Many thanks

This Thanksgiving, we at CUESA are extremely grateful to all of the farmers and other market sellers who bring fresh and delightful food to so many urban tables; to the customers who come rain or shine to support our local producers; and to the volunteers, donors, sponsors and others who contribute their time and money to further CUESA's mission. Thank you, thank you!

Fungus Festival activities ~ November 24 and 25

The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, Ferry Building Marketplace, Far West Fungi, and Mycological Society of San Francisco celebrate culinary mushrooms with the second annual Ferry Building Fungus Festival. Festivities begin this Saturday at 10 am with a range of free events. In addition to our Market to Table programming (see below for schedule), there will be a mushroom cultivation table and deep-fried mushrooms offered at the farmers' market. Merchants inside the Marketplace will be cooking up special mushroom fare, and there will music, a children's coloring table, and more. Far West Fungi is presenting some special programs in the CUESA kitchen on Sunday:

11:30 am - 12:30 pm - Mushroom cooking demonstration with Russell Jackson of SubCulture Dining
12:30 - 1:30 pm - Mushroom seasonality talk with Ken Litchfield, mushroom cultivation specialist
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Mushroom cooking demonstration with Todd Spanier, "The King of Mushrooms," and a special guest
2:30 to 3:30 pm - Mushroom cooking demonstration with Jason Smith

Alice Waters at The Gardener this Saturday

This Saturday, November 24, from 11 am to 1 pm, Alice Waters will be signing copies of her new book The Art of Simple Cooking: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution at The Gardener inside the Ferry Building.

Saturday, November 24 ~ Fungus Festival!

10:30 am - Meet the producer
John Garrone of Far West Fungi interviewed by CUESA staff member Julie Cummins

11 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Amanda Birgitta Larsson Saffir

Saturday, December 1 ~ Market to Table programs

10:30 am - Meet the producer

11 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Laura Stec, Teacher, Personal Chef and Owner of Innovative Cuisine and Single Guy and the Personal Chef

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

When we created the farm profiles that hang at farmers' stalls at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, CUESA asked each farm to share an interesting tidbit about their operation or their products. Here are a few of the "fun facts" we collected. Look forward to more in future e-letters.

 

At G.L. Alfieri Farms stands a building constructed during the California Gold Rush that served as a stagecoach stop. The site was also home to the first schoolhouse in San Joaquin County.

 

The Barianis (of Bariani Olive Oil) conserve energy by burning leftover olive paste in a special furnace that provides heat and hot water to their home!

 

All sorts of animals have made homes for themselves at Bruins Farms. One year, to Eva Bruins’ great surprise, 13 turtles hatched out of eggs that had been laid in one of the greenhouses.

 

Researchers from UC Davis are currently doing research on Eatwell Farm because populations of native bees and other beneficial insects are unusually high.

 

In 2005, John Garrone of Far West Fungi received a proclamation from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors declaring him San Francisco’s “Official Mushroom Man.”

 

G&S Farms trials between 250 and 400 different varieties of corn annually. Of those, only the best 5 varieties are ever planted for commercial production.

 

John Lagier of Lagier Ranches is a fourth-generation farmer on his land. His great grandfather raised mules and dry-farmed wheat and barley; his grandfather farmed grapes and raised cattle, and his parents grew melons, tomatoes, grapes, and almonds.

 

McGinnis Ranch is steep: it sits on a 12% grade. The harder it rains, the less fun this fact is for Howard McGinnis, who sometimes spends days replacing soil that has washed down the hill.

 

The Peach Farm doesn’t grow peaches! Ed George's family did grow the crop for many years, and he kept the name for sentimental reasons.

 

Beekeeping is not the Snyderses’ (of Snyders Honey) only profession: Ann is a flight attendant and Bill a pilot!

 

Over 80 species of birds have been documented on Star Route Farms’ Bolinas land in just one day.

 

Zuckerman’s Farm is located between 12 and 20 feet below sea level in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

 

One of the Torosians’ (of Tory Farms) growing practices is music therapy. Their trees and vines enjoy regular doses of the Grateful Dead.

 

See you at the market!

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!

Note: This week's Market Update was compiled on Tuesday. Check at our Information Booth for the the most up to date ins and outs.

Saturday, November 24

In/returning: Brokaw Nursery, Double K Christmas Tree Farm (they'll be located on the North side of the Ferry Building with a curbside loading zone in front of their booth)
Out for the week: Hodo Soy Beanery, The Fatted Calf, Shogun Fish Company, Glashoff Farms, Knoll Farms, Redwood Hill Farm, Bernard Ranches, Happy Quail Farms, Short Night Farm, Lagier Ranches
Out for the season: The Peach Farm, Madison Growers, Flatland Flower Farm

Tuesday, November 27

Out: Happy Quail Farms (for the season), Ella Bella Farm