The Market December 15, 2012

The Market is still very strong this winter.     It is a combination of a mild winter and vendors are more adventuresome in considering their offerings. Here is an example.     Carpenter's Greenhouse is now selling dried Carmen peppers.     Here is a photo.     There should be more peppers in the photo, but, well, I ate about half of them before I took the photo on noon Saturday.

They are sweet peppers, not hot.     Very tasty.     I don't really don't know how to cook with them because I have always eaten them as a snack within a day of the Market.     If you need to cook with them, think sun dried tomatoes with a roasted red pepper flavor.

I very much like seeing vendors like Carpenter Greenhouse extending their product variety with dried or other processed produce.     This will help the Market.    It gives the vendors increased reason to come in the off season.     It also encourages more customers to come to the Market in the winter.

The Market December 8, 2012

I am often asked "What is at the Market in the Winter?"    Here is photo of some the items I got today. Tomatoes from Carpenter's Greenhouse, lettuce and a giant turnip from Our family Farm.   I also purchased some very tasty dried peppers from Carpenter's Greenhouse.

The tomatoes are at the very end of their season.    The lettuce is still there because the winter has been mild so far and many vendors have hoop houses or green houses.   The root vegetables will be there as long as supplies last and the vendors have enough customers to bring them.   Squash and pumpkins are also still plentiful at the market.

The tomato and some of the lettuce have already been eaten in the last BLT of the season.   The bacon was previously purchased at the Market from Earnst Farms.

Thanksgiving from the Market

Once again our thanksgiving dinner primarily came from the Market. The main course was a turkey from "Our Family Farm". Other items from the Market included; squash, carrots, collard greens and a pumpkin for the dessert pie.

It is now past thanksgiving but there are still many food items at the Market and most will be there until Christmas. Here is a example of the squashes and pumpkins available from Donahee farms.

The Market is also now a very good place to get holiday greens. Here is one vendors display:

Spring is officially be here. Dennis Sparr (Sparr's Florist and Greenhouses) and other plant and flower vendors have returned to the market.

The Market in Winter 2011 - 2012

Just a reminder, the Market is open all Winter, Saturdays only. The egg and meat vendors bring their fresh products all winter. Other vendors bring products that store well, such as apples, potatoes and onions. In addition some vendors have hoop houses or greenhouses and bring fresh cold tolerant produce in the winter.

Easter Weekend

Spring is officially at the Market. Dennis Sparr and many other vendors have returned with flowers.

Market in Winter

The Market is still active in winter, just a reduced selection. Brines Farm (shown) has been there every Saturday so far with fresh greens from their hoophouse. Unfortunately the supply in the extreme winter period is limited to their CSA customers.

Goetz Farms has also had a limited supply of fresh greens so far. We had a very nice salad one night last week that included their beets. A few days later the tops of the beets and Swiss Chard, also from Goetz was the basis for a very good Chinese stir-fry.

Of course the meat, eggs, apple, bake goods, and some artisan vendors are there all winter.