The Oak Park Farmers’ Market, offering high quality, locally-grown produce, is held in the Pilgrim Church Parking lot at 460 Lake St. from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through October.
Check out this week’s tips from farmers market manager, Colleen McNichols. She is looking ahead to the 7/21 market and has some updates for Oak Park Eats readers:
Peaches are here! Michigan’s microclimate is just right to produce the most luscious fruit and we are fortunate to have Michigan fruits brought fresh to Oak Park every Saturday. If you need help picking out the ripest fruit or need advice on shelf life or freezing, just ask the farmers. They work these markets because they like the connection to the customers and they have a life time of experience to share.
This year’s annual pie-baking contest contest is September 1st. Entry forms are available on our website. Pies should feature farmers market ingredients and the market’s new full-time vendor, Brian Severson Farms, will supply the non-gmo, certified organic grains and flour and ingredients for the pie dough.
Did you know? The Oak Park Farmers Market offers five different kinds of eggs! When they are all available market shoppers can find quail eggs (American Pride micro-greens), duck eggs (Finn’s Ranch), soy-free eggs (Mint Creek Farm), turkey eggs occasionally and brown chicken eggs. After you experiment with the quail and turkey eggs, please find Colleen under the yellow info tent and share your cooking experience or recipes with her!
Bake sale: OPRF High School Wresting
Guest vendor: Minni’s Organic Blueberries
This week only the market welcomes Minnie from Pure Michigan Certified Organic Blueberries selling her fresh blueberries and blueberry jams. Minnie grew up in nearby Berwyn, inherited the blueberry farm in Michigan, and never looked back. Growing organic fruit in the Midwest is especially difficult; we applaud her efforts and welcome her as a guest vendor.
Vendor notes:
Nichols Farm and Orchard: Look for Mirai corn to make its first seasonal appearance this Saturday. Mirai sweet corn is a hybrid corn developed in Illinois and it can be eaten raw like candy; it is that sweet!
Herbally Yours: Back again this week, Herbally Yours will offer infused vinegars and herbal seasonings. A 30 year farmers market vendor, Jim Vitalo, makes every bottle of vinegar and herb mix with love and ingredients from his garden. Pay particular attention to love his tarragon vinegar and fish and meat rubs. You will find him with his hippie VW van and a smile on his face every other week at the market.
MARKET READY RECIPE: Herbed Vegetable Dip
Pair this dip with sliced kohlrabi, zucchini, cucumbers, radishes and salad turnips for a cool summer vegetable platter. Recipe provided by Prairie Wind Farms.
Herbed Vegetable Dip
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 scallions, white and green parts, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend. Serve at room temperature.
