Fall Into Citrus Season! | October 17, 2022

Fresh & Local:

Fall Into Citrus Season!

Have you noticed satsumas are back at CCFM markets? Though still a little green on the outside, these delicious fruits have officially passed this season’s sugar test and are ripe and ready for consumption! Juicy and sweet, satsumas are easy to peel and sure to make your mouth happy. Eat them plain, juice them, or mix them into salads––no matter how you eat them, satsumas light up all our taste buds October through January.

L’Hoste Citrus is officially back at our Tuesday markets, selling satsumas, lemons, limes, persimmons, and more! Star Nursery, another Plaquemines Parish citrus grower and long-time market vendor, starts all CCFM weekly markets this Tuesday. Get their fruits individually or by the bag. Limes are a summer crop, while satsumas and lemons are just starting, so get them all at one time while you still can! The arrival of citrus coincides with cooler weather and the return of many fall fruits and veggies to market. Come to any of our three weekly markets and see what’s newly back in season!

Picks of the Week:

National Farm to School Month!

October marks National Farm to School Month! Farm to school is an effort to get fresh, locally sourced produce into schools, while providing accompanying education so kids learn the benefits of healthful food through curriculum, school gardens and eating. Lester Williams, the owner of Williams Produce and President of the Pointe Coupée Minority Farmers Cooperative, is a CCFM vendor who also participates in farm to school educational and procurement activities and is featured in this Harvest of the Month video created by Louisiana Public Broadcasting. As Mr. Williams says, “Bringing fresh vegetables to the school and helping kids eat more healthy is one of the best things any vegetable farmer could do.” Try some of Williams Produce’s delicious first of the season mustard greens and fresh tender beans and peas at home in a CCFM or Produce + home delivery box!

Redeem Your FMNP Vouchers!

Reminder: November 30th, 2022 marks the last day to redeem WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) benefits this year! FMNP benefits can be spent directly with certified farmers––look for the yellow signs!––to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and (for seniors only) honey. Market Umbrella is offering a dollar for dollar match of FMNP benefits! If you have an FMNP card, don’t forget to stop by the orange Welcome Tent at any of our CCFM locations to get your one-time FMNP match of $28!

Meeting Shoppers Halfway

At Market Umbrella, our mission is to cultivate the power of farmers markets to drive economic and community health in the region. We believe farmers markets should serve the interest of the wider community. Our Market Match program aims to increase food access in the greater New Orleans area by making it easier for people facing food insecurity to buy the best local produce available. Market Match is available at all of our markets as well as with our partners Top Box Foods Louisiana, River Queen Greens, and Grow Dat Youth Farm. Through Market Match, we’ll match each EBT dollar spent at our markets and with our partners, up to $60 per purchase/market day. By increasing the spending power of current and future customers, sales increase for local farmers and dollars stay in the local economy, so everyone wins––farmers, shoppers, and the community at large!

Vendor of the Week:

L’Hoste Family Farm

Orange you glad citrus season is here!? L’Hoste Citrus is back at market with satsumas, lemons, persimmons, and, for just a short while longer, limes! In 1981, Lester and Linda L’Hoste bought a property and 151 trees, beginning their journey into the world of citrus farming. Today, the orchard spans 15 acres of planted citrus. The pair uses methods such as tree grafting (uniting two different plant tissues into one) and have been certified organic since 1996. Their mission is to produce the best products for their customers; they would like to extend a warm thanks to everyone who has supported their farm and family over the years. This season, you can expect to find L’Hoste Citrus selling delicious satsumas, navel oranges, grapefruits, Meyer lemons, mandarins, kumquats, blood oranges, and tangerines at our Tuesday and Thursday markets. Talk about eating the rainbow!

Recipe of the Week:

Meyer Lemon Curd

When life gives you lemons for an entire season, you can’t just make lemonade––make lemon curd as well! Making lemon curd is a delicious way to preserve a bounty of lemons, meaning that nothing goes to waste. You can use it as a stuffing for fresh pastries, a topping on a yogurt bowl, a spread for toast, or almost anything your heart desires! Plus, using already-sweet Meyer lemons highlights the natural sugars present in these juicy, yellow fruits. Try this surprisingly simple recipe for delicious Meyer Lemon Curd!

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!