Texas Produce Available in February

Even though our own farmers’ market is not open this time of year, it doesn’t mean you can’t find Texas grown produce.

For February, Texas locavores will discover

• beets
• broccoli
• cabbage
• carrots
• cauliflower
• celery
• grapefruit
• greens
• herbs
• mushrooms
• oranges
• spinach
• squash
• sweet potatoes
• turnips

October Yields Autumn’s Best

To most of us, October is a time for gourds galore. Oh the hearty soups that can be made from them are endless, YUM! Yet, Texas is blessed to have so much more available in during this time.

• apples
• cabbage
• cantaloupes
• carrots
• celery
• cucumbers
• grapefruit
• greens (lettuces, collards, etc.)
• herbs
• honeydew
• mushrooms
• onions
• oranges
• bell peppers
• potatoes
• pumpkins
• squash
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes
• turnips
• watermelon
• zucchini

Come out to the Main Street Farmer’s Market this weekend to forage for fresh produce and stock up on Autumn’s garden goodies.

Cucumbers, Squash and Zucchini OH MY!

In late Summer, Texas gardens are overflowing with cucumbers, yellow squash and zucchini of every kind.  They are practically a pantry staple in every Texas kitchen.  But just when we think we’ve seen enough of them, we couldn’t think of another way to serve them up for dinner, there’s ALWAYS a recipe we haven’t put to the test.

For your enjoyment and exploration, here are a few fresh cucumber recipes, fresh yellow squash recipes and fresh zucchini recipes.

RECIPES CALLING FOR FRESH CUCUMBER

• Fresh Cucumber Pickles Slices
• Main Street Farmers Market Caviar
• Roasted Shrimp and Tabouleh Salad
• Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt Sauce)
• Nancy’s Kitchen of Cucumber Recipes
  

RECIPES CALLING FOR FRESH YELLOW SQUASH

• Baked Yellow Squash Kids Love
• Creamy Chicken & Squash Casserole
• Roasted Yellow Squash
• Cheesey Zucchini & Squash

RECIPES CALLING FOR FRESH ZUCCHINI

• Cheesey Zucchini & Squash
• Grilled Fresh Zucchini
• Zippy Zucchini Cake
• Italian Vegetable Soup
• Roasted Zucchini Quesadillas
• Pasta with Red Bell Pepper & Mexican Zucchini
• Angel Hair with Zucchini and Tomatoes
• Simple Zucchini Pancakes
• Chicken with Tomatoes and Zucchini
• Zucchini and Red Bell Pepper Pasta
• Creamy Zucchini Soup

Do you have a favorite recipe to share here?  We would love to read it!
Just write it out in the comment section below this post.

What is Eight Ball Zucchini?

Patsy Yates sells the cutest little zucchini called ‘Eight Ball’ Zucchini.  The ONLY place in Sulphur Springs they can be found is at the Main Street Farmers’ Market. This zucchini is a hard to find gourmet squash designed to satisfy the growing demand for culinary excellence and unusual presentation.

‘Eight Ball’ zucchini can be used in any recipe that the normal long zucchini can be used in.  Loaded with a delicious nutty, buttery flavor, ‘Eight Ball’ makes a fantastic stuffer.  Excellent sliced, fried, pickled, fresh relish, steamed, or baked. Used for salads, omelets and ratatouille. Their size is perfect for a single serving or use a few to serve up to your family.

The plants produce 3- to 4-inch round fruits that are dark green. Excellent vigor and fruit uniformity provides an abundance of premium quality squash from a strong plant with an open, bush habit. Plants grow about 3 feet wide. Fruits are round with an attractive shiny, speckled dark exterior.

Here’s a crowd pleasing recipe: Italian Vegetable Soup was tested at the Savor the Flavors Station at market.  It was a BIG HIT with our taste testers, even the little ones.

Blackberries, Peaches & Plums, OH MY!

Get out the fruit salad recipes, jelly recipes, ice cream recipes, sorbet recipes, cobbler recipes and pie recipes; it’s a BERRY IMPORTANT TIME.  (I couldn’t help myself.)

Blackberries – Webb’s Farm Fresh Produce, Loyd Roach, and Emily Tucker

Plums – Webb’s Farm Fresh Produce and Patsy Yates’ Produce

Peaches – Webb’s Farm Fresh Produce and Patsy Yates’ Produce

Guide to Available Produce in Texas

Texas is blessed to have many diverse climates and regions. Scrumptious produce can be found growing all over this Lone Star State – no matter the season! Use this guide to know the best time to be on the look-out for your favorite fruits or vegetables.

January
beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, grapefruit, greens, herbs, honeydew, mushrooms, oranges, bell peppers, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips

February
beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, grapefruit, greens, herbs, mushrooms, oranges, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips

March
broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, grapefruit, greens, herbs, mushrooms, onions, oranges, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet potatoes, turnips

April
blackberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, grapefruit, greens, herbs, mushrooms, onions, oranges, peaches, potatoes, spinach, squash, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips

May
blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cucumbers, grapefruit, greens, herbs, honeydew,  mushrooms, onions, oranges, peaches, pears, bell peppers, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon

June
apples, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cucumbers, greens, herbs, honeydew,  mushrooms, nectarines, onions, peaches, pears, bell peppers, plums, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon

July
apples, blueberries, butternut squash, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cucumbers, cucuzza squash, greens, heirloom tomatoes, herbs, honeydew, mushrooms, nectarines, onions, peaches, pears, plums, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon, black durum watermelons

August
apples, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cucumbers, greens, herbs, honeydew, mushrooms, onions, peaches, pears, bell peppers, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnip, watermelon

September
apples, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, greens, herbs, honeydew, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, potatoes, persimmons, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon

October
apples, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, grapefruit, greens, herbs, honeydew, mushrooms, onions, oranges, bell peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon

November
apples, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, grapefruit, greens, herbs, honeydew, mushrooms, oranges, peaches, bell peppers, pumpkins,  spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, watermelon

December
beets, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, celery, cauliflower, cucumbers, grapefruit, greens, herbs, mushrooms, oranges, peaches, bell peppers, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, watermelon