Thursday, 28 March 2024

Saccato: Friday markets offer bounty of foods, fresh produce

I enjoyed my first locally grown tossed salad and vegetable dinner last night thanks to the produce I purchased at Clearlake's new Friday Night Farmers' Market. The season for local produce is upon us, and ready-made food is now available for our market.


I found sweet, tender, green leaf lettuce, young and tender zucchinis, crisp string beans and sweet, large red onions from local farmer Chuck Majors. Also from Chuck, I steamed up the sweetest red beets whose skin just fell away to the glorious smooth taste and silky texture that I have never experienced before eating beets. To this I added fresh radishes and cooked an artichoke that I bought from Olivia, who works at Chris Bonser's organic farm. The artichoke's flavor was different than those I buy in the store – less bitter and more "oakey." The texture was tender and the heart was firm and plentiful. I sampled a few of their organic strawberries, thanks to a woman who came to the market especially for these.


For fruits this week, I found the sweeeetest cherries i have ever had! Reggie Dewsnup comes to us from Gridley and arranged boxes and boxes of pluots (a cross breed of apricots and plums), juicy, ripe white and yellow peaches, and those cherries ... speechless! I'm still enjoying the fresh oranges from Gail Dyne's farm in Buckingham and she has fresh herbs, garlic and onions and will have more this week. I slurped on a fresh fruit smoothie and have missed out on the fresh fruit kabobs (because they always sell out before I have the chance to get to the booth!) that the Hot Spot youth group is selling as a fundraiser. I even picked up a white sage plant from Ken Fountain at Jaguar Nursery who specializes in plants and starts.


The bounty is here and brought to you by our local and regional farmers and there is more coming! This Friday, goat cheese comes fresh to us from Shamrock Goat Cheese in Willits, and Amy Reyes, owner of Cactus Grill in Clearlake, will be cooking up tacos and fresh mex salads for the visitors soon. So, if you haven't visited the market yet, now's a good time; and if you have, come on back, because there is more food and farm-fresh produce to feast your eyes and stomachs upon!


This is a good time to give special thanks to the City of Clearlake, the VIPs, the Rangers and the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce for coming together with the co-op to create this special event for our community. A great mention need be made to the musicians who have added that extra special ambiance to the market last week free of charge, I might add; Don Coffin, this week, Dan Meyer and Jim Leonardis, and next week David Neft. And an extra special thanks to the community – well over 200 people showed up in the first hour of our first day! What a display of support for our efforts and a confirmation that our goals are what community wants and will sustain.


JoAnn Saccato is chair of the Lake County Community Co-op.


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Upcoming Calendar

28Mar
03.28.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Vision resource group
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Second annual Bunny Brunch
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Lakeport Community Cleanup Day
30Mar
03.30.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Lake County poet laureate inauguration
31Mar
03.31.2024
Easter Sunday
31Mar
03.31.2024 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Lakeport Rotary Club Easter Egg Hunt
1Apr
04.01.2024
Easter Monday
1Apr
10Apr
15Apr
04.15.2024
Tax Day

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