Fayette County Farmers Market customers buy A LOT of tomatoes! And this is nice to see. All the summer vegetables seem popular….corn, green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes of course, and also the alliums (onions and garlic) and eggplant, summer (aka zucchini) and winter/storage (hard shell) squash. But I am amazed at the number of tomatoes that I see people walking away with.
There seems to be a genuine interest in green, red, yellow, slicing and cherry, traditional well shaped slicers and the less perfect looking heirlooms. I’m so curious about how people are using them….fresh sliced? Popping the gems of cherry tomatoes like candy? Roasting? Canning? Sauces to eat fresh and can or freeze? I may just do an informal survey in a few weeks ….it will be fun to hear some tomato favorites and perhaps share ideas with you in a future article.
Tomato salads are extra special this time of year. How about sliced tomatoes, with slices of a mild cheese like mozzarella, fresh basil, and drizzles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar? Or the classic tomato and cucumber salad, with basically the same dressing, and possibly some sweet or green onion? Then there’s fresh salsa, with perhaps tomatillos and some hot peppers and a bowl of tortilla chips ready for snacking. Those are just ideas for fresh, uncooked tomatoes. Tomatoes are important in gumbos, soups, pasta dishes, curries, and ratatouille. Check out this side dish using several summer vegetables: parboil green beans until just crisp tender. Heat oil in skillet and then add minced garlic; saute until fragrant. Add bean, some oregano, some diced fresh tomato, and cook until beans are heated though. Season with salt and black pepper, and generous dollup of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
At this week’s market, we’ll of course have a “Kids Craft” (which probably will not include tomatoes).
And Modern Woodmen members are holding a Food & Supply Drive at the Farmers Market from 8:30 a.m. to noon, to benefit the Rose Avenue Community Center. Volunteers will collect items needed for the After-School & Community meals such as spaghetti, pasta sauce, Velveeta, rice, instant potatoes, taco shells, pork-n-beans, canned corn, green beans, gravy, chili, peanut butter, jelly taco seasoning, paper plates, 9 oz plastic cups, paper bowls, plastic cutlery, toilet tissue, paper towels, 30 gal trash bags, foil wrap, and disinfectant wipes.
Rose Avenue Community Center strives to provide for concerns within the community like food, clothing, and assistance with budgeting and life skills training to provide a hand up to those in need. Contact Dan Mayo at 937-725-0445 for more information about Modern Woodmen and how to join.
The Market is open Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon. It is located in the municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and East East streets in Washington C.H. 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. Five dollar 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.
Cozy Baby Blessings (Nancy Cutter): Wax melts, beaded pens, crocheted dish cloths, pot scrubbers and shower poufs. Baby essentials including, crocheted blankets and hats, flannel receiving blankets, burp cloths, crinkle toys and bunny ear teethers, silicone tableware, teethers and pacifier clips.
DSC Produce Farm (Darren Cox): Salsas (including mango, bacon ranch, black bean and corn) and dressings Sampling tomato and bacon dressing. 2for$10
Engeti (Alana Walters): Baked goods including bread, cinnamon rolls, rolls, cakes, pies, cookies.
Edlynns Attic (Robin Dement): Hand knit baby hats with fur poms, fingerless gloves, knit baskets and acrylic and alpaca yarn. Chocolate chip cookie mixes and brownie mixes from Shelbee’s Dry Mix Company.
Gerhardt’s (Kevin Gerhardt): Seasonal produce.
Jim’s Premium Ground Beef (Jim Hobbs): Premium ground beef in assorted packages (patties, bulk tubes).
Julie G’s Cookies (Julie Greenslade): Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, oatmeal, snickerdoodle, ginger, peanut butter, peanut butter jumbos, pineapple, sugar, lemon bars, salted caramel butter bars, peanut butter fudge, macadamia nut cookies and Cracker Jack cookies.
Lorre Black Umbrellas (Lorre Black): Umbrellas to match your personality, your friends’ and family’s personalities, too. With every umbrella you purchase, you help your community by helping LBU build our very own Umbrella Alley in WCHO.
Ohio Artisan Beef & 1 Body Life Skincare (W.J. & Lanita Fannin): individual cuts, ground beef & beef patty bundles, griller’s boxes and other variety boxes & 1/4, 1/2 and whole beef reservations. Clean, natural, all plant-based, fresh, small batched skincare products.
Persinger Produce and Cottage Foods, The Jam Man (David Persinger): New this week: elderberry jelly, “Current Affair” (a jam of black currents with a smattering of red currents), mango jam and mango Habanero. Apple butter and JAMS: strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb, grape, pineapple, pineapple Habanero, peach, peach habanero, blueberry, cherry, black raspberry, blackberry, seedless blackberry, red raspberry, red raspberry jalapeno, and strawberry jalapeno. JELLIES: elderberry, hot pepper jelly. No added sugar jams: triple berry, plum, blueberry, seedless blackberry. Chocolate Texas sheet cakes with or without pecans.
PPCF & S. Plymouth Raw Honey) (Julie & Dennis Mosny): Local raw honey, blackberry, black raspberry, apple, strawberry, rhubarb, peach, strawberry rhubarb pies, oatmeal raisin cookies, cinni mini’s, Buns bars and cinnamon rolls.
Rural Beans Roastery LLC (Kameron Rinehart): Assorted freshly roasted coffee — beans and ground.
Wood Designs by DW (Debbie Welch): One of a kind handcrafted wood items— birdhouses, signs, tables, gnomes. Crocheted items including kitchen towels, pot scrubs, pot holders, baby booties, and afghans. Will take custom and special orders.
Barbara’s Embellished Stretchy Bookmarks (Barbara Black): Bookmarks in dozens of different handmade designs dealing with sports, nature, hobbies, OSU, beach, and more.
Bridge View Garden (Hunter & Lorelle Rohrer): Seasonal produce including red raspberries, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, green beans and winter squash – including butternut, acorn and spaghetti. Homemade breads (yeast, savory and sweet) and rolls.
