More Organic Finds at the Green Market

More Organic Finds at The Green Market

Saturday - Market Day

Fresh organic produce is available only on Saturdays at the Green Market.  Find herbs, fruits and vegetables of unusual variety, all tastier and healthier than those grown by conventional methods.  Seedlings and plants are also available for sale in case you wish to start your own organic garden.  Do remember that if roundup or other non-organic chemical was used on your land, you will need to wait for three years before planting those non-GMO seedlings or plants.  More tips will be shared soon on growing organics at home.

Body Care

Along the Market's walkway you will find lots to eat, from crepes to quiches, fried bakes (that local oxymoron) and pies with various fillings as well as empanadas, arepas and polourie.  You can wash those down with coffee (see my last post), a fresh fruit smoothie or a glass of local wine... that is, if you can get to the top of the long line of wine tasters and buyers.

As you stroll down the pathway, stop by the body care booths to sample the Coco Luscious and Coco Dreams hand and body creams, manufactured from the finest locally grown cocoa and said to have the ability to heal eczema and other skin problems.  The Soap Shack blends essential oils and herbs into concoctions that promise to make your skin more radiant, even skin tone and repair damaged skin.

Art

This blog is intended to focus on organic food but my quest led me to persons who bring to market non-food organic objects.  I took note of three artists on my visit to the Green Market, each showcasing extraordinary work.  T-Shirt artist, Kavir Mootoo works with acrylic fabric paints on organic apparel tees, a brand dedicated to using only organically grown cotton and no sweat shop or child labour.  Each piece is unique and is a composite of techniques from printing with leaves to detailed textural patterns.  Kavir has a deep concern for the environment and seeks through his work to bring awareness to the damage done by oil spills in the our local waters.

Interesting designs made from pebbles were on display as well as what looked like decoupage work on decorative signs by a talented painter.  Details however will have to follow my next visit to the Market.

Zen's Organics

Last Saturday morning at the far end of the Green Market, I caught up with Zen, a petite lady in flowing garb, roasting corn cobs still wrapped in their sheaths, atop a charcoal grill.  A huge stock pot stood next to the grill with corn cobs on the boil, seasoned with favourite local herb, chadon beni (aka long coriander/false cilantro).  Zen offers for sale organically grown produce from her family's  garden : plantains, avocados, corn and other fruits and vegetables.

We chatted for a while about the two most prevalent GMO products, corn and soy (click link for information on the 7 most prevalent GMO crops).  Asked about how insects and other pests are controlled on their farm, Zen shared a simple method used on their farm to prevent 'ear worm' infestation of their corn and her ongoing quest to source a variety of non-GMO seeds such as kale and red lettuce.

Zen's Corner - organically grown corn - roasted or boiled, plantains and other organic produce

Sunday - Eat Ah Food

Sundays are special at the Green Market.  No fresh produce available but instead there is an array of cooked foods to choose from including a variety of wholegrain breads and samosas with various fillings.  While I can't say that all the food available for sale at the Market is made from organic ingredients, I can safely recommend Appolonia's Select Provision Pies and Zen's Corn Soup both of which I found delightful.  Combined with lentils, black beans or beef, the provision pies are a complete meal in a bowl, easy to freeze and take with me to the office for lunch.  

Zen's heart warming corn soup is completely vegan and gluten free with chunky vegetables and ground provisions, seasoned with aromatic local herbs.  The term 'ground provisions' is used by West Indians to describe a group of complex carbohydrates including yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, breadfruit and green figs (bananas) usually boiled or steamed to melt-in-your-mouth consistency as in the case of Zen's Sunday Corn Soup.    

Zen's heart warming Corn Soup with herbed bread

Next - Be Free Foods, an Organic Store in St. James, Port of Spain.

Cheers,
Omgrowntnt