Farmstand veggies (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

Spring has sprung! Winter’s snow seems like a distant memory. Everything is leafing out in beautiful green. Wildflowers adorn the forest floor. Daffodils and tulips embellish our garden.

Farmstands are back! Each year, I eagerly await the arrival of fresh, seasonal produce from our region — a hallmark of summer cuisine.

Right now, they’re mainly selling flower and vegetable seedlings. I bought some tomato plants, herbs and flowers for our garden. For my kitchen, I bought asparagus, lettuce, radishes and scallions.

The first farmers’ market at Riverside Park was Saturday, May 17. I hoped to find a few other fresh veggies, like spinach, arugula and baby bok choy.

During the winter, vegetables available to most consumers come from the supermarket, shipped from California or Central America in refrigerated trucks. Spring and summer bring fresh, local produce — whether you grow your own, buy it at a roadside stand, get it through a CSA membership or visit a local farmer’s market.

I love farmers’ markets and farmstands because they allow me to purchase seasonal, local produce and other items. My money goes to support local farmers instead of big agriculture and farms in South America and California. It helps preserve natural resources, as no oil or gas is used to truck the products across the continent. I can talk to farmers about how their produce is grown and how their meat is raised. I can get tips on using products I’m not yet familiar with. Many will invite me to visit their farms and see for myself if I want to take the time to do that.

Fresh, local products also have superior flavor. Produce shipped cross-country in refrigerated trucks loses flavor and nutrition by the time it reaches the supermarket.

Vote with your feet and your dollars to support farmers in our area. Plan your week’s menu around seasonal, local produce. Supporting your region’s farmers is good for your body, your soul, and the community.

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Main Dish Farmstand Salad

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Ingredients:

2 cups shredded lettuce

2 cups fresh baby spinach

2 scallions

6 radishes

1/2 teaspoon seasoned sea salt (or to taste)

2 or 3 tablespoons plain yogurt

2 or 3 eggs, hard-cooked and grated

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped cooked ham (optional)

Directions:

Wash greens thoroughly in several changes of water. Cut off the root ends of the scallions and radishes; remove the radish greens and reserve for another dish. Slice radishes and scallions thinly. Hard-boil the egg, peel, and grate or dice finely. Finely chop the ham.

In salad bowl, combine lettuce, spinach, scallions and radishes. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Fold in yogurt. Stir in eggs and ham.

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Asparagus Torta

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Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash asparagus; snap off root ends. Steam or cook in salted water under barely tender, about 3-7 minutes (depends on thickness of spears). Cool.

While asparagus cooks, beat eggs with milk; stir in grated cheese and 2/3 cup of the bread crumbs.

Slice cooled asparagus into one-inch lengths and mix into the eggs. Oil or butter a 2-quart casserole dish, and pour in contents. (You can also use a prepared pie shell). Top with remaining breadcrumbs. Bake about 45 minutes at 350, until eggs are set and top is brown. Cool 5 – 10 minutes and cut into wedges or squares to serve.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite @yvonawrites.