Well, wouldn't you know. After an absolutely gorgeous week of weather (80 degrees and sunny skies, me in comfy shorts and t's), Friday night brought a 30 degree temperature drop and wind gusts up to 35 mph. Bundled again in our winter coats and hats, sixteen vendors (plus little ol' me) lined our booths throughout the health department parking lot for another amazing winter farmers' market.
Those of you who were there know what a wonderful harvest it was. For those of you who couldn't make it, let me entice you to come visit us soon: available at this week's market were red potatoes, white potatoes, red onions, yellow onions, green onions, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, a variety of greens, tomatoes, turnips, beets, locally roasted peanuts, honey, eggs, decorative plants, and veggie garden plants (tomatoes, peppers, herbs, etc), jams and jellies, canned veggies, pickles, a variety of salsas, yeast breads, sweet breads, corn bread, cookies, olive oil, locally roasted coffee, crafts (dolls, candles, puzzles, knit scarves and hats, aprons, change purses, journals, pot holders, miniature easter baskets, birdhouses), and much more.
Just like last week, with so many goodies (some broccoli, cabbage, onions and LOTS of herbs) coming out of my personal garden, I didn't need much. This week, I picked up a dozen eggs, a head of broccoli, lots of carrots and red potatoes, a small loaf of bread, mint, 6 tomato plants (celebrity), a case of olive oil (not pictured), and 2 strawberry candles. The candles, I bought for mother's day gifts, but they smell SOOOOO good, I'm going to buy one for myself next week, and they are soy candles so they are good for the environment too!
Then on Sunday, Dave and I drove out to Kings Orchard (a pick-your-own berry orchard about 45 miles south-east of town) for a picnic and some serious berry picking! It was a little chilly, but otherwise, the day was just gorgeous. So were the berries - row after row of them. Would you believe we came home with 18 pounds of berries? And we didn't even make it down one entire row! I'm looking forward to going back in April, when I have a Brazos Locavores field trip scheduled. At that point, not only will they have berries, but some pick-your-own veggies and flowers.
I spent the rest of Sunday coring, washing, and freezing these beauties, well other than the ones I used to make a batch of strawberry jam. Mmmm, mmmm! Bye bye, winter citrus!
Of course, that's not the extent of my local goodies. I also have about 25 jars of all-local home-canned soups, canned tomatoes, brown rice (RiceSelect), mozzarella cheese (Sand Creek), mushrooms, and peach jam (homemade). Yep! We're going to be eating just fine this week!
Stay tuned for Thursday's "Market to Table" post where you'll discover all the goodies I made from my wonderful supply of local foods.
In the meantime, have a great week. And as always, Happy (and mindful) eating!
4 comments:
I am so jealous - that all looks so lush and fabulous!
80 degrees?! I am swooning! Though we are supposed to have a week of mid-60s which is gorgeous weather, especially for the tail end of winter in Missouri. I can feel you on the drastic changes in weather/temperature that happens in Missouri all the time.
Those carrots and broccoli look wonderful. Two of my favorite veggies, though really, I do have an awful lot of "favorite" veggies.
And those strawberries - I can't even begin to tell you how much I WANT those strawberries. I am trying to be patient, waiting for Mid-Missouri's strawberry season, but these pictures of shockingly red, beautiful fruit makes it hard.
Rats, I'm months away from such berries and temperatures. Can I admit to a touch of schadenfreude when you said the temps fell back to 30?
Michelle - I'm totally loving those berries. The hardest part was actually not eating too many of them while I was prepping them for the freezer :)
Jennifer - Yeah, it was actually in the 80s most of last week. It was soooo nice. Then, as it tends to do right before farmers' market when I have to sit outside for 5 hours, it got yucky cold. Brrr. I'd take a little something in the middle if I could get it...
Ilex - He he. I won't hold it against you :) But you can always swing by for a visit for some of those berries... It definitely pays to live in the south, especially if you don't mind 6 months of hot, humid summer.
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