T’is the season of Salsa, Sauce and Pesto!

RJ Farms peppers.

This second week of September sees the bulk of the locally-grown produce at the Market. The veggies and herbs we associate with late summer, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, basil, onions…all in now. Want to make pasta sauce, salsa? OSU Extension Master Food Preservers will be there to answer questions and have samples of their freshly-made salsa. Registration forms for upcoming Food Preservation classes will be available at their booth.

This week get tips, ideas,recipes and class lists from Extension Master Food Preservers..

And Basil is ON!  Time to mix basil with olive oil, Parmesan (an aged granular cow’s milk cheese) or Pecorino (a hard sheep’s milk cheese), hazelnuts or pine nuts or walnuts,  garlic, salt and pepper and blend into fabulous PESTO!  You can also grate lemon zest and add juice for a lemon pesto. Pitkin-Winterrowd Farms will have large, whole Basil plants and local Garlic! Ask Farmer Tom how to make it….super-easy mixed up in a food processor (no cooking!) and just freeze in small jars or ice-cube trays. Use on pasta, stir into soups or use to marinate meat and veggies.

Birkeland Farm (Beavercreek) has all kinds of cuts of grass-fed beef again, if you want your beef raised on lush pasture (with all the added health benefits) then it’s time to get some!  Lynn has pastured-raised chickens too, whole to roast and in pieces, plus her wonderful chicken bone broth. Chef Amy in the Market Kitchen is using Birkeland’s ground beef to stuff peppers this week, make sure you stop by and get a taste! Campfire Farms has pastured-raised pork, bacon and sausages for the BBQ…. this coming week will be a warm one!

2 Towns Hard Cider this Saturday!

2 Towns Cider and The Rusted Nail is back Saturday, as is Haute candles, with delicious Fall fragrances. Gone is Pam’s Pickles (back next week) and it’s the end of the season for Pappardelles Pasta…… so stock up!

Chef Amy’s back in the Market Kitchen.

Calling all SNAP shoppers.  The SNAP-To-It! Program returns to the OCFM again this Saturday, September 10th, starting at 9:15 SHARP.  This is the program where SNAP Card shoppers participate in a Farmers’ Market Tour and watch a food demonstration, in exchange for an additional $5 dollars in market tokens and other useful incentive items.  Featured recipe this week will be Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef & Vegetables, prepared by Chef Amy,  using a variety of fresh vegetables available at the market. Leave with ideas to purchase fresh fruits and vegetable at the best prices, and how to prepare them in simple, flavorful ways.  Sign-up at the Information Booth by 9.15am.

Will Art (RJ Farms) win the POP Club kid’s Fave Farmer Contest AGAIN!!?

POP Club Kids….it’s Favorite Farmer Day! Kids (5yrs-12yrs) make 2 buttons, keep one and give one to their fave farmer. We’ll see who wins at the end of the day. POP Club kids get $2 EVERY time they come to market to buy fresh produce and food plants. This club introduces them to the seasonality of local foods and get’s them eating more veggies when they make their own choices.

Maggy’s Farm has Fall veggies, herbs and grape plants this week.

The Willamette Falls CERT team will be at the Market this Saturday. Find out how you can best prepare for all kinds of emergencies. Learn how you can get involved for your immediate community. http://wfcert.org/

Support these local farmers, growers and foragers when you shop the Market!

Everyone’s favorite local band Big Yellow Taxi will be entertaining us in the Music Tent, 10am-1.30pm! Put the Farmers Market on your  Saturday list this week….support the local farmers and vendors AND eat ‘fresh and healthy’. Want to shop year-round at the Market? Pick up a Winter Market schedule bookmark at the Info Booth!