Remember how last weekend it was kind of warm and humid at the Market? Right. You can expect a replay of that tomorrow at the Market, but don’t let a little heat hold you back. Besides, if you come early, it won’t be as warm and you will be able to partake of what Markt Watch likes to call Summer’s Holy Trinity: peaches, tomatoes, and… sweet corn. Yes.
With the Solstice earlier this week, we’re definitely moving into peak season. It’s a little early, but the tropical rainforest climate of late has really gotten things growing, hence the early appearance of the Trinity. For those desiring fruits, they’ll be abundant – peaches, gooseberries, currants, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. Add some peaches and you can totally get your smoothie on. On the veggie tip, things are equally crazy: broccoli, maybe a few peas, field zucchini and cucumbers, green beans, radishes, some salad greens, fresh herbs, garlic scapes, turnips, beets, green onions, summer squash, chard and kale, eggplant, potatoes, and, yes TOMATOES.
Please check all five rows to make sure you’re not missing out on something yummy. And, again, MW cannot stress it enough — come early for the marquee food items, if they’re your thing. They’re MW’s thing, so look out!
As always, meat, cheese, eggs, and honey are available from local producers. The Market’s got other foods, too, most notably fresh-baked goods of all kinds, toffee and chocolate, breakfast sandwiches, and kettle korn. The Veggie Trails folks WILL NOT be at the Market this weekend, MW regrets to inform you. They will return for the July 3 Market.
Lest you forget, the Market is also full of local artisans who work with wood, make jewelry, create candles, work with textiles, etc. Show them some love!
This weekend, the Market will offer another installment of Art at the Market. Urbana’s Public Arts Program sponsors these events once a month at the Market, bringing in a local artist to shepherd patrons of all ages through art-making. This weekend, Urbana-based artist Brett Bloom will teach patrons how to make origami bats, while at the same time educating patrons about bats and a bat house project Mr. Bloom is working on. Should be fun! They’ll be out there from 8-noon. Again, it’s open to all ages and is free!
The Market continues to tweak its credit/debit/LINK system, which, if you do not already know, is a way for Market shoppers to use credit, debit, and LINK cards at the Market by swiping the cards at the City tent and receiving tokens to shop with any vendor (for LINK users, the tokens are for use to purchase LINK-eligible foods) within the Market. Remember, cash and checks are still most welcome at vendor booths, and some of them take plastic on their own.
There is no better place to run out of money buying food, y’all.
Reminder, but worthy of repeating: the Market can be found on Twitter here and on Facebook here. The Market also has a page on the City’s new site — click here to get there.
Coming up at the Market:
July 3: Urbana Free Library at the Market