A quick note regarding the current state of the produce markets.
Lettuce--I don't recall romaine lettuce ever being so expensive during the summer. Prices are approaching $40 for romaine and romaine hearts. Other lettuce(s) are making their move higher also, though our ability to obtain Michigan leaf lettuce and boston has kept prices down a bit.
Figs--this is the peak of the season. Varieties include black mission, kadota, brown turkey and calimyrna. Prices are lower for these sweet, versatile, treasures. Product can be obtained in cases of pints or in tray packs, where they are individually placed. The trays contain larger fruit and come in about 20 pieces per tray.
Berries--blueberries have bottomed out and prices have begun to rise. Prices have been under $20 for 12 full pint cases for several weeks, though that is about to change. Prices may climb rapidly. Raspberries and blackberries are also starting to become a bit more expensive. Strawberries seem to be stable for now.
Lemons--more growing areas, i.e. Chile and Mexico have entered the market, and some less expensive product can be obtained. Limes, on the other hand have firmed up and prices are higher.
Avocados--Mexican avocados are entering a bit of a gap in production, and you may notice their product is a bit thin lately, especially for making guacamole. We're encouraging our suppliers to bring in California avocados which are in the thick of their season and have a higher oil content. Their product is more expensive, but should be of higher quality for the time being. Let us know if the Mexican avocados are working for you currently.
Variety Peppers--which include jalapenos, poblanos, banana peppers, hungarian hots, cubanelles, anaheims, habaneros, serranos, and cherry bombs, are all beginning to show up at the Eastern Market. Spice up your life and feel the heat.
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( 2.7 / 69 )Farmers are busy harvesting right now. Farmers markets around here, and all over the country for that matter, are in the middle of their harvest season. It's really as good as it gets if you're a foodie.
Tomatoes--there's a glut of tomatoes around here right now and prices are falling. Varieties are plentiful. Choose from red ripe slicers, to orange, yellow, brown, and red cherry tomatoes, small and tasty compari type tomatoes, heirlooms of many types, romas and san marzano romas, grape tomatoes, green tomatoes and a few more varieties each week. The best part is that all the tomatoes are from Michigan and they are picked vine ripe or close to it.
Blueberries--blueberries farmers have prospered recently, due to the anti-oxidant hype, but Michigan has had a great crop this year and prices have been quite reasonable all summer. Some folks have requested special 5 and 10 pound boxes, and we've sourced gorgeous berries from the western part of the state for them. Berries are switching from the sweet Blue Crop variety to the tarter Elliot variety. They're the best for freezing.
Peaches--Michigan peaches are available now, but don't wait too long. Quality has been very good, though sizing may appear a bit small. There's nothing like a Michigan peach!
Lemons--California is getting a bit of competition from Chile and soon from Florida, and prices are a bit lower. That's nice to hear since lemons have been very expensive all summer.
Asparagus--there's a 2 price tier depending on whether product is air shipped or by boat. We'll usually pay the difference for air shipped product as it will longer shelf life. Prices are falling a bit.
Cherries--another season is in the record books. Michigan is finished for the year and the west coast has a few dribs and drabs left. What a wonderful piece of fruit!
Peppers--Michigan pepper harvest is going full boar and prices are low. California has finally come in with some decent outdoor red peppers and prices are lower here also. Many varieties of local "specialty" peppers are becoming available. Ask your sales person for details.
Spinach--has been a bit of a problem lately as many loads are being rejected for quality purposes, and supplies are a bit limited. Retail baby spinach was virtually non-existent last week.
Root Veggies--like beets, turnips, and parsnips are now being freshly dug, and prices are lower.
Cauliflower--prices are much lower here as California begins to get pressure from some other local deals.
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( 2.6 / 102 )I've been neglecting my blogging duties, as it seems as if I'm a once a week guy in the summer, blogging that is. Thanks for still tuning in, though. Here's this week's update or a preview of next week.
Asparagus--the market's coming down. Lots of local veggies in local markets are available, which makes it difficult to get too excited about Peruvian asparagus. Supply begins to exceed demand, resulting in a downward pricing trend.
Lettuce--salads are very popular in the summer and here the demand exceeds supplies. California growers have planted less acreage this summer, and local deals haven't picked up the slack. Prices higher for all varieties, especially for romaine and all romaine products.
Apples--I'll say it again. It's good to be an apple farmer these days. It doesn't even matter what variety, all prices are skyrocketing. I never thought I'd see a $50 case of red delicious. Outrageous!! The good news is that the fall U.S. crop is about to begin, and this has to pressure the market downward. A few early Michigan varieties are beginning which are traditionally good for applesauce and not too bad for eating as well. Jersey Macs, Lodi's, Mollies Delicious, Pristines, and Paula Reds (good eating), are some of the first varieties.
Strawberries--prices are climbing rapidly. There are still a great deal of berries to be harvested, so these high prices should not last too long. Blueberries are primo, and raspberries and blackberries are stable.
Celery--doesn't get talked about too much, but prices are much lower. Did you know Michigan is a fairly big player in the celery world?
Heirloom tomatoes--are getting really close to good supplies. Dribs and drabs(these are not heirloom tomato names)were around this week, which should pick up another notch next week. Stay tuned!
Mangoes--the variety Kent is now available, and when ripe these mangoes can be truly spectacular! Totally creamy, with no fiber, sweet and juicy. They may not be the prettiest of mangoes, so choose them by feel, not necessarily color. As long as they are a light green with some red or yellow beginning to show, they are potential winners. Choose them like an avocado, ripe when soft. Enjoy them while they're around.
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( 3 / 66 )It's unfortunate that when we have the most choices of fresh, local produce, everyone seems to have gone away on vacation. It gets pretty calm, i.e. slow, around town these days, which is always true after the Art Fair. Not good for business, but great for chillin'. Have you enjoyed Ann Arbor's entry into the world of Hollywood. California better look out, as Michigan is diving into the movie world. We're all going to have to learn to speak a new language to relate to this new way of life. And the food, let's show the Hollywood folks a thing or two about Michigan produce. That's where I came in; The Dog Days of Summer which is in the midst of our growing season.
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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