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Weekly Market Notes Library

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Weekly Market Notes for August 06, 2009

Hello Market Friends:

Great to have everything "officially" open and functioning in our park. We've got a gorgeous day for the market, and there will be bluegrass music, too, as Alison Porter and "Dirty Dishes" return to play from about 4 to 6:30. Here's the latest from the vendors:

Both bad and good news from the Sosnickis: "While our entire two acres of tomatoes have been completely wiped out by blight, there is simply no time to whine or bellyache. We hope to make up a part of this loss by firing our greenhouses this fall and loading them up with lots of veg! In fact, seeding begins this month. An inspector from our certification board will be on farm today and this will be an excellent opportunity to share our future greenhouse plans with them, including new plants and vegetation, and to show off some awesome heirloom tomatoes currently producing well in our third house.

This also gives Ben and I and the few employees we have a great opportunity to concentrate on other crops. Our cold storage should no doubt be brimming with storage crops this winter (and not just cabbage!) You have to stay positive when you get a kick like this- Sosnicki's will live to grow an abundance of field tomatoes another year! In the meantime Ben will have lots of cucumbers, (not just for pickling-they make the best salad!!), sweet white onions (more onions coming soon: cooking, red and candy yellow), carrots including some 'purple haze', beet bunches with fresh tops, red & gold chard; lots of fresh dug potatoes - Ben will be digging fresh Yukon Golds this week along with red norlands and the whites; fresh cabbages, fresh herbs, zucchini & all the fresh beans you can handle- both yellow and green!" Jessie

More great stuff from Greenfields including a nice selection of greens: BLACK and CURLY KALE, SWISS CHARD, COLLARDS, DANDELION, RED BATAVIAN LETTUCE, CURLY and ITALIAN PARSLEY. New this week are DILL and ENDIVE. ENDIVE is a sophisticated European lettuce green that is excellent raw in a salad with a creamy dressing, or lightly steamed or sautéed. We have 3 types of BEETS to choose from, GOLDEN, RED and CHIOGGA, as well as CABBAGE and GARLIC. See you at market, Lesley

This week Feast of Fields will have wild and domestic organic blueberries, peaches, apricots, plums and possibly some figs and raspberries.

Meg at Forbes Wild Foods reports: "We’ll have fresh Chanterelles from Northern Ontario at tomorrow’s market!"

James Whetung has started to bring us Black Duck wild rice, which his family has been harvesting for many years in the Curve Lake area (north of Peterborough). James may not be able to attend every week, so stock up when you get the chance, and be sure to ask him for a copy of his excellent selection of recipes using this versatile local grain.

Beretta Farms news: "Looks like another beautiful weekend ahead! How about planning a BBQ? I will be bringing many varieties of Sausages: Caribbean, Spicy Turkey, Wine and Garlic, Honey-Garlic and Hungarian. Steaks: Skirt steaks and Grass-Only NY Striploins. Ribs, Pork Butterfly Chops, chicken wings and much more! See you at the Market!" Carly

Thanks to the many supporters of our fundraiser for the Akiwenzies' building fund at last week's market. We raised just over $600, which is helping with supplies, and others are thinking of them, too. Natasha and Andrew send their appreciation to everyone who has helped out.

An excerpt from a recent note:

"This never could even have been started without the support from all of you. We would have had to find another field (job) to get into but thanks to everyone we will be fishing shortly again. Long days but the end doesn't seem so far right now and with every passing day we are completing a large part of the project. Again, thank you."

Warm congratulations to staff Greg Kirk and Anna Bekerman on the occasion of their wedding this weekend. I will hold back on the full speech that should be made about Anna's years of extraordinary contributions to the food, gardens, community and market of Dufferin Grove as she wouldn't want me to gush in the news (but any length of testimonial is available on request).

See you at the market!

Anne Freeman

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