Buying local produce is an excellent means of ensuring freshness, as well as supporting community farmers. And farmers markets serve as a one-stop shop for customers to meet area growers and purchase in-season produce.
Tim Guldan’s family has been selling produce at farmers markets since he was 8 years old. His parents established Guldan Family Farm near New Ulm in 1987, and, as the family puts it, they’ve grown everything from asparagus to zucchini.
Guldan grows about 50 different crops, totaling roughly 150 varieties. Their produce is sold at both the Mankato and New Ulm farmers markets. He noted his sweet corn should be coming into season relatively soon.
“Otherwise, green beans have come into season now,” he said. “Cucumbers should be shortly, as well as zucchini and summer squash.”
Guldan added, “Peas are still in season depending on how the weather treated them, but we’re starting into the main season where are our large onions are ready, as well as potatoes.”
A noted perk of coming to a farmers market is that customers can directly ask questions such as how items are grown and what are the best ways to keep certain produce or prepare it.
“And plus, the other big perk, of course, is that it’s going to be that much fresher,” he said. “Odds are it was picked the day of or the day before, and we’ve brought it right to you.”
A favorite food of Guldan’s to prepare is early potatoes.
“What I’ll do is just simply cut them into bite-size pieces, steam them with some fresh onions in the microwave ‘til they’re soft. And then drain the water, mix in a bit of butter, seasoned salt and enjoy just like that.”
Another longtime vendor is the Kleinschmidt family with Country Gardens. They began selling produce with Mankato Farmers’ Market in 1985.
Operated by Bernie Kleinschmidt, Sr., along with his wife, Bertha, and their son, Bernie, Jr., their farm is near Lewisville.
“We just started getting tomatoes,” Bernie, Sr. said. “We have lots of them now.”
His preference is to enjoy them fresh and sliced. Bertha’s recipe for canned salsa (included in this article) calls for both tomatoes and onions, both of which are now available at their stand. Other current in-season produce with Country Gardens includes pickling cucumbers, cabbage, kohlrabi and lettuce.
Bernie, Sr. noted this year’s rainfall has caused them to deal with some field areas flooding out. Dan Zimmerli with Cedar Crate Farm is also dealing with negative impacts from the weather at his Waldorf farm.
“It’s always important to support local businesses, but this year really underscores why it’s important,” Zimmerli said. He explained when vegetable farms lose a crop, in most cases it results in a zero as they do not have access to the same types of crop insurance as, for example, corn and soybean farmers do. “That’s the kind of predicament that we’re in.”
Zimmerli and his wife, Lara, utilize high tunnels for some of their crops, and he noted the produce growing in the high tunnels is doing better than what’s outside of them. Lettuce that was transplanted in a field a week ahead of lettuce put in the high tunnel is currently a week behind.
“So, that’s a two-week difference in days to maturity based on that planting difference,” Zimmerli said.
Cedar Crate Farm’s current lineup still is, fortunately, extensive. In-season items include broccoli, broccolini, lettuce, kale, green beans, beets, carrots, green onions, celery, cilantro, basil, zucchini, summer squash and cabbage.
Zimmerli said this time of year is especially fun to cook as so many vegetables are at the peak of their flavor.
“Seasonal stuff — it just always tastes better than stuff out of season that’s shipped in,” he said. “It’s just a rule.”
Cedar Crate provides their market customers with recipe cards of their tried and true dishes. They color code ingredients that they supply, as well as those that can be purchased from other market vendors. Their recipe for Italian sausage and broccoli pasta is included in this article.
The Mankato Farmers’ Market is held 11 months of the year. The summer market is open 3-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays at the Best Buy parking lot. For a list of other area markets, visit minnesotagrown.com/member-category/farmers-markets/.
Canned Salsa
Courtesy Country Gardens
Ingredients
• 12 to 15 large tomatoes
• 2 large onions
• 2 large green peppers
• 1 large red pepper
• 1 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• Assortment of hot peppers, to your taste
Instructions
1. Peel and quarter tomatoes, scoop out seeds.
2. Combine all ingredients, cook and boil.
3. Simmer 1 hour, stirring now and then.
4. Put in sterile jars and seal.
5. Process in hot water bath or pressure can.
Easy Broccoli & Sausage Pasta
Courtesy Cedar Crate Farm
Ingredients
• 1 bunch broccoli (about 4 cups chopped)
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper of 1/2 cup chopped poblano pepper, optional
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded pecorino, romano or parmesan cheese
• 12 ounces pasta (rotini, orecchiette or farfalle recommended)
Preparation
1. Bring salted pasta water to boil and preheat skillet on medium high heat until olive oil is shimmering.
2. When pasta water is boiling, add sausage to skillet, break apart to brown and then add pasta to the water. The goal is to have the pasta 90 percent done by the time the sausage is browned.
3. Leave sausage undisturbed until browned on one side, about two minutes. Add garlic and stir until aromatic, about another two minutes.
4. Add broccoli and if using, peppers. Toss until color changes, about two minutes, then add about 1 cup of pasta water to your skillet.
5. When pasta is just shy of al dente (about 2-3 minutes less than time listed on package), transfer pasta to skillet and combine.
6. Add parmesan cheese and more pasta water if necessary until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
About this recipe: This recipe is QUICK. Prep work takes 5-10 minutes and it cooks in about 10 minutes. You can omit the peppers entirely or add red pepper flakes or hot sauce to fit your tastes.