Dawn Troutner

Market Report for May 8, 2015

What a beautiful night for the second Toledo Farmers Market. Thirteen vendors had their tables full when the whistle blew on this Friday night.

Kristi had breads, cookies, coffee cakes pies, rhubarb crisp, cinnamon rolls, caramel pecan rolls, kolaches, twisty, rolicky and asparagus. Darold had rhubarb, eggs, lettuce, spinach, radishes, asparagus, and coleus plants. Shirley, Michael, and Freddie had noodles, kolaches, rohlicky and buchty.

Chuck and Ginger had pies, cookies, kolaches, popcorn, spinach, radishes, asparagus, rhubarb, onions, eggs, dried peppers, and pepper powder. Dawn had radishes, asparagus, rhubarb, green onions, jams, and fresh catnip. Sheryl had ceramics, melting pots, towel sets, kitchen scrubbies, soap dresses, dishcloths, microwave holders, tub buddies, oven mitts, insulated cup holders, and handkerchief dolls.

Vernon and Wilma had eggs. Jim had leather goods he makes, such as wallets, belts, coin purses. Joe and Barb had breads, granola, dried peppers, cookies, cinnamon rolls, asparagus, radishes, onions, bok choy, spinach, and more spinach. Pam had home made cat toys, potholders, cake testers, and hair ties. Karen had her soy candles and soy candle products along with asparagus. Tassy and Jason had turnovers, party mix, breads, pecan rolls, date bars, brownies, and sprinkle bars. Thea and Will had their aromathea soaps, beautiful pillar candles, soy scentables along with hair ties, and chap stick.

Each week there will be more and more fresh produce and bakery items. Be sure to mark Friday nights off on your calendar from 5-7 pm for the Toledo Farmers Market.

This past Sunday was Mother’s Day. I hope all mothers were able to relax and enjoy their day. Each Friday before Mother’s Day I plant flowers with the kids that come to market for their mom’s for Mother’s Day. Each year I wonder if I will have enough flowers. This year there was an excellent number of kids that came to market and planted flowers. I helped the kid’s plant 36 flowers. I enjoy watching and helping those kids plant a flower. Some of them want to dig right into the dirt and have fun and some are shy. Either way it’s lots of fun. Thanks kids for coming out and planting those flowers.

There has been lots of asparagus at market. I am sure in the next couple of weeks there will be more. The fleshy green spears of asparagus are succulent and tender. This highly prized vegetable arrives with the coming of spring. When its shoots break through the soil you know it is spring time. Some have the asparagus in their home gardens. Some have their favorite roadditches patches.

If that is the case it is a big secret, just like mushroom hunting. Ask any asparagus hunter where their favorite spot is and I am sure you will hear: “Do you think I will tell you?” I just love this time of year and the secrets that foraging brings.

It is a fact that researchers know asparagus belongs among the list of foods that contain inulin. nulin is a unique type of carbohydrate called a polyfructan. Unlike most other carbs, inulin doesn’t get broken down in the first segments of our digestive tract. It passes undigested all the way to our large intestine. Once there it becomes an ideal food source of certain types of bacteria. Asparagus is a food that contains a valuable amount of unique carb and may provide our digestive tract with some equally unique health benefits. Come on out to the Toledo Farmers market and purchase your health benefits.

See you at market.