Desperately Seeking Summer

Thanks to all the vendors and customers that turned out in spite of the crazy weather on Saturday. Just as my family and I sat down to dig into our lunches, big, fat snowflakes started to fall steadily and the temperatures seemed to dip at least five degrees. Luckily, the snow came in spurts and left windows of opportunity for folks to enjoy the market.

Ironically, last weekend's weather actually highlights the topic I had been meaning to talk about in this blog - namely to address the question, "Where are the farmers?" Apparently the Market booth gets several questions/comments regarding the perceived imbalance of crafters to farmers this time of year. Well, the quick answer is that the farmers are out there waiting for Mother Nature to give their crops a break. Traditionally, the farmers return to the market in full-force by the third weekend of May. However, given the chilly spring and wet weather we've been experiencing, some of the produce may be showing up a little later this season.

And for those of you that are concerned that there are more crafters/food processors than farmers, the Bellingham Farmer's Market Membership Committee works hard to guarantee that over 50% of the booths are dedicated to farming. The beauty of the market this time of year is that the booths dedicated to unique crafts, delicious food and community information help draw people to the farmers that do have produce to offer. Last Saturday there were mushrooms, plant starts and a wide variety of greens available at several farmer's booths.

Hopefully the sun will soon decide to come to the party and stay so we can anticipate the arrival of more of our farmers and the great produce they have to offer!

Toward Zero Waste at the Market

If you have ever stood, stunned in front of the recycling containers at the market after polishing off your baba ganoush and wondered to yourself what goes where, Saturday is your lucky day!

Toward Zero Waste Day at Bellingham Farmers Market – join us for free waste drop-offs, waste-free games, and fun and prizes for the whole family! Come visit the Sustainable Connections Toward Zero Waste booth to learn more about what YOU can do to reduce waste.

FREE document shredding for up to 2 paper grocery bags full per family of your confidential documents, 10am-12:30pm with Sound Shredding & Recycling and 12:30-3pm with Sanitary Service Company.
FREE SSC reusable grocery bags (1 per family, while supplies last).
FREE SSC Plastic Recycling Drop-off: Clean Plant Pots & Trays (please nest for easier packing!), Blister Packs (ie, clear plastic around toys, printer cartridges, etc), Hinged plastic containers (deli, bakery, etc – please nest)
AND, SSC can sign anyone up for FoodPlus! recycling that day. We will also have 2 gallon, blue indoor pails for sale - $7.75 each (yours to keep) Plus free box of Bio-bags (pail liners) with purchase of a pail if you mention it or bring us your SC coupon.

Enjoy!

Choices and Contact

One of the many things I love about the Bellingham Farmers Market is the great array of local treats to eat, from Mallard ice cream and Moka Joe coffee to Persian, Indian, Greek, Ethiopian, and many other kinds of ethnic food from local restaurants. Last Saturday I bought baba ghanoush and baked pita chips from Sharazad, a tough choice with all the delicious Persian dishes they offer. My husband and I enjoyed the creamy, smoky dip and chips for lunch, and at dinner, used the last few teaspoons on our wild rice and kale salad from the Co-op -- yummy! Trying one of Sharazad's offerings at the market has convinced us that we want to go there for a full meal soon, as well as try something else at their market booth this Saturday. 

Seeking a balanced diet, I also joined the queue at the Mount Bakery booth, and triumphantly bore home a meltingly tender almond croissant and a new item, an orange-hazelnut twist, also delicious. And thinking of our health, another big bag of Holistic Homestead's spicy salad... consumed in two days again. We're still craving fresh greens, and hoping that the seemingly endless cold weather does not slow their growth!

I also love seeing some of my favorite vendors year after year. Probably half of the earrings I own come from Still Waters, designed by Karen Kramer. She told me that she was one of the early craft vendors at the Bellingham Farmers Market, opening her stall in the market's second year. I can always find just the color or shape I'm looking for there, and I really enjoy the personal contact with the artist. 

That personal contact is the number one reason I go to the farmers' market every Saturday morning -- so I can personally thank the people who plant, grow, harvest, and cook some of the food I enjoy each week, or who raise bedding plants that make my garden grow, or who create beautiful, functional things to use and enjoy.  

Oh Those Glorious Greens

I think greens get a bad wrap this time of year. Here they are, the first harbingers of spring. They easily flourish in these early months of the year while other seedlings are barely willing to put forth any effort until the warmth of the sun can coax them from the safety of the soil. But greens are here and they are plentiful and we are ungrateful.

I'm guilty of it too -- wandering around the market wistfully looking for "real" vegetables or peeking in my CSA box only to be disappointed by all those leaves.... lots and lots of leaves.

Well, I think it's time we re-think our position. After all, greens are here and they're going to stay. Besides, they are packed with nutrients and they take hardly any time to prepare. They are also immensely adaptable. I've started chopping them up and throwing them in everything from muffins to frittatas, pastas to curries. The best part is that there are no battles at the dinner table with my two-year old (or my husband for that matter). They hardly notice the "good for them" specks of green unobtrusively sharing their plate with more acceptable food.

If you're willing to put them front and center at your next meal, here is a recipe that really uses up those greens nicely and is also delicious.

So try giving those greens a starring role in your next meal. Stop by and visit Jed at Evergreen Station, Gretchen at Holistic Homestead and Katie at Alm Hill booths this Saturday to stock up on those glorious greens. See you at the market.

More than a Market

I’ve been following a string of comments on Laura Steiger’s Bellingham Herald blog with interest, and a touch of sadness. In response to Laura’s joyous account of her experiences on the first day of the market, a few community members are grousing about their perception that the market is over-priced and targeting a demographic other than their own.

While everyone’s perception of value or affordability will always be different, I worry that many would-be market-goers may lose out on some of the best aspects of the market. The beauty of our local market is the community that grows from it. On any given Saturday, I enjoy free music; I run into old friends and ultimately make new ones; my son learns from the activities often offered on the Kid’s Vending days; local chefs show me new recipe ideas at the Chef in the Market booth; I learn about the great work of nonprofits in the community; I get advice direct from a grower on why my tomato plants aren’t maturing; or I simply soak up the jubilant atmosphere.

Obviously, others must feel this same sense of community. I’ve seen people celebrate their birthdays at the market. I’ve seen “Hamsters” show off the market to their out-of-town guests. I’ve seen families enjoying each other’s company. And, thanks to this past weekend, I’ve now seen a marriage proposal at the market (a successful one, I might add!).

I, for one, do not have a lot of disposable income, but I appreciate the opportunity to purchase items directly from my farmer and crafter neighbors in an effort to support local commerce. But more than that, I appreciate the spirit of the market and I know that my family and my community are better off for it.

Opening Day Joys

It was wonderful to resume my Saturday morning ritual of going to the Bellingham Farmers Market, the high point of my week for nine months of the year!

My craving for fresh, local salad greens was totally satisfied by the spicy salad mix from Holistic Homestead (Everson). I relished every bite in large bowls of salad for both lunch and supper.

To balance all those greens, I bought two varieties of the BreadFarm's cookies -- cranberry pistachio and chocolate with cocoa nibs. Next time, I'll enjoy that superb Edison bakery's double chocolate ginger cookies and their unrivalled black olive baguette.

Among the many new products at the market this season are handcrafted cheese and butter from Golden Glen Creamery (Bow), produced by the "Jensen Ladies," who were busy handing out samples. Flooded with childhood memories of my great-aunt's wonderful homemade butter, I could not resist buying some.

My last purchase for the day -- now that I am a great-aunt myself (but alas, not one living on a farm and churning my own butter) -- was finding the perfect gift for our Welsh grandniece at Nicole Annette's lovely jewelry booth. 

And a final treat -- spending a couple of hours as a Sustainable Connections volunteer, giving copies of the "hot off the press" 2008 Whatcom Farm Map & Guide to eager recipients!

Oh my what an opening day!

Oh my what a glorious opening day it was yesterday for the 16th season of the Bellingham Farmers Market -- a wedding proposal -- record number of vendors -- record customers -- belly dancing -- music -- fire juggling -- and most importantly, farmers!

Thank you to all for coming to the Market. After a long winter, it was so good to see friends, family and visitors. I personally, spoke with visitors from Canada, England, New Hampshire, Texas, Oregon and California. We appreciate the interest from far and wide and the ongoing tremendous support from our local community members. We have high expectiations for this season and look forward to having the freshest products at market each and every Saturday until Christmas and Wednesdays this summer in Fairhaven.

Watch For Flying Cabbage

It's a time honored tradition.... Well, it's been a tradition for at least half the life of the market, which I think qualifies it at as an official tradition. The famous (or moderately known) Cabbage Toss! After quizzing a few market experts (aka: Mike Finger, the first President of the Market and Robin Crowder, Market Manager), I was able to piece together some of the "mystery" of the cabbage toss.

Basically, in an attempt to generate excitement for the first day of the market, the whimsical founders of the market decided to start a tradition akin to the first pitch of the baseball season. Get it? Baseball equals cabbage equals official start to the market season! Why cabbage? Possibly because it's round and it's easier to catch than a carrot? It's more intriguing if we keep some of the mystery!

So make sure to get up and at 'em early on Saturday morning to see Bellingham's Mayor Pike toss the cabbage promptly at 10am. Not sure who is going to catch the cabbage - just a little more mystery to entice you.

After that, enjoy the company of your Bellingham neighbors as you browse the fresh produce, snack on tasty treats and listen to some great entertainment. See you at the market!