Taste What’s Fresh

Posted

    Joseph Gabiou and Asha McElfresh have a hard time describing how Wobbly Cart Farms came to be.

    Both have the tradition of farming in their backgrounds. Both worked on farms several years before opening the Rochester area farm, now entering its fifth season. But neither recalls a conscious decision to make farming a career. They just felt it was the right thing to do.

    “For me, it’s the final product,” McElfresh said of what drew her to farming. “I love seeing how fresh and delicious the food can be that comes from right here. To get that fresh food to the community and to my family is so important.”

Community farmers market season is upon Southwest Washington, offering shoppers the opportunity to buy fresh, local produce directly from the growers. Markets are already in full swing Fridays in downtown Centralia and Fridays and Saturdays in Mossyrock. Soon to come will be the Community Farmers Market in downtown Chehalis, which opens June 16, and the Tenino Farmers Market, opening June 27.

Wobbly Cart Farm is one of about 11 fruit and vegetable farms signed up to be vendors at this year’s Community Farmers Market. In all, the market will have 20 vendors. Other food vendors include restaurants, cheese makers, coffee roasters, bread bakers and preserves and pickle makers. Non-edibles will include fiber arts, pottery, fresh flowers and lavender.

The Community Farmers Market started the same season as Wobbly Cart and Gabiou said joining the organization was an easy choice when he saw the names of the farmers who were heading the effort. He said he has been pleasantly surprised by the community support for the green market.

    “It’s great. It’s really fun,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of gardeners in Chehalis who don’t have the time or the space to grow what we grow so they appreciate our vegetables in a way that’s different from (for example) Olympia.”

    Community Farmers Market manager Brenda Book said even with a struggling economy, support for the market has been high. In 2008, sales at the market were up 55 percent over the 2007 sales, topping $100,000 in gross sales over 20 weeks. Book said she expects shoppers to continue to flock to farmers market as more and more people become interested in connecting with the farmers that grow their food.

    “This is a place we can all come and share in something and food just has a way of bringing people together,” she said.

    This season, more community members will have access to farm fresh produce through a grant from the Healthy Kids and Local Farms Act and the Washington State Farmers Market Association. The Community Farmers Market received funding this year to install a wireless system that will allow the acceptance of debit as well as EBT food stamps. Book said since 2006, the market has had a Farmers Market Nutrition Program, where vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables are iors and families with children through Senior Services and the Women with Infants and Children (WIC) program. At the time that program was started, the market also signed up to accept food stamps, though at the time there was no way to do it.

    “When food stamps went from paper to cards farmers markets took a hit because you don’t have that infrastructure to run those cards,” Book explained.

    The recent grant award purchased the market a portable card scanner that will be owned by the market association at the end of the two-year grant. The machine will allow debit or EBT holders to go to a booth at the market and swipe their cards for a token with a set dollar amount that can then be used like cash at any farmers market booth, with the exception that with EBT tokens, cash change will not be given. Book said the hope is this system will encourage even more people to seek out the farmers market.

    “The board has always been very clear on what kind of a market they wanted to have,” Book said. “They’ve always wanted to give back to the community and we’re really targeting low-income individuals in Lewis County who really need these fresh fruits and vegetables.”

    Wobbly Cart grows about 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables on 5 acres in the Independence Valley, with heirloom tomatoes being some of their specialties. But variety is really what makes shopping directly from the farm the most interesting, Gabiou said. Within a short distance of Wobbly Cart is both Helsing Junction Farm and Rising River Farm. Gabiou said each farm has its own specialty and strength, which means that when the market opens, shoppers will have a lot of produce to choose from. When the Community Farmers Market opens June 16, he predicted shoppers may find lettuce, radishes, spring onions and possibly even the first of the spring peas and beets.

    “It’ll be enough for a full table and a full CSA box,” McElfresh said.

    Here’s a recipe to try using fresh beets:

Candied Walnut and Beet Salad with Dijon Mustard and



Maple Vinaigrette

For the dressing:

    In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, add ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, the juice of one lemon, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and a dash of black pepper. With lid on, shake vigorously to combine.

For the beets:

    Place one bunch of topped, whole beets in a saucepan and cover with water. Steam for 20-25 minutes until tender. Rinse the beets under cold water and slip off their skins. Cut into quarters and then toss with a few teaspoons of dressing and set aside.

For the nuts:

    Put ½ cup walnut halves into a heavy frying pan and add a big splash of maple syrup (or a pinch of brown sugar) and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook, stirring often until the nuts are just golden brown.

For the salad:

    Wash and dry 1 head of lettuce and 1 bunch of arugula. Cut into small pieces and put into a salad bowl. Pour the rest of the salad dressing over the salad and toss. Place the candied nuts and quartered beets on top. Serve with crumbled feta or chevre goat cheese.

Wobbly Cart Farm

Wobbly Cart Farm is located at 13136-A 201st Ave. SW in Rochester. The farm is still taking sign ups for community supported agriculture program for this season. For more information about the farm or its CSA program, go to www.wobblycart.com or call (360) 273-7597

Shop Farmers Markets

• Community Farmers Market — noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays starting June 16 through September on Boistfort Avenue in Chehalis. Info: Brenda Book at 880-9546 or www.communityfarmersmarket.net

• Lewis County Farmers Market — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays through September at the corner of Tower Ave. and Pine St. in Centralia. Info: Derrill Outland at 736-8977 or www.centraliafarmersmarket.org

• Mossyrock Farmers Market — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 258 Mossyrock Road West. Info: Bill Crepeau 985-7432

• Tenino Farmers Market — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays starting June 27 at Tenino Elementary School, 301 Old Highway 99. Early market plant sales held June 6, 13 and 20. Info: Kalyn Kelley 561-0206 or www.teninofarmersmarket.org

    Carrina Stanton is a freelance writer who lives in Centralia. She can be reached at carrinastanton@yahoo.com.