Farmers’ Market Musings -Autumn FYI

Are you feeling a little dizzy with the recent deluge of information? Are you up to your ears with mailers, and debates, and opinions, and editorials? Are you nearly facing analysis paralysis? Well so am I. And so, in an effort to simplify things just a little, let me reduce some essential information to bullet points.
Food Miles
• A famous Land Institute of Kansas study found our food travels an average of  1,500 miles from field to plate.
• It takes oil to ship garlic from China, table grapes from Chile, lettuce from my     hometown of Brawley.
• When we chose to purchase food grown locally and within the seasons, we     can reduce our food miles and our carbon footprints.
In Season Now
• Until the first frost hits:
summer squashes, peppers, tomatoes, basil, eggplant, tomatillos, lima beans and many other beans
• Winter squashes, potatoes, chard, kale, tat soi, lettuce, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beets, nettles, collards
• Apples, pears, quince, figs, strawberries, table grapes, kiwi (November), pomegranates
• Mushrooms, lamb, beef, poultry, pork, sausage, wild fish, smoked salmon, honey, eggs, cheese, olive oil, chestnuts, bread
• Cut flowers, ready made food, expanding crafts in preparation for the holidays, pumpkins for carving
Pumpkin Festival-October 27
• Bring your ready-made racecar to the registration table between 8:30 and 9:30. The races begin at 10:00
• The axels must go entirely through the squash.
• The wheels can be made of rubber, vegetables, wood, or any other material
• The wheels must fit within an 11 inch wide track
• Prizes come from Campo Fina, Pizzando, Toy B’Ville, the Jimtown Store, Levine and Company Booksellers, and many more local businesses.
• Select a pumpkin for carving from among our locally grown and donated pumpkins, between 8:30 and 10:30. Judging ends at 10:30 and winners will be announced at 11:00.
Full Harvest Moon/Hunters’ Moon-October 30
Sunday, November 4, 2 a.m.
Fall Back – return to Standard Time
Wednesday Market
Final Market will be October 31, on the Plaza, where so many people will show up in Halloween Costume.
Arts and Crafts Fair at the Farmers’ Market
Every Saturday in November … the 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th
Thanksgiving Day-November 22
Final Saturday Market of 2012- Saturday, November 24
Be well…and as the seasons change, protect your lungs by eating pears, baked with honey drizzled on top. Cut the pears in half and notice…they look like the lungs of our human bodies!
Mary Kelley is the manager of the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market. The Saturday morning market runs through November. The Wednesday afternoon market runs through October.