growing and learning

farmers market: raspberries, slings and free ice cream!

We went to the farmers market today.  I love farmers markets.  they make me happy.  and they make me spend money.  There's a fruit stand by DH 's work, and I stopped there yesterday: they wanted $48 for a flat of raspberries!  huh?  so today we went to the big market downtown.  I love going there; it's the closest to a European market I have seen this side of the Atlantic (have you ever been to Europe and browsed the street markets?  I love it!).  They also have an art fair (paintings, sculptures, jewelry) on the south side of the park.  and lots of food venders to entice you to have grilled beef sandwiches and tacos at 9:30am.  This year there are more than just produce farmers.  In years past it has been the fruits and veggies people and the goat dairy.  and a flower and herb and beekeeper or three.  this year there was at least 3 dairies - one had pictures of the named cows.  it was cute. and a sheep farm?ranch? that was selling cuts of lamb and a cattle ranch doing the same and eggs and oh! it was fun!
I found raspberries for $26 a flat (the savings paid for the gas and then some from the other place!), and I pulled the poor mom aside: it was a young couple and their 6-mo old son manning this stand.  she had the baby in a big hiking backpack, and he had had enough.  she was trying to hold him and sell produce all at the same time.  I handed her a piece of paper on which I had written "www.childrensneeds.com  storchenwiege sling" and told her she really needs to check it out. she said she had a sling, but is not quite sure how to use it.  I pulled her away from the booth (she couldn't do much anyway, not with the baby wanting to nurse) and wrapped my sling around her and the baby, told her how she could nurse while wearing him in there and still be able to work the market.  I told her the lady who sells that sling is in her own county, call her up, she'll be happy to show you how to tie it, nurse in it, etc.  When I told her the wrap was about $100, she looked exhausted and said "but it would be worth it?"  "oh yeah!  I even put in my 4-yr old.  it will last forever.  and, if you are going to be here every week all summer, you will need something besides your backpack."  childrensneeds.com is going to have to start paying me commission.  lol
I also got adventurous and bought a head of garlic.  and Bug wanted some apricots.  My dishes are almost done: I washed my bottles for jam.  I am making raspberry jam today, and am using the sugar-free pectin.  I did that last time, and the regular, so my husband could choose his favorite: he said the sugar-free (not completely, I did use 4 cups of sugar - I was scared to go off it completely.) tasted more like raspberries.  So, today, I am making 2 batches of the sugar-free.  One with 4 cups evaporated cane juice sugar and one with 2 cups evaporated cane juice sugar.  We'll see how it goes.
oh, and there are a lot of food vendors there, including ice cream, which Bug saw and asked for.  I replied that I was not buying ice cream today, and just when I said that, a man stopped and said "I am taking publicity pictures at my ice cream stand.  I will buy you the ice cream, I'm there at the Spotted Dog.  You guys are perfect, just what I was looking for."  He ran ahead, and I followed kind of nervous (someone wants pictures of my kids?!?!) but he had a pro photographer all set up and waiting, and the stand was professional, (not like he was scoping out kids, ya know) so I said why not.  He handed Bug a cookies'n'cream and me a strawberry cheesecake cone, and we ate the cones while the cameraman did his stuff.  the owner then brought over his spotted dog (the mascot?) to be in the pictures, and the kids didn't even care - they had ice cream to eat at 9:30 in the morning.  I gave Bear my ice cream and the camera guy thought that it was perfect: it was all over her face and she was obviously enjoying it.  that was fun.
anyway, that was our Saturday morning at the market.  in about an hour, I will be making a juicy, sticky, red mess.  YUMMMY!!!!!

Untitled Comment

02:09 PM, Saturday, July 1, 2006 .. Posted by KingsCastleFarm

What a wonderful way to spend the morning! :) Wow, can't believe the first price on strawberries!

Blessings,
Tam

Sugar-free

06:56 AM, Monday, July 3, 2006 .. Posted by erisarei

I can't wait to hear how the jam did without the sugar...then I'll do it! lol I tried to make strawberry preserves last year with honey with very runny results. It tasted weird too. Thanks for sharing!

Untitled Comment

08:29 AM, Thursday, July 6, 2006 .. Posted by Snowberryfarm

I love Farmers markets too! Aren't they great?
Thanks for sharing your fun day!

Michelle