Roadside Markets: A Great Way to Start Your Spring!

Roadside markets are beginning to open for the season. Roadside markets and year-round markets will begin stocking locally grown produce that you do not want to miss. A number of vegetables (and one fruit) are most likely available in our area either right now or soon. See the list below for the vegetables that should be available somewhere close to you. This list is for people living in PA. If you live elsewhere, I suggest you start here for a comparable list. (There are two recipes below featuring two vegetables from the list Peas & Radishes.)

• Apples
• Asparagus
• Cabbage (May)
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Onions (May)
• Peas (May)
• Potatoes (ending in April)
• Radishes (May)
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

In addition to the joy of fresh, local produce, it’s also time to get outside and get into your flower beds. Also, It’s not too early to begin thinking about your vegetable garden. If you have flower beds, you can definitely be tending any perennials you have. It is also a good time for any perennials you’ve been wanting to plant. The list below is a great place to start if you have the urge to get outside.

• Keep ahead of the weeds.
• Turn the compost.
• Sharpen Tools
• Test and amend your soil
• Prune flowering shrubs when they finish blooming.
• Plant and divide perennials

A number of our partners will be opening soon or are already open. In addition to their own produce, many of them sell our cider and our fruit. The list below includes just a few of the many businesses with whom we do business. Stop by and see what they have! Some of them offer not only edibles but also offer plants and gardening related items.

• Good Harvest Farms - With locations in Strasburg and Wayne, PA, “Good Harvest Farms is a fresh market grower of fruit, vegetables, hydroponic lettuce, herbs, and flowers. They offer a range of locally grown, fresh produce. Additionally, they have plants and gardening accessories available.

• Harvest Lane Farm Market - Open year round, Harvest Lane Farm Market is located in Lititz, PA. Not only is their produce fresh and local, customers can choose from at least 5 types of milk. Thom’s bread and Olio olive oils are also available. Harvest Lane has many other high quality grocery items on hand, including their own locally grown beef.

• Village Farm Market - Open year round, Village Farm Market is located in Ephrata, PA. Specializing in homemade baked goods, delicious gift baskets and trays for any event, they also carry locally grown produce along with a variety of other grocery items. While you’re there, take care of your gardening needs right next door at the Village Farm Garden Center.

• Cherry Hill Orchards - Open year round, be sure to check out the Cherry Hill Orchard Outlet. Located in New Danville, PA, Cherry hill also offers u-pick of various in-season tree fruits. Shop the outlet for local produce and a number of other grocery items.

• Oxford Farm Market - There are many different vendors to enjoy at Oxford Farm Market, located in Oxford, PA. Open year round, be sure to stop in any Thursday, Friday, or Saturday for a variety of wonderful things to buy. Make sure you visit Sunrise Produce, and tell them Kauffman’s sent you!

• The Garden Shoppe - Open year round, The Garden Shoppe, located in Strafford, PA, is a gardening outlet and offers superb produce. Garden gifts and supplies are especially plentiful. While you’re there, pick up a beautiful bouquet from their floral design shop.

• Wilson’s Farm Market - Open year round, you don’t want to miss this gem in Bel Air, MD. With a delightfully fresh and open floor plan, it’s easy to find all their delicious produce and high quality grocery items. Don’t miss their delectable desserts. Grab an Apple Cranberry pie for a great finish to any meal or a dozen Chocolate Truffle cookies, a perfect coffee companion.

Recipes:

MORELS WITH MINT, PEAS, AND SHALLOT

Richard Kuo, formerly of of New York City's Pearl & Ash restaurant uses preserved lemon, a Moroccan staple, to brighten this simple spring dish.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 shallot, roughly chopped

8 oz. fresh morels, cleaned and trimmed

8 oz. snow peas, trimmed

8 oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 cup fresh peas

3⁄4 cup mint leaves, roughly torn

2 tbsp. minced preserved lemon peel

1 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions:

Heat butter and oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high. Cook shallot 1 minute. Add morels and snow and snap peas; cook 2 minutes. Add fresh peas; cook until morels are tender, 2–3 minutes. Stir in mint, preserved lemon, and salt.

Simple Roasted Radishes Recipe

From Natasha of Salt & Lavender

What do roasted radishes taste like? Cooked radishes are a lot milder than raw ones. Roasting them takes away that sharp edge that raw radishes often have.

A lot of people on low-carb diets like to substitute roasted potatoes with roasted radishes. I don’t eat low-carb, but there’s a fun fact for you. These roasted radishes are keto-friendly.

How to roast radishes

Cut radishes into roughly equal pieces. Coat them with olive oil in a roasting pan and toss with salt & pepper. Roast at 400F until they’re tender-crisp.

I ended up roasting mine for about 30 minutes since they were a bit larger (even after cutting them up).

I’d check your radishes after 15 minutes if yours are on the smaller side. It also depends on how tender you want them to be.

Ingredients:

1 bunch radishes greens and ends removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Fresh chopped parsley to taste (optional)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400F. Move the rack to the middle position.
• Cut the radishes into equal-sized pieces. If they're particularly large radishes, cut them into quarters. Otherwise, cut them into halves.
• Add the radishes to a baking dish and toss them with the olive oil and salt & pepper. Roast them face down if you want them to brown nicely.
• If the radishes are small, roast them for 15 minutes and check to see if they're done to your liking. If they're larger, it may take up to 35-40 minutes to get them tender. Mine took about 30 minutes to get tender-crisp.
• Toss with freshly chopped parsley if desired.