The Foods of Dia de los Muertos
Olivia Spitzer
Today is November 1st: Halloween is officially over, daylight savings is on it’s way, and today is the most commonly observed first day of the Latinx holiday, Día de los Muertos.
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Grapevine Articles
Collection of featured articles from the weekly market newsletter, known as the Grapevine. Subscribe today and never miss a thing!
Looking Back on POP 2023
Olivia Spitzer
This weekend is the last Power of Produce booth of 2023. This program offers free kids’ activities at our market every week, while teaching community children to value and support their local food system. Each activity is focused on fruits and vegetables, plant life cycles, the changing of the seasons, the environment, or enjoying the produce our region has to offer. We not only encourage kids to think about where their food comes from, but we also provide each child with $4/week in “POP Bucks,” which they can spend in our farmers’ market. Today we’ll look back on some our favorite POP memories from 2023.
Read MoreWhat Good is a Gourd?
Olivia Spitzer
By this time of year, you’ve probably seen gourds at the market; those funny-shaped, knobbly, twisty little hard squashes that kind of look like little pumpkins. They are a clear symbol of fall but what are they, really? And what are they used for?
Read MoreDiving in with Deck Family Farm
Olivia Spitzer
There are those who say that living on a farm is like going to school. Then there are those who build their business around that idea. John and Christine Deck, the couple behind Deck Family Farm, have invested two decades into a unique blend of business and education. It’s hard to separate their farm from their intern program, or from their land, from their herd, or from their community. And it was all built to be exactly that way.
Read MoreFall's Favorite Fruit
Olivia Spitzer
As the calendar turns to October, our minds naturally turn to crisp days, cozy evenings, and the approaching holiday of Halloween. What do all of these things have in common? The use of fall’s favorite fruit: apples!
Read MoreYour Local Year-Round Farmers Market
Olivia Spitzer
This time of year, one of the most common questions at the information booth is, "when does the market end?" It's a question we love to joyously answer, because the response is: "we do not end!"
Read MoreWhy Shop Local?
Olivia Spitzer
A common rallying phrase for small businesses and farmers’ markets alike is the call to “shop local.” We’ve all heard it, but have you ever stopped to wonder why it might be important? In celebration of this Sunday’s Vendor Appreciation Day at Hillsdale Farmers’ Market, we are going to look briefly at just a few of the benefits of spending your money in your own community.
Read MoreGood Wolf, Probiotic Wolf
Olivia Spitzer
“The PNW is a bizarre place for many reasons. One of the peculiarities and the beauty is our strong community.” As head of sales for a small PNW company, it is Trevor Lampert’s job to know. “People have so much support for the small players, the local businesses. We always planned for our farmers markets to be our foundation – we never expected it to be this successful.” Lampert spearheads the team for Good Wolf, a probiotic tonic company.
Read MoreGrowing a Lifetime of Flowers
Olivia Spitzer
They say hindsight is 20/20. For Patricia Dabush of Meadowbrook Gardens, her past can feel like highway 20 - and it has always led right to where she is today. “My parents weren’t really farmers. They were like Green Acres – [part of] the ‘back to land’ers movement. [They] were getting older and thinking about selling the property. I wanted to raise my kids like I was raised, play in the creek, and throw rocks – I wanted to live on the land. I was like, ‘Wait! Don’t sell the property!’”
Read MoreAwash in Summer Squash
Olivia Spitzer
When thinking about seasonal produce, squash tends to be a fall favorite. A total spoup-er star, squash is tasty roasted or pureed. With squash, our minds immediately jump to the hearty thick-skinned vegetables that make up our cold-weather menu. Did you know you can start enjoying squash right now, at the height of summer? Today we’ll take a closer look at summer squashes and how they can be used.
Read MoreBuilding Babkush
Olivia Spitzer
“I kept saying ‘I’m going to start small and see if it has legs.’ And at every sort of step people were like, ‘make more!’” If you’ve tried Zicra Lukin’s babka then you know what those people were talking about. Babkush, Lukin’s pandemic-grown Jewish bakery, has the kind of products that make everyone scream for more.
Read MoreWelcome Back, Tomatomania!
Olivia Spitzer
One of my favorite internet memes reads, “The four seasons are depression, allergies, tomatoes, and spooky.” If you have been to our market recently, you will know that we are well and truly into tomato season. This weekend we will celebrate that juicy bounty by bringing back a beloved Hillsdale event: Tomatomania!
Read MoreCelebrating National Farmers Market Week
Lacey Waldon
The season of summer bounty is upon us, and there’s no better time to celebrate your local market and the people who make it happen. National Farmers Market Week is August 6 - 12, 2023!
Read MoreHeart of Stone
Olivia Spitzer
Sticks and stones may break my bones – but stone fruit keeps me healthy!
Read MoreGet Involved at the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market
Olivia Spitzer
Have you wondered about how the big decisions get made at the market? Do you love to linger by the info booth, chatting about your garden and this week’s market haul? Do you want to get more involved in your community’s connection to local and seasonal food? Now might be the time! Read below to learn about our volunteer program and our open board positions.
Read MoreBaking Humble Pie
Olivia Spitzer
Key ingredients for a Humble Pie: a background in restaurant work, a “yes!” attitude, and a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic.
Read MoreSponsor Spotlight: Climate Cafe
Olivia Spitzer
Portland residents Gabrielle and Thomas Chavez are dedicated solution seekers, undaunted when the problem they’re tackling is on an enormous – even global - level. From their shared skillset as chefs and their raw food, vegan background, the two have created The Climate Café, a pop-up organization seeking to literally change the world. “Like everybody, we’re looking for solutions to the looming climate disasters,” says Gabrielle. “We want to do that by offering people a taste of a way to eat that is life affirming and climate affirming.”
Read MoreSix Pro Tips for Your Farmers' Market Summer
Olivia Spitzer
Summer in the pacific northwest is the season of so many beloved elements of our region: outdoor theater, outdoor meals, days by the river, nights in the mountains, home gardens, and big, bountiful farmers’ markets. After a full year of attending every farmers' market, I have a few pointers for making this summer your summer at Hillsdale.
Read Moreso much depends upon a green wagon
Olivia Spitzer
When buying flats and flats of berries, your shopping can get a little out of hand - sometimes literally. Luckily, we have a resource to the rescuce! They're green, they're sturdy, and they've got big tires for negotatiating curbs and speedbumps. Today we're talking a bit about some of the hardest working farmers' market equipment around: our community wagons.
Read MoreIs it Summer Yet?
Olivia Spitzer
Keeping track of which seasonal produce is available when can be hard to do, even for the pros! You may ask a farmers when their cherries are coming and often they can give you an idea, but not a solid answer. Farming can be both an art and a science.
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