Farm Market Fresh

I like the idea of knowing the name of the farmer who grew my food. At the “Adams County Farm Fresh Markets” you have the chance to do just that. I bought salad greens from the nice ladies from White Rose Farm, in Taneytown, MD. For two dollars I took home a zip-lock bag filled with mixed greens, spinach and a green onion thrown in. I also picked up a pint of strawberries so fresh they still had a little dirt on them.

The farmers market is set up on Wednesdays from 2:30pm to 7:00pm at Gettysburg Rec Park, next to the Sterner Building on Long Lane. They also set up at The Outlet Shoppes at Gettysburg on Friday and Saturday. Adams County Farm Fresh Markets sell only produce that is locally grown within an 80-mile radius of Gettysburg.

Getting the chance to talk directly with the farmers is a highlight of visiting the market. The owner of Heirloom Farms, near Fairfield, told me he wants to know the story behind the food he grows. His farm sells spinach grown from seeds that came from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. He says this variety was the President’s favorite.

The farm market is not just about heirloom tomatoes and homemade rhubarb pie. Along with debit cards, they also accept SNAP (formerly called food stamps). Families participating in the SNAP program have the opportunity to purchase 20 dollars worth of produce for 10 dollars.

Locally grown, fresh food just tastes better. It is also better for our health and less harmful to our environment. I would much rather buy from local farmers instead of giving any more money to industrial-run food corporations. So I hope you will join me and eat better, eat LOCAL!

See the farmers market at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPuRSQUE3vI

European bread at last!

For a long time, I’d been complaining “you just can’t get good bread around here.” The industrial bread from the supermarket was too depressing to mention and the few local bakeries seemed to focus only on pastries.  My quest for a European-style bakery with true artisan bread seemed hopeless.

Then I found Pomona’s, tucked away in Biglerville. Owner Marc Jalbert has been baking for 16 years and has been operating in Biglerville for the last 5 years. The centerpiece of Pomona’s is the custom wood-fired oven. It was built by local craftsman Randy Bollinger using recycled bricks from a 19^th century schoolhouse.

The baguette is my favorite of Pomona’s bread offerings. The crunchy and chewy crust opens up to light air pockets inside, making it one of the best baguette this side of the Atlantic. Also outstanding is the seeded twist. It’s similar in texture to the baguette, but with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and kosher salt.  (I usually buy an extra seeded twist to eat on the drive home. Be forewarned…it’s messy in the car.) Pomona’s also offers brioche and sourdough among other styles.

Besides breads, Pomona’s bakes a nice selection of pastries. My favorite one? The apple turnover “made with local fresh apples/fruit nestled inside a cornmeal butter crust.”  That crust is delicate and flaky. Fresh fruit cheese danish are available at “baker’s whim.”

The bakery is only half the story at Pomona’s as they also have a café. I’ll leave that for another blog, so check back soon.

Pomona’s is open 8am-5pm Tuesday-Friday and 8am-2pm on Saturday. It’s located about a 10-minute drive north of Gettysburg at 213 E. York St. in Biglerville PA.

www.pomonas.com