March 2, 2019

Saturdays 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
New Plants & Trees In
This Saturday!
Come by the Market on Saturday and check out the selection of fresh new plants from a few of our vendors. Whether you have a house with a yard, a farm with room for more trees, or an apartment with a balcony, there should always be room to grow! This season is bringing in great things already, so don’t you miss out!  
Save the Date!
National Ag Week is March 10-16, 2019. (National Ag Day is March 14, 2019.) Join us as we celebrate the great things the universe has to offer on and from the great grounds of Mississippi. This celebration will be held on Saturday,
March 16 at the Farmers Market. Stay tuned for more details.

About National Ag Day & Week

This is an annual time to show appreciation and celebration for agriculture. Producers, organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies associated with agriculture take advantage of this opportunity to promote and educate across the country.
DID YOU KNOW?

In 2017, according to the Farmers Market Coalition, "American farmers receive only  17.4 cents of every dollar   American’s spent on food. At farmers markets, farmers go home with upwards of 90 cents on the dollar." Farmers markets are an easy way to support Mississippi agriculture! 

Screamin' for Greens!

The results are in...

Last week's newsletter included a survey asking which type of greens everyone prefers the most. The options were: collard greens, mustard greens, kale, turnip greens, cabbage, and spinach.

And the winner with 30.77% of the v otes is...

SPINACH

The Southern-Style Spinach Lasagna Recipe Grandma Forgot to Give You
Since so many of you are in love with the flavor of some of good ole low-calorie, water-rich spinach, we made it our duty to serve you with a spinach-enhanced recipe that Grandma forgot to give you. Besides, making spinach a part of your diet may benefit eye health, reduce oxidative stress , help prevent cancer, and lower the levels of your blood pressure. Why not say yes tot this delicious leafy veggie?

Pick up fresh ingredients from the Farmers Market this Saturday to make this dish!
Yield: Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 large onions (2 white, 2 red, 2 yellow), halved and thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups low-fat chicken or vegetable stock, divided
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh diced oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to season to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to season to taste
  • 9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles
  • 18 ounces of fresh spinach
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups part-skim ricotta
  • Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan, divided

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Heat oven to 375°F.
  2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic; toss to coat.
  3. Add 1 cup stock; cover and reduce heat; simmer until onions are soft, 20 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid.
  4. Add scallions, oregano, salt, and pepper to onion mixture; increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates, 20 minutes.
  5. Cook noodles as directed on package; drain and blot dry.
  6. Spray the olive oil cooking spray in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and cover; allow to cook for 5 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry, and season with salt and pepper.
  7. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour; stir until roux is brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
  8. Add remaining 1/2 cup stock to reserved liquid; whisk into roux until thick, 5 minutes.
  9. In a bowl, beat egg; stir in ricotta and zest.
  10. Coat a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray; spread half of stock-roux mixture on bottom.
  11. Line pan with 3 noodles; layer on half of onion and ricotta mixtures, half of spinach and 1/3 cup Parmesan.
  12. Repeat layer with 3 noodles, remaining onion and ricotta mixtures and spinach, and 1/3 cup Parmesan.
  13. Top with remaining 3 noodles, half of stock-roux mixture and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan.
  14. Cover with foil; bake until light brown, 50 minutes.
  15. Reduce heat to 325°F; remove foil and bake 15 minutes more.
  16. Let lasagna sit 15 minutes; serve.

Per Serving: 482 calories, 20 g fat, 8 g saturated, 51 g carbohydrates, 11 g fiber, 28 g protein

Available at the market: onions, garlic, oregano, spinach, salted butter, and eggs
The 13 Healthiest Leafy Green Veggies
Spinach is definitely not the only leafy green veggie you should pick up at the Farmers Market. There are many other green "things" you should include in the family's diet as you prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks.Many of these green veggies are available at the Farmers Market--fresh and local, of course!
What's Fresh this Week

These are just some of the of the good things you can look forward to seeing Saturday. Bring a friend or two. Share the wealth of fresh foods!
Broccoli - Cabbage - Variety of Greens
Lettuce - Brussels Sprouts - Carrots
Cauliflower - Radishes - Beets - Herbs
Rutabagas - Greenhouse Tomatoes - Eggs
Milk - Cheese - Butter - Beef
Pork - Lamb - Honey - Mississippi-Grown Rice
Jams - Jellies - Salsa - Coffee
Works from Local Artisans
Fresh Cut Flowers - New Plants & Trees - Delectable Baked Goods
And So Much More!


We'll see you Saturday!
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
“ Humor keeps us alive. Humor and food. Don't forget food. You can go a week without laughing.” 
―  Joss Whedon
Trivia Question
We'll post the results and the correct answer in next week's newsletter.
Mississippi Market Bulletin
Stay in the know about everything agriculture-related in Mississippi with our bi-monthly Mississippi Market Bulletin newspaper. You can even read and place agricultural ads in it when you subscribe. The newspaper is published on the 1st and 15th of every month and is available to you at a low rate for 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year subscriptions. Go ahead. Subscribe here today!
Genuine MS
Farmers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, artisans and craftspeople who have products that are Grown , Raised , Crafted or Made in Mississippi are eligible to become members of Genuine MS.
Genuine MS also offers Associate member status for those who support agriculture. Associate members include retailers who carry Genuine MS products, restaurants that serve Mississippi products, or farmers markets, agritourism operations, and other organizations that support agriculture in our state.
The Farmer's Table
The Farmer's Table is located at the Mississippi Farmers Market. It is open for dine in or carry out breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until.
Mississippi Farmers Market
929 High Street / Jackson, MS 39202 / 601.354.6573 / Saturdays 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE
ANDY GIPSON, COMMISSIONER