Mount Joy Farmers Market - 3 more weeks

There aren't many weeks left for this season, but each week the bounty surprises me. Each week there is something new and exciting. This week J&J Growers brought in chestnuts from his own trees! They were a huge bargain, at only $3/quart. Grocery stores charge by the pound - usually something like 4 or 5 bucks, and a quart was way over a pound. They'll be roasting soon. You may notice in the picture below, a lone sweet potato off in the corner. There were two. I ate one for dinner. In fact, I took this picture while it was cooking. Figured it was best to hurry before everything disappeared.
Sam Nolt had this gorgeous green pumpkin (gourd?). On my screen the color comes through true. It looks like a cross between sage and jade green. I rarely want stuff to sit around and look pretty, but this color was just too incredible to pass up. Here's hoping that the seeds will grow next year. Sam always has nice stuff. Today I noticed he had peaches and concord grapes along with corn, tomatoes, beans, and other late summer crops.

My sister's jewelry is always a temptation to shoppers, and really... is it any wonder? Look at those beads! She does fairly well at market with her jewelry. It is a bit of a shame that market doesn't run closer to the holidays, because I think she'd clean up. Just to clarify, she creates each of the beads herself, using a torch and glass rods. They are then fired in a kiln (there are proper terms for these things, but just between us, we'll use the layman's terms, OK?). After she makes the main beads, she matches them up with findings and small finishing beads to create finished pieces of jewelry. Her latest "thing" is glass teapots that are about 1" in diameter, and they are pendants. Funky!
Our new neighbors at the market this year are Steve and Mary Prescott from Prescott's Patch. They are farming organically without the certification. To me, knowing the farmer and seeing how they feel about their produce is more important than the certification. Last week Mary told me this was Steve's mission in life - to grow these heirloom fruits and vegetables, and to do it in a sustainable way. Sometimes you can just tell about people, ya know? They have an easy way about them, and the customers just love them. Ask them about a variety, and chances are they can tell you how to cook it, what it goes well with, and maybe even a favorite recipe.

Their display is colorful and inviting, and every week I wind up trying something. Last year Kharren did that with her incredible variety of veggies, and I miss her. It's good to have someone here challenging my taste buds again. See those variegated eggplants? They actually taste a little creamier than the all-purple ones. Really! Every time a customer takes a bunch of basil, my sister and I sigh as the aroma reaches our booth, and the red raspberries seem to be every one's favorite. In case you read this, Mary, go ahead and try that new variety of sweet potato! It isn't too sweet. You might like it.
Then we have Bill and Lil from Grandma's Goodies. Most mornings we have to start off with a Rice Krispie Treat, and lately she's been bringing coffee. Those pumpkin whoopie pies are KILLER! Not too sweet, perfectly spiced (yes as a matter of fact, I AM a pumpkin bread aficionado)... oh, they're good all right. They make some mean pies (I'm partial to Shoo-fly), and today I brought home a carrot cake for the girls to eat when they get home from working at the renaissance faire tonight.
Of course we always have plenty of soap. We've got scrubs, salt bars, sniffing jars, lotion bars, lavender wands, books, magazines and all kinds of herbie stuff. But here's the soap.

All of this is works smoothly under the direction of Stacy Rutherford from Main Street Mount Joy. She makes it work. Everyone has a good time and comes out ahead. It can't be easy. I know that personally, at 7:15 in the morning, having had scarcely half of my minimum daily requirement of java, I have been a pain in the behind on more than one day. I know. Hard to believe - lol.

Anyway, be sure to stop down in the the next few weeks. October 11 is our last day, and after that it's internet or Frog Hollow Tree Farm for your Christmas Tree.