Hello fellow eaters:
I have a slightly dopey tale to tell this week, but bear with me because I think there are things to ponder as a result of it. A couple of weeks ago I had to run to the garden to get something. Now, going to the garden to get something should be a happy thing: I am cooking and I need something and I will just pop over to the garden to get it. But I was feeling over-worked and over-stressed and in a hurry and grumpy so I left the dog at home and headed there. But I stopped just for a second to check out the new tree that friends had planted in honor of the birth of their daughter and found something even more wonderful: goats. There were goats in my friends' backyard, munching away at grass and weeds (and the pear tree, truth be told). They are even-tempered, unflappable, quiet, pregnant, and cute as buttons; thus, I had an attitude adjustment. These are working goats whose job--munching away at grass and weeds on vacant and abandoned property--started the next day . Now I have always had a thing for goats, maybe because cutting grass and weeding the garden were among my childhood chores (along with laundry and dishes, which raises the question, exactly what did my siblings do, but never mind that for now). Suffice it to say that it has always struck me that goats would be a much better way to deal with excess vegetation than child labor. Now, gentle eater, you might reasonably ask what this has to do with our farmers' market. The short answer is that one of these goats will be visiting the market this Saturday, between 10 and 11. The medium answer is that in order to make goat cheese (which you can buy at the market) you need goats. The longer answer is one that really requires thinking and discussing what we want our cities to be and how we want to get there. In the past cities were places of urgent density: density of people, of buildings, of entertainment, of work/production/manufacturing, of difference (linguistic, cultural, belief systems, politics), etc. Now cities have lost population, buildings have been abandoned and torn down, and many kinds of activity have been reduced. So now many cities have more space available than they have since the early twentieth century, and that strikes me as a mixed blessing. I have written in the past about the wonderful and compelling work being done by folks (including our vendors) in market gardens, community gardens, pocket-parks, re-imagining a more sustainable cleveland parcels, et al., indeed our farmers' market and our efforts to rethink our food systems would be nowhere without that work. I also hope that we can think about how to have both density and strategically-sited (and productive) greenspace; indeed how we can re-tool the notion of "mixed-use" to include agriculture as well as commercial and industrial uses, but not lose sight of the density and the palpable activity of people that is and always will be the lifeblood of cities. So I am very happy to see mow goats chewing their way through lots that have lost their activity, and hope that activity returns and the goats do not have to stay in one area too long.
EcoVillage Produce will have: Egyptian walking onions, spinach, arugula, hot southern mustard greens, herbs: sage, rosemary, lavender, lovage, mints. Plants: black cherry tomato plants, Italian parsley plants, rosemary plants.
Origins Beanery will be bringing coffees from Ethiopia, Kenya, Sumatra, and Columbia. They will have plenty of cold brew for Vietnamese style iced coffees and will be doing pour-overs for those that want it hot. They thank market-goers for their support, adding "you rock."
ReMemories will be at the market showing really stylish quilts, carry-alls, purses big and small, maybe jams and jellies, and the most festive chairs you have ever seen.
There will be others, although I am not sure who. By next week we ought to have the system down pat, so you and I both can be more informed consumers!
Also there will be yoga at the market this and every week, woo hoo! this week the teacher will be neighborhood resident Justin Glanville. Class is from 11-12 and is open to all levels of practice. the class is donation-based and will meet in the labyrinth across the street from the market.
The Gordon Square Farmers' Market: more food, fewer tourists.
GSFM is located in the parking lot of Bethany Presbyterian Church at W. 65th and West Clinton streets (one block south of Detroit Ave.).
Every Saturday through October, 10am-2pm.
Feed back? Please email or talk to us at the GSFM booth on Saturday.
www.gordonsquaremarket.org
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