Friday, May 31, 2013

Preserving the Berry Great Harvest

City Greeners, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. 


Strawberries have arrived.
These juicy jewels are only around for a snippet of the growing season, so get them while you can (but don’t worry if you can’t seem to fill up on these berry tiny treasures– after strawberries come blackberries, then blueberries and raspberries)!! If you’re looking for ways to stock up and extend the strawberry season, look no further.  Here are a few tips:

Tray Freezing: Gently wash your berries, dump them on a cloth towel to slightly dry, cut off the greens and a small bit of the shoulder (which you can compost!), and arrange the berries cut-side-down on a baking sheet.  Set the sheet inside the freezer for 12 to 24 hours, then transfer the frozen berries into freezer bags.  Volia – strawberries ready for winter!


Packed in Sugar: Again, gently wash the berries, then slightly dry them, and cut off the greens and a small bit of the shoulder.  Cut the berries into smaller chunks and put them in a bowl.  Sprinkle a little sugar onto the berries as you go, and mix them until you get a light coating on all the little berry pieces. Use anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 cup sugar for each quart of berries.  Leave the coated berry chunks to sit in the fridge for about an hour before packing into freezer containers.  Thaw and use in desserts like strawberry shortcake!

Strawberry Sauce:

                Ingredients
                2 quarts strawberries
                1 cup sugar
                1 cup water
                1 medium lemon, juiced
                Preparation
                - Boil sugar and water together for 5 
                minutes; cool.
                - Wash and hull berries, then puree 
                 in a blender.
                - Combine berries with sugar, water, 
                and lemon juice.
                - Pour into a container and freeze. 
               Great stirred into yogurt or as 
               an ice cream topping!



There are certainly other ways to make your strawberries last the longest - like drying and making preserves/jam.  Try them all out to find your favorite, and ENJOY! 

Images:
Strawberry Basket - M. Erhard

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Supa' Fresh is Supa' Ready

City Greeners, the Supa’ Fresh Veggie Mobile is gearing up to hit the streets.  As City Greens Market as a whole expands its hours, our mobile market will be going out two days a week. Be sure to follow us on Twitter to get any last-minute updates (or specials!) about the Mobile. If you’re interested in helping out at our morning stops (or at City Greens as a whole!) contact us.  


If you’re unfamiliar with the Supa’ Fresh Veggie Mobile, no worries! Our friends at Cooking Light featured our own mobile market in their August 2012 issue in an article focusing on Healthier Food Trucks.  Check out the Supa’ Fresh Veggie Mobile and the nation’s other most nutritious food on wheels here

See you at the market - or on the road!! 

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Extended Hours Coming Soon!

"When will City Greens extend its hours?!"

This is the million-dollar question we've been hearing at the market.  Well ask no more, City Greeners - starting the first week in June, we will be open for business Tuesday through Friday!


City Greens will still be at 1202 S Boyle - for now !  We're still working on raising $30,000 for our matching grant and have reached over $15,000 (!!!) thanks to generous donations from our shoppers and supporters. (If you haven't donated, you can do so here or when you're shopping at the market.)  We will be sure to get the word out when we're re-locating so our shoppers can continue to get the highest quality, most affordable food in the city.

Until June 4th City Greens will continue to be open at 1202 S Boyle on Fridays from 10 until 5.

See you at the market! 

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

KEEP VOTING!

City Greeners we still need your help!!!



Vote for City Greens Market through THIS Sunday (5/19)! Here's how:

Here’s what to do:

Go to the Grow St. Louis Facebook page: http://growstl.pcrea.ch/
“Like” the page
Click where it says “Vote Here” on the right side of the screen
Accept when it asks to learn your likes and friends
Search for City Greens
Vote for us! J
Please share this on your Facebook page and tell your friends and family - we need their votes, too! 


As mentioned above, you may vote by mail if you choose.  The mail-in application is found here -http://www.monsanto.com/stlouis/Documents/GrowSTLVoteForm.pdf.  To fill it out, just write in the following:
Organizatoin: Catholic Charities Midtown Center
Category: Health, Fitness, & Nutrition 
Project Title: City Greens Market
Then just add your name, the date, and your email address, then mail it in to:

Monsanto Grow St. Louis
c/o Paradowski Creative
349 Marshall Ave., Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63119.

Mail-in entries must be postmarked and received by the end of the contest on Sunday, May 19.  You can mail them in one per day that the contest is going on, but they only accept one vote slip per envelope. 


Thanks for your help in GROWING CITY GREENS!!!!


Thursday, May 9, 2013

Mother's Day Merch

City Greeners, Mother's Day is this weekend!



If you're still looking for a way to show some appreciation for your momma this weekend, there are plenty of goodies to purchase at City Greens                            (open Friday 10-5)!  Here are some ideas:

  • Singing Prairie Farm's Beeswax Candles - These guys burn slowly and cleanly.  They have a subtly sweet scent reminiscent of bee hives (but not the hairdos of mommas from past generations!).              $4.00 for a pair of candles
  • Kaldi's Coffee - If your mom is like so many moms of the world, she is fueled by love, angel kisses, and caffeine. City Greens has ground Fair Trade, Organic Birds and Bees (caffeinated) and Terra Linda (decaf).  We also have whole-bean French Roast (caffeinated) available in bulk.  Coffee is an appreciated gift for moms the world over.             $7.26 for 12oz. bag B&B, $7.58 for 12oz. bag TL, $8.30 per pound of bulk French Roast    
  • Kaldi's Tea - Momma not a coffee drinker?  No worries!  We have organic loose leaf teas from Kaldi's as well.  With blends like Orange Blossom, Green Tea Mint, Chai Masala, Earl Grey, and Jade Cloud, you're bound to find one that appeals to your mom's taste.  If she's new to the world of loose leaf, we also have tea strainers!                                                                                                         $4.57 for a one ounce package, $2.00 for a tea ball, but FREE with the purchase of two teas
  • Hanley Fold Farm's Handmade Goat's Milk Soap, Lotion Bars, Lip
    Balm, and Soap Dishes - Help pamper your momma!  We have an assortment of soaps (in scents like Clove Coffee, Lemongrass, and Lavender Orange) with soap dishes that are designed to help Mom get the most out of her soap. We also have HFF's lotion bars (in unscented, lavender, and orange lavender) to help keep hands silky-smooth, and lip balms (in coffee, coconut, unscented, mint, and huckleberry flavors) for the perfect pucker.                                                  $2 for lip balms and soap dishes, $4 for a bar of soap,                            and $6 for lotion bars
  • Tank's Treasures - As usual, Tank will be at the market from 10 until about 2:30 selling 100% recycled, refurbished, and handcrafted jewelry!  Each of Tank's treasures is very affordable, usually under $4 for each piece.  
  • LOCAL FOOD DINNER!  One of the best ways to show Momma some appreciation is by letting her take a load off while you cook her dinner.  Here's a recipe for a quick, easy, customizable City Greens dinner that Mom will absolutely love!
              Ingredients
                  1 lb. Werner Farm Ground Beef or Patchwork Family Farms Ground 
                          Pork
                  1 - 9oz. package Midwest Pasta Co. Pasta (your choice on the shape!)
                  2 oz. Marcoot Jersey Creamery Cheese (your choice on the flavor!)
                  1 quart jar Hilty Bee Yards Canned Tomatoes 
                  1 handful HOSCO Sunflower Sprouts

              Preparation 
                  1. Thaw ground beef/pork, then
                      crumble/brown in a skillet over medium 
                      heat.
                  2. While the meat browns, boil water for 
                      pasta in a pot.  Cook pasta according 
                      to package instructions, about 5-6 
                      minutes until desired  texture. 
                  3. Drain pasta.  Add browned meat .
                  4. Crush canned tomatoes in your hands 
                      over the pasta/beef and add them to the pot. 
                  5. Add sunflower sprouts to the pot and mix in. 
                  6. Shred half of the cheese in the pot, saving the other half.
                  7. Dish out the meal, shred the rest of the cheese, and sprinkle on each 
                      dish. 
                  8. Thank the farmers for your food, your mamma for her love, and 
                      enjoy! 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Grow City Greens! VOTE!

City Greeners, we need your help!


City Greens has been accepted into the Grow St. Louis contest, and have the opportunity to win $20,000!  One organization in each of five categories will win by popular vote; City Greens has entered in the "Health, Fitness, & Nutrition" category.

With funding from the Grow St. Louis contest, City Greens will be able to continue serving its misison of making healthy and affordable food available for all by moving out of its current location and into a more permanent space.  Getting food out into the community spreads the growing trend of healthy, local foods to low income families who otherwise could not access or afford such items.  The award money will be used for moving costs, building renovations, and establishing a storefront.  City Greeners, with this money, we will surpass our fundraising goal and will be able to move out of the basement!!! 


Anyone can vote once per day throughout the voting period, which started yesterday (!) May 6 and runs through Sunday, May 19.  Here's what to do:

  • Go to the Grow St. Louis Facebook page
  • “Like” the page
  • Click where it says “Vote Here” on the right side of the screen
  • Accept when it asks to have access to your likes and friends
  • Search for City Greens
  • Vote for us! J


You can vote by mail if you choose.  The mail-in application is found here. Complete the form as follows:
  • Organization: Catholic Charities Midtown Center
  • Category: Health, Nutrition & Fitness
  • Project Title: City Greens Market
  • Name: (Your Name)
  • Today's Date: (Date)
  • Email Address: (Your Email)

After completeing the form, mail it in to:
          Monsanto Grow St. Louis
          c/o Paradowski Creative
          349 Marshall Ave., Suite 200
          St. Louis, MO 63119

Mail-in entries must be postmarked during the voting period, and received by the contest offices by the end of the contest - May 19.  You can mail them in one for each day that the contest is going on (a total of 14 entries), but they only accept one voting ballot per envelope. 

Again,  You can vote once per day, and the organizations with the most votes win.  Be sure to share with your friends and families, especially on Facebook.  

Thanks for helping to Grow City Greens!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Asparagus, Lettuce, and Spinach - OH MY!

CITY GREENERS!

Come on by the market today from 10-5 to sign up for a new membership - good for the entire YEAR!  We'll be at 1202 S. Boyle all day waiting for you. :)  As always, families that earn less than $30,000 receive a free membership; families earning more that that pay a membership donation of $150.  Everybody shops AT COST and enjoys our super-low prices.  Purchasing a tax-deductible membership pays for itself! 

We have a meat freezer stocked full of delicious locally raised meats, plus fresh deliveries of yogurt, cheese, and eggs.  Today the market is featuring ASPARAGUS, lettuce, and spinach, as well as lots of other fresh foods.

See you at the market!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Cuppin' Kaldi's

Our friends at Kaldi's Coffee roast a number of full-flavor coffee varieties.  City Greens proudly sells a few of their rad roasts at the market.  The folks at Feast Magazine featured our favorite coffee roasters in a behind-the-scenes video.  

Check out the video here to explore the precise roasting process (they roast 2,000-3,000 pounds of beans daily!), how "cupping" helps with quality control, and the precision Kaldi's Coffeehouses have in their brewing processes.  

Thanks for supporting City Greens, Kaldi's! 








 

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Feeling Lucky?!

City Greens is kicking off a contest!!! 


Windcrest's six Greek Yogurt flavors at City Greens

For almost a year now, the farmers at Windcrest Diary have been supporting City Greens Market by supplying us with fresh, local, and delicious(!) yogurt.  Farmer Kurt Bizenberger and his family hail from Trenton, Illinois, where they have been milking cows for generations.  Many of our shoppers regularly display their love of Windcrest Diary yogurt by purchasing it at our market.  

Well, City Greeners, there's a new way to show off how much you love the best yogurt in the land!  After a visit to the farm in Trenton, the City Greens Team has been inspired to raffle off a Windcrest Dairy t-shirt! The t-shirt image (pictured to the right) is a blown-up image of a 24 ounce yogurt lid - of course with Nestle the cow's picture! 

Here's how to enter: 
Receive one entry for every 5 points you turn in. 
To receive points, bring your Windcrest yogurt lids to City Greens when you come to shop. 
6 ounce lid = 1 point                  24 ounce lid = 5 points



The best part is, if we reach 100 total points, we will repeat this contest in June! 

So get to eating that yogurt, City Greeners!  YUM!