Fresh Local Produce at Lavern's Country Market

Today I went to Lavern's Country Market to get a watermelon––just a watermelon, mind you. I knew it wouldn't be local yet (but soon!), however Georgia is close enough when you are craving a nice piece of cold, sweet melon. Then I saw the large Georgia cantaloupes: had to have one of those, too (even though Casey County will soon be full of them). Then when I went inside I thought I should grab a cart. Well, a few minutes later I had quite a haul. Most of it was affordable, LOCAL produce and much of that was not only affordable but also organically grown. The rest was grown in the deeper South (not sure about the bananas or celery but American, at least). The best part is that I didn't have sticker shock at the register. My total? $37.00 for everything you see in the photograph above!

Here's the LOCAL breakdown:

• 6 organic summer squash 
• ($1 for 6)
• 3 organic zucchini 
• ($1 for 3)
• 2 large bags organic lettuce 
• ($2 each)
• 2 large bags of beets 
• ($2 each)
• 3 hot-house tomatoes ($2 each)
• 1 pint organic raspberries ($2.50)
• 1 pint blueberries ($2.50)

Here's the breakdown for the rest (grown in the US):

• 1 medium-sized seedless watermelon (Georgia)
• 1 large cantaloupe (Georgia)
• 2 large bags carrots ($2 each)
• 1 bunch celery
• 1 large bag Vidalia onions
• 2 bunches of bananas

Who says you can't eat both healthy and affordably, and right here in Casey County? Here there is no need to pay a high premium for locally-grown organic produce or to drive to Danville or Lexington to find it. [Of note is that the organic-local or local summer squash and zukes were the very same price.] Word is out, too, as the parking lot was packed. Best produce in the county, I'd say (well, except for your own or your favorite neighboring farmer...or what you mind find at the Casey County Produce Auction).

Lavern's also sells a variety of cheeses, locally-raised eggs, jams, jellies, nuts, cookbooks, and plants. They will soon be expanding their offerings to more natural foods, too. They are open year-round with a changing offering of local produce, and other produce from further afield, and specialize in year-round hot house tomatoes grown here in Casey County.

WHERE: Lavern's Country Market
At the corner of Hwy 910 and South Fork Creek Road
in central Casey County, Kentucky
OPEN: Monday-Saturday: 8am-6pm (sometimes later)
INFO: Lavern Zimmerman, Proprietor
Call (606) 787-9845 for more information or for wholesale inquiries.

Casey County Produce Auction is Up and Running

The first local strawberries went for $1.50 a pint as no one was expecting them.

The Casey County Auction, now in its third full year, is up and running and having auctions three times a week: Mondays and Wednesdays at 2pm and Fridays at 5pm from now until mid-October. The auctioneers have increased their April auctions already, from one to three a week, because of the unexpected boon of some local spring produce offerings (early) as well as the amount of flowers, plants and hanging baskets–and some vegetable flats–that have been coming in from area greenhouses.

Floribunda! The auction often takes on the appearance of a Dutch flower market.
There are hanging flowers, ferns, roses, various perennials, and flats. At this time of year
there are more plants and flowers than local produce–until about mid-May when produce is in.

On a typical day you might pay less than you thought or more than you want but most items go for wholesale prices (beautiful and abundant hanging baskets the other day, for example, were going for about $5-6 each). It is no wonder that plant buyers come from all over Kentucky–some as far as Lexington–to purchase quality plants for their greenhouses, shops or home use.

Local spring onions are abundant now at area farmstands and at auction.

Local produce is starting to come in: strawberries were a "wow" factor, even though they only sold for $1.50 a pint at the start of the season and local onions, and even some local eggs have been making an appearance. By mid-May and through the rest of the season, local produce offerings will gradually replace plant and flower options.

Milton Brubacker auctions off some roses from area greenhouses. 

The thrill of the auction is that you never know what will be there and you never know what you might have to pay for something you want. We've found deal after deal in the past few years (well, except for those Stanley plums that I dearly wanted for canning), but we've also walked away when bidding got too high for a particular item.

Also, anyone can sell their local goods––plants, flowers, starts, produce, eggs––via auction, no matter the size of the offering at auction. This is great for the large or small gardener who may want to get rid of their bumper crop and make a bit of extra money. Call 606-787-5158 for procedures.

Casey County Produce Auction is located at 524 South Fork Creek Road, approximately three miles from Hwy 127 and about ten minutes south of Liberty. To call the office: 606-787-5158; for Market/price info from previous sales: 606-787-0570. For a complete 2012 schedule, click here.

See you at the auction!

A flat of nicotiana, a lovely fragrant annual related to tobacco plants.
You'll never know what you'll find!

PROFILE: Bobbett's Naturally Grown

In southeastern Casey County, just off Hwy 837 several miles north of Mintonville, Bobbett Jascor raises several kinds of garlic, sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), a variety of summer berries and assorted produce on her 45 acre farm. While not certified organic, like many area produce growers Bobbett's methods are natural and sustainable. She moved here in 2004 from New Jersey and has transformed her acreage into a self-supporting enterprise. She admits, somewhat drolly, that it's a very different lifestyle than the seventeen years she spent selling real estate.

'Elephant' garlic in the middle, 'Cherokee' hard neck on the right and 'Inchelium' (soft neck) on the left.

Currently, garlic is the farm's mainstay crop and this year there is a softneck ('Inchelium') and 'Cherokee' hardneck variety for sale, as well as the larger-sized 'Elephant' garlic. The larger bulb sections are planted in October. Any time now is fine and some people plant here into November: some even advise planting garlic in the period of the waning three-quarter moon, which this month is October 19, but Bobbett doesn't follow those practices. She is a practical gardener and said she would worry too much about getting it in at the right time. 'I get it in the ground when I can,' she adds. She will then preserve the smaller cloves for winter eating: by dry storage or mincing the garlic, mixing in a bit of olive oil, and freezing it into small, usable ice cube-sized portions. 'You can also pickle the cloves whole,' she said. [Just Google ways to preserve garlic and you will have many methods and ideas to choose from.]

For more garlic preserving and planting tips from Bobbett, click here.

Like many enterprising Kentucky farmers, Jascor has learned how to grow crops that will adapt to the climate as well as increased customer demand. 'Most of my customers come through the internet but I also have many local customers.' She also mentioned that next year she will be offering 20 varieties of garlic and is currently planting those for her 2012 harvest.

A large original tobacco barn on the property has become the perfect place to store and dry her garlic harvest which usually takes place in July. The long, green curling scapes come up sooner and many garlic aficionados enjoy those in pesto and other recipes. Others take the small garlic corms and plant those to get one solid garlic bulb the next year which sheds its corm in a cycle of growth. Bobbett said that one customer likes to buy just the korms to put up so she doesn't have to fuss with individual bulbs.

Garlic is an ancient plant valued for its medicinal and culinary properties. In this part of the Appalachians, we have a wild member of the garlic family right in our lawns and fields (also known as 'onion grass')––if you leave it long enough, you will get a bulb growing in the cooler months. There is nothing like pungent fresh garlic. One easy recipe for roasted garlic is to take a garlic bulb ('Elephant' is especially good for this), cut off the top part, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt, wrap in foil and roast it in the oven at 400 degrees, papery skin and all. In about half an hour you can scoop out the roasted garlic flesh which has become sweetened by the baking process: it is good spread on bread, crackers or stirred into mashed potatoes.

'Sunchokes,' aka Jerusalem artichokes, will soon be ready for harvesting.
You will also find these growing along Kentucky roadsides and fields.

Next year, in addition to her extended garlic varieties, Bobbett will be offering a variety of berries to the public. She prefers that you call ahead for the best availability and cautions that, as she grows and harvests everything almost entirely herself, there might not be the supply one might expect. But she will work with requests with advance notice.

This year's garlic crop is going fast so call 606-787-0926 or Friend 'Bobbett's Naturally Grown' on Facebook or email Bobbett Jascor at bobbett@windstream.net to reserve your winter stash. She also has an on-line store at LocalHarvest.Org where you can read more about her farm, her growing practices and her offerings.

We recently bought some of her garlic for planting and some for eating and look forward to our own garlic crop next year. If you are patient, it is one of the easiest things to grow and like so many edible plants, it provides the gift that keeps on giving in the garden.

Bobbett's Naturally Grown

106 Country Way (about a quarter mile from Hwy 837)

Liberty, KY 42539

606-787-0926

Future produce offerings at Bobbett's Naturally Grown
will include kiwis and currants and other heirloom varieties.

Local Kentucky Strawberries are RIPE!

Strawberries are delightfully early this year and you can pick your own, or buy them by the quart, at several area growers including Wilson's Cedar Point Farm, just over the line in Pulaski County (along Highway 837 south, from Mintonville in eastern Casey County or just off Route 80). Their website reports that "U-pick" are $1.70 a pound and that a gallon, picked, is $12 (or $3.50 a quart).

Joel and Beth Wilson have been growing produce at their farm since 2000. While the farm is not certifiably organic, they believe in "sustainable growing techniques and integrated pest management." You can reach them via email at wilsonscedarpointfarm@gmail.com or you can call Joel's cell phone at 606-305-8762 for crop information throughout the season (or check their website for more details).

The farm is located at 66 Garfield Tarter Road in Nancy, just off of Hwy 837, a few miles south of Route 80 at Cain's Store. Wilson's is also still offering affordable shares in their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) when you get a basket of produce each week during the growing season. Click here for more information on this increasingly popular program: they'll even deliver to adjoining counties if you get ten or more subscribers to sign up together.

Their baskets also make nifty storage boxes.

My family is still using up some of last year's berries from Wilson's that we put up for the freezer: and they are still delicious, sweet and juicy. But there is nothing like fresh and local strawberries for your health and for flavor. Enjoy them while you can! Strawberries on cereal, strawberry shortcake, strawberry preserves, strawberry-rhubarb pie, strawberry ice cream, strawberry-spinach salad, strawberry yogurt. What's your favorite strawberry treat?

NOTE: Photos of Wilson's Farm strawberries taken in 2010 season.