Salad Bowl on My Sill by Chelsea Muller

I’m a farmer now. Heavy words in my book. I long for the day that I can eat from my own garden but I live in a 3rd floor apartment without a deck and manage to kill succulents. This is why I love the farmers market – fresh, local food, grown by someone else.

But on the opening day of the market, something inspired me – the salad bowl. This beautiful pot is overflowing with butter lettuce, swiss chard, parsley and more. I love my salads, so to be able to pluck fresh pieces of lettuce from my very own salad bowl is a dream.

Jim O’Neill of Cottage Gardens in Graham is to thank and now, I can’t let him down. When I mentioned my apartment living, he showed concern for his creation. I need all the help I can get and would have happily landed this beautiful planter on my kitchen counter had I not had the chance to chat with Jim. He was patient with my naiveté and gave me the scoop on what this baby needs. The bowl really needs to be outside, and so I’ve perched it on a window sill. I also have to saturate it with water, not the little sips here and there it likely would have received.

So thanks Jim and the Proctor Farmers’ Market! I’m going to now enjoy a lovely salad with greens from my own garden. Might even try to work the chard into this white bean soup recipe I found today. I must be inspired!

Author and Photographer: Chelsea Muller

Proctor was voted the Best Farmers Market by South Sound Magazine

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First Day of the Market

Opening Day at Proctor Farmers Market

Thanks to everybody for coming out to enjoy our earliest opening day ever!

We had stunningly beautiful weather with sunshine and short short sleeves seen throughout the day at the market. There was toe-tapping music all day with Jazz Strings playing in the morning and The Meyers Family playing their family bluegrass in the afternoon.

Soil expert and grower Jim O’Neill from Cottage Gardens shared interesting and useful information in our first gardening demonstration of the year: Let’s Get Growing! He showed what can be planted now, and what kinds of materials to use to keep them growing strong.

We had a full market, with lots of plants, local meats and cheeses, fresh cut flowers, baked goods and hot foods, and produce…way more than we expected…go farmers!

We bought a box of apples–plenty for eating and for apple crisp; garlic-dill chevre to share at a potluck (Happy Birthday Louise and Jaek!); parsnips to use in Karen’s Roasted Balsamic Parsnips recipe (we’ll get her to share the recipe on the website sometime!); and bunches and bunches of kale. The kale was beautiful, with edible flower buds, and so tender that it was very tasty raw.

Now that we’ve begun eating in season, my family enjoys eating what’s available, freshly picked and full of nutrients. Can’t wait to see what our farmers have this weekend!

Post by Jessica Troy

Proctor Farmers Market Opens Early

The Proctor Farmers Market will be opening earlier then ever! We will be opening on March 27th at 9 am. See you there!