Each week, I document what I receive in my CSA box and what I purchase at Columbus' farm markets. If you have questions about what a CSA is, please click here. For lists of my market reports since 2005, please click here.
Ah, September. It's funny - this morning as I was driving to the market, I was thinking "August is like being stuck in the doldrums," and then I turned the radio on, and the promo for today's Wait, Wait - Don't Tell Me started off "Ah, the news doldrums of August..." I guess I'm not the first to make the comparison.
This morning's chill had me searching for a sweater, and although I resisted buying any squash yet again, I think I'm ready if some should make their way into my shopping basket in the next few weeks. Of course, the beginning of Seotember means I'm another year older - there's just no stopping that fact, but as long as each year keeps getting better than the last, I'm content.
I got up while it was still dark this morning - surely another sign that the seasons are changing, I can't sleep more than 4 hours at a time - and made it to the North Market in time to see the sun rising over the buildings and shining onto the North Market sign, complete with the setting moon (sorry for the giant picture, I just couldn't resist):
I might need a sweater in the chill, but it's still too hot for the chickens to lay eggs! Sandy (Sterrett, my CSA farmer) said this morning she spoke with another farmer who got 3 eggs from her 200 hens! I suppose that is part of the joy of being a farmer. Fortunately, I have a few eggs leftover from weeks past - farm fresh eggs last so much longer than the grocery store kind - up to 5 weeks (and more, if you're brave. Of course, you can tell if an egg is bad the moment you crack it open, but eggs do last a long time in the fridge). This week's CSA (pictured, top of post) included a green pepper, lettuce and greens, green and wax beans (again, so pretty even I, green bean hater that I am, might even eat them, pictured below), a few giant heirloom tomatoes, a pint of tiny little orange cherry tomatoes which were stellar last week - can't wait to toss them in some hot spaghetti - sweet corn, and an unpictured sweet red pepper:
I stopped by Toby Run for my weekly shitake fix, and lamented the fact that they won't be around forever. The 6 months I have to spend without them are really depressing. I pondered if they would freeze and decided they would become hopelessly waterlogged, and then we discussed dehydrating them. I'll have to give the a try. If I were smart, I would have dehydrated all of the stems in order to make mushroom stock. Why do I always think of these things too late! He won't be at the market next week, so plan accordingly.
Then it was off to Sommerset herbs, where I (finally!) picked up some fresh tarragon. Why is it so hard to find fresh tarragon at the markets? I also bought a wide assortment of their beautiful hot and sweet pepper collection (cayenne, paprika, and Hungarian wax - pictured below)) for a great sounding recipe I'm trying out this weekend for a new cookbook I'm reviewing. Of course, more on that later. I also got some Roma tomatoes for turning into tomato chips, which you will hear all about if I am successful.
Every year, I think this is going to be the year I learn to love eggplant. I don't mean breaded and fried eggplant, just roasted eggplant or something. This cutie from Toad Hill Organics charmed me by sight at least:
I stopped by to talk to the fine folks at Wayward Seed - they'll soon have squash and sweet potatoes - and to buy some of their great King Richard leeks, a few poblano peppers, and this knobby potato whose name has completely escaped me at the moment. I think they look like a fabled mandrake:
Inside the North Market, I bought the first Ohio Honeycrisps of the year! Hooray for my favorite apple ever!
And then it was off to the Worthington Farmer's Market, where I had almost single-minded determination to find some fresh limas (below), fresh kidney beans for next week's "First Night of Football Season Chili." 
I picked up some cherry bomb peppers from Garden Patch Produce, which are soon to be stuffed with some goat cheese and roasted:
A pound of shallots from Sippel Farm (thanks for growing shallots!):
And then down to wait in line at Gillogly Orchard, where I bought my first nectarines and plums of the year, along with some white peaches:
I hope to get some cooking done this week, so hopefully there will be some new recipes to look forward to. And what did you get?
I'll see you at the markets!
