Galax Farmers Market Last Weekend of the Season

Hey, there, folks!

This weekend is the last market of the season.  It's time to take stock, and think about what we can do differently and better next year.  2010 is already looking like an exciting season, with a renovation to the existing market and some new projects and prospects from our vendors.  I am putting together a plan for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project for next year and I will share this as soon as I have a basic outline completed.  I am also working on a comprehensive food sourcing guide for our area- a list of all producers of quality foods and where to purchase them.  I will hopefully complete this over the winter and have it available for free for everyone next spring.

Tomorrow's vendors include:

 Gully Creek Farm will bring lots of dried shiitake mushrooms, and maybe some fresh. We are so lucky to have a local shiitake producer right down the road in Lowgap. Brenda does a GREAT job sun-drying these super nutritious mushrooms- they are not the shriveled up remnants of culls, but whole slices carefully dried and bagged.  These will last all winter for you, and Brenda has lots of recipe suggestions.  She may also bring some big bunches of rosemary.

Groundswell Farm will attend for the last Friday of the season with baby turnips, stir fry mix, arugula, flat leaf parsley, and free range eggs.  No salad mix this week; apologies.  If you are not able to make it to the market, I will take preorders and deliver when the market is over- just reply to this and tell me where you'll be between 12 and 1pm.

Hopefully, we'll see our fellows Kenneth Walker with baked goods and homemade applesauce and Leroy Guynn with the last of the apples, cabbage, irish potatoes, and who knows what else!

Saturday, Halloween morning:

The Second Annual Pumpkin Carving! Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes will be available for children and adults to decorate and take home.  Supervised carving will begin at 9am, and assorted decorating materials will be available for
younger children.  This event is free. The public is invited to provide feedback and suggestions for the farmers market for the 2010 season during this event.  Chestnut Creek School of the Arts will be showcasing the fall class lineup, including several choices for handmade holiday gifts. This will be a great way to end the market season, learn about upcoming classes at CCSA, and have fun all at the same time!  Join Chris, Ella, Eamon, Gabe, and me!

Special thanks to Andrews Farms of Galax for their generous donation of pumpkins---They even loaded them into the back of my van!  Now, that's service!

Thanks everyone, for a great season and your support.  I feel lucky to live in such a beautiful place, and fortunate to have met so many remarkable people in my two years here.  THANK YOU.

Sara