The local farmer’s market Fondy Food center started in 1997 and ever since has been kicking off the season each and every year with a bang! This year was no exception, starting the season with dancing, music and BBQ contest and more fun family events.Fondy’s is more than just your average farmer’s market or outside produce market as you can hear stories from local farmers ranging from farming techniques used to produce some of Wisconsin’s finest organic foods to the stories from the young teenagers that work the stands with the farmers.

Stories such as young Monica, 17, of Walnut Harvest, “had it not been for Walnut Harvest and the Farmer’s Market I would likely not only be unemployed but not in school; Walnut Harvest is more than just an employer, it’s a family. I started working here at age 15 and loved it ever since. Providing me and my fellow employees with a place to study for homework along with ensuring we go to college is just the tip of the iceberg of what Walnut Harvest has done for me. I plan to work for this company for many years.”

The passion for food here is more than notable. “I more than care, I love what I do, I’m providing low cost and safe food to my family (the community). This is the reward I get out of it; to know that others in my community have a economical food source to come to and enjoy family and friends while having the opportunity to buy the foods they love”, said Mike Amaranth of Bakery & Café.

When you think of summer foods you most of the times think of light and cold or BBQ right? Well, here is some fun, tasty ways to enjoy your local market in the summer months.

Two-handed Pastrami’er:

Cook Time: 15 min.
Level: Easy Yield: 4-6

Using the same toast you can make a totally different meal just by a few changes. We are going to keep the toast the same but change up the toppings!
Topping:
1-1 pound pastrami
1( 16 oz.) cream cheese
2 tbs. Sage
Directions:
Chop the sage (finely) then mix into the cream cheese, spread onto bread (when bread has cooled). Then place the pastrami onto the bread; top with another piece of bread
These are just two of the hundreds of ways you can enjoy your local farmer’s market. Let your mind run wild and go without a game plan. Go see what looks good that day and form a meal or recipe from there. That’s where the best recipes come from; when you don’t have a game plan but you have great ingredients!

Cherry & Cheese
Bruschetta
Cook Time: 15 min.
Level: Easy
Yield: 6-8

Directions:

For the toast: put bread on an oven rack in the center of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 400ø F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes.
For the topping: Bring the cream cheese to room temp. Remove the pits from the cherries then rough chop them (not too fine).
Rough chop the walnuts then mix the cherries, walnuts and honey into the cream cheese.
Spread your homemade cherry spread onto the bread and top with walnuts to garnish.

Ingredients

Toasts:
1-1 pound loaf of sweet bread such as a wheat or whole grain, or even one with fruits in it! Trim and cut into ” thick slices.

Extra-Virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Topping:
1 (16 oz.) package of cream
cheese
3 tbs. pure honey
cu. fresh cherries (pitted)
¬ cu. Walnuts (rough chopped)