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!
Wish You Were Here
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail…
(Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd)
It’s dreary, I’m in one of those lazy Sunday hazes, and I’ve got acoustic Pink Floyd in the background.
Snow is predicted, and I’m all about just staying in, getting my market orders in, and not worrying about the rest of the week, or my weekly food. I love how easy this market makes the week!
If you are feeling as lazy as I feel, today, why not just lazily put in your order? We’ve been doing the food pick up gig way before the big box places started. And, there is no additional fee to use our market. And, you get the smiles and humor of your market managers, all while grabbing the local goodness, and keeping your hard earned money in our lovely local economy. Everyone wins from producer to consumer to the community to the local economy.
All that, just to say…wish you were here, if you have not already placed your order for the week…
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
True Colors
But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow…
(True Colors-Cyndi Lauper)
I couldn’t think of better song or lyric to talk about the new additions to our market products!
Our market artist vendor, Art By Adair, has added hand painted market bags to our bag of tricks!! They are ADORABLE!!
And, in my mind, I am seeing all of these different colored designs, coming and going to our market, or on any of your daily travels. Then, everyone will see you, be so envious, and then you can tell them all about our online market, the beauty of supporting local, and that by buying a bag, supports the local arts, as well! Then, they will be so excited that they will want to order a bag, and all the market products to put in the bag!!
So…go ahead…get a colorful bag, get all of the other market products that you need, and by doing so, you are showing the colorful vibe of our little local market of love…
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Are You Ready?
Let’s get this market party started!
Each week, we rock and roll to the best of a strong market, and, we just keep bringing you more and more!
We are opening for the week, and we welcome you to start the ordering to jump start this week’s party!!
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. It’s not warm when she’s away. Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. And she’s always gone too long anytime she goes away. Wonder this time where she’s gone…
(Bill Withers)
So, we’ve no sun, today, just lots of showers, but it is WARM!!
Go ahead…put your own spin of sunshine into the day, and take this last half hour to get your weekly orders in at the market!!
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Tuesday Check In
Good morning, lovely local market of love customers!
It’s Tuesday, the weather is still giving us the mildness to get us out of that frozen blue frame of mind, and the market is open, vibrant, and ready to keep you out of the blues of February, by bringing you the brand of happiness that only we can provide!!
Give us a look!! We will be open until tomorrow morning, at 8am!! Plenty of time to get your lists of happiness ready, and your orders placed!!
Peace, Love, and February vibes…
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Your Sunday Sunshine
Shhhhh…yes, I know…you are all watching the Super Bowl, having fun, kicking it up with whichever team you are for!!
Me? Well…my team is not in the game. They wrongly lost to the Rams, but hey, I’m not bitter or anything…but, my Saints should be playing!!
Anyway…moving onto the sunshine vibes of the day. Did you get to enjoy the incredible day?? I sat in the sun, snapped beautiful sunset pictures, and let me tell you…my mood is SO elevated!! Just that shot of sunny Vitamin D, and I am a WHOLE new girl!!
So…while you all are watching the game, I am going to wait until halftime to catch the band, but first, I am going to place my market order!!
If you all find yourselves with time on your hands, let’s all place our orders!! We can make this the Super Bowl of a Super Market!!
Market Bowl…we are in it to win it!
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
January
January…
sick and tired you’ve been hanging on me…
(January-Pilot)
Blow dry those feathered bangs, put on that Bonne Bell Lipsmacker, grab your bell bottoms, your lounge like wear, and uncover this little song of the 70s…
And, let’s reflect, and bid goodbye to the longest year, err, month, that I truly have ever encountered. It just greeted us with such fierce, and apparently is leaving us with the same fierce…
We survived…and, we are happy to say hello to a new month!! And, the first market to kick off the new month!!
Goodbye to the ice, snow, polar vortex loving January…you have been a cruel mistress. Even, ending my evening, last night, with busted pipes, a crashing garage ceiling, and my car getting the brunt of the action…and, a huge thank you to all of my Cosmic customers/Hippie and the Farmer customers, for being so understanding with my need to get your orders to you, tomorrow!!
It’s been a month of months, and with February ready to usher us in, let’s all just hope it’s a smoother ride.
The market is now open, and we welcome you back to the greatest market in the county…your year round, locally enforced, lovely little market…
Let’s all say hello to the new month, with a whole batch of orders!!
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Good Day, Sunshine!
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
I need to laugh, and when the sun is out
I’ve got something I can laugh about,
I feel good, in a special way.
I’m in love and it’s a sunny day.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
We take a walk, the sun is shining down,
Burns my feet as they touch the ground.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
And then we lie, beneath a shady tree,
I love her and she’s loving me.
She feels good, she knows she’s looking fine.
I’m so proud to know that she is mine.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
(The Beatles)
So, I am trying my hardest to put a song in your head, and sunshine in your thoughts, and some warmth to your day!!
The market will be closing, in one hour, at 8am, today! You guys are knocking this market out of the park, and we are loving you for it!!
I’ll see you, at 8am, when I close out the orders. Why not use our little local market of love to grab the sunshine…even if it’s just all in our heads…
Good day, Sunshine…
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Shelter From The Storm
Come in, she said, I’ll give you shelter from the storm…
(Shelter From The Storm-Bob Dylan)
This weather!! We’ve got it all coming at us…and, while it is crazy, outside, our market can offer you the happy shelter that you need! Shelter as in we can make this cold, this wind, this ice, this oncoming everything, easier, because you can place your weekly order while staying cozy warm, and then our market, our vendors, your managers, and the Y staff takes it from there…just for you!
And, while we know that you could pick up, curbside, many places, you cannot get that local love, from your lovely market, at a big box pick up place…
Come in…we’ll give you shelter from the storm…
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Sunshine Daydream
Sunshine daydream
Walking through the tall trees
Going where the wind goes
Blooming like a red rose
Breathing more freely
Light out singing
I’ll walk you in the morning sunshine
Sunshine daydream
Walk you in the sunshine…
(Sugar Magnolia-Grateful Dead)
Create your own sunshine daydream when you log into our little local market of love, to release all of the amazing products that will come bursting out at you, just like the most powerful rays of sunbeams!!
We’ve got it all, just for you, to help make each week, a sunshine week!!
Go ahead, personalize your own order, for your own needs, and then let us wrap it all up in our own form of sunshine for you!
Our market is perfect for each of you to make it your own!!
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam