Saturday Morning Farmers Market

For the first time this season, I was able to visit the Anne Arundel County Farmers Market, and I wasn't disappointed.  It's one of my favorite things to do for so many reasons.  First of all, I think it's important to support our local farmers, bakers, crafters and gardeners.  Second;  although I don't practice what I preach all of the time, I love eating what's in season.  I find that it's a great way to continually change your menu depending on what's available, and third - I just like the atmosphere. 

When we lived here before, the market was well attended on Saturday mornings, but there have been some marked changes in the five years since.  Now there are two uniformed officers directing traffic (!) and keeping order.  The number of vendors has increased, but most of the old faithfuls are still there.  It's the most wonderful cross section of people - family farmers with two or three generations of family working, and bakers with sugar-encrusted scones that melt in your mouth.  The First Baptist Church is still there - with their hanging scale with the scoop bowl underneath to measure your green beans or cherry tomatoes.  And the gardeners with their zinnias, black-eyed Susans (our state flower), and giant sunflowers are still there.  When we lived here before, an enterprising farmer had a section of his table covered with small plastic bags with water and tadpoles in them - and a sign attached advertising "Seed Toads".  Needless to say, I took some of those home - as much for the enterprising idea as anything else.

Today's bounty is shown above, and I was really limited only by what I could carry.  The array of vegetables and fruit (including peaches and early apples) is especially choice right now.  First on the agenda is slicing the cucumbers oh-so-thin and combining them with vinegar, onions and salt and pepper.  My MIL made those when we were in Ohio a few weeks ago, and Carey couldn't get enough of them.  It brought back memories of when I was growing up in Texas, and they were a summertime staple in my mom's and both of my grandmothers refrigerators.  Only Gramma called hers "the icebox", and I remember everytime I ever opened her refrigerator door, that somehow it seemed colder than anyone else's refrigerator.  It smelled cold and metallic, and the cartons of milk, and buttermilk sometimes shared space with ice cold coca cola in small bottles.  It was the coldest and best coke I ever tasted. 

I'll be thinking of grandmothers  - both mine and my children's - today when I slice up my cucumbers and onions, and when I add salt and pepper and vinegar. It will be bittersweet - a reminder of how quickly times fly, and how the smallest things spark the memories that are weave through our lives and join our generations. 

Comments

[larahurley]

sadly our peaches are done down here at "home". however, i am keeping the large BALL jar full of sliced cukes and onions in the icebox. my grandma kept her sliced onions in a cool whip container. i have bought cool whip just to use the container for that. my cherry tomatoes are still generously giving! the basil is on it's 3rd life as i've just cut it way back, planted it in april. p.s. don't forget you can throw a corn cob, shucks and all, into the microwave for 3 mins. let cool and eat! YUM

[Doojie]

We must meet there some Saturday. My sister just told me about a very lefty short film about the cost of shipping food all over the country instead of buying locally. They have a huge farmer's market every week in Monterey and have missed it so. You should get paid for advertising! I'll have to get directions. I'm moving shops this weekend, but soon, I promise.