Morningwood Relies on Northside's Shady Character
by Jim Franck

Morningwood Farm Nursery and Garden Center is one of our area's newest plant nurseries and garden centers, yet one of our Market's original vendors. With their years of Northside experience, they've got a pretty good handle on what kinds of plants and flowers work best in our neighborhoods. According to Barett Steenrod (seen here), his NFM customers favor perennials that do well in the shade. Most of our neighborhoods have mature tree cover which makes them well-suited for ferns and sedge. His Northside customers also look for nicely flowering, distinctive shade-loving plants and flowers like phlox.

Morningwood's understanding of what works well in our shady yards influences what they bring to our market. They present as diverse a mix as they can - about 40 different species. That includes some native species like wild onion, big blue stem, little blue stem, echinacea, rudbeckia and all the latest varieties of coneflower, prairie dropseed, native ferns, iris, day lilies, bleeding hearts, as well as many others. They also offer some uncommon species like papyrus and castor bean. On a less exotic note, they are particularly proud of their heirloom tomatoes.

Morningwood has a number of specialty items like butterfly bushes and other species that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. They also offer ornamental trees and shrubs like hackberries and hazelnuts, hanging baskets, and native burning bushes.

This new nursery is strongly oriented towards service. Barett says that they see themselves as “a resource to help people make good decisions... intelligent, thoughtful, creative, sustainable plant purchases and installations.”

Morningwood provides for a wide range of landscaping needs. They provide landscaping consultation and at their nursery near Mt. Horeb they sell birdbaths, garden art, fountains, and a large number of ornamental pots and containers. They also offer classes in container gardening, leaf casting, and rose pruning.

They are located about 9 miles west of Madison between Pine Bluff and Mount Horeb. For more information about Morningwood, their products and services, check out their website or call them at 608-798-1991. Or better yet, stop by the Market and meet them in person. Barett says they expect to be at the Market through August.
  

NFM Salad Cookoff this Sunday

Salad done Iron Chef style. Come see what your neighbors can do with our secret ingredient! Watch as contestants prepare a salad using five ingredients from the Northside Farmers Market, one ingredient from Pierce's Market and a secret ingredient to be announced immediately before the competition. Who will reign supreme? 

Public tasting of the entries begins at 11:05am.
Prizes awarded at noon.
  

New Products for Sunday

Our NFM Vendors anticipate these new products at the Aug 10 market:
  
More unique varieties of eggplant
More soil-grown tomatoes
Lots of summer squash
Plout Galette (plum/apricot)
Cheddar Sesame seed bread
Fresh Basil

What else you'll find at the market:
Alaches, Angus beef, baconwurst, beans, beets, bison, blueberries, cauliflower, gourmet brats and grilling sausages, farm-fresh chicken, corn, cabbage, cheese, chocolates, collard greens, cucumbers, espazote, fresh eggs, elk meat, green beans, green onions, herbs, honey, kale, kohlrabi, milk, multi-colored peppers, mushrooms, papaldos, pepichas, peppers, potatoes, preserves, radishes, spinach, squash flowers, sour cream, sweet peas, syrup, tomatoes, tomatillos, yogurt.

Fresh fruit juices, smoothies, coffee, biscotti, healthy and delicious cookies and fresh bakery every Sunday.

This list could change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

We need you!

Have an extra hour or two on Sunday mornings? We need help setting up, working, or breaking down the market on Sundays. You get: Fresh air, exercise, new friends, first pick of the day's fresh produce, and the really great feeling that you're doing your part to support our local farmers and our agricultural economy.

Call Chris Moore at 242-8572 and
start this Sunday! Thank you!

Ingredients
1 head fresh cauliflower
1 bunch fresh basil
1/8 c. pine nuts
1 clove garlic
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Make sure to get your cauliflower and basil at the Northside Farmers Market

Directions
1. Cut cauliflower into florets.
2. Steam cauliflower in until tender or cook on stovetop in small amount of water then drain.
3. Process basil, nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in blender. Drizzle in olive oil until mixture is thick and smooth.
4. Mash cooked cauliflower and combine with basil mixture.