Let them eat...fresh market food!

Over the last few weeks we conducted two “dot” surveys at the market, a fun way to gauge how we are doing and what we could be doing better.  
For those of you who missed it, the survey method couldn’t be simpler (or more colorful): We place giant poster boards on tripods with questions at the top and several columns for potential answers. People place a dot sticker in the columns that apply, or speak to them.

I have the lucky job of taking the boards home and  counting the dots. 

My favorite question, always, is “why do you come to the Hastings Farmers Market.” I’m often surprised at how many (many) dots “Bread” gets. Ditto for “prepared food.” Still, it warms the coddles of this market mama’s heart to see, time after time, that the two columns that remain dot crazy are the ones marked “Produce” and  “Community.”  The two main reasons we exist. 

It’s especially meaningful this week when we turn to our market community once again.

As you know, the federal government is refusing to pay for food assistance – cutting off SNAP benefits as of November 1st. The Hastings Farmers Market will do what we can to mitigate the impact on our families. And we’re asking for your help: If every family who visits the market on Saturday contributes one dollar, we will be able to cover EBT funds for our families for the rest of the year.

We’re asking you please to drop a dollar in our canister at the market table to help our neighbors. Should EBT benefits resume, we will use the funds to increase our regular donations to the Hastings Food Pantry. If you’d rather donate directly online, please use the DONATE button below. 

Please help us spread the word. 

EBT Families: Bring your card to the Farmers Market! We will honor it! And double it.

Back to our regular programming...

As part of the aforementioned survey,  folks were given the chance to write on an index card what product they think is missing at the market. I’m happy to report that the majority of the answers said something along the lines of “we find  everything we need here.”

But, “fresh, local milk” came up a couple of times so it makes me particularly happy to announce that Le Roux Trading Co. is now bringing both Kreimhild Milk products and their famous meadow butter logs, which Brandon distributes weekly to top toques in the city. 

Just look for the “dairy bar,” next to the fresh beef “bar.”

This week, Kate Solomon will be doing her  “cooking with kids” thing on the upper level of the market. This time, she is going to teach your children how to distinguish between the different flavor profiles of various apple varieties. Then she’ll teach them how to make apple parfaits, using market yogurt, natch.

Confort dishes are crying out to me this week. 

I can’t wait to try this Melissa Clark recipe for pasta with butternut squash and bacon which should absolutely do the trick. And I can always count on marmitako a humble Basque fisherman’s stew made with fresh tuna, for spoonfuls of solace.

Thanksgiving is but four weeks away. Shouldn’t you be testing out pie recipes?

I recommend trying this one first. It’s easier than it looks, but talk about a wow factor.

Or, you could be testing out ready-made pies from Elderberry Rd. or Red Barn Bakery.

See you at the market!