Last Week at the Market - Sheep!
With the sun shining last week,the Maplewood Farmers’ Market migrated over to their usual spot and with it a few more vendors arrived.
Though The Root Cellar was still slinging the most in the way of lettuces, herbs, and the new addition of radishes, Claverach made their first appearance and stole the thunder with their freakishly immaculate micro greens and icicle radishes of their own.
Saturday, at Tower Grove, things were scaled back a bit from the opening week as the additional vendors selling crafts were no longer winding around the walking path on the Northwest edge of the market. The one vendor remaining on that far side was Greenwood Farms who incidentally has “lunch meat” ham that while a bit thick for what you might generally consider to be lunch meat, is some of the greatest breakfast ham I’ve ever had.
Asparagus was once again the obvious hit last week and was quite a bit thicker than previous weeks. And don’t be fooled by pencil-thin asparagus lovers. The thick stuff is great and, I think, more flavorful. You just have to peel the lower half sometimes as it can get a bit woody.
There was a bit of rhubarb but not much from Our Garden, and Biver Farms, amongst their plethora of vegetable seedlings and herbs, snuck in a some kale and baby bok choy.
It was at Edwardsville’s Goshen Market that you could score the the good stuff though. Amongst everything the other markets had (asparagus, greens, seedlings) Biver had slipped in strawberries–though they were sold out long before we got there. Hopefully that means there will be more frome everyone this week.
It’s not something people consider, by the way, but Biver goes to Tower Grove, Clayton, and Edwardsville every Saturday so sometimes they have things at Edwardsville not at the others because there just wasn’t enough to go around and Goshen is the smallest of the markets. Last year I saw this happen several times on days where I happened to end up at all three because of my other errands.
Also a guy had green onions–also sold out by the time we got there. And the big hit: sheep. What other market has a sheep? And donuts?
[flickr photo set: 2008.05.14 Maplewood Farmers' Market]
[flickr photo set: 2008.05.17 Tower Grove Farmers' Market]
[flickr photo set: 2008.05.17 Goshen Farmers' Market]
4 Responses to “Last Week at the Market - Sheep!”
Soulard on occasion has live mammals….well, normally rabbits, fowl and occasionally a goat or two…and they do have the hot donut machine on the southwest side that serves up chocolate/vanilla or powdered sugar mini donuts.
Goshen is an interesting market, it has a great personality. Bonus, 222 Artisan bakery is a blk or so away.
There are several shoppers that show up at various markets each week, we compare notes as to who has what….what’s coming to market, what season is ending…..etc.
Got rhubarb last week and could have resold it numerous times.
Ken Muno had an assortment of hard aged as well as fresh chevres. Best runny “brie/camembert” Prairie Blooms, glad I snagged one before they sold out.
Walker’s baby swiss chard is going in the giganti beans for Wed. night dinner….really beautiful. We worked through the various radishes, sprouts, lettuces and gorgeous chicken livers over the weekend. So glad Wed. market breaks up the week.
Lots of talk over dairy inspections, it’s nice to know that the state is working with small farmers on certifying dairies.
By Julie on May 21, 2008
Might swing by Maplewood today to see if Brett has strawberries. Would get up early on Saturday for TG, but I’ll probably be hungover. Whoops.
Agreed about delicious asparagus–I can’t get enough of them right now.
By KBO on May 21, 2008
Farrar Out Farms at Kirkwood market is also selling lunchmeat style ham and it is thinly sliced. It is really good - has a slight smoked flavor. This is great to see - I think for many the sliced lunch meat is a last link to really getting off the industrial stuff (at least while dining at home).
By Kelly on May 21, 2008
Several farmers/coops have been selling lunchmeat ham for years. Patchwork comes immediately to mind in addition to the farmer’s market pork regulars.
Dangit, this past week’s chill left the strawberry crop little ripening time. And it’s raining yet again. Mother Nature…makes for an interesting partner.
The markets still seem alittle sparse, though I did get some broccoli rabe….limited availability. Asparagus is plentiful and apparently goat meat, which is interesting to see from several farmers that normally did not carry any meats.
By Julie on May 25, 2008