August 4-10 marked the 25th annual National Farmers Market Week. Marked by a proclamation by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) each year, National Farmers Market Week celebrates the role of local farms and farmers markets in the United States food system. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) acknowledged the celebratory week on social media, nodding to the thousand-plus farms in the state and reminding consumers that supporting local farms and farmers also supports the local economy.
Although National Farmers Market Week has passed, the spirit of visiting local farms and farmers markets can continue to be strong throughout the growing season with community support. For some farms, the only way to access consumers at the local individual level (as opposed to selling produce for local retail consumption, like restaurants) is through these markets. For others, farmers markets present opportunities for local travel and promote their farms in adjacent or nearby towns, thereby strengthening ties to a broader community and allowing consumers access to fresh produce they might not otherwise have.
The Jamestown Farmer’s Market, located at the Jamestown Recreation Center, is one of the six farmers markets in the East Bay, according to Farm Fresh RI’s Farmers Market 2024 Guide. The market runs this year every Monday from June 17 through September 9, 3-6:30 p.m. There, shoppers can discover the produce from Garman Farm, a family-operated grower based in Middletown, RI.
Garman Farm is a five-and-a-half acre certified organic farm situated near the Norman Bird Sanctuary, owned by Michelle and Jim Garman. The farm is located on Aquidneck Land Trust property, and the husband-and-wife team have been active growers since 2012. “We were both academics before,” Michelle Garman explains, “and then we saw an ad for land for lease. We had planned on using the land to feed ourselves, but then people started approaching us and asking to buy our produce.” So, they shifted plans, and the family started a business.
The farm grows about 40 different varieties of fruit and vegetable crops, as well as a plethora of flowers. Most of their business stems from retail programs, with the farm selling to food pantries like the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport and the St. John’s Lodge Food Bank in Portsmouth. Garman Farm also offers a CSA program for local residents, but for those not wanting the commitment or the expense, the farm operates a booth at the Jamestown Farmer’s Market to showcase their weekly wares. All of their produce is certified organic “because we wouldn’t grow it any other way,” says Garman. She explained that the certification title has to do with soil health and not using pesticides and herbicides that are not approved by the USDA.
For the August 12 farmers market, produce at the Garman Farm stand included Italian eggplants, cubanelle and shishito peppers, and ground cherries (or husk tomatoes). One of Garman’s favorite ways to use fresh eggplant is to cube it and slice some cherry tomatoes, put them on a sheet and drizzle them with olive oil and salt, and then roast and puree the produce to make a quick sauce for pasta, pizzas, and flatbreads. It’s a quick, easy, and delicious way to eat more vegetables, and it is perfect for the Garman family who work long hours on the farm and do not necessarily have the time to cook elaborate and involved meals every day.
Eggplant is native to Asia, with records indicating it was first domesticated somewhere near southern China and India. Eggplant is still a popular ingredient in Asia, and acknowledging the roots of this plant will deliver recipe and cultural awareness beyond the much beloved Italian eggplant parmesan. I drew inspiration from Omnivores Cookbook and Feasting at Home to make Sichuan Eggplant. And, learning that it is best served with plain or fried rice, I adapted the Thai Pineapple Fried Rice recipe from Cookie and Kate to create a sweet and spicy dish that highlights the versatility and deliciousness of the eggplant. This recipe will use Italian eggplant and cubanelle peppers that can be bought from Garman Farm.
Other irresistible produce found at the Jamestown Farmer’s Market includes ground cherries from Garman Farm and donut peaches (also known as Saturn peaches) from Narrow Lane Orchard in North Kingstown. Both fruits are addictive and “pop-able” (meaning you can eat a lot of these in one sitting) and act as a great and healthy after dinner sweet treat, especially if you have a bit of a harder time handling some spice.
Sichuan Eggplant with Pineapple Fried Rice:
For the Sichuan eggplant:
2 large Italian eggplant
4 tsp. salt
Water
Cornstarch
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. mirin
3 tsp. chili garlic paste
2 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. Chinese five spice
3 green onions
2 tsp. white pepper
2 ½ tsp. ground ginger
2 cloves garlic
For the pineapple fried rice: https://cookieandkate.com/thai-pineapple-fried-rice-recipe/
½ pineapple, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cubanelle peppers, diced
3 green onions
Sesame oil
6 eggs
6 cups cold white rice*
6 Tbsp. soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 tsp. chili garlic paste
Lime juice
Instructions:
- Begin by preparing the eggplant. Chop the eggplant into about ¼-½ inch thick half-moons or bite sized pieces. Place them in a very large bowl with salt, and fill the bowl with water so that the eggplant is submerged. (You may have to use two bowls. Split the salt accordingly.) Cover for about 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, chili garlic paste, sesame oil, and Chinese five spice in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Start chopping ingredients for the fried rice. Prepare and dice the pineapple, dice the onion, peppers, and green onion. Put the pineapple, onion, and peppers in a bowl for ease of access, leaving the green onion separate.
- Once the eggplant is finished soaking, drain and pat dry. Sprinkled cornstarch over the pieces. They should have a nice, thin coating on all of them. Then, sauté the eggplant one both sides in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You will have to do this step in batches. You will know when the eggplant is ready to be flipped because the top side will start to turn “green” when the bottoms have been thoroughly caramelized.
- As the eggplant cooks, heat sesame oil in a wok over medium heat. Scramble the eggs, and when the wok is hot, pour them in. Agitate the eggs until cooked and scrambled, then set them aside into a bowl.
- Add a bit more sesame oil to the wok, increase the heat to medium-high/high, and sauté the pineapple, onion, and peppers. Stir often, until the liquid has evaporated from the pineapple and it has started to caramelize and turn brown on the edges.
- Toss some green onion and the garlic and stir for about thirty seconds to awaken the flavors. Lower the heat back to medium, and add in the rice, soy sauce, eggs, and chili garlic paste. Stir well to combine, and let the mixture heat through.
- After all of the eggplant has been sautéed, put some green onions, garlic, ginger, and white pepper into the hot skillet. Stir constantly for about thirty seconds, pour the Sichuan sauce into the skillet. Let it bubble for another thirty seconds, then add the eggplant back into the sauce. Toss and coat well, and let the eggplant heat through as needed.
- Finish the fried rice with some squirts of lime juice to taste. Give it a last stir, then serve everything together.
Please list the farms and producers at the Jamestown market.