Market News - August 25, 2009
I’m grateful that I’ve always lived near countryside so that local agricultural products have always been accessible to me. I’ve liked to cook since I was a child and I like trying new recipes. One of my favorite things to do is to invite friends over to dinner. And, yes, I often try something new. Most of the time it works. When you’ve been cooking as long as I’ve been cooking, you have a good idea what will work and what won’t.
Eggplant is a very versatile vegetable. It can be braised, fried, baked, grilled, cookedwith almost anything, or eaten alone. Try it on the grill with olive oil and a littleseasoning on it. It doesn’t take long to cook and it’s a great addition to any meal. Sauté it with some garlic and onions, add some broth and braise it. Thicken it a little with cornstarch and water, and serve it over rice. A little hot pepper is nice also. Soya or oyster sauce adds flavor also. Wooden Tokens a hit
Judging by the wooden tokens that the vendors are handing in for reimbursement, it’s obvious that many of you have discovered how easy it is to use your debit/credit/ebt cards, or a check at the market. You don’t have to stop at the ATM machine on your way here. They are used just like cash. If you have a check with you, you can make it out to the farmers’ market at the X, and you can get tokens that way also.
Farmers’ Markets in MassThere are now 190 farmers’ markets here in Massachusetts. In 2003 there were fewer than 100. I have noticed that many new farmers are younger and very well educated. Here are some interesting statistics from 2002-07:
· The percentage of farms that were principally operated by women rose from 21% to just under 30%.· Farms with under $20,000 in revenue a year went up 29% while the total revenue to those farms rose 83%.
· Farms with over $100,000 in revenue a year went up 16% while the total revenue to those farms rose 29%· The average farm operator has been on the same farm for 21 years and is 56.3 years old.
. 1,150 of our farms are owned by someone 70 years old or more.· Our farms are local family-owned businesses. Of the 791 farms, only 75 are owned by non-family corporations (and some of those are land trusts, towns, and not for profit entities.
· There was a growth of farms in the country; nationally farm numbers grew 4%. Across the northeast they grew 16%, in Massachusetts farm numbers grew 27% to 517,879 acres.Bing! Arts Center (thanks to the Springfield Preservation Trust newsletter)
The Bing! Arts Center (it apparently was named after Bing Crosby) is moving along. The theatre opened in 1950 with about 900 seats. Most of its front area was built as Cossaboom’s Garage in 1919, and was subject to neglect from early on.About 15 years ago the Bing closed its doors and ultimately the City took it for taxes. A few years later, the City named a preferred developer to rehab it, but nothing ever happened until about 7 years ago when another request for proposal (RFP) led to the naming of the X Main St. Corp as preferred developer. With Brian Hale (Design Workshop, Gallery 137) in charge, progress was made.
After zoning issues were resolved with the City, a new roof was put on the front area of the building. Fencing went in to protect the rear yard area and most of the exterior was painted. There has been significant vandalism over the years, and it is still an issue, but good maintenance has kept it looking good.A modest project was started to open up the front area for smaller events. The 2 storefronts are to be galleries; the lavatories have been rehabbed, X Main Street has an office, the concession area has been upgraded, and the lobby is an events/gathering space. The BIG project involving the theatre space is a future project. The current work had State funding, but at about 90% completion, the money disappeared due to the big cuts late last year. Several fund-raisers have been held throughout the years and there were 2 more this year. The new marquee sign by Design Workshop is in place and the lights were on during the last fund-raiser.
Sector H Police Meeting, 9/2The monthly community police meetings will be back at Sinai Temple, 1100 Dickinson Street at 7 PM. Go in the right rear door. Everyone is welcome whether or not you have a problem. Working together to solve problems is why community policing works. This is the Forest Park/East Forest Park sector.
Winter Market
All responses for having a winter market have been positive. Trinity Church has said yes, and many customers and vendors have said that they’d like to have one. So, it looks as if it will be a go, probably on the second Saturday of the month, 10:30-1:30, November through April. Stay tuned.Code Enforcement
You can report a code violation in Springfield by going to the City’s website, click on “C” and then go to Code Enforcement, and put everything in there. Or, you can call 787-6730. Recently there were some articles in the newspaper and some follow-up letters about how ridiculous it is to cite someone for parking on their lawn, or for having un-mowed grass, etc. While we all know that there are many more serious issues to care about, these are quality of life issues. Try living next door to someone who doesn’t take care of his or her property. There are standards that everyone should maintain so that every neighborhood looks good. It costs nothing to pick up trash and keep property clean. Many years ago I was trying to sell a house so that I could move, I was having some difficulty. One of the houses next door to me was poorly maintained. Eventually the owners cleaned and fixed it up and my house sold within the next two weeks. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Take as objective a look as possible at your own home, and make improvements if you can. And, don’t be afraid to report a property that needs work. If you are unsure of some of the City ordinances, pick up a copy of the ordinance book at your community police meeting.
