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Gorman Produce Farm


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If you live in Columbia, Laurel or Savage (or commute up Rte 29 into Howard County), then you should buy vegetables at Gorman Produce Farm as soon as you have a free afternoon.

You're reading about food in Howard County. Go buy from people growing food in Howard County at the newly-rejuvinated farm between Rte 29 and U.S. 1.

Lydia and Dave Liker have leased the farm on Gorman Road, and they sell produce just in from the field. This is about a mile south of the Harris Teeter in King's Contrivance. Much of the Liker's produce goes out through their "community supported agriculture" program where people paid $550 for weekly boxes of vegetables from June through October. But you can pick up fresh vegetables by stopping at the farm and buying from the Likers -- or from Dave's father, who helped me buy on Saturday.

I saw a new sign for the Gorman Produce Farm on my way to the Savage library. The sign doesn't really say that you can buy vegetables there, but I drove down a gravel road to the signs that say "park here" and "produce here." Inside a building were plastic tubs and boxes full of vegetables -- squash, basil, cabbage, green beans, eggplants, chard, and on and on. I broke out my "emergency" $20 bill, and I bought carrots, kohlrabi, squash and lettuce. They're beautiful and delicious.

The vegetables are not certified organic, but the Likers say on their Web site that they grow everything according to organic principles. That works for me because I'm skeptical of government "organic" labels -- just like I'm skeptical about the government labels for "local" produce. Why not believe a farm where you can look around yourself?

You can meet the farmers most days until about 6 pm. The CSA pick-up is Thursday, and they say people can pick up until 6 pm. Dave Liker said that the gates on Gorman close when they're closed for the day. His father pointed out that it's a working farm, so there are times when people drive up and the Likers are too busy working to make a sale.

Gorman's prices seem about what you pay at the Howard County farmers markets. Tomatoes should ripen in a week or so. Corn too. The fields are just going to deliver more and more through the end of the summer.

This is a re-post because I did something wrong and erased the original post when I was trying to add link. I think it is pretty much the same.

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How about a link? (in addition to better directions) This sounds like it is very close to my sister, but I cannot visualize where from your description.

Nevermind, I just looked it up myself.

So for everyone else's benefit, here you go.

Sorry. I was worried about getting too long.

Gorman Produce Farm

11051 Gorman Road

Laurel, MD 20723

301-957-6884

NEAR: This is on Gorman Road east of Rte 29 and west of U.S. 1. This is south of Rte 32, just minutes south of Columbia and almost walking distance from King's Contrivance.

From Broken Land Parkway, take Broken Land south of Rte 32 until it deadends. Turn left and then right on Murray Hill Road. Take that until it deadends into Gorman Road. Turn right on Gorman. You'll see the farm's sign on the left just before a point where the road bends to the right.

From Rte 29, take the exit for Johns Hopkins Road, which is also marked for Gorman. Turn left at the top of the ramp and go through the next traffic circle. The road changes name to Gorman, and you just drive until you see the farm's sign on the right at a point where the road bends to the left.

From U.S. 1, go west at the light for Gorman Road. You'll pass the Savage library. Gorman Road actually turns right. The "straight ahead" changes name to Skylark Boulevard as you enter a housing development. After you turn right to "stay" on Gorman, the road curves and curves. You'll see the farm's sign on the left just before a point where the road bends to the right.

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Another great week of stuff indeed. Trying to figure out what to do with all the peppers this week myself.

Slice into 1/6 from top to bottom. Slice fresh onions into thin rounds. Heat large pan. Add the onion, saute while seasoning well with salt, pepper, parsley and what ever herbs you like. When the onions are soft & sweet, all the peppers and stir till they are coated with the hot oil and the skins have "tightened up" but not blistered. Add enough crappy acidic white wine to cover half the height of your ingredients. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and cook till the liquid reduces and is lightly thickened. Great bed of pepperonata for sausages, or as a light topping to hearty pasta, or as a topping for bruschetta.
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Not sure how I missed this thread until now. Having just read the tomato thread in this same forum, I feel inclined to mention that Gorman has a generous supply of the Sungold cherry tomatoes. Also, I have always loved their yellow romas sliced with mozzarella and basil although last week was the first week for them I believe (at least in our CSA) and I think they were a tiny bit early.

They are bringing in some produce from other farms that follow their farming practices, but if you're unsure, just ask. They are always happy to chat with you.

Final note, CSA pick up is now Thursday and Friday until 6, in case someone is considering joining in the future or would like to see what's offered to CSA members (unlike many, we don't get a box, our selections for the week are noted on a dry erase board and then we just choose what we want until we have everything on our list - this is an added bonus this year as when it says we get 2 lbs of peppers, we get to choose from banana, hot, several varieties of sweet, etc.). They do also offer 1/2 shares. My favorite surprise this year - getting to put together my own bouquet of flowers. They handed me some clippers and pointed me in the direction of the flowers. :)

Yeah, Gorman! :(

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Just got back from my last trip to their market for the year, it closes today. Lots of big butternuts and other fall squash, greens, and peppers. I got the last turnips though, and one of the last bottles of honey. Going to be a long winter!

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Got loads of stuff from this year via the CSA. It was a good experience. That said, I am not sure doing the CSA thing, in general, is something I want to repeat. Even with half a share, we often had too much produce for the two of us to eat within the given week. In the end, some stuff had to get tossed since we could not eat it fast enough. Probably best for me to support Gorman and other local producers by purchasing exactly what I'd like/need instead of wasting stuff.

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Got loads of stuff from this year via the CSA. It was a good experience. That said, I am not sure doing the CSA thing, in general, is something I want to repeat. Even with half a share, we often had too much produce for the two of us to eat within the given week. In the end, some stuff had to get tossed since we could not eat it fast enough. Probably best for me to support Gorman and other local producers by purchasing exactly what I'd like/need instead of wasting stuff.

Wha?! Or you need to eat more veg. :) Seriously though, I eat a half share by myself. Some things go to waste if I'm not diligent about cooking all week, but if I'm careful, especially about using things that will go bad quickly first, I don't have an issue.

I get that CSA's aren't for everyone though. Some people don't like being obligated to make what they get and would rather just shop weekly at markets. I admit, I do both! :)

I do love Gorman though. I think they have some of the most amazing sweet potatoes, squash, japanese eggplant and sungold and yellow roma tomatoes, among many other things. Tonight I roasted turnips in the pan I roasted my chk in - had Gorman turnips and turnips I picked up at the 14th & U market. Despite being soft b/c they had been in my fridge a bit too long, the Gorman ones were so much better.

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Choirgirl21-- My issue is that I do not cook with focus 7 days a week. After a long day, sometimes the thought of sifting through the kitchen to come up with something to cook and then cooking it is just too daunting. Plus, I am not a chef, nor a good improvisational cook. I cook well to recipes and can improvise on known recipes, but riffing a veggie dish on a weeknight is just too complicated for my brain at times.

I love Gorman's produce, I just prefer to be able to pick and choose what I want and in the quantities that I know I can finish before something spoils. I prefer to not waste food if at all possible.

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Choirgirl21-- My issue is that I do not cook with focus 7 days a week. After a long day, sometimes the thought of sifting through the kitchen to come up with something to cook and then cooking it is just too daunting. Plus, I am not a chef, nor a good improvisational cook. I cook well to recipes and can improvise on known recipes, but riffing a veggie dish on a weeknight is just too complicated for my brain at times.

I love Gorman's produce, I just prefer to be able to pick and choose what I want and in the quantities that I know I can finish before something spoils. I prefer to not waste food if at all possible.

No need to explain, I totally get it. Hence my inclusion of the phrase "when I'm being diligent", which as much as I'd like to be, I am not every single week, so some food was going to waste, which I hate equally as much. I finally got a bit smart this year though and got a book on preserving food, which includes freezing as well as the usual canning and pickling. I finally realized that if I knew I wasn't going to use everything up that week, I could freeze some of it for winter. Might not work for everyone b/c of space constraints, but I have a second chest freezer that is mostly used for dog food, but has space for me as well so this worked for me. Sometimes I did have to go to the trouble to prep and blanch, but in some cases I just tossed it into the freezer. Did you know that you can actually freeze tomatoes whole and then just put in freezer proof containers to store? Brilliant. :)

Anyway, thanks for spreading the good word about Gorman.

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