Here's a sampling of what's currently around.
Cherries--I just came back from visiting with Josh, a great cherry farmer, in the Old Mission Peninsula. We drove through his orchard, laden with several varieties of fresh black(ulster variety), red(Napoleon, Emperor Francis and the best one Ranier) and tart cherries still loaded on the trees. I watched as they mechanically harvested their tart cherries onto tarps and then into icy cold water. Did you know that Michigan produces over 70% of the tart cherries grown in the U.S. by the way, there is about 1 week left of sweet, crunchy, high quality Michigan sweet cherries.
Honeyrocks--these Michigan orange fleshed melons are now available in bins of 80, 100 or 120. Are you getting hungry?
Blueberries--the season is in full swing, and should continue for another month and a half. Prices are probably at there low point, so if you want to purchase a quantity for freezing, now's the time.
Sweet Corn--many farmers are in full swing for this summer favorite. Bi-colored corn is the favorite of Michiganders, though white and some yellow can be found. It appears to be a fantastic corn year. Prices are slowly falling.
Cucumbers--prices are stable for good quality cukes. Pickling cucumbers are available now as is pickling dill for those canners out there.
Tomatoes --Michigan tomatoes have begun, though not yet in full swing. Early varieties are currently being harvested and this warm weekend ahead should push the ripening process along nicely. Still haven't had any quantities of heirlooms to report, though it shouldn't be long now. Romas and grape tomatoes are just beginning to be harvested.
Green Beans--are coming on like gang busters and prices are dropping. Wax and pole beans are also available.
Eggplant--the common, large black variety is showing up at Eastern Market, and many other varieties should follow suit. They would include white, neon, Italian, Sicilian, Chinese, and Japanese.
Peaches --next week should be our maiden voyage to the peach growing belt on the western part of the state. We wait for the best free stone varieties like red havens and bellaires to remind you of how great Michigan peaches are!
Other vegetables currently available include: zucchini, yellow squash, an assortment of other tender squash, hard shelled squash like acorn, spaghetti and buttercup, greens of all types, herbs (Michigan Basil is available if you prefer) celery, green onions, green peppers, hot peppers, red, green and savoy cabbage, mini bunch carrots, bunch beets both red and gold, and radishes.
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( 3 / 88 )Well, the Agencies are still looking for the Salmonella, now in the Mexican Jalapenos. Well today's geography lesson is Frog Holler's jalapenos are currently from the great state of North Carolina, with Michigan product right around the corner.
Here's a look at other produce news:
Tomatoes--we're unfortunately not really moving forward here. We had one very nice shipment of Kentucky tomatoes and the next few just never really ripened properly. I've never seen anything like it. We'd leave them out trying to achieve better color, and they just sat there sticking their proverbial tongues out at us and not getting deep red like we'd hoped. We've had Louisiana tomatoes and currently California tomatoes and we're really hoping Michigan gets going soon. Actually, we should be getting our first shipment of Michigan grape tomatoes later this week or early next week. Roma tomatoes have been in a funk also.
Potatoes--in case you haven't noticed, the price of most potatoes, regardless of variety has gone through the roof. Idaho Bakers, Red A or B size and yukon's are all in the mid to high $30 range. Yikes!
Lettuces--even though prices are a tad high, there are more choices for us to choose from. The sweltering heat in California has let up and product is beginning to straighten out. Add to the mix a smattering of nice Michigan leaf varieties and salads are beginning to improve already!
Peppers--green peppers are now from Michigan. They're fresh and sweet. Colored peppers are still from Holland or Canada, and prices are stable. We should see outdoor red peppers from California soon which should be less expensive than the hot house ones.
Pea Pods and Sugar Snaps--quality has improved and prices are beginning to fall.
Berries--of all types has been a bargain. Strawberries have been in a supply exceeds demand situation with lower pricing. This is beginning to change though. Bushberry choices are abundant. From one of the best growers in the country, Richter Farms in Washington state, are gorgeous raspberries, blackberries, tayberries, and fresh currants. This is usually a short-lived deal of superb quality and taste. California product is abundant putting downward pressure on the market. The Michigan blueberry season is in mid-season form and if you're thinking of freezing some or using greater quantities, let us know and we'll source 5 or 10 pound lugs for you. We drive to the western part of the state to the farm to obtain these tasty morsels.
Melons--cantaloupes and honeydews have begun to recover after their bout with California's extreme heat. Quality is definitely better. The watermelon market is heating up a bit since it has been raining along the eastern seaboard, where the watermelons have currently been sourced from. Prices are a bit higher.
Michigan Peaches--are about 2 weeks away. Don't miss out on Michigan's finest peaches brought to you by Frog Holler. We source product from around the Benton Harbor market to bring you a true tree ripened peach. They're GREAT!
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( 2.7 / 77 )For many of us townies, the Art Fair is a good time to take a little vacation and let the outsiders inundate Ann Arbor. We know it'll be hot and we know it'll be crowded. Great people watching, though. Local restaurants tend to dumb down their menus in order to feed the hordes. So, here's a bit of produce information to supply those menus with.
Tomatoes--Kentucky tomatoes have begun, and the quality has been quite good right out of the gate. Prices have been about $20 for a twenty pound case. These tomatoes should take us right into the Michigan season. Grape tomatoes prices have begun to fall, and quality is improving. Roma tomatoes are still a bit expensive. Not much new on the heirloom front.
Mangoes--the world's most consumed fruit, the mango, is moving toward the end of its season. The Haden mango is about finished for the season and the next variety is the Kent mango. The Kent mango is probably the finest mango shipped out of Mexico. They have a very creamy texture and are virtually fiber free. Our biggest issue is getting them ripe enough. We're inspecting each load waiting for better maturity. They should be available for the better part of August.
Berries--with the abundance of summer fruit available, berries are in a supply exceeds demand situation, and prices are depressed. Good for us. This includes strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. If you want a treat, a variety of berries and fresh currants are available from Richter Farms, located in Washington State. These are some of the best berries of the year.
Apples--it's good to be an apple farmer these days. Even red and yellow delicious apples, fetch about $1/lb wholesale. All varieties are quite expensive from any growing area, whether it's New Zealand, Chile, or the U.S. It should be interesting to see where the markets go when the local deals get going.
Corn --this weather has been perfect for corn, and many more growers should begin harvest very shortly. Prices should be significantly lower next week.
Green beans--the same is true here also. More growers are bringing product to market and prices are falling.
Peeled Garlic --new crop peeled garlic has arrived from China, and prices are a touch higher. Remember, we carry both California and Chinese peeled garlic.
Beets--people love 'em or hate 'em. It's beet-o-rama time, as we're offering red and gold bunched beets, and baby (about 1.5 inch in diameter) beets. They're all local grown.
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( 3 / 58 )Michigan produce is almost in full swing. If you've been to the Ann Arbor Farmers market lately, you've noticed new produce items coming into season each time you go. Frog Holler Produce Co. has started selling Michigan sweet corn from Dave Ruhlig, a farmer in Carlton, Michigan. He has both bi-color and white corn, and he really knows how to get a jump on things. What ever happened to knee high by the 4th of July. Also, the day the Michigan strawberry season ended, the Michigan cherry season began, and how sweet it is! We start the season with incredible tasting sweet and tart cherries from the western part of the state. Our buyer drives over 250 miles to get these special treats. The sweet cherry season will go on for awhile, as we will transition to the Traverse City area, but if you have any desire to use tart cherries this year, this is the time to buy them. The growers we partner with grow several varieties of tarts, picked with stem on, and they're really special. So place your orders now if you're interested.
Here's a look at the rest of the produce story.
Blueberries--New Jersey, which is in full swing is ready to pass the torch to the wonderful berries from Michigan. We have hooked up with two progressive blueberry farms in western Michigan, and drive there to bring the best blueberries we can find, from the farm to you. These berries will be available in pints, and 5 and 10 pound boxes. As the season moves along, don't be afraid to freeze these flavorful berries for future use.
Asparagus--the domestic season is over and all product switches to Central America. It was a great ride over the past few months.
Oranges--Florida juice oranges are done for the season, as California Valencias will carry on for the summer. Actually, their maturity is surprisingly good, so the transition should be easy. California navels are basically finished also, so California Valencias will be the orange for garnish until Australian navels begin.
Melons--the hot weather in California is really causing havoc with the cantaloupe and honeydew crops. Prices are higher, and quality is lower. It may take a few weeks to get past this problem. There are a few options of honeyrocks we might explore if the situation doesn't improve. Watermelons are doing just fine, thank you.
Tomatoes--are still in a funk. We're not really proud of any outdoor product available to us. California tomatoes have just reached the Produce Terminal this week in Detroit, and we hear Kentucky tomatoes might start at the beginning of next week. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Shall we count the days until Michigan tomatoes begin. 1-2-3.
Green Beans--a couple of times a week we're able to procure some tender Michigan green beans. I almost forgot what they were all about. More growers should enter the fray shortly to provide great beans. Ok, I'm getting a bit carried away, but green beans should be one of the better options for a veggie choice in the upcoming weeks.
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( 2.9 / 77 )Here's a list of Michigan fruits and vegetables that are currently available:
Red and green cabbage, zucchini, yellow and cousa squash, fresh herbs
including arugula, thyme, curly and flat parsley, dill, oregano,and rosemary, green onions, mini bunch carrots, bunch beets, bunch radishes and turnips, romaine, green and red leaf lettuce, cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, broccoli, mustard, turnip and collard greens and strawberries. The list keeps getting longer. Remember this is a list of what Frog Holler can currently obtain, though not necessarily in our inventory. If you're interested in any of the above items, just let the Frog Guys know.
Other market news:
Cantaloupes and Honeydews--California is experiencing extremely hot weather, which is burning up the melons. Prices are beginning to escalate and pickers are being forced to pick melons a bit on the less ripe side.
Lettuce--the California heat is not sparing the lettuce crop. It's getting stressed and prices are higher for all California lettuces. What a great time for Black River Farms in Michigan to begin. They do a great job!!
Celery--has returned to a normal state after very high prices.
Fresh Figs--the season has begun for black figs which are now around $30 for a case of 12 pints. Fresh figs have become very hip in the retail and food service industry these past few years. Last night, I had some figs which were baked at 400 degrees and put in a salad with asparagus and blue cheese. Yum!
Sweet Cherries --Washington State is slowly getting started, though they have a relatively short crop. We hope to get some Michigan sweets and tarts from the western part of the state as soon as next week.
Green Beans --are virtually non-existant as rain in the mid Atlantic states has curtailed production. Prices are over $40 per crate. Michigan is only a few weeks away, and that should help a ton.
Tomatoes--I don't think any more substantial reports have hit the airwaves regarding the salmonella tomatoes. Currently, Frog Holler is offering tomatoes from South Carolina which come in a 25 pound (though they are a heavy 25# box) as well as 15# Canadian hot house tomatoes and Canadian tomatoes on the vine. The South Carolina tomatoes are a "home grown" type of tomato which are good tasting and a great price. Grape tomatoes remain high, though there seems to be pressure to fall, and roma tomatoes are just so so.
Berries --New Jersey, the leading producer of blueberries along with Michigan, has begun their harvest and prices continue to fall. This is a great time to bring blueberries into your menus as product should be plentiful for a few months. Currently blueberries are in the low $20's for 12 full pints. California strawberries have felt the pressure from many local deals around the country, so their prices have been depressed in the past few weeks. Prices are starting to rise as the heat takes its toll and local deals wind up.
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