Big Timber market opens in new location

Due to a short growing season, farmers markets in eastern Montana start rather late in the summer. Today the Big Timber farmers market opened just in time for the Fourth of July and in its new location in the city park at the south end of town.

It was a small market today, but vendors told me that customers were steadily passing through. I arrived at 10 am and saw Tom Tochihara, the 90-year-old Big Timber gardening legend, already packing up after having sold his much sought after spinach and tomatoes.

Sadly, Toms was the only produce today, but there were plenty of other goodies to enjoy. My personal favorite, maple sticks (also known as maple bars), were back.

Jackie was at market with homemade bread and cookies and her fabulous soap. Her daughter brought pet bunnies for sale, which were very cuddly; here you see one being admired by a young customer.

In addition, there were lovely baskets, potholders, and other crafts all waiting for some lucky buyer to take them home for reasonable prices.

The new setting in the park allows folks to sit in the shade and chat. If you do feel too hot, the parks outdoor swimming pool is a few steps away.

Also new this year is music in the gazebo, organized by talented local musicians. If you just want to come for the music, that would be well worth your time.

There will no doubt be more vendors in coming weeks. Stop by to see what might be happening when you get there.

Big Timber Farmers Market
City park, McLeod and 8th
July 2 - September 24
Saturday, 9 am - noon

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Blustery day in Big Timber

The rain fell is big squirts this morning but that didnt stop vendors and customers from enjoying the farmers market.

There were lots of treats, beginning with background music by Hannah. She told me shes been playing for "three or four years." I havent heard a piano at any other market, so this is a good reason to come here to listen for yourself.

Another rare sighting at farmers markets was of maple bars. When I got home, I hurriedly bit into one. I consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur of these delectable doughnuts, and these were . . . superb! In fact, best Ive eaten simply because they are homemade: chewy, doughy, and not overly sweet. Oh, yes, and there were other baked goods as well.

Ninety-year-old Tom was at the market, too, with a nice selection of his produce grown in the community garden. Toms section of the garden seems to expand over the course of the season; he cant stop hoeing and watering! Any leftovers of his market produce go to the local food bank, where it is welcomed with open arms.

The First Congregational Church decided to come to the market this year with organic free trade coffee and tea. They sell these items as a fund-raiser all year. Christy Mosness, who manned, or rather, womanned, the booth today explained that anything organic just seemed to belong at the farmers market. Next week she said they will try selling hot cups of coffee as samples and provide chairs so people can sit down and enjoy all the baked goods as well right on the spot.

You can see a lot of smiles in the photos I took today. It was a very happy atmosphere. Vendors told me they attributed that to Austin Alexander, who is managing the market for the first time this year as part of an internship for a college course. She isnt sure shell be able to return for the 2011 season, but the vendors I talked to hope she does. Its a small market, with an average of 10 vendors, but the role of the manager is huge.

In the photo, Austin is on the left, holding a loaf of Abbys (on right) popular zucchini bread. Abby has been bringing homegrown produce and her familys lamb meat to the market since she was 13. Shes off to college this year, so who knows what the future will bring, but eager customers -- while wishing her all success in life -- hope she will return to market with her fine products.

Big Timber Farmers Market

Grand Hotel parking lot, at Anderson and Second

July 10 - September 11

Saturday, 9 am - noon

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Treat yourself at the Big Timber Christmas bazaar

Many people look forward to the annual Big Timber Womans Club Christmas Bazaar, the first holiday event of the area. Vendors expect to sell a lot of their products, the Womans Club raises money for their philanthropic activities, and customers have many wonderful items to look at and buy.

The bazaar is so big that it fills both the Big Timber civic center and the American Legion. The seasons first snow began falling today, but that didnt stop the shoppers.

This year there were several fundraisers going on. The Friends of the Carnegie Library in Big Timber offered a cart of book selections, along with an abundant table covered with handmade cookies and candies.

The First Congregational Church also had a table with tempting homemade goodies.

The Big Timber chapter of an organization called PEO was raising money to provide scholarships to help women of all ages get the education they need. Their lovely slogan is: "Women helping women reach for the stars." Along with a pile o yummy homemade foods for sale, they were raffling off a dollhouse made by a members father. I hope they raised a lot of money from that raffle because the house was amazing. I just wanted to stand there drooling over the detail.

And no event in Big Timber seems complete without the Sons of Norway selling lefse and Norwegian cookies. Ive said this before, but I really think they should change their name to Daughters of Norway because Ive only ever met the hardworking women.

Nor does any event seem complete without a few regular vendors, among them one of my favorites, Jolie. She usually has her handmade lollies for sale, but unfortunately she didnt have enough time to make them this year. So the choices on her table were lefse, cookies, and caramel corn. Good choices, of course, but we want your lollies, too, Jolie!

Another vendor I look for each year at this bazaar is Liz with her Windy Wheat Bakery inventory. I was especially looking forward to the Buckeyes, but Liz said they hadnt been selling well, so she skipped that this year. Buckeyes were new to me the first time I tasted them, but then they became a top hit in my book. Who can resist peanut butter and chocolate? Next time you see Liz (the rest of the year shes making great-tasting lattes at the Crazy Bean in Big Timber), tell her we want our Buckeyes!

Another ever-present and much welcome vendor anywhere theres a food event is Tumblewood Teas. Riza has some clever new products that would make nice gifts.

Her new line of tea accoutrements includes wooden-edged tea strainers and honey stirrers, all made of cherry wood. I really like the honey stirrers, which are a small size (most are too big for the little taste I usually want) and have holes in them the shape of the comb. "Bee-friendly," Riza calls them.

She also now offers honey sticks, which will be sold in a high school fundraiser later in the year.

There were a few new products, including truffles by 70-year-old Norie, who makes them by hand in Belgrade. You can also find Nories Candies at her new shop near Albertsons, 7001 Jackrabbit Lane, Suite D, Belgrade. Norie has been making these candies all her life, but successfully went commercial 4 years ago.

Jill Gibbs of Billings was kind enough to remember that dogs like treats, too. You can buy her Jillcookies online via Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Jillcookies.

And last here in the list, but not at all least, was a fun find: Dalondas Western Country Gift Baskets. Her table was a feast for the eyes, with baskets bursting with all sorts of delightful treats. Many items could be bought separately, of course, and I zeroed in on the red velvet cake pops and brownie bites. From what Ive been reading on the Internet, cake pops are quite popular now (with special thanks to Bakerella), but Id never tasted them. Verdict: red velvet cake pop is yum!

Another item was Dalondas homemade dip mixes and beverage mixes, including one for bacon cocoa. Dalonda explained this mix has bacon powder in it. I havent tasted it yet, so Ill have to give a report in a later blog.

Well, there was a whole lot more to eat and look at. Youre just going to have to come and check it out yourself next year -- the first weekend of November, 9 am to 5 pm.

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Creativity abounds at Big Timber indoor market

Artisan loaves of white bread studded with seeds, cranberries, and/or mango bits. Rye bread with dill or sauerkraut. You probably wont find these unusual combinations anywhere else.

When asked if she had a plain loaf of white bread, baker Sidonia looked puzzled for a moment and said, "It never occurred to me to make one." Then she quickly added, "But if youre here next week, I can make one just for you."

This market isnt large -- 7 vendors this evening -- and this is only its second week, but the variety and originality of goods offered will gladden the heart of any earnest farmers market customer.

Its still early in the season for eastern Montana produce, but some garden herbs and a handful of small cucumbers were available. Plus locally grown limes. The grower said she has a flourishing lime tree on her patio in town and takes the tree in during winter months.

Along with the artisan loaves, there was an abundance of baked goods, such as key lime pie, chocolate peanut butter pie, no-bake cookies, banana bread, and flour-free Monster Cookies.

For thirsty shoppers, Italian soda was on tap.

The building belongs to market manager Kimi Tollefson, who ran the popular Prospector Pizza for many years. After it closed, one after the other, an upscale lunch cafe, a generic Chinese restaurant, and an artisan pizza joint enticed customers for a while, but the building has been empty for a couple of years now, and Kimi thought it would be fun to use the space for a market.

Kimi sells ready-made pizza dough and sauce and even provides a restaurant-size recipe, although youll have to copy it from the blackboard on the back wall.

All in all, this small market is brimming with good things.

Big Timber Indoor Farmers Market

old Prospector Pizza building, 121 McLeod Street

July 23 - September 10

Thursday, 5 pm - 7:30 pm 

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