EBT, Debit and Credit Cards

WWFM now accepts EBT (former paper food stamps), debit and credit cards! Stop by the information tent to swipe your card in exchange for tokens to shop. Most vendors participate in this voluntary 21st Century Farmers Market Program, and signs at their tent indicate participation.

Plus for a limited time, EBT shoppers can use our Market Match for extra food! Swipe up to $10 on your EBT card, and we'll match it, so you get $20 worth of local food for just $10. Shop the market this weekend!

Noodles in Spicy Peanut Sauce with Seasonal Veggies

Many thanks to Linda Watson of Cook for Good for joining us at market with all of her great advice and savvy tips on cooking fresh market ingredients to stretch your food dollar. Linda's mantra is that you'll save money by cooking and eating delicious, seasonal food from scratch. You'll make a positive difference, too: for your health, your family, and for your community and planet.

The average Cook for Good meal here in North Carolina costs less than $1.18 per meal using thrifty ingredients and only $1.83 using green (mostly organic or sustainably grown) ingredients. That's less than the food stamp allowance of $1.99 per meal per person. And Linda shows how quick and efficient cooking can be.

Linda prepared Noodles in Spicy Peanut Sauce with Seasonal Vegetables at the market and shared samples as she talked about how to cook with out wasting anything! This dish is great for any time of the year because you can change it easily based on what vegetables are in season, and it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare!

Linda is teaching "Beans: The Basis for Thrifty, Healthy Eating" on July 17 and "A Tale of Two Sauces" on August 14 at Chatham Marketplace in Pittsboro. Check out her web site for details, more recipes and to sign up for her free e-newsletter.

Market Scenes: Focusing on Wellness and Thanking Sen. Hagan

Saturday marked the official start of the market's ability to offer those who receive Food & Nutrition Services benefits the opportunity to shop for local, healthy foods with their EBT cards. WWFM is the ONLY farmers' market in Wake County currently accepting EBT, debit and credit cards through the 21st Century Farmers Market Program!

We celebrated the start of this program with Nutrition & Wellness Day, featuring wellness screenings from WakeMed, plenty of nutrition and health education from Wake County Human Services, and Linda Watson of Cook for Good. We thank all of them for braving the heat to share their expertise with market shoppers!

EBT shoppers can take advantage of our Market Match incentive program while funding lasts--they can get $10 worth of free food when they swipe their EBT cards for up to $10. So $20 of local food for just $10! We thank the John Rex Endowment for its generosity in making this match possible and invite care-givers and service-providers in the community to help us spread the word about the program and the Market Match.

From DC to NC: Sen. Hagan Supports Local Farmers

WWFM President Juliann Zoetmulder also shared letters thanking Sen. Kay Hagan for her co-sponsorship of amendments to food safety legislation that would help protect local farmers. Lee Slade, a representative of Hagan’s Raleigh office, accepted the letters signed by more than 400 shoppers and vendors at WWFM and other area markets, toured the farmers’ market and visited with several of the farmers there to learn first-hand why amendments to S. 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, are so vital to North Carolina. The amendments seek to protect small farmers from being treated the same as large, industrial farming operations. In the photo are Zoetmulder, Slade (center) and Kevin Gordon, a market volunteer who coordinated the signatures and Slade's visit to the market.

Protecting such farmers is also key to keeping thriving farmers’ markets across the state open, as they meet a growing demand among consumers for access to local, healthy foods from farmers they know and trust.

WWFM Interview on “My Carolina Today”

Watch this interview on “My Carolina Today” and learn about the market’s exciting news: we are accepting EBT, debit and credit cards! Our market is the only one in Wake County to offer people receiving Food and Nutrition Services benefits the option of shopping for local foods with their EBT cards.

Kilowatt Ours Screening June 30 at Yes! Solar Solutions

Market sponsor Yes! Solar Solutions and non-profit NC GreenPower will host a free screening of the film Kilowatt Ours on June 30 with wine and cheese at 6:30 and the film at 7:00. The event is free, but space is limited so make reservations by calling 459-4155. The screening is at Yes! Solar Solutions' design showroom in Cary at 410 Ledgestone Way in Stone Creek Village.

Filmmaker Jeff Barrie offers hope as he turns the camera on himself and asks, “How can I make a difference?” In his journey Barrie explores the source of our electricity and the problems caused by energy production. Along the way he encounters individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities who are leading the way, using energy conservation, efficiency and renewable, green power all while saving money and the environment. This often amusing and always inspiring story shows, “You can easily make a difference and here’s how!”

EBT, Debit and Credit Cards Accepted at WWFM

Western Wake Farmers' Market accepts EBT (former paper food stamps), debit and credit cards at the market! WWFM is the FIRST farmers’ market in Wake County participating in the 21st Century Farmers’ Market program through the Leaflight Foundation to make this possible. We’re thrilled to lead the way in Wake County so that everyone has access to local, healthy foods. It's central to our mission of education and preventing hunger.

Market to Menu: Just Peachy

Nearly all the ingredients in this simple, beautiful and delicious Summer Peach and Tomato Salad are at the market right now! I made this salad with peaches, heirloom tomatoes, feta cheese, basil and honey--all from the market--last night to bring to a friend's house for dinner. It's a cool, fresh and light salad perfect for these hot days. (Photo credit: Gentl & Hyers; Styling: Kendra Smoot)

We finished off dinner with this Peach Cobbler recipe--couldn't be easier or tastier!

Thank You: 5% Day at Whole Foods Market of Cary

Thanks to everyone who came out to Whole Foods Market of Cary yesterday to support the market! Whole Foods Market of Cary hosted a Community 5% Day for the farmers' market on June 22 and now is donating $2,800 directly to our market. This was 5% of the store's sales for that day.

Local Mission

Whole Foods Market is committed to buying from local growers, harvesters and producers, and currently works with more than 250 farmers and producers in the South. The company favors growers and producer who farm organically and are dedicated to environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture. They seek out growers and encourage store department leaders to buy local items directly!

Whole Foods Market commits $10 million annually to its Local Producer Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans to local growers and producers to help them grow and expand their businesses. In the South Region, Whole Foods Market has provided more than $725,000 in local loans to producers in Durham and Pittsboro, here in North Carolina, among others.

Supporting Our Market

Whole Foods Market of Cary has been a strong supporter of our farmers' market since before it opened. We greatly appreciate its support in publicizing the market, helping us to raise funds and also coming to market with ideas, recipes and samples of dishes from seasonal, market foods for our shoppers!

All the funds raised from the 5% Day and prior fundraisers this year go to sustain the market and its educational and hunger prevention initiatives. Donations are always welcome and are tax-deductible!

Joel Salatin: “Local Food to the Rescue” on June 30

Sustainable farmer Joel Salatin returns to the Triangle on Wed., June 30 for a seminar, “Local Food to the Rescue,” at Central Carolina Community College's Pittsboro campus, 764 West Street. Begin with a tour of the CCCC Student Farm at 5:30, refreshments at 6:30, and the seminar featuring Saltin of Polyface Farm at 7 pm.

The Natural Chef program and the Sustainable Agriculture program present the free event, along with Carolina Farm Steward Association and the NC Tobacco Trust Fund. For more information, contact CCCC, 919-542-6495.

For a summary of Salatin's visit to Raleigh last fall, see our Learn page (scroll down a ways!). Anyone who has heard him in person or seen him in Food, Inc. and media interviews knows it's a treat to listen to him speak! He's incredibly knowledgeable and practical, as well as humorous.

Market to Menu: Summer Orzo

Market Manager Kim Hunter shared samples of this recipe last week at the Wake County Human Services building in Raleigh as she shared information with folks that our market is accepting, EBT, debit and credit cards! Kim says you can substitute almost any local seasonal produce in this dish.

Summer Orzo
Serves 6

1 lb orzo, cooked as directed
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 medium squash, chopped
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil, plus 1 tsp for skillet sauté
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
3 chopped tomatoes or 1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 large bunch basil, chopped
2/3 cup of your favorite strong-flavored cheese such as parmesan, goat cheese, or feta

Cook orzo as directed, rinse in cool water and set aside. Heat about 1 tsp olive oil in skillet, then saute onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chopped zucchini and squash, sauté another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

In large bowl, add sautéed vegetable mixture to orzo. Mix in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Stir in tomatoes, basil and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. This dish can be served hot or cold. Enjoy!

Market to Menu: Grilled Sea Bass with Garlic Butter

Thanks to Southport Seafood Co. for this recipe!
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
lemon pepper and salt to taste
3 TBS butter
1 1/2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs sea bass

Preparation:
Combine onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of fish. To prepare butter sauce, combine butter, garlic, and parsley, in a small saucepan. Remove from heat once butter has melted. Preheat grill for medium high heat. Place fish on lightly oiled grate, cook for 7 minutes. Turn fish and coat with butter sauce. Cook for 7 more minutes. Once fish flakes easily, remove from heat, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Road Trip: Feasting on Local Foods

We ran this story last summer, but we think it bears repeating! If you have a favorite restaurant serving local foods out of state or across North Carolina, let us know and we'll share it! Write to info@WesternWakeFarmersMarket.org.

A few years ago, Food Network aired a fun series called “Feasting on Asphalt.” Host Alton Brown and his crew rode across the United States on motorcycles in search of great roadside food made by regular people. He talked with restaurant owners and patrons along the way, and his crew made it a point to find local specialties in each area they drove through.

With summer vacations just around the corner, we might all want to think about eating local while "feasting on asphalt." Whether you’re taking a weekend road trip or heading across the country for your vacation, you can find markets and restaurants with fresh, healthy, local ingredients along the way and at your vacation spot.

Through the Eat Well Guide, you can enter a zip code or city/state, and then narrow your search for farmers' markets and restaurants, for instance, and the search engine will return a list of all the markets there or restaurants serving locally grown and crafted foods. It goes beyond this too, with co-ops, butchers, bakers, stores and more that sell local products. There's also a trip planning feature, but it seems to be on vacation itself right now...the site says it will be back soon.

There are other online resources for finding local food too. Check out Local Harvest and enter a zip code or city/state to find local farms, restaurants, grocers and more. You’ll not only eat well on the road, but you’ll be supporting farmers and the local economy wherever you are. Happy travels!

To Market, to Market: What Can You Buy?

What a great time to be shopping the farmers' market! Take a quick look at a few of the great foods available at the market this past weekend: eggplant, new potatoes, green beans, squash varieties, delicous peaches, greens and even live blue crabs!

Blackberries and blueberries are in, plus meats, eggs, cheese, coffee, wine, breads, artisan desserts and so much more are always available. Corn is even in … those farmers always have a few surprises at market for us!

Mini Caprese Frittatas from The Studious Chef

Thanks to Chef Tara Davis, The Studious Chef, for joining us at market on June 5 with her delicious Mini Caprese Frittatas. The eggs, tomatoes, garlic, basil and cheese can all be purchased at the market! Here is her recipe, which is great for breakfast or brunch.

Makes 18 mini frittatas

1 dozen eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 tomatoes, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup basil, chiffonaded (finely sliced)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBS good extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pan or muffin pan fitted with silicone muffin cups. (These work really well to ensure a perfect non-sticking frittata.)

2. Heat a large pan, add olive oil. Saute garlic for 30 seconds or until fragrant--do not brown. Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Drain tomatoes in a colander and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with milk. Add tomatoes, Parmesan, feta and basil. Season again with salt and pepper.
4. Pour into prepared muffin cups (filling just below the top) and bake for about 15 minutes or until eggs have puffed and are a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest--they will fall and become uniform in size after a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and a pinch of Parmesan. Buon Appetito!

Market to Menu: Local Summer Rolls

Kim Hunter, WWFM market manager, is so passionate about local food that she also has launched Sarah Cecilia's Good Food Co., aimed at providing fresh, local "real" food for everyone in the area to enjoy, regardless of their income.

Last week, Sarah Cecilia's served up its Local Shrimp Summer Rolls with Vinaigrette Dressing to rave reviews in Raleigh. When you're eating locally, you're eating in season, which means you may need to improvise a bit on traditional recipes to make them seasonal. In this dish, Sarah Cecilia's used a variety of veggies and herbs from the farmers' market to make this recipe work seasonally. Check out the recipe and some thoughts on how budget friendly this dish is.

Market to Menu: Cookbooks Guide the Way

I enjoy cooking, and I also enjoy how what I'm cooking for my family changes with the seasons. In the interest of full disclosure though, I have to admit that I may like reading about food and cooking even more. So I'm always on the look-out for new cookbooks for my collection! Recently, two new books caught my attention. Given their focus, I thought it was worth sharing here. If any of our market readers have them or purchase them, send us your own little review at info@WesternWakeFarmersMarket.org and let us know what you think!

First is a new book from Emeril Lagasse, Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh. A review from last week's Wall Street Journal seems favorable and includes a recipe as well. The author says the celebrity chef touts farmers' market shopping, grass-fed beef and fresh veggies, but she also notes that she finds the organization of the book a bit chaotic. I'm curious and will probably buy it before too long...

Second is Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods, from the folks who bring us the Edible Communities magazines, including Edible Piedmont, which explores the local food scene in our area. This one, published in April, has favorable reviews at Amazon.com, which also say the book is a good source of information for those who want to learn more about eating locally and the local food movement. It is divided by regions and includes recipes for the Southeast. If anyone has a copy, let us know what you think!