Fill Your Plate Blog

Let Us Help You Find a Farmers Market

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Fill Your Plate

Don’t miss these facts about our local Arizona Farmer’s Markets (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

Arizona’s year round growing season means we have awesome access to farmers’ markets all over the state. Here at Fill Your Plate, we think it’s important to spread the word about how all Arizonians can access fresh from the farm locally grown ingredients. This is why we provide a searchable farmers’ market listing on Fill Your Plate.

Our farmer’s market listing is one of the most comprehensive lists of Arizona farmers’ markets online. We are committed to keeping this listing up to date so that it is as easy as possible for you to find out where you can get locally grown, in-season produce and Arizona raised meat and dairy products. You can search by county and then by city or you can simply get a list of all the farmers’ markets operating in a specific county.

Each farmers’ market listing provides:

The address of the market
The market’s location (corner of XYX Ave and ABC Street)
Which day or days it is open
Which months it operates
The hours it is open
Any special features the market offers
A link to the website for the farmers’ market
The name and contact information for the farmers’ market’s contact

In our most recent annual review of the Fill Your Plate Farmers’ Market Listing we found some great new markets to add to our extensive listing. If you haven’t had a chance to check out these great new markets yet, make sure you check them out and support the farmers and ranchers who are the heart of Arizona agriculture.

Sun City Farmers Market

16829 N. 99th Ave, Sun City
Open every Thursday, closed in the summer
Offers local farm produce including fresh vegetables & fruit, baked goods, honey, jams and jellies, nursery stock, natural pork, beef and fish.
Accepts AZ Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Also available at this market:
Provides easy credit card shopping! One credit card charge can pay for all your purchases from the vendors!
For more information, click here or email marketinfo@arizonafarmersmarkets.com

SanTan Valley Farmers’ Market

1572 W. Ocotillo Rd, San Tan Valley
Open every Saturday from 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Offers hand crafts, home décor, candles, food, jewelry, apparel and much more
For more information click here or email carrie@glitzzed.com

Augusta Ranch Farmers Market

2401 S Langsing, Mesa AZ.
Open Thursdays year round from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Offers food service and more
For more information click here

The Barn @Power Ranch

3685 E Autumn Drive, South Gilbert/Queen Creek
Open Wednesdays, Fall, Winter and Spring from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Summer from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM or dusk
Offers several food trucks and food vendors
For more information, click here

Peoria Farmers Market at Park West

9744 West Northern Avenue, Peoria
Open Saturdays, September thru April from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Offers Fresh Produce provided by Fresh and Local TJ Farms, Horny Toad Farms, Pinnacle Farms and others
For more information, click here

The Changing Face of the Farmer’s Market (fillyourplate.org)
Guide to Arizona Winter Farmer’s Markets: N-Z (fillyourplate.org)
Guide to Winter’s Farmers Markets: A-M (fillyourplate.org)

5 Tips for Summer Food Safety

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Fill Your Plate

Don’t get sick during your summer fun because you didn’t follow these food safety tips (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

Summer is here and one of the top concerns has to be keeping families safe from food borne illness. Summer means backyard barbecues, block parties, hiking trips, picnics, and all kinds of fun time spent outside. But all that fun is often accompanied by food sets the stage for food borne illness to steal the show. Make sure your family is safe this summer by following these easy food safety tips.

Get a Thermometer for the Grill

Much of the time when we are talking about food safety related to the summer months, we are talking about the dangers of letting cold food get too warm. But it can also be dangerous if hot food doesn’t get hot enough, especially when you are cooking on the grill. Get a good food thermometer to go with your grill equipment and always check the temperature to make sure the food you are cooking is safe to consume.

Keep Things Separated

Take steps to ensure that raw food and cooked food are kept separate at all times. This means never reusing the plate you brought the raw hamburgers or chicken out on as the serving dish for the cooked meat. It means having separate sets of thongs and other utensils so that there is no risk of contaminating food once it has been cooked.

Don’t Defrost Meat at Room Temperature

It can be very tempting to use all that summer sunshine to help defrost your meat for dinner more quickly but if you don’t defrost meat properly, you risk making it unsafe to eat. The only safe way to defrost meat is to put it in the refrigerator a day or two before you plan to use it.

Wash Fruits, Veggies, and Greens…if They Need It

Most of the produce you bring into your home will need to be washed prior to being used and remembering to do this helps protect your family from food borne illness that can be lurking on the surface. Make sure you do this, even if it is something you are going to peel before using like an apple or a melon, as those illness-causing microorganisms can be transferred from the skin to the flesh when you peel them or cut into them with a knife. The one exception is the ready-to-eat leafy greens that come in plastic tubs or bags from the grocery store. These have been pre-washed and you are better off not washing them as you are more likely to introduce a contaminant than to gain any benefit.

If you don’t have any fancy fruit wash, simply soaking the fruit in vinegar for a short time will accomplish the same goal.

Keep Cold Cold and Hot Hot

This is the most common tip to help you avoid food borne illness and it simply means that if something is served cold it needs to stay cold and if it is served hot it need to stay hot. Using small serving bowls placed in larger bowls of ice is one way to accomplish this. You can also serve foods that need to be kept cold out of a cooler.

Sharpening Your Food Safety Skills All Year Long (fillyourplate.org)
Fix Ahead Food For Your Summer Road Trip (fillyourplate.org)
6 Great Ways to Connect With Your Kids this Summer (fillyourplate.org)

Posted in Food Safety | Tagged Barbecue grill, Cook, Fahrenheit, food safety, Foodborne illness, Marination, Meat, Raw foodism | Leave a comment

Are You One of the New Faces of Farming and Ranching?

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Fill Your Plate

Make sure you submit this application if you’re a new face of farming and ranching. (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance is on a nationwide search for the new “Faces of Farming & Ranching.” These stand-out farmers and ranchers will put a real face on American agriculture and help educate the general population about the importance of American agriculture. Those selected will participate in special events, be featured in media coverage and advertising, and play a role in other marketing and promotional activities.

The USFRA is looking for farmers and ranchers who are:

proud of what they do
eager to share their experiences in agriculture
interested in sharing stories of continuous improvements
active on social media

If this sounds like you, make sure you apply once the contest opens on July 10. Entries can be submitted until August 10. It doesn’t matter what you grow. It doesn’t matter what you raise. You don’t have to be a small family operation or a large commercial entity. The contest is open to farmers and ranchers of all types who use a variety of methods and operate farms and ranches of all sizes. Individuals, couples, and families can apply to be one of the new “faces” this year and farmers and ranchers from all areas of the country are encouraged to apply.

To apply, visit here and complete the application process. This includes:

Completing the application which includes:
- Providing information about your farm or ranch like its history and what you grow/raise today
- Explaining what kind of improvements you have made to your operation
- How you currently work to tell your story to the general public
- What you would like to accomplish if you are chosen as a Face of Farming and Ranching
- How active you are on social media
- Explaining your experience with public speaking and any media experience
- Two professional references
Completing the entry form
Submitting a 3 minute video showcasing your operation and the role you play in that operation

The deadline to apply is August 10, 2014 at midnight Central time.

Finalists will be selected from all entries by the USFRA and announced in early September. The criteria for selecting finalists may include:

Personality
Story
Camera presence
Experience
Social media prowess
Region
Farm product factors (to ensure balance among finalists and potential winners).

Voting by the general public will be conducted at the end of October and the beginning of November.

Each person selected to be one of the “Faces of Farming & Ranching” will receive a $15,000 stipend and the opportunity to share the stories of real farmers and ranchers with a national audience.

For more information about the contest, visit the content information page.

The National Search for the ‘Faces of Farming and Ranching’ Is On! (fillyourplate.org)
Farmers Markets Create Win-Win-Win (fillyourplate.org)
10 Tips for a Fabulous Farmers Market Experience (fillyourplate.org)

Posted in Arizona farmers and ranchers | Tagged agriculture, American Farm Bureau Federation, farmer, Ranch, Social media, U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, United States, USFRA | Leave a comment

July is the Month for Red, White, and….Blueberries

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Fill Your Plate

Don’t miss these delicious ways to eat blueberries! (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

If you are looking for a great summer treat that isn’t too sweet, blueberries might be the best snack around. These little round purple-blue berries are a great healthy option for breakfast, snacks, dessert and even as part of a meal. Blueberries provide a high dose of antioxidants and research has shown they can provide benefits in bone health, cholesterol control, and improving cardiovascular health.

With so many health benefits, it is easy to see why blueberries make such a great addition to our daily diet. It isn’t everyday you find something that is good for you that everyone in the family will love to eat. July is National Blueberry Month and since they are in season here in Arizona, they should be easy to find at farmers markets and in grocery stores. To help you fill your plates with plump, juicy blueberries this month, here are some great ways to use them at every meal.

7 Great Ways Blueberries Can Brighten Your Day (fillyourplate.org)
What’s in Season in July 2014 (fillyourplate.org)
Using Food to Fight Stress (fillyourplate.org)

Posted in In Season, Recipes | Tagged Arizona blueberries, Berries, Berry, blueberries, Blueberry, Cobbler (food), Cook, Fruit, Home, ice cream | Leave a comment

31 Ways to Fill Your Plate with Arizona Eats

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Fill Your Plate

Celebrate these July Food Holidays with these delicious recipes (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

The only July holiday most people celebrate is the 4^th of July but you can turn the entire month into a celebration of locally raised and grown Arizona foods. The month of July features a delicious food holiday on each of its 31 days and who doesn’t love to celebrate fresh, fabulous food. Here is the list of the fun July food holidays and some ideas of how to turn these holidays into a month long celebration of the best of what Arizona farmers and ranchers have to offer.

July 1: Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day – Try making Avocado and Pistachio Ice Cream

July 2: National Anisette Day – Sweet Spiced Chicken with Anisette

July 3: Eat Beans Day – Ranch Beans and Chicken

July 4: National Barbecued Spareribs Day – Basic Barbecue Ribs

July 5: National Apple Turnover Day – Apple Turnovers

July 6: National Fried Chicken Day – Crispy Fried Chicken

July 7: National Strawberry Sundae Day – Strawberry Sundae Sauce

July 8: National Chocolate with Almonds Day – Chocolate Almond Bark

July 9: National Sugar Cookie Day – Chewy Sugar Cookies

July 10: Pick Blueberries Day – Boss’s Baked French Toast

July 11: National Blueberry Muffin Day – Blueberry Muffins

July 12: National Pecan Pie Day – Irresistible Pecan Pie

July 13: National French Fries Day – Homemade Crispy Seasoned French Fries

July 14: Bastille Day - Ratatouille

July 15: National Tapioca Pudding Day – Classic Tapioca Pudding

July 16: National Corn Fritters Day – Corn Fritters

July 17: National Peach Ice Cream Day – Peach Ice Cream

July 18: National Caviar Day – Caviar Pie

July 19: National Daiquiri Day – Best Strawberry Daiquiri

July 20: National Ice Cream Soda Day – Old Fashioned Ice Cream Soda

July 21: National Ice Cream Day – Avocado and Pistachio Ice Cream

July 22: National Penuche Fudge Day – Buttery Penuche Brown Sugar Fudge

July 23: National Hot Dog Day – Sonoran Hot Dogs

July 24: National Tequila Day – Tequila Lime Wings

July 25: National Hot Fudge Sundae Day – Hot Fudge Sundae Recipe

July 26: National Coffee Milkshake Day – Mexican Coffee Milkshake

July 27: National Crème Brûlée Day – Crème Brûlée

July 28: National Milk Chocolate Day – Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake

July 29: National Lasagna Day – World’s Best Lasagna

July 30: National Cheesecake Day – Prickly Pear Cheesecake

July 31: National Raspberry Cake Day – Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

Potato Industry Ponders Possible Bumper Crop (fillyourplate.org)
What’s in Season in December? (fillyourplate.org)
Get to Know Your Leafy Greens (fillyourplate.org)

Posted in Holidays, In Season, Recipes | Tagged Bastille Day, Fudge, ice cream, July, Milkshake, Pi Day, Sugar cookie, Sundae | Leave a comment

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