Welcoming Spring with Superstar Strawberries | March 18, 2024

Fresh & Local:

Welcoming Spring with Superstar Strawberries

Daylight saving time has begun, extending the hours of our Thursday Mid-City Market until 7pm! With longer days ahead, the vibrancy of spring is here with the arrival of festivals, abundant sunshine, and the peak of strawberry season! 

Strawberries are now at their peak, boasting irresistible flavor and abundant supply, which translates to more affordable prices. Whether you're inclined to make jams, shrubs, preserves, or simply freeze them for refreshing smoothies, this is the ideal time to stock up and preserve the bounty for the off-season. Luckily, we feature a variety of local producers at each market, such as Johndales Farm, Faust Farms, and Isabel's Tamales and Produce.

Louisiana strawberries are special—they are seasonal treasures that burst with unparalleled sweetness and flavor, exclusive to our region. Although strawberries are available year round in the grocery store, they may be grown out of the country and harvested a little under-ripe so they will withstand the 3,000-mile trip. That’s why they may not taste as good as a berry harvested locally in March. So, how can you ensure the next strawberry you bite into has an irresistible, sweet flavor? The answer is simple: Know your farmer! By supporting our local producers at CCFM, you contribute to the sustainability of their farms and the broader agricultural ecosystem.

Historically, Ponchatoula and our surrounding regions boasted hundreds of strawberry farms, yet their numbers have dwindled over the years. Despite facing challenges like excessive rain or freezing temperatures, locally grown strawberries thrive under the care of our dedicated farmers. We cherish these farms for their commitment to quality, and we encourage you to show your support at any of our weekly markets.

Picks of the Week:

We ❤️ Daylight Saving!

Well, in the Spring at least - because now our Thursday Mid-City Market gets to stay open until 7pm! This gives us an extra hour to check in with our favorite vendors, buy fresh produce, and maybe even eat some delicious snacks. Help spread the word to your friends and family who are looking for after-work-friendly market hours.

In addition to the sweet sunset, we’re celebrating Market March Madness all month long with the Friends of Lafitte Greenway. This Thursday, March 21st, we’ll be featuring:

3-7pm: Art Market in the Station, Strawberry Salsa Cooking Demo, and Blue Bikes Helmet Giveaway

4pm: Music by Vegas Cola

4:30pm: Market March Walking Group

6pm: FitNOLA Boot Camp

Is Cabbage the New Bacon?

The New York Times wants to know! According to Kim Severson, author of The Morning, cabbage is having a moment on the culinary scene in America. We know and love cabbage for its versatility - from kimchi, to coleslaw, to a trusty wedge salad, cabbage is a reliable foundation for any fresh and crunchy meal. 

New Orleans is no stranger to cabbage. During the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade, riders throw cabbage to the crowds honoring the long history of the leafy green in Irish culture. And just last month in Bourg, about an hour southeast of New Orleans, Jenny Bourg grew Louisiana’s biggest cabbage at 44 pounds and 7 feet around! 

You’re in luck - it’s cabbage season! Come visit any of our markets and stock up on cabbage from vendors like Joe Fekete Family Farm, Indian Springs Cooperative, and Monica’s Okra World!  Or purchase some ready made sauerkraut or kimchi from Gingerbooch Fermentables.

Source: WGNO
Source: The New York Times

Volunteer with CCFM

We have an exciting day of programming at our March 28th Thursday Mid-City Market and need some extra hands to help operate smoothly. If you love the market and want to support our events, we have several shifts available between set up, break down, and a cooking demo. Visit the volunteer sign-up link here and reserve your spot today! Please reach out to Amanda, our Outreach Manager, if you have any questions or accessibility concerns.

Vendor of the Week:

Women Protein Vendors

Pearl River Pastures - is a regenerative partnership between Rob Harrison, owner of Sunset Oaks Farm of Picayune, Mississippi, and Summers White, the owner of Juniper Creek Farm of Poplarville, Mississippi. Each farm is family-owned, operated, and bucking conventional thinking by stepping away from industrial, chemical, and pesticide-based agriculture that degrades the land. PRP's mission is to provide access to nutrient-dense meat and eggs produced with integrity and transparency to the communities of the Gulf South while maintaining the highest animal welfare standards and leaving the land better than before. They raise Pineywoods cattle for beef production and land management, their cows have access to a diverse range of forages like their ancestors, including grass, wild herbs, and other native plants that produce bold, lean, beef. PRP's expanded offerings include wild-foraged beef, forested pork, pastured eggs, and chicken. Their products are available through regional Farmers Markets, Home Delivery, and their farm store at Sunset Oaks Farm starting in the Summer of 2024. 

Pete & Clara’s Seafood - As a founding vendor of the Tuesday market, Pete & Clara’s Seafood is an essential part of the CCFM community! Everything they sell is the freshest, most local, and sustainable seafood you can get anywhere in New Orleans — some might say it's shrimply the best around! Pete does the fishing, mostly in Lakes Pontchartrain and Borne, while his daughter, Christina, does the processing and selling. Find them both at market Tuesdays and Thursdays! 

T&R Dairy Farm - Hailing from Liberty, Mississippi, Mary Regan of T&R is a fourth-generation dairy farmer. She produces aged cheese, yogurt, ricotta, whole milk, and eggs, along with beef yielded from their grass-fed cattle. Conventionally, farmers raise one breed of cattle for dairy and another for beef production, but not T&R Dairy! In their unique process, a single breed of grass-fed cattle, Holstein, are raised on their mother’s milk; the heifer calves are raised for dairy production and the steers for beef.

Recipe of the Week:

Spring Harvest Salad

Welcome the freshness of spring with this delightful Spring Harvest Salad. Roasted Brussels sprouts and tender squash meet crisp kale and juicy apple slices, creating a harmony of flavors and textures. Topped with toasted pecans and Parmesan shavings, this salad is a celebration of the season's bounty. Drizzled with a citrus-infused vinaigrette, it's a perfect addition to any springtime meal, bringing a burst of flavor to your table.