Ise Shima, Japan, November 2024

Monday, March 15, 2021

Markets, Farm shops and Pick Your Own

Once again I faced a market day on my own. Lindsey was involved with an online conference so not available to come out to play on Saturday morning. And once again it was very busy around the top part of the lake. I don't know about the other side - I didn't venture down there.

I don't think that absolutely everyone who was out and about at the lake was at the market, but the market was pleasingly busy, especially since it was overcast and slightly on the cool side. Fortunately, it didn't rain. At least not while I was there. There were lots of stalls and the market had a definite buzz. It's evolved into an interesting and inviting event since it moved to Zoo Drive.

It was pleasingly busy out at the Mushroom Farm as well. That too has evolved into an interesting and varied enterprise since the Covid Lockdowns. The addition of Spring Creek Organics vegetables and fruit from various places has been a bonus. I didn't notice the pineapples hiding among the watermelons and apples until I heard a small girl expressing her disappointment the her parents wouldn't buy her one! I don't eat pineapple. It's the food of the devil as far as I am concerned. But Jim is very partial to it and they had some smaller ones available.  Now that I had noticed them ... I bought him a sticky date pudding as well.  Dates hold their place along with pineapples at the devil's dining table in my world.  Jim, strangely, quite likes them, especially when combined with caramel and pudding.

A successful visit then, as far as Jim was concerned.

By the time I had reached the Mushroom Farm it has started to rain. It rained with enthusiasm for the rest of the afternoon. I had been vaguely thinking of sorting out some space for some autumn seed sowing. I changed my mind and stayed inside.

Yesterday was a much better day. Lindsey's online conference finished late morning so we headed out to Elaine to the Farmgate shop, where we were reminded that Spring Creek was having a Pick Your Own corn day. Spring Creek hasn't done as well out of the Covid lockdowns as some other businesses.  It was very busy during the actual lockdowns, particularly during the early one when the markets were closed and the supermarkets were believed to be short of the essentials. I don't think they were, really, but people were heading to Spring Creek to pick up their vegetables, fruit and milk. Once the markets came back, Spring Creek became quieter and they returned to selling at the markets. They also sell their produce at the Mushroom Farm and at the Elaine Farmgate shop and reduced their  farm opening hours to Sunday and Monday. We don't have reason to head out there all that often. We buy their veg in other places.  But we were tempted by a Pick Your own event, especially since the sun was shining.

In the event we didn't pick our own. They had baskets of corn at the same price sitting there, waiting for us just to pick them up. So we did. Along with other veg. I now have a kitchen bench groaning with vegetables, plus some rhubarb and that pineapple. My freezers are full. We are simply going to have to eat lots and lots and lots of vegetables this week.  And perhaps borrow some space in the spare freezer at Hill House. And I need some apples to go with the rhubarb. Should have got some over the weekend. There lots on offer in all the places I went.



Neither cat will sit on our knees
but Brandy snuggles up as closely as
he can when I am sitting on
my couch



No comments:

Post a Comment