The Rural Voice, 1999-08, Page 40A SEASON TO SAVOUR
A trip to a farmers' market brings thoughts
of preserving the season's taste delights
By Carol Riemer
Balanced high on an old
wooden stepladder, with a
reach that barely exceeds my
grasp, I struggle to bring down the
last of the canning jars. Another year
is gone and with it, the remnants of
last season's harvest. Not a single
sample of strawberry jam, nor a pint
of peach preserves left to be found.
The cupboard is bare.
Soon, our normally busy kitchen
will be thrown into even greater
activity as assembly line production
takes over. Only then, midway,
between all that boiling and bottling,
will I ask myself why I do this. It
might be a certain pride in self-
sufficiency or the thought of winning
first prize at the fall fair that spurs me
on. Perhaps, it's more a yearning to
preserve time in a bottle, just as
previous generations have done. It
may simply go back to a summer like
this, when my husband and I first
visited the farmers' market.
There is a special feel about the
market, something you can't find
anywhere else. All the colours,
textures, sights and sounds of the
season combine to create a
memorable experience. In the cool,
early (morning, a quiet air of
excitement pervades as vendors hurry
36 THE RURAL VOICE
to set up for the day. Already those
who come early, in search of the best
selection, are waiting impatiently.
An old lady shares a story with a
farmer who is busy filling his table
with fresh, sweet corn. When he
doesn't respond right away, she says,
"You're not listening."
"Of course, I am," he reassures
her, with a grin. "I'm all ears!"
She laughs, picks up a dozen ears
of corn and heads off to tell her story
to the young fellow selling peaches at
the next stand.
Further on, beneath a colourful
canopy of tarpaulins, baskets of ripe,
red field tomatoes and rows of crisp
green cucumbers wait to be sliced
into a summer salad. Alongside,
quarts of pickling cucumbers, fresh
dill and garlic hold the promise of
prize-winning pickles. Wicker
baskets, heaped high with fresh baked
loaves of bread and home -baked
peach and blueberry pies prove
irresistible.
There is always something new to
see at the market. From wooden toys,
handcrafted in pine, to old-fashioned
brooms and maple rocking horses, a
wide selection of crafts is on display.
Hand -thrown pottery and pretty
ruffled placemats lend a country air.
A table filled with collectibles draws
a crowd looking for that one unique
piece to take home.
In the market for a little
conversation? This is the place to be.
Tuck that cell phone away, take some
time to exchange ideas, discuss the
weather or find out when the fall
apples will be coming in. Stop awhile
and chat with the Egg Lady about her
free range chickens or the merits of
brown versus white eggs. Seize the
opportunity to sample some of the
interesting cheese being offered at the
stall across the aisle. Check out the
sausage on a bun and cold apple cider
for lunch.
A distant fiddler sends lilting
strains of Celtic music drifting
through the crowd as the sweet scent
of fresh flowers perfumes the air.
Gently, the day draws to a close.
Vendors begin to pack up, the market
winds down and the last few
stragglers slowly wander off.
Carefully preserved in each jar of
homemade jam, the true taste of
summer recalls memories of the
farmers' market. A down-to-earth
time, a chance to savour the season
all year long, it's a country
experience you won't want to miss.0