Saturday, August 29, 2009

Glendive Farm-to-Table market, flea market

Sometimes you have to look carefully, but there it is: tomato jelly, or something equally unusual. It never hurts to ask for a taste, and so I learned that this spicy jelly would be great on toast or (I think) with anything you'd put relish on.

This was a nice little market, with about 15 vendors selling lots of produce, baked goods, and other handmade items like birdhouses, quilts, and ponchos made from denim.

The Crisafulli kids were selling produce out of their garden, and they showed me the varieties of their patty pan squash. Very colorful. Another vendor told me that she poaches eggs in her small ones: hollow out the squash, put some chopped green pepper and onion in the bottom of the hollow, and place an egg on top. Simmer until the egg is cooked, at which time the squash will be cooked, too.

Since the market is sponsored by the Farm-to-Table Co-op, their Western Trail products were available, along with tasty samples of the bread mixes. It really is amazing how good barley can taste in any form -- at the next table (dominated by freshly baked biscotti and coffee), healthy barley sprouts were for sale.

Tomatillos made an appearance, something I haven't seen at any other market.

I chatted with Marvin and Betty Tweet, who run the Green Valley Campground. They raise lots of delicious potatoes in their garden space there.

And providing background music for a perfect morning was a group of musicians, among whom was a reporter (left) on the local paper.

On my way out of town, I stopped at the flea market. Flea markets are always fun to explore, and this one was highly recommended.

Along with the usual glorious collection of "one person's junk, another person's treasure," there were a few edibles, so I am counting this as a farmers market. How much produce or baked goods show up each week varies considerably, but you can generally count on them being there somewhere. Today they were on a neat little cart.

If you are driving by, you can't miss this market -- a groovy bus sits by the side of road urging people to come have a look. Inside the bus is a small wood-burning stove, where vendors have huddled together on cold days.

While I was snapping photos, an even groovier Volkswagen pulled up, hand-painted by the driver, who is seen here wearing a tie-dyed peace shirt. You never know who or what will be at the flea market!

One of the important features of this market is a portable toilet that costs $45 per weekly cleaning. Market manager (aka flea master) Neil Young told me that the $5 table fee is used solely for this expense. Sometimes only a few vendors show up and it's hard to meet the payment. So if you go to this market and use this facility, I suggest making a donation toward the cost.

Neil is a fun person to talk to, so make sure to find him and ask him anything. He is full of stories and ideas about almost everything.


Glendive Farm-to-Table Farmers Market
313 West Valentine
June - September
Saturday, 9 am - noon

Flea Market
From Glendive, 1 1/2 miles north on Highway 16
May to September (sort of)
First and third Saturday, 8 am to 6 pm

1 comment:

  1. What a cool old relic of a car/truck/camper ... woodstock or bust! I wonder if those signs are original!

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