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Fourth of July weekend markets go off with a blast
Growth Spurts
By Jim Jacenich
Local gardens are turning from furrowed brown earth to speckled green vegetation as vegetables reach for the summer sun. Occasional rain showers bring much needed water on these balmy July days.
Our Bath and Highland farmers' markets were open over the holiday weekend. A benefit of local markets is the opportunity people have to get to know one another. Buying locally produced food is about building a community from the ground up, literally.
"The attendance was absolutely phenomenal!" said Harmony Leonard of Saturday's Bath farmers' market. "People were everywhere. They were talking, laughing, and sitting at picnic tables enjoying their purchases. It was the day that our vision came to life … Our (Leonard and Donna Campagna) vision from the beginning has been to bring joy to others. We might be overly idealistic, altruistic or just plain nuts in the eyes of many but we don't really care. What we do care about is doing good for others and our community."
Bath Farmers' Market
Leonard, an organizer of the Bath market, reports that Lorraine Thompson sold 18 dozen eggs in 45 minutes last Saturday. "Darlene Hoy sold out nearly everything she had baked," Leonard said. "Donna (Campagna) and I sold all the culinary herbs we had harvested. Sylvia Yoder had the highest sales yet. Tara Miller was equally delighted with her sales."
 | | (l-r) Tom Hoover of Millboro and Steve Parent of Lexington add musical entertainment to the market atmosphere. (Photo courtesy Donna Campagna) |
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Steve and Jo Parent of Lexington brought produce to sell at the market, and joined Tom Hoover in entertaining the crowd. "The two of them (Steve and Tom) played like they had played together before, filling the air with old tunes and bluegrass music," said Leonard.
Leonard and Campagna are planning a special event for Aug. 9 to coincide with National Farmers Market Week. "We are looking for exceptional artists and craftspeople creating high quality products who would like to participate," Leonard says. "Our vision in this case is to present the best our area has to offer. We also need volunteers to help organize and help the day of the market."
 | | Sylvia Yoder of The Buckhorn Inn selling baked goods and her garden vegetables. (Photo courtesy Donna Campagna) |
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The market is also looking for more local produce. Supply needs to meet demand. If local producers are concerned about the time commitment of spending Saturdays at the market, Leonard has a proposal. "We'll sell for them if they will get the produce to us," she says.
Campagna and Leonard went blueberry picking at White Oak Farm in Renick, W.Va. last week (For more information on the farm, call (304) 497-3577 or visit www.whiteoakfarm@ wv-cis.net.)
What can you do with blueberries besides eat them right off the berry bush? Well, you could bake something with them. The following recipe comes from Campagna who says, "Blueberries protect against the free radical aging process, prevent urinary tract infections, and are a rich source of lycopene which lowers the rates of prostate cancer and heart disease." The recipe below sounds better. Read on.
Blueberry Crisp
4 Cups blueberries
1/2 C sugar (optional) "I find that the berries are so sweet  | | James McGiffen of Richmond (left) was the winner of the door prize at the July Fourth Celebrate America Farmers' Market, held at The Highland Center Pavilion. He was presented with a jar of honey from Nicole Balenger of Thorny Bottom Bees. (Photo courtesy The Highland Center) |
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that you really don't need this 1/2 cup," says Campagna.
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 C rolled oats
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp chopped toasted walnuts
6 Tbsp light margarine or butter
1. Preheat over to 375. Coat a 1 qt. casserole with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Spoon into casserole.
3. In the same bowl, mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, and walnuts, with a fork or pastry blender, cut in the margarine or butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Sprinkle over the berry mixture.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbling.
"It's good served with vanilla ice cream!," she adds.
The Bath farmers' market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon until Oct. 11. It is under the porch at the Lickety Splits restaurant near the intersection of Routes 39 and 42. Call (540) 997-0239 for more information.
Highland Farmers' Market
Highland farmers' market coordinator Scott Smith reports that Lee Mitchell may have new potatoes, sugar peas, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and eggs. Melissa Moyers is planning on bringing breads, pies, cinnamon rolls, and "possibly" cheesecakes. John and Darlene Hoy of DJ's Whiteway between Monterey and Staunton will have a large assortment of homemade breads, cakes, pies, cookies and snacks.
The peak of summer growing is coming soon, and that means there will be more fresh produce available than there are local mouths to eat it. Think about canning. Virginia Tech Extension offices have great information on canning, if you're not an old hand at it already. Some garden items freeze well, others can be dried, and still others can be canned. For more information from the extension, visit www.ext.vt.edu. Click on health, nutrition and foods, and then click on canning and preserving. Or call our local extension offices at (540) 839-7261 (Bath) or (540) 468-2225 (Highland).
Smith is thinking ahead, too, and says he will have a vendor with canning jars for sale, if not this week the next.
The Highland market is at The Highland Center pavilion on Spruce Street, Monterey and is open from 3:30-6 p.m. every Friday this summer. For more information on the Highland Farmers' Market email farmersmarket@htcnet. org or call (540) 468-1922.
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