From Strawberry to Parsnip Season – We’re Back!
The Hastings Farmer’s Market is BACK on a weekly schedule starting tomorrow, Saturday, June 7.
For the next 26 weeks, we hope you will carve out some time each Saturday to come support your local farmers, get some kitchen inspiration and, of course, visit with friends.
A few changes in our lineup: The folks at Grammy’s Garden in Warwick have officially retired; this time for good. They were retired teachers when they decided to go into the flower business, for years infusing our market with a weekly splash of color.
I am happy to report that Tiny Hearts Farm will be our new cut-flower vendor. Some of you may know them from the Irvington Farmer’s Market where they developed a huge following for their rustic and artful arrangements of local flowers and herbs.
Owners Luke Franco and Jenny Elliot recently moved their upstart farm in Westchester to the Copake Agriculture Center – a new farming commune of sorts, made possible by Northeast Farm Access (NEFA). This farm consulting organization, comprised of veteran community developers, loan underwriters, attorneys and farmers helps to connect investors with farmers and farmers with land (and resources) from Maine to New York in the hope of preserving precious farmland. The new Agriculture Center in Copake provides housing and long-term land leases to young farmers like Luke and Jenny – who can now see their flower fields from their kitchen window.
Ditto for Max Morningstar, an organic farmer from the Boston area, who jumped at the chance to be a part of this experiment in Columbia County. Thanks to Luke and Jenny, Mx Morningstar Farms will also be joining us this summer bringing more no-spray produce to market from cauliflower to kohlrabi.
Also new this year, Obercreek Farm - from Hughsonville NY famous for their heirloom tomatoes and delicate green. Don’t forget to check out their really cool signage.
So between these new vendors and our returning favorites (Taliaferro, Neversink, D & J) there should never be a shortage of greens at the market, no matter what time you arrive.
Lenny Bee, our smoked trout vendor is back, as is Chatham Brewing Co. (bring your growlers). The Cookery’s Dough Nation pizza truck will be pulling in this Saturday and every other Saturday thereafter (alternating with the Brooklyn Bean burrito/slider vendor). Grenadine French Creperie is back, too.
They should go down nicely with the French ballads from Les Tappan Zigues slated for tomorrow.
A couple of notes:
In honor of the market’s opening day, the Library will be hosting a book sale on its front terrace. Check out the items for sale outside, but don’t miss the artwork on display inside – part of the Library’s auction of work by dozens of local of artists. You can place bids on the paintings, drawings, photos and sculptures, many that reflect views of the Hudson and our local waterfront. The auction, to raise funds for an upcoming remodel, ends on Sunday evening, with a cocktail party from 5-8 pm; you can buy tickets at the book sale.
And, if your teenager plans on purchasing a boutonniere or a corsage for the prom, please consider ordering one at the market tent tomorrow. Hastings mom and daughter Alyssa Winter and Olivia Seleman are working with a film-set floral designer to help raise money for the Hastings Youth Advocate Program. Corsages are $25 and boutonnieres are $10. You can browse at photo samples at the tent where you can also get your order form. The corsages (made with roses or orchids will be available for pickup on June 23rd, the day of the prom at the Recreation Center from 12 Noon to 5 p.m.
Don’t forget to park at the train station. But if you can walk or bike to the market – even better. And please be respectful of our neighbors: don’t double park in front of residences on Maple Ave.
Here’s an easy mid-week http://food52.com/recipes/28279-creamy-asparagus-lemon-and-walnut-pastarecipe for creamy spaghetti with asparagus, walnuts and lemon. The market can provide everything but the dried pasta – and lemon.
And in honor of strawberry season try this rhubarb-strawberry compote — perfect to spoon over some Penny Lick Vanilla Ice Cream or Sohha yogurt.
Help make good food affordable to more people; make the market an oasis in a fresh-food desert for SNAP* shoppers. Times are tough, and food stamps usage is up in Westchester. There are no farmers markets that accept food stamps between Mt. Vernon and Ossining. Much of the food sold at the Hastings market qualifies for food stamps. Food-stamps shoppers need more options. The Hastings Farmers market is one such option.
*SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps.
Venue: Hastings Farmers Market, Hastings Library Parking Lot, 7 Maple Avenue. Learn more at www.HastingsFarmersMarket.org
See you at the market!
Pascale Le Draoulec is a food writer, a farmer’s market director, as well as the author of”American Pie: Slices of Life (and Pie) from America’s Back Roads“, published by Harper Collins.
