Fresh from the Farm

September 1, 2019 by still a dreamer

I know I have waxed ecstatic periodically about the joys of having so many wonderful farmstands dotting the backroads of my county (the highest agricultural county in this state, BTW), so at the risk of perhaps repeating myself …

Look at this gorgeous produce I picked up yesterday! On the way home from food shopping at the supermarket in the afternoon I stopped at Phillips Farms to pick up a few fresh items, and as I approached the little red “house”, I heard one of the staff talking to a customer about Black Velvet Tomatoes. I was all ears! She pointed out the darker tomatoes above, and described them as much sweeter that the average field tomato, and therefore, great for salads, but could take over in a sandwich.

Don’t you love it when people know their stuff? So I picked up a few. Now as an artist, I also found them quite interesting, as I did when that yellow summer squash caught my eye. I’d never seen one with dark green ends, and was told they were really good, too. So with my black velvet tomatoes, field tomatoes for sandwiches, and a summer squash for I-don’t-know-what, my food shopping was complete for the week.

Once again, I am so grateful that fresh, beautiful produce is available to me from spring’s first asparagus to fall’s last apples and pumpkins. And that it’s no more than 10 minutes away, or at any number of farmstands brightening my drives as I go.

Yesterday wasn’t a corn run, but I suspect that will be on the agenda before long!

Posted in food, Home Stuff, Life, Nature, Photography | Tagged black velvet tomatoes, corn, farmstands, food, peaches, Phillips Farms, produce, squash, tomatoes | 21 Comments

21 Responses

on September 1, 2019 at 1:36 pm Lavinia Ross

It’s a wonderful time of year with all the fresh produce. I love autumn!

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- on September 1, 2019 at 3:41 pm still a dreamer
  
  Isn’t it? Me, too. Especially when the fresh-pressed cider starts coming in!
  
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on September 1, 2019 at 2:12 pm Letitgocoach

Love love love!!!

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- on September 1, 2019 at 3:40 pm still a dreamer
  
  And tonight I dig in! 🙂
  
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on September 4, 2019 at 10:23 pm Cheryl Capaldo Traylor

I love our farmer’s market! And I think veggies and fruit are both beautiful and delicious. We go every Sunday and pick out vegetables for the week. I don’t go as much in winter, but there are still quite a few farmers and crops out there. If I had sun I would grow veggies, but I’m happy supporting others who do and I’ll grow flowers.

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- on September 5, 2019 at 9:30 am still a dreamer
  
  I am very happy to have someone else grow fruits and veggies for me. I sometimes get carried away with so many delicious choices, so have to be careful to not buy more than I can eat in a week. We have one farmer near a previous place I lived (but not that far away), who grows about 20 varieties of apples. They grow in rotation so you have to keep up and check what’s in that week. And the cider! Different pressings every week, too. I miss him being around the corner from my house.
  
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  - on September 5, 2019 at 11:48 am Cheryl Capaldo Traylor
    
    Oh yes! The apple varieties! It’s so much fun to sample them all. Cider!!
    
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    - on September 6, 2019 at 5:22 pm still a dreamer
      
      I know … cider. Yum.
      
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on September 7, 2019 at 1:48 pm writersideup

Never heard of Black Velvet tomatoes, Jeanne! And we used to have more farms here. They’ve mostly been run over for shopping malls And it seems, by the time anything “locally” grown gets here, it all looks droopy and “sad” 😦 And if it doesn’t say “organic” I don’t look These look beautiful. How did they taste?!

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- on September 7, 2019 at 3:51 pm still a dreamer
  
  I hadn’t either. They look beautiful, but the jury is still out on the taste. Very unusual – not so much sweet. I think I’ll stick with the regular field tomatoes. I eat as much organic as I possibly can, but I also find (and I’ve actually spoken to some of the local farmers), that when the food is not traveling anywhere, it is often sprayed with a whole lot less stuff. I use a good “veggie wash” and feel pretty confident in my local farmers with a variety of produce. Still, certain fruits (like strawberries) and veggies, I will still only get organic.I’m still very cautious.
  
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on September 7, 2019 at 8:00 pm writersideup

Maybe they needed to ripen more? And have you ever heard of the “Clean 15” and “Dirty Dozen”? They help guide me when deciding, but I’ve been buying organic for pretty much everything unless I can’t, but will never buy any of the Dirty Dozen unless they’re organic. What I didn’t realize till just now, looking for links for you, was that the lists can change! They are updated every year *sigh* Anyway: https://www.produceretailer.com/article/news-article/2019-dirty-dozen-and-clean-15-lists-released

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- on September 8, 2019 at 8:49 am still a dreamer
  
  Hi Donna, Yes, I’ve been familiar with the Dirty Dozen, etc. for many years, and that the foods change. As a matter of fact, I did a post on that right here 7 years ago! https://stilladreamer.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/the-dirty-dozen-and-safer-eating-for-you/ Strawberries are on the top of the list and never leave, but I, too, try and keep up with what we don’t need to buy organic and which ones we really do.The list originates with the Environmental Working Group, and if you’re not familiar with them, check them out – many ways beyond the Dirty Dozen list above to eat and live cleaner and healthier – check them out – https://www.ewg.org
  
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  - on September 9, 2019 at 10:45 pm writersideup
    
    funny, I thought the link I gave you was from the EWG, but I guess it wasn’t lol…but I should’ve figured you’d know!
    
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    - on September 10, 2019 at 3:46 pm still a dreamer
      
      So your’e familiar with EWG, too. So much worthwhile information there for our health – and the environment – and more. 🙂 Our conversation is inspiring me to want to read some more again, too.
      
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      - on September 10, 2019 at 5:18 pm writersideup
        
        well, that’s good…I think! lol I feel like I spend an inordinate amount of my life having to read about health-related subject matter. Years-worth spent/wasted that I would love to have been spending being productive *sigh* Oh, well…
        
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      - on September 10, 2019 at 5:59 pm still a dreamer
        
        Look at it this way, if you hadn’t done as much reading as you have, you might not have even had the productive time you have had! 🙂 (Say that 5 times fast!)
        
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      - on September 10, 2019 at 6:15 pm writersideup
        
        hmmm…very unlikely I’m much worse now than I’ve ever been and it’s mostly been a downhill journey with health. Keep TRYing for uphill = research, etc. Money is largely what has always stood in the way, and lack of info through the years, even with all I knew then. We’ll see!
        
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      - on September 15, 2019 at 11:25 am still a dreamer
        
        I wish I had an answer for you, Donna. I would like to hear you feeling much better than you’re telling me. I’ve had my challenges, too, and yet we keep moving forward. You’re stronger than you know.
        Jeanne
        
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      - on September 19, 2019 at 11:24 pm writersideup
        
        Thank you, Jeanne 😀 oxox
        
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on September 10, 2019 at 9:47 am Andrea Stephenson

They look full of goodness and I can also understand why the inspired your artistic senses – they are like mini works of art in themselves 🙂

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- on September 10, 2019 at 3:48 pm still a dreamer
  
  There are like little works of art, aren’t they? Now that you mention it, I did spend a little time making sure they had a nice photo setting, too.
  
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