The heat is rolling in and so are the summer fruits and vegetables. Below is a list of produce that are now available on the market, and how to best store them to outlast the summer heat.
First up and my personal favorite, PEACHES!
Freestone and clingstone, yellow, white and red: peaches are queen of Arkansas in the summertime. Offered by Barnhill Orchards and Green Acres Atkins, consider packing these ripe jewels in jars, cakes, cobblers and parfaits for a wonderful summertime treat. And for those fruits that make it past their prime, consider processing them into a savor BBQ sauce courtesy of Ball Canning Company.
Next up, King Corn reigns supreme in the vegetable kingdom.
Order them from Barnhill Orchards or Kornegay Berry Farm. Grill, steam, or boil them then drizzle with butter, salt and pepper and let the summertime stick to your teeth.
And of course, who could forget the versatile tomato!
The season has just begun with green, red, vine ripened, cherry, Roma and Slicer varieties; all available on the market.
To round out the dinner plate consider the fiber filled magic of purple hull peas available from Arkansas Farm to Table and Kornegay Berry Farm. Add a bit of Grass Roots bacon, a corn muffin from Lily Chanel Sweets and some ANP Mustard greens for a true southern summer meal.
Enjoy the summer bounty and visit the ALFN Online Market to plan your next seasonal meal.
-Written by preservation extraordinaire and ALFN Board Member, Angela Gardner
Arkansas Local Food Network 