Mmmm...Farmer's Markets


***Pointless Ramble Warning***


This fall at USC they've been having a monthly Farmer's
Market. It's part of an effort by the state ag folks to get
people more into buying local produce and products, and part
of a "Healthy Carolina" effort by the university. And oh how
I love these local Farmer's Markets!

The best is still the one in my hometown of Camden, but high
gas prices stopped me from going there weekly. I've been
somewhat disappointed by some of the ones around Columbia,
though. They have some rules that I don't think are really
fair to all the venders. For example, one of the markets
that is near me doesn't allow anyone but one vender to sell
pork products. His products are good, he raises heirloom
varieties of hogs in fields instead of hog barns; and it
seems to me his stuff would sell on its own merits. I don't
know why he feels the need to prevent competition.

And they don't allow networked farms to sell products that
aren't their own. From what I gather, a lot of the small
farmers have a co-op of sorts, where the dairy in the
upstate sends cheese down to the free range chicken farmer
to sell at the markets he attends, and they sell his eggs
and chicken at the markets they attend. It's a real boon to
the farmers to do that, but some ***-clenched, punctilious.
pettifogger decided "local" means "may only be sold by
producer" and that the netwroked farms produce is actually
"resale" .

So, anyway, I am delighted that the market here at USC isn't
doing anything like that. The sheep and goat lady from
Camden sells rice and dried beans from the rice plantation
in Darlington right along side her yarn* and blankets. One
of the local fresh vegetable venders had preserves from
another farm. And one of the bread folks had apples from the
upstate.

*She is absolutely delighted by the number of students who
knit. They clean her out yarn every time she comes to the
USC Farmer's market.

I was other there this morning, and oh, it was wonderful. I
could have lunched on the samples. Everything tastes so
good.The wife of the college president had someone giving
out free Gala apples to everyone. She was next to the couple
who had smoked cheeses and who made the best pimento cheese
I've ever had. I'm not crazy about pimento cheese, but I
bought some of this.

Next booth over was an older Italian gentleman who quickly
handed you a sample of anything you looked at for more than
a few seconds. He was especially proud of his grapes, and
delightedly pontificated about the growing of grapes here in
South Carolina when I asked. I was buying some lettuce,
cilantro, onions, and yes, some grapes; and he stopped me by
pointing at the tomatoes. "You'll need a tomato, " he said,
"so you can make a salad for lunch today." Couldn't argue
with that.

Next on my list was Marathon bread. Yum! I bought a loaf to
try last month, and I only made it home with a couple of
slices! I made the mistake of opening it up in the break
room and letting everyone try a little bit. I figured I'd
run back over and get myself another loaf, but they were out
by the time I got back over there! This time I bought 3
loaves for me and a cream cheese twist to throw the ravening
hoards of technicians off my trail. Here's their web site:

http://www.rococogermanbakery.com/index.php

The squash lady didn't have any samples out, but she was
explaining how to cook winter squash to a mob of students as
I walked up. I'm trying to learn to use winter squash more,
so I listened in for a bit. I got a Hubbard , a Delecta, and
a couple of Sweet Dumpling squashes.

The organic farmers from Sumter were there, but I was
disappointed they didn't have any purple hulled peas this
time around. I know, I know, it's November; but dang those
things were tasty, and they sold them in small enough
batches that I didn't have to freeze any. They did have
collards and turnips, and sweet potatoes, and some mixed
greens that I really like. There was a pecan vender too; but
for the first time ever, I got some pecans off the tree in
my yard this fall. I didn't get any meat this time, either,
because my freezer is kind of full. I do want to get some
lamb and goat at the December market, though, so I'll have
some for shish kabobs at Christmas.

So, I got back over here and showed off my purchases, and
then I had to go back and take the technicians to show them
who had what. Which was perfectly ok with me.



Penelope

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