A Gift that Keeps on Giving

Once again Vesey’s has prepared a special packet of wildflower seeds for the bees, butterflies, and birds; and once again the Woodstock Farm and Craft Market has ordered a supply for complimentary distribution to its faithful patrons.

These packets were picked so fast last year that the Market doubled its order for this year; and like last year, Market Board member, Glenn McLean, volunteered to pay for the order.

It’s certainly true that the Woodstock Farm Market and Craft Market is a place for selling and buying, but it is also a place where the “gift economy” is continually in operation as well. Glenn’s generosity is good example of the “gift economy.” The whole Farm Market is run entirely by volunteers making the gift of their time and interest.

So if you want to pass on a gift to the bees, butterflies, and birds, look for the complimentary wildflower seed packet at the front desk.

High Water and Fiddleheads

With continuing high water in the creeks and rivers, I figured the fiddleheads might be late this year, but they seem to be right on time. Fiddleheads were available in the Farm Market last week, and Ramona Paul assures me that a steady supply will be coming in this week as well.

They tend to sell quickly so there may be temporary gaps between when they sell out and a new supply is brought in. A phone call to the Market to check is a good idea. Call 325-1816. Market hours are 10-4 Monday through Saturday. The Market opens at 8 AM on Friday.

Ramona also has a great fiddlehead cookbook for sale in the Market that has lots of recipes for preparing, cooking, and baking with fiddleheads. It is titled Gourmet Fiddleheads: Cooking with North America’s Finest. Look for it in Ramona’s stall and at the front counter.

Vegetable Garden Seeds at the Market

The Market is a good place to pick up vegetable seeds for your garden planting. Matthew Culberson has a good selection of his home-grown seeds. Carolyn Davis has a display from Hope Seeds, an organic grower who got her start in Knowlesville and is now located in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Both suppliers feature the good old heirloom varieties that have served Maritime gardeners well for many generations.

The rain has at last slacked off and the heat of the sun in recent days has warmed the soil and dried it out enough to get started with garden planting. Market gardeners and home gardeners alike are now gearing up for a new season. We all hope for good planting weather and a bountiful harvest.

If you are looking for a place to put in a garden, plots are still available at the Woodstock Community Garden on upper Main Street. Contact Ellen or Keith Helmuth 325-3546