How to Make Your Food Last Longer!

by Jerome Farmers Market, June 14, 2015
27 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR GROCERIES LAST AS LONG AS POSSIBLE
By: Peggy Wang
BuzzFeed Staff

This is such a fun article!  We are going to post some of our favorite helpful tips from the article below on how to preserve your food.  For the rest of the tips and more click HERE. 


USE VINEGAR SOLUTION TO MAKE YOUR BERRIES LAST LONGER
Prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider) and ten parts water. Swirl the berries around in the mixture, drain, rinse, and put them in the fridge. The solution is diluted enough that you won’t taste the vinegar. Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft.




FREEZE GREEN ONIONS IN A PLASTIC BOTTLE
Make sure the green onions are completely dry before storing or they’ll get freezer burn. Just take them out and add them to your food as needed! Easy as that.




STORE POTATOES WITH APPLES TO KEEP THEM FROM SPROUTING

STORE AN APPLE INSIDE A BAG OF POTATOES TO KEEP THE POTATOES FROM SPROUTING




ADD A DAB OF BUTTER TO THE CUT SIDE OF CHEESE TO KEEP IT FROM DRYING OUT






WRAP THE CROWN OF A BUNCH OF BANANAS WITH PLASTIC WRAP
They’ll keep for 3-5 days longer than usual, which is especially helpful if you eat organic bananas. Bananas also produce more ethelyne gas than any other fruit, so keep them isolated on the counter.



FOR THE REST OF THE LIST CLICK ON  THE ARTICLE HERE.



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Fundraiser for Crystal Emery

by Jerome Farmers Market, June 10, 2015
Fundraiser for Crystal Emery
Saturday June 13, 2015
Jerome Farmers Market
at The Mountain View Barn


In addition to Miss Southern Idaho, we are having a fundraiser for Crystal Emery who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last week. Please come and support this important cause, have a fun time, wish her well and if you can't come, you can go to gofundme.com/wmvmn8 to donate and help this sweet family.

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Miss Southern Idaho is coming to the Market this Saturday!

by Jerome Farmers Market, June 10, 2015
Come to the Jerome Farmers Market this Saturday and meet... 

MISS SOUTHERN IDAHO

ELIZABETH BAKER
Bring your girls for a wonderful photo opp!!!




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Gardening tips & tricks!

by Jerome Farmers Market, June 01, 2015
"20 Insanely Clever Gardening Tips and Ideas"
Article by: Listotic, listed & loved

 1. Pot-in-Pot Landscaping
I don’t know about you, but I’m not a huge fan of redoing the landscaping every time the seasons change. Don’t get me wrong, I love the time outdoors, but the shovel and I are not best friends. Here’s an idea that was a bit of an “aha” moment for me. Dig a hole for your seasonal plants and fill it with an empty plastic pot. Now you can just drop your seasonal flowers (or herbs and veggies) in there and easily switch them out once they’re ready to retire.

2. Packing Peanuts & Pots
Because packing peanuts still allow for good drainage, they are perfect for lightening the load in large flower pots. They are also cheaper than soil, so now you can justify a $4 cup of coffee while you get the job done. Just be sure to add a layer of landscape fabric over the top of them so that the soil doesn’t slowly sink to the bottom.

3. Give Your Garden A Calcium Boost
My blender rarely sees daylight, but now it might just get the chance to see the kitchen counter with this genius tip! I’m starting to understand the idea behind compost a little more now that I’m dabbling in the garden, so this just makes a lot of sense to me. Just like grinding your food makes it easier to digest, grinding eggshells makes it easy for your garden to absorb the calcium egg shells provide.
4. Keep The Pets Out
Animals (cats especially) seem to think all of the hard work you’ve put into your garden looks like a huge litter box. To keep them from pooping on your basil, strategically place a few plastic forks around your plants to deter them from destroying your fresh herbs, fruits, and veggies.
5. Rubbermaid Container Garden
Just because you don’t have much of a yard doesn’t mean you can’t have a nice little garden going! Rubbermaid storage containers are lightweight and just the right size to get you started. Fill the bottom with packing peanuts and a layer of garden fabric to keep them easy to move. This could even work on a small apartment balcony!

6. Diapers Retain Moisture 
Diapers aren’t just for doo doo! Place one in the bottom of a potted plant to help it retain moisture for longer. This would be great for those summer annuals that require daily watering.

7. Epsom Salt in the Garden
Epsom salt has so many uses, including aiding in a beautiful and healthy garden. It’s rich in magnesium and sulfate which are crucial to plant life. For potted plants, mix a couple of tablespoons of the salt into your watering can once or twice a month. You can also sprinkle it in your garden’s soil to help your seeds germinate better. Tomatoes and peppers benefit the most because they both tend to have a magnesium deficiency. Add a tablespoon or so in with the soil when first planting, and then sprinkle more into the soil once mature.

8. Fertilize Your Plants
Save your vegetable cooking water! The water has a lot of nutrients that your garden thrives on. Wait for the water to cool down first, and then use it to “fertilize” your garden or potted plants. This makes for a green and happy garden! You could also drink the stuff, but who wants to do that?!

9. Seeds & Citrus
Start your seedlings in a citrus peel, and not just because it’s really cute; It will compost in the soil and nourish the plants, so you can just go ahead and plant the whole thing once it’s ready. Just don’t forget to poke a hole in the bottom for drainage.

10. Cinder Block Garden Bed
Not all of us have the skills to build a raised garden bed out of wood, and that’s when cinder blocks come to the rescue. I love how they have all the holes so you can easily separate your herbs. For a smaller space, you could even take out 2 or more of the block to create a narrower bed. After you’ve got a level place to start your garden, the rest is pretty simple!

For the next 10 "insanely" clever ideas for gardening, check out the rest of this post HERE!

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All about Tomatoes

by Jerome Farmers Market, May 26, 2015
The Do's and Don'ts of Growing Tomatoes
BONBON BREAK
by: Jeanne



Don’t purchase seedlings that have flowers on them. You may think you are getting a head start, but really what the plants need to do first is establish their roots, not produce babies. Let them get settled in.
Do pinch those flowers off if you started your own plants and they are budding. Really, you’ll get more fruit in the long run.
Don’t over fertilize. It’s fine to give your plants some good healthy compost, but take it easy on the fertilizer. Too much will grow wonderful bushy and green, albeit unproductive, plants. (Same goes for your peppers by the way.)
Do give them a bit of Epsom salts. They love that stuff. If they don’t need it, it won’t hurt. It is good to have it as a preventative measure to help grow healthier plants.
Do plant your transplants very deep. ‘Up to their necks’ is what the farmers say. This way they will grow a great root system, as mentioned above. The better the roots, the more productive the plants will be.
Don’t water from above, if you can help it. This can cause soil to splash up on the stems, making them more prone to disease. Try to use a soaker hose whenever possible with tomatoes.
Do mulch, especially if you are watering from above. This helps prevent that soil splash just mentioned, as well as holds the moisture your tomatoes may need.
Do put in the stakes you are going to use for support at the same time you plant. You don’t want to go back later and start damaging those roots you both worked so hard for.
Do know what type of tomato you are growing. If it’s a ‘determinate’ type, it may suddenly stop producing. Learn more by following the link at the end of this post.
Don’t stress it. Are you feeling over run with tomatoes? Are you concerned about fruit flies in your kitchen? Simply wash some of those tomatoes off and toss them in the freezer. When you have time, thaw to use. A bonus: the skins will slip right off after defrosting.
Do enjoy a variety if you have the room. Roma and plum tomatoes are best for preserving, slicing types for fresh eating, and of course cherry tomatoes for snacking. Plant tomatoes based on how you intend to use them.
Don’t plant them outside before the soil temperature is 50F. How warm the soil has become is a function of how close the sun is, the depth, and how much sunshine the area gets. Surface soil can feel warm but 6 inches down it can still be quite cold. Some gardeners plant their tomatoes out when the overnight lows are consistently above 50F. Not the same thing, but close.
Do speed up the process by covering the area with black plastic, and turning the soil over every so often. If you plant early, keep those heat-loving tomatoes warm through the use of cloches.
In a pinch, canning jars will do the trick — just don’t let the plants get fried. That’s for the green fruit.


Why do Tomato Plants Split? Why do Tomato Plants Crack?



A tomato crack (or split) is caused by the tomato plant absorbing water too quickly.  The inside expands from the water absorption but skin can’t stretch to accommodate the extra fluid.  So, the skin splits and heals up.


This can happen in a few different scenario:


1.  You forget to water regularly and the soil gets to dry.  Then you finally remember and water a lot to make up for it or it rains.  Then the plant drinks up the water super fast and the skins split.  Whoops!

2.  Your water regularly (maybe once a day after work) but it is extremely hot out.  The soil moister evaporates during the day and the plants dry out.  When you     get home from work and water, he plants absorb the water too quickly and the tomatoes split.

3.  Your soil is too sandy and does not have enough organic matter to hold water.  So, the plants dry and the next time it rains the plans absorb water too quickly and the tomatoes split.

Can you eat tomatoes with splits?


Of course you can eat tomatoes with splits.  You should pick them as soon as possible.  They don’t seem to last as long due to the weakness in the protective skin.  Just cut the affected area and enjoy.

How can you prevent the tomato splits?


1.  Maintain soil moisture by watering frequently and deeply
     -This will decrease the chances of rain splitting your tomatoes
2.  Maintain soil moisture covering the soil with mulch
     -This will prevent the water from evaporating
3.  Choose more resistant varieties if you live in a hot climate
4.  Cover the soil with Veggie Booster Mulch 
     -This will keep the moisture in the soil consistent,
     -Side benefits:  reduce weeding time, reflect more vital red light   wavelengths to the   plant, reduce fruit rotting on the
ground and discourage pests
5.  Make a Crop Cover (row cover fabric) jacket for your tomato plants
     -This can protect from drying winds and harsh sun and keep moisture in
     -Side benefits: protect from pests, fungi, and bacteria
6.  Don’t over fertilize to prevent the plant from growing too quickly

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New Vendor: Country Elegance

by Jerome Farmers Market, May 19, 2015
We are excited to welcome a new vendor to the Jerome Farmers Market Family!
Country Elegance

Country Elegance will be selling their goods and wares out of a vintage trailer and setting up as an old fashioned general store. Janelle Mode is a talented and creative artisan and will be selling jams, jellies, honey, brownies, quick breads, plunder jewelry, stained glass, Barefoot Books, upscaled repurposed items and goat milk soap. Come visit Janelle and check out a little bit of “This and That!”

For more information about what to expect from Country Elegance please visit their Facebook page COUNTRY ELAGANCE.

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Recipe: One Pot Pasta

by Jerome Farmers Market, May 18, 2015

One Pot Pasta
There are a few secrets for success.  One is, don’t skip the tomatoes.  The rest of the veggies remain intact, but the tomatoes break down and help to form a sauce with the starchy pasta water and the cheese.   Two, don’t skimp on the cheese, for the reason just mentioned.  Three, pay attention to flavoring the pot.  In addition to salt, I like lots of black pepper, red pepper flakes, and my secret flavor weapon, a dash of sherry vinegar.  And finally, don’t forget the fresh garnishes.  Reserve some little tomatoes and a big handful of fresh basil for topping the cooked pasta.
If you haven’t tried this idea yet, I recommend you give it a go.  The concept is one you can tinker with, and there are lots of different variations online.  Just search one pot pasta.

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