Local

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

Hello, everyone!

I apologize, but I will not be able to come to the market tomorrow. Out of town visitors, the remnants of illness, and lack of regrowth this week have combined to thwart my vegetable growing efforts!
 I encourage you to stop in and see what the other vendors have to offer. Its apple season, cabbage season, sweet and russet potato season....and you know there are always some surprises, too!
 I will be back next week with salad mix, stir fry mix, eggs, herbs, and hopefully, japanese turnips.  There are only 3 more weekends to go, so come out while you can.

Our plans to close out the market season with a pumpkin carving/decorating event are still on:  Mark your calendars now for Halloween morning, Saturday October 31 to join us from 9ish to noonish- parents encouraged to hang around to supervise and carve a pumpkin or two yourselves!

Everyone, take care until I see you again, and have a wonderful weekend!
Sara

I don't know about everyone else at our market, but I am not ready for the season to end!  I have so many rows of greens (yes, they are only an inch tall) and roots, trying their best to reach a harvestable size by the time Real Winter comes.  This month brings the reminder to eat fresh foods while we can, knowing their availability is limited.  With any luck at all, we'll have greens through November- and, fingers crossed- until Christmas from the covered beds and the hoophouse.  The Galax Market will be open until October 31 this year, and we'll end the season with a bang by having our Second Annual Pumpkin Carving.  We're partnering with Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, and we'll have pumpkins to carve and/or decorate Halloween morning from 9-noon.  It's free thanks to generous pumpkin donating farms in our area, so mark your calendars and we'll see you there!

For this week, though, we are fortunate to have Mountain Memories Farm back with us, new vendor Gulley Creek Farm, and Market Mascots (do NOT tell them I said that) Leroy Guynn and Kenneth Walker.

Mountain Memories Farm will have grass-fed lamb, with a special this week: $2 off racks!  Dawn packages all her cuts with a vacuum seal and freezes them, so it's easy to stock up.  She also has lots of recipe ideas and serving suggestions.

Gulley Creek Farm is in Lowgap, NC, and Brenda Butcher grows her own shitake mushrooms.  She has them bagged in paper, in which they will stay fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks- if you can wait to eat them.  I got some last week and they were delicious.  The plug spawn she purchsed is certified organic.

Groundswell Farm in Galax will have salad mix, eggs, turnip greens, flat leaf parsley and dill.  I've just finished picking and everything looks really good despite a slight chill this morning.

Leroy Guynn from Cana always has a large variety of goods, and this week is no different.  He'll bring Stayman, Golden Delicious, Rome, and York apples, cabbage, russet potatoes, and sweet potatoes.  Last week he had tomatoes-hopefully he has more.  This is a good time to stock up on his lovely honey as well.

While I was excercising this morning (is there anything more boring than walking around a track?), I was brainstorming some menu ideas for your "eat local" inspiration:
Breakfast/Brunch: lamb sausage, scrambled eggs, apple pancakes, home fries
Dinner: Quiche with potatoes, shitakes and parsley, mixed greens salad
            Lamb chops with plum jam glaze, mashed sweet potatoes, sauteed turnip greens
            Fried rice with shitake mushrooms, eggs, and cabbage
            Lamb burgers, roasted potato salad with dill, cole slaw
            Mixed greens salad with grilled sweet potatoes, chicken, balsamic vinaigrette

We'll be at the market from 8 until noonish tomorrow, and 9-1 on Saturday.  Come see us!
Take care,

Hello, Market Friends!

I apologize, but the newsletter information this week is very limited- there is something going on with Gmail, and I've only spoken to one other vendor on the phone today.  What I THINK is going to be at the market this weekend:  shitake mushrooms, winter squash, apples, grass-fed lamb, cabbage, honey,sweet potatoes, green peppers, & baked goods. Not bad for a small town market! 

Groundswell Farm will have salad mix (leaf lettuces and senposai, little arugula), french breakfast radishes, eggs, turnip greens, dill, and flat leaf parsley.  Hopefully Roderick Dickson will able to join us with a variety of fresh herbs from his garden.  I apologize, also, that I will not be able to accept preorders this week, as I will be walking away from this computer as soon as I send this.

On an unrelated note, come out to the Twilight Orchard Walk this evening if you get a chance.  It's at the Judge Matthews Estate Orchard off of 58 at 630.  Diane Flynt of Foggy Ridge Cider will give a talk about heirloom apples, and our fabulous Extension agents from Grayson and Carroll counties will speak about orchard management including pest control and the orchard floor.  You can also see the pruning job the Master Gardeners of the Blue Ridge did this winter, and criticize us to our faces!  And maybe sample a few apples- not a bad way to spend a fall evening.........

Take care, everyone, and see you soon!
Sara

During recent  years she has traveled to Egypt, Turkey, Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Canada, and several countries in Asia teaching, performing and continuing to learn. For example, in Bali she learned the art of Shadow Puppetry Theater. At her studio, Moving Arts Center and through outreach programs she shares her lifetime experiences with dedication and professionalism.  Iara Kendrick’s mission is to make dance available to everyone.  She believes that dance is one of the most complete forms of exercise for the body and mind.  She understands that some people are apprehensive about taking dance classes because of lack of previous experience, age, size, etc. Also, they feel that they must become performers. She compares dance to another art, for example, singing:  A person would never miss the opportunity to learn to sing due to their age, size, gender, etc. Some people want to sing no further than the shower, others want to sing at the church choir, while others want to sing in Broadway, or even opera.  Dance is the same way.  At MAC,  one can come for dance classes just for exercise (dancing 1 hr equals walking 3 miles!), others  to learn about other cultures,  to dance at family parties, or to become professional dancers. From great-grandmothers and fathers, to great grandchildren are all welcome. Offerings include Salsa, Belly Dance, Hawaiian,  Zumba Fitness, Creative Movement and more.

Whether in her studio, or on the road, Kendrick’s mission is to include everyone who wishes to enhance their lives with a global dance and art experience. Willard Gayheart,  whose studio and gallery is in the same complex as MAC commented how fortunate for the community it is to have someone as accomplished as Iara Kendrick be a part of the Woodlawn Art and Culture Center.  MOVING ARTS CENTER is located at 99 Coulson Church Rd. Woodlawn, VA (next to Harmon’s)
To learn more about its offerings, visit: www.movingartscenter.weebly.com   Contact samra40@netzero.net  www.SamrasExpressions.com   or call 276-236-4533

Contributions of any form are appreciated in order to keep classes affordable for everyone.  If you would like to sponsor classes for a student, or sponsor an event your generosity will not be forgotten.  The mirrored studio is available for partial rent. Other instructors are welcome to offer classes and increase the variety of courses. Sponsors and participants are encouraged to inquire about an upcoming production!!!  Inquiries in person on Thursdays nights or Mondays 4:00-5:30
 

Hello, everyone-

All in all, this week has turned out all right!  After so much rainfall
last week, the garden is growing!  With the ground so wet, it was easy
to get a lot of weeding done.  It was dry enough today, though, for
Greg to disc the tomato patch and set the rows for me: four 95
footers, enough to hold all our tomato plants and basil, too.  We
broke up a setting hen, spent an afternoon transplanting greens (me),
picking up rocks (children) and hilling potatoes (Greg).  The squash,
fourth planting of lettuce, dill, and third planting of arugula have
all germinated, too!  I mulched the snap peas and spinach with straw,
thinned the beets, and covered the broccoli beds with row cover
because someone was eating them.

I guess that is as good a segue as any- we've had A LOT of garden
visitors this week.......those of you that got lettuce last week are
lucky, as we will not have that to offer again until it grows back.
Yesterday afternoon I noticed all 450 of my beautiful lettuces in the
field had been chomped!  There were plenty of signs of the (hoofed)
beast, so we know how to fix it, at any rate.  The hoophouse had a
least one visitor, also- the cilantro has been totally eaten- though
the greens and tomatoes were untouched.  The snap peas have also
mostly been decapitated, but by whom is still a mystery.

I've been dragging my feet about putting up an electric fence, but it
is officially on the list.

This week I'll be delivering as usual to the general Galax area, but
for you Grayson county people, I'll be at the Independence Farmers
Market on Saturday also.  It's from 8 until noon, and if you send me
your pre-order, I'll have it ready for you when you get there.

The list:
Arugula- last week for this planting, more on the way, $3/box

Spinach- first picking of this planted back in March, limited quantities, $3/box

Stir Fry Mix- senposai and yukina savoy mustard greens, mild, tender,
quick cooking $3/bag

Eggs- free range hens, most likely fertilized $3/dozen

Lovage- celery-like herb, stronger flavor than celery $1/bunch

I will scrounge as many radishes as possible and bring them to market
on Saturday.  I have a new package for some of the greens this week-
it's a clear plastic box that I hope will be reusable and last a long
time.  I looked into the corn-based compostable ones, but they are
only stable to 110 degrees, which means I would have to sanitize them
with bleach instead of hot water.  Anyway, if you return them to me I
will use them for as long as possible.  Order deadline for this week
is Thursday (5/14) at 9pm.  Please let me know if you'd like delivery
or if you'll pick up at the Independence market.

Thanks!
Sara

Hey, there Galaxians!

What a week!  A soggy, misty week- but the temperatures have stayed
well above what we'd consider normal, from what I understand, so many
folks I've spoken to have set out their summer plants already. I admit
to sowing just under 40 hills of one variety of summer squash this
week, but I have to confess I felt funny doing it.  I guess I have the
same gardener's superstition about frost that other folks do....I
decided to go ahead with the planting, though, and I told myself I
wouldn't be surprised if the weather turns freezy.

 I was making some market-related phone calls yesterday and most of
the vendors I talked to are prepared to join us for opening day- June
5- and are looking forward to another great season.  I will
discontinue these emails from my farm when the season begins, and
instead send a more general newsletter for the Galax Farmers Market.
Most of you are already on that list, but if you want me to
add/delete/check for you, let me know.  I will also continue the
weekly listing in the Gazette, but in a better format and hopefully in
the Wednesday edition instead of Friday's.

Well, with the plants in the garden fully hydrated, as soon as the sun
makes an appearance I expect an explosion of new growth!  On my field
walk today I saw our first planting of fingerling potatoes are up, the
broccoli is getting munched by some vertebrate, the beets need some
serious thinning, and the snap peas are almost ready to climb the
twine.  Spinach, lettuces, leeks, and radishes have grown in the rain
this week, and my flats of chard, kale, senposai, and fennel are ready
to set out in the dirt.  I wouldn't choose any other way to spend the
second week of May!

For Friday delivery:

Arugula- second sowing, perfect sized leaves $3/bag

Eggs- free range, multicolored, $3/dozen

Stir Fry Mix- Senposai and Yukina Savoy greens, $3/bag

Cilantro- a fernleaf variety, very pretty, $1/bunch limited quantities

French Breakfast Radishes- from the field sowing, not the hoophouse
anymore, $1.50/bunch

Lettuce- mixed old fashioned varieties with a few hybrids, very mild,
colorful $3/bag  limited quantities

As always, send your order back by Thursday at 9pm and I will confirm
and deliver to your home or work in the general Galax area on Friday,
May 8.  This week I'll be delivering the same time as last week:
noon-2pm.  If you will not be home, you may leave a cooler on your
porch and I will be happy to keep a tab for you.

Thank you, everyone!  Take care and I'll see you soon!
Sara

Dancers of all ages will present dances of various parts of the world, including Middle Eastern and Fusion.

Light refreshments will be provided.  Admission is free, but RSVP is encouraged.

For information about this events, classes and supporting Moving Arts Center call 276-236-4533 or email samra40@netzero.net

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