Congratulations on surviving the heat! The weekend is shaping up to be beautiful, and we have sweet corn, huckleberries and peaches to add local flavor to your menu. We hope you will join us for the music of Bridges Home on Saturday and Bill Bozly on Wednesday.
| FRESH THIS WEEK: Sweet Corn, Peaches, Blueberries, Raspberries, Huckleberries, Apricots, Apples, Gold Raspberries, Black Raspberries, Green/Yellow/Romano beans, Leeks, Peppers, Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Broccolini, Cauliflower, Chinese/Savoy/Red Cabbage, Fresh Garlic, Zucchini, New Potatoes, Turnips, Carrots, Beets, Kale, Rhubarb, Cucumbers, Broccoli, Spinach, Shallots, Kohlrabi, Radicchio, Lettuce, Arugula, Salad Mixes, Mustard Greens, Mizuna, Radishes, Cilantro, Dill, Basil, Green Onions, Chives, Swiss Chard, Heartnuts, English Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Sunflowers, Plant Starts, Fresh-Cut Flowers. |
Live Music Featuring:
Saturday: Bridges Home
Wednesday: Bill Bozly
Meet the Xiong Family
Chonly and Bao Xiong grow everything from basil to zucchini, but they definitely don’t let any grass grow under their feet! Their huge market garden is both of their 2nd jobs… and it’s become a whole family endeavor.
Born into military families in Laos (both of their fathers were in the Laotian equivalent of the CIA) they were forced from the country in 1992 during a regime change. After living for a time in a refugee camp in Thailand, they immigrated to Spokane, where they planted their roots and grew their family and, eventually, a farm.
Raising 7 children (their youngest Ia – pictured center – is 19) made it practical to keep a large garden. But, eventually, Chonly and Bao decided to go bigger – leasing land in Otis Orchards and managing a 1+ acre market garden. The flowers are Bao’s favorite, and she brings beautiful arrangements of dahlias and sunflowers to market each week. The excess produce goes to the chickens, which are located in coops adjacent to the garden. They harvest them for their own family, and use the manure as fertilizer.
Their produce is sold exclusively at the Kootenai County Farmers’ Market. When they’re not at market, they can be found foraging for huckleberries (they’ll have them this week) or working their day jobs. Chonly works for the USPS, while Bao works for a manufacturing company in Post Falls.
The Xiongs are located in booths 35-36. Their business is CB Xiong Produce.
Power of Produce (PoP) Club for kids!
Operated by the Inland Northwest Food Network, the program seeks to encourage children to make healthy food choices by empowering them to shop for, grow and prepare fresh fruits and vegetables. Children between the ages of 5-12 are eligible to participate in the program free of charge. Each week club members will receive a token worth $2 to purchase a fresh fruit, vegetable or plant at participating farmer booths at the market, or they can choose to save their tokens to buy a larger item such as a fruit tree.
This Week’s Activity:
This week for PoP Club we are still enjoying the bounty of the summer harvest! The kids will be making fruit parfaits using delicious blackberries and peaches. The fuzzy peach is actually a member of the rose family and originated in China. A large peach has fewer than 70 calories and contains 3 grams of fiber. It’s also a good source of vitamins A and C. The dark color of the blackberry comes from the pigment anthocyanin, an antioxidant that has the power to
reduce inflammation and even help prevent cancer. Bring the kids by the PoP Club booth and have them explore how food can be nutritious and delicious!
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