Farmers Market Preserves, Seattle, WA

Rome Doherty, owner of Farmers Market Preserves writes us, “I spent time in the kitchen this week making friends with a 25-pound box of pie cherries and I have cherry jam of all types…I especially like the Cherry Vanilla. I also have a bunch of Peach Butter and more Raspberry with Theo Chocolate.”

After wrestling with the 25-pound box of cherries, Rome must really have have cherries on his mind because the “magic” word this week is “Chekhov.” No doubt in honor of his play “The Cherry Orchard.” So all customers interested in a dollar off of their first jar of jam, please try to work in the master Russian playwright’s name into your conversation with Rome.

Got Soup?, Seattle, WA

Jerry Baxter, owner of Got Soup?, writes, “So this week’s weather has our usual 3 seasonal changes, hopefully the soups will fill your needs. Let’s talk about health. I will tell you something interesting about one of the main ingredients of each soup. Carrots are a rich source of Vitamin A and beta carotene as well as many minerals, good source for detox and very helpful to your liver. Watermelon, good source of Vitamin C and A. Good at fighting certain cancers, minimize asthma and reduces arthritis symptoms. Collard greens are by far the healthiest thing you can put in your mouth. Great source of fiber, collards are rich in sources of phyto-nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties. Salmon, highest source of Omega 3.”

This week’s soups are:

• Carrot and Coconut Vichyssoise (cold and vegan)
• North West Chowder
• Watermelon Gazpacho (cold and vegan)
• Jerk Chicken with Black Eyed Peas and Greens

As always, Jerry sources most of his ingredients from our local farms. This week Mercer Island Farmers Market vendors Full Circle Farm, Carnation, WA (onions, leeks, and fennel), Tonnemaker Family Orchard, Royal City, WA (dried chilies, peppers, and zucchini), Five Acre Farm, Whidbey Island, WA (zucchini), and Kittitas Valley Greenhouse, Ellensburg, WA (tomatoes) have supplied ingredients for his soups.

Jacobs Creamery, Doty, WA

Jacobs Creamery, our newest vendor, is returning for their second market day at the Mercer Island Farmers Market. In addition to their eggs, cheeses (cheddar, Feta, Gouda, and Jarlsberg), and chocolate and vanilla puddings, they are expanding the products they are selling at the MI Farmers Market.

This Sunday, they will be selling crème fraiche, fromage blanc, honey butter, and cheddar curds.

Kittitas Valley Greenhouse, Ellensburg, WA

Due to the remarkably cool summer all of Washington State has been experiencing, Kittitas Valley is not producing tomatoes in large enough volume to be at our farmers market on Sunday.

We are all hoping that this coming week the weather gets hotter over in central Washington so that their wonderful heirloom tomatoes ripen in time for our the MI Farmers Market next Sunday.

Molly Moon’s Ice Cream, Seattle, WA

Unfortunately Molly Moon is have mechanical problems and so their truck will not be at the Mercer Island Farmers Market this Sunday.

However, while their truck won’t be at the MIFM, their ice cream will be. We are so pleased that they, along with Parfait Artisan Ice Cream, have donated ice cream toward the MI Farmers Market’s third anniversary celebration. A big “thank you” to Molly Moon for their donation.

Customers are encouraged to join us in our celebration by picking up some ice cream at our sampling table starting at noon.

Overland Enterprises, Seattle, WA

Mark and Susan Overholt, owners of Overland Enterprises, wrote us about their plant-of-the-week:

Clethra alnifolia (Ruby Spice) is a showy and fragrant deciduous shrub that blooms in late summer. A most underused and hard to find beauty that grows in any exposure and soil condition. Its hot pink 2 inch flowers at the branch tips resemble bottlebrushes. Even if you have no room for this shrub please come visit our booth anyway to see and smell this rare plant.

Overland Enterprises is located conveniently next to the Master Gardeners’ table. So be sure to stop by to talk with the Master Gardeners and Mark and Susan with all of your gardening questions and needs.

Rockridge Orchards, Enumclaw, WA

Due to a prior commitment, Rockridge Orchards, will not be at the Mercer Island Farmers Market this Sunday. They will return next Sunday, August 21st.