Page 53 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2018

Marvelous Melons
L.I.F.E. (Local Incentive for Food & Economy ) matches customers’ Calfresh benefits spent at participating markets (EBT), dollar-for-dollar, up to a $10 or $20 maximum, depending on the market. Participating Markets marked with:
Seasonal Markets
Bodega Bay Community Farmers’ Market ~ Sun. 10- 2p (Thru Oct), Community Center, 2255 North Hwy 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875- 9609, bbcommunityassoc@comcast.net
Cloverdale Farmers Market ~ Tues 3-6:30p, (Thru Dec 18) 225. No. Cloverdale Blvd. Empty lot next to Plank marne@14feet.net, cloverdaletuesdayfarmersmarket.com
Cotati Community Farmers’ Market ~Tues. 4:30-7:30p (Thru Aug 30) LaPlaza Park Old Redwood & Sierra. facebook.com/CotatiFarmersMarket
Forestville Certified Farmers’ Market~ Tues. 4-7p (Thru Sept. 11) Moves to Wed. on July 4. 6990 Front St. Under the Shady Oaks. Wendi Flowers, 707-481-3565
Gualala Farmers’ Market ~ Sat 9:30- 12:30p, (Thru Nov 3). Gualala Community Center, Hwy 1, Gualala. 707-884-3726
Healdsburg Certified Farmers’ Markets ~Sat. 8:30a to Noon (Thru Nov 24) West Plaza Parking Lot N & Vine St. 707-824-8717/ 707 529-4884, Healdsburgfarmersmarket.org
Kenwood Community Farmers’ Market ~ Sun. 10-2p (Thru Sep 30) St. Patrick’s Church 9000 Sonoma Hwy. 415-999-5635
Occidental Bohemian Farmers’ Market ~ Fri 4-dusk (Thru Oct) 3611 Bohemian Hwy. 707-874- 8478 facebook.com/occidentalfarmersmarket
Petaluma Theater District ~Wed 4:30-7:30p (Thru Aug. 29) 2nd St Between B St. and D St. 415- 999-5635 facebook.com/PetalumaFarmersMarke
Petaluma Walnut Park Farmers’ Market ~ Sat 2-5p (Thru-Nov. 17) Petaluma Blvd S. at D St. 415-999-5635, info@communityfarmersmarkets.com
Rohnert Park Farmers’Market ~ Fri 5-8p (Thru Aug 31) 500 City Center Dr. Rohnert Park. 415- 999-5635 facebook.com/rohnertparkfarmersmarket
Russian River Certified Farmers’ Market, Guerneville ~ Thur 3-7pm, (Thru Sept. 17) 5th St, corner of Armstrong Woods Rd.481-6800, pegi@thesantarosafarmersmarket. com
Santa Rosa Downtown Certified Farmers’ Market ~ Wed 5- 8:30 pm, (Thru Aug) Courthouse Sq, Santa Rosa www.wednesdaynightmarket.org
Sonoma Garden Park ~ Sat. 9-12p (Thru Oct) 19996 7th St. East Sonoma. Master Gardeners available. sonomagardenpark.org
Valley of the Moon Certified Farmers’ Market ~ Tues.5:30p (Thru Sept.) Sonoma Plaza, behind City Hall. 453 1st St E, Sonoma, www.sonomaplazamarket.org/
West End Farmers’ Market ~ Sunday 9:30-2p. (Thru Oct 28) #9 4th St. Railroad Square Santa Rosa 707-477-8422 wefm.com
Windsor Farmers’ Market ~ Sun. 10a-1p (Thru Dec 10 ) & Thur 5-8p
(Thru Sep 6) Windsor Town Green, 701 McClelland Dr at Market St, Windsor windsorfarmersmarket.com
Year Round Farm-Fresh Food
Laguna Farms CSA (Direct) Shop/Pick-up ~ Year-round, Tues. & Thurs., 1-7p, Wed., Noon-5p, Fri. 10-3p, 1764 Cooper Rd. Sebastopol, 707-823-0823, lagunafarm.com
Oakmont Certified Farmers’ Market ~ Saturday 9a - noon, at the Wells Fargo parking lot corner of White Oak and Oakmont Dr. 707-538-7023
Petaluma East Side Farmers’ Market ~ Tuesday 10a -1:30p, Year Round, Lucchesi Park, 320 N McDowell Blvd, Pet. communityfarmersmarkets.com 415-999-5635 info@ communityfarmersmarkets.com
Santa Rosa Community Farmers' Market at the Vets Bldg ~ Wednesday 9a - 1p and Saturday 8:30a-1p Veteran’s Bldg, 1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa
415-999-5635 info@communityfarmersmarkets.com
Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market ~ Wednesday and Saturday 8:30a 1p. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket.com 707-522-8629
Sebastopol Farmers' Market ~ Sunday 10a -1:30p Sebastopol Plaza Downtown Across from Whole Foods Market sebastopolfarmmarket.org, 707- 522-9305 facebook.com/Sebastopol-Farm-Market-115479670123
Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers’ Market ~ Friday 9a - 12:30p, in the Arnold Field parking lot at 241 First St West, Sonoma 707-538-7023, svcfm.org
Springs Community Farmers Market ~ Sun., 4-7p, Larson Park, 329 Dechene Ave. Boyes Hot Springs, facebook.com/TheSpringsCommunityFarmersMarket
By Kelly Smith
Melon season is really when I feel summer is in full swing. As I walk the
aisles of the farmers’ market and the undeniable smell of melon is in the air I am in heaven. As I child I loved using a melon baller to eat the interior flesh of a cantaloupe. In all honesty this is still the way I prefer to eat the sweet flesh of any melon.
The fruit of the melon plant, comes from the botanical family Cucurbitaceae. It has a round fruit occupied by many small seeds at its center with a fleshy mesocarp. It varies in color from red to green to orange, or even yellow.
Mostly melons are made of water, approximately 90% of the fruit is water and there is virtually no fat, making it the perfect dessert on a hot summer day. The sugar content is only 5.4% unlike many other fruits. They actually contain almost 1% protein. They are rich with vitamins including C and some B groups. Minerals stored in melons are Magnesium, Potassium, and iron. A 5 lb melon can offer an adult a daily dose of iron and half the recommended dietary allowance of magnesium.
If that wasn’t enough to make you want to hunt the perfect melon, here
are some other reasons. Melons are great to aid eliminating dehydration, constipation, urinary conditions, such as infections and assists in aiding with filtration in the kidneys. Also eating melon can help off set the early stages of kidney failure.
Watermelons originated in West Africa and were found to be eaten during the Roman Empire. Other than that there really isn’t much more interesting history on melons. Much to my dismay. I was looking forward to hearing
how they may have been used for romance, sword fights or something else with a little more color. Even if the melon has a lack luster history I am still happy to eat melon during the peak of summer. You can find them now at the farmers’ markets in your area. Pick them by their smell and softness at the ends if choosing a honey dew or cantaloupe. For watermelons it is all about the tapping according to most farmers.
Easy Skewered Cantaloupe
1 cantaloupe - peeled, seeded, and cubed 1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves skewers
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat grill for medium heat.
Thread the cantaloupe chunks onto 4 skewers. In a small saucepan, heat butter with honey until melted. Stir in mint. Brush cantaloupe with honey mixture.
Lightly oil grate. Grill skewers 4 to 6 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Serve with remaining sauce.
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