It was sad not to see Casey and crew from Old Friends Farm at the Copley Square Farmers' Market this year. But, we have been enjoying the wonderful micro greens and mixed greens because Atlas Farm has brought them to the Copley Farmers' Market for their neighboring farm.
Now they have the star of the September market– The Old Friends Farm Local Ginger.
Here's some background on this unusual crop for a Massachusetts farm from an interview we did with Casey a few years ago.
Since 2006, Old Friends Farm has been experimenting with growing this tropical treasure right here in Massachusetts. Naturally, they plant it inside very early in the spring.
"We have chosen not to use any fossil fuels to grow it, so for us that means growing it in a cold frame or an unheated greenhouse," said Farmer, Casey Steinberg.
They work hard to keep the greenhouse closed to build up as much heat as possible to give the ginger the tropical conditions it needs to thrive.
Casey says this is Hawaiian ginger and has the flavor you would expect from ginger, "The main difference is that it doesn't have that sort of biting aftertaste. It has a really strong ginger flavor. It has all the heat that ginger has."
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Penny Cherubino © 2012
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