen and purchase tickets here to join in on the Fall fun.

Thanks again!

- 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!

Market Reminder!

It’s Tuesday again, and if you’ve already placed your order you may be thinking about not taking another look at The Market before it closes for the week. I’m here to tell you that would be a grave mistake. Here’s just a few of the things you’d miss out on:

• Arugula, bibb mini-head lettuce, gourmet lettuce mix, and spinach from Arkansas Abundance. If the pictures are any indication, these leaves look super scrumptious!

• Maule’s red hot pepper, lemon drop pepper, and beautyberry jellies from Willow Springs. I snapped up some beautyberry jelly at Argenta on Saturday (it’s not cheating if we’re closed!) and the flavor description of cranberry/plum cross is spot on. Now I can’t wait to try the spicier counterparts! Look for this tempting trio in the “Prepared Food” category.

• Fall farm bouquets from Rattle’s Garden. A cheery bundle of gold marigolds, deep pink celosia, and a show-stealing sunflower sure would brighten anyone’s day.

And that’s not even all the post-Sunday additions! So be sure to take one last stroll around The Market or you could be struck by a week long case of non-buyer’s-remorse.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

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!

The Market is Open!

Welcome back market,

Looks like Autumn came on strong while we took the week off. In the midst of falling leaves and artificial pumpkin spiced-everything, there’s still loads of local food to warm our souls. We even gained some new growers while you were gone. So rejoice! The market is back open with lots of new products!

• We’ve still got a few tickets left for our Fall Fundraiser: Foodcraft coming up this weekend. Learn new culinary skills from some of the most talented foodies around all while supporting your Arkansas Local Food Network. Tickets can either be bought through the market under ALFN Tickets and Gifts or through our eventbrite.

• A big market welcome to Birds & Bees Honey and their 100% pure, raw, and chemical-free honey straight outta South Arkansas. This honey is bursting with wild sweetness and comes with a whole host of health benefits.

• Another market welcome goes out to Crescent Creek Farm and their pasture-raised eggs. These eggs are from hens that are rotated across pastures where they are free to feel the wind in their feathers, pick the ground for delicious bugs, and generally embrace their chicken-ness in a natural, stress-free setting.

• Beautiful greens are back from Bee in my Bonnet Farm. Collard greens are basically meant for the crock-pot, dino kale would be great in a massaged salad, and her red russian kale should be scrumptious sauteed.

• Homegrown honeydew from Barnhill Orchards. Check out the specials section to get a great deal on matching a melon with their pears and/or cantaloupe.

• More muscadines, now from Kornegay Berry Farm. Turns out they’re not all that hard to de-seed, and it’s well worth it for this simple and delicious dump cake.

We’re so excited that the inaugural St. Joseph Farm Fest is just two weeks away! Farm Fest is a weekend celebration of sustainable agriculture and healthy lifestyles presented by St. Joseph Farm and the Farm and Food Innovation Center.
Join us during two days of farm tours, speakers, artisan craft demonstrations, local music, and good food and drinks at St. Joseph Farm in North Little Rock. You can donate here to help make this amazing festival happen and purchase tickets here to join in on the Fall fun.

Happy Autumn Eating!

- 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!

Learn New Skills at ALFN's Fundraiser!

I’m sure it’s been a rough week, not being able to order from the market and all, but I’ve got just the thing to cheer you up: You can purchase tickets to ALFN’s Fall Fundraiser today to learn how to make pickles, ricotta cheese, and/or gourmet bavarian pretzels from some of the most talented foodies in town. You’ll get to learn new skills ALL while supporting our work to support a stronger local food system here at the Arkansas Local Food Network.

Now’s the time to purchase tickets, since space is limited and we’ll open up sales to the wider community tomorrow. We always appreciate your support and could not do the work we do without you!

Speaking of which, there’s still time to attend our customer focus group tomorrow, Wednesday, October 1st, from 6-7:30pm in Parke Hall (the Food Club room). You’ll get (a guaranteed) $5 in local food bucks as well as the opportunity to help us serve you better. Just e-mail me at arlocalfoodnetwork@gmail.com if you’d like to attend.

Thanks so much for your constant support!

- 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!