Autumn Fest and Stock-Up Time, Sunday at the Market

East Lansing residents who are fine with an hour out in classic Michigan autumn weather can enjoy the East Lansing Farmers’ Market annual Autumn Fest this Sunday, October 5, from 10 am through 2 pm. Besides all the familiar weekly vendors’ latest offerings, Autumn Fest will include free cider, donuts, and wagon rides. Children can also enjoy a variety of games and activities.

This is the time of year when many patrons of the farmers’ market stock up for late fall and winter. A variety of onions, shallots, garlic, hard squash, potatoes, and other tubers like carrots and turnips will keep for a long time if properly stored. Now is also a good time to buy garlic and plant the cloves to have your own garlic next year. (The garlic shown below is from Wildflower Eco-Farm, second booth from the southeast corner of the market. We have planted it in our garden to great success.)

A variety of beef cuts that can be kept frozen and used all winter are available from Lonesome Pines Beef. Lonesome Pines raises their cattle humanely in large pastures in Nashville, Michigan. They sell roasts, steaks, ground beef, bones for soups, and bones for good dogs. Fish from the Fresh Lake Whitefish Company can also be frozen and used over the winter for fish stews, chowder, and breading and frying. Spartan Country Meats provides locally-grown chicken and pork, and often rabbit as well.

Applegarth Honey is a great source for locally-farmed honey as well as for bees’ wax candles. The candles have a very low smoke level making them perfect for indoor use, and Applegarth sells a Winnie the Pooh candle specifically suitable as a gift for people with children. Droscha Sugar Bush provides real local maple syrup, an important ingredient not only for winter weekend breakfasts but also for drizzling over roast ham, sweet potatoes, and apples. (I buy their syrup to bring to out-of-state relatives as gifts all winter.) Gourds, many of which will keep many months, make a great winter display item on the mantle or on the table for Thanksgiving.

Prepared foods for the pantry are available in a wide variety of offerings from Son-in-Law Products and also from Spoonful of Granola. (Read Ann Nichols’ report on Spoonful of Granola’s Sara Beer by clicking here.)

This week’s live music will be provided by Steve Pinckney before noon and The Swift Brothers after that.

Visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/farmersmarket for more information. Thanks to the City of East Lansing for the wagon ride and gourd photos.

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