Friday's Market

Good Evening Everyone!

Tomorrow is market day again and we are excited to see you all there.  For our produce this week we have
fresh herbs
Dried herbs
Corn
Beets
Spaghetti Squash
Acorn Squash
Grape, Early Girl, Beefsteak, and Roma Tomatoes
Zucchini
Blue Hubbard Squash
Green Hubbard Squash
Yellow Summer Squash
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Tomatillos
and Pumpkins

Also, for anyone interested we are starting a delivery service so if you have an order or request you'd like to make you can either do it as a comment on the blog or an email to thefruitfulnut@gmail.com.  You are also welcome to call Vanessa Thurgood 208-351-8001
We hope to see you at the market!
Thanks,
--
The Fruitful Nut

Bee's Knees Music Festival

Hey Everyone,

To give you a heads up on a future event happening with the Rexburg Farmer's Market, we will be participating with the Bee's Knees Music Festival on Saturday September 17, 2011.  This event will take place on College Avenue in Rexburg.  This event is to help combine BYU-Idaho with the community of Rexburg. There will be food, music and many other activities going on.  We will keep you posted as we get closer to the day.  We look forward to seeing you there and have a great Monday!

Herbs and Produce

Happy Thursday!

For this weekend's market we will be enjoying fresh picked sweet corn, seedless watermelon, and cantaloupe from Bliss, Idaho.

From our own garden we will have the following produce:
Cantaloupe
Muskmelon
Cucumber
Zucchini
Green Beans
Watermelon
Tomatoes
Carrots
Green Bell Peppers
Anaheim Chili Peppers
Beets
Swiss Chard

We will also have our usual produce from Winco.

For next week's market we will have dried herbs.  They were picked this week and are currently being dried.  These herbs include:
Big leaf Basil
Italian Basil
Asian Basil
Lemon Basil
Parsley
Chamomile
Cilantro

Thanks and we'll see you at the market!

Why you should eat more nuts

Here is part of an article I found interesting and thought I would pass it on.

 

Many nutritionists believe nuts are healthy. Nuts have no cholesterol, they contain mono-unsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fats, are rich in fiber, and contain vitamin E. Eating nuts, therefore, may help prevent heart disease. Other benefits of nut consumption include:

• Hazelnuts reportedly boost the immune system and fight fatigue,
• Peanuts are recommended for memory and help reduce high blood pressure,
• Almonds are a good source of calcium to fight osteoporosis,
• Pecans aid bone strength and help keep nerves and muscles healthy, and
 
• Macadamias are beneficial to the nervous system and skin.

http://www.marketresearch.com/browse.asp?categoryid=1644

Happy August 1st!

We are in the final month of Summer for most of you.  I hope you have been able to do a lot of great things with family and friends.  With it being the first day of August I have some great news.  This Friday we will be introducing SWEET CORN to our booth. I know this is the time of year most of you wait for.  This corn will be picked on Thursday and then brought in from Bliss, Idaho for those of you who will be wondering.  

We'll keep you posted on any other things that will be coming to the market this week.  Have a great Monday and we'll see you Friday!

Herbs Available this Weeks!!

We will have herbs available at our booth this week.  These will include:
Asian Basil
Italian Basil
Large Leaf Basil
Tarragon
Cilantro
Thyme

They will be picked fresh on Friday morning and will be available for sale Friday evening.  If you don't plan on using all the herbs in a couple days here is a link to a great blog that tells you how to dry certain herbs and the best ways to use and store them.
As a tip do not wash the leaves until ready to use or aromatic oils will be lost.

http://www.herbgardeningguru.com/harvesting-storage.html

Happy Thursday and we'll see you tomorrow!

Facts about your Farmers Market

This is a bit of interesting information you can think about next time you visit your local Farmer's Market.

Farmers' markets consist of individual vendors, mostly farmers, who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages. Farmers markets add value to communities:^[1]

• Farmers/producers sell directly to consumers, minimizing profit loss by circumventing the middleman.
• Consumers get to buy direct from the farmer/producer.
• Consumers can obtain organic fruits and vegetables from Certified Organic farmers
• Consumers get to enjoy fresh, seasonally-grown food that was produced within a drivable distance from their homes.
• More capital remains in the consumers’ community.

Farmers markets are worldwide and reflect their area's culture and economy. Their size ranges from a few stalls to several city blocks. In some cultures, live animals, imported delicacies unavailable locally, and personal goods and crafts are sold.  (wikipedia.com)

As we have attended the Rexburg Market and the Pier View Market in Idaho Falls we have been able to meet many great people and associate with great vendors.  Each market has a different personality and attitude.  Each market is unique to its location.  As farmers markets are on the rise, more and more fresh produce will be available to the public at great prices.  So go out and help support your community and your neighbors by visiting your local Farmer's Market this weekend.

Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

I know there have been a lot of posts today but this one looked so tasty that I felt like I should share.  

Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

Posted by Elise on Nov 24, 2009
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/green_beans_with_almonds_and_thyme/

Green beans are the labradors of the vegetable world, they just seem to get along with everyone. Which is why you will usually find some incarnation of green beans on a holiday dinner menu. This simple preparation of green beans, with butter, thyme, and toasted almonds, comes from my friend Heidi in Carlisle Mass, and over the years has become one of my favorites.

Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of (fresh or frozen) green beans, trimmed
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Method

1 Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the beans and transfer them to a large bowl of ice water, cooling them completely. (The ice water will shock the beans into a vibrant green color.) Drain the beans well. At this point you can make the beans a day ahead and store in refrigerator.
Alternatively you can steam the beans for 5 minutes and proceed directly to the skillet.
2 Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Whisk in half of the fresh thyme (1 Tbsp), the Dijon mustard and garlic salt into the butter. Add the beans to the skillet and toss until heated through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and the remaining 1 Tbsp of thyme.
Serves 8.

Green Thumb #4 Cucumbers

This week's tip is on cucumbers.  We have several plants that are beginning to produce flowers and will therefore start really producing cucumbers probably around mid August.  So check out our tip and enjoy watching your own cucumbers grow.






The same cucumber vine has both male and female flowers. The male flowers, also called the staminate flowers, develop first. These will quickly grow and drop without bearing fruit. The next flowers that grow will be a combination of both male and female (pistillate) flowers. This is when pollination takes place. Take into account that some cucumbers available today require special pollination and planting. Read the package instructions carefully to make sure that your cucumber flowers will pollinate correctly.
Remember that you’ll need to stimulate the presence of bees in your garden to properly pollinate your vines. Using chemical pesticides can kill off the bees and prevent proper pollination. Consider a natural form of pest control instead.
Cucumbers are generally ready to harvest after about 60 days after planting. When to harvest also depends on the variety of cucumber that your grow. Read your seed package instructions carefully for specific harvesting times.
The larger cucumbers grow, the more likely they are to loose their flavor or even become bitter. If your cucumbers begin to turn yellow, they are probably past due to harvest.
When you harvest, carefully inspect your plants (without stepping on the vines) and cut the stem about 3/8 of an inch above the cucumber itself. Once the cucumbers start appearing, harvest frequently to maximize the quality of the fruits.

http://www.cucumbergrowingtips.com/cucumber-pollination-and-harvesting-tips/

What We Have

Today's post will be a little bit different.  I am going to share all the products we will have at the Farmer's Market at Rexburg and Idaho Falls as well as produce we are going to have over the coming weeks.  From here on out I will let you know when we run out of certain items so if that particular item is one of your favorites and the only reason you come to the market you will be able to check here first.   Throughout the rest of the season we will be highligting a different product each week that we carry.  This will include health benefits, nutritional value and ingredients if possible.  So keep your eyes open for those.

Also on a happy note we have placed a new order for our dried fruits and nuts so we should be able to have enough product for the rest of the season.  This is a good note especially for those who love our Yogurt Pretzels that disappeared after 2 weeks into the market.  :)

Ok so here is the list of what we have.

NUTS
Shelled Almonds

Slivered Almonds

Roasted Almonds

Smokehouse Almonds

Raw Macadamia nuts

Roasted/ Salted Macadamia nuts
Roasted/ Unsalted Cashews
Roasted/ Salted Cashews
Mixed Nuts
Roasted/ Salted Peanuts
Honey Roasted Peanuts
Pecans
Pistachios
Soy nuts
Walnut halves
Sunflower seeds

CHOCOLATE ITEMS
Milk Chocolate Almonds
Milk Chocolate Peanuts
Milk Chocolate Malt Balls
Milk Chocolate Raisins

NON - DAIRY CHOCOLATE
Dark Chocolate Peanuts
Chocolate Sprinkle Covered Pretzels

YOGURT COVERED ITEMS
Yogurt Almonds
Yogurt Peanuts
Yogurt Raisins
Yogurt Pretzels

DRIED FRUIT
Chinese Apple Rings
Fancy Apple Rings
Apricots
Banana Chips (sweetened)
Plums
Cranberries
Peaches
Pears
Crystalized Pineapple
Crystal Ginger
Black Raisins
Golden Raisins

SESAME STICKS
Honey Roasted
Cheddar
Regular

MIXES
Aloha
Cajun Hot
Creme Brulee
Cranberry Pecan
Goji Power
Hiker's Trail Mix

OTHERS
Razz-Cherries
Peanut Brittle Crunch

As far as produce goes we will have the following:

Grown by us:
Tomatoes - Beefsteak, Early Girl, Grape, and Roma,  Hydroponic tomatoes available each week
Snow Peas
Leeks
Turnips
Lettuce
Spinach
Carrots
Onions
Jalapeno peppers
Bell Peppers
Red Beets
Swiss Chard
Herbs and Spices
Okra
Cucumbers
Zuccini
Squash
Cabbage
Broccoli
Green Beans

Items not grown by us:
Mangos
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Avacado
Celery
Artichokes

Green Thumb Tip # 3 Watermelons

Happy Friday!

You might be thinking "Watermelons don't grow in Idaho so I don't need this one.  However, we have many little watermelons, honeydew, and cataloupe growing in our little greenhouse.  With a greenhouse you are able to grow so much more than just in the open air in Rexburg.  It is because of this greenhouse we are able to have much of the produce and herbs we currently do.  While our melons are not quite ready, here is a nifty tip I found to help you find that perfect melon at the store.

Tips for Picking a Ripe Watermelon

I have found one of the best places to buy a watermelon is from your local farmer's market or fruit stand. Fruits like watermelon are picked when ripe, unlike those found in supermarkets. Watermelons sold in commercial grocery stores are often picked early,so they can ripen while being transported. However, the melons can arrive too early, even too late, and making them, well, just not good.

Look for a melon that is nice looking, meaning free of dents, bruises, cuts, etc. Check under the melon - if it has a yellow or light bottom, it should be ripe. If it's stripes are found all around the melon, pass on it. It's just not ready yet.

You may see people at the market tapping on watermelon. What exactly are they listening for? The are checking for signs of hollowness. It is sounds hollow, its ripe. Not hollow, unripe.

Look for a heavy melon. Watermelons are made up of mostly water, so an ideal melon should be heavy for its size.

http://mideastfood.about.com/od/tipsandtechniques/f/watermelonripe.htm

Cherry Limeade - Great for any day and any time

With all the Cherries coming into season this would be a great treat after being out in the sun all day.  This week at the Farmer's Market Grove City Gardens has a lot of great cherries for sale at a great price.  So check them out at either the Rexburg location or at the Pier View Market in Idaho Falls. 

http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/06/cherry-limeade-recipe-slushies-recipe.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+goodlifeeats+%28goodLife+%7Beats%7D%29&utm_content=Twitter

Cherry Limeade Slushies and Limeade Recipe

Drinks, Seasonal Recipes, Summer Recipes | 24 comments »

We have been enjoying these Cherry Limeades so much lately. They’re a little bit addicting, but in a good way and they’ve been great when we have needed a little sweet treat at the end of the day. They’d be a perfect addition to your 4th of July picnic or barbecue this weekend.

Now, don’t get this confused with the ever popular Sonic Cherry Limeade. I’m all for ordering one on occasion, but this recipe leaves me feeling just a tad bit less guilty since these homemade slushies don’t contain any soda or high fructose corn syrup. Plus, it’s supplemented with real fruit pureed with the limeade.
What’s so great about this recipe is it’s simplicity. One batch of homemade limeade will make you several batches of Cherry Limeade . But, if you really want, you can use an all-natural store bought limeade and then whipping up your very own slushy will only take a second.

We’ve tried making these slushies with other fruits as well. Get creative with whatever frozen fruit you have stashed away in the freezer. Strawberries were also popular here in our house, but we decided that we like the cherry version best.
If you are a fan of Cherry Limeade, you might also like these Cherry Limeade Cupcakes that I made for a 4th of July celebration a few years ago.
Looking for more 4th of July menu ideas?

Drinks

• Blackberry Lime Spritzer
• Fresh Strawberry Lemonade
• Watermelon Lemonade

Grilling

• Blue Cheese Balsamic Burgers
• Grilled Vegetables with Flatbread
• Herb-Grilled Potatoes
• Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken Kebabs
• Peach Honey Ginger Ribs
• Teriyaki Turkey Burgers and Homemade BBQ Sauce

Dessert

• Chocolate Covered Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich
• Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
• Lemon Blackberry
• Ricotta Cheesecake and Fruit Pops

Hope all of you in the USA have a wonderful, long weekend. Happy Independence Day!

Cherry Limeade Slushies

Limeade adapted from Strawberry Lemon-Limeade
serves 2 - 4

Ingredients:

For the Cherry Limeade Slushies:
2 cups Limeade, recipe follows*
1 - 2 cups crushed ice, according to preference
1 1/2 cups frozen cherries
For the Limeade:
1 cup sugar
1 cup of water1 cup fresh lime juice
4-6 cups cold water (according to taste)
*alternatively, use all-natural store bought limeade if desired.

Directions:

For the Cherry Limeade Slushies:
Combine the 2 cups limeade, crushed ice, and frozen cherries in a blender. Start with 1 cup crushed ice and add additional ice until desired slushy-ness is achieved. Puree until blended to slushy consistency. Serve immediately.
For the Limeade
Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan to make a simple syrup. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool. In a pitcher, combine the simple syrup, lime juice, and cold water. Adjust water according to your sweet taste preferences. Chill.

Melon Update

I walked out to our greenhouse this morning and was excitied to see little melons appearing.  We have melons showing up on our Cantaloupe and Watermelon plants and we are so excited to see them. 

Our Tomatoes are also ripening well.  We hope to have many Grape, Roma, Early Girl and Beefsteak tomatoes to be able to take to the market this weekend. 

Other items we hope to have this week or next are peas, Swiss Chard, and Cauliflower.  I'll keep you posted on what we will have for certain on my next post this Thursday with our next Green Thumb Tip. 

Green Thumb Tip #2

I apologize that it has take so long to get a new post up, but here it is.

This week it is on Broccoli and how to keep pesky pests out of your plants.  Included also is a link to why growing broccoli is a great way to maintain your health.  Enjoy!

---

Growing Broccoli whilst minimising pest problems will mean following some sort of crop rotation plan.
This simply means not growing vegetables of the same family in the same piece of earth year after year...it encourages pest build up in the soil. For Broccoli this also means - Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Turnip, Cauliflower.

Cabbage Root Fly can be a problem so use protective discs at the base of the growing Broccoli as they lay their eggs in the soil at this point and when they hatch the little maggots burrow down and feed on the roots.
These discs can be made from old bits of hession backed carpet, underlay or roofing felt - use your imagination, or purchase them ready made from a garden nursery or DIY store.
Also cover with gardening fleece when the plants are young. Fleece is a great friend to the gardener, it allows rain and light through but insulates against frost and deters pests.
Keep a watchfull eye for the appearance of Caterpillars as left unattended they will devastate your growing Broccoli plants. They feed on the underside of the leaves and the best answere is to just pick them off and... squish `em.
They also lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves too so look for yellow clusters aannndddd... squish `em. If you you haven't the time to keep squishing - or the stomach, then use `Just Caterpillar`. It uses nematodes to provide an environmentally safe and efficient treatment which can be watered straight onto edible plants.
Use `Just Caterpillar` once they are seen on the plant, preferably whilst they are still small, and the nematodes will quickly seek out the caterpillar and kill it. Get it from your garden centre.
It`s a blood thirsty game learning how to grow Broccoli - the carnage is terrible. ;0)

Aphids are a serious pest, weakening your growing Broccoli plants and introducing viruses which further weaken plants. Spray with Derris if infestation is serious.	Eggs of the Large White butterfly. Caterpillars can defoliate a plant quickly so watch out for them. Inspect the underside of the leaves for clusters and squish them. Practice your tennis strokes when the butterfly is about	Caterpillar of the Small White butterfly. Defoliates plants quickly, watch out for them. Pick off and destroy, use a nematode spray or spray with Derris. Eggs are laid under leaves in a random way, not in clusters, nor are they brightly coloured.

Club Root is a fungus and all brassicas (thats the family umberalla for Broccoli along with Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Turnip, Cauliflower) can be affected.
The roots of your young growing Broccoli become stubby and swollen. Leaves become yellow and wilt causing severe stunting of growth. This causes swelling and reduces the flow of water and nutrients to the plant. Spores are produced and can survive in the soil for up to five years.
Prevent club root by practicing crop rotation and take extreme care if you buy in seedlings from outside as this is often the way this fungus is introduced.
Reducing the acidity of the soil by adding lime will help.

Aphids can be a serious pest by weakening your growing Broccoli plants and introducing viruses. Try planting Marigolds or Tagetes plants among the crop. They attract beneficial insects like hover flies and ladybirds which feed on the Aphids and will help reduce the infestation.
Knowing how nature operates helps us understand how to grow Broccoli and other vegetables in a way that helps your environment positively. But spraying is the only way to make a real impact on badly infested plants.
Get advice from your garden center for sprays that can be used - they change so regularly as new legislation takes effect.
Flea Beatles are tiny beetles that can make sieves out of your brassica leaves. When you touch the Broccoli leaves they ping off just like regular fleas, only these won't bite you! To deter them:

• Use horticultural fleece placed over your broccoli, as soon as you transplant them outside; a floating row cover.
• Lightly hoe over the soil regularly to destroy eggs and larvae and expose them to predators.
• Give your plants a mid-day shower with the hose (not in full sun though), as they're most active then and they don`t like wet conditions.
• Try `Companion Planting`, to attract the beneficial insects.

Vast changes have taken place in the UK and Europe concerning the availability of pesticides during recent years to the extent that most have been removed from retailers shelves. Visit your garden centre or nursery and seek their advice as what to use.

When your learning how to grow Broccoli, it is important to be able to recognise the pests from the goodies - you don`t want to kill the goodies if you can help it. So observation is the way to to become knowledgeable... it all adds to the enjoyment.

http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/growing-broccoli.html

Now on Twitter!

Hey All,

For the latest news and tips you can now follow us on twitter and get connected with gardening blogs as well as farmers markets tips.

Thanks!

Happy Flag Day

Hello Everyone,

This week so far has been a wet one, but we have finally seen an increase in our temperatures and a bit more sunshine.  With such a big demand for our radishes last week, we will be increasing the amount we bring to the market this week. So if that is something you are looking for and we didn't have it last week then we will have it this week.

On another happy note, we will be bringing to the market our fresh spinach and lettuce along with our red potatoes, hydroponic tomatoes, leeks and radishes. We will also have our beets ready to come to the market in another week or two. 

Thanks for being so patient as we have slowly built up our fresh produce. 

Visit us again this Thursday for our next weekly Green Thumb gardening tip. 

Until Thursday!

Green Thumb Tips #1 Tomatoes

Here is the beginning of a long list of Green Thumb gardening tips we will be exploring.  Every Thursday a new post will appear with a new tip for you. These gardening tips will also be available at our booth.
This week's tip deals with growing great tomatoes.  We will explore different methods of helping your plants to grow healthy and produce a lot of fruit.

After you have transplanted your tomatoes into your garden you can follow these tips to help you through the season.

Pinch & Prune for More Tomatoes

Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc.

Pinch and remove suckers that develop in the crotch joint of two branches. They won’t bear fruit and will take energy away from the rest of the plant. But go easy on pruning the rest of the plant. You can thin leaves to allow the sun to reach the ripening fruit, but it’s the leaves that are photosynthesizing and creating the sugars that give flavor to your tomatoes.

 

Water the Tomato Plants Regularly.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc.

Water deeply and regularly while the plants are developing. Irregular watering, (missing a week and trying to make up for it), leads to blossom end rot and cracking. Once the fruit begins to ripen, lessening the water will coax the plant into concentrating its sugars. Don’t withhold water so much that the plants wilt and become stressed or they will drop their blossoms and possibly their fruit.

http://gardening.about.com/od/growingtips/tp/Tomato_Tips.htm

 

 

Blossom end rot, which appears in the picture above is common in many tomato varieties. From my experience, however, Romas seem more suseptible to the fungus than others.  Other methods I have found in addition to regular watering is to put a tsp. of  Miracle Grow Tomato plant food in with a pitcher of water and pour at the base of every plant at least once a week. This should reduce the amount of tomatoes that will develop the fungus.

Look for more tips each week at the Fruitful Nut.

 

Thanks and we'll see you at the market!

 

New items available this week:

Radishes

Fingerling potatoes

Red potatoes

 

Radish Time!

After a beautiful weekend we opened up our hoop tunnel greenhouse this morning to find that all of our plants have shot straight up.  Our radishes are ready to be harvested and our tomato plants have many large green tomatoes forming that will be ready to be picked in another two to three weeks.

Last week we began a promotion where if you buy two or more packages of product you will receive a coupon for 10% off your next visit to our booth.  This promotion is continuing on this week!  So be sure to mark the day and the time and come see us at one of our two locations in Rexburg or Snake River landing in Idaho Falls.

Watch for the next post on Thursday for our weekly Summer Gardening Tip.

Have a great week and we look forward to seeing you at our markets!

Market Day!

This weekend promises to be a wonderful one with sunshine and great products that need a home.
At the Fruitful Nut, we are bringing in a new variety to add to our Potato Jazz line. They are fingerling potatoes.

These little potatoes are great to spice up any meal or to eat alone. Packed with good carbs, they are healthy as well as delicious.

For this week's market we are also adding fresh baby red potatoes.  These will come at about $2.75 each.  These are great in recipes such as Cream Peas and Potatoes or to make creamy mashed potatoes.  If you prefer a more simple method, boiled red potatoes are great by themselves.   For recipes see below.  Also don't forget about our discount promotion going on.  If you buy two or more items you will receive a coupon for 10% off your next visit.






To give you a heads up next week we launch our weekly gardening tip to help you in your Green Endevors. We will cover such topics as box gardens, pest management, high yield tips and planting methods.  We will also feature news articles related to our topic of the week.

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you at the market!

Creamed Peas and Potatoes

• 6 Servings
• Prep: 10 min. Cook: 25 min.

102535

Ingredients

• 1 pound small red potatoes
• 2-1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 2 cups milk

Directions

• Scrub and quarter potatoes; place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
• Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, melt butter. Add onion; saute until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended; gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Drain potatoes and peas; toss with sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup equals 236 calories, 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 28 mg cholesterol, 355 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 8 g protein.

Creamed Potatoes & Peas published in Taste of Home April/May 2009, p65

Discount Week!

With beautiful weather on the way we expect to have an exciting and fun filled market.  This weekend at both the Rexburg Market and the Pier View Market in Idaho Falls we are offering a discount to customers who buy two or more items at a time.  They will receive a coupon for 10% off their next visit to our booth.  Merchandise, including nuts, dried fruits, and the Potato Jazz products are included in this offer. (This offer is not valid with the sole purchase of tomatoes.) 

If you have any questions, leave a post and we will get an answer back to you promptly.

Have a great Wednesday and keep checking for more great deals and updates!

A view of our hydroponics Tomato greenhouse

Potato Jazz Medley

Fresh Leeks

Midweek News

We have nearly completed the planting of our hoop tunnel. Yesterday we finished planting our Cauliflower, Cucumber, and Zucchini with a few more tomato plants.  Everything is looking green and healthy and growing well.  We expect to have a wonderful amount of produce when everything finishes growing.

Some future events we will have at our booth will be information on our produce, how best to grow certain plants in Idaho,  and other gardening tips to help you in your growing endeavors.  

We look forward to seeing you all at the market!

Market Time!

The weather outside might be frightful, but The Fruitful Nut will still be delightful.


It's market time again and we are gearing up for a great evening in Rexburg and a fantastic Saturday at the Pier View Market at Snake River Landing in Idaho Falls.

We have added a few new products to our display this week. These will include Chocolate Peanuts, Chocolate Raisins, our Hiker's Trail Mix, and a few other sweet treats.

We will still have our famous Hydroponic Tomatoes grown year round in BYU-Idaho's hydroponic greenhouse located in the Ezra Taft Benson Building.  These tomatoes grow in a water-based solution and are a great addition to any sandwich, salad, or to eat alone.

Our tomatoes are priced at $0. 50 for the large ones and $0. 25 for our small ones.

This week we also have Leeks available. These are $1.00 for a bundle.  Leeks are used in a variety of recipes and give a great burst of flavor to any dish. For a 4.5 star warm bowl of Potato Leek soup click here for the recipe.









A new product that we introduced last week in both markets was Wilcox Fresh's Potato Jazz.

These little potatoes come in a steam tray and are full of good carbs.          They include a tasty spice packet to Jazz up the taste.  All you have to do is vent a corner, put them in the microwave for 5 minutes, pour a small amount of olive oil or butter (whichever you prefer) and top with the spices. These make a great side dish or a nice meal for two.


We look forward to seeing you at the BYU-Idaho's The Fruitful Nut!

A Fruitful Day of Fruitful Events

Today marks the beginning of the third week of the Fruitful Nut's involvement with this year's Farmer's Market in Rexburg and the second in Idaho Falls. With the beautiful sunshine outside and the bounteous booth we will have tonight and tomorrow afternoon it is shaping up to be a great day.  We have our first few tomatoes finally in the ground and will be ready somewhere close to mid-July to the first of August. We will have several varieties available for sale at that time such as:

       
• Beef Steak
• Roma
• Early Girl
• Grape Tomatoes
• Tomatilla (a green, husked, tomato)

We have also planted many other items such as Broccoli, Peas, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Cabbage and Spinach. Future plants that will include: Watermelons, Cantaloupe, Honey Dew, Cucumbers, Sweet Corn and Squash.

By the end of the season we really will be the "Fruitful" Nut.  

About this weekend's markets we will have our usual supply of gourmet nuts and dried fruit including Yogurt-Covered Almonds, Chocolate Malt Balls, Dried Cranberries and many other great tasting, guilty pleasure fulfilling products.  Tonight we will also be bringing leeks fresh from our garden and hand picked this very afternoon.

We will also have our normal supply of Hydroponic Tomatoes grown right at the BYU-Idaho's Hydroponics Greenhouse. These are large tomatoes with a great taste. To learn more about these delectable edibles, check out their website. 

Hydroponic Tomatoes

We are also piloting a new product developed at Rexburg's own Wilcox Fresh Potatoes. Potato Jazz are steam trays full of fingerling and baby potatoes with microwave instructions and a spice packet to boot. These special spuds make a great meal for 3-4 people and cook up in about 5 minutes!  

To see more about these healthy bites click here.

Thanks and we look forward to see you at the Market!!

Gearing Up

This is the first week of the farmer's market this year. We are from Brigham Young University - Idaho in Rexburg. We grow all our own produce which consists of some fruits and vegetables. We ship all our nuts in from California. We are preparing for our first market this Friday in Rexburg. It will be from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The next week we will be selling in Idaho Falls at the Pier View Market near Taylor Crossing on Saturday in addition to our Friday market.

Keep up on the latest happening with The Fruitful Nut right here each week. We will announce our specials and other deals we may have going on.

We look forward to everyone coming to visit!

These are just a few of the many great products we will be offering to our customers this coming week.

- Chocolate Covered Almonds

- Chocolate Covered Pretzels

- Mixed Nuts

- Dried Apricots

- Dried Plums