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Saturday, July 28, 2012

It's Blueberry Season!


On my to-do list for the last few years has been to go berry picking.  I have grown up picking apples in the fall as many of us Upstate New Yorkers do and have taken up pumpkin picking as well which is equally enjoyable.  There is nothing quite like the taste of a fresh picked apple, so I really wanted to see if the same went for fresh berries.  I was not disappointed.

Earlier in the summer, my family and I found a really great berry patch in Baldwinsville called Hencle's Berry Patch, which specializes in a variety of berries including strawberries, raspberries, and even gooseberries.  With the unusually warm spring we had, the farmer's told us that everything was a bit early this year, but we were lucky enough to catch the end of the strawberries and pick a large number of fresh raspberries.  I had never experienced true fresh picked strawberries before and they were by far the best I have ever tasted.  The raspberries were pretty amazing too, reminding me of when I used to race down to my parent's raspberry bushes behind our house in hopes of picking the berries before the birds could feast on them.  Not only was this a great experience as far as finding fresh, healthy, and local produce, but it was a really fun family activity.  It's a great way to get outside and even a really good opportunity to teach your kids a bit about where their food comes from.

Well, the season for strawberries and raspberries has sadly come and gone, but luckily there are still blueberries to enjoy.  The other day, I packed Addie and Ryan up for yet another jaunt to the farmlands of Baldwinsville (I know, quite a journey).  We found a number of blueberry patches in a row and chose to stop at Reeves' Farms because they are known for their sustainable farming methods and particularly their organic blueberries.  We had a great time and picked enough blueberries to throw in the freezer and enjoy into the autumn months.  With our fresh blueberries, we enjoyed a great summer breakfast of Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes, here's the recipe:

Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

2/3 cup buckwheat (or any other whole grain) pancake mix
1 egg
2 tsp canola oil
1 cup milk*
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

*I prefer to make whole grain pancakes a little thinner because they tend to burn before the inside is fully cooked, but if you prefer thicker pancakes use a little less milk.

Stir together ingredients until just combined, do not over mix.  Grease a griddle or flat-bottomed skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto the hot griddle.  When the edges of the pancake appear dry and the middle starts to bubble, flip and cook for a few more seconds.  This recipe yields about 6 pancakes.

I really like to double or even triple this recipe and make a lot of pancakes because they're great to throw in the freezer and they're healthy and whole grain, so they're a wonderful option for kids or toddlers.  Keep in mind that they do contain eggs, so beware of feeding them to little ones under a year if they haven't had egg whites yet due to possible allergic reactions.

Remember, there's still plenty of time to enjoy the fresh fruits of summer and it's way more fun to get out there and pick them yourself!



Sunday, July 1, 2012

So many markets, so little time!

I was recently having a conversation with my sister and she brought up a great point about farmer's markets.  Why do they always have to be on Saturday?  Everyone already has a packed schedule on weekends during the summer with traveling, graduation parties, weddings, marathon viewings of the Olympic coverage (maybe just in my house), who has time on a Saturday to add another thing to the list?  Well, there's good news!  Although it use to be true that most farmer's markets were held on Saturdays and the larger ones still are because they get the most traffic then, there are many smaller ones popping up all over Central New York on just about every day of the week and at various times of the day to accommodate everyone's schedule.  So if you weren't a farmer's market fan before because you didn't want to take the time out of your Saturday morning, you're not alone, but give one of these other markets a try and support a local farmer this week!

Upstate Farmer's Market

This market has two locations on two different days of the week.  On Thursdays from 11-3:30 it's located at Upstate at Community General Hospital on Broad Rd.  On Fridays from 11-3:30, it's located in the parking lot of the Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital on Irving Ave. right next to Crouse Hospital.  If you work at or near either of these locations, stop down on your lunch break and check out the fresh, local produce.  Both locations opened this week and will run throughout the summer.

You can find more information on Upstate's website by following this link or liking "Upstate Farmer's Market" on Facebook:

http://www.upstate.edu/specialevents/farmers_market.php

Cicero Farmer's Market

For those of you who live and/or work north of Syracuse, this is a new farmer's market this year located in the Driver's Village parking lot next to Burlington Coat Factory.  This one is great for the "after work" crowd because it runs from 3 pm-7 pm on Tuesday evenings.  It opened earlier in the summer and will run all the way until October 30th.  For more info on this market, you can like the "Cicero Farmer's Market" page on Facebook or contact the Cicero Youth Bureau Parks and Recreation Department at 699-5233.  You can also E-mail the market's coordinator at jraddell@ciceronewyork.net.

Camillus Farmer's Market

This market is held on Fridays from May through October rain or shine.  It's located on the corner of West Genesee Street and Male Avenue in front of the Camillus Municipal Building.  A great thing about this market is that the organizers require all products to be homegrown or homemade, so you can be sure that you are supporting your local farmers and artisans.  Fruits, vegetables, baked goods, flowers and shrubs, and a variety of crafts are available for purchase.  For more info on this market, you can contact the Camillus Town Clerk's office at 488-1234.

Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmer's Market

This one is located at Westcott Community Center on Euclid Avenue and is another great one to try if your work schedule keeps you from visiting the ones held during the day.  It's on Wednesdays from 2-7pm and is running now until October.  For more info, you can call 751-1067.

These are just a handful of farmer's markets that have been added to the growing list all over Central New York.  Some are new this year and some have been around awhile.  With all of these choices, you have no excuse now not to try one.  Go out and buy local this week!