Star Hollow Farm

[jm chen]

After it was brought up by the artist formerly known as Connave over on the Washington's Green Grocer thread, I went over to the Star Hollow Farm website to check out their online farmer's market. You pick out what you want sometime between Wednesday morning and Thursday night, and they pack it up in a box for you and bring it to one of the two drop-off locations on Saturday, Takoma Park or 18th & Columbia. If you live close to 18th & Columbia in particular this is a fun deal -- they're right there with the truck from 9 to noon on Saturday, and you get to meet the farmer and check out the extra produce they brought along. (Picked up some gorgeous mushrooms this way.)

Did this for the first time a couple of weeks ago and ordered fingerling potatoes, rutabaga, parsnips, turnips, carrots, Winesap apples, Temple oranges, apple cider, celery, and a dried pepper. Of these things only the rutabaga failed to please -- and the fruit was INSANELY good. I have not had an orange that sweet, juicy, and delicious in what seems like years. Really nice vegetables, including a bizarre mutant parsnip that I had to photograph. Tasted better than it looked.

I lucked out with my first order and bought a bunch of things on sale, but in general, their prices seem like they're not far off supermarket price for a far superior product. If you live close to the dropoff sites this is a great way to get your produce. Seems like a popular service from the number of boxes they had piled up when I visited the truck.

Anyone else tried 'em?

[qwertyy]

I'm so glad you're liking it, chen! I order from them nearly every week too and have been really, really pleased. Favorites:

I think their greens--especially the arugula--are insanely good and VERY well priced. [One week I forgot to order and ended up getting some mesclun from the Dupont market. It was much more expensive, soaking wet (and since they price by weight--again, much more expensive), not very tasty, and rotted within a few days. I will not forget to order again.]

I also recommend their goat cheese and butter; I've gotten quite into the habit of snacking on slices of toasted Firehook bread (which you can also order from Randy) slathered with one or both.

They offer several bottled goods. I've been trying to slowly replace my grocery store items with goods from Randy--I've covered the honey and preserves, and this week I'm going after the maple syrup (to use in some of the great-looking maple recipes in this month's Gourmet).

The creminis (the only mush of theirs I've tried) were good. The vegetables can be a little hit or miss, but frankly, I hit deliciousness with them a whole lot more often than I do with Safeway, so I'll forgive the occasional soft beet. Incidentally, I've found somewhat better quality when I pick my own stuff at their full-on market at 18th & Columbia, which I think re-opens in a month or two.

Basically, they're really nice people, their food is good, and the service is SO convenient. Plus, I feel MUCH better giving them my money than I do Safeway (which, this Saturday noon, looked like it was having a going-out-of-business sale its shelves were so empty and filthy). Viva Star Hollow!

[mdt]

I wonder where they are sourcing their citrus produce since it is obviously not grown here. Is it expected to be any different from the grocery store variety?

I wish they had a pickup point closer to me as I would love to try them out.

[qwertyy]

I wonder where they are sourcing their citrus produce since it is obviously not grown here.  Is it expected to be any different from the grocery store variety?

I wish they had a pickup point closer to me as I would love to try them out.

That's a good question. They stock a range of types of goods--local and organic or just local or just organic. I'll ask about the produce this weekend and get back to you.

[jm chen]

Plus, I feel MUCH better giving them my money than I do Safeway (which, this Saturday noon, looked like it was having a going-out-of-business sale its shelves were so empty and filthy).

Word. They also seem to have adopted a five-cashier maximum at that Safeway; the lines have been absurd lately.

As for the citrus and whatnot from Star Hollow, they belong to the Tuscarora growers co-op, so it seems they get lots of things from other farms. Maybe they have some sort of exchange program with farms farther south for the oranges.

I can tell you the Winesap I bought from them was better than the Winesap I bought at the Greenmarket in Union Square NYC this past weekend, too. But it looks like Star Hollow doesn't have Winesaps this week. Will be interested to see how much the offerings change from week to week, especially as we enter the spring season.

[qwertyy]

Star Hollow Farms is now open for virtual or actual shopping. The real! live! market opened two Saturdays ago.

But unfortunately, I finally have a complaint: Their root veggies actually have a shorter life span than their greens. Seriously. Over a couple of months, I've had russet potatoes FOAMING on my countertop after four days (I'd never seen potatoes FOAM before!), red potatoes that look fine on the surface but more than half the inside flesh is black within two days, and turnips sprouting after 7 days.

No, it's not just my kitchen; root veggies bought from other vendors last an appropriate length of time.

Oddly, their delicious, wonderful greens that I love have lasted over two weeks in my crisper.

Caveat emptor.