Hastings Farmers Market

Time to dust off your rolling pins and dig through those old family recipe files. Our second annual Hastings Farmers Market Apple Pie Contest will be held Oct. 18 at the market tent.
We hope many of you who shop the market will participate.
Why not use the contest as your incentive to finally crack that crust code? If you're a beginner who has been dancing around the notion of making a pie from scratch, this is your chance to give it a whirl.
Here's the skinny on the contest:

1. Pies must be made from scratch. Period. No "50-50" pies (frozen crust and homemade filling).

Did you catch the article about our little farmers market in the Journal News this week? Check it out at lohud.com.
Also: we made a sneak appearance in Michael Orey's new "lunch" blog. Orey writes for BusinessWeek and he's one of our most devoted shoppers...You can read his musings about the mid-day meal at www.workinglunch.biz

Did you know that California produces about 90 percent of America's apricot crop? Fortunately for us, a small percentage are grown right here in the Hudson Valley and they are slated to make their first appearance at the market tomorrow. I'm already dreaming of the apricot tart I'm going to make. That is -- if my girls don't gobble them up before I get a chance to.

Look for djembes at the market Saturday, June 28. No, it’s not some exotic new baby green but a hand drum from West Africa.
A group of semi-professional hand drummers and percussionists will be hosting a drumming circle under the music tent at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Nothing too loud or wild they assure me.

Those of you who have followed the saga of the Hastings Farmers Market this year will understand when I say how truly elated I am that opening day is finally upon us.

Dear market shoppers,
We are very happy to announce that the Hastings Farmers Market will be continuing -- indoors -- throughout the winter and spring.
It will be held on the second Saturday of the month (Jan.12; Feb. 9; March 8; April 12; May 10) at the James Harmon Community Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
You'll be happy to know that all of our usual vendors (except for our produce vendors) are participating. (Concklin Orchards won't be able to come until March.)

We got such a positive response to our apple pie contest we've decided to host a pumpkin carving contest this Saturday. Bring your intricately carved pumpkins to the market tent by 10 a.m. and we'll announce the winners at noon. Local artists Lindsay DuPont and Anne-Marie McIntyre will pick the scariest and the most creative gourds. Participants can take the pumkins home and put them on their porch in time for Halloween. Prizes include a $20 gift certificate to the soda fountain at Greenleaf Pharmacy.
As with pies, group efforts are encouraged.
And remember, size doesn't matter.

Looks like fall has decided to finally show its face and colors.
Bring a sweater to the market tomorrow. You'll want to stick around to hear singer/songwriter Sarah Silbert perform from 10 to noon.
A young mother of two still in strollers, Silbert is just getting back into performing after a long hiatus. I haven't stopped listening to her c.d. since she handed me one at Zinsser Park. She reminds me of Joni Mitchell. You can check her out at www.myspace.com/sarahsilbert. Or just pull up a chair tomorrow by the market tent.

Hastings beekeeper Christine Lehner will be at the market Oct. 6 to sell her exquisite honey which she extracts and bottles under the Let it Bee! label right here in town.
Also Oct 6. "The Happy Hours" will perform from 10 to 12 noon.
Don't forget, kids' yoga at 9, storytelling at 10 a.m and crafts at 11:15.
See you at the market!

You would think that after driving across the country twice in search of pies made from scratch, then writing a book about my journey, then baking a gazillion pies because that's what's expected of you if you write a book about pie...you would think that I would be, well, jaded about this all-American dessert.
You would think.