“The supermarket represents the season of the world. The farmers market is the season of your world.”
–Deborah Madison, author and chef

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

FRESH CORN FOR THE FOURTH

Local sweet corn is ripe and available at the Urban Garden Market. Locally grown blueberries, tomatoes, green beans, onions, summer squash and greens are among the many kinds of fresh produce available from area farmers. Enjoy a cup of coffee and freshly made beignets, homemade cookies, and other baked treats.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Market Manager Report for June 26

Last week we talked with an intern from The Tribune and this week she was there again along with a Tribune staff photographer (who did a happy dance after eating a beignet!). She's coming back this coming weekend. She took lots of pictures and talked with vendors and customers. Can't wait to read her article. We don't know when/if it will be published. There was an intern last summer that interviewed some of us, but there was only a teeny tiny mention of the market in a broader article.

Sweet Corn!
Patrick said he thought he would have corn by the 3rd so I'll call and see if it's ready. Rosemary had some sweet corn, but sold out almost immediately.
Carol's Perennials may be back Saturday unless they are at another market.

Phil and Edie (Sutton) were great resources to have (from Purdue Extension). Several people visited the Event Tent.

The wind has been a challenge -- the tent kept blowing over even when we anchored it to a car and tied down with cement bricks. The surrounding metal strips that holds up the canopy are bent and must be weakened. Does anyone know a structural engineer? I have an idea that I'll try out this week. The tent works fine as long as there is no wind! We've had strong winds every Saturday so far.

Thanks go to Julie Hill, a librarian at the LaSalle branch and member of the Market Management team, for mentioning the Urban Garden Market in Saturday's Tribune article - you got the hours in and everything! Let's hope the library does open July 10th. We need to brainstorm about how we can help the library and increase our own attendance as well.

Vendors: Preston Farms, Jean Rudolph, Lynn-Joyce and her beignets, cookies, and pastries, Carol's Perennials, Wendy’s Cookie Hoop-Up, Backyard Gardener, Pat the Plant Lady (with cactus and other hardy houseplants), and Kitchen Gardens Goods with greens and flowers.
Customers: 118

Friday, June 25, 2010

Market Manager Report

Joe Donnelly and his wife came before we opened, but vendors sold to him anyway. The customer number was higher than I thought (139). It seemed like a really low turnout after our opening day. I'm sure the storm the night before (and the downed trees and power outages that followed) had a lot to do with it.

Speaking of storms... we'll have to wait and see if produce was harmed with this last round of storms. It looks like there will be time for the fields to dry out a little bit so they can get in to pick.

In case you haven't heard, we received sad news Thursday June 17. Betty Hopson-Taylor who makes the sweet-potato pies from the Holiness Church of God passed away very suddenly. We will miss her! Her granddaughter, who was with her at market on the 12th, said they would like to come back to the market in a couple weeks. That day at market was very special for her because it was just her, her son and her grandmother--a treasured memory.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Food fun this Saturday

Visit us this Saturday for fresh food, community connections, and the chance to learn a little something, too! If you need some ideas about how to prepare the goodies at the market, or do you have a gardening issue of your own? Join Edie and Phil Sutton from Purdue Extension at the Market this weekend. They will be sharing gardening tips, recipes, and do a cooking demo using seasonal produce purchased at the Market. You will leave not only with good food in hand, but with ideas on how to cook it and how to best grow it yourself.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Music and Artistic Creations Saturday June 19

Kathie Jerrell will be at the UGM this Saturday to play her dulcimer. She might also bring a friend! You may have seen her at the NNN Art Walk last fall, as well as other area performances. She will be playing form 10a-Noon.
In addition, there will be jewelry making demonstration and sale by the craftspeople of Dismas House.
Learn more about their work at http://www.dismassouthbend.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=5

Join us for food and music, and leave with a little local "bling!"

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Opening Day Report from Market Manager

OPENING DAY WAS WONDERFUL! The rains held off and though very hot, the weather was OK.

We had 13 great vendors We also beat out our last year's customer record--and it is only the first day of the season! Rosemary Preston of Preston Farms was psyched. Lynn Joyce ran out of beignets (guess you gotta get there early!).

Lots of new people and many of the faithful from last year. It was exciting.