It's hard to ignore the tall stacks of fresh herbs all over the market right now. Among them, cilantro. Bright and refreshing, this herb is sure to add depth to your summer meals. 

Cilantro is the ultimate zero-waste herb. It’s best known for its delicate leaves, but the long, tender stems are actually where a lot of the flavor is concentrated. Even the seeds, which we know as coriander seeds, are edible and offer a milder, curry-like flavor. 

You can find fresh bunches at nearly any farm stand right now. Lifefood Gardens also sells them in microgreen form, and Dirty Girl often has flowering cilantro bouquets. They simply harvest theirs late, letting them flower and produce seeds. The delicate light purple flowers can be used as an edible garnish, and the plant is full of plump, green coriander seeds you can pickle or dry to use at home. 

Easy Eating: Dips like Zhoug, full of spicy Middle Eastern flavor, use cilantro from leaf to stem. Smear on a Basecamp Bakery bagel for a filling breakfast. For lunch, maybe Aloo Gobi, or Indian stir-fried cauliflower? This dish derives its full flavor from both dried coriander seeds and fresh cilantro leaves. For dinner, try this Pan-Roasted Chicken With Cilantro Lime Salsa Verde. You can pick up a free-range chicken from Riverdog Farm and a bag of brown rice from Massa Organics while you’re at the market scoping out the cilantro selection.

Zero Waste Pro Tip from Efren Avalos: To keep your herbs fresh for up to three weeks, remove any yellowing or wilted leaves and place them in the fridge in a mason jar filled with a few inches of water.
Red Cabbage Slaw with Cilantro & Citrus

Adapted from "Decolonize Your Diet," a locally -authored Mesoamerican cookbook now available at the Ecology Center Store
Ingredients
  • ½ head red cabbage, cored and finely shredded
  • 1 large carrot, cut into fine julienne
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 bunch green onions, diced
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp orange juice
  • ½ tsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper

Instructions
In a salad bowl, toss together cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and green onions. In a small bowl, whisk together remainder of ingredients to make a light dressing. Toss cabbage mixture with dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings.
This Week's Vendors
Saturday Downtown Berkeley

All Things Sharp
Blue Heron
Brokaw Ranch
Avalos Farm
Kaki Farm
Good Faith Farm
Golden Rule Organics
Lifefood Gardens
Flying Disc Ranch
Achadinha Cheese Co.
Little Fish
Kashiwase Farm
Orchard X
Stepladder Creamery
Triple Delight Blueberries Happy Boy Farms
True Grass Farm
Solano Mushroom
Riverdog Farm
Smit Farms
Gattonelli
(every other week)
Frog Hollow Farm
Higher Land Coffee
Tony's Kettle Corn + Crepes
Andy's Thai
Tamales La Oaxaqueña 
Cafe Zambala
Beber Almond Milk
Big Little Bowl
Your Granola Garden 
Laguna Garden Bakery
Morell's Bread
Obour Hummus
Phoenix Pastificio
Bolani
Coracao
Primavera Tamales
Bun Bao
Wild West Ferments
Sika Ethiopian Specialties
Tuesday South Berkeley

Kaki Farms
Avalos Farm
Massa Organics
Oya Organics
Dancing Crow Vineyards
Triple Delight Blueberries
Blue Heron Farm
Brokaw Ranch
Blossom Bluff Orchard
Lifefood Gardens
Full Belly Farm
Flying Disc Ranch
Good Faith Farm
(every other week)
Lucero Organics
Solano Mushroom
Dirty Girl Produce
Kashiwase Farm
Stepladder Creamery
Riverdog Farm
Smit Farms
Frog Hollow Farm
Little Fish Co.
Queen of Sheeba Honey
Phoenix Pastificio
Bolani
The Fruit Tree
Sika Ethiopian Specialties
(every other week)
Andy's Thai
Donna's Tamales
Thursday North Berkeley

Little Fish
Green Thumb Organics
Massa Organics
Golden Rule Organics
E&H Mushroom Farm
Riverdog Farm
Frog Hollow Farm
Phoenix Pastificio
Big Little Bowl
Donna's Tamales
Morell's Bread
Upland Apiary
Crane Creek Growers
Sika Ethiopian Specialties
Triple Delight Blueberries
Vendors Out
Tuesday
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Thursday
All Things Sharp: Until June 23
Saturday
All Things Sharp: Until June 25th
WIC Check Distribution
South Berkeley Farmers' Market
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
2–4:30pm
The City of Berkeley Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) team will be onsite at the South Berkeley farmers' market to distribute Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) checks to WIC cardholders.

Recipients will be able to spend these checks on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers' market vendors from June to late November. Please share the word to anyone you feel will benefit.
Alameda Master Gardeners at the Downtown Farmers' Market
Beginning on Saturday, June 11, the Alameda County Gardeners will be posted at the Downtown Berkeley Farmers' Market every other Saturday.

This resource-rich team exists to support local novice gardeners. Stop by with questions regarding anything from sheet mulching to pruning.
Start prepping for Plastic Free July!
Stone fruit season’s not the only thing to look forward to this summer—Plastic Free July is almost here!

Each year, the Ecology Center holds a series of events to raise awareness about the plastic pollution crisis and to help the Berkeley community take action locally. We’ve got some great events in store for next month, check out our events calendar for details. 
We're hiring!
The Ecology Center is seeking an individual with a strong enthusiasm for food access and sustainability to apply for a Market Manager (PMI) position at the Berkeley Farmers' Markets.

BIPOC folks, LGBTQIA-identified folks, women, veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. The application review process will begin Monday,
June 6.
Upcoming Events at the Berkeley Farmer's Markets
Saturday, June 4: Berkeley Public Library Story Time, 10:30–11 am
Saturday, June 4: Barbara Lee for Congress and Community for a Cultural Center Tabling
Tuesday June 7: WIC Tabling Event
Saturday, June 11: Alameda County Master Gardeners Tabling
Farmers' Market Hours & Locations
EBT and WIC Fruit & Vegetable checks gladly accepted and Market Match incentives distributed at all markets.
South Berkeley
Tuesdays, 2 - 6:30 pm
Adeline St. at 63rd St., 
Berkeley
North Berkeley
Thursdays, 3 - 7 pm 
Shattuck Ave. at Rose St., Berkeley
Downtown Berkeley
Saturdays, 10 am - 3 pm
Center St. at MLK Jr. Way, Berkeley
 
[Photo credit: Berkeley Farmers' Market Staff]