Beets are plentiful at Farmers Market

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It is a good time of year to enjoy fresh beets. You’ll find them at the Fayette County Farmers Market, piled high, with beautiful healthy greens. Both the beet and the greens are super nutritious, and may be prepared in a number of ways.

The beet is another of our wonderful superfoods, originating from the sea beet. Check out Jo Robinson’s Eating on the Wild Side for pages of fascinating information about the beets many appealing properties, including possible aphrodisiac, low impact on blood sugar, cancer fighting, blood pressure reduction, and more! As she notes, the freshest beets are found at Farmers Markets, but lauds the nutritional value of canned beets as well (“Beets…do not lose their nutritional value when they are canned. [they have] more antioxidant value.”)

People who are not vegetable lovers sometimes like roasted vegetables, and the beet is wonderful roasted, in the oven or on a grill. It can be roasted with other vegetables (such as green beans, summer squash and onions), but because it takes longer to cook than many other vegetables of this season, it must be started earlier than the other vegetables, or cut into quite small pieces. Roasted vegetables need little more than a dousing of olive oil; other seasonings of one’s liking may also be added.

Beets and “citric” work well together. Beets are often cooked (roasted or boiled) and then simmered in butter and orange juice. Balsamic vinegar also complements beets, as does the pungent blue cheese. This week I tried a new recipe: I peeled and grated raw beets (surprisingly easy) and then sliced the leaves and stems of the beets and steamed all of these together for five minutes, dipping in cold water to stop the cooking. A dressing of orange juice, olive oil, pepper, chives and red onion, followed by blue cheese crumbles (feta would work well) created a delicious, cold salad, and all of the valuable root and greens were used.

Beside beets and many other lovely vegetables, Farmers Market attendees will find wood crafts, fresh honey, fruit pies, sweets of all kinds, handmade clothing and accessories, soaps and salves, and even treats for our canine friends.

Art on the Square (AOTS), an annual art event held in downtown Washington C.H., will join the market this week as our Community Guest. They plan on bringing paint and canvas to demonstrate technique and let market visitors try their hand at painting. They will also have t-shirts for sale and information on the event and how to sign up. This year’s event will take place on Aug. 10, and artists will spend the day painting on 4’x4’ mural style canvases, which are later sealed and displayed downtown. Paintings from the last two events are hung at The Salty Broads Patio, 216 Court St. in Washington C.H.

Kids of all ages can visit the Market Info Booth to make and take a rocket flyer. There will also be sidewalk chalk, bubbles and coloring books on hand.

The Market is open Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon and is located in the municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and East East streets in Washington C.H.

The following is a list of the names and products of the vendors that expect to set up this Saturday. Other vendors may participate as well.

L&L Natural Products (Julie Carter): all natural ingredients: soaps, lotions, lip balm, sugar scrubs, wool & alpaca fleece dryer balls, laundry detergent, make-up remover, body moisturizer, face toner, bug repellent spray.

Margaret’s Memories (Sharon Fulkerson): Hand made items: chemical free dryer balls, felted bags, knitted towels and wash cloths, socks, crocheted baby bibs and flannel crib blanket.

Persinger Produce & Cottage Foods (David Persinger and Julie Mosny): The Jam Man will offer assorted jams and jellies including black currant jam, red currant jam, peach habanero, peach jalapeno, and mango habanero, as well as Texas sheet cakes. The Pie Lady will have honey, pies (cherry, strawberry rhubarb, blackberry, peach and apple); Cinni Mini’s, pecan sticky buns, and cinnamon rolls. A few cherry cobblers!

Wood Designed by DW (Debbie Welch): Handmade, unusual wood crafts. Hand made crocheted dishtowels, clothes, potholders, pocket books and baby booties. Special orders welcome. Cookies, fudge.

Your Other Mother’s Kitchen (Don & Sara Creamer): Artisan breads and bran muffin tops, short cakes, and whole wheat brownie tarts.

B.Y.E Gardens (Brian and Elaine Yoder): Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, yellow squash, candy onions, blueberries, cinnamon rolls, lemon rolls, strawberry rolls, sweet breads, peanut butter cookies.

By Thy Hand (Mark and Lori Chrisman): Angel food cakes, specialty breads, pies, cookies, dip mixes.

Chilcote Farm (Bruce & Marlene Chilcote): Honey, hickory nut cake, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies, fruit cobbler and donuts.

Cozy Baby Blessings (Nancy Cutter): Handmade baby essentials including blankets, burp cloths and teething rings.

DeBruin Family Dairy (Grant & Toni DeBruin): Organic produce, gourds, wildflower cards, homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Enchanting Acres (Amber Harris): garlic (mild and spicy), garlic scapes, garlic bulb heads, green onions and onions.

Engedi (Beth Day, Alana Walters, Janet Bick): Assorted home baked goods (cinnamon rolls, bread, yeast rolls, cookies, pies) and a special children’s activity.

Featherstone Apothecary (Sylvia Call): natural soaps, skincare items, beeswax food wraps, and dog items.

Greens & Greenery (Katrina Bush): Fresh garlic and samples of roasted garlic. Rosemary/garlic focaccia, dark chocolate zucchini bundt cake, mini-raspberry pies, and baklava. Beeswax hand creams and salves and luffa sponges.

Jev & Kai Clothing Co (Alexa Kelley): All new prints for dresses and shirts, mugs and canvases, and aprons. Also taking custom orders.

Jones Farm Fresh Produce (Jon & Taylor Jones): Hopefully the first of the season sweet corn as well as Peaches, tomatoes, candy onions, cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, green onions, beets, green beans, red potatoes, squash, chicken breast, chicken patties, wings, chorizo links, ground turkey, turkey wings and drums, turkey breast, pork chops, sausage, mild Italian and jalapeño links, hamburger patties and eggs.

Kelsie’s K-9 Creations (Jennifer Anderson): Homemade dog treats.

King Farms (Jeff & Sandi King): Green onions, lettuce, red and Yukon gold potatoes, green beans. Iced sugar cookies, fruit pies.

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By Katrina Bush

For the Record-Herald

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