VFM: We're Open on Labor Day Weekend--It's Time to Stock up for School -- Jams, Jellies, Granola, Grapes and More...

At the Vienna Saturday Farmers Market--we're open this weekend--on Saturday from 8 am to noon at 301 Center Street South (Faith Baptist Church parking lots) and yes school's about to start! But no need to stress. The market will be quiet, parking will be available and there is lots to buy to prepare those lunches. Peaches, nectarines, etc. Plus there are other things you've not even considered including the fact that canning season has just started! Please read on...

Our newest vendor reminds us of this fact--Gina's Jams and Jellies. Gina is a natural at preparing gourmet foods. She has been producing jam since her home economic days using fruit harvested from her family farm in the Philippines.  Her family includes cooks, chefs, and restaurant owners. She now prepares her jams, jellies, and marmalade -- the old-fashioned and all natural way -- out of locally sourced and organic fruit.  Find her on Facebook or visit her website to see the variety of jams—new flavors include Mango-Peach Jam, Strawberry-Pineapple Jam, Mixed Berries, and Orange Pineapple Jam.  Please stop by to have a taste and experience the bliss of Gina’s Pacific Jams and Jellies. Stop by and taste test them all on your next market visit.  Hmmmm good.  They are perfect for preparing sandwiches for school lunches and just in time for the start of school and college.

Now for your trivia of the day--Jelly, jam and preserves are all made from fruit mixed with sugar and pectin. The difference between them is the form that the fruit takes.

·    Jelly: the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice

·    Jam: the fruit comes in the form of fruit pulp or crushed fruit (it is less rigid than jelly as a consequence)

·     Preserves: the fruit comes in the form of lumps in syrup or a jam. And yes, marmalade falls into the preserve category as it comes from a citrus fruit -especially a bitter one such as oranges and is prepared like a jam

·      Pectin: is an indigestible carbohydrate (fiber) found in most fruits. When heated with sugar in water, it gels giving the canned goods their thickness

This is the perfect time of year to pick up bags of Annette’s Amazing Granola with kids returning to school. Annette who lives in downtown Vienna prepares her own granola with amazing recipes and sells large, medium and individual serving bags of coconut, peanut butter, nutty and nut less granola. Farmer Dave never goes a week without his granola—he is addicted, shall we say? It’s the perfect addiction to a child’s or adult’s daytime lunch or snack routine.

Tomatoes at the market this Saturday will include the following varieties: orange non acidic, chocolate stripes, vintage wine, violet jasper, tigerella, berkeley tie-dye, solar flair, yellow moon, green zebra plus at least 5 others plus cherry tomatoes and other heirlooms and salad tomatoes! Look for tomatoes that have a bit of give to them if you plan on slicing them and eating them right away.

Also a special time at the market this weekend—we will have grapes—both seedless and seeded at Kuhns and maybe at Mcleaf’s—this happens only a few weeks a year due to grapes short growing season. Come out for this wonderful fruit.

Plus come out to get Sunrise Pears (similar to Bartlett pears). What a great way to start the school year—fresh and new!

Until next week or I’ll see you this weekend at the market—Farmer SJ