It is the nature of spring in Ohio that each year we are amazed anew at the beauty. It seems that this spring was especially lovely, but maybe we believe this every spring!
This spring I am reminded of how inadequate our common vocabulary of “green” is for the greens of spring so varied and nuanced. The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus provides “lime,” “jade,” “emerald,” “pea” and “sea” green. Roget’s Thesaurus offers many more synonyms including chartreuse, fir, moss, Spanish and shamrock.
Spring brings us the brightest of greens—the “olive” and “boa” greens missing from the landscape. Add to the brilliance of the greens, the early reddening of the small branches of the maple and the colors of the early crocus, daffodils and tulips delight and encourage. And then the redbuds with their remarkable shape and color as cultivated trees near homes, as well as the surprise of that glorious reddish purple shining out from the mostly bare and leafless woods of Appalachia.
Yes, the several freezes and frosts have wrecked havoc on many early blooms, including fruit enticed to bloom early with the unseasonably early warm weather. And yet, amazingly, some trees (including the crab apple) seem undaunted, and their many white and fragrant blooms have been buzzing with honey bees and other pollinators.
Coming in next in the spring parade are the fragrant and many hued lilac, viburnum and other native shrubs. Having had a full 12 months to forget, we are naturally bound to see this spring as if it were the first, the best, the most. That, I think, is the nature of spring.
David Persinger, our market manager, reminds us that the Fayette County Farmers Market celebrates its 21st year, having started in the summer of 2001. The 2021 season will be celebrated for a reopening of renewal and re-acquaintance. Please join us for the celebration of spring and the first day of the spring market on Saturday, May 8.
The Market is open Saturday morning from 8:30 to 12 noon and is located in the Municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and E. East Street.
SNAP EBT food benefit cards and credit/debit cards are accepted. Those using the SNAP EBT card for food purchases receive matching dollar “Produce Perks” tokens ($1 for $1) good only for fruits, vegetables and food producing plants. So,”buy one, get one” for up to $25 every market day. $5 coupons will be available again for Fayette County Farm Bureau members at each Saturday market—these can be spent at both the Wednesday and Saturday markets.
The following list contains the names and products of the vendors that expect to set up this Saturday. Other vendors may participate as well.
Arnold Family Farm Crochet (Stacey Arnold): Assorted crocheted items such as doilies, scrunchies, towels, wash clothes and bookmarks.
Bridge View Garden (Hunter & Lorelle Rohrer —740-505-5125): Fresh produce (lettuce, asparagus, spring onions, rhubarb, radishs). Plants – vegetables and flowers, including hanging baskets.
Cheryl’s Country Crafts (Cheryl Braun): Handmade wreaths and wood products.
Cozy Baby Blessings (Nancy Cutter): Handmade baby essentials including crocheted baby blankets and hats, flannel burp cloths, crinkle toys and teethers. Gifts for mom including handmade earrings, crocheted dish cloths, pot scrubbers and intensely scented wax melts in over 50 scents!
DSC Produce Farm (Darren Cox): Private label salsas and salad dressings, apple butter and elderberry jam
Engeti (Alana Walters): Baked goods including dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, cakes, pies, cookies. Plants available as well.
Greens & Greenery (Katrina Bush): Rhubarb and other seasonal produce. Luffa sponges, beeswax hand creams, and glycerin and honey soaps. Potted plants including herbs, flowers, vegetables. Perennial native plants/trees/shrubs, including Elder(berry), shagbark hickory, amsonia, Ohio buckeye, horseradish, echinacea, anise hyssop and hyssop, clary sage, sage, daisy.
Jim’s Premium Ground Beef (Jim Hobbs): Premium Ground Beef which includes steak, loins, chuck and brisket all in our ground beef, vacuum packed in 1#, 5# and patties 3#
Julie G’s Cookies (Julie Greenslade): Homemade cookies, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge and bar cookies.
Persinger Produce and Cottage Foods (David Persinger & Julie Mosny): The Pie Lady –Local honey, Cinni Mini’s, cinnamon rolls, assorted small fruit pies and Buns Bars.
The Jam Man will have freshly canned jams (April and May): Peach, cherry, blueberry blackberry, red raspberry black raspberry, and red raspberry jalapeno jams, Hot pepper jelly, and No sugar added plum, blueberry, and peach jams. Assorted Texas sheet cakes.
Wood by DW (Debbie Welch): Wood crafts and sewn kitchen crafts.
Your Other Mother’s Kitchen (Don & Sara Creamer-740-572-0134): Artisan breads, bran muffin tops, whole wheat brownie tarts.
