Nathan Schrecengost might have the Midtown Farmers Market's greenest sales pitch.
"This is as local as it gets for this market," he said. "Everything was picked this morning and driven 5 miles."
Such are the virtues of his Pig's Eye Urban Farm, which bucks the stereotypical rural acreage in favor of a series of converted yards and empty lots in and around the home Schrecengost shares with his wife, Amy, in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood.
"Frogtown, in general, is a food wasteland," he said. "There's not much access to locally grown food, and we want to change that."
So far that passion has translated into a 20-share CSA program, along with the Midtown market stand. In mid-July, the couple's collaboration with other nearby microfarmers will result in the launch of North End Farmers Market, a Monday evening fresh-foods fest at Maryland and Western Avenues in St. Paul. "The neighbors will be able to walk down their street to buy their vegetables," said Schrecengost.
Although it's far too early in the growing season to get a sense for the farm's impressive-sounding selection of heirloom tomatoes and peppers, shoppers last Saturday encountered a pretty array of greens, including collards, a mesclun mix, wild garlic mustard, pea shoots and kale.
"Kale is such a multipurpose vegetable," said Schrecengost, noting that a favorite use is brushing the broad, pale green leaves with olive oil, dusting with salt and pepper and baking in a single layer in a 450-degree oven for 10 minutes.
"Kale chips," he said. "They're super-healthy, and people love them."
