Archive for August, 2009
275 SHOPPED FOR AMAZING STUFF
Our third market was a success for us. If you were the Columbia City market or the University District market you would have thought we had the worse day in history. But still, South Park is not Columbia City, or the U District. We are not even West Seattle. What we are is a tiny neighborhood sandwiched in between industry and a river. We are a misunderstood neighborhood. South Park has a lot of heart. The neighbors know each other and pull together to make things happen. We are political, hard working and diverse.
Our market will show you that as well. Our market reaches the community and our diversity and embraces it. Cultural barriers being broken down and coming together to give the community something to be proud of. Our market is a grassroots group struggling to make it in a time when everyone is feeling the affects of a tight economic downturn. People are coming together to bring food to a community that lacks it.
We missed the ice cream yesterday because the ice cream bike never showed. But we did give away lots of free reusable shopping bags from the city as well as twist green light bulbs. No one walked away empty handed. The flowers were amazing and beautiful. The art is fun and sometimes whimsical. The produce some of the freshest you’d find at any market. And the vendors are the warmest and most genuine. No one has been hired to come sell a product for someone else. These folks have come up with their own idea of what to sell and are selling it direct.
So on August 15th, I had some delicious corn in a cup with mayo, parm cheese and chili sauce. I also bought raw corn to take home and cook. I bought a handmade card for a friend of mine who just had a baby, some apricots, cilantro, beans and tomatillos. I don’t make a lot of money so it’s hard for me to spend much, but when I come to this market, I always wish I had more to spend because there is so much wonderful things and people to buy from.
Our next and final market for the 2009 season will be on Saturday, September 19th. This is your last chance to show this group of folks that you support what they are trying to do. South Park will be the place to be. Come to the Market on Wheels and then stay and enjoy the parade and festivites of Fiestas Patrias as well.
WHAT VEGGIES WILL YOU FIND THIS SATURDAY
Remember Jose, and his local veggie garden at Marra Farm?
When I asked him what he should have available this Saturday at the
Market on Wheels to buy he said,”I should have some green tomatillos this weekend”.
Also he thinks he’ll be picking and selling:
- zucchini / calabacín
- cucumbers / pepinos
- kale / col rizada
- chard / cardo
- and even kelieta (see below)
(now mind you the reception on the phone was bad and I do not speak a lick of Spanish, and I can’t even figure out how to find it in google). He knew I was struggling on this one so he told me you steam it and it’s good. So I’m up for checking out a new veggie.
SIDE NOTE: This just in. Thank you to Nancy Swigger for sharing her knowledge with me to pass along. “It is spelled quelites and it is like a mild spinach and does grow wild, but you have to cook it longer than spinach and it is far more nutritious. Super with beans.”
In addition to Jose, you’ll find Dao Lee Garden’s selling Asian herbs, veggies and flowers.
Bill & Honey will be selling organic and non-organic produce at their stand.
And Betty Jean might have some things from her pesticide-free home garden.
Last time I bought some organic catnip for my 3 fur balls.
And what could you make with tomatillos? You could try making homemade Salsa Verde or check out this recipe for a Spicy Chicken and Tomatillo Soup
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Soup/SpicyChickenTomatilloSoup.htm
So rain or shine, I hope to see you this Saturday at the 3rd South Park Market on Wheels. Located in the Napoli’s parking lot on the corner of 14th & Cloverdale. Market officially opens at 10 am and closes at 3pm.
AFTER THOUGHT: Here’s a link about the great wild spinach veggie (quelites) I mentioned above. One of the reasons I am having so much fun volunteering for this market is that I am learning a lot.
FREE REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS
The City of Seattle is giving our market 492 free shopping bags to hand out to customers at the market this Saturday, August 15th. They are nice sized and perfect for groceries.
Stop by, get your free grocery bag and then wander around and fill it with Market goodies. Good while supplies last.
GREAT MUSIC ON AUGUST 15TH
Join us at the market this month, August 15th from 10 am to 3 pm. We’ll have good food, good art, cool other stuff, amazing vendors who are your neighbors, the freshes veggies, you, ice cream and a fun band called “Trio Lucero del Norte“.
The trio performs roots music, regional Mexican/folk music. They will be performing from 11am to 1pm. So make sure you stop by, buy some amazing veggies, eat your lunch and enjoy some music. Not to mention enjoying your neighbors in a great way.
Make it a day.
VENDORS GET FIRED UP TO SELL EVEN MORE
Tonight our vendors all gathered at a meeting in South Park to talk about what is working at the market and what still needs some work. We planned a big push in advertising and getting the word out. We talked about making the market open longer hours next year and more often.
We talked about healthy foods being added to the prepared booths. About adding some vegetarian options. We talked about more produce and our produce vendors not overlapping items. We talked about trying to get refrigeration and having someone selling cheese and milk. Eggs, well, those are hard to do with health codes, sorry.
Great ideas emerged and what you will see this next market is a jazzed group of vendors wanting to make the market your place to shop. Instead of giving coupons, we talked about just making sure we give a quality product at a quality price.
You will also see signs stating the products and their costs. And more of those great ads we’ve been sending out. Really this learning curve for the market has been a great success for us all. We truly are working out the bugs to be one of the greatest markets in Seattle. We may be small, but we are different and we have some great stuff to offer.
So join us on the third Saturday of August, that’s August 15th from 10am to 3 pm for the next Market on Wheels. We are located on the corner of 14th & Cloverdale in South Park in the Napoli’s Pizza parking lot. And then come back on September 19th for more.
