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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It's Essential!!!


I am passing along this message from our friends from Swisher Hill Herbs…

The essential lowdown on their essential oils!!!

And, may I quickly give them a HUGE shout out for having amazing oils? The Geranium oil is a perfect oil for your face, and the Patchouli…well, to know me is to know my love the Patchouli!!

Here you go….

Swisher Hill Herbs purchases their Essential oils from a family owned company that has been in business since 1908. We began purchasing their products in 1982 and we have confidence in their experience and technology in the fractionation and distillation of essential oils and we are convinced their essential oils are of the highest quality.
Swisher hill herbs has introduced 2 new essential oils to the Virtual Market. Grapefruit and Sweet Orange. Due to the increase in popularity of our oils we are able to order in larger quantities, therefore we are able to pass on savings to our customers

We also have an information handout on the properties of essential oils to help give our customers a better understanding of the chemical properties and complexities of using essential oils. If you would like to have a copy of this and also a copy of our suggested uses handout just e-mail us at swisherhillherbs@gmail.com.
Thank you for shopping the Virtual Market and supporting local growers and producers of Champaign County.
Joe and Charlene Stapleton Swisher Hill Herbs

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…
(Beatles – Good Day Sunshine)

Well, finally…the kind of day that I can smile about. The kind of day that makes me feel alive. The kind of day that tells me growth, green, the next season is finally within our grasp! Yes, Good Day, Sunshine…it’s amazing!

It was so therapeutic to drive with my sunroof, open, this morning. To shed the 20 layers that I needed, all winter, just to keep warm. It was nice to just drive with tunes, breeze, sunshine, hair blowing in the wind, and finally feel like I am whole, again!

The other sunshine feeling I am getting is looking at the market orders, so far! A nice market for a Monday…I can tell that customers are ready to begin venturing out, once again…to place orders, to anticipate coming out to order pick up…to once again give some love to our little local market!

I would LOVE to see this market soar into record breaking numbers, this week, to celebrate the return of the sun, of the spirit, of the soul…let’s do this!! Even if every customer and vendor orders just ONE product, it would be amazing!!!

The market is open, it will be open until tomorrow night, at 10pm. Make me even happier than I am right now…flood this market with love and orders!!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Enough, Already!


I know that I speak for all of us when I say…please just take these freezing cold days and give us some rays of sunshine, some warm breezes, and a hint of spring like weather…haven’t we had enough??

Apparently not since I am sitting here trying to get warm in layers of clothing and a glass of wine.

Well, until we get through this, let our little local market of love warm you up, light your fire, be your ray of sun!

I am opening the market, tonight, take the next few days to think about what you need, what you want, and how we can make that happen for you in the best way we know how…

Have a great evening!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Last Call!!


This will serve as your last call before the market closes for the week!!

Get your orders in, make your week just a bit easier…

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Crash Into Me


Sweet like candy to my soul…
Sweet you rock…
and sweet you roll…
(Dave Matthews Band-Crash Into Me)

Have you ever had one of those days where you were gliding along, all happy, cool, groovy…and then, out of nowhere in particular, totally ungroovy events happened? Yeah…well, that was my afternoon. But, instead of crashing down, I have decided to look at all of the positive things that I love, that bring me a sense of pride, and show me where the scene really is!

Our little local market of love, our local spirit, our dedication as a united front to present all that is honest, all that is local, all that is good, all that is what we have built…that is what grounds me. That is what makes me proud, happy, dedicated…it rocks and rolls my soul.

I urge you to think about local, think about this little local market of love, and show us some love. The support that we get, weekly, from customers, vendors, the YMCA, outside comments…it all means so much to us!!

Crash into us…either for the first time, the hundredth time, the weekly time….we totally love it!!

Give us your orders, and we will give you our local love! You have until 10pm…we want you to crash into us…

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

The Lion Sleeps Tonight


In the jungle, the mighty jungle…
The lion sleeps tonight…
In the jungle, the quiet jungle…
The lion sleeps tonight…
(Token – The Lion Sleeps Tonight)

Well, look at today…March 1, pouring down snow, and living up to the saying…In like a lion…

Let’s just hope that the same saying…Out like a lamb…is also going to happen. Personally, I am done with the winter. I am usually done with winter the day after Christmas. I am ready for sun, warm days, green, growth, and all that my favorite months bring.

But, it’s not all bad on today, March 1…because on this first day of March, we see my favorite month of the year. Yes, once again, we usher in March Madness!! Even sweeter? My team…the Kentucky Wildcats remain undefeated!! We are looking good…very good…to enter this month!!

So, let’s forget the weather, let the lion do it’s thing. Let’s look forward to a college basketball fan’s month that rivals Christmas, and then let’s hope that the lamb is not too far off…

Think about your week, your needs, your orders. The good news is that we will see warmer temperatures as the week progresses. Plan to order, plan to venture out, plan to come see your favorite little local market of love, filled with your favorite local vendors, and where you get to chat with your favorite market volunteers!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Opening!!


The market is now opening, again, for the week!

Your manager is tired, hungry, and ready for beauty sleep…so, it’s a short and sweet opening, tonight!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Thank You!


Thank you for ordering at the market!

The market is now closed but will reopen at 8pm on Thursday!

It Ain't Over Til It's Over


‘Cause Baby it ain’t over ‘til it’s over…
(Lenny Kravitz – It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over)

I have been in a total old school Lenny Kravitz mood, lately…such a swoon worthy voice. I dug out my, Mama Said cd, the other day, and hello….soulful from way down.

Just like this little local market of love that is filled with so much soul, so much love, so much local goodness…we bring it, old school, from the days when eating was all about real food, local food, seasonal food.

With this bitter cold front, I know it’s easy to say that you don’t want to have to fight the cold to come out and pick up your market orders, so you end up not ordering. Then, you are sad. And, we are sad.

If you think about it…wouldn’t it make more sense to curl up to a computer, smart device, grab coffee, tea, wine, whatever your drink choice may be, and place a week’s worth of grocery shopping from the comfort of where you are? It’s warm, it’s cozy, we have so many options for you to try, and you are not warming up your car, driving to the store, fighting the bitter cold and crowds, and then getting food that is not local or seasonal?

Who else gives you the local love? Who else wants to see you, each week, just so we can show YOU some love? Yeah, not the big box stores.

Go ahead…get comfy, place your orders, and all you need to do is come to one stop to pick it all up. One stop for a local shop! Try it…we promise you will like it…

We close, tonight, at 10pm….you have two hours, and baby, it ain’t over til it’s over…

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Winter Winds


But if your strife strikes at your sleep…
Remember spring swaps snow for leaves…
You’ll be happy and wholesome again…
When the city clears and sun ascends…
(Winter Winds- Mumford and Sons)

Well, we really did get hit with much snow, cold, and winds, yesterday. In fact, we have had a week of this frosty, cold, snowy weather.

It’s been the kind of cold that drives you under layers of blankets, mounds of layers of clothing just to move about your day, and many, many thoughts of sun drenched, warm days to come. We really are in the last stretch of the winter months but it is not going to let us go, so easily. It wants us to truly know it’s presence.

So, we endure, we are patient, we are ever knowing that spring is around the corner. It’s this frozen last part of winter that makes us appreciate what’s ahead, what’s to come, and what it feels like to bask in warm rays.

We also remain patient by waiting for the next growing season to begin. To see the return of so many of our seasonal vendors. But, in the meantime, we remain steady, strong, and ready to take your weekly orders.

We rock the numbers, each and every week! We are seeing the return of familiar faces and friends. We are here, just for all of you, to make the last weeks of this cold, cold winter, a bit easier on you.

Give us your orders, and let us take the work out of it for your week. We are that bit of warmth and happiness in this frozen mess. We look forward to seeing you!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam