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July 21, 2008

Market News - July 22, 2008

From the Market Manager

   The following letter was sent to me by one of our market customers. After she sent me the letter, she told me what the scenario was that precipitated it-- impatience in the parking lot while someone was trying to either leave or get into a space. I know that it is sometimes frustrating having to wait for a space (that is the downside of our success), but the wait is usually not that long. We are going to free up some spaces by having the vendors who bring more than one vehicle to the market park them on the street beyond the parking lot, or on the other side of the church. If you can come to the market a little later than 12:30, that might help also. 

   There is a driveway behind the church where you can ultimately exit onto Sumner Avenue. The light only faces Oakland St., and Sumner Ave., but you can tell when the traffic has stopped. Make sure that ALL OF THE TRAFFIC HAS STOPPED ON SUMNER AVE. AS THAT IS A STAGGERED LIGHT. You can easily turn left and not have to wait for someone to let you into traffic if you exit that way.

Here’s the letter:

Dear Friends, 
    For 11 years, the Forest Park Farmers’ Market has sprouted new friendships and nurtured community, lifted our spirits and put us in touch with new and beautiful things, places and people from Springfield and around the region.  
    At the same time, because this busy market meets in improvised space and sells some things that are highly perishable, we sometimes get so caught up in getting out of the heat, getting in or out of a parking spot, getting home before our meat thaws or our milk gets warm that we forget about being nice to our neighbors.  
   So this letter is a gentle reminder to slow down just a little bit and try to find and engage your sense of humor, your patience and your sense of proportion when things at the market don’t quite go your way.  That befuddled older person maneuvering a huge old sedan into a parking spot could be one of your parents.  That hesitant first time market visitor stopping in that awkward place may once have been you. Think about it.
----A Fellow Customer

Corn! 

   As I’ve said before, I never eat corn on the cob unless it’s native and then I eat it almost every day. So, by the time the end of the season rolls around, I’m satiated until the next summer. Sometimes supper is corn on the cob and sliced native tomatoes. Simple and delicious. If you are only making a couple of ears of corn at a time, use your microwave. Leave it in the husk and put the timer on for 7 minutes. You will have to leave it for a few minutes after it’s done cooking, as it is HOT. The husk comes off very easily. 

   If you have leftover corn, scrape it off the cob and pan fry it with butter or olive oil until it’s got some brown on it. Salt and pepper and you’re good to go. Make some fresh corn chowder; there is a difference, it’s sweeter when you use fresh corn. You can put the cobs in the liquid which will make the soup even sweeter. If you are scraping a lot of corn off the cobs to use in a recipe, don’t throw the cobs out right away. Cover them with water and cook them for about 10 minutes. Let them cool in the water and save the water for a vegetable soup. You can even freeze it for later use.

   If you run out of corn before the next week’s market, either come to the Jewish Community Center’s farmers’ market on Friday mornings from 8-12, or go to Meadowbrook Farm on Rte. 83 in East Longmeadow and buy their corn.

   Speaking of Meadowbrook, I was going by there the other day and noticed that a lot of their summer squash plants were dying. I’d never seen that before. I asked at the farm what had happened and was told that it was a disease that occurs when there is standing water. The land didn’t drain quickly enough after some of the rain we’ve had, and the disease took hold. They do a lot of wholesale, and they aren’t going to have enough to do that with the first crop.

This is River Walk Week in Springfield 

    A grassroots effort, River Walk Week will showcase the 3.7-mile Springfield section of the Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway.  Between Monday, July 21 and Friday, July 25 volunteer guides, some on foot and others on bikes, will escort groups along parts of the trail beginning at the Court Square fountain at 11:15am, 12:15pm and 1:15pm.  Itineraries are designed to be completed in under an hour.  Weekend walks on Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27 will begin at Riverfront Park at the foot of State Street at 10:30am and 1:00pm, and may take somewhat longer, depending on the preference of participants. 

     If you're the independent type, you can always go out on the trail on your own.  And if you're looking for a longer trip, you can ride on the West Columbus Avenue sidewalk, across the Buxton Bridge and down onto River Road in Agawam and, within a very short distance, pick up the 1.7-mile Agawam leg of the Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway.

     So come out for a River Walk Week tour week by yourself, with a friend or with the whole family.  It's convenient, it's beautiful, it's safe, and it's open dawn to dusk.  And afterwards you can stop for a treat or a meal at one of the restaurants on West Columbus Ave.  Pick up a copy of the Bikeway brochure produced pro bono by Health New England at the market table.

Recipes, etc. 

   The green crate at the market table always has recipes in it so check it out each week. Also, check out the variety of brochures, etc. that are always on the table. Everything is free.

   Please consider contributing to the market. About half of our funding comes from sources other than the vendors. (I sound like NPR.)

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July 16, 2008

Market News - July 15, 2008

From the Market Manager

   We have a star in our midst—Caroline Pam from The Kitchen Garden was featured in Sunday’s NY Times magazine in an article about female farmers.
 

 MAGAZINE   | July 13, 2008
The Way We Eat:  Out of the Kitchen, Into the Field
By MELISSA BREYER Female farmers of the Northeast.

   Usually I just enjoy the benefits of the hard work that our farmers do without much thought of how the food is harvested. I’m sure that I think about it more than most people do because I manage a farmers’ market, but certainly not as a farmer would. One day last week I went to Sunderland to take care of Lily while Caroline and Tim and their helpers harvested garlic and shallots. What a lot of work! I suppose I thought that the garlic pulled out of the ground and some of it does, but most of it is dug out. Same with the shallots. Now both are drying in their barn for a couple of months.

   It’s blueberry season again. They are so much easier to pick than strawberries. And they freeze perfectly. Pick up a Farm Products Guide at the market table to find out where you can go to pick. Or go to Val’s Berry Farm at 81 Parker St., East Longmeadow. 8-noon, or 3:30-6 7 days a week. He has several varieties so the season is extended. 

   Does it seem to you that there are more articles about buying locally grown/raised products? It does to me. Think about what you can buy at our market. Some of the items available here are only available at the finest stores such as Dean and DeLuca. When I go to New York City I always check out some of the food stores to see what New Yorkers are doing with food. I marvel at the prices because I cook from scratch and am not used to paying big city prices.

This ‘n’ That

   Do you have numbers on your house that are easy to read from the street? If not, get them and put them on. Think about emergency personnel trying to find your house. If you don’t have flames coming through your roof, how will they know which house to stop at?

   Do you recycle? Most people don’t which amazes me. It is so easy in Springfield and the surrounding towns. There are so many good reasons to recycle—it keeps trash out of landfills which are filling up; it makes money for your city or town; it saves natural resources. Someone once told me that he didn’t have a place for the blue bins. Oh please! Put them outside your back door; they don’t have to be kept inside. If you don’t want to do this for yourself, do it for your children.

   More than a million tons of recyclable paper is thrown away in Massachusetts every year, at a disposal cost of more than $100 million. If we can divert that paper from trash cans to recycling bins, we could add $75 to $100 million to the state’s economy from the sale of recycled paper. 
 

  Paper recycling generates millions of dollars of revenue for cities, towns and businesses in Massachusetts. Nearly 19, 000 people are employed in recycling industry jobs, and the combined annual payroll is estimated at $557 million. In addition to the financial benefits, recycling an additional million tons of paper would preserve approximately 17 million trees, save 380 million gallons of fuel, reduce greenhouse gasses by 910,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3.3 million tons. (Statistics from the Materials  Recycling Facility)

Jewish Community Center 

   The JCC is a gem in our neighborhood. It is located at 1160 Dickinson Street. It has programs for babies to senior citizens. Physical education, arts and crafts, drama, pre-school, day camp, Mom and baby swim classes, trips, Jewish education, SeniorNet computer classes, discussion groups, daily lunches, a gift shop, Jewish singles program, tennis courts, an Olympic size pool, and much more. Membership is open to anyone. Stop by for a tour, or call for a schedule, 739-4715 or go to springfieldjcc.org.

Gift Certificates

   Need a gift for someone who has everything? Get them a gift certificate from the market—minimum $2.50. You choose the vendor you want it for, we make it out and immediately give the money to the vendor you choose. That way they know that they’ve been paid when the certificate is presented. They can be purchased at the market table.

Trinity Concerts 

   For three more Thursday evenings in July you can enjoy a free concert in Trinity’s sanctuary, and then enjoy a meal on the lawn accompanied by carillon music. The music is free, but donations are requested for the food. Different food each week. Bring the kids, bring grandma, enjoy. The concerts start at 6PM.

Shop for a Cause 

   I know you’ve read this before, but it’s such a simple way for the market to earn $500 that I am going to keep mentioning it. This is a program that Macy’s has across the country for non-profit organizations. You buy a shopping pass for $5, then on September 20th, you bring it with you to Macy’s and you get additional discounts on many items throughout the store. We keep all the money from the passes we sell, and you get discounts. Such a deal! They are also at the market table.  

Posted by bellerita at 09:03 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 06, 2008

Market News - July 8, 2008

From the Market Manager 

   Good news in the baby department—Shelly Risinger and her partner Kristin Barry are the parents of Brycen Alexzander Barry, born Monday, June 30th. Shelly and Kristin are the owners of Appalachian Naturals. For those of you who want to purchase their products while Shelly is recuperating, Faye from Hickory Dell carries a full line of their dips, spreads, marinades and dressings.

   On a sad note, Steve Cary’s mom died last week. Steve is one of the proprietors of Velma’s Kettle Corn. He’s the one with the corny jokes. That wasn’t meant to be a pun.

   My son Jeff shops at our market occasionally and the other day was commenting on how fresh the romaine lettuce he purchased here two weeks ago has stayed. I love comments like that.

   If you would like a real treat for breakfast, make chocolate bread French toast. Use Berkshire Mountain Bakery’s chocolate bread, slice it, spread one side with cream cheese, put two pieces together, soak in egg milk mixture and cook in butter until golden on both sides. Serve with jam or real maple syrup.

   Have you noticed how busy our market has gotten? It’s great! Thanks. A couple of weeks ago when we had several media people here, I was asked if I thought that the high cost of fuel was the reason so many people were shopping at farmers’ markets. I said that I didn’t think that that was the reason. I think it’s because more people are concerned with what they are eating. Not just the safety part of it although that is certainly a valid reason for shopping locally. I think a large part of why so many more people are buying from local farmers is that the taste is much better than the produce that may have traveled hundreds or thousands of miles to get to us. The prices at farmers’ markets are often more than the grocery store, but that is due largely to the fact that smaller farmers have higher production costs.

   Sweet corn has been in the grocery stores for many weeks already, but it isn’t native, so my attitude is why bother? The taste of local corn, tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers, blueberries, strawberries and more is so much better that it’s worth waiting for.

Asian Vegetables

   If you were at the market last week you may have noticed our newest vendor’s offerings. Along with some of the familiar produce were some items that aren’t that common to most of us. Pea tendrils are from the snow pea plant and they have a pea/spinach flavor, very delicate. Put some in soup, or stir-fry them. They are very trendy as I found out when I looked for recipes on the Internet. Shanghai bok choi which The Kitchen Garden also grows, is a light green small bok choi also good in soup or in a stir-fry. It would be good in a salad also as it has a slight “cabbagy” flavor. Amaranthus was difficult to find recipes for, but they’re out there. It is also known as Chinese spinach. Cook it as you would spinach, but you need a lot for even one serving as it cooks down like spinach.

 Trinity Church Concerts

   Every Thursday evening in July, Trinity has a concert in the sanctuary followed by supper at which the carillon is played. Everyone is welcome. The concerts are free, and they ask for a donation for supper. Each week it’s different. (Both the music and the food.) The concert begins at 6.

Fund-raising for the Market

    A good chunk of the money we need for this market comes from the vendors’ fees. The rest comes from the Forest Park Civic Association, Concerned Citizens for Springfield, and for the past few years United Bank and the Robyn Newhouse Foundation. The rest comes from you through our Friends of the Farmers’ Market program and this year from Macy’s Shop for a Cause. Macy’s has this program all over the country. They give non-profit organizations coupons to sell for $5 (we keep all the money) and you can use the coupon on September 20th to receive discounts throughout the store. I have the coupons at the market table, so if you’d like one (or several) ask me (market manager.) If we sell them all we’ll make $500. How good is that?! Thanks Macy’s.

Trinity Farm

   The glass bottles that Trinity bottles their milk in come from Canada as no-one in the U.S. manufactures them anymore. Most of you are very good about returning them, but sometimes it is tempting to use them for another use. Please don’t. Return them. Although the deposit this year is $2 each, that isn’t as much as each bottle costs, so if you don’t return them, you’re costing Dale and Mike money. Thanks.

    Mike and Dale’s children are the 4th generation of Smyth dairy farmers. Trinity is unique in that the milk that they bottle and use for butter and yogurt is just theirs; they don’t mix it with anyone else’s. They have about 30 cows who live longer than most cows on factory farms. Must be all the TLC they get.

Blue Moon Coffee Roasters

   If you like coffee, you MUST try Dan’s freshly roasted coffee. A cup of his coffee doesn’t need anything with it, but one of Dr. Cookie’s treats wouldn’t hurt at all. What a combination.  Yum. If you like your coffee with milk or half and half use Trinity’s and you will have a double treat. Dan roasts his coffee in small batches in  West Springfield, so it’s always fresh.

Posted by bellerita at 10:15 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


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