October means it’s time for pumpkins, apples and more of our favorite fall produce, and Saturdays mean spending the day at the Binford Farmer’s Market!

Zach Brown of Grace and Truth Farms joined us today to share everything you need to know about his farm and Binford Farmer’s Market. Here’s more from him:

1. Why are people so interested in local produce?

– It’s fresher, organic, and more nutrient-dense than what is available at supermarkets. 

– Most vegetables in the grocery store come from California or Mexico. They are picked before they are ripe and ripened in transit. This can make vegetables like tomatoes taste bland. 

2. Organic vs non-GMO.

– Almost every vegetable is non-GMO. Grain crops like corn or soy are the only items you really need to worry about GMOs. 

– Organic just means synthetic chemicals were not sprayed on the crops. Only natural fertilizers are used. 

– We call ourselves beyond organic because we don’t even use the approved organic sprays. Instead, we control pests by putting insect netting over the crops. 

3. What’s happening at the Binford Farmer’s Market?

– The market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. – Noon. It runs through the end of October. 

– We have live music, lots of vendors, and a lot of room for you to bring the family or walk the dogs. 

– Skip the crowds at other markets and check out Binford. It’s a lot of fun. 

4. Do you also raise animals organically?

– Yes, we have chickens and cows on pasture and pigs in the woods. 

– If a pig could choose where it would live, it would choose the woods. It’s cool in the summer, and pigs love to eat acorns. Nuts give the pork a wonderful marbled flavor that makes a tasty pork chop. 

5. How do you keep the animals safe?

– We have a livestock guardian dog named Willow. She’s an Australian shepherd that helps herd the animals. Willow will also patrol the property to help protect against coyotes, hawks and owls. 

6. What produce do you have today?

– We grow all the commonly grown Indiana vegetables. The fall crops are just now hitting their stride including Apples and Pumpkins!

7. What’s your favorite item at your stand?

– If I had to pick one, I’d choose Carmel Apple Pie Jam on vanilla ice cream. It’s life-changing!

7. What is a unique item that you grow?

– We have several, but one that is in season now is Trinidad Scorpion peppers. These are at 1.5 Million on the Scoville index. That is a measure of how spicy the pepper is. For comparison, a jalapeño is about 1500 on the Scoville Index, so the scorpion peppers are 1000 times hotter than a Jalapeño!

For more information visit Facebook.com/GraceandTruthFarms and Binfordfarmersmarket.org.

With fall just around the corner, our home gardens are plentiful and farmers markets are loaded with produce.  Sherri French, lifestyle & parenting expert, is here today with smart and creative ways to lengthen the life of your produce, so you can enjoy them through the winter months, even if you aren’t an expert.

Freezing

• A quick and easy way to make some produce last longer
• Freeze in amounts that are easy to thaw and consume
• Always label the date that the produce was packaged so you can use the FIFO (first in first out) method
• Freeze as soon as your fruits or veggies are ripe
• Raspberries, blueberries, peas, beans, rhubarb are great to freeze
• Use a cookie sheet and parchment paper to individually freeze fruit and then transfer to a freezer bag

Blanching

• Some produce may need to be blanched prior to freezing
• To blanch boil a pot of water and salt
• Drop the produce in and boil for half the amount of time that you would normally boil to eat
• Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water
• Remove, pat dry in paper towels and then transfer to freezer bags
• Apples and beans are perfect for blanching

Drying (Dehydration)

• Drying produce takes up less storage space and is easy to do
• Tomatoes, peppers and apples are a perfect option to dry
• Set your oven to 225 F for apples and 200F for tomatoes
• For apples, mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top and bake for approximately 1 hour
• For tomatoes, cut baby tomatoes in half, toss with dried oregano, thyme, salt and pepper  Turn the tomatoes face up and bake for approximately 3 hours
• Apples edges will curl up and tomatoes will feel rubbery

Canning – The Easy Way

• Canning is tedious and takes a long time
• Take your baby cucumbers and make pickles by using a refrigerator option
• Use mason jars to combine sliced cucumbers, garlic, pickling spice, dill, salt and cider vinegar
• Set them on your counter out of the sun for two days to four dates (check the taste)
• Once ready, put them into your fridge where they can last up to 6 months in your fridge

To find all of these ‘how to’s’ and recipes, visit Sherri’s Instagram: @momhint.