Broccoli has been a farmers market standby for late winter months for the past several years. But this year’s cold, wet winter means Rick Minter of Minter’s Farm in south Fayette County may not have broccoli for his Peachtree City Farmers Market customers until early in May.
“Our broccoli didn’t make it over the winter. We decided it was better to knock it down than to try to nurse along some broccoli that was miserable from the cold. So we started back over with transplants,” he said.
Minter is in the middle of the five generations that have farmed and are farming their 50-acre tract south of Fayetteville. He’s growing Christmas trees, fruit trees, berries and lots of vegetables like kale, collards, radishes, turnips and arugula. He also sells fresh eggs and homemade jams and jellies. The farm isn’t certified organic, but they grow as much organic as they can.
The farm grows a lot of broccoli, starting from seed. ‘Premium Crop’ and ‘Green Magic’ are favorite varieties producing big, tight heads.
Once the seedlings have several leaves, they go into the ground. “We set out 500 to 600 plants at a time and we do that three times before we quit planting for spring,” said Minter.
A good stand of broccoli requires soil with just the right amount of boron. Hollow stems in your broccoli means there wasn’t enough boron in the soil where they were grown. Minter has a simple solution. “When you plant out your broccoli, give each plant a pinch of the laundry detergent 20 Mule Team Borax. Any green likes the extra boron, but broccoli seems to need it the most,” he said.
Sixty to seventy-five days after the seeds are planted, the broccoli is ready to pick with a harvest window that lasts only about two weeks. “Then, if it’s growing really strong, we can get a second cutting of the side shoots,” said Minter.
To expand the broccoli harvest, Minter brings broccoli leaves to the market. “People really like them. We had one lady who thought they were collards and cooked them. She came back and told us they were the best collards she’d ever had,” he said with a laugh.
Those who aren’t cooking the broccoli leaves may be using them for juicing. “A lot of our kale, collards and broccoli leaves get juiced these days. We’ve noticed that happening more in the last two years,” he said.
How does Minter enjoy his broccoli? “I have to admit, I’m not a fan. If I’m going to eat it, I want a lot of cheese on it. It’s a case of do as I say, not as I do,” he said.
Minter may not have broccoli until May, but other farmers are still bringing it to local farmers markets this month.
At local farmers markets
Opening this week:
4 – 7 p.m. Friday, April 18. Brookwood Farmers Market, Cumming. https://www.facebook.com/brookwoodfarmersmarket
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday, April 19. Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market, Alpharetta. https://www.facebook.com/DowntownAlpharettaFarmersMarket
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday, April 19. East Point Farmers Market, East Point. http://www.downtowneastpoint.com/eastpointfarmersmarket
Cooking demos:
9 a.m. Saturday, April 19. Chef Shaun Doty of Bantam & Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy, working with broccoli. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com
10 a.m. Saturday, April 19. Chef Adrian Villarreal of The Spence. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
For sale at local farmers markets
Vegetables and fruit: artichokes, arugula and arugula blossoms, Asian greens, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, chard, collards and collard florets, escarole, fennel, frisee, garlic, herbs, kale and kale florets, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, morels, mushrooms, mustard greens, Napa cabbage, onions, pea tendrils, peas, potatoes, radicchio, radishes, spinach, spring onions, strawberries, sweet potatoes, turnips, winter squash
From local reports
General Tso’s Chicken with Broccoli
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
This lightened version of the Chinese restaurant classic is still a pretty spicy dish. Adjust the amount of chili garlic sauce according to your household’s taste.
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (such as Sriracha)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons water
Cooked brown rice, for serving
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On the baking sheet, toss chicken chunks with 2 tablespoon cornstarch. Spread out chunks and bake until cooked through, about 12 minutes.
While chicken is baking, prepare broccoli. Arrange broccoli in a microwave-safe container like a 1-quart measuring cup. Rinse broccoli in measuring cup and drain most of the water. Lightly cover broccoli with a square of waxed or parchment paper and steam in microwave until just tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
While chicken is baking, make sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine broth, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, honey and chili garlic sauce and simmer mixture 5 minutes.
In a measuring cup, stir together water and remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add to the mixture in saucepan and heat until sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Cover and keep warm.
When chicken is ready, add to the sauce and toss to coat lightly. Stir in reserved broccoli and serve immediately over brown rice.
Adapted from a recipe in “Guy Gourmet” byby Adina Steiman and and Paul Kita (Rodale, Inc., $24.99).
Per serving: 220 calories (percent of calories from fat, 17), 30 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 4 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 66 milligrams cholesterol, 405 milligrams sodium.
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