Reasons to Shop At Market

Over the past few years, we have asked a few Market shoppers why they like to shop at the Grinnell Farmers Market, presented by Grinnell Mutual. These were some of the things we heard:

• “We like to shop locally and love that everything is fresh — whether straight from the farm or from somebody’s kitchen.”
• “I try to support the Grinnell Farmers Market whenever we can. My schedule can make it harder for us to get there, but the people and products make it wonderful when we do!”
• “The Grinnell Farmers Market has excellent produce, foods, and crafts. The farmers are all so friendly and informative. Way to go!”
• “I grow most of my own veggies, but it's great to be able to pick up some of the things I don't grow (or get things earlier/later than my own garden provides).”
• “Thanks for bringing the community together!”

So even though there is no #1 reason to come to market, it is pretty clear that our customers love to “savor the season,” as we love to say!

Ultimately, savoring the season means taking advantage of the fresh produce growing at our local farmers’ garden right now. These ingredients are sure to provide the greatest flavor boost you’ve ever experienced in your dishes.

Put “savoring the season” in practice — find recipes that match the produce available at Market (we have some sprinkled in our newsletters, too!) and get creative!

Savor the season! 🌱

In This Newsletter:

• Announcements
• A Message From Our Presenting Sponsor, Grinnell Mutual
• Product Highlight: Katie’s Mini Donuts
• Create A Grinnell Farmers Market Focused Dinner
• Jokes of the Season
• Customer Spotlight

Storytime Art in the Park During Market

Storytime Art in the Park with Tilly Woodward is in full swing! Hosted by the Grinnell College Museum of Art and Drake Community Library, Storytime Art in the Park offers free art activities from 3:30-5 PM every Thursday during Farmers Market through July. Watch for Tilly’s Sparkle Truck with a bunch of free art and literacy activities! No registration necessary.

Special shoutout to our sponsors Grinnell Mutual and Grinnell College for supporting Grinnell Farmers Market and StoryTime Art in the Park!

Grinnell Farmers Market Open on July 4

Visit our market vendors during this great holiday, 9:30 AM-12 PM. Grill meat, peppers, or even some broccoli — yum!

Okay, okay, maybe you don’t want to eat vegetables on July 4. But some of our vendors have sweet treats, like pies, specialty breads, and freeze-dried goodies that taste like candy! Come visit them and snack before the Grinnell Chamber’s Grinnell on the Fourth parade at 5 PM.

River Glen @ Music in the Park

After the Farmers Market tomorrow, Thurs., June 25, musician River Glen will be performing at Central Park beginning at 7 PM, courtesy of the Grinnell Area Arts Council’s Music in the Park! Enjoy Americana music and tunes that fuse poignant folk-pop with clever lyricism.

Recap: The Market Season at a Glance

With June ending, we have to do a #throwback reminder of the lovely times we have had so far at the Farmers Market, presented by Grinnell Mutual. Thank you to our shoppers for a great opening weekend and shout out to our sponsors for making the Market happen!

Investing in Our Community

The Grinnell Mutual Group Foundation (GMGF) is proud to partner with Grinnell College to help provide an educational legacy for the Grinnell-Newburg Schools. The GMGF has donated $225,000 to help build the new Grinnell Elementary school’s accessible playground, outfit the school gymnasium, and contribute to the school’s fixtures and furnishings.

“Providing a state-of-the-art educational environment is crucial to giving our students a strong foundation for learning and interacting with each other and teachers,” said Grinnell Mutual President and CEO Dave Wingert. “A thriving school system is the cornerstone of a vibrant community.”

Is That My Stomach Grumbling? Oh, It’s Yours, Too!

You might know Katie’s Mini Donuts as the ones who sell — yup, you got it — mini donuts! But did you know that they recently added ice cream to their line up? Exclusively on Thursday nights (3-6 PM), visit our favorite blue truck and purchase a snack for your evening festivities in Grinnell, including the Grinnell Area Art Council’s Music in the Park series, Storytime Art in the Park, American Brawn’s solace center socials, and more!

Create a Menu Using June’s Seasonal Guide

Not only does the Grinnell Farmers Market seasonal guide list the health benefits of each produce item found at Market, but it also helps you plan ahead for dinner! Peruse June’s seasonal guide and decide what you’ll be making for dinners or side dishes.

🌱 Savor the Season Tip from Olson Garden Market: “A lot of what we are bringing is great for stir fry or salads: Red Russian kale, curly kale, swiss chard, zucchini, green onions, and garlic scapes!”

Bringing Back A Tried and True Recipe

We got replies from shoppers last year saying that this healthy side dish was amazing to supplement their dinner meals! So we are bringing back the tried-and-true: the Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake!

• 2 medium-sized zucchini — from Bill Sager’s B&J Vegetables
• 2 medium-sized yellow squashes — Bill Sager’s B&J Vegetables
• 2-4 tablespoons of fresh basil — Ann Brau’s Compass Plant CSA or Olson Garden Market
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme — Ann Brau’s Compass Plant CSA
• 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or general seasonings from Brian and Kerri Olson, Olson Garden Market
• 1/2 cup & 1/2 cup grated mozzarella or Monterey Jack
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan, plus a little more for the top if desired
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil or non-stick spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 9x9 or 9x12 inch baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray.

2. Wash the squash and cut in slices.

3. Wash basil, dry with paper towels, and finely chop.

4. Combine sliced squash, basil, dried thyme, garlic powder, and your cheeses. Stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and herbs are well distributed. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Put mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes (stab a piece of zucchini with a fork to be sure it's mostly tender).

6. When the zucchini is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remain 1/2 cup of grated cheese (your preference), plus a little more Parmesan if desired. 

7. Put the dish back in the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned.

Pickled Cucumbers: A Sweet Treat with a Kick

• Cucumbers from Bill Sager’s B&J Vegetables
• ⅓ cup of honey from Penny and Jim Dolezal’s Honey Bees
• ½ cup of rice wine vinegar (Kikkoman should sponsor us, shouldn’t they? Send them an email on our behalf.)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of red chili flakes (or not, if you are spicy intolerant).

Instructions

1. Wash your cucumbers. Then, slice however many cucumbers your heart desires — but the more you eat, the more your gut will probably thank you. But if you want a number, two is a great start!

2. In a medium pan, combine rice wine vinegar, water, honey, salt, and chili flakes. 

3. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, add cucumber slices, and stir.

4. Marinate for 10 minutes. 

5. You can eat right away (after cooling them down of course) or refrigerate it until you are ready for a snack.

Fun party trick — add these pickled cucumbers to a charcuterie board and wow your friends!

🌱 Savor the Season Tip: If this is too much work, Bill Sager already has pickled cucumbers for sale at the Market! Easy-peasy.

Need a Laugh?

Why did the green bean go to jail? He was disturbing the peas. (Wait, wait! It was actually because he snapped!....yup, you can go ahead and unsubscribe now, we understand).

What kind of vegetables do you find at the zoo? A zoo-chini.

What is a pirate’s favorite saying? Swiss CHARRRRGHHH!

Shoppers Making Us Smile

As we mentioned before, our shoppers love Market for different reasons. Meet two of our favorite customers these last few weeks and their finds: