Buy Local Challenge

It's still early, but I thought I would make you aware of Maryland's Buy Local Challenge, which asks you to eat something from a local farm every day July 18-26. You have plenty of time to start salivating over what you are going to eat.

There are certificates that people can sign too. It would be cool to have people sign up at the farmer's market and then maybe give people a little something for the signup. I don't know. I am going to think about it with the marketing committee and see what we can come up with.

The West Frederick Farmer's Market has 64 fans on facebook. I am pretty excited since it's only been up a couple of days. We asked people what they liked best about the farmer's market and here are the three answers we got so far:

1. fruit that tastes like candy and a pastry for breakfast.
2. lemonade and cheddar chive scones!!
3. The colors of all of the fruits and veggies mid summer. Also the incredible taste difference, the experience of shopping outside and chatting with the fabulous farmers that grow the food we put into our bodies! I love it when they give me a recipe suggestion.

Fruit that tastes like candy!

I recorded a PSA (Public Service Announcement) with Dan Stevens from Key 103. He is a very funny person. So am I. We cracked a lot of jokes. Meanwhile I learned that the script I had written was a tongue twister and virtually impossible for me to say. Luckily he had equipment that would delete out all of my bad takes. "Visit Frederick Farm Fresh dot com." Rubber baby buggy bumpers. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? It was a feast of consonants. Anyway, the PSA promotes the website which in turn promotes all of the farmer's markets. It was started by the West Frederick Farmer's Market with the idea that a rising tide floats all boats. Though the West Frederick market is the biggest, the other ones have their advantages. They are in eleven locations in Frederick County, on lots of different days and times, and generally don't have lines.

On the PSA, I also mentioned that you can vote for your favorite farmer's market. I checked and there are six votes so far. I casually mentioned to the marketing committee that there are more people on the committee than that. There's a link on the top right of this page if you would like to vote and tell them why you like the market. No pressure. Well maybe a little. Friendly encouragement. Smart Markets at George Mason University has 59 votes already because college students will do anything. I feel compelled to out-vote them.

I harvested some peas, beets and carrots from my garden last night. They are looking beautiful!

Shannon