Question: Why do you buy our vegetables?

[jal_ut]

17 customers at our farmers market were polled on this question:

Why do you buy our vegetables?

1. Because of the good price.

2. Because they are grown without synthesized chemicals.

3. Because of the great fresh flavor.


Without exception #3 was the choice.

[SPierce]

That's exactly why I grow my own vegetables, too Plus the cost, too, and the satisfaction of growing my own (I love digging in the dirt) and being able to eat what I grew. Some day I want to be able to manage and grow all my food; from chickens, goats, cows to the vegetables.

Maybe some day in the future

[greenstubbs]

#3 for me, thanks!

[gumbo2176]

I don't sell any of my produce, but give it away to family, friends and neighbors. Almost to a person, they comment on the freshness and flavor of the things I grow.

I recently pulled some beets and had more than I needed at the time. I gave some to my brother-in-law for him and his wife to eat. He called and said they were the sweetest beets he's ever tasted and the texture was awesome. I'll agree with that assessment. Matter of fact, we're having some tonight with a pot roast , mashed potatoes and brown gravy.

[DeborahL]

Marlin, LOVED youre comment about the kids. That made me happy.
I wish Farmers Markets were next door to McDonald's.
Edited to add: Gumbo, I like the fragrance of canned beets, but can't bring myself to eat any. They look slippery.

[gumbo2176]

Marlin, LOVED youre comment about the kids. That made me happy.
I wish Farmers Markets were next door to McDonald's.
Edited to add: Gumbo, I like the fragrance of canned beets, but can't bring myself to eat any. They look slippery.

Then, eat them fresh. There is no comparison in my opinion between fresh steamed beets and the ones in a can.

What I like to do is take some of the peels and put them in 1/3 cup of vinegar and a tsp. of salt and bring that to a boil. I'll let that simmer for about 10 minutes and in the meantime, I'll thinly slice some onion. I'll strain the peels out the brine and add the onions to let simmer for about 10 minutes. After the beets are steamed to desired texture (for me, that is still a bit firm). I'll place them in a bowl and pour the brine/onion mix over them and let them sit for about 1/2 hr. to soak up some of the vinegar and toss them a couple times. Then I serve them.

[soil]

we grow for quality followed by rare and unusual varieties.

[ruggr10]

Sorry Jal,
I refuse to buy your produce!!!








Gas prices are just too high!

hahahahaha

[DeborahL]

Gumbo, do fresh beets taste like the canned ones smell? Know what I mean?

[cynthia_h]

Gumbo, do fresh beets taste like the canned ones smell? Know what I mean?

Nothing at all like 'em. Nope. The canned ones (my mother used to make us eat them when we were kids ) smell like vinegar, mostly. And the lining of the can, too. Bleah.

No...the yummy thing to do with beets is to ROAST them. No vinegar anywhere! Allow 1 small or medium beet per person the first couple of times. Trim the leaves off, with maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch of "leaf roots" remaining. (The leaves can be cooked like chard; maybe because both beets and chard are Beta vulgaris. It's just that one variety has been bred for large leaves and the other for large roots.) Then trim the "rat-tail" root off.

Now slice the beet into wedges. If it's a small beet, quarters will do; if it's a large one, wedge it into eighths. Place the wedges into a Pyrex or Corningware baking dish (I get the best results from my glass instead of metal baking dishes). Preheat the oven to approx. 400 deg. F.

Use a pastry brush to brush the raw surfaces of the beet wedges with olive oil or another oil you like to use in cooking. Dust the wedges lightly with salt and either rosemary or another herb you like. Go very light on the herb and the salt both.

Place the baking dish into the oven and let the wedges roast until you can easily insert a toothpick into them. Remove the baking dish at that point and let the wedges cool until you can just barely tolerate working with them. Peel them NOW! And rinse your fingers under cold, running water.

Eat your nice, SWEET ROASTED beets. Oh, yes; the way we should have been eating the things all along!

Even better if you've gotten your hands on Golden Beets, but pretty...ah..."darned" good with any red beets I've tried it with.

Note: This recipe has now become a requested favorite even from one of my sisters, who also grew up with the horrible canned beets!

Hope you like it, too!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[rainbowgardener]

james... what about all of the above? all are important to me in why I grow food and otherwise only eat locally grown organic produce (in the growing season).

Also sustainability, not using fossil fuels to truck the produce 2000 miles across the country or ship it half way around the world...

Price would be lowest on my list, since I often pay extra for organic.

[Gary350]

I buy Tomatoes because they taste better, but I grow my own.

I buy potatoes and onion because I can not grow them.

I buy donuts because they taste better.

If food cost more than the grocery store I am usually not interested.

[DeborahL]

Thanks, Gumbo and Cynthia ! OK, now I'm getting interested ! I eat way too much junk food, which is strange because I love gardening.
I'm also trying to fall in love with eggplant because I like the idea of eating it.

[jal_ut]

Posted: 03 01 12 Post subject:
james... what about all of the above?

Yes, indeed all are good reasons, however we were wanting to know which was the most important reason to the buyers. Seems taste won.

Fresh beets: Wash them. Put in a pan and cover with water. Boil until tender. Now dump them in the sink and turn on some luke warm water. Quickly rub the skins off, rinse and place in a bowl. Serve hot with butter.

They can also be peeled and sliced then steamed or boiled.

We make some into pickles. I like the pickled beets too.

Last season I didn't plant nearly enough beets. If I dropped a beet on the table it was gone. Planning to change my ways this season.

[DeborahL]

I'm going to buy just one beet and try it. Does dear Beanie do the canning?

[DeborahL]

Gary, that'd make me mad too. What fun to taste farm fresh milk ! I've always wanted to see cream rise to the top and I wonder what it looks like.

[digitS']

Why do you buy our vegetables?

1. Because of the good price.

2. Because they are grown without synthesized chemicals.

3. Because of the great fresh flavor.

It just canNOT be price. The big guys aren't willing to mess with retailing at a farmers' market but it is very difficult for the little guy to compete with the food industry. He/She has a rototiller. The big guy has the machinery, crop insurance, and the deal with the labor contractor who brings in workers, not in the country legally.

Market customer demand and grower supply costs can set the value of the products.

Market management has to make the decision to NOT allow brokering of produce. The vendor who picks up the boxes at the wholesaler in the morning, brings back what he doesn't sell in the afternoon, and pays for the difference - wrecks a farmers' market.

I once sold at a market where the broker set up his booth at the entrance. He had everything from asparagus to zucchini (including bananas and pineapple). Come on! The customers had zero loyalty to that market. The produce growers might as well have gone home and the broker could have set up by himself, in any parking lot in the state! The customers could just stop at the soopermarket. Of course, that is what happened to this place . . . everybody left. The market policies were lethal.

Now . . . the growers attending a bona fide market have to make an honest commitment to bring quality produce. Not doing so will mean they will not have loyal customers. That honesty/loyalty is the only way for either the customer or grower to find any $ value in being there.

Steve

[jal_ut]

That honesty/loyalty is the only way for either the customer or grower to find any $ value in being there.

Dollar value? I thought it was a social event.

[jal_ut]

Does dear Beanie do the canning?

We work together on canning.

[digitS']

Dollar value? I thought it was a social event.

Makes me wonder how they purchase your products, James . . .

"Does this salad come with a dressing?"

Steve