Week of July 5 & 8

The rain sure came down at the end of the Saturday market last week, but it couldn't put a damper on all of the exciting happenings!  We welcomed back Uncle Henry's Garden, enjoyed some delicious Yarnicks' sweet corn, saw the first of Nature Works' farm-grown oyster mushrooms, and shopped for summer favorites like blueberries, zucchini, cucumbers, and more!

Oh...and did I forget to mention our first chef demonstration of the season?  CH Fields Executive Chef Josh Truitt cooked up some amazing creations, including shaved carrot salad with goat cheese and fresh mint, seared sugar snap peas, and grilled flank steak and pork.  Yum!

We also enjoyed musical activities with Music Together in the Kids' Tent and information about water, streams, and watersheds from the Ken Sink chapter of Trout Unlimited.

This Saturday, we are looking forward to paintings by Courtney Scherf in the Artisan Tent and information on the Summer Food Service Program through the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in the Community Tent.

It seems fitting to feature sweet corn as our market product of the week.  Customers wait all winter and spring for that first juicy bite!

Fun Facts:

• Corn is a cereal crop that is part of the grass family.  This makes it a grain - not technically a vegetable (www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/corn.html,  www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/slideshow/8-maizing-corn-facts)
• An ear of corn is actually a part of the plant's flower
• Each ear of corn has about 800 kernels in 16 rows and always has an even number of rows on each cob (www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/corn.html)

Of course, sweet corn is delicious straight off the cob, grilled, steamed or boiled (just don't put salt in your boiling water - it makes the kernels tough!).  However, if you want something a little different, why not try this delicious grilled corn salsa.  You can find many of the ingredients at the market!

We are still scheduling for our special tents through the end of September.  If you are a local artist, musician, or are involved with a community organization or kids' group, e-mail us at indianafarmmarket@gmail.com if you'd like to participate!

See you at the market!

The Summer Food Service Program is a national program of the USDA that provides FREE meals to kids during the summer months with help from local partners.  Our local Summer Food Program is at the Mack Park Concessions Stand Monday through Friday from 11-12, now through August 18.