The Weblog

The local foods movement is alive and well in Champaign County! Here are some updates on other projects while we finalize our virtual market:

Local Producers Map:
Our local producers map is ready for publication and you will soon be able to find it on gochampaign.com. Copies will be distributed around the community, in the local telephone book, and other “hangouts”. The guide lists the location and contact information for nearly 50 local producers within our county. The map was a project of the Local Food Council and printed with the help of some local sponsors including the Monument Square District, Champaign Bank, the Community Improvement Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau and others. It is a great start to finding a local source for Champaign County’s finest!



 
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The Tuesday Chill


Good evening, little local market of love customers!!

Tonight, there is a chill to the air, a cold rain, and a bit of wind. How is the best way to spend this kind of evening? Staying warm, cozy, and comfy, while you peruse our market listings, ordering to your heart’s content, and making your life an easy ride for the week.

We are open until tomorrow morning, at 8am, and we would love to warm you with our local brand of goods…

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

A Fall Note from Swisher Hill Herbs!


Here at Swisher Hill herbs we are gearing up for fall and the holidays. Football Friday night,
Football Friday night! Windy days and coId evenings makes you want to sit down to a hot bowl
of Nana’s chili, White bean Chicken chili or Mediterranean Vegetable Soup or before the game
how about a quick meal of Sloppy Joes, simple with SHH Sloppy Joe Mix. You can make great
hamburgers or small sliders with SHH meatloaf mix. Tacos are easy to make using our South of
the Border Seasoning. Check out our full line of dried herbs, spices and seasoning blends. We
blend and package all of our products and they all are salt free! Why no salt! So, you can add it
or not!
I know it seems early to be thinking about the Holiday Season!!! How about holiday baking? We
have Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie Spice, Cardamom and nutmegs, for all your holiday pies, cakes
and crisps. You will need cinnamon for snicker doodle cookies and other gourmet baking
delights.
Don’t forget coming in from the cold means closing up the house and it seems all the creepy
crawly’s come in also especially if you have pets. Lavender Oil is a great (ea repellent to put
around the base boards or make a natural carpet fresh with baking soda and Lavender Oil.
Spiders don’t like Peppermint Oil. Make a spray solution of distilled water and Peppermint Oil
drops. Don’t forget your feet! Wearing sandals and (ip-(ops all summer. Tea Tree Oil is great for
the feet. We have recipes and ideas to help keep your home pest free naturally and smelling
good all winter. Check us out!
Take Thyme,
Joe and Charlene

Hello, Hello!!


Thank you for returning to the market with us, tonight! I am getting ready to open up this week’s market with a huge thank you to all of the customers who give us a dose of love, always, thru this little local market of love.

Just a quick note…we will begin to see seasonal vendors/products, drift away, again, just because the season will be ending, in a few short weeks. But then again, with this weather, I know the Hippie and the Farmer gardens seem to be confused, and are producing many items, on a second go round!!

Also, some of our vendors are leaving on vacations!! Some are busy doing a bit of regrowth, and will be returning, shortly!!

On the baking front, Littler Farms is away on family duty!!

And, our lovely GaGa’s Goodies could use a HUGE dose of all the love, hugs, kisses, and sympathies, that we can all give. Our thoughts all go out to her, her family, and all of those in their fold…

So, we are open, once again…we have amazing local products, all waiting to go home with each of you!!

Let’s rock this week!!

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

Dancing Machine


Automatic Systematic
Full of color self contained
Tuned and channeled to your vibes…
(Dancing Machine-Jackson 5)

Ok, let’s engage that boogie, and while you are singing this song to start your day, take a quick second to shoot us your weekly orders!!

The market will close, this morning, at 8am…

You can only be that dynamite attraction, if you order…

Be that dancing machine that helps this market, each week…let us put the soul in your week…

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

Welcome Back!!!


Look at that…it’s Thursday evening, again, and it’s time to open up the market for another week of fun!!

We thank all of you, week in, and week out, for showing us the love, giving us your orders, placing your trust in all of us!!

I am opening the market, tonight, for the week!! Get your lists ready, and get ready to place your orders!!

We love to bring you our local love…

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

Would You Look At The Time!


The market closes at 8am, today!!

Go ahead…make our day!! Get your orders in for the best of the best in a little local market of love…

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

Weblog Entry


Amour!!!! That’s all we can say to our followers, our fans, our customers, the ones who have supported us, even when they thought that we were crazy with our visions!!
Yesterday’s State of the Plate Local Foods Dinner, was once again both an honor, and an incredible time to reconnect with our roots, building even more growth.
State Of The Plate has become a tradition in our county. I love that I was able to be on the ground floor of it, years ago, and to have watched it evolve over time. It is a day of beautiful countryside, beautiful barns, this year, a huge thank you to Pretty Prairie Farm, for once again, hosting our event!! Last year, we were honored to have been hosted by the beautiful, Wren Farm!!
The day is a coming together of fellowship in local, an appreciation for our growers and producers, and a way to get the word out about the, well, State Of All Our Plates…
We always come away with renewed energy, renewed love for what we do, renewed respect for those in the community who allow us to do what we do, an overwhelming love for those who buy from us, love us, and a renewed determination to take things to the next level!!

It’s an amazing feeling, and an amazing time to be a mover and shaker in this local scene…

Thank you, to all of you who buy from us, support this little local market of love, and who continued to spread the word!!

This market is a year round market, full of goods, and passion, and everything local!! As we soon bid goodbye to the seasonal physical markets, we can all rest easy, that we remain your local supplier, in the winter months!!

And, to quote a song lyric…You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet…

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

Learning To Fly


Well, some say life will beat you down
Break your heart, steal your crown
So I’ve started out for God-knows-where
I guess I’ll know when I get there
I’m learning to fly, around the clouds
But what goes up, must come down
I’m learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings…
Coming down is the hardest thing…
(Tom Petty-Learning To Fly)

Good evening, little local market of love customers…and, more importantly, much love to you!!

Well, it’s been a week. You know it, I know it. As weeks go, it’s been a crushing, sad string of events.

Your market manager was a bit scarce, a bit shy of a lot of posting, a whole lot of upset.

The past week found myself, along with much of my high school class, and classes behind and before me, saying goodbye to one of ours. Gone too soon, once again, the sadness of another one losing a courageous battle. Jenny, our vibrant, blonde, beauty, who still possessed all the love and energy as she did in high school, fought the good fight. She was such an example of learning to fly. She finally got her wings, taking her out of her pain, late last week. Her funeral was Monday. Yeah, that fateful day.

In one day, crushing waves continued to hit. First, a farewell to a friend. But, before that, we woke up to the Las Vegan horrifying news. We ended the day, bidding Tom Petty farewell.

Too much. Too much. Too much.

And, Tom…well, you know my love of music, musicians, bands, songs…and, I take the passing of each musician so hard. But, Tom…well, he was different. Tom was, to me, the everybody musician. A good guy, playing the kind of music that was there for you, each step of the way.

I was lucky to see him perform, on several occasions. I just sat, and cried. I cried for the lives lost, the injured ones in Las Vegas. I cried at Tom’s passing. I cried at Jenny’s passing. So much good, gone in a blink.

Learning to Fly…after my sadness, after trying to come to terms with it all, I kept singing this song, over and over. Playing it over and over. Because, in my life, learning to fly, was the way I lived. Growing up, all I could think about was flying. Flying to the moon, flying to anywhere, flying out of the West End, flying off to find myself.

Later, when I took off after college, moved across the United States, having my daughter, starting my own businesses…life…all life…it’s about learning to fly. I was never afraid of flying. I figured I would either land on my ass, or I would sail to success.

And, then, watching Jenny leave us, watching her try to fly, only to fly off for eternity, and then the other events of Monday, reminded me that learning to fly happens, everyday, in every way. Learning to fly also gives me hope, gives me inspiration, makes me realize that I have a role, in all of this. A role that is to be the best human I can be. I can shelter with love, I can hug and hold whoever needs it, I can carry out the positive, loving vibe that was started before me…

I’m learning to fly…it’s my thought for tonight. An odd weblog, you may think, for opening the market for the week, but not really.

We all have a part. We all can fly. We all can help, love, nurture, lead, protect…and, if my message has never resonated before, I hope that it does now…what the world needs now, is love sweet love…we are all learning to fly…

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

Count Down


Good Morning!!

You have until 8am to get your orders in for the week!!

Plenty of time to order the local goodness from this little local market of love…

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam

Happy Friday!


Hello, customers and vendors of this little local market of love…

Just a reminder that our annual State Of The Plate celebration is taking place, on October 8th, at Pretty Prairie Farm!!

The deadline to reserve a seat at the table is by the end of business day, today!! Please call the Champaign Chamber of Commerce to place your reservations!!

It is always such an amazing day of sharing food, stories, meeting various market vendors, and celebrating all that is grown/produced locally, in Champaign County!!

Don’t forget…the deadline is today!!

XOXO,
Cosmic Pam