Monday’s class was really motivating. Michelle is an excellent teacher. I feel like I learned a lot, not just about local food, but on how to better educate my students about whatever topic we discuss in class. Immediately following class I decided to get started on my own part of the local food conversation we began on Monday. I really want to expose myself to new foods, and this challenge from Michelle was just the push I needed. On the way home from Salem I stopped at the Reynolda Farm Market on Reynolda. I had never actually been inside, which is a shame, because the place is stocked with all sorts of delicious vegetables.
I mostly wandered around. I find produce sections have become my adulthood toy store, there are so many pretty colorful things to get distracted by. I obviously looked lost, because the gentleman behind the counter asked if I was looking for something in particular. I told him I just wanted to try some new things…while we were talking, I noticed a whole table full of root vegetables. This is gonna be good!
<-- I bought 6 different types of root vegetables, including; sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, beets, carrot, parsnips, and turnips.
So far I’ve enjoyed, baked sweet potatoes (both kinds), roasted carrots and parsnips, and some boiled beets. I’ve mostly ate the vegetables plain, trying to really experience the natural flavor of what I was eating. I really have no idea what to do with the turnips so they are last… I think I will bake them, but if anyone has a suggestion, send it my way.
Interview with Proprietor:
Q: What proportion of the food you sell is local?
A: Depends on the time of year, right now I have 80% local food, in a few weeks, other than the bananas and citrus it will all be locally sourced.
Q: How far do you get your “local” foods from?
A: The locally grown foods come from N.C. and our neighbors, South Carolina and Virginia.
Q: I have eaten beets and parsnips, but how the heck do cook them?
A: Beets, you can just boil them for 20+ minutes and peel off the skin while they are still hot. They will make a mess. Parsnips, you can slice them like fries and toss with olive oil and salt and bake them in the oven. They tend to overpower a dish when they are added, so try them by themselves first.
Q: Which came first the logo or the moustache?
A: I’ve had the moustache for 40 years. It used to be much larger, but the ladies (I assume his business partners) told me to rein it in. It is 6 inches if I unraveled it.
If you are interested in a sort of CSA arrangement, they’ve got that too. For $35 you can get at least 30lbs of produce. That is a steal for "local", mostly organic food. Plus you only have to call by noon the day before and it will be ready for you the next morning. I especially like this place, because of its location. I pass it 3 days a week and its super convenient and reasonably priced. I did go back on Wednesday to buy those long “Bulgarian like” peppers and I think I payed $7 for 10 peppers, which was a little on the steep side, but considering I asked about them on Monday and he had them fresh from a local SC farm by Wednesday, I’m happy! All my root vegetables cost less than $15. I think the true bargain is in the bins.
Reynolda Farm Market
1206 Reynolda Rd.
Winston-Salem, NC, 27104
(336)777-3421
Monday – Saturday; 8am-8pm
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