Garden Fresh Cooking at Farmers' Market

Category: Local News Releases Local News Releases
Published: 23 June 2014 23 June 2014

Photo: Silver City Farmers' patron tries a sample of a garden fresh omelet dished out by Judy O'Loughlin (right).

Silver City, New Mexico, June 24, 2014: The community has a chance to taste garden fresh recipes straight from the farmers at the Silver City Farmers' Market all through the growing season. The Garden Fresh Cooking Demonstrations are scheduled for June 28, July 26 and August 9 at the Silver City Farmers' Market from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the MainStreet Plaza, off Bullard St. between 7th and 8th St.

Grant County Extension Service, Judy O'Loughlin will be serving up fresh recipes with produce straight from the Farmers' Market and local growers thanks to a grant from the United Way and the Grant County Community Health Council. O'Loughlin says the demonstrations, "Let people taste the produce available and see how easy it is to cook, plus it also gives an economic boost to our local farmers."

O'Loughlin said, "Two weeks ago we did our first demonstration with omelets. We went through two dozen eggs, and then we made Swiss chard and onions; the smell was fantastic, and all the produce came directly from the farmers at the Market."

 

Photo: A garden fresh omelet made with local eggs and vegetables by Judy O'Loughlin 

The cooking demonstrations start at 8:30 a.m. O'Loughlin says the food is usually ready 15 minutes later for tasting. O'Loughlin said this month's recipe will be beef fajitas made with grass-fed organic beef and fresh vegetables, "June is Beef Month, and we want to promote our local ranchers and farmers!" In July, calabacitas are on the menu which is a regional dish that combines the ample summer squash available with corn and tomatoes.

O'Loughlin says that buying from local growers "saves money and nothing tastes as good as fresh. The produce hasn't had to travel far to reach your plate." Fruits and vegetables can travel over 1,500 miles to get to your plate, according to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Locally grown produce is often fresher and purchasing it boosts the local economy.

4-H Club members will be lending a hand at later Garden Fresh Cooking Demonstrations. Also, later in the season, the Extension office will be offering a three week series of classes on food canning and preservation including freezing and drying, water bath canning and food pressure canning processing.

The Grant County Extension Services will offer a Masters Gardeners class in the future. The class is a 16-week training program to teach people how to farm, and participants will become part of a volunteer pool for the community to help with horticultural issues and garden questions.

The cooking demonstrations are part of a grant received by the Health Council from the United Way which has also funded school gardens at 6th Street School, Hurley Elementary School and San Lorenzo Elementary School; the Student Garden Expo in March, and the recent Grocery Store Tours in Bayard and Silver City.

The Grant County Community Health Council is the Health and Wellness Planning Authority of the Grant County Board of Commissioners, and is supported by Gila Regional Medical Center.

For more information on the Grant County Extension Service's Food Canning and Preservation classes or the Master Gardener classes call (575) 388-1559. For more information on the Health Council call (575) 388-1198.

 

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