Spring Veggies and a Friend

Posted on by Fairydiddle Farm

A little fairydiddle (chipmunk) has been skittering around my front yard this week, bringing a smile to my face simply by her presence. The first time I saw her, she posed just long enough for a photo, and two days later, I watched her gathering nesting materials from a flower bed. If I see her again, I might have to give her a name!

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Broadway Community Market kickoff last Saturday. We had a great first day! It looks like the rain will hold off for our second market tomorrow morning, and we have a great lineup of vendors again, plus live music at 11.

I will be set up with the same offerings as last week, along with the first of the radishes and sugar snap peas:

  • lettuce
  • radishes
  • sugar snap peas
  • hot salt and fire salt
  • potted herbs
  • cloth produce bags
  • dishcloths
  • scrubbies
  • Swiffer covers
  • skillet handle covers

If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for email updates so you can see which vegetables will be available each week as the season progresses (see sidebar at the top of the page).

See you at the market!

Market Kickoff This Saturday!

Posted on by Fairydiddle Farm

The Broadway Community Market has gotten a makeover, and I am excited to join this wonderful little market as new managers breathe life back into it! Conveniently located right along Main Street, Broadway Community Market (formerly Broadway Farmers Market) will be open every Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., beginning this Saturday, May 21.

We have a great lineup of vendors selling fresh produce, local meat and eggs, handmade items, baked goods, prepared foods, and much more! Follow the market’s Facebook page to see spotlights on each vendor.

Fairydiddle Farm will of course be set up with early spring offerings:

  • lettuce
  • hot salt and fire salt
  • potted herbs
  • cloth produce bags
  • dishcloths
  • scrubbies
  • Swiffer covers
  • skillet handle covers

If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for email updates so you can see which vegetables will be available each week as the season progresses (see sidebar at the top of the page).

Hope to see you soon!

Happy Earth Day!

Posted on by Fairydiddle Farm

To celebrate and nurture the earth during Earth Week, I have been posting a few sustainable food tips on Facebook. I’m also including them here in this special Earth Day blog post so you can read them all in one place. Each of these tips is easy to implement, and I hope you take the time to try at least one of them. Thank you for helping to make the world a little better!

Earth Week tip #1 – Use reusable produce bags!

Reduce single-use plastic waste by bringing your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store, food co-op, and farmers market. You can choose from a variety of styles, but I prefer cotton drawstring bags. These machine-washable sacks can hold not only fresh produce but also bulk foods like dried beans and popcorn.

Make your own from old t-shirts or sheets and scrap ribbon if you enjoy sewing. Premade bags can also be purchased at many grocery stores and food co-ops – or from Fairydiddle Farm! 🙂

Earth Week tip #2 – Eat more veggies!

Eating a more plant-based diet might be the most effective thing you can do as an individual to help stop climate change. It can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and risk of chronic disease. In short, it’s healthier for the planet and your body!

Eating less meat can seem daunting if you’re used to having it every day, but you can start one bite at a time. Choose one day, or even just one meal, each week to go meatless. Or get creative about using less meat in each meal, such as making a chicken casserole rather than eating roast chicken.

Instead of focusing on reducing animal products in your diet, you can challenge yourself to eat more plant-based meals. It’s amazing what a difference mindset (adding vs. subtracting) can make!

Earth week tip #3 – Reduce food waste!

One-third of food produced does not get eaten. At every stage of raising and preparing it, food is wasted, contributing to about 8% of global emissions. What can you do? Quite a bit, actually!

First, always take inventory of your kitchen before going shopping, and write a grocery list based on what you already have and need to use up. Limp carrots in the crisper? Get soup ingredients! Wilting spinach and week-old milk? Quiche! And don’t forget about leftovers – they make great lunches. (Bonus: taking lunch to work is way more sustainable than grabbing fast food!)

When preparing a meal, don’t throw out any veggie scraps. Things like carrot tops and onion skins can go in a dedicated sealed plastic bag in the freezer. When the bag fills up, dump it in a stock pot, add water, and make vegetable stock!

Bits that won’t work for veggie stock can be composted – produce scraps should never end up in the landfill! If you have outdoor space, start a pile or purchase (or build) a composter. If you don’t, look into vermicomposting, which can be done indoors with no mess or odors.