AFC Member Profile: Abby Evankow Garden Tour

Today’s Androscoggin Food Co-op member-owner profile features Abby Evankow. AFC board member and member-owner Meag Poirier recently visited Abby’s garden, camera in hand, to chat about our co-op community, and even went on a little impromptu garden tour!

Abby has lived in Gorham for 20 years and became a member-owner of the AFC in 2019. She loves the Gorham Farmers Market and has vegetable and flower gardens at home, too!

What are you hoping the Androscoggin Food Co-op will bring to our local community?

“Opening a co-op in our will keep our local dollars here.  I know a lot of people who are driving regularly to Littleton to go to the Co-op there.   A local food co-op is exactly the kind of healthy community growth that we support. We really want a co-op closer by! I really like the bulk section – for grains and spices, grind-your-own peanut butter, tea ++++.  It’s a good way to save $$ & packaging.”

What is one of your favorite foods to eat (or grow!)?

“Tomatoes, especially heirloom varieties – they have such great flavor and I love all of the colors. To get them before the chipmunks, I pick them just as they start to turn color and let them finish ripening on my counter. That way the plant can focus its energy on the other fruit still on the plant and the chipmunks won’t have taken a bite out of each one.”

Would you like to share a recipe you’ve been making a lot lately?

“I learned this one on on a recent family trip to Bulgaria. It’s called shopska salad: it’s pretty simple and delicious: chop tomatoes and cucumbers (pictured below is a lemon cucumber – yes the one that looks like a pale, blocky lemon), toss with feta (or cottage cheese) and splash with red wine vinegar. Toss everything in a bowl and let sit on the counter, covered for half an hour or so. Enjoy the flavor of SUMMER.”

Thanks, Abby! That was fun. If you’re an AFC member-owner and would like to volunteer for a feature like this one, please reach out to us by email!