Field notes: Coastside Farmers’ Market

By Erin Tormey, organizer of the Coastside Farmer’s Market.

Don’t be afraid of the dark, Marketeers!

Yes, the time change always makes people a little, well, loopy at first, but don’t panic. Nature in her infinite wisdom has taken care of some basics for you.

Did you ever notice how all kinds of Orange things are at their peak during the Autumn?  Oranges, of course, along with tangerines, all kinds of squashes, persimmons, sweet potatoes.  Ever wonder about that? Well I have. And here’s what I know.  Orange food makes it easier to see in the dark. I am not kidding. Orange food is loaded with beta-carotene ( think carrots, people!) - a powerful antioxidant that supports ocular health and development.  Plus, it supports a robust immune system so you can see how great you look at night!

Tons of vitamin C is usually associated with orange stuff too, and when you have tangerines and kabocha squash  at the peak of their season at the same time, why you should eat a lot of them- together!  Because from I can figure,  the combo pack means you can see well in the dark, and should be well armed to go outside in the evenings for a little stroll to the Farmer’s Market without catching cold. I especially recommend this activity to anyone who is going to be any where near Rockaway Beach in Pacifica on Wednesday evenings from now through November.

And if you know that, yes, you are supposed to sup on squash, crunch on carrots,  and snack on sweet-taters, but you are just plain out of ideas about what to do when faced with a pile of the aforementioned, I have some ideas for you that should not keep you up all night fretting.  When you have peak of season tangerines and a butternut squash, you have the makings of one tangy "pumpkin" tarte that you can help but feel good about.  Really, Alice, the awful truth is that the best pumpkin pie I ever made was actually a butternut squash pie with tons of tangerine juice instead of added sugar, and ground raw almonds in the crust.   Oh, my! Think of the fiber!

Cumin scented baked sweet potatoes with a dollop of plain yogurt that has the juice of a new-crop orange squeezed in to it is quite lovely, and dang good for your bones.

How’s about some curried carrot soup served in a roasted acorn squash half and garnished with organic feta?  Have you tried pumpkin quark on gingerbread? No? Well, why ever not?

Any or all of the above can change your experience of nighttime, so now’s the time to bolster the baby blues ( or browns or whatever you have) because there is a brand new comet in the nightsky that you can see with the naked eye.  It rises to the east just about 6:30 or so - just about the time the Farmers Market closes in Pacifica.  Hmm. Could the two events be connected?   Who knows? The Shadow?

Maybe not, but Eda does. Eda and Farmer John are on a much needed break for rest, relaxation and salutations - they will not be at the Market Saturday, but will be back in the saddle by Wednesday, so you’ll have to ask her about their trip to receive a coveted and richly deserved conservation award.

And for those who have asked, Ed Dee is doing fine, recovering well, but it is taking him a bit longer than he would have liked, but he’ll be back in the saddle before to long, and sends his thanks for the good thoughts from those of you who have been asking about him these past several weeks.

Speaking of saddles, we’ll have more than one reason  to horse around this weekend, as Sarah Moore and her wonderful horses will pull up alongside Susan Friedman and her recent publication EQUUS, a limited edition collection of equine portraits that were exhibited at SFMOMA last month. Say, if you still don’t know what to do with carrots, you should be reminded that there is nothing quite like a carrot to make you and the pony down the road into very good friends, PDQ.

But really, you should just go on ahead and eat them raw so you can find your way back home in the dark.

Thanks again to Click.Pacifica for their support of our local Musicians at the Rockaway Beach Market - who will be playing their hearts out for you until the wee, wee hours of 6:30 pm  every Wednesday evening through November!

Erin Tormey
Coastside Farmers Markets

In Half Moon Bay
Shoreline Station ( at Kelly and Highway 1)
Saturdays, 9 am to 1pm

In Pacifica
Rockaway Beach
Wednesdays, 2:30 -6:30pm