Valpo Farmer's Market

I don't remember who wanted to know how it was. I went today around 11 a.m. There were 9 booths, and more setting up. Lots of veggies, a couple community spirited booth, and a couple plant spots. I thought it was a better selection than in the past. I got 3 onions and 2 peppers for less than $3. I was looking for mint leaves (hubby fell in love with Mohitos on the cruise). No mint leaves, but one booth had a spearmint plant. We'll see how green my thumb is! There are alos a few pianos setting around downtown Valpo with signs that say, "Play me!"

Artie wanted to know...thankfully my parents live in Michigan and we get fresh vegs and fruits all season long...free or for very little.

They get it free on merit...I shop the crop fields with the Mexican's. They let me help myself...one time I had so many pickles the back of my van, it was weighed down...and I had to climb it thru mud and a big hill!

Greatest pickle recipe is in a gallon glass jug. 1/4 filled with real chopped garlic and home-grown dill, the rest of the recipe I don't remember. I just get the pickles and my dad's friend makes those and homemade wine... tomatos, the farmer usually let them go after a peak, and let you get the rest. I wish I could give you directions, but I still get lost up there, cuz they rotate crops.

Sounds like you paid to much, Karen! I got ten green peppers for a buck at one of the stores before the 4th out in Joliet.

If you really want bargains on fruit...blueberries, peaches, whatever, even asparagus, string beans....it's worth a trip to Michigan for everything while they are in season. Heck, some of the farmers just tell my dad to pick up what's left, like when the cherrie season was in...it would cost to much to pick, so my dad went and got them. I know bargains!!!!!

The border isn't that far from Chesterton/Valpaiso....it would be worth it to just go to the roadside stands...and the advertised places to "U-Pick". Red Arrow highway has a lot of stands...just talk them down...tell them the guy down the highway is selling them for half...and you get your deals.

My dad taught me the "honor system". Don't blame me.

Heaven forbid if they had pianos there.....I'd get noticed.

Since I don't freeze or can so much, it wouldn't pay me to go to MI. There used to be a small tent on Calumet by Fairgrounds Park - I'll check the prices there. Mom and Dad had a recipe for bread and butter pickles. Don't like them - sure I still have the recipe somewhere - I have both their recipe boxes.

My mom cans certain things, keep them in the crawl space. But I always thought they did tooooo much between canning and freezing.

With five couples in the family. and the grandkids, ..the homemade stuff goes home with us. I always wondered why it was so necessary to can and own three freezers. Now I know: the kids steal the goodies (i.e., frozen homemade cookies, strawberries, blackberries, etc.,) on their way out the garage to go home.

In their case, they laugh. My mom hasn't had much time to can this year with my dad under the weather, but a lot of the farmer's stopped by and dropped off stuff, "So Jeanie doesn't have to scur the fields".

Bread and butter pickles is what we were raised on. I moved onto POLISH DILL pickles, then I am now in love of gallons of garlic-dilled pickles. I mentioned the guy who made them years ago before getting married, I'd always find one with a fly entrapped. He's cleaned up his pickle-making parties since then.

He now produces the pickles without flies, but demands the jars back! My mom tries and duplicates the recipe, but there is no comparison, cuz she doesn't believe in filling 1/4 of a gallon of pickles with fresh, ripe garlic.

Freeze, freeze, freeze! I cut up green peppers, onions, mushrooms, squash tomatos. I freeze everything, and I don't need more than my usual ice-box freezer. It's nice to pull out when you need when you want a Denver omelette.

My dad gets 50 lb bags of Vandalia onions for $10.00 and then tries to hoard them off to us...fine, but I think they are getting me obsessed now.

I just freeze everything in small amounts to use for whatever I want in the winter.

I think my hang-up is, coming from a family of farmers, and having a hang-up about being without fresh vegs frozen for the winter. I love to have on hand whatever I need for recipes. I even freeze cheese!

You should just buy and freeze. Blanching is not necessary anymore. Just wash like celery, asparagus, peppers, etc., put them in baggies after draining, and freeze.

With two people in the house, you won't have to pay big prices in the winter.
P.S. The Mexicans more or less escaped Michigan, but I still have my connections. LOL

I have done that since I got married. I have chopped Vidalia onions, celery, and carrots in the freezer. When my parents died, they had probably 3 or more big bags of peppers frozen - just don't use that many. Mom used to freeze tomatoes.

KarenT wrote:

I don't remember who wanted to know how it was. I went today around 11 a.m. There were 9 booths, and more setting up. Lots of veggies, a couple community spirited booth, and a couple plant spots. I thought it was a better selection than in the past. I got 3 onions and 2 peppers for less than $3. I was looking for mint leaves (hubby fell in love with Mohitos on the cruise). No mint leaves, but one booth had a spearmint plant. We'll see how green my thumb is! There are alos a few pianos setting around downtown Valpo with signs that say, "Play me!"

Thanks for the report,Karen. I went early several weeks ago during strawberry season. There was only 1 vendor around 8AM. I'll have to go back later in the day.

I forgot to mention that a few weeks ago I went to the Hobart market on Thursdays. Nice market with a lot of vendors.

Quote :

2nd Annual Summer Market on the Lake

Held in our historic downtown on the comer of 3rd St. & Main St every Thursday, rain or shine from 2-7 p.m.. Numerous vendors will be selling baked goods, breads and pastries, cheeses, jams & jellies, vegetables & fruits, select meats, herbs & spices, coffees, candies & nuts, plants and flowers, crafts & gifts, garden items, personal care products, art & jewelry as well as other miscellaneous items.

http://www.city.hobart.in.us/1611101129175920700/icalsw/eventDetail.asp?DID=16799