I Am Drooling When Do the Goods Arrive?

Hard to believe that it is halfway through April already, where did the first third of 2010 go?! But because it is spring and the sun is starting to shine, buds are popping out on trees and temperatures are finally at the place where I can forgo my fleece lined jacket for a windbreaker, my mind has wandered to fresh fruits and veggies!

There are multiple towns surrounding me with pretty decent Farmer’s Markets that provide all kinds of offerings from the expected items, such as lettuce, to unexpected little treasures like scallops by the pound.

Because I am drooling for some fresh produce I figured everyone else is too! If you’re in the northwest suburbs of Boston, here is as comprehensive a list of the local Farmer’s Markets that I could track down.

In the meantime, I’m keeping an eye on the pots full of lettuce, basil and cilantro seeds Matt just planted over the past couple weeks. But I know what they say about a watched pot!

Medford Square Market -- Every Wednesday from June through October, 12:00 - 7:00. Corner of Riverside Ave. and River St. Not just for food: crafts, performances and community networking abound!

Davis Square Farmer’s Market (Somerville) -- Opens May 26, 2010. Every Wednesday from Memorial Day through Thanksgiving, 12:00 - 6:00 through October, 12:00 - 5:00 during November. Corner of Day St. and Herbert St. Parking is tight in this neighborhood, luckily the red line T stops right at Davis Square!

Harvard Farmer’s Market (Cambridge) -- Every Tuesday from mid June through late October, 12:30 - 6:00. Located at the corner of Oxford and Kirkland St. This by far is the least car friendly Market on the list. Multiple bus lines and the red line all stop at Harvard Square, trust me, take them! Note: Debit is accepted here.

Belmont Farmer’s Market -- Every Thursday from 1:30 - 7:00, opens June 10, 2010. Located at the corner of Cross St. and Channing Rd. right in Belmont center. Take the commuter line (purple) which stops right at Belmont Center or park in the lot.

Arlington Farmer’s Market -- Every Wednesday from 1:00 - 6:30 through early October, open until 6:00 through last Wednesday in October. Located in the Russell Common Parking Lot at the corner of Mystic and Chestnut. This is my favorite market by far, though not huge, the people are awesome and I can get seafood!

Winchester Market -- Every Saturday from 9:30 - 1:30 from the second Saturday in June (12) through the end of October. Located on Winchester Town Common, Waterfield Rd., parking is spotty, take the commuter line or park in the Aberjona lot. Includes local produce, performers and craftspeople. (Note: I had no idea this one existed until researching for this post but it may become a new favorite since they even offer gift certificates!)

Lexington Farmer’s Market -- Opens June 1, runs through October 26, every Tuesday from 2:00 - 6:30 at the corner of Mass Ave and Fletcher Ave. Opening day looks to be a celebration with a local radio station DJ and performances from a drum corps and tap dancing troupe.

Want the skinny on Market locations, start dates, times or other info on those not covered here? Well then get on over to the Federation of Massachusetts Farmer’s Markets and sign up for the weekly email list. Or friend them on Facebook!

Blue Ocean Institute Rates Over Thirty Five Seafood Species

During our visit to the EcoTarium in late December I picked up a pamphlet entitled Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood while walking through the water area. I put it aside for the time being but picked it back up this morning and sat down to read through the ratings of marine life as food. The Blue Ocean Institute (BOI) has provided amazing information on everything from clams to swordfish to Chilean sea bass and just about everything in between. The information on the pamphlet was updated in the fall of 2007.

Their rating system is based on a few factors -- abundance, fish/farm methods, damage to habitat, sustainability and mercury levels. The pamphlet categorizes each species with a key that include colored fish (which range in colors from dark green to red -- dark green is best overall), a fish silhouette inside a blue oval (signifying sustainability by the Marine Stewardship Council [MSC]), and a flag (indicating high mercury levels).

The website for BOI also includes the information on each of these fish but I found a few draw backs by using the online option as opposed to the accordion-fold paper pamphlet. First, the website forces the user to click on a thumbnail of each fish type (such as salmon) which then shows the rating of each of the different types within the species (Atlantic, Alaska, Pacific) on a corresponding page. In order to review all marine types it is necessary to click back and forth; it is possible to review all types but is a little bit more time consuming. The next issue is that it is much easier to pull this quick reference guide out of a purse or wallet while at a restaurant since not everyone has access to the Internet from their handheld device; smarter choices can be made while eating out. Finally, I did not find all of the same information as readily online; to find a rating for clams, mussels or oysters online I had to enter the name into the search box but they are listed first on the pamphlet.

Despite any of these drawbacks to the reference guide, I did find the website to be extremely informational as it also includes a plethora of information specific to sushi, Seafood FAQs, video, guide to chefs and loads of additional information as related to our oceans and what we consume from their depths. Also, the website has the guide available for download and it can easily be cut out, folded and carried on the go.

Overall I feel that the Blue Ocean Institute is a fantastic organization for information on how we all can make a difference by selecting seafood that is safer and sustainable so I am granting this organization a Four Leaf Rating.

I will continue to check in with this organization from time to time to see if and when their pamphlet information is updated. I applaud BOI for their determination to provide us with unbiased facts with regard to the foods we enjoy eating that come from the sea.