Nearing the end of the season?

Yes, some of the Holt Farmers Market vendors are nearing the end of their market season BUT not all! This Saturday and the following week-end will be the end of the usual season. But this year, the HFM is having a winter market for the first time. To be held on the second Saturday of each month: December 14, 2013;  January 11, 2014; February 8, 2014; March 8, 2014; and April 12, 2014.

So what could a shopper expect in a winter market? A lot! Many of our creative, wonderful crafters will be there and are quite excited about this new venture. Many of the specialty food vendors will continue through the cold weather, and several produce vendors will be there. Not that they will be selling berries and tomatoes, but they will have squashes, potatoes, probably onions and apples and other fall veggies that they've harvested and stored to sell when needed. I will post the names of the vendors who have signed up for the winter market hopefully next week. I'm not sure I'll be blogging through the winter; I'll let you know once the decision is made. But I know for sure that I will be shopping there, happy to buy my root veggies from local farmers.

Speaking of which, last Saturday I got such delicious goodies, I'm salivating as I'm writing this! I bought Chocolate-Honey-Pumpkin Fudge from Lorrie of Willow Blossoms Farm. Totally wonderful! She adds the pumpkin, but you don't really taste it much. You will taste the chocolate and the honey. The pumpkin is added to make the fudge more robust, and to lower the guilt factor in eating it. She has plenty of samples, and you can't miss her stand, because it's all in yellow, and so is her t-shirt. I'm proud of myself that I haven't eaten it all up yet. BUT that could also be because I bought French pastries, and they are almost gone. I have to eat them before my husband does! And I had already bought him a doughnut from Nana's Sweet Treats! I also got Pecan Peanut Brittle, which is safe from my husband who doesn't like pecans; for me, they are to die for!

Yes, I did buy some nutritious items, too. Delicious hubbard squash from Rowe's Family Farm. I love all winter squash, but hubbard is the best tasting in my book. A hubbard is a big squash; one would probably do for a Thanksgiving dinner crowd.  Since hubby doesn't like squash, I cooked the hubbard, and froze what I can't eat. TIP:  Cook the hubbard squash whole, in the oven at 350, for half an hour. Then pull it out, cut in pieces, and return to oven to bake until done. Some say they're done when fork tender, but I like it really soft, so I probably cooked it, in pieces, for another hour or two.

I also bought a quantity of Jonathon apples from Gwen at  Rainbow's End Farm. Gwen is so cool; she always has something new and interesting for me (and all customers, of course) to sample and learn about. Last Saturday she had samples of chicory herbal tea. Yes, she had a thermos of tea to share. She's the one who had free chard leaves to give to anyone who would promise to cook them. This was weeks ago, of course. And of course I took a leaf home and sautéed it as Gwen recommended, and I liked it a lot! Before that experience, I thought I disliked chard!

My last guiltless purchase was from Rowe's Family Farm: I took their last pint of Brussels sprouts...another veggie I thought I didn't like. But fresh sprouts are nothing like the canned versions I'd had before. Now I'm a believer. Rowe's also had several fun varieties of squash, including Jumbo Pink Banana. Yes, a pink squash is unusual, but my French pastry baker raves about it being sweet and tasty, so I may buy one this Saturday.

The HFM is participating in the Holt Village Sampler on Friday, November 22 and Saturday 23, 2013.  Our crafters will have beautiful Christmas and winter items for you. Actually, I bought one last Sat: A beautiful, sparkling, ruffled scarf to brighten up my black winter coat. There also were gorgeous wreaths and candles. And the food vendors will be happy to see you as well. Christmas gift baskets filled with Michigan products...I could go on and on, but I won't. I'll leave it up to you to see for yourself!

REMEMBER IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN THE HOLT FARMERS MARKET!