Page 49 - Sonoma County Gazette October 2018

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 (May 27, 2018 thru Oct) Bodega Bay Community Center, 2255 North Hwy 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875- 9609; bbcommunityassoc@comcast.net
Cloverdale Farmers Market ~ Tues 3-6:30p Apr 3 - Dec 18, 225 No. Cloverdale Blvd. Empty lot next to Plank Café. INFO: marne@14feet.net cloverdaletuesdayfarmersmarket.com
Gualala Farmers’ Market ~ Sat 9:30- 12:30p, May 26 -Nov 3. Gualala Community Center, Hwy 1, Gualala. 707-884-3726
Healdsburg Certified Farmers’ Markets ~Sat. 8:30a to Noon (May 5 - Nov 24) West Plaza Parking Lot N & Vine St. 707-824-8717/ 707 529-4884, Healdsburgfarmersmarket.org, manager@healdsburgfarmersmarket.org
Petaluma Farmers’ Market Pop Up Shop ~ 2p-8p Thur. 151 Petaluma Blvd S Petaluma facebook.com/PetalumaFarmersMarket
Petaluma Walnut Park Farmers’ Market ~ Sat 2-5p (May 12-Nov. 17) Petaluma Blvd South at D Street 415-999-5635 info@communityfarmersmarkets.com
Sonoma Garden Park ~ Sat. 9-12p (April 14- Oct) 19996 7th St. East Sonoma
Master Gardeners available. sonomagardenpark.org
West End Farmers’ Market ~ Sunday 9:30-2p. May 6 - Oct 28) #9 4th St. Railroad Square Santa Rosa 707-477-8422 wefm.com
Windsor Farmers’ Market ~ Sun. 10a-1p (Apr 8 - Dec 10 ) & Thur 5-8p (Jun 7- Sep 6) Windsor Town Green, 701 McClelland Dr at Market St, Windsor windsorfarmersmarket.com
Year Round Farm-Fresh Food
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
By Kelly Smith
When I was young girl we had a pomegranate tree in my backyard. The
neighborhood kids and I would pluck off the fruit from the tree and bust it open to find all the little seeded jewels inside. We would fill up our hands and pop the plump juiced filled seeds into our mouths and let the juice explode, satisfying our thirst and sweet tooth all in one fall swoop. It’s an experience that I still get excited about as an adult. I get giddy at the first signs of pomegranates at the farmers’ market.
The pomegranate tree is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe. The pomegranate means seeded apple
and is derived from medieval Latin. Archaeologists have found carbonized pomegranate exocarps in places such as Jericho from the Early Bronze Age (3000 BC), Cyprus, from the Late Bronze Age, and in Egyptian tombs, including King Tut’s. The fruit was highly valued in Ancient Egypt, and were part of
the supply of fruits required in a pharaoh’s residence (1600 BC). It was revered enough to have been painted on wall and tombs to symbolize life after death. Pomegranate had many uses, including the fruit as food, the juice as a tonic to kill parasites, the blossom was crushed to make a red dye and the peel was used to dye leather.
Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem had pomegranates painted on the pillars, you would also find pomegranates decorating the robes of Jewish priests, and in mosaics from ancient Rome. Roman women would wear headdresses created from the twigs of the tree to signify marital status. A symbol of strength in ancient Persia, the army of Xerxes carried spears with pomegranates on the tip when they invaded Greece in 480 BC. Pomegranates were depicted on the walls of the royal palace and fortress Alhambra of Islamic Nasrid Dynasty by the Moors in Spain.
Pomegranate was regarded highly by many over the ages. It was considered one of the three blessed fruits and was celebrated by Buddha. In Greek myths around 500 BC it was told that Hades tempted Persephone with a pomegranate, and when she partook, it bound her to him as pomegranates symbolize
the indissolubility of marriage. Around 600 AD Islam’s Muhammad had considered the pomegranate to both nutritious for both physical and emotional health. In Christianity, pomegranate is an important symbol, representing Jesus’ resurrection. It was also used to symbolize The Virgin Mary because “both are filled with sweetness.” In Hindu pomegranate is the symbol of prosperity and fertility and is thought to bring good health. You will often find it featured prominently in Hindu art and find in on several avatars of Ganesha.
I think we can all agree that pomegranate is a succulent fall fruit to be treasured by all. You will find it around the markets into January.
Spinach Pomegranate Salad
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts (optional)
1 pomegranate, peeled and seeds separated
4 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
Place spinach in a bowl. Top with red onion, walnuts, feta, and sprouts. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top, and drizzle with vinaigrette.
Ingredients
1 lb spinach
1/4 red onion, sliced very thin 1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Directions
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