No Farmers Market Parking at VEAP on Saturday August 22nd

There will be no Farmers Market Parking available this Saturday at the VEAP parking lot off of 98th and James Ave. VEAP will be hosting their back to school drive and will need to keep the lot open for their patrons. Please use the parking lot on the West side of Civic Plaza or the lot at Public Works. Go to the parking map link to the left for more details.

The summer heat we needed has finally arrived, and tomatoes are now available. We are very excited to have heirloom tomatoes at the Market this year. If you are a tomato lover you are in for a treat. Be sure to read the article below to learn more about heirloom tomatoes and check out the recipe for a great way to savor all of the flavors these tomatoes have to offer.

Apples and pears have also arrived at the Market as well as those delicious apple cider donuts and a great variety of jams. More apples will be arriving on Aug. 29th.

Seldom Herd will be joining us at the market this week from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. If you are a fan of Bluegrass and acoustic music, you will enjoy the Seldom Herd. This group loves to play music, enjoys meeting people at their shows and jamming together. Their influences include a wide range of performers such as Flatt & Scrugg, John Hartford, Newgrass Revival, Bill Monroe, Doc Watson and Old Crow Medicine Show to name but a few.

On August 29 music will be provided by Gumption Trap who will be playing the Market from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Also on August 29, be sure to stop by and check out the Bloomington Art Center's Open House. There will be backstage theater tours, artist demos, creative writing exercises, theater improvisation games and exhibit tours, it's all free and it's happening from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Adults and youth are welcome. Sign up for a fall term class and get $5 off on registration fees! For a full schedule of events see www.bloomingtonartcenter.com

Meet the Vendor - Peter's Pumpkins and Carmen's Corn

I recently had the pleasure of going on a field trip to visit Peter's Pumpkins and Carmen's Corn. Located in Shakopee, Peter and his wife Carmen farm on about 30 acres of land. Peter has farming in his roots as his grandparents started bringing homegrown vegetables into Minneapolis by horse and wagon back in the 1920's. Peter has continued the tradition, only with a pickup truck instead of the horses! Not only do Peter and Carmen have outstanding corn they also grow an amazing assortment of heirloom vegetables.

Heirloom vegetables, especially tomatoes, have become very popular in the last few years. Heirloom tomatoes are bursting with flavor and come in many different colors from purple to yellow and even green stripes. The term heirloom refers to seeds that are pure or have not been changed with hybridization. Heirloom tomatoes are a bit more difficult to grow, bigger bushier plants take more space in the field and definitely need to be staked. Heirloom tomatoes are known for there taste not there looks! Heirloom tomatoes are somewhat curious looking, you won't find them in the grocery store as their delicate skin would not be able to take all of the handling. They are somewhat fragile but the flavor is worth all of the trouble! You will also find heirloom beets, cucumbers, melons and pumpkins.

Some of the challenges Peter and Carmen face are of course having enough rain for their crops. This year has been quite dry and they have had to depend on their irrigation. Another challenge is having enough hours in the day to get everything done. Peter works full time job in addition to his farming. The majority of Peter's crops are chemical free. Once they are ready to harvest, Peter will be bringing melons and many different varieties of squash and pumpkins to market. Peter and Carmen take great pride in the food they grow and really enjoy meeting people at the Farmers Market.

If you just can't wait to get your hands on more sweet corn and tomatoes during the week you will find Peter's Pumpkins at seven other markets around town in addition to a stand at their farm in Shakopee where you can purchase all of their produce as well as salsa and pickles. Visit their website www.peterspumpkins.com for directions and hours. You will find Peter's Pumpkins at the East end of the Market.

Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella

2 tomatoes sliced (Brandywine tomatoes have a great flavor)
Fresh Basil chopped and sprinkled over tomatoes
Fresh mozzarella
Balsamic Vinaigrette drizzled over tomatoes and mozzarella
Enjoy!

Another way to enjoy your heirloom tomatoes is with a tomato sandwich. Slice Great Harvest's Herb bread, top with your favorite mayo, sliced tomatoes and a dash of salt & pepper and indulge in all of the flavors of the season.

Bloomington Farmers Market Information:

Hours
Market hours are 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.; for safety and fairness there is NO shopping before 8 a.m. Also, for environmental health reasons, pets are not allowed in the Market.

Parking
Please note the map and designated parking areas. The East Lot of Civic Plaza where the Market is held is for Handicap Parking only. There is plenty of Free Parking on the West Side of Civic Plaza. There is also parking across the street at Public Works off of James Ave.

Volunteering
If you are interested in volunteering at the Farmers Market we could use your help! Please contact Jill Murphy 952.563.8889 or Keri Lahl at farmersmarket@ci.bloomington.mn.us for more information. We can also use your help spreading the word about the Bloomington Market. If you have a place to hang a sign about the Farmers Market (church, workplace, coffee shop, etc.) you can either print the poster yourself or pick up a copy at the City's information tent.

We are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Best regards,

Keri Lahl
Market Coordinator

In this issue

To learn more

No Farmers Market Parking at VEAP on Saturday August 22nd

Meet the Vendor - Peter's Pumpkins and Carmen's Corn

Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella

We are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!


	*Issue #7 - August 22, 2009*
In this issue No Farmers Market Parking at VEAP on Saturday Aug. 22nd Meet the Vendor - Peter's Pumpkins and Carmen's Corn Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella To learn more Archived Farmers Market newsletters E-Subscribe Vendor List Vendor Location Map Music Calendar Master Gardener Calendar Market Poster Parking Map	No Farmers Market Parking at VEAP on Saturday August 22nd There will be no Farmers Market Parking available this Saturday at the VEAP parking lot off of 98th and James Ave. VEAP will be hosting their back to school drive and will need to keep the lot open for their patrons. Please use the parking lot on the West side of Civic Plaza or the lot at Public Works. Go to the parking map link to the left for more details. The summer heat we needed has finally arrived, and tomatoes are now available. We are very excited to have heirloom tomatoes at the Market this year. If you are a tomato lover you are in for a treat. Be sure to read the article below to learn more about heirloom tomatoes and check out the recipe for a great way to savor all of the flavors these tomatoes have to offer. Apples and pears have also arrived at the Market as well as those delicious apple cider donuts and a great variety of jams. More apples will be arriving on Aug. 29th. Seldom Herd will be joining us at the market this week from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. If you are a fan of Bluegrass and acoustic music, you will enjoy the Seldom Herd. This group loves to play music, enjoys meeting people at their shows and jamming together. Their influences include a wide range of performers such as Flatt & Scrugg, John Hartford, Newgrass Revival, Bill Monroe, Doc Watson and Old Crow Medicine Show to name but a few. On August 29 music will be provided by Gumption Trap who will be playing the Market from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Also on August 29, be sure to stop by and check out the Bloomington Art Center's Open House. There will be backstage theater tours, artist demos, creative writing exercises, theater improvisation games and exhibit tours, it's all free and it's happening from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Adults and youth are welcome. Sign up for a fall term class and get $5 off on registration fees! For a full schedule of events see www.bloomingtonartcenter.com Meet the Vendor - Peter's Pumpkins and Carmen's Corn I recently had the pleasure of going on a field trip to visit Peter's Pumpkins and Carmen's Corn. Located in Shakopee, Peter and his wife Carmen farm on about 30 acres of land. Peter has farming in his roots as his grandparents started bringing homegrown vegetables into Minneapolis by horse and wagon back in the 1920's. Peter has continued the tradition, only with a pickup truck instead of the horses! Not only do Peter and Carmen have outstanding corn they also grow an amazing assortment of heirloom vegetables. Heirloom vegetables, especially tomatoes, have become very popular in the last few years. Heirloom tomatoes are bursting with flavor and come in many different colors from purple to yellow and even green stripes. The term heirloom refers to seeds that are pure or have not been changed with hybridization. Heirloom tomatoes are a bit more difficult to grow, bigger bushier plants take more space in the field and definitely need to be staked. Heirloom tomatoes are known for there taste not there looks! Heirloom tomatoes are somewhat curious looking, you won't find them in the grocery store as their delicate skin would not be able to take all of the handling. They are somewhat fragile but the flavor is worth all of the trouble! You will also find heirloom beets, cucumbers, melons and pumpkins. Some of the challenges Peter and Carmen face are of course having enough rain for their crops. This year has been quite dry and they have had to depend on their irrigation. Another challenge is having enough hours in the day to get everything done. Peter works full time job in addition to his farming. The majority of Peter's crops are chemical free. Once they are ready to harvest, Peter will be bringing melons and many different varieties of squash and pumpkins to market. Peter and Carmen take great pride in the food they grow and really enjoy meeting people at the Farmers Market. If you just can't wait to get your hands on more sweet corn and tomatoes during the week you will find Peter's Pumpkins at seven other markets around town in addition to a stand at their farm in Shakopee where you can purchase all of their produce as well as salsa and pickles. Visit their website www.peterspumpkins.com for directions and hours. You will find Peter's Pumpkins at the East end of the Market. Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella 2 tomatoes sliced (Brandywine tomatoes have a great flavor) Fresh Basil chopped and sprinkled over tomatoes Fresh mozzarella Balsamic Vinaigrette drizzled over tomatoes and mozzarella Enjoy! Another way to enjoy your heirloom tomatoes is with a tomato sandwich. Slice Great Harvest's Herb bread, top with your favorite mayo, sliced tomatoes and a dash of salt & pepper and indulge in all of the flavors of the season. Bloomington Farmers Market Information: Hours Market hours are 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.; for safety and fairness there is NO shopping before 8 a.m. Also, for environmental health reasons, pets are not allowed in the Market. Parking Please note the map and designated parking areas. The East Lot of Civic Plaza where the Market is held is for Handicap Parking only. There is plenty of Free Parking on the West Side of Civic Plaza. There is also parking across the street at Public Works off of James Ave. Volunteering If you are interested in volunteering at the Farmers Market we could use your help! Please contact Jill Murphy 952.563.8889 or Keri Lahl at farmersmarket@ci.bloomington.mn.us for more information. We can also use your help spreading the word about the Bloomington Market. If you have a place to hang a sign about the Farmers Market (church, workplace, coffee shop, etc.) you can either print the poster yourself or pick up a copy at the City's information tent. We are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday! Best regards, Keri Lahl Market Coordinator