Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Farmers' Market Opens!

Last Sunday was a day that I have been waiting for since November. I have been waiting for it with the eagerness of a child waiting for Christmas. On Sunday our local farmers' market opened for the 2011 season. Hallelujah!

I love the farmers' market. (I felt I had to say that in case it wasn't obvious.)

Not only does it supply me with super fresh, super delicious local produce, meats, cheeses and breads, but it also provides a wealth of painting ideas and models that are known to sit very still. Well..., unless someone comes along and decides to steal the model for a snack before I am done my painting.

Farmers' Market Spring Bounty
photo ©2011 Stacy L. Rowan

We've had a very wet and cool spring so I wasn't sure what would be available at this first market of the season. I was pleasantly surprised!

We came home with several different types of greens (arugula, pea shoots and leaf lettuce) as well as asparagus and mushrooms! We also picked up a scrumptious focaccia and some locally made salsa. We bought the mild salsa and were happy to find that it was very tasty and had a slight kick which built the more you ate.

Sunday Lunch!
photo ©2011 Stacy L. Rowan

We also stocked up on some locally raised chicken and bison since our freezer was empty!

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be back to eating locally grown produce. The stuff shipped into the grocery stores over the winter just can't compare. This is our third or fourth year shopping at the market and I wonder now what took me so long to give it a try.

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In other news, for those of you who live close to Bethlehem, PA, this Saturday is the Tap Ties National Tap Dance Day Celebration.

I will be selling my tap dance series of note cards, prints and posters (new this year!) both at the Banana Factory during the daytime workshops and in the evening at Foy Concert Hall before the performance. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello!

I will also be performing with other members of my advanced tap class. Tickets are available in the lobby prior to the show if anyone wants to see why I am a professional artist and not an professional dancer. Click the link above for more information and directions.

5 comments:

Jennifer Rose said...

i love going to markets, veg and fruit just taste better home grown :) there have been cases around here tho where some stalls have been found out to have actually sold things from out of the country but still call the products homegrown :/

Stacy said...

The market we go to is pretty strict with their vendors and everything must be producer made. But I've gone to others where the vendors are selling things like bananas or citrus fruit and you know those items didn't come from around here!

M J Muir said...

What a lovely post of yummy food! There is nothing like the farmer's market. We have a lovely market on Granville Island and you make me want to go down there for a few fresh veggies and some nice bread.

Stacy said...

Aren't Farmers' Markets the best MJ!! How far do you have to travel to get to the one on Granville Island? We typically drive about 25 minutes to go to our favorite market, even though there are closer ones. We just had a new one open on Tuesday afternoons that is about 10 minutes from here. I will be checking it out for those weeks I miss the Sunday market.
I hope you are enjoying spring on your side of the continent and are experiencing more sunny days than cloudy, rainy ones.

M J Muir said...

Hi Stacy
It takes me twenty minutes to walk down to Granville Island. I can drive down in five minutes. I don't go there often enough. There are other farmer's markets here and there around the city during the warm weather months.
We have had the most rain in years but today and yesterday have been glorious.
The blossoms this year got rained out very fast. A soggy spring with falling petals.