GENE

This is my favorite stand at the Saturday Farmer's Market. So carefully arranged, each mushroom like a precious gem.
Gene and his son Patrick are farmers in Joseph, Oregon - about six hours away to the east. They drive out every Friday in their van and make deliveries to restaurants, spend the night, Gene works the market on Saturdays and Patrick continues deliveries until they drive back that night. Every single week.
They only grow to sell potatoes, carrots and beets, but they forage for mushrooms and have a secret wild plum supply. Those little plums, like small jewels, are very tart yet make excellent galettes if you add enough sugar. At Navarre we make jam and pies with them. Gene will tell you the best thing for those mushrooms is to catch some trout (like he does) and saute the mushrooms in the pan with the fish. Indeed.