You Win Some, You Blueb Some | June 3, 2019

Fresh & Local:

You Win Some, You Blueb Some

It’s officially (finally!) blueberry season at the Crescent City Farmers Market folks! Sure, we have seen some early varieties at the market at the tables of Johndale Farm and Star Nursery, but our heavy hitters from Mississippi are just making it back to market. J&D Blueberry Farm and Blue Tara Blueberries suffered incredible crop damage this season due to freezing temperatures this past winter. Unfortunately, it isn’t until harvesting time that you can really see the damage done, hence the delay of their return. Don Vanderwerken of J&D estimates 70% crop loss, which will significantly affect the season and time at market as is evidenced by their late start this year. Get them while you can - the bluebs are especially plump, ripe and ready to go now. Expect to see a short run for our blueberry friends, but a long haul of blueberry products like lemonade, tea, jam, ice pops, and more! Better late than never, right?

Picks of the Week:

Eat Local Challenge

It is time for the annual New Orleans Eat Local Challenge! Sign up and join us to eat only what is grown, caught or foraged within 200 miles for the month of June, all while enjoying a variety of fun events to support you in this endeavor. Stock up at our markets to fill your fridge with fresh, local fruits and vegetables as well as a full range of proteins and dairy, and join other participants through events like an urban farm bike tour, or learn how to raise your own chickens - eggs from your backyard is as local as it gets! All Saturday CBD markets for the month will feature kids activities as well as demos, samples and/or tastings.

Sign up here (for FREE) to take the challenge, and we’ll see you at market!

Double your WIC FMNP Coupons!

This year, as part of our efforts to make fresh, local produce more affordable for families, we are doubling Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupons for WIC recipients. These once-yearly coupons from the state offer extra money towards local fruits and vegetables for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers and families with young children. They can be spent with certified farmers at farmers markets or farm stands. Not only does the program contribute extra money towards healthy food for families, but it supports local farmers. Stop by the welcome tent at any of our markets with your WIC FMNP booklet after you’ve spent your coupons and our staff will give you $20 in additional vouchers to spend at any of our market vendors on fresh produce, valid through August.

Vendor of the Week:

J&D Blueberry Farm

After much anticipation, J&D Blueberry Farms has returned to market for the 2019 season! The J and D stand for Jeff Brown and Don Vanderwerken, the founders, owners and operators of the farm. Jeff and Don, both with a long and diverse history of experience in the world of food and agriculture, made the decision to build and run a farm feeling that their combined knowledge would allow their operation to thrive. After 15 years of J&D Farms, its safe to say that their feeling was right.

The farms are located just outside of Poplarville, Mississippi in the southern region of the state. The soil here is ideal for blueberries to flourish, and makes them an extra special treat at market. In addition to blueberries, J&D grows camellia sinensis, or as we know it, tea! You can find J&D Farms at market with fresh Mississippi blueberries, loose leaf tea, and gallons of their delicious Blueberry Iced Tea and Blueberry lemonade, the perfect treat for a hot summer day. Catch them at Tuesday Uptown, Thursday Mid-City, Friday Bucktown and Saturday Downtown. Get ‘em while you can and help make their season a good one, despite their incredible crop loss.

Tuesday’s Green Plate Special:

Kinoko

Welcome Kinoko to the June Green Plate Special. Kinoko is a sushi pop up that focuses on plant based sushi and Japanese cuisine. Chef Kelseay Dukae offers a creative and healthy take on sushi, using ingredients such as jackfruit for “sneauxcrab” for her spin on the traditional crunchy roll. Most recently, she was a contestant on the Fox Network show, Masterchef, owned a health food concept and ran a sushi bar here in the city and is now back to curating pop ups. Kinoko translates to mushroom in Japanese, so expect this mushroom lover to present an interesting twist on mushrooms and sushi!

Recipe of the Week:

Blueberry Overnight Oatmeal

It’s finally blueberry season y’all! As much as well love eating blueberries straight out of the container, they’re also a great addition to all sorts of recipes. Try this recipe by Southern Living for overnight oatmeal to make your mornings easy. Pick up some bluebs and Stacy’s oats from the Uptown market, prepare it the night before, and grab your jar as you walk out the door. Quick, healthy and delicious!

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook or even Twitter and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!