North Texas summer produce got the message that summer has officially arrived. Colorful fruits and vegetables overflow on the tables at the Coppell Farmers Market as the offerings expand weekly.
We are a local, seasonal farmers market; meaning that our farmers bring only what is ripening in their fields each week and some produce is short lived due to a short growing season. Eating with the seasons takes education, awareness and patience! For a chart of what’s in season now, click here. Our farmers use various growing methods. Some produce is organic (not certified), some is sustainable, and some is grown conventionally. Just ask the farmers.
Customers wanting early summer local fruits like blackberries, apricots, tart green Santa Rosa plums and purple plums need to purchase them now as it will soon be another year before they return. Blueberries will probably continue for a few more weeks. Now is the time to buy any of these in quantity for usage the rest of the year. Peaches will be around through most of the summer as different varieties ripen. All of these are good candidates for canning or freezing and some dehydrate successfully.
Peas are also short seasoned. Shelled peas now include lady cream, purple hull black eyes, and pinto beans.
With summer temperatures consistently in the 90s, spring vegetables are on the wane so get them if you see them before they disappear for nine months. This includes beets, carrots, turnips, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, kohlrabi, Swiss chard, and kale. One farmer plans to experiment with shade cover to extend his chard and kale season.
Available for the first time at last week’s market were corn, eggplant, okra, and tomatillos. Melons will appear very soon. Malabar spinach, a warm season variety, should become more available as soon as the plants mature.
Root vegetables that are available include red and yellow onions, red and white potatoes, and dried garlic. Green beans are yellows and greens, flat and twisted with yellow wax, jumbo, dragon, and provider.
A large variety of other green vegetables can still be found, such as red oak leaf lettuce, red and green lettuce mix, butterhead lettuce, mizuma, sorrel, and arugula.
Herbs such as mints and basil varietals, including Thai, Genovese, lime, and red are available, as are several sprouts and wheat grass.
The classic summer vegetables – cucumbers, squash, peppers, and tomatoes – are piled high in the displays. Cucumbers are ready for slicing and pickling, and come in interesting varieties like Armenian and lemon.
Squash span the color spectrum from whites and yellows through all shades of green with white and sunburst patty pan, yellow summer, all sizes of zucchini with round and long, large and small, dark green to light Butta. squash blossoms can top any salad or be served alongside an entrée.
Peppers love the hot summer temperatures as exemplified with the proliferation of varieties now. Green and purple bell, cayenne, shishito, jalapeno, sweet banana, padrone, Carmen green, and hot wax give customers choices for seasoning, stuffing, adding to salads, or freezing for future in all levels of mild to super-hot.
Tomatoes also offer a wide array of sizes, colors, and uses. The farmer can help customers decide which are best for sauces or frying and which are best for slicing fresh. Varieties include green, red slicer, cherry, lemon boy, Roma, heirlooms, gem, solid gold, sun gold, grape, and Julie.
In addition to produce, pastured beef, lamb, pork, and chicken raised on a natural diet are available.