Pt. Reyes Station Farmers Market - July 1

Yesterday, Gnarlita and I ventured over to the Marin Coast to check out the Pt. Reyes Farmers Market.

In my youth (gads, makes me sound old!), I spent a lot of time in this part of the Bay Area. Olema, Pt. Reyes, Tomales Bay, Muir Beach, Muir Woods, Inverness...these were all the favorite weekend haunts of the gang I used to hang out with when I lived on Clement St. in San Francisco in the early '70s. We'd leave the City early in the morning and spend all day hanging out, gorging on local food and beverages, hiking, napping, hiking some more, eating/imbibing some more. Ah, good times!

The Pt. Reyes Station Farmers Market, as are most small town farmers markets, is smack dab in the middle of downtown. The number of vendors is small but, to be sure, offer the best quality produce. (Didn't Charles and Camilla visit?)


Anyway, I believe all of the vendors here are associated with Marin Organic, an association of Marin County Organic Producers. One of the most famous from the area is Cowgirl Creamery. My personal favorite Cowgirl cheese is Mt. Tam.

Gnarlita found the Marin Organic table full of information about sustainable farming, local seasonal food availability, and so much more. She could not pass up adding Ecological Literacy and The Local Food Wheel to her library.

While Gnarlita was going through all of the resource offerings, I was wandering through the Community Garden just adjacent to the Farmers Market. The variety of produce being grown there was extensive, though not a very big space. Which goes to show, you don't need a lot of space to grow your own food. I saw artichoke, zucchini,raspberries, all sorts of lettuces, rhubarb, and peas, just to name a few of the items in the garden.

There was also an adoption program for offspring of feral cats. These kitties were so precious, and you can imagine, more than a bit apprehensive of human touch. Nonetheless, it is important that all animals (and humans) have a family who loves and cares for them. Gnarlita and I watched as the caretakers of these kitties tried their best to ensure adoption. But we could definitely see that the kitties were not appreciating the fact that all these little kids were handling them to no end. Anyway, this sweet kitty found my camera most intriguing and came up close for a look.

I found some beautiful Easter Egg radishes, Walla Walla onions and purple potatoes at the Wild Blue Farm stand. I enjoy radishes au naturel, no fuss...just eat. The onions, I'll grill on the 4th as a side dish. Season thick slices with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, throw on the grill...five minutes on each side. Yummmmm. As for the purple potatoes...well, potato salad, of course!

I'm a sucker for jams and jellies. The Fig Jam from The Wild Pear Co. is so luscious, it's hard to describe, so subtle yet distinctively fig. I'm going to make some homemade biscuits so that I can enjoy this nectar to the fullest!

Chocolate. Who can resist? Great chocolate is like great sex...smooth, sensual, satisfying. Pt. Reyes Chocolate offers a small but satisfying selection of delectible chocolates. Gnarlita and I walked away with two types of the Dark Bark, the House Candied Grapefruit Mendiant, and Peanut Butter Cup. We tried the House Candied Grapefruit Mendiant as soon as we got back to the car. The candied grapefruit was superb, crunchy, not too sweet...a perfect foil against the dark Valrhona chocolate.

Excuse me while I enjoy the music that reminds me best of the beginning of organic farming and the realization we are stewards of the land. Of course, Deja Vu...Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Most notably, Woodstock by Joni Mitchell.

Woodstock/Joni Mitchell

Love your mother, Earth.