June farmers' market visit

My arms are not as strong as my eyes think they should be.

This morning I went to the local farmers' market. It was my first visit of the season and everything was beautiful! I went for a few things, peaches and (as requested by OC) "whatever looks good."

It all looked good.

The benefit of our strange spring rains showed in the tables of beans and peppers, squash and corn...yes, and peaches.

I love the market. Many of my "old" farmers are gone now. But there were still a few who greeted me, "Where have you been?"

The plant lady was there. The gentleman farmer who retired from the diplomatic corps and then from teaching public school has introduced me to different veggies over the years as well as different farming techniques (He feeds his watermelon sugar!). He had berries and a few other things. I grabbed the blackberries.

There were some new farms represented and I was unable to pass the overalled, cowboy hatted fellow with the beautiful sweet corn. "No chemicals on this corn." he promised. I told him about farmers calling Daddy when the corn was ready - when I would walk through the fields and fill up the bib of my overalls with field corn. By that time I was so overloaded that I was afraid I couldn't carry all the bags back to the car.

At the second market (It is only a block away. I unloaded and drove around the corner for a better parking place.) I saw the goat cheese lady (her feta is fabulous). I could not find the milkman who usually has fresh butter. His truck was there, but he was not tending to business. I was seduced by the retiree selling ersatz jelly,* aloe vera and spinach vines.**

Now the work begins at home - washing and dividing and storing some things and roasting others. I will also divide and plant the spinach vines. I am intrigued by them and will probably see if I can grow them in a pot, in the small patch of sun by my back door.

Here are a couple of views. I only took a few photos because my hands were full.

This is one of my long time farmer friends.

A close-up of some of his veggies: pattypan squash, yellow squash, pickling cucumbers, some exotic cucumbers and tomatoes (I got yellow squash and cucumbers here)

Is this the most amazing assortment of squash ever? Aztec, Mexican squash, Yellow squash, lemon squash (an heirloom) Burpee's golden egg squash (!) and a cross between the lemon and Aztec (an accident, but pretty). I got the golden egg (supposed to be flavorful) and lemon squash. Charles said he didn't mind me posting photos here and FB.

Some of the bags. The bag message for the customers is mine for the farmers - Thank you!

The final tally?

3 kinds of squash
sweet corn
red potatoes
green beans
blackberries
peaches
beets (with greens)
chard
feta cheese
aloe vera plant (for a friend)
spinach vines (for OC and me)


What do I do with it all?

DH only eats corn, potatoes, and green beans. I will wash the "greens" and sneak them into his sandwiches. Shhhhh! Don't tell. 

OC will share the other veggies and fruit with me. I don't know what she will do with hers. I will roast most of the squash and make salads and stir fry for the week with greens and cucumbers and feta.


NOTES:

*Please, please, please don't make jelly with jello. This was zucchini squash with different flavors of jello. Don't do it. I sampled it to be nice. I did not buy any. I am not that nice.

**http://www.bbg.org/gardening/article/red-stemmed_malabar_spinach

My friend, Herbert of Stoney Acre Farm. He is gone, but not forgotten. He always had wonderful veggies and great stories and recipes. He planted a number of varieties of okra and would have a basket of tender small pods for me. RIP