Page 51 - Sonoma County Gazette August 2019

Plum Crazy: Santa Rosa Plum History
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* INFO: communityfarmersmarkets.com/markets ** YEAR-ROUND
SATURDAY:
Gualala Farmers’ Market ~ 9:30- 12:30p, May 26 - Nov 3. Gualala Community Center, Hwy 1, Gualala. INFO: 707-884-3726
Healdsburg Certified Farmers’ Markets ~ 8:30a to Noon (May 4 - Nov 23)) West Plaza Parking Lot, North & Vine St. 707-824-8717/ 707 529-4884, Healdsburgfarmersmarket.org, manager@healdsburgfarmersmarket.org
Oakmont Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 9a – 12p, at the Wells Fargo parking lot corner of White Oak and Oakmont Dr. 707-538-7023**
Petaluma Walnut Park Farmers’ Market ~ 2-5p (May 11 - Nov. 16) Petaluma Blvd South at D Street 415-999-5635 info@communityfarmersmarkets.com
Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market at the Vets Bldg ~ 8:30a-1p Veteran’s Bldg, 1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa 415-999-5635 * & **
Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a - 1p. Luther Burbank Center ,50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket.com 707-522-8629**
Sonoma Garden Park Harvest Market - 9a - 12p, May ~ Nov. Sonoma Garden Park, 19996 7th St. East, Sonoma. sonomagardenpark.org
SUNDAY:
Bodega Bay Community Farmers Market - @ 10a - 2p, May 26 - Sept. @ 10a - 2p BB Community Center, 2255 CA Hwy 1, bodegabaycommunitycenter.org
Sebastopol Farmers’ Market ~ 10a -1:30p Sebastopol Plaza, Downtown Across from Whole Foods Market sebastopolfarmmarket.org **
The Springs - 10a-2p, June 2nd - Dec. 15th on the Plaza at Boyes Blvd. and Hwy 12 next to the Post Office, CalFresh. *
Windsor Certified Farmers Market - 10a-1p, April 7th thru Dec. 8th. Rain or Shine, Windsor Town Green, McClelland Dr. windsorfarmersmarket.com
TUESDAY:
Cloverdale Tuesday Farmers’ Market - 3-6p , April 2 ~ Nov 26, 225 N. Cloverdale Blvd. (Empty Lot Next to Plank Coffee); cloverdaletuesdayfarmersmarket.com
Forestville Farmers Market - 4 - 7p Opens June 4th at the Forestville Downtown Park on Front Street (Hwy 116). Opening Day festivites.
Healdsburg’s Market-on-the-Plaza - 9a - 1p. Opens May 28th. Healdsburg Ave & Matheson, Plaza @ Center St. INFO: healdsburgfarmersmarket.org
Petaluma East Side Farmers’ Market ~ 10a -1:30p, Year Round, Lucchesi Park, 320 N McDowell Blvd, Pet. communityfarmersmarkets.com; 415-999-5635 info@ communityfarmersmarkets.com**
WEDNESDAY:
Petaluma Theater District - 4:30p-8p June 5t- Aug 28, 140 2nd St #112, Petaluma. * Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market at the Vets Bldg ~ 9a - 1p, Veteran’s
Bldg, 1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa 415-999-5635 * & **
Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a - 1p. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket. com 707-522-8629 **
THURSDAY:
Cotati Farmers Market - 4:30p-7:30p June 6 - Aug 2h, (Closed 4th of July) @ LaPlaza Park, Old Redwood Hwy a@ West Sierra Ave., Cotati. *
Petaluma Farmers’ Market Pop Up Shop ~ 2p-8p, 151 Petaluma Blvd S Petaluma facebook.com/PetalumaFarmersMarket
Windsor Certified Farmers Market 5-8p, May 30 - Sep 5. Windsor Town Green, McClelland Dr. LIVE CONCERTS 6-8p, windsorfarmersmarket.com
FRIDAY:
Rohnert Park Farmers Market ~ 5p-8p June 7 - Aug 30 - 10-year celebration opening night till 10pm, Rohnert Park Plaza, 500 City Ctr Dr, Rohnert Park. *
Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 9a - 12:30p, Arnold Field, 241 First St West (across from the Depot Hotel.), Sonoma 707-538-7023, svcfm.org**
Occidental Farmer’s Market ~ Downtown starting at 4pm. Local farmers, local musicians, local everything our community has to offer.
By Kelly Smith
Recently I got a call on our farmers’
market number wondering if Petaluma Plums were available. I had to correct the caller, who was from Sacramento, that what he was truly looking for was Santa Rosa Plums. I also had to let the caller know
that as far as I know there are no Petaluma Plums. If I am wrong please let me know. It would be great to discover a new fruit after
working at farmers’ markets for over 20 years!
This phone call made me think about the plum and where it came from
and how Luther Burbank came up with the Santa Rosa plum. I am sure most readers are familiar with who Luther Burbank is but in case you just started following horticulture or are new to the area, Luther Burbank was a local botanist & horticulturist who developed over 800 strains and varieties of grasses, plants and fruit over the 55 years of his work.
First we must know, where did the plum originate? According to Wikipedia plums were one of the first fruits to be domesticated by humans. Three of
the most abundant cultivars are not found in the wild, only around human settlements: Prunus domestica has been traced to East European and Caucasian mountains, while Prunus salicina and Prunus simonii originated in Asia. Plum remains have been found in Neolithic age archaeological sites along with olives, grapes and figs.
So how did Luther Burbank create the Santa Rosa plum? The exact lineage
is unclear. As it’s known now, the Santa Rosa Plum tree has roots from wild plums in Japan (which originally came from China). It is said to have been a “complex hybrid” that Burbank developed. So, in my search it was difficult to find out more how Burbank created such a well loved plum. The key traits that Burbank sought out, and consequently, everyone fell in love with are; superior taste, resistant to disease, abundant yield, transports well and keeps a long shelf life.
Soon after Burbank developed this variety, it became a huge favorite, and quickly spread throughout the country. The name came from it’s origin in Santa Rosa, California. A place that Burbank himself declared “God’s gift to fruit growers.”
This is one of the most popular varieties of plum that you’ll see growing in backyards and available for purchase from farmer’s market growers. People love it because of it’s sweet, juicy flesh, and its versatility in eating right off the tree, or harvesting a few days early to be baked or canned.
Plum Dipping Sauce with Zinfandel
1⁄4 teaspoon allspice
1⁄2 teaspoon course sea salt plus more to taste
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
4 cloves finely minced garlic
Ingredients
2.5 lbs of ripe plums, quartered & pitted 1⁄2 cup Zinfandel
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2/3 cup of sugar
Directions
1 piece star anise
1 pinch ground clove 1 cinnamon stick
In a heavy saucepan over medium high heat, bring all ingredients except garlic and cayenne to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook at a simmer. Stir frequently, mashing plums as you go for 20 minutes or until the liquid is very thick and syrupy- verging on a jammy texture.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes, remove star anise and cinnamon stick and then blend in a high powered blender or food processor until completely smooth.
Return to the saucepan, adding garlic and cayenne. Cook on medium low, and keep at a bare simmer until the ketchup is as thick as (well) ketchup. Five to Ten minutes should be just about right.
Pour into a glass mason jar and enjoy anywhere you’d enjoy ketchup or barbecue sauce.
Kelly Smith • Agricultural Community Events Farmers Markets, North Bay Farmers’ Markets • communityfarmersmarkets.com 501(c)5 Nonprofit PO Box 113 , Kenwood
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