The Ocean Pines Farmers Market has only been open two seasons, but with mounting success so far, the decision was made recently to keep the Farmers Market open year-round. The market, located in White Horse Park in Ocean Pines, was originally set to close in October, but after requests from both the vendors and the customers, the decision was made to keep the market open through the winter as well.
The Ocean Pines Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8am until noon, with a variety of vendors on site each week offering everything from local produce to floral arrangements. Produce, farm fresh eggs, organic goods, pork, chicken, lamb, herbs, homemade pies, fresh cut flowers, jelly and honey are all available each week at the market. What’s more, you get the chance to shop local and support our local farmers and community.
The market will host roughly a dozen vendors most Saturdays through the winter. ShoreBread had the pleasure of interviewing local vendor Tumbleweed & Eddie’s a few weeks ago, learning the ins and outs of their dog treat business. You can find Lisa and Jonathan Iszard at the market each Saturday, selling their homemade, all-natural dog treats and jerky. Be sure and grab a few bags of their holiday treats while you still can. This Christmas, their Festive Feast includes limited edition biscuits made with turkey, cranberries and walnuts. Little Miss Lovely will also be on site most Saturday’s this winter, offering wreaths and flower arrangements to brighten your wintertime blues.
To encourage you to shop local and support our local farmers market, we’ve included two fool-proof farmers’ market recipes. First up…
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
3 to 4 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating, peel the potatoes and slice them lengthwise in half and then into fourths. Cut each piece into long strips. Place the potato slices in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with olive oil and spices and mix together. After tossing gently, spread potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake until the potatoes are lightly browned and crisp – roughly 25 to 35 minutes depending on how crispy you prefer your fries to be. Serve immediately.
Apple Butter
Ingredients
4 lbs. of cooking apples (ask vendors at the farmers market for help picking the best apples)
1 cup of apple cider
2 cups of water
Sugar
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
Preparation:
- Cook the apples down until they are soft enough for mashing. Mash the apples with a potato masher or with a food processor until they are a smooth, uniform texture.
- Cook applesauce by pouring it into a saucepan at very low heat. Add in cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Cook the sauce slowly, stirring it every so often. As the sauce cooks down and thickens, taste and add sugar accordingly (depending on how sweet or tart you prefer your apple butter). Cooking time varies, but should take 2 to 3 hours with smaller batches.
Both sweet potato fries and apple butter are fall staple foods that can also used as a fun afternoon activity. Plus, you get the added benefit of knowing that you bought your apples and sweet potatoes from your local farmers market. There are many variations for making apple butter and sweet potato fries so get creative…and share your results with us here at ShoreBread!
