…exotic breads, pea shoots, dead flowers, live music
Bluffton has it’s first Winter Farmers Market since, well, anyone can remember. And the inaugural market was on the last Saturday of last month.
In fact, it’s slated for the last Saturday of each month through the winter. It’s being held at Bluffton’s rather expansive Senior Center downtown.
Harrod, Ohio’s Art Woodruff’s “Firm Roots Farm” was represented, in all it’s greenery. Woodruff bills himself as a ‘micro-greens artist,’ if you will. The farm grows such micro-greens young shoots as sunflowers, radish, broccoli and pea. (*If it wasn’t for Firm Roots pea shoots, well, I might not be alive today to write this. Wink.)
Across the way was the booth “Artisan Hearth Breads by Bent Nail Bakery.” (*That’s right, they EVERYONE here see themselves as ‘artists’!)
To say Judy’s breads are a decided touch of the exotic, would be, well, an understatement. The types of her bread include: Greek Olive Onion Bread; Parmesan Herb Bread; Apple Raisin Bread with a hint of (Oh, I’ll leave that as a surprise.); Samalina Bread (“Not to be confused with Salmonella Bread,” Judy laughed.)
By the way, Judy had come all the way from Ft. Jennings (Some 30 miles, one-way!), as she does each week for the summer Bluffton Farmers Market as well.
Eduardo Sguerra came east from Columbus Grove, Ohio, and from his “Wild Vine Farm.” Wild Vine sells only the best in vegetables (in season), black walnuts, fresh market flower bouquets, dried florals… Eduardo said he was just back from a two-week trip to the country of Columbia to visit relatives.
“How was that?” I asked.
“Warmer,” he smiled.
And, among a good number of booths this day, there was the Bluffton Baking Co. booth. Well, it was the ‘Bluffton’ Farmers Market after all. They sell breads and “Gourmet Stuffed Cookies …to die for!”
And “headlining” the whole event was Bluffton’s favorite house band. They’ve been playing for years all over this village. And what’s more, each year, oddly enough, they actually change their band’s name – to stay relevant, I guess.
Last year their name was: “The Usual Suspects.” This year, it’s: “The Unusual Suspects.” And they, most decidedly, are.
So, come one, come all… Bluffton Winter Farmers Market Mania is: ON!