Market and Derby Day!

Mom grew tomatoes on the side of the house a couple years and pretty Iris grew there too. That was about as in-touch with farming as it got at 202 Crombie while I was growing up in Atlantic, Iowa. My grandpa did take us out on his farm visits every once in a while. He owned a few farms that he cash rented. When we smelled cow or pig poop, he'd say, "that's the smell of money!" Me, I wasn't interested in gardening. Carrots were something that came in a bag from a store. I kept busy with my GI Joes, climbing trees, riding bikes and later - with my horses - Frosty followed by Jack. (It's Derby Day - I'm pining for those marvelous animals).

Pablo got a golden ticket (a license) to hunt the 4th wild turkey (no not the liquor) season. I knew he'd be getting up at the crack of dawn to head south for that activity. A perfect time to call my former roomie Joan McFee Bentley to see if she was available to go to the Des Moines Farmer's Market kickoff day. The weather was forecast to be perfect and Joanie was available! WooHoo.

She picked me up about 9 a.m. so we arrived when the thing was in full swing - parking was...well kinda like parking in Denver! Especially with the mess of cleaning up the burned out shell of Younkers which has disrupted the traffic flow. Like a pro, Joanie snagged a great spot on the street just south of the Market.

We made a beeline for the Iowa Farm Boys Hearty Food Company for breakfast burritos. Awesome and drippy. Anita Mittag - one of the owners (it's a family biz from Prescott, near Creston) always remembers me and calls me by name. She liked my environmental newspaper column in the Creston News Advertiser - years ago. It's one reason I blog today...I've driven to write. Something, somewhere.

I talked Joan into posing for this selfie in front of this giant Dutch Letter - even though she doesn't really even like Dutch letter...

My purchases:

• Bacon - while I was buying it someone wheeled a pet pot-bellied pig by (in one of those pet stroller things) and they bacon selling guy joked that he had his eye on it...
• Asparagus
• A couple Dutch Letters - I'm surprised they let any out of Pella since it's their big festival this weekend
• A couple Baklava - though I must admit they aren't as good as the ones I always used to get at the International Food Fair Creston's Holy Spirit Church puts on each September 

We didn't take time to look at a whole lot else because really it was just too packed due to the nice weather. What a day! 

Joanie and I then made our way over to the EV (East Village) as I had oil on my shopping list. Allspice sells oil and vinegar that they bottle themselves. With pink/purple hair. Joan got the sales pitch. 

Joan concentrates while listening to the spiel - she bought walnut flavored oil for salads

Looking at some of the spices, I almost thought I was in a Denver pot shop...

Have you ever had a recipe calling for Hen of the Woods? 

I had a great morning catching up with Joan. I lived with her for about 4 years - and we got to know each other pretty well! I miss hearing about her life - as we used to share our work angst and keep up on what was going on with fam. We need to get together more often. 

This apron says it all! 

Paul texted me early that morning to say he'd gotten his tom turkey...thanks to his new decoy...Suzie Snood it said on the box when it arrived from Cabela's. The little hussy. Worked like a charm! 

We did some errands this afternoon - we were in the mood to pick out plants for the pots out front. We tried a new garden store - family owned Canoyer Garden Center. They had lots of helpers for neophytes like us. 

I took a photo of a flower pot at the farmer's market that I wanted to imitate - Paul and the staffer selected plants

Now I'm watching the pre-Derby coverage. Horses are so beautiful. If you've never been around one then you probably don't know what personalities they have. I think they have a sense of humor - even more so than dogs - who are so earnest. I was lucky enough to own two. 

First my trainer horse (she trained me) was - Frosty. She was an older mare - steady but not flashy. My parents didn't have to worry about Frosty bucking me off. But the people who sold her to me missed her - so they dangled a young sorrel gelding in front of me...and my mentor Wayne Rodgers approved. So I bought Poco Hi Jack. He was 3 (the same age as these Derby horses) and needed training. He had a tenancy to rear, and buck. 

We brought him to Bondurant - which back then was way past Des Moines to be trained by Les Walker for a whole month. Now it's just another suburb...It must have been like reform school. He came back with much better manners! Jack turned out to be a great fella - boarded in a stall at a barn at Guttenfelder's farm near HyVee in Atlantic. 

Must have been about 8th grade summer - awesome leather show halter my folks got me for a gift...4-H baby!

I know how lucky I was to have a horse. It never would have happened without the oversight of Wayne Rodgers who made sure my horses had all their vet work and were shod and fed. I paid the bills - but he was the one who knew what needed to be done. Yesteryear and today - surrounded by great people. #blessed.