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Fall is time for:

Planting cover crops

Sow cover crops like mustard, clover or peas and then turn them over to add nutrients when it's time to plant your veggies again.

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Big Island Bounty at the Hilo Farmers Market Print E-mail
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Written by Melanie Waldman   

Hilo Farmers MarketOn the eighth day, God created the Hilo Farmers Market on the Big Island of Hawaii. And lo, it was good, offering as it does lilikoi lemonade, local crafts, exotic plants and a whole lot more.

Since 1988, the farmers' market in downtown Hilo - the biggest little city on Hawaii's lush eastern side - has featured the bounty of the island's iron-rich soil. Back in the day, the market was little more than a few farmers hawking their wares from their flatbed trucks, while now you'll also find prepared foods, toiletries and crafts that reflect the mixed heritage of the local population: Polynesian, pan-Asian and Transplanted Mainlander.

It rains in Hilo at least once every day, so just about the entire market is tented. As you elbow your way through the sometimes-serious crowds, keep an eye out for:

  • Filthy Farmgirl at Hilo Farmers MarketFreshly made Vietnamese rolls and tropical-fruit-flavored lemonades
  • Spam musubi, a local version of sushi made with...Spam
  • Hand-woven palm baskets from one of Hawaii's oldest families
  • Gorgeous beach glass-and-silver jewelry by Seashore Collections
  • Little bites of purple sweet potato mochi from the Papa'a Palaoa Bakery
  • Dramatic necklaces made from big, shiny, dark and indigenous kamani nuts
  • More Hawaiian shirts than you've ever seen in your life
  • Soap from Filthy Farmgirl, featuring fresh ingredients -- and hilarious labels
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Mad for Macadamia at Hawaii's Puna Girl Farms Print E-mail
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Written by Abbie Mood   

Puna Girl Farms signIf you've ever wondered what all goes into growing those wonderful macadmia nuts you get in Hawaii, a visit to Puna Girl Farms in Pahoa on Hawaii's Big Island is definitely in order. On a recent tour of Puna Girl Farms through Kapoho Kine Adventures (currently the only way to tour the farm) on a trip set up by the Big Island Visitors Bureau, I learned a lot about all that goes into macadamia nut farming from owner Cherie McArthur. Cherie and her husband Ian first came to Hawaii's Big Island in 1990 for a visit and were hooked. They bought some land in Pahoa (part of the Puna area) and, after clearing out eight acres of jungle by hand over two years to save 600 Macadamia nut trees, Puna Girl Farms was born.

For any of you who might be interested in trying your hand at macadamia nut farming, here are some tricks of the trade that Cherie passed along: 

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Black Cat: Farm-Table-Bistro in Boulder Print E-mail
Written by Ann Shepphird   
Eric Skaken of Black Cat

As its name suggests, Black Cat: Farm-Table-Bistro takes its farm-to-table seriously. In fact, the restaurant -- which opened in at 13th and Pearl in Boulder in 2006 -- has its own 70-acre farm run by chef/owner Eric Skokan. Not only does the farm service the restaurant but it's also often seen at Boulder's farmers market, as Linda Hayes reported in her post on "Bountiful Boulder." We recently chatted with Skokan about the restaurant, the farm -- and why his tractor is named Buttercup.

 

Which came first, the restaurant or the farm? The restaurant came first. At the time the farm was really just a little garden at my house. I wanted to grow some of the special, little things that were really hard to come by. I fell in love with puttering in the garden in the mornings before I went in to work. So, that first summer, I doubled the size of the garden. I loved it even more, so I doubled it again. The doubling continued over the last few years and now the farm is at around 70 acres.

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Bountiful Boulder Print E-mail
Written by Linda Hayes   
Boulder Farmers MarketIt was all about greens at last week's Boulder County Farmers' Market in downtown Boulder, Colorado. Piles of mustard greens and Egyptian walking onions from Red Wagon Organic Farm in Longmont. Pails of baby arugula, mixed lettuces and spicy greens from Black Cat Farm-Table-Bistro, an edgy little restaurant a few blocks away whose owners also run an organic farm just outside the city. (Note: We recently posted an interview with Black Cat chef -- and farmer -- Eric Skokan). Baskets of Bordeaux spinach, chives and other herbs from Toohey & Sons Farm in Hygiene.

'Alright by us,' my husband and I agreed as we packed up what we could into our cooler bag, knowing that it needed to survive the trip back home to Aspen. It had been a long, wet, chilly spring in the high country, Boulder included at 5,344 feet. We were overjoyed to see the early season crops from local farmers looking so perky and promising.

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