Monday, September 17, 2012

Farmer's Market Fun



Sustainably Sadie
Farmer’s Market Fun

My husband and I took a turn as acting Market Master for the Twin Bridges Farmer’s Market the last two weekends.  Those Saturday mornings, we wore 2 hats, still trying to serve up coffee and sandwiches at our drive-thru espresso shop, Jumping Rainbow Espresso, and as marketeers, connecting with other vendors and selling baked goods. 

My baking inspiration leading into that first weekend was pizza crusts.  At the grocery store lately, I noticed that I would consider throwing a Boboli crust in my cart for an easy dinner solution.  But I know I can make those crusts with my handy-dandy bread recipe I gleaned from Mother Earth News years ago.  So I rolled out crusts and hand-rolled dinner rolls.  I also enlisted the idea my mom brought me a few years ago from the Missoula Farmer’s Market, pies in half-pint mason jars.  That handy-dandy Mother Earth News bread recipe also makes cinnamon rolls so I whipped up a couple of those. 

Week Two’s inspiration:  whoopie pies!  And the cool weather had me thinking pumpkin so our table was filled with pumpkin whoopie pies, apple and apple-cranberry mason jar pies, no-bake pumpkin cheesecake and more cinnamon rolls. 

The time at the Farmer’s Market passes quickly.  The Hutterites are a big draw, with their bulk produce perfect for canning and savvy sales techniques, customers from all over the Ruby Valley show up just to fill their vehicles with Hutterite goodies.  I wish we had more local produce at our local market.  Anyone can set up a booth, pay the nominal $3.00 fee and spend the morning connecting with the local community.  “If you make it, bake it, or grow it, you can market it!”  A person could grow kitchen herbs in pots and sell them.  Your kids can take their latest craft projects and turn a profit.  I have a few crochet projects I would like to add to our table, but I can’t bake and craft at the same time – I am coming to realize. 

It takes community involvement to make local farmer’s market successful.  Let the dedication of a few, inspire you to spend a Saturday morning (or Thursday evening in Sheridan) earning a couple of extra bucks, connecting with friends in the community, and enjoying your local farmer’s market.  The local farmer’s markets need your creativity and participation in order to make them great! 

Share your ideas and successes at www.sustainablysadie.blogspot.com or sustainablysadie@hotmail.com. 

Twin Bits

River’s Edge Gallery in Twin Bridges is open through September, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm or by appointment.  There are some exciting art classes planned for the fall.  Stop by the Gallery to find out more information. 

The first meeting of the Twin Bridges Book Club will be Thursday, September 20th 7 pm at The Weaver’s Studio.  The first book being discussed is The Bonfire of the Vanities by Thomas Wolfe.  The Book Club is looking for suggestions for the rest of the year.  Contact Didi Murray with questions at dmmontana@3rivers.net. 

From TBS Calendar:

Sept 10 thru 16:  Homecoming Week!
Wednesday Sept 12:  Senior/ Freshman Paint the TB, 8:30 am;  Homecoming Activities 1:15 pm to 3:26 pm
Thursday Sept 13:  Homecoming Activities @ Carroll Field:  BBQ, 4:30 pm; Kangaroo Court, 7 pm; Pep Rally/ Bon Fire, 8:30 pm
Friday Sept 14:  Homecoming Parade, 1 pm; VB w/ Manhattan Christian @ Home, 3pm; JrHi FB w/ WSS @ Home, 4 pm;  FB w/ WSS @ Home, 7 pm
Sat Sept 15:  JrHi VB @ Manhattan Christian tourney; VB @ Windy City Classic (Whitehall), 9 am; Cross Country @ Manhattan Meet, 9:30 am
Monday Sept 17:  JV FB, 3-way w/ Shields Valley & WSS (Wilsall), 4 pm;
7 pm, Trailblazers 4-H mtg @ Lunchroom
Tuesday Sept 18:  JrHi VB w/ Whitehall @ Home, 4:30; VB @ Jefferson, 4:30; 7 pm, Regular School Board Mtg
Wed. Sept 19:  Madison County Nurse immunizations
Thurs Sept 20:  River Resource Day, Gr. 3- 5; TB Children’s Center Classic Cross Country Meet, 1 pm
Friday Sept 21:  FB w/ Absarokee @ Home, 7 pm
Sat Sept 22:  JrHi VB @ Twin Tourney; Cross Country Meet @ Butte; VB @ Lima, 5:30 pm


I’m here to share news and events for the Ruby Valley.  Contact me at 684-5222, at above Sustainably Sadie addresses or snail mail, Box 491 TB 59754. 


No comments:

Post a Comment