What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. OCTOBER HOURS ARE FROM 9:00 A.M. TO NOON! Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!

Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, October 3, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, cabbage, carrots, chestnuts, assortment of peppers including pepperoncini and poblano, eggs, gourds, green beans, herbs, okra, potatoes, pumpkins and mini pumpkins, (pick-a-pie pumpkin, gold rush, crinshaw, round yellow, prize winner varieties), radishes, a variety of winter squashes such as acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoes (yellow and white), sorghum, turnips, watermelon fresh flowers, plants including Christmas cactus, aloe, coxcombs, water plants, decorative corn, animal bedding, plant starts
From the Kitchen: bagels, brownies, cake, candy apples, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, flavored popcorn, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, squirrel feeders, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
You can all sleep in an extra hour during the month of October before heading to the farmers market. Due to the later sunrise, we’ll be open from 9 a.m. to noon throughout the month of October. This week’s events include a free yoga class with Janet 9:30 a.m. No experience is necessary. You’ll leave her yoga class feeling refreshed and ready to begin your fall day! We’ll also have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area all ready with straw and twine for you and your family to make this year’s scarecrow for your home. Just bring some old clothes to stuff him with. We’ll be lots of locally grown pumpkins available for his head. We’ll have the Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area available each Saturday through October 24th when we’ll have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow Contest. So use that imagination you have to create a great scarecrow this year! Brack and Linda will offer Horse & Buggy Rides with Duke, our favorite farmers market horse. And as always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music!

OUR VENDORS OF THE WEEK: Susan and Larry Toothman are our featured vendors this week. They sell sorghum. Put sorghum over your pancakes, biscuits or toast, as a topping for your ice cream or in Grandmas' treasured recipes for ginger snaps or ginger bread. Sorghum can be used in your stir fry base as well as in your baked beans, its' a great ingredient to add into you homemade breads and can be substituted cup for cup in any recipe that calls for molasses, honey, corn syrup or maple syrup. If you are visiting their booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

2009 ORANGE COUNTY HOMEGROWN HOLIDAY MARKET:
Mark your calendars for your holiday shopping! The Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market is set for Saturday, November 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium and cafeteria.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
We had a busy farmers market despite the rain threats. We had 42 vendors set up to sell. At 10:00 we counted 145 shoppers enjoying the fall weather at the market. The Art Day Tent was filled to the brim with children creating some colorful and cheery paintings. Rookie vendor, Katlin Percifield and watercolor artist, Anna Marie Mahler helped with the Art Day activities. Abstract Artist Ray Beauregard brought his easel and painted all morning. He finished two pieces worthy of an art museum. Many visitors admired some of his other pieces which were on display. Dunn Memorial Hospital was quite busy with free health screenings. It’s was the final day and prize drawing for the Farmers Market Walking Club. Dwain Glenn, Treva Brim, Ann Huffman each won a gift certificate to the Lost River Market & Deli. Grace Chastain and Judy Crews each won a gift certificate to Maple Street Restaurant, and Brenda Wells won a gift certificate to the HomeGrown Farmers Market.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST:
· Saturday, October 10th, 2009 Ladies Day Spiritual Harvest & Fellowship (open to the public) at Paoli Friends Meeting House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Special speaker & music. Bring a can of food for the local food pantry. Lunch will be served at noon by the men of the Meeting House. Call Pat Smetzer 723-3916 or Becky Gardner 755-1507 or Royce Springer 936-4101 to RSVP.
· Saturday, October 10, 2009 Montgomery Farm (Scottsburg, IN) Fall Festival http://www.montgomery-farms.com/farm.php 812-752-2300 info@montgomeryfarms.com Come celebrate the fall season with us at our 4th annual Fall Festival. It will be a day full of fun activities and events for all ages to enjoy. Hours: 10 am – 6pm, continuing with Montgomery Farms night time activities. Events and Activities include: Local Vendors; Lick Creek Band; A’mazing Corn Maze Race with Kix 92.7 WXKU; Pumpkin Painting; Door Prizes/Giveaways throughout the day; Fireworks at Dark
· Fun in the Forest Field Day October 24, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM This is a family event featuring many hands on and educational activities for kids and adults including wild game calling, orienteering, information on invasive species, use of a bucksaw, scavenger hunts, tree cookies, etc. Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee Pre-registration is requested. Contact White River RC&D (812)883-3006 Ext. 5.