Today’s lunch is ham or tuna salad sandwich, potato salad, spinach salad, cheesecake and drink for $6. I love Trish’s spinach salad. She fills all her salads with good things from the market. My co-manager Marilyn is a fan of the huge luncheon salad that Trish sells for $4. It’s been perfect for the hot weather this summer. Jack and Lee Ann Sours play traditional music today.
The biggest news today is that Hazel’s Bakery’s famous carrot cake is back. When Kay and Bill McLaughlin announced their retirement, Black Forest baker Bert Ott asked Kay for the recipe because so many customers were anticipating major carrot cake withdrawal. Kay brought Bert the recipe last Friday, so the cake makes its re-debut today at Black Forest Bakery.
The Urban Gardeners tell me they will have loads of Damson plums today. Don’t miss them, it’s a very short season. Our coffee bean roaster will be at the market today.
Tomorrow we celebrate our Market Roots. We’ll have a couple of tables loaded with produce labeled as to where it originated in the mists of time - peaches from China, watermelon from Africa, corn from Peru, squash from the US. All our vendors and volunteers will have signs indicating their own roots – where they were born and where their ancestors came from. In the case of our immigrant vendors, we’ll also have when and where they became US citizens. And not to leave you out, there will be a map for our customers to mark their ancestral roots.
Breakfast on Saturday benefits CROPwalk. It’s an annual walk that raises awareness about and funds to fight hunger. One-quarter of the money raised stays local to help our neighbors in need through Crosslines, Lafayette House and Salvation Army. The rest goes around the world to assist disaster refugees and those living in chronic poverty. Central United Methodist and Sacred Heart Catholic churches in Webb City are long-time walkers. In Joplin, United Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Baptists, Christians and Lutherans participate in CROPwalk, as well as students from two schools. There will be information on the walk at the breakfast. Individuals, churches, organizations, businesses and schools are welcome to walk in the CROPwalk on September 19th.The Anderson Brothers will play on Saturday.
As to September events, Arts in the Park will be Saturday, September 11. We’ve got a great line up of music and drama. We still have room for a couple of painters or sculptors. The event is sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of the Webb City Parks – and I am looking for a few more friends to staff the information and food tables. If you can help, call me at 483-8139 or stop by the market.
On Saturday, September 18th, the market will host its first Live Fit day. We hope to have lots of health-related booths providing information on active and healthy living, including healthy eating.
We’re looking forward to fall, as I expect everyone is after the grueling heat this summer. As expected we have a shortage of tomatoes right now. There are plenty of cherry and grape tomatoes, but it may be several weeks before we have a good supply of large tomatoes again.
In the meantime, we have loads of okra, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, peaches, peppers and other produce. The first of the fall lettuce is coming in. There’s still plenty to feast on, especially when you add the bakers and meat ranchers. So come enjoy the bounty!
