King Corn opens in theatres!

King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the crop that drives our fast-food nation. In King Corn, college friends Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America’s most subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat—and how we farm. Check out show times at the Red Vic Movie House and Shattuck Cinemas.

Farm Bill goes to the Senate floor

To learn the latest about what's going on with the Farm Bill and how you can take action to encourage a bill that supports small and organic farms, click these links:
Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Organic Farming Research Foundation
Organic Consumers Association

Gourmet Wine Cellar ~ November 8

Join Gourmet magazine for an evening of delicious food, noteworthy wines and creative cocktails. A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit CUESA. Visit gourmetscoop.com for more information.

You're invited to La Cocina's fall open house ~ November 9

On November 9, La Cocina, a non-profit shared use commercial kitchen and business incubator that has a stall at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, is hosting an open house party. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Visit www.lacocinasf.org to learn more.

Saturday, November 3 ~ Market to Table events

10:30 am - Meet the farmer
Sebastian Bariani of Bariani Olive Oil interviewed by CUESA volunteer Shauna Sadowski

11 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Peter Erickson of 1550 Hyde Café and Wine Bar

11:45 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration and book signing
GraceAnn Walden, Editor of 86 Recipes - San Francisco: Recipes from Top Restaurants for the Home Kitchen

Saturday, November 10 ~ Market to Table events

10:30 am - Meet the producer

11 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration and book signing
Elizabeth Falkner, Executive Chef at Citizen Cake and Author of Demolition Desserts

11:45 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Aida Mollenkamp of CHOW.com

All events take place in our Dacor teaching kitchen in the arcade north of the Ferry Building's clock tower unless otherwise noted.

In the first e-letter of every month, we've decided to include a seasonality synopsis, letting you know what's coming in, what's at its peak, and what's reaching its end at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. We'll also share links to seasonal recipes perfect for the month. In the future, you can look for the synopsis under "Market Updates." Today, it's our feature.

Just coming in/at their peak:

Apples - Pink Lady, Fuji, Rome Beauty
Cardoons
Christmas Trees - beginning November 17
Citrus fruits - mandarins, pomelos, navel oranges, grapefruit, lemons
Cruciferous vegetables - Brussels sprouts, broccoli, rapini, cabbage
Dates
Fennel
Flowers and ornamentals - sunflowers, marigolds, narcissus, eucalyptus, dried corn
Greens- chicory, chard, kale, spinach, arugula, fava
Kiwis
Leeks
Olives (uncured)
Persimmons - both Hachiya and Fuyu types
Pomegranates
Potatoes
Roots- rutabagas, turnips, beets, carrots, salsify
Sunchokes
Sweet potatoes
Winter squash

Limited Production

Avocados - Quantities of avocados will be a bit low until February, when Brokaw Nursery expects a new crop
Eggs- Pasture-raised egg production is steadily decreasing as the days become darker. They'll be a bit harder to get your hands on until spring.

On their way out:

These foods are having their last hurrah at the market in the next couple of weeks. Get them while you can, or look forward to eating them again next year.
Apples- Jonathans, Golden delicious, Mutsu, Pippin
Basil
Berries
Cucumbers
Dahlias
Eggplants
Figs
Grapes
Peppers
Pears - harvests will wind down this month, but the fruits will be available from cold storage for months to come
Plums
Tomatoes

Recipes for November

Potato Cress Soup from CUESA's Market Chef, Sarah Henkin

Leek and Chard Bisque - from Charles Vollmar of Epicurean Exchange

Fuyu Persimmon Soup from Chef Armando Paniagua, formerly of Rose Pistola

Gratin of Potato, Fennel and Leeks from Charles Vollmar of Epicurean Exchange

Cardoon Salad from Mourad Lahlou of Aziza Restaurant

Shaved Fennel & Orange Salad from Lulu Yang of Lulu's Kitchen

This is the most up-to-date information about which sellers will and won't be attending the market as of Friday, when we send this letter. If there are no changes to a seller's status, they will not be listed. To find out which farmers regularly attend each market, click here. Please understand that there are often last minute changes--it's the nature of farming!

Saturday, November 3

In/returning: Glashoff Farms, Bernard Ranches
Returning next week: Olsen Organics
Out for the season: White Crane Springs Ranch

Tuesday, November 6

No news!