Downtown Mount Joy

Mount Joy's Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Contest & Parade - RESCHEDULED

2009-10-23T16:34:00.002-04:00

Mount Joy’s Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Contest & Parade
Postponed to SUNDAY, NOV 1st

Once again, due to the inclement weather of this Saturday, Oct 24th, the Mount Joy Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Contest & Parade is postponed to next SUNDAY, Nov 1st. This decision is based on the best weather information available to us at this time which shows the possibility of rain again next Saturday but a nice day on Sunday. However, due to holding the event on Sunday, the event times will change. Registration will be from 1 – 2 pm at Memorial Park. We will begin the parade at 2:30 pm from Delta Street to Columbia Ave to Market Street and back to the park for event festivities and awards.

Dress your pets (& you!) in your most creative costumes for your chance to win prizes. Over 30 prizes will be awarded in categories including: funniest, most original, best impersonation of another animal, animal/owner look-alike (child & adult divisions), best multiple pet theme, best family group theme, most adorable, best of show, choice awards, people’s choice, and more! Registration is $8 per pet or $15 group rate. All registered pets will receive a 2009 pet banana, goodie bag, and event portrait by deb swanger photography. It’s a fun time for the whole family with pumpkin painting, face painting, raffles, live concert by the Surf Ratz, doggie ice cream social, and more. Visit pet related stands and local pet rescues around the park and new this year, come hungry as local Mount Joy restaurants will be selling a delicious selection of finger foods. We will be collecting pet food & new toys, beds, towels, etc at registration for local rescues. Each item enters you into a drawing for additional prizes.

We encourage families and their pets to join us. If you love animals, this is a great event for you. Come out, be in the parade, or simply enjoy the event as a spectator!

Hopefully the third time is the charm for us! If Sunday offers us lousy weather, we will cancel this year’s event and look forward to the 2010 Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Parade.

For more information please contact MSMJ at 717-653-4227 or visit us at www.msmj.org

Mount Joy's Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Contest & Parade

2009-10-08T09:41:00.003-04:00

Saturday, October 17th
Rain Date: Saturday, October 24th

Times: Event: 12:30 – 3:30 pm
Registration 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Blessing of the Animals: 12:30 pm
Parade: 1 pm
Award Presentation: 2:30 pm

Place: Memorial Park off Marietta Ave., Mount Joy

A howlin' good time with our pets. Dress your pets (& you!) in your most creative costumes for your chance to win prizes. Over 30 prizes will be awarded in categories including: funniest, most original, best impersonation of another animal, animal/owner look-alike (child & adult divisions), best multiple pet theme, best family group theme, most adorable, best of show, choice awards, people’s choice, and more! Registration is $8 per pet or $15 group rate. All registered pets will receive a 2009 pet banana, goodie bag, and event portrait by deb swanger photography. It’s a fun time for the whole family with pumpkin painting, face painting, live concert by the Surf Ratz, raffles, & doggie ice cream social. Visit pet related stands and local pet rescues around the park and new this year, come hungry as local Mount Joy restaurants will be selling a delicious selection of finger foods. We will be collecting pet food & new toys, beds, towels, etc at registration for local rescues. Each item enters you into a drawing for additional prizes.

For more information please contact MSMJ at 717-653-4227 or visit us at www.msmj.org

Mount Joy Farmers Market Community Craft Day

2009-09-09T16:26:00.002-04:00

The Mount Joy Farmers Market will hold a Community Craft Day on Sat. Sept. 12th from 8 am to noon. The Mount Joy Farmers Market is located in the Union National Community Bank parking lot at 101 E. Main Street, Mount Joy. You will find the market packed full of local crafters in addition to your seasonal standholders selling you fresh produce, plants, cut flowers, handmade soaps, baked goods, and more.

Crafters include: wood crafts from the burnt lumber of the Risser Mill Covered Bridge; handwoven baskets; handmade jewelry; wood crafts by Sam Nolt; children's pillows, bags, blankets, bows, etc.; rag rugs; 100% natural soy candles; silk flower arrangements; handmade greeting cards & scrapbook layouts; and more!

In addition to Craft Day, several demos & classes will take place. Spend the morning with us at market!

- 9:30 am - A Jewelry Making Demo by Maryanne Schwartz of the Torchsong Studio

- 10:00 am - A Basic Bow Making Class by The Sunflower Lady (cost $2 for materials)

- 10:30 am - A Tincture Making Demo by Tina Sams of the Essential Herbal

- 11:00 am - A Basic Bow Making Class by The Sunflower Lady (cost $2 for materials)

The Farmers Market 2009 Season is not over by any means! Market will remain open through Sat Oct 17th. Hope to see you at market this Saturday!

Mount Joy Crab Fest

2009-09-09T16:08:00.004-04:00

Main Street Mount Joy hosts the 3rd Annual Crab Fest event at the Liederkranz Pavilion, 722 S. Chiques Rd this Saturday, Sept 12th from 4 - 8 PM. Tickets will be sold at the gate at the following prices: Adults $35/person; Seniors (62+) $30/person; and children 6 - 10 $10/person. Event features all you can eat hardshell crabs or 2 crab cakes, plus a delicious buffet of pulled pork, baked beans, crab fries, salads, soups, ice cream, and beverages. Adult beverages sold separately. In addition to the great food, we will have a live concert by the Surf Ratz beginning at 5 pm and a magician & balloon twister. The event also features a silent auction and door prizes. The proceeds of this event benefit Main Street Mount Joy and Rainbows End Youth Services. This is a rain or shine event. For more details, please call the Main Street office at 717-653-4227 or visit us on the web at www.msmj.org. Hope to see you there!

Farm Day at the Market 8/22/09

2009-08-24T16:36:00.004-04:00

Our market this past Saturday was filled with exciting surprises. It was a blend of Farm Day and Kid's Day, which meant a virtual smorgasbord of things to see and do.
While posting these pictures, there was something I noticed, and would like to point out to the casual observer. Look at the faces of the people in the pictures and notice how everyone seems to be truly enjoying themselves. You'll see people working together, laughing, helping each other, and communicating. This is the heart of our marketplace.A restored Farmall tractor sat in the middle of the roadway, getting admiring looks from young and old alike. Mount Joy is a farming town, so some of our customers have used a tractor very much like this one (if not exactly like this one) in their own fields.Maryanne Schwartz made soap for several onlookers. They were full of questions and came back later to see how the soap was doing in the mold.

The Hartz' Farm has put together a really neat little kit. For $4, you get everything you need including full instructions in order to clean and decorate a birdhouse gourd and make it a bird abode. You can't beat that price with a stick! What a great project to do with kids (or without them :). The Mullens played music for us, and that was such a nice change of pace. They had everyone tapping their toes - a few people got up and danced - and the whole feel of market was lightened, especially as it was overcast. We hope they come back!

Stacy gets a hand from the Hartz family getting balloons ready for the kids.

See what I mean? I hope that the feel of our market is captured in these pictures.
Would you like a great recipe for eggplant? We've been telling people about it at market, and maybe you'd like it too. It's on this blog entry- Baked Eggplant , the bottom half. Just scroll down and you'll even see pictures of the finished dish.

Coming up in Mount Joy - Market and beyond

2009-08-02T19:50:00.006-04:00

August 8th, at Mount Joy Market, you can expect to find - along with the usual wonderfully abundant produce: more heirloom tomatoes from Prescott's Patch, The Sunflower Lady will be bringing in some Freestone Peaches from her trees, Creekside will be bringing their garlic, cantaloupes and red peppers, J & J will be starting to bring their gorgeous Hibiscuses for fall, & Grandma's has her new Potato Chip cookies with butterscotch chips!

And, did you know we have fresh baked bread at market right now? Joyce at Nolts bakes fresh white and wheat loaves each week for us!

Something new at Market is called "Lunch to go @ Farmers Market". Many of the restaurants in Mount Joy have expressed interest in taking part by offering a carry out lunch dish. A different restaurant will be represented each week. Restaurants will be donating back a portion of their profits to benefit our market. August 1, The Tilted Kilt was there with American and Italian subs for take out. We really appreciated being able to take home a quick lunch for after market and to be giving back to market at the same time.

August 15 is the Annual Mount Joy Chamber of Commerce Chicken BBQ. Sales will be held from 10 AM to 2:30 PM, at the Milanof-Schock Library, Anderson Ferry Rd & School Lane, Mount Joy, PA.
1/2 Chicken $5.00, Dinner - $7.50 (Dinner includes 1/2 Chicken, Baked Potato, Homemade Applesauce, Roll & Butter, Whoopie Pie & a drink.)
The chicken will be prepared for the 5th year in a row by Dennis Peters. We understand the organizers have been "told many times this chicken is some of the best in the area."
This BarBQ benefits Chamber scholarship funds, Main Street Mount Joy and the Chamber, as well as the Library.
So, come on out for a good cause. Treat your family to a great meal and treat yourself to a meal already prepared for you.

August 21st at Mount Joy Farmers Market is our Farmer's Day. That means there will be farm equipment around for the kids (big and little) to admire and enjoy. The soap ladies at Lancaster County Soapworks will be doing a soap demo so you can see for yourself exactly how soap is made. Some of the other vendors will probably have some surprises up their sleeves and we may try to let you know as they let US know ahead of time.

There's one more thing on the schedule that we want to remind you about.
The 3rd Annual Mount Joy Crab Fest is coming up Saturday, September 12th and tickets are available for pre-sale every week at Market or at the Main Street Mount Joy offices at 15 Marietta Avenue. All you can eat crabs along with a fabulous buffet, live music and a silent auction. $30 is the regular adult pre-sale price, $35 at the door. This event benefits Main Street Mount Joy and Rainbows End Youth Services.
This little but mighty town has lots of things going on. Come out and take part in the fun!

What's "big" at market?

2009-07-30T08:22:00.005-04:00

Well.....

The Nolts have lots of sweet (!!!) corn, black cherries and melons on display, along with the various squash, tomatoes, and other fare. Joyce has her flavored angel food cakes and beautiful iced tea ring.

On the 18th, Weaverine Traditionals was at market, where Nancy Duffy will demonstrate and weave rag rugs once a month. She’ll be back again next month, on August 15th. On that day, anyone bringing in 6 old sheets (no jersey knits) gets a free rug (while supply lasts).

Over at the Sugar Flower & Cake Company, the cupcakes were delightful! Beehives w/bees, butterflies, and bouquets topped the treats, while boxes of muffins lined up beside them.

Prescott’s Patch had their own strawberries! In mid JULY! We are so lucky to have such delightful produce. Fingerling potatoes, patty pan squash, and red raspberries also played a starring role on their tables.

Grandma’s Kitchen featured lemon sponge pie, apple dumplings, and brownies with peanut butter. She had pretzels, too.

J&J Growers brought a full complement of hanging baskets. A favorite is the Mediterranean Vinca, a trailing plant that loves hot weather and full blazing hot sun! Other standouts were hostas and giant hibiscus.

Maryanne’s lampwork glass beads and various soaps were looking good at Lancaster County Soapworks. The Git Spritz is a top seller.

The Essential Herbal sold out of holy basil and passionflower tinctures, and the hand blended teas are a hit too.

The Sunflower Lady did indeed have beautiful sunflowers, amaranthus, stargazer lilies, and straw hats.

Hartz Farm had lots of summer squash, gourd art, and is beginning to branch out into wood work.

Creekside Produce brought a giant bucket of gladiolas along with their lettuce, onions, beets and other produce.

The Main Street Mount Joy table has the giant umbrellas for sale at $15 ($3 savings!) as well as tote bags, insulated coolers, and lots of information for the taking. Back issues of the newsletters are available there too!All the wonderful fresh and local produce is coming in now.

Here is a salad idea that's a little different that uses some of those luscious tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and basil:

Panzanella
3 T good olive oil
1 loaf French bread cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 t kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
10—15 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 T capers, drained (you can skip them, but I like their flavor)
1 small can jumbo black olives, drained

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed. In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, olives and capers. Add bread cubes.
Mustard Vinaigrette
Whisk together :
1 t finely minced garlic
1/2 t Dijon mustard
3 T White wine vinegar
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
drizzle over the salad, toss and allow it set for about half an hour for the flavors to develop.

Did you know that you can find many local experts on hand at Market? It’s true!

Several of the growers would be more than happy to help out with advice for your own garden. When I lamented over the small size of my garden to Steve at Prescott’s Patch, his reply was, ‘Anything is good! At least you’re doing something—do what you can.”

Of course the Main Street Mount Joy booth can give you information on what’s happening around town.

J & J growers wants to be sure your plants grow as they should, and Tina and Maryanne at the soap and herb booth can help you with herbal questions.

One of the great benefits of buying and eating locally is that you can talk to the people who grow and make what you are buying.

Take advantage of that benefit and talk to your neighbors!
You never know who you’ll see at market!

Do something good for yourself, your family and your community... Come out to market this week! It's a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

Taste of Mount Joy as seen from Market

2009-07-25T16:39:00.005-04:00

Market today was a lot of fun. We were slinging herbs and soaps, while enjoying the company of our neighboring vendors and... well... neighbors! Today was Taste of Mount Joy - local restaurants as well as antique/classic cars and street rods took over Main street for a good part of the day, and there was an after-party at Bube's Brewery. For a city it's size, Mount Joy has some great events.

I really like the picture below because you can see the people having a leisurely shopping experience. The men off to one side have run into each other and are caught up in conversation. One of the most notable things when people-watching at market is that people shop with someone else. Couples, parents with children, grandparents with children AND grandchildren, and sometimes small groups of young adults just come as friends. There are solitary shoppers, but in the grocery store you rarely see people making it into a social occasion such as the farmers market. If you watch the vendors, you can tell how much they enjoy the interactions with their customers and neighbors, too. The women above seemed to enjoy the wares offered by each vendor.
Below, intern Roanna gets the banner announcing the Crab Fest all set up.

Last but certainly not least, we were treated to at least an hour long "parade" of the cars as they came from the registration location to find their spots along Main Street for the main event. I hope that many of you were able to enjoy this special day in downtown Mount Joy!

Oh - and it was Recipe Exchange Day at market. Did you get your cards?

Here was my recipe for the swap.....

Gazpacho
Ingredients
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 T chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
2 T lemon juice
2 t sugar
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups tomato juice

Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. Remove 3/4 of the mixture, and continue blending the rest until pureed. Place in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend. Perfect for a hot summer day. Add crusty bread for an evening meal that doesn't heat up the kitchen.

Taste of Mount Joy – Cruisin’ Cuisine

2009-07-22T11:00:00.002-04:00

On July 25, 2009 from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm, there will be a showcase of antique, classic, and hot rod cars, trucks, & motorcycles as well as the great tastes of Mount Joy from area restaurants. It's a perfect combination of special cars to admire and delicious food to feast! Over 45 trophies awarded to entries. Also new this year - A Cruisin' Cuisine After Party immediately after the show at Bube's Brewery. Come out and Enjoy!!

Buy Local, Eat Healthy!

2009-07-12T14:33:00.013-04:00

Mount Joy is superbly blessed with our Farmers' Market, small town grocery stores, and farm stands along the back roads. Our restaurants use good fresh local produce and meats whenever they can. We are so lucky that we don't always think about it. At market this past week, we've been talking about it a lot!

While you're here, PLEASE click on the sidebar >>> and vote for our market. Winning would make a big difference to our little market, so click and help. THANKS! WHY EAT LOCAL?

Adapted from the 100 Mile Diet

1. Taste the difference. At a farmer's market, most local produce has been picked inside of 24 hours.

2. Know what you're eating. Buying food today is complicated. What pesticides were used? Is that corn genetically modified? Was that chicken free range or did it grow up in a box? People who eat locally find it easier to get answers.
3. Meet your neighbors. Local eating is social. Studies show that people shopping at farmers markets have 10 times more conversations than their counterparts at the supermarket.
4. Get in touch with the seasons. When you eat locally, you eat what's in season. You'll remember that cherries are the taste of summer. Even in winter, comfort foods like squash soup and pancakes just make sense - a lot more sense than flavorless cherries from the other side of the world.
5. Discover new flavors. Ever tried sunchokes? How about heirloom tomatoes, baby eggplant, or handmade pretzels? Even familiar foods are more interesting. Count the types of pears offered at your supermarket. Maybe three? Small farms are keeping alive nearly 300 other varieties - while more than 2,000 more have been lost in our rush to sameness.
6. Explore your home. Visiting local farm markets is a way to be a tourist on your own home turf.
7. Save the world. A study in Iowa found that a regional diet consumed 17 times less oil and gas than a typical diet shipped across the country.
8. Support small farms. In areas with strong local markets, the family farm is reviving.

9. Give back to the local economy. A British study tracked how much of the money spent at a local food business stayed in the local economy and how many times it was reinvested. The total value was almost twice the contribution of a dollar spent at a supermarket chain.
10. Be healthy. Eaing from farmer's markets and cooking from scratch, there's no need to count calories.
11. Create memories. A friend of ours has a theory that a night spent making jam - or in his case perogies - with friends will always be better a time than the latest Hollywood blockbuster. We're convinced.
12. Have more fun while traveling. Once you're addicted to local eating, you'll want to explore it wherever you go. On a trip to Mexico, earth-baked corn and hot spiced sour oranges led us away from the resorts and into the small towns. Somewhere along the line, a mute magician gave us a free show over bowls of lime soup in a little cantina. If you would like to try some of the recipes included in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, you can find all of them on listed BY SEASON! here on the website...http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/Recipes.html. We also have some wonderful recipes offered by the writer Susan Wittig Albert, who has a mystery series about an herbalist - China Bayles. Find her recipes here. Enjoy your local produce today! Green tomato pie from Susan

Mount Joy Music in the Park Concert Series

2009-07-08T10:23:00.001-04:00

Main Street Mount Joy has released the 2009 Summer Concert Schedule for Mount Joy.

The Mount Joy Music in the Park Concert Series consists of 4 live concerts this year, which take place in War Memorial Park on Marietta Avenue. July concerts begin at 7 PM and August concerts begin at 6:30 PM.

Concerts are free to attendees; however, donations are accepted & appreciated at all concerts in support of the live performance series. The July concerts are sponsored by partnering not-for-profit community groups and therefore, donations are shared to support the wonderful efforts of these groups as well.

July 19th – 7 PM in War Memorial Park
The Bainbridge Band – An All-American, cake-walking, toe-tapping program
This concert is sponsored by the Lions Club of Mount Joy

(Note: A booked solid weekend, Friday July 24th Fourth Friday & Sat July 25th Taste of Mount Joy)
July 26th – 7 PM in War Memorial Park
Red Rose Chorus – Always popular barbershop, four-part harmony choral performance by the best male voices in Lancaster County!
This concert is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mount Joy
+ Plus Mayor Ginder’s Annual Ice Cream Social in the Park
+ Florin Church of the Brethren serving free hot dogs & sodas

August 2nd – 6:30 PM in War Memorial Park
Jazz Ministers Big Band – Gospel, hymns, church music and standards like you’ve never heard them before – big band style! Concert Co-Sponsor: Barton’s Body Shop a co-sponsor is needed.

August 9th – 6:30 PM in War Memorial Park
Fire in the Glen – An exciting Celtic duo featuring a rousing selection of traditional music from Ireland, Scotland and the Canadian Maritimes. Concert sponsor is Mount Joy Country Homes.

Concert goers are invited to bring their own chairs. All concerts are weather permitting; in the event of HEAVY rain the concert will be cancelled. We will do our best to reschedule if the performers schedule permits.

The concert series is coordinated by Main Street Mount Joy, a downtown revitalization organization. For updates and more information, please visit http://www.msmj.org/ on the web or call the Main Street Mount Joy office at 653-4227.

This year, the concert series is chaired by Main Street volunteers, Nancy Bullock Shonk, 653-5251 and Mary Ginder, 653-5355.

Lavender Festival

2009-06-25T16:56:00.008-04:00

The drifts of lavender are blooming,
and it's time for a Lavender Festival.This Saturday at Farmers Market we will have:
Free make and take lavender wand classes weave a 13-stem wand to keep your linen closet or "unmentionables" drawer fresh.

A distillation demonstration (9 - 11am)
See how essential oils are made. Our glass still allows you to see the process, drop by drop.

Lavender plants, sachets, soaps, essential oil, spray, and more!

Mention this email at the soap/herb booth,
and get a gluten-free lavender shortbread cookie.

Lavender Baked Custard Serves 2 to 4
1 bunch lavender
2 cups cream
1/2 cup 10X sugar
3 eggs, beaten

Gently heat the lavender in the cream for 10 minutes. Cool and strain. Add the fine sugar and eggs and bake in a moderate oven (375 F) until set. This custard is pale green and tastes delicious.

Be sure to bookmark the blog: http://msmj.blogspot.com to get any upcoming information and recipes!

Farmers Market Newsletter - #4

2009-06-21T10:05:00.003-04:00

We're trying something a little different this week, just taking snapshots from the actual newsletters and posting them in chunks. If you aren't getting the paper newsletter, you've been missing some of the important information that we want to be sure you get.
For instance:

And one of the most important parts...

We've had the egg, bacon and cheese on an English Muffin twice so far. It is so different from what this phrase usually conjures up (golden arches?) that it doesn't even seem like the same dish - delicious! As is everything that comes from The Tilted Kilt, of course.
Make a morning of it! Come to market and have a scrumtious breakfast on the deck at The Tilted Kilt!

Vote for Mount Joy Farmers Market!

2009-06-20T14:39:00.001-04:00

Hi - I just voted in the "Love Your Farmers Market" contest sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org to help my favorite market, Mount Joy Farmers Market, win a grand prize of $5,000. I care about promoting fresh, local and healthy foods, and I need your help to get enough votes to help Mount Joy Farmers Market win. Please vote here: http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/10444?refer=19462.09.1245522962.832 230.

GARDEN TOUR ~ You are invited!

2009-06-16T08:07:00.004-04:00

The Mount Joy Area Historical Society is sponsoring a garden tour this Saturday, June 20, 2009 from 10am til 3 pm (leaving a couple hours to stop by market first).

The 12 gardens are all within easy driving distance in the Mount Joy area, and you go at your own pace, enjoying the day as you like it.
For advance tickets ($8). call 653-1572 .

Tickets are $10 on the day of the tour.

Get out and get some great ideas to incorporate into your gardens!

Phyllis Landis, who worked very hard to organize the tour, joined us at market to get the word out.

Mount Joy Farmers Market Newsletter #3

2009-06-08T08:31:00.005-04:00

Welcome to the third issue of the Mount Joy Farmers Market newsletter, where you'll see what's going on at market, see who's here, what they're up to AND get a good recipe or two that might be a new way for you to use that fresh delicious produce our farmers are bringing to you each week.

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 c garlic scapes (8 or 9), top flowery part removed, cut into 1/4" slices
1/3 c walnuts
3/4 c olive oil
1/4 - 12 C grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t salt
black pepper to taste
Place scapes and nuts into food processor and process until well combined and somewhat smooth. Add oil in a drizzle until well blended. Scoop pesto from processor to mixing bowl and add parmesan to taste. Add salt and pepper.
Use 1/4 to 1/3 cup pesto to one pound of pasta.

Strawberry Salsa
1 c coursely chopped strawberries
1 T orange juice
1 t orange zest
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 t Dijon mustard
2 T dried currants
2 T red wine vinegar
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Chill and serve with grilled fish or chicken.

Customers—Tiffany Kuhn and children Summer and Jonathon enjoy a late spring morning at the market.

VENDOR OF THE WEEK
The Hartz Family is comprised of Charlie and Roberta along with sons Scott (and wife Karen) and Adam (and girlfriend Steph). They are usually easy to find with their cheerful red t-shirts, and their sign pole in front of the neat-as-a-pin stand, or operating the tractor and wagon in the Memorial Day parade. The Hartz’ relocated to Lancaster County from Berks County about 5 years ago. Charlie was an industrial arts teacher and Roberta a school secretary. Sometimes, you’ll see their Model A at market. Charlie and their sons have a deep love of restoring and using old machinery. I (the reporter) can attest to that, living across the road and watching them work on an ever-changing parade of equipment. They work magic on pieces of metal that were most likely destined to never work again, shining them up and putting them back in the fields.
Besides produce at their booth, you’ll find beautiful gourds and wreaths made by Roberta.

CHECK OUT: www.ColumbiaRegister.com !!! This week's issue has a great article about the Mount Joy Farmers Market. Come join us on Saturday mornings. You will be glad you did.

Memorial Day Parade

2009-06-03T09:11:00.003-04:00

The following pictures were submitted by Linda Eberly.
This farm wagon is operated by the Hartz family, who will be the featured vendors in the upcoming issue of the Farmers Market Newsletter. Stacy Rutherford walks along passing out copies of the newsletters and bright smiles.

Mount Joy has a lot of spirit.
Be sure to come visit the downtown.

If you have any photos of events from downtown Mount Joy that you'd like to submit, we'd love to have them.

So much at market today!

2009-05-30T21:22:00.004-04:00

We can take a virtual stroll through the market to see what is showing up on the tables. C'mon! Juicy tomatoes...

Sugar peas and spearmint...

The sweetest little strawberries on earth (STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL NEXT WEEK!!!)...

Soaps and herbal stuff...

Is it me, or are the displays at market becoming more and more artfully presented?

Pies, shortcakes, angel food cakes, cupcakes, Danish, shoofly pies, whoopie pies......

Look at these robust herb plants! I can smell the basil through the screen.

Gerbera daisies in amazing colors, sunflowers, geraniums....

Fresh, beautiful garlic scapes....

Asparagus, rhubarb, spring onions...
Each week brings more beautiful locally grown or locally handmade produce to market. Don't wait another week to come see what your neighbors are bringing for you and your family.

Market in Mid May

2009-05-20T14:34:00.004-04:00

Strawberries are the news at market right now, so we're talking about them here, too!

But first, let's look at a one of our vendors!

J and J Growers is the business of Jim and Joan Karr. The Karrs come from Conestoga each week, bringing along some fine plants, and they’ve been attending the market since the very first year.Their offerings include perennial, hostas, shrubs, herb, and vegetable plants and some hanging baskets right now. In the fall there will be mums galore, gourds, chestnuts, and some produce.
Jim grows some unusual things, including some colorful brooms, and this past week I noticed a beautiful hanging basket full of thyme. The lupines are spectacular right now, and the columbines are beautiful too.Everything is grown from cuttings, seeds, or root division—all hand grown. In fact that’s how the business started. There were always too many plants in a pack of seeds. Jim took some of them to Roots Auction, needed a nursery license, and Boom! He was in business.Jim said that their two daughters helped (although reluctantly) over the years and now that they have homes of their own love the plants that Dad grows. They aren’t particularly interested in doing the market, though. The newest little plant in the family, Grace just might want to take part later.

now back to the berries....

Easy Strawberry Jam
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process any unsealed jars in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate.

Shortcake Biscuits from scratch
3 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
Toss with a fork to combine.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas. (Or pulse several times in a food processor.)
Combine the cream and vanilla in a liquid measure.
Make a well in the center of the flour and and pour the cream mixture into the well.
Mix with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened and just combined; it should look shaggy and still feel a little dry. Gently knead by hand five or six times to create a loose ball.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into an 8-inch square, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat, cover with plastic and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Heat the oven to 425ºF. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Cut the dough into 9 even squares and spread them about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits are medium golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

Strawberries and whipping cream:
2 quarts of fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
whipping cream
vanilla extract
Remove stems from strawberries and slice into thin (1/4”) slices.
Put into a large bowl. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the sugar (depending on how sweet the berries are to begin with) and mix into the strawberries.
Set aside at room temperature to soften and release juices. After about 20 minutes, take a potato masher and smash them a little—not too much—just enough to get more juice out of them.
Whip the cream, adding a drop or two of vanilla and a teaspoon of sugar.To serve, break up one biscuit per person into big pieces into a bowl. Ladle strawberries over the biscuit and add a dollop of whipped cream.
Makes 9 biscuits. (Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, July 2003)
recipes above from: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000270strawberry_shortcake.php

last but certainly not least, some market regulars...
Wendy Melhorn and daughter Andrea can often be found at the Mount Joy Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. They ride their bikes to the market, emphasizing the “Go Green!” motto they try to live by and getting some exercise at the same time. Many of the folks that visit market make it a family outing, and it’s fun to see all the generations wander through each week.We asked what Wendy and Andrea like best about the market. Andrea says, “It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread, with a cornucopia of offerings!”

Our Vendors and a Recipe

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Who are the vendors at Mount Joy's Market?

MOUNT JOY MARKET VENDORS
(Regular, Weekly Standholders)

Creek Side Produce—Full line of produce and plants.
Grandma’s Kitchen—Pretzels, cookies, baked goods
Grandma’s Goodies—whoopee pies, rice crispie treats, pies, baked goods
Hartz Farm- Produce, gourds, wreaths
J&J Growers—Perennial plants, annual plants, hanging plants,
herbs and vegetable plants, produce in season.
Lancaster County Soapworks—handmade soaps and body care products, jewelry.
Main Street Mount Joy—Mount Joy merchandise
Nolt Family—Produce, baked goods
Prescott’s Patch—heirloom and old-fashioned vegetables and fruits grown without chemicals
The Sunflower Lady—Fresh Cut flowers
The Essential Herbal—herbal publications and products

We were sad to learn that Sam Nolt won’t be joining us at the market this year. Sam’s produce was always spectacular and his tobacco slat creations were well made and imaginative. Sam plans to join us at market on both of the Craft Days. We all hope he has a happy retirement, & we will miss him very much.

What’s (Who's) New?
Welcome Josh Heller from Creek Side Farm Market, a new produce vendor this year.
Creek Side is based on Route 772, 3 miles west of Manheim, and Josh sells off the property, at the Lititz FM, and now in Mount Joy at the Farm Market.
There are flowers, herbs, and he grows a full line of produce that will be coming as the season progresses.
He started this venture three years ago and loves farming
Josh was a chef in Boston before coming back to the Manheim area to start his own business, and we are hoping that he’ll share some recipes with us for the newsletter!
Josh will be here with his produce every week. Be sure to stop and welcome him to our market.

By the way ...

Did you know that The Tilted Kilt is serving breakfast on market mornings? Yep! It’s true! So now you can make a morning of it, have a well-prepared breakfast, and then saunter across the street to do some shopping. Thanks, Toby & Royce!

And finally, a recipe for one of our fresh offerings at market this time of year:

Baked Creamed Spinach
Ingredients:
2 lb of fresh spinach.
1 ½ cups of hot milk.
1 cup of cheddar cheese, grated.
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of nutmeg.
Preparation Instructions:
Trim and wash 2 lb of fresh spinach.
Place in a suitably-sized pot with water still on the leaves.
Cover; then cook only until wilted.
Allow to cool, then squeeze out the excess water.
In a saucepan, melt the butter; then add the flour.
Whisk and gently cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the milk; then bring to a boil.
Add the salt and a pinch of pepper and nutmeg.
Cook for about 5-6 minutes.
Combine the sauce with the spinach and ½ cup of grated cheese.
Spoon into a baking dish, then top with the other ½ cup of grated cheddar.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
Serve as desired.

OPENING DAY 2009

2009-05-02T13:58:00.005-04:00

This morning marked the beginning of another year of fresh, local goodness. The standholders were all eager to set up and get started, and we all missed each other over the winter. It was great to get together and catch up again.
We heard several people wondering just what they'd be able to pick up at market so early in the season, and so we aim to show you! Hopefully we'll be blogging regularly so that we will have a record of when different items get to market for future seasons - and for the shopper, you will see where we are in the season and know if it is time to plan on the sweet peas and new potatoes or the tomatoes and corn!

The short answer to the question of what market has so early in the season? PLENTY!!!

These large pretzels taste a lot like soft pretzels, but they are crispy. I missed them over the winter and we ate a couple during the morning, saving the rest for home.

The spinach and salad greens are delicious and just-picked fresh.

Rhubarb and asparagas mean springtime on some family tables. Along with the fresh, vibrant salad greens, these vegetables lead the long and tasty parade of fresh, healthy meals that we'll be finding at market all summer and into the fall. The prices are exceptional at market, too.

And who among us has all of the Mount Joy memorabilia that they need? Sales of these items help to fund our farmers market. Stop by, say hello, and pick up the I Heart MJ bumper sticker!

I cropped this shot down because it was painfully tempting in the full size. This is just sort of a sidelong glance of some of the delights on one of the bakery tables.

Lots of gorgeous, healthy plants waiting to grace your garden. Veggie plants, herb plants, flowering plants..Incense, tinctures, books, herbal stuff...

Look at the color here! The gorgeous packaging! Our vendors really put a lot into what they offer the community. There is pride and commitment behind every table.

Handmade soaps, lipbalms, lotion bars, and many other "smelly-good" products share the tables with the herbal products that were a few pictures above.Cookies!!! Who doesn't love cookies?

Yummy onions and some bright, cheerful marigolds, as well as some other herb and flowering plants.

Pies, cakes, and cupcakes just in case you need more bakery :-).

As each week passes, there will be more and more choices on these tables. Be sure to come visit us!

Here's a great idea for some of that rhubarb, as well as some other up-and-coming fruits:

Double Crunch Bumbleberry Crisp

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 cuprolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, melted

SAUCE:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup cold water
1 tsp grated orange rind

FILLING:
1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup sliced peeled apples
1 cup blueberries

Procedure:
Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamom, and nutmeg. Stir in butter.
Press 1/2 of the mixture into a greased 9" square cake pan.
In small saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch.
Whisk in water and rind until smooth.
Bring to boil, reduce heat to med-low and cook 5 min or until thickened and clear, whisking constantly.
Toss together fruit.
Arrange over base.
Pour sauce over top.
Sprinkle with remaining flour mixture.
Bake in a 350F oven 50-60 min or until fruit is tender and topping is golden.
Serve warm.
Makes 8 servings; per serving: 380 calories, 4 g protein, 13 g fat, 65 g carbs.
fromwww.rhubarbinfo.com

Mount Joy Farmers Market - 2009

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We have got some of the details ironed out, and for those of you looking forward to joining us on Saturday mornings, here is the schedule so far:

Opening Day - May 2

Spring Community Craft Day - May 16

Mount Joy Parade - May 23

Strawberry Festival - June 1

Taste of Mount Joy - July 25

Farmers Day - August 8

Autumn Community Craft Day - Sept 12

Last Day of the Season - October 17

Stay tuned, and we'll keep you updated on the vendors you'll find each week and any additions to the calendar!

Mount Joy Farmers Market

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The Mount Joy Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8 am to noon between May and Mid-October. It is located in the Union National Community Bank parking lot at 101 E. Main Street.

Each week find local produce, plants, baked goods, homemade soaps, doggie treats, and more. Looking for local merchandise like 'I Love Mount Joy' umbrellas and tote bags and farmers market lunch bags and shirts? Find all of these things for purchase at the market!

Special events occur at the Farmers Market throughout the season. July 26th is the 3rd Annual Recipe Exchange Day. As customers browse the stands, they can pick up new recipes for their cookbooks that use fresh local produce sold at the market. This is also the downtown's Taste of Mount Joy - Cruisin' Cuisine event from 11 am - 2:30 pm along Main Street. A great day of food celebration as well as a car show.

For more information, go to Main Street Mount Joy.