Document text
Spring Greens By SARAH LEMON Mar 12, 2008 12:00 AM A A With the height of growing season still months off, any fresh produce at the first farmers markets has to be tough. Able to withstand snow, rain and frigid temperatures, "winter" greens are only sweeter for all their struggle, say Steve and Suzi Fry. "They go through the winter, and the cold hardies 'em up," says Steve Fry. "The starches all turn to sugar." Because the broad leaves of chard, kale and collards can turn bitter in summer months before bolting, spring's "overwintered" crop provides prime specimens of greens — mild enough to eat raw in salads and rich in vitamins. "People are really starting to think about what they're eating," Fry says, adding that twice as many people now buy greens compared with when the Frys started their organic farm 20 years ago in Talent. The Frys now farm 60 acres of vegetables and flowers between Talent and Medford. Known for offering a wide variety of produce virtually year-round, the Frys keep their stall stocked with greens beginning with this week's opening of the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market through its close in November. Bunches of greens cost $1.50 apiece. Encouraging customers to grow their own greens, the Frys also will sell seedlings for $2 per six-pack. Greens withstand the frost, making them a logical choice for early planting, says Suzi Fry. "You can just pick leaves off of them, and they last for a long time." In addition to greens, market-goers can expect to find salad mix, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, fresh flowers, a wide variety of bedding plants, baked goods, tamales and other prepared foods, says market manager Mary Ellen DeLuca. If sunny weather prevails, crafters likely will set up shop, she says. The market's Medford sessions will benefit from a new, paved parking lot at the Medford Armory, she says. The last few months of 2007's market were spent in the former Miles Field parking lot until construction at the Armory site was complete. "It'll be a lot nicer for people to walk around," DeLuca says. About 60 vendors so far have signed up for this year's market, DeLuca says, adding that she expects about 35 vendors for the earlier sessions in Ashland and as many as 30 in Medford. Outside the market, Fry Family greens can be purchased at Ashland Food Co-op, Shop 'N' Kart in Ashland and Food 4 Less in Medford. Fresh greens are best used within three days. Store them unwashed and loosely bagged in the refrigerator's crisper section, or stand them upright in an inch or two of water if your refrigerator can accommodate. If you choose to cook stems and leaves together, try this technique, which makes for more tender, even cooking: Place the greens on a cutting board and roll the leaves tightly around the stem. Cut on the diagonal into thin strips (like a julienne). Cut further into bite-size pieces, if desired. Try greens in the following recipes. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected]. A chard plant that overwintered in west Medford fields is highlighted against spring skies. - Mail Tribune / Jamie Lusch