Farmers’ Market Newsletter

Hi, all-
I am having technical difficulties opening the newsletter as published by Linda Hagye, but I am attaching it in the hopes that it is just me, and that you all can read it. Just in case, though, I am including an unformatted version in this email. See you at the markets! (Saturday 8 am to 11 am in Sutter Creek, back on Eureka Street, and Sunday 10 to 1 in Jackson, next to Mel and Faye’s Diner; Wednesday 3 to 6 pm in Pine Grove in the Community Park)
Michelle Grondin
Market manager
419-2503
AMADOR FARMERS’ MARKET NEWSLETTER

July 10- July 19, 2010

There have been lots of goings-on at the markets in the last couple weeks. On Wednesday, June 30, we had the cherry bakeoff in Pine Grove. Chesney Grant of the Blue Moon Cafe and Candace Marhefka of Tasty Maid Bakery were judges of the event. They determined the winners to be: in third place, with Cherry-Chocolate Bombs– chocolate cookie ice cream sandwiches filled with cherry sorbet– was Fran Weinrob; in second place, with a Cherry Cobbler, was Kristen Rhinehart; and in first place, with a Cherry-Chocolate Cake, was Dee Dee Schuman. The winners received Amador Bucks to spend at the market. The same day, the Friends of the Library had their first book sale at the market. The FOL’s will make several more appearances at the various market locations throughout the season.

Sunday, June 27 was the premier of an impromptu event at the Jackson market sparked by rivalry over some shortbread baked by a customer the previous week. The speculation over whose shortbread might be the best became a full-blown competition, with nine entries and four judges. The judges were Gale Fairbrother of TSPN; Candace Marhefka of Tasty Maid Bakery; Cherie Garamendi, a customer from Mokelumne Hill; and Alissa Folendorf, assistant to the market manager and self-proclaimed shortbread fanatic. The judges thoughtfully made their way through all the entries, with some discussion and deliberation between them. They finally declared the winners to be: in third place, Diane Kriletich, a market vendor who dipped her shortbread in chocolate; in second place, Dr. Bob Hartmann, the customer who ignited the competitive fires; and in first place, with a traditional Scottish shortbread, Mary Pulskamp, a market vendor whose family owns the Celtic Knot in Jackson.

The following week, on July 4, there was another new event: “Guess the Weight of the Giant Cabbage.” Customers who entered the market were greeted by the awesome sight of the green cabbage that covered the entire top of a card table. The person to come closest to guessing the weight of the cabbage was to win the cabbage itself, a fact that scared many a customer off from guessing, exclaiming, “What would I do with that much cabbage?!” But a number of brave souls ventured guesses, including Jackson City Manager Mike Daly, who declared that if he won, the cabbage would be donated to the Food Bank. In the end, though, it was a market vendor who won: Greg Motch, whose guess of 27.3 pounds was closest to the cabbage’s actual weight of 26.99 pounds. Greg really knows his vegetables! He decided to split the monster with another vendor, Laurel Lickteig of Paloma Pollinators, who was anxious to make a large quantity of sauerkraut. The giant cabbage was donated to the market for the event by Damas Farm and Vineyard in Fiddletown.

WHAT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR…

The race to see who would have the first tomatoes at the market is over, with Paloma Pollinators bringing the first ripe tomatoes to the Jackson market on June 27. There were only ten tomatoes, but it was a harbinger of good things to come. The next Sunday they had twice as many, and we expect the number to grow exponentially in the next few weeks. Robert Lockhart of Majestic Oak Farm had several baskets of Sungold cherry tomatoes at the Pine Grove market on July 7, and the early-bird shoppers snapped them up right away. We are also seeing the beginnings of the summer squash and cucumbers, and even the first eggplant and hot peppers have made appearances. It is finally summer!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

July 17, Apricot Bakeoff in Sutter Creek

July 22, Apricot Bakeoff in Pine Grove

July 25, Zucchini Cookoff in Jackson

For more information about these events, contact the market manager at 419-2503, or amadorcountyfarmersmarket.

MUSIC AT THE MARKET:

Saturday, July 10 in Sutter Creek– Herb Boxhorn

Sunday, July 11 in Jackson– Ben Henry

Wednesday, July 14 in Pine Grove– Harry Jordan

Saturday, July 17 in Sutter Creek– Sutter’s Fancy

Sunday, July 18 in Jackson– Harry Jordan

Wednesday, July 21 in Pine Grove– Banjo Andy and Oliah’s Fall

Cherry bakeoff judges with book sale Shortbread Entries First Tomatoes, Jackson

Cabbage winner Greg Motch with Laurel Lickteig

Use this coupon at any Amador Farmers’ Market from July 10 through July 19

$1.00 off any purchase