Bring It On Home To Me

Oh, oh, bring it to me…
Bring your sweet loving…
Bring it on home to me…
(Bring It On Home To Me-Sam Cooke)

This song takes me back to carefree, fun filled, classic songs kind of times. When I lived in Los Angeles, a million years ago, my group used to frequent little haunts of clubs out along the beach and roads of Malibu. We loved the little out of the way, long forgotten, old clubs. We could sit with bottles of wine, a round of food, and soulful tunes.

Back then, your market manager was usually broke, living life as a flight attendant, happy to have made networking friendships with club/restaurant owners. I could eat and drink for free, frequent the old, classic places, steep myself in the culture of a by gone time, and feed my soul.

Just like what this little market of love tries to do. We try to build that friendship. That bond. That soul binding relationship between producers, customers, community. We provide an umbrella of shelter, a local outlet of goodness, and a whole lot of love that brings it all home. Bringing you the best of the best in local, bringing you the trust, the nutrition, the friendship.

I open the market, tonight, after yet another AMAZING market pick up!!! We rock and rolled the produce, the greens, the seasonal berries, the goodbye to asparagus, the herbs, locally produced meat, fresh water fish, breads, dairy, cheeses…We have it all. We love it all. Go ahead…bring it to me, bring your sweet lovin’, bring it on home…bring us your orders so we can bring it on home to you!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

It's The Time Of The Season

It’s the time of the season…
When love runs high…
(Time Of The Season- The Zombies)

Well, it’s that time of the season to definitely show some love!! Love for local, love for the outgoing early season produce, love for the incoming seasonal produce…We’ve got it all, it’s the time of the season for…loving…

The market will close at 10pm, tonight!! You have 15 minutes to move it along, place your orders, and be done for the week!! You can even place your orders while watching the basketball game!!

Come on…take advantage of the seasonal love at this little local market of love…

I will check back in 15 minutes…make me smile!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

A Day In The Life

This week’s A Day In The Life spotlight is on one of our egg vendors, Laurie Cuddington!

Laurie started with out market as a loyal customer. She frequents as many outside farmers markets as she can. She became interested in selling eggs for this little local market of love, and you know her as…Anchor Acres!

Thanks for the submission, Laurie…it’s so fun to read everyone’s snapshot of a day in the life…

A Day in the Life of Anchor Acres – hard to find “typical”, but I’ll try to give a snapshot and some background. My chicken adventure is fairly new, almost two years now, and I keep thinking it will become more routine, but of course that never happens with real living beings. Especially when I get more (or just have to change something) somewhat often. :-) At the moment (and I do mean the moment), I have 49 chickens, 6 ducks, and a turkey. And a dog, and a new cat who just showed up recently. Right now, that means 9 waters and 9 food containers, two or more times a day. Also right now, the sun is dictating that roosters start to crow at about 4:45am – at least the roosters think so – and I currently have 12 roosters. :-P I often try to grab a power nap in the afternoons, because I am getting older and did not get to start my “adventure in agriculture” early enough in life, I don’t think. My husband has been active duty Navy for 29 years (and still counting) which has meant moving often and usually renting or living in base housing, all of which was never conducive to owning animals or even planting a garden. So, I have jumped in with both feet now that we have a lovely spot in Ohio from which we only have to move if or when we want to (because my husband will retire from the Navy in one more year). Even though my ability to grow or raise my own food has mostly been limited, I have always been tuned in to healthy food and the sick American food industry system. For example, I started grinding wheat to bake bread and make pasta and similar endeavors about 20 years ago. (Unfortunately, I have not steadily kept that up.) I looked forward to the day when I could do more. Now, I get to rise early, check all foods/waters and clean/refill as needed, and let appropriate creatures out to explore and find fresh natural food, shade, or whatever else they want to find. I then refresh bedding as needed, gather eggs a few times during the day, keep an eye on everyone, and generally shoot for my goal of happy, healthy animals. I make adjustments in waterers and feeders, feed (sourcing organic feed, for example, is actually somewhat challenging), fences, shelters, etc as they all grow up and as the weather changes. I also have expanded my garden and try to continually improve my gardening skills. Then, at the end of the day, the sun also dictates that I shut everyone in prior to dark, before the raccoons or other predators come out. It is a lot of work but very satisfying overall. Meanwhile, as I work on my own “homestead”, I seek to source as much as I can of the rest of my family’s food locally and from health-driven sources, which is why I became a very enthusiastic customer of this Virtual Market as soon as I heard about it, and then was very happy to progress to being even a minor vendor. I do not have enough eggs for everyone who wants them, but I love to make wonderful eggs available to as many folks as possible. Assuming success with my new ducks, I hope to be adding duck eggs to the market in a couple months, so watch for that. :-) One last thing, my mini-farm’s name… You may have guessed that “Anchor” relates to my husband’s Navy career, and it does, because that has been a huge part of my life. However anchor has a double meaning, because my other and most important “Anchor” that holds me firm through all of life’s tossing and turning is my hope in Jesus. The verse is Hebrews 6:19. :-) Thanks for reading! Laurie :-)

You've Got A Friend

Winter, spring, summer or fall…
All you have to do is call…
And I’ll be there…
You’ve got a friend…
(You’ve Got A Friend- James Taylor)

Happy Sunday, little local market of love customers!! Hoping your weekend is full fun and happiness!

There was a whole lot of local love happening in our community, this weekend!! I participated in The Rhythm and Foods Festival. I was a vendor along with Oakview Farm Meats! As usual, we brought the goodness to the festival circuit!!

We entered a food contest sponsored by Robert Rothschild Farm…your assistant manager, Mark, with Oakview, brought home a medal and cash award!! He entered a secret recipe pork wrap using Rothschild products and took 2nd place out of 40 entries!

Your market manager entered a Cosmic Trippy Pulled Pork sandwich in combination with Oakview and placed in the Top Ten at 9th place!

My Cosmic pizzas debuted as an actual vending food!! Cheese, Veggie, or a meat variety with Oakview products! Grilled on the Green Mountain Pellet grills from Oakview! Rave reviews, comments about it being the best pizza…a Cosmic love fest!

The local love was definitely happening!! We all battled weather but we all came together…vendors, festival management, the customers…it was a total love fest of good vibes.

Rock Stars of Local making the local scene all happen!!

While we were festival bound, Charlene was rockin’ it at The Champaign County Farmer’s market!!

Your market managers…we never sleep!

The one underlining vibe of the weekend was this…you’ve always got a friend. No matter what, someone is always there to help. It’s what we love on this local front, it’s what we promote at this market.

Ok…go show your own local love, and get your orders in. We love, weekly, for doing this!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Just Jammy!

Just a quick announcement…Champaign Berry has added their Red Raspberry Sauce back to the market AND added a new product, Red Raspberry Jalapeno Jam!!

Go on, get your jam on!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Cruel Summer

It’s a cruel, cruel summer…
Leaving me here on my own…
It’s a cruel, cruel summer…
Now you’ve gone…
(Bananarama – Cruel Summer)

So, yes…cruel summer…the song, the memory, the heartbreak:)

Once upon a time, your hippie market manager was a product of the 80s. I loved club music, the club scene, the club kids. I WAS a club kid. On summer breaks from college, I worked in fashion jobs, I was a mall rat, I ran ad copy at the local newspaper,I ran drinks at a little local pub, I was a mover and shaker on the downtown local scene both in the West End, and the East End. All fun, all profitable, all filled my summer days.

I was the girl who just skipped through life on a whim and a song. I had a boy. I thought he was my world. I entered a club, one summer night. I heard the DJ get a song request, it was Cruel Summer, it was from a never before seen girl, she was smirking, the boy was there, and my name was dedicated to this song. As a break up song. Yes, someone actually broke up with me, via a DJ, with a song.

Did it get me down? Well, after I suffered a full 5 minutes of humiliation, I did what any respectable club girl would do. I smiled, I found my people, we laughed, we dissed, I put on my lip gloss, we ordered a round of whatever we were drinking,(it was the early 80s, we were very of age back then), and we plotted. And, the cruel summer became one of epic urban legend. We still talk about it. People all over still talk about it. We made it our summer. The cruelness of it was that I was hurt for just a second, and then dusted myself off, got ready for the next boy of summer, and had myself a ball.

So…what does this little tale have in common with our little local market of love?

We are about to feel the cruelness of the first wave of summer. We bid a sad farewell to asparagus season. Beth will not have asparagus listed on the market BUT, just like in her first week of the season, she will be set up in the Y lobby, at market pick up, next Thursday, with very limited quantities. Come early, bring cash, escape the cruelness with the last of the season’s asparagus!!

Breaking up is hard to do…and so, we see this, as we need to break up with the strawberries of the season. The Berry Patch is on the market for just ONE more week! Make it your summer love fling. Your summer love fest…whatever you call it, don’t be cruel…order your strawberries!!

And, as we are breaking up with our seasonal food romances, we are also saying hello to our other produce vendors who are rejoining OR joining for the first time!!!

As we mend our seasonal broken hearts, we fall in love with the next seasonal items…

It’s only a cruel summer if you let it be one…say goodbye, order for the last time of the season, dust yourself off, and say hello to your new seasonal love…

We’ve got it all, we fill it all with love, we would never be so cruel as to break up without a back up:)

I am opening the market for the week…think about what you need, think about the seasonal items, think about showing us some cruel summer love…

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Winding Down

Hello, little local market of love customers!!

We are winding down to the end of yet another week’s market. You have until 10pm, tonight, to get your orders ready and placed!!

Make sure not to miss out on all the fun…and, remember, some of the seasonal produce is just about to leave us…

See you at 10pm!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

A Day In The Life

The next installment to our weekly series, A Day In The Life, finds us with Oakview Farm Meats! You know Mark as the assistant manager to this market, and he is also my assistant manager at the Mechanicsburg Farmers and Artisans Market. He is active in your local foods movement, and along with me, is part of the local foods council.

I met up with Mark as he entered the local farmer’s market circuit, four seasons ago. In season one, he promoted and sold the Oakview products, and became a vendor in this online market. In season two, he hit the scene in the now familiar green promotional trailer that is Oakview Farm Meats of the market and festival circuit.

We began cross promotions with Cosmic Charlie/Oakview Farm Meats/various vendors. We made famous a little sandwich called the Locally Sourced Oakview sandwich. He and his family have become a major part of this whole local foods scene. He has taught this West End girl many things about their business, about promotions, about hogs, about the breeding and raising of their hogs, and about planting, and crops.

His family is also heavily involved in the pork council, the Champaign County Fair, 4H, and various other organizations in the county. We, at the markets, appreciate Mark and his hard work in our markets.

And now…A Day In The Life…as captured by Mark’s mom, Ruth Runyan. The woman behind it all…enjoy the read…

There is no typical day in the life of Oakview Farm. Plans can be laid out but there are always changes made as needed. Oakview Farm, a local family farm which takes the cooperation of 7 family members is the basis for Oakview Farm Meats. Oakview Farm has evolved over many years through several generations. Mark and his sister, Melissa, who lives in Michigan are the 4th with Myer and Emmy the 5th generation of farmers. Each family member contributes their talents to further the Oakview ventures. Each season brings different activities: Spring – ground preparation and planting of oats, corn and soybeans, Summer – landscaping and mowing, irrigating corn and soybeans, harvesting wheat, oats and baling straw, along with Farmers Markets and Festivals with the Promotion Trailer, Fall – harvesting corn and soybeans and serving Agronomy Field Days with the trailer. Finally, Winter -machinery and building maintenance, catch-up in general. The one thing that is done during every season, every day includes is hog production. The hogs must be fed, waterers checked and pens kept clean by scraping and/or bedded. Hogs must be health checke d, treated, if sick and marked so they are not used for Oakview Meats. Hog feed must also be ground and mixed for 4 different age groups. As hogs grow they must be sorted into different groups, such as breeding gilts, boars, and market hogs. Biosecurity is a high priority at Oakview which means keeping the hogs healthy and comfortable. The hogs are in temperature controlled buildings – warm in winter and cool in summer with fans and sprinklers, secure from wild animals which often carry diseases. Along with the actual farming, there are also the Meat Shop open Tues. and Thurs, 2 – 6 pm and Sat. 10 am – 4 pm. with Bud in charge, Mechanicsburg Farmers and Artisians Market on Tues. 4:30 – 7 pm with Mark in charge, Springfield Farmers Market Sat. 9 am – 1 pm with Mark in charge and various Festivals. All family members help in various ways at various times as needed. It is definitely a local family adventure!

The Circle Game

And the seasons they go round and round…
And the painted ponies go up and down…
We’re captive on the carousel of time…
We can’t return we can only look behind…
From where we came…
And go round and round and round…
In the circle game…
(Joni Mitchell-The Circle Game)

So, I have been in a Joni Mitchell state of mind, today. Usually, when I am in need of comfort music or contemplation music or just music to drift away with, I turn to my favorite songstress.

This morning, I was able to get some much needed time to sleep in, I was able to linger over large cups of coffee, and I immediately thought of the past week. On the local front, all outside farmers markets are now open. I manage the Mechanicsburg Farmers and Artisans Market, along with this market. We opened that market, on Tuesday. Then, I vend at the Springfield Farmers Market, which had it’s opening day on Saturday.

Both markets are vibrant, busy, popular venues, as are all of the Champaign County farmers markets. I just happen to be a part of the two mentioned markets. With each opening day, we were met with big hellos, hugs, smiles, and thankfulness that we were once again bringing the goodness of local to the masses.

Along with this little local market of love, I hold all that is local, deep in my heart. I love watching each season roll in, love seeing the produce and products that come with each season. I love greeting treasured vendors, loyal customers, and city/county officials.

I love seeing the produce that will kick off the season, produce that will come in the next few weeks, and the produce that will end the season. Such a circle game of seasons, vendors, products, local love.

My heart, soul, and business are steeped heavily in this rich local tapestry of our county and surrounding county. I love the markets. I love the market families that form. I love the customers. I love the happiness, freedom, and gypsy like ways of the markets. I launched Cosmic Charlie at the Champaign County Farmers Market, many seasons ago. The markets suit my soul, they play well with my free spirit, they show me the love, and let me give the love right back.

And then we have this lovely little market of love…the constant among our outside markets. The umbrella that bridges them all. The little market that could. My heart and soul are also heavily entrenched in this market, the customers, the YMCA, the vendors, and my assistant managers. I hold this market so close. It’s like a seasonal product that you take care of, you love, you nurture, you water, and it continues to grow, produce, and prosper.

So, in this never ending circle game of local, give us a look. Go out and support any of the local outside farmers markets. Get to know what real local is all about. Get to know the faces and names of your producers. Shake hands, give hugs, and be thankful we live in a county that is so rich in all things local.

Also, in this local circle game is the coming and going of seasonal produce. We are at the end of some produce while we are at the beginning of other produce. Take advantage. Catch the local love. Fall in love with this little circle game of local.

The market is open…it’s Sunday evening, time to plan your week, time to let us show you the love of local.

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Crazy Love

And when I’m returning from so far away…
She gives me some sweet lovin’ brighten up my day…
Yes it makes me righteous, yes it makes me feel whole…
Yes it makes me mellow down in to my soul…
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love…
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love…
(Van Morrison – Crazy Love)

Crazy love…it’s what I have for this little local market of love!! Crazy, over the top, dedicated kind of love. This market is such a labor of love, on so many levels. From the vendors to the customers to the YMCA to your market managers, we all have a crazy kind of love for this market.

Each week, I am reminded of why I volunteer as your market manager. Each week, I feel so much love and pride in this market. We have so many returning vendors now that the produce season is underway, so many of their amazing products, and it is so nice to greet them at check-in, and get emails and phone calls that they are returning.

This market is a family, of sorts. We all have our place in this family, we all pull our own weight, we all bring an equal amount of local love.

As you know, this past week, we welcomed, The Berry Patch back with Steven’s amazing strawberries!! Steven told us that we may only have the berries for three weeks!! This week, we say hello, again, to our friend, Kevin, from Davidson Family Farms!!! We still have asparagus but maybe only for one more week. Take advantage!!! We still have live herbs…but not for long!! The green garlic may be giving way to the garlic scapes, AND, we may even get strawberries from JC Growers!!

We’ve got it all, we keep it all local, we come to you, year round, AND, we do it with much love in our hearts!!

This past week was an amazing market with amazing numbers and sales!! Let’s see if you can top this week!!

I am opening the market, I urge you to take advantage of what is about to leave us while you indulge in what is coming on…

Give us some love…some crazy love…

Peace, Love, Good Vibes,
Cosmic Pam