Smile Politely

Market Watch: Pick a pumpkin, any pumpkin

Last weekend’s Market showed one major hallmark typical of the approaching end of its season: the entire operation is now “small” enough to fit in four rows instead of five. This week — #26 out of 28 — will be no different, though there’s still an impressive variety of vendors hanging on until they can move inside for the Urbana Business Association’s Holiday Market, which starts November 14. While the Markets are different, they share many of the same vendors, including farmers. For more information, click on the link above or call 344-3872.

This week’s food:

apples, fennel, cilantro, celeriac, leeks, onions, heirloom potatoes, tomatoes, fresh carrots, chard, cabbages, lettuces and salad mixes, spinach, green onions, green beans, okra, eggplant, hot & sweet peppers, broccoli, kohlrabi, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, squashes (including pumpkins) — also, locally-raised meat and eggs, award-winning goat cheese, honey, and much more

See, we told you there’s still a lot out there!

[However, if you’re looking for Stewart’s Artisanal Breads (and his bagels), he won’t be back at the Market until October 31. Fryer Tuck is done for the season. The good news is that The Pie Lady is coming back for a limited engagement! If you came to the Market during peak season, you probably saw many of The Red Oak’s signature pink boxes containing pies and casseroles walking around the Market. Market Watch just got word that Trisha will be back for one day only this weekend. She’ll be in the 4th row. Nom nom nom.]

Haven’t yet acquired your Halloween jack o’lantern? This weekend is prime time. Kleiss Produce Farm’s pumpkins, large and small, will be on sale at very good prices — check ‘em out at the north end of row 1, near the City tent.

Sprouts at the Market (the Market’s child nutrition and farm linkage programming) is in the house for its final engagement of the season. This weekend’s theme is healthy trick-or-treating; you provide the Sprout, the farmers will provide the goodies, the Market will provide a special Sprouts tote bag for said goodies, and Jen and her army of volunteers will provide the Sprouts with the straight dope on healthy eating during the fall and winter months, when fresh food isn’t as plentiful. The program, which starts at 9 a.m. and goes until 11 a.m., is free and open to all kids, but is definitely geared toward kids between the ages of 4-10. Please call 384-2319 if you have any questions.

We also hear “Market at the Scare” is TOTALLY HAPPENING at the Market on October 31. Come to the Market wearing your costume and get your photo taken… enjoy some refreshments while they last… come visit as one of Urbana’s finest institutions starts to reall wind down for the year.

See you out there!

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