Yesterday’s drizzle did not stop the Lansdowne Farmers Market…we are a rain or shine operation. And we had a steady flow of shoppers in slickers and under umbrellas…and if you were among them…thanks for coming!
Now it’s a rainy Sunday morning as I type this, and with apologies to anyone planning a picnic, who’s complaining? Certainly not what’s left of my garden. If I listen closely I can hear the zinnias cheering…but it may already be too little too late for a fall foliage explosion. No summer rain = no autumn riot of russet and gold.
This has been a dry summer for all the crops…and yet, still the farmer puts the shovel to soil and watches the skies. No hi-tech app, no AI needed to tell him what he needs to know. You plant and you pray…a lot! Each week I’ve been amazed at what Farmer Daniel has coaxed out of the sun-baked earth with his hands and heart, lots of heavy lifting. The only applications needed are preparation, perspiration and a whole lot of optimism.
So…What’s your favorite fall fruit? Apple? Grape? Butternut? Wait…what??? That’s right. Like tomatoes, the squash family is actually fruit masquerading as vegetable…and getting away with it! If you don’t believe me, try imagining butternut roast with savory sage breadcrumbs and bacon, against a butternut pecan ice cream…see what I mean? Although…could it ??? I have heard tell of a mac ’n cheese ice cream. But I call a hard NOPE!
YEP..if summer was sweet, fall is savory. Root vegetables roasted in a hot oven…beets or turnips*, potatoes mashed, creamy n’ chivey scalloped, or melted gold au gratin. And who knew that roasting cauliflower turns it into candy??? Don’t ask me how I know this, but it’s possible to “sample” a whole head of it before it ever makes it to the dinner table.
So, this week, find a likely recipe that includes one of these strange and sturdy veggies…and then pay a visit to the Tucquan tent and run with it…well, pay for it first.
*Turnips served raw are mild and crunchy…great for salads. Similar to Mexico’s jicama. Now you know.
** Fact: in Ireland & Scotland turnips were the original jack o’lanterns. I wonder if that was to avoid having to eat them?
And while I’m on the subject of scary…REMINDER: Just 5 more weeks of the Market, and as we do every year, we’ll be closing with our annual Halloween Kids Parade, hosted by Mayor Magda. Start thinking now! If your house has a resident hobgoblin or superhero, time to check all the boxes on what that means couture-wise in 2024. The days of just rummaging through gramma’s closet and grabbing a pillowcase are gone. Today’s make-believe is serious business…and we’re here for it. All kids are welcome. Music and mayhem to ensue.
In the Music Tent: For anyone who made it to market last week…how about that music? The unflappable Rita Miller and her slightly damp sidekick Rick Wright wowed us for two hours, despite the steady drizzle. Rick won my heart with his Louie Armstrong and Willie Nelson. He also digs the Mills Bothers…and there aren’t many of us left who can say that.
This week we’ll have someone new to our stage: Rick Gabe is returning to his old Delco roots, and he’s having funky fun with some cool covers. Let’s make him welcome.
In the Artists Tent: Green Furnishings Studio… vintage furnishings reclaimed and reinvented by two local favorites: Marnie Miller and Susan Williams.
And that’s a wrap for this week…BTW: I’ll be missing you. The Mountains of Elk beckon…and I’m bound away. See you next week. And don’t forget to read all of this newsletter…there’ll be a test.
Terry B.