Farmers Market Brings Tastes of Summer

by Barbara J. Avery

(Originally appeared in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel)

Americans want the taste of produce grown right here in the Grand Valley. Since the early 1900s,  growers in the Grand Valley have been selling their fruit to distant  markets, and by the 1950s,  fruit from the area garnered the reputation for top quality. Today, we can enjoy the outstanding  fruits and vegetables of the area by simply walking down Main Street in Grand Junction from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m each Thursday evening through September 29. 

A young three years old, the Farmers Market Festival was the fertile idea of Barbara Salogga, Marketing Director for the Grand Junction Downtown Association from April 2003 to March 2004.  Salogga , a former resident of San Raphael, California, used Grand Junction Downtown Partnership grant money for development of the Farmers Market Festival, patterning it after the successful market in San Raphael.  The goal of the market was to give people more reasons to visit downtown Grand Junction.

The Farmers Market Festival this year has 108 vendors registered and is visited by 4,000 to 5,000 people an  evening.  Coordinating the event is quite a feat.    LeAnn Ingwerson aids  LeighAshman, current Marketing Coordinator and Media Relations Coordinator for the Downtown Partnership, with the logistical planning of the weekly markets. According to  Ashman,  the markets are so successful that vendors often sell out by 7:00 p.m.  “The market is good for the downtown businesses, as well,” says Ashman.  They get involved with the market by extending their business hours and having special sidewalk sales. You’ll also find entertainment and wine tastings up and down Main Street.

The vendors offer a many different types of produce, eat-on-the-spot food, arts, crafts, retail items, and information booths.   Produce vendors attend the market at various times during the season depending on ripeness and availability of their crops.  The offerings of fruits and vegetables are always fresh and delicious.  It’s hard to pick a favorite,  even just among the peaches.  When Jan Horn of Horn’s Orchard in Palisade was asked to pick her favorite  variety of those grown there, she thought for less than a second, and replied,  “I can’t  pick a  favorite.  They are all wonderful!”  Although the orchard is named for Joel and Jan Horn, it is appropriate for a different reason.  Jan says that although the orchard doesn’t keep regular retail hours, customers at the orchard are welcome, so “just honk the horn when you get there.”
 
Alida’s Fruits of East Orchard Mesa provides fresh fruit at the markets and syrups, jellies, apple sauce, and the most popular canned item: peach salsa.  Alida suggests that it be eaten with chips and would even taste good in a meatloaf.  Bob and Alida Helmer started their business in 1990 as an outside stand with a walk-in cooler, and have kept adding on.  As well as their location in East Orchard Mesa, they have a store on Main Street in downtown Grand Junction.

Summer recipes are perfect for the fresh, locally-grown food that you can buy at the
Farmers Market Festival.   A hearty thanks to Alida Helmer for offering the following  recipes to transform fresh produce into tasty delights.

Streusel Cream Cream Peach Pie

 Ingredients:

Crust for 9inch single crust pie

4 cups quartered and peeled peaches

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, if desired

1 large egg

2 tablespoons cream

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup butter, softened

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Arrange peaches in prepared pie crust.

Sprinkle sugar and nutmeg over peaches.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg and cream. Pour over peach mixture.
In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, and butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle mixture over fruit in pie crust.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until browned. 

Serve slightly warm with whipped ice cream or dairy sour cream, if desired.

Elegant Eggplant

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1, 14.5 ounce can tomatoes, drained

1 eggplant, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine green pepper, onion, and butter or margarine in a medium pot.  Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add tomatoes, eggplant and salt.  Cook 20 minutes, stirring often.  Pour mixture into a casserole.

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and mix well.  Sprinkle on casserole.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Alida usually makes this in a skillet and just cooks it that way, skipping the bread crumbs.