Westminster Farmers’ Market Report from Maple Heights Farm
Lunchbox Season has arrived…
With hurricanes blowing in last week, many vendors took the day off (us included – the tents are just too dangerous when they take flight – not to mention too expensive to replace if they do), but Academy hill was still fairly well populated with vendors. I had the enjoyable task of walking through the market as a 100% customer. It was nice, and I was able to purchase everything I needed to feed my hungry family (and send one of us off to college with a full refrigerator).
It’s a season of preparing lunchboxes…
Yes, it is that time of the year. School busses are everywhere. Schedules ramp up to a hyper pace with school open houses, sports teams, church school and volunteer commitments, AND we are down a driver. How I miss that driver! So, the tally this year is as follows: one starts college, one starts high school, one starts kindergarten, and, thankfully, Sydney stays at WES for another year. It’s a season of change! And a season of preparing lunchboxes. I am lucky that I have two children at home that love to cook. Every morning there is a pot of something boiling on my stove. If it is not pasta to fill thermoses, it is oatmeal for breakfast. So, how do we pack those lunchboxes? Well, this is the perfect time of year to pack all those fresh foods that will be unavailable in just another six weeks or so. Multi-colored cherry tomatoes, purple, green and yellow beans, carrots, broccoli, and fresh cantaloupe grown right in Ashburnham! Apples are plentiful and we did some picking last week. We select the small ones for lunch boxes just because they are small enough that we aren’t throwing away half of an oversized apple every day. On Friday I will cook some extra corn-on-the-cob and refrigerate it for lunches. I will also hold some eggs aside (try to age them a bit so they are peelable) and then hard boil them. Peel and eat. Now THAT is fast food! Let the farmers’ market inspire you. As you walk through, think about packing a healthy picnic that will take advantage of these last flavors of our growing season. Throw in some mild farmers’ market cheese and top it all off with exactly one Hershey’s kiss and enjoy. Meanwhile, throw together another lunch for the adults in your home. Farmers’ Market favorites are ALWAYS cheaper than eating on the run. And even better, they are more delicious and healthier!
We will have great entertainment again this week so enjoy the afternoon (walk up the hill from Westminster Elementary), browse the market and linger with friends and neighbors. I am hoping to meet some of Russell’s new classmates and likely will get the chance to. Sydney and Meghan are planning to meet up with their friends and enjoy the festive atmosphere (while dining on Patty’s fudge and Robin’s peanut butter fudge brownies). This week, Shadow Box Puppet Theatre will have another performance scheduled for 4:00 – but check facebook just in case the time changes. Also, I am looking forward to the singing, songwriting talent of Tess Rembetsy-Brown and Don Rivano!
Kerrie Hertel
Facebook…
Watch facebook on Friday as vendors will keep you informed of what they will be bringing to the market this week! Don't forget to go in and "like" the page so you will get updates.