Dawn Troutner

This market night at the Toledo Farmers Market is always slow. Most of the county is up in Gladbrook supporting the Corn Carnival. But that didn’t stop 10 vendors from setting up their tables. Kristi’s table had cookies, bars, pies, rolicky, rolls, kolaches, twisty and red raspberries. Darold had cabbage, turnips, onions, and red and white potatoes. Chuck and Ginger had cookies, pies, breads, eggs, popcorn, green onions, summer squash, zucchini, peas, beets, and potatoes on their tables. Dawn had fresh herbs, catnip, jams, popcorn, rosettes, brownies, mulberries, turnips, green onions, potatoes, houseplants, peas, broccoli, green onions, beets, lettuce, kohlrabi, and black raspberries. Cheryl’s tables were full of ceramics, wine totes, bottle lights, tiki torches, scrubbies, hand made towel sets, including some pretty cool patriotic ones. Joe and Barb came to market with rolls, breads, granola, kale, broccoli, onions, cabbage, potatoes, jams, and pen sets. Karen had a table full of soy candles. It’s always fun to look at the different scents in the pod melts. Nina had rolls, breads, and pies. Kathy had a very full table of cookies, bars, salted nut rolls, kolaches, nut coils, rolls, and snack mixes. Kris at Red Earth Gardens had transplants, mustard greens, salad mix, head lettuce, kohlrabi, bulk carrots, and cute little cucumbers that were delicious. So that was the line up for the Toledo Farmers Market on this Friday night. Be sure to come out and see for yourself what all the vendors have on their tables. I am sure I miss something.

Red and black raspberries have made it to market. With all the rain we have been having it is hard to keep up with the berry patch. There are several species of raspberries, however the most popular is the red raspberry. Raspberries are low in calories and fats and rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants. Fresh raspberries are excellent sources of vitamin C, which is also a powerful natural antioxidant. They also contain a good amount of minerals. Raspberries perish early; they should only be kept a few days. Before you store them in the refrigerator, sort out any damaged or bruised berries. They will keep fresh in the refrigerator for one or two days. When you wash raspberries, dip them in cold water and swish them gently a few times. Gently pat them dry using a paper towel. This method will help bring them back to normal room temperature. And will also increase their flavor.

Do you know the difference between a raspberry and blackberry? Raspberries are picked with the stem of the plant remaining on the plant. Blackberries come away from the plant with the core still intact in the center of the berry. Raspberries have been crossed with other berries to form new species. The loganberry is a cross between a raspberry and blackberry. The boysenberry is a cross between a red raspberry, blackberries, and loganberries. Those are some interesting facts I did not know. Be sure to come on out the Toledo Farmers Market on Friday nights from 5-7 pm to purchase your raspberries.

Easy Raspberry Lemonade

Take one 12 ounce can frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate. Add 3 cups water, three fourths teaspoon lime juice. Stir in one 12 ounce bottle lemon lime flavored carbonated beverage. Add one cup crushed ice. Then garnish each glass with a fresh raspberry and a mint leaf. This will make eighteen four ounce servings. And I know exactly where you can get those fresh raspberries and mint leaves. See you at market.