Green garlic, spring dug parsnips, and tender spring greens — these foods and many more will be available at our last Indoor Farmers’ Market of the season on Saturday, April 28th, from 10am to 2pm at the Exeter High School, located at 315 Epping Road, Exeter, NH. Details of farmers and vendors, along with driving directions, are available at www.seacoasteatlocal.org.
Seasonal Highlights of the Market
- Spring garlic is the younger version of garlic, the shoot before the bulb of individual cloves forms. You can eat the entire stem to green. With garlic cloves dissapearing from storage and garlic scapes still a few months off, it is an early spring allium treat. Its flavor is milder and sweeter than its fully formed version; slice thinly and use like scallions.
- Spring dug parsnips have been underground all winter turning their starches into sugars, and are dug as soon as the soil thaws in the spring. The result is tender, sweet parsnips that are a unique treat to this time of year. Try these recipes.
- With the growing season just about three weeks ahead of average, the first stalks of asparagus are appearing. The season is just beginning and will be in limited supply this market.
- Garden plants are available from farmers who also provide expert advice on growing. Perennial plants, herb seedlings, organic seeds, and vegetable transplant information is all available at the market from local growers, ensuring that the plants are perfectly suited to our region.
- Grilling season is upon us and shoppers will find a wide selection of locally raised meats including beef, pork, chicken, lamb, goat, and turkey. Complete the meal with a wide variety of greens (salad mix, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, beet greens, Asian greens, and heads of lettuce) and baked good and prepared foods made with locally grown ingredients. From soup to nuts, the market provides one stop shopping.
- Product Search Find which products vendors plan to have at the market.
- Interactive Market Maps allow you to see which vendor will be where inside the market.
Incredible Eggs!
Eggs are in particular abundance this time of year, as chickens respond to long daylight hours with increased production. The high-quality protein in eggs provides all of the essential amino acids our bodies need; locally raised eggs are more nutritionally beneficial than their supermarket counterparts, being higher in vitamins and lower in saturated fat. Jennifer Purrenhage of Get Well Grounded and Erin Allgood of Allgood Eats will be at the market on April 28th providing cooking demonstrations, tastings, and more information about the environmental and health benefits of locally raised eggs.
To See and Do at the Market
- Knife Sharpening: Bring your knives and garden tools to be sharpened while you shop. On the Edge Knife Sharpening will be on site. Sharp knives make cooking more efficient and safer. Pricing information can be found online, www.ontheedgeknifesharpening.
com . - Live Music by Jeff Warner, who entertains people of all ages with his traditional songs from lumber camps, fishing villages and mountain tops of America.
- Kids Activities by the Friends of the Earth, Sea & Space Center, a nonprofit group working to develop a state-of-the-art aquarium and science museum on the New Hampshire Seacoast
- EcoMovement Consulting & Hauling provides Zero Waste composting services to the market, helping close the loop of food to compost to soil fertility in our region.
- Food Donations Welcome: St. Vincent de Paul of Exeter will be at the market on April 28th to collect food donations from consumers and vendors on behalf of those in need on Saturday. Fresh foods are encouraged; customers can buy extra greens, potatoes, or eggs to donate.
- SNAP/EBT: SNAP (foodstamps) can now be used at the indoor farmers’ market. SNAP customers swipe their EBT cards at the market info booth, and then use tokens to shop with approved vendors. Debit card customers can also purchase tokens to be used with all vendors.
- Nonprofit organizations, the NHSPCA and Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership, will be at the market sharing information about their upcoming projects and events.
Winter Market Survey
We’re already looking ahead to next year, and are eager to hear from all of you about the markets. Your input will help us plan for next season’s indoor markets. Let us know what you think, take our survey!
Many thanks to our sponsors Veris Wealth Partners, the Winter Season Underwriter, and Exeter Hospital, the Exeter Market Underwriter, for helping us make these markets possible!
For more information, please visit www.seacoasteatlocal.org.