Few Americans can fail to understand the concept of three strikes and you are out. Baseball is identified as our national game. We can only hope that the same is not true for articles written for the paper regarding the Presque Isle Farmers Market. Three times thus far just this year, an article appeared in the paper just in time to be, well…wrong. In fact, it looks like declarations printed in the paper have the power to make exactly the opposite come to pass.
Let’s review. An article was written in time for advanced publication announcing our traditional opening on Mothers’ Day weekend. However, spring stalled and venders did not have enough produce to bother with in early May. Furthermore, if it is cold and wet for our customers who grab and go, it is even more miserable for us standing in the blustery, rainy parking lot for hours. So we delayed opening and a second article the next week therefore recanted. Strike One.
Spring finally showed up and so did we. However, barely a month later, an article appeared urging folks to give rhubarb a chance all by its lonesome because that same cold, wet weather were affecting the strawberry crowns as they emerged from the retreating snow drifts. But not our tough little Maine Yankees! Sure enough, the strawberries showed up at The Presque Isle Farmers Market that same week. Another article appeared requesting that readers “pay no attention to that little man behind the curtain. The Great [Strawberry] Oz has spoken!” That’s two.
Fast forward to the other end of The Market season. Day after day of warm sun and balmy breezes blinded us to what we knew in our hearts was borrowed time. An article about indulgently picking spring greens in fall and tomatoes still in bloom in summerlike heat in late September once again gave the Weather Gods fits of giggling. They nudged each other in the ribs and said, “Watch this.” White frosts, at least in low places, slammed the lid on the larder except for vegetable producers heating with manure, compost, and trapped midday sunshine in long tubes of plastic. Meat producers without stockpiled forage reluctantly broke out the hay. Chickens and pigs sheltered indoors. The venders’ growing season was suddenly, irrevocably over. Whiff and you’re out of here!
As has been our custom for many years, our last full market occurred Columbus Day weekend. Zook’s Family Farm and The Aroostook Beef Company will persist a bit longer in the parking lot, but most venders have packed up and trundled home to tend to things like cleaning up the slimy black squash and tomato vines. Sigh.
The good news for our customers, however, includes news that many venders continue to provide an abundance of healthful, flavorful food through other venues. Check out the availability of meat, produce, and merchandise through our website (www.presqueislefarmersmarket.com) or visit us on our facebook page. We bid our customers an appreciative good-bye and thank you. Winter well and we will look forward to seeing you in the spring. Play ball!
The Presque Isle Farmer’s market’s chair/president for the remainder of the season is Deena Albert-Parks of Chops Ahoy farm in Woodland. For information about participating or visiting the market, contact her at deena.albertparks73@gmail.com.
