Market on the Move

I’m finally getting around to writing about this program!

Market on the Move was started by The 3000 Club.  To give you a little background, here is some information from their website:

In October of 2010, the Market On the Move (MOM) was born. The 3000 Club founders Ethel Luzario and Lon Taylor partnered with churches and other non-profit organizations to host weekly markets where semi-truck loads of produce were brought into the valley.  A supporter can donate $10 and receive up to 60 lbs. of produce that they can share with anyone they know who may be in need. By end of the season in May 2013, there were over 50 distribution sites and 90 million pounds of produce have been rescued and redistributed.

It started in Sierra Vista in April 2013, and happened every other week until June 1, with a special event on June 29.  Usually, it doesn’t happen over the summer because it’s too hot to be out doing events.  I only made it to a couple of the events, and a friend shared hers with me for the events I couldn’t make.  Since it’s rescued produce, meaning produce that would have otherwise been thrown away by produce suppliers in Nogales, AZ, because they couldn’t sell it because of dates or quality, it’s not always perfect.  There are some imperfections at times, or some has gotten moldy, but overall, a lot is still usable produce.  But, it also means that you have to find use for it almost right away.  Plus, it really varies event to event what is available and how much you can get.  Typically, each item will have a limit so that they can get produce to as many families as possible.

Yesterday (11/3/2013), was the first event of the new season in Sierra Vista.  I wasn’t able to go, but my husband went for me.  He paid 2 donations, or $20.   At this event, they estimated to have served about 700 families from the full truck (about 36,000 pounds of produce). Here is what he came home with:

Orange bell peppers, already cut into strips

Lots of cucumbers!

Yellow Squash

Watermelons

Roma and cherry tomatoes

Zucchini

This was definitely more produce than I could use, so I found 2 friends interested in some produce, and made them each a box like this:

As you can see, the peppers are in snack sized bags for my husband to take to work for snacks.  Half of the cucumbers I put in jars in the refrigerator to make pickles:

Not sure what I’ll do with the other half just yet, although some will be saved to juice with the watermelon to make Watermelon-Cucumber Coolers.  For the zucchini and yellow squash, I will slice it, blanch, and freeze.  Some will also be sliced, and I’m planning to use some of the Zaycon breakfast sausage that I just got, and make some Summer Squash, Sausage, and Egg Bakes to freeze and reheat for quick dinners later.  The tomatoes I’ll wash and puree to put in jars in the fridge to make a couple batches of Spanish Rice this week.  And then, I’ll take a long nap after all this work!

Edited to add:  Here are a couple of pictures of my prep and finished product of Summer Squash, Sausage, and Egg Bakes that I made.  I got foil pans with lids to use to bake them in and then freeze.

Ingredients for the casseroles

Finished casseroles in foil pans with lids for the freezer

Tags: Market on the Move, produce, The 3000 Club