Specialty crops, WARC’s primary research crops, play an important role in local food. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers.

“Our research focuses on diversifying options for Montana growers and in turn consumers,” says Zach Miller, WARC Superintendent. “A lot of what we do is help producers identify cultivars adapted to our climate that will be profitable to our farmers.”

These crops grace Montana tables year round thanks to the efforts of value-added producers who preserve them in various forms whether frozen, fermented or preserved. Come spring though, some of the Bitterroot’s best grown foods are ready to harvest fresh for the table.

“Spring and early summer are a great time to celebrate local,” says Samantha O’Byrne, Executive Director of the O’Hara Commons Sustainability Center. “There’s just so much you can do with young greens, herbs, mushrooms, turnips, broccoli, strawberries, haskaps and carrots.”

O’Hara Commons hosts a year round online market and one of four in-person farmer’s markets operating in the valley from Stevensville to Darby. Shoppers can procure fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and value-added products like House of Ferments Kombucha, Tucker Family Farms feta, Sweet Belly or Aspen Groves Farm’s jams, and Lifeline Dairy’s sausages among a host of other accoutrements for their daily meals or backyard celebrations.

Some farms have also started opening farm stands to drop in business. Mill Crick and Fourth Wave Farm, Sweet Root, Verdue Pastures, Lifeline Creamery, Homestead Organics and Moeller’s all offer farm stands featuring fresh produce and sometimes value-added products from partnering businesses.

“We want to make our food as accessible as possible, to help build a strong local food system” says Noah Jackson who owns Sweet Root Farm with his partner Mary Bricker. “We’ve started this year strong with a harvest list already two pages long.”

Specialty crops, like those grown and sold by local farms, provide color, flavor and texture to your plate as well as diversity to favorite dishes that can be modified depending on the season. Here are a few recipes, from the Bitterroot’s Fork to Farm bike ride, that can be adapted as the season evolves and available ingredients change:

Fork to Farm Frittata

Servings 6-8

A staple at every first stop on the Fork to Farm tour, this hearty slice of goodness hits the spot any time of day packing in the lasting energy of eggs with a satisfying savory assortment of vegetables. Follow the basic recipe then add vegetables to your liking based on local availability.

Ingredients

6 farm fresh eggs

¼ cup whole milk

1 tsp salt

1-2 thinly sliced potatoes

1 cup cheese such as Lifeline Mild Cheddar or Tucker Family Farms Feta

Garlic clove or scape depending on season

3-5 TBS Safflower Oil

Optional Vegetable Medleys

Spring: Peas, pickled spring onion and dill with Lifeline Sharp Cheddar

Mid-summer: Broccoli, caramelized sweet onion and Tucker Family Farms Feta

Autumn: Swiss chard, roasted squash, oyster mushrooms with Tucker Family Farms Ricotta

Winter: House of Ferments Kimchi, breakfast sausage, shitake mushrooms and Lifeline cheddar

Process:

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Beat eggs, milk and salt in medium size bowl until well-blended and set aside.

Heat 6-8” cast iron skillet on low heat, add 1 TBS of oil and sauté garlic until lightly cooked. Add to bowl with egg mixture.

Return pan to heat and increase temperature to medium-high. Lightly cook any vegetables you may be adding. If you are using vegetables like broccoli, carrots or peas that are low-moisture, lightly sauté with some more oil until they have released some moisture, but are still firm. If you are using high-moisture vegetables like spinach, chard, or mushrooms cook thoroughly and place over a strainer to drain. For pre-roasted vegetables, cook in a 425F oven until brown. Either set aside the vegetables or add them to the mixture after they have cooled.

Return pan to burner. Add 2TBS of oil or enough to thoroughly coat the bottom of the pain. Layer sliced potatoes in pan until the bottom is covered. Allow to brown on one side, flip the slices and remove from heat. Allow pan to slightly cool so as not to burn egg mixture when it is added in the next step.

Pour egg mixture over potatoes in pan. Sprinkle on vegetables and cheese.

Cook in oven until lightly brown around the edges and firm in the center. Cooking time varies from 10-20min depending on ingredients used, size of pan and oven.

Fork to Farm Wraps

6-8 servings

These are a favorite for many of our riders and one of the recipes we are most often asked to share. In 2017, miniature French melons were used in place of the leaves of green for a filling that used lamb, mint, basil and sweet pepper. Rice paper can also be used to wrap the filling and green shell for a less messy eating experience.

Filling

1 bunch salad turnips

1 cup fresh peas

1 bunch radishes

1 bunch each cilantro, basil and mint

¼ cup lemon or lime juice

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Process

Chop turnips, peas, radishes, and herbs. Mix in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix citrus juice, oil and season to taste. Pour over chopped vegetables.

Place filling in washed and dried green leaves (cabbage, kale, chard or lettuce all work great). Top with additional herbs (optional). Serve chilled.

Other optional variations:

Mid-Summer: Fresh tomatoes, basil and feta

Late-summer: Roasted peppers, corn and fresh tomatillos

Autumn: Ground lamb, sweet pepper, chopped melon, basil, cilantro, mint, and lime

Winter: Ground beef, frozen kale or spinach and feta.

Fork to Farm Crisp

6-8 Servings

The day is not complete without dessert. Use this crumbly topping for any combination of locally available fruits.

Ingredients

Topping

2 cups oats

½ cup flour

¼ cup ground flax meal (optional)

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

½ cup butter

Fruit filling

4-6 cups of fruit, enough to layer the bottom of your pan with 3 inches of uncooked fruit filling.

2 Tbs flour

¼-1 cup sugar depending on fruits selected and personal taste:

¼ cup (apples, peaches, etc.) , ½ cup (apricots, strawberries, sweet cherries, sweet plums, etc) , ¾ cup-1 cup (rhubarb, currants, sour cherries, haskaps, etc.)

Process

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Coat with melted butter. Set aside.

Prepare fruit filling. Wash and chop fruits to desired size. Coat with sugar and flour. Pour into 8” skillet or 8 x 11” pan. Top with crisp.

Bake at 375F until topping is lightly browned and fruit is bubbling at edges. 30-40min.