This month at the farmers markets we will offer two ways for individuals to reduce fossil fuel consumption and pollution. One involves how we shop for food and the other how we cook our food.
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A pastor intern, she is working with local youth directors from several churches of all denominations to sell these bags in Sierra Vista during July.
Proceeds benefit community youth through an annual event known as "One in the Park." The bags will cost $5 each or 3 for $12.
"I have loved living in Sierra Vista this year and want to do my part to keep it beautiful and clean.
Fewer plastic bags in circulation means fewer plastic bags stuck to cacti or littering the washes or roadsides.
Let's set an example for generations to come by making simple efforts to reuse items we already have, reduce our daily impact and recycle products when finished, which can make a big difference and show care and appreciation for the earth," says Meta.
The US uses 100 billion plastic bags annually, the equivalent of 12 million barrels of oil and less than 1 % of them are recycled.
Each reusable fabric bag will eliminate hundreds to thousands of plastic bags over its lifetime.
Buy several of these green bags and the next time someone offers you "plastic or paper" say "neither" and whip out your "green" bags instead.
(Re-useable fabric bags will also be for sale under the music tree at the Bisbee Farmers Market.)
We in southern Arizona can use the sun's non-polluting, limitless and free energy to cook our food.
Look for the solar oven at both markets to find out about this practical, fun, easy and delicious way to cook that doesn't heat up your house so you don't have to cool it down.
Ovens will be offered at the dealer price and reach temperatures over 350.
Bisbee Farmers Market
The celebration for World Hoop Day was fun. To extend the hoopla (Groan!) Vince Robel and Friends will offer great sound from a full band this week for dancing and hooping on the shuffleboard court.
Melissa Gethin will return to give dancing-with-hoops demonstrations and take orders for the sturdy, decorated custom hoops she makes.
Come taste the desert with guest appearance by ethno botanist Martha "Muffin" Burgess who learned from tribal elders and has traveled all over the deserts in Arizona, Sonora and Baja California leading workshops on harvesting and preparing desert foods. She will represent Native Seeds/SEARCH, the Tucson seed bank, that has rescued the seeds and lore of the SW deserts, bringing 14 different kinds of heirloom beans as well as baking mixes using mesquite and amaranth and lots of desert foods recipes and books.
Sample her Chia Fruit Salad and Marinated Tepary Bean Salad.
Learn harvesting tips for mesquite and prickly pear and find out about her desert foods workshops.
Muffin will also bring Tarahumara baskets and bowls, Mayo bowls, spoons and horsehair items, wire baskets great for storing onions and garlic as well as her handmade soaps and "hydrosols" or cooling sprays from aromatic desert plants.
Susie Culp has gorgeous Beef stake and Early Girl tomatoes as well as yellow pear tomatoes, jalapenos and Big Jim chile peppers and large zucchini great for making zucchini bread.
Bobby Gowin is raising giant red and white onions weighing over 2 pounds.
He also has 100 Sweet grape tomatoes, burpless and regular cucumbers and Anaheim chile peppers.
Elephant and regular garlic and ceramic garlic roasters available from Claudia and John Mobley at both markets.
Vernon Smith will bring early watermelons grown in McNeal as well as the Ochoa's red chile powder in various strengths, tomatoes and Big Jim chile peppers.
In addition to "nopalitos" Emma Montoya is making up a nopalitos salad with added vegetables and seasoning.
Get fresh squeezed lemon, lime and orangeade and fruit popsicles from Alli Bodkin under the music tree.
Sierra Vista Farmers Market
Mexican harp player Francisco Lopez of Tucson will return to the market with his melodious tunes.
San Ysidro Farm will be back from vacation with all their grass-fed lamb and beef, natural pork products and farm fresh eggs. (At both markets.)
Fiore di Capra, the goat cheese dairy, (who weren't able to make it to the Bisbee Farmers Market on Saturday due to a mechanical problem which has now been resolved) will bring raw unpasteurized goat's milk and gourmet goat cheeses including feta cheese.
Get wild salmon and other ocean fish from retired Alaska fisherman who will share his stall this week with the Mama Llama's lady who sells Take and Bake frozen beef, pork, chicken, veggie and wild salmon "empanadas" or pastry turnovers for an easy and gourmet meal or treat.
Helen Hayes not only carries Azmira dog food but also has products that will help pets get through the monsoon season of thunder and lightening, poisonous toads and rattlesnakes. R & R Rescue, Herbal Calm and Calm and Relax are all herbal based and have calming effects without any side effects. (At both markets.)
Grammie's Garden will bring golden honeydew and watermelons as well as lettuce and arugala from their greenhouses.
New Vendor: Small blackberry grower, Jenny Kolar will return with her sweet and plump blackberries and fresh herbs such as oregano for homemade tomato sauce.
Welcome back to Corky and Carol Berty who will bring Swiss chard, zucchini and cucumbers.
The Emu folks will be at both markets this week with health promoting emu oil products including a nifty roll-on for your purse or pocket, sprain and muscle cream, and a heavy duty "scrubbie bar" with bits of emu shell for working wonders on dirty hands.
The jams and jelly lady now offers BBQ rubs made with mesquite meal, a sweet one with brown sugar, a pepper rub and a spicy rub.
Her Garlic Dill pickles are great chopped up with a little mayo for a fresh tatar sauce.
To help you keep your cool, she is also offering neck coolers in lots of colors.
Wrap around your neck and it will lower your body temp a few degrees. Try her refreshing prickly pear punch at the market.
Calling all Thai food chefs, In the garden Nursery will be back with fresh cut lemon grass as well as a wide assortment of potted herbs and herb gardens.
The Brandts will offer flowering cosmos, zinnias, calendulas as well as yellow birds of paradise, 4 o'clocks, Black-eyed Susans, and petunias as well as succulents, opal and lettuce leaf basil and tomato and pepper plants.
Recipes
Summer Fresh Tomato Sauce
(Adapted from Diet for a New World by John Robbins)
5 pounds plum tomatoes
2 tblsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 or more cloves garlic
1 cube or 2 tblsp vegetable bouillon or Spike seasoning
? pound chorizo or Italian sausage (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh basil
? cup chopped fresh oregano
3 tblsp chopped fresh rosemary
? cup tomato paste (optional)
Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds.
Drain and plunge into cold water. Peel. Working over a sieve placed in a large bowl, cut tomatoes in half and gently squeeze to remove seeds.
Discard seeds in sieve and reserve juice, chopping tomato pulp.
Heat olive oil and sauté onions and garlic 5 or 6 minutes until soft.
Add chorizo or sausage to brown. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, bouillon, seasoning and salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer on low, stirring occasionally until sauce has reduced to about 5 cups, one hour to one hour and 15 minutes.
Add fresh herbs during last 15 minutes of cooking.
Serve over pasta or steamed zucchini or green beans topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Creeping Crust Blackberry Cobbler
(by Jenny Kolar)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup flour
1cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 cups blackberries
1 cup or less sugar
Melt butter in 10 inch baking pan.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder together and add milk. Spoon over melted butter.
Combine fresh fruit with sugar, pour over dough.
Bake in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Crust will rise to the top. Serve warm or cold.
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