Saturday, May 30, began as a dark, damp, dreary, drizzly day, but it was dry under the roof at the Farmers’ Market! Several families arrived at the same time I did, and we were greeted by upbeat music and the Union County Line Dancers. Dancers were grapevining and pivoting in unison, and they were fun to watch. Line dancing requires executing synchronized, choreographed steps together, and these ladies got it down!

Several of the usual vendors were not at this Market. Vacations, grandchildren, and illness kept them away. But there were still plenty of vendors to pick up a week’s worth of groceries, baked goods, and homemade crafts.

Ann’s Baked Goods had a selection of sourdough bread, cookies, and small and large loaves. Her loaves today included Strawberry and Cream, Blueberry and Lemon, Cinnamon Pull-Apart, and Pumpkin. Ann created her very first sourdough starter about 18 years ago and has been keeping it going since then! A sourdough starter is a live, fermented culture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. It is a natural alternative to commercial dry yeast and the ingredient that makes sourdough bread rise and develop its signature tangy flavor. While some physicians have recommended that diabetics significantly reduce their carbohydrate intake, including breads, because of the health benefits of the beneficial bacteria, some suggest a diabetic may eat up to one piece of sourdough bread a day. (Check with your physician for dietary changes). Always willing to bake special orders, you can reach her at 865-992-0028. Ann has been a vendor with the Farmers’ Market since the very first one held in the high school parking lot in 2011. Sixteen years as a vendor with the Union County Farmers Market!

The recipe for Nanny’s Homemade Fried Pies is a favored family recipe, handed down from her husband’s grandmother, Blanche. Fried Pies are a sort of portable pie. They are completely self-contained and can be held in one hand – a great on-the-go snack…no plates or utensils needed. The crust is generally rolled very thin but sturdy. Fillings can vary from fruit, chocolate, lemon or even meat pies. Nanny’s Fried Pies usually offer peach or apple pies. But she also makes chocolate brownies with a milk chocolate icing. Her homemade body lotion is made with Vitamin E, scented baby oil, and a little Vaseline for dry skin, which she also makes and offers for sale.

Jessica Pollard makes cute little plushies and crochets colorful hair ties. All homemade, she offers them as JP Crafts N More. Her friend, Jeannie Dash, enjoys painting ceramic buildings and has a whole village, including a Candy Shoppe, Railroad Station, Country Store, and Drug Store, available in vibrant colors.

Family First Foods is in Townsend, and Diana O’Connor made the trip all the way to Maynardville to sell her jams, jellies, Cowboy Candy, and 5th Generation Salsa. The salsa recipe is from Diana’s grandmother, Lois, who had been making it most of her life. Lois had 10 children, was a hardworking hillbilly sharecropper from Arkansas, picked cotton in the summer and fruit in MI in the fall. Diana is the oldest of 63 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lois informed Diana that she would learn how to make Lois's recipe. Diana’s initial response was that she was not going to learn because she did not like salsa and was just not going to make it! Grandma had other ideas, and Diana made salsa. Diana’s grandson is the 5th generation of 5th Generation Salsa. The recipe is basically the same all these years later, although Diana has added three fruit salsas. She offers tastes of all her products so her customers can decide which are their personal favorites.

The Union County Farmers’ Market cultivates healthy communities by connecting farmers to consumers and building a sustainable model for buying affordable, farm-grown produce and meats. Don’t miss the next Market on Saturdays from 9 am to 1:00 pm!