Good things come in small packages. This is the idea that makes an engagement ring box so identifiable. It explains the reemergence of cupcakes as a popular dessert.Perhaps it even contributes to the apparent trend towards the shrinkage of boxes and bottles in the supermarket — where the economy size used to be a box bulked up on steroids, it now consists of a smaller container contents that the label promises is twice as concentrated. While cynicism might question the apparent inability of the average shopper to handle the onus of an entire gallon of juice now commonly shrunk to 96 fluid ounces, most consumers would agree that “condensed” is a step in the right direction. Our national “lean towards green” leads us to applaud the reduction of plastic or packaging waste when possible.
It is therefore with delight that customers participating in the Presque Isle Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings approach the stall of Hidden Meadow Farm. These growers have mastered the art of capturing sweetened, condensed sunshine! Of late, their table is entirely covered with a plethora of varieties of tomatoes. Indeed, they stretch a banner that proclaims this to passing traffic in large letters and bright colors.
Their enthusiasm regarding their product is infectious and understandable, not to mention fun! The shape of some tomatoes on display reveals their common ancestry with sweet strawberries, heart-shaped red orbs on bright green stems and juicy, tender flesh. Bushel baskets full of larger tomatoes whet the appetites of not only salad-lovers and sandwich-makers, but also ambitious canners and makers of sauces who want to capture the taste of summer to enjoy in the winter months.
Hidden Meadow Farm sells thumb-sized grape-like tomatoes that are naturally yellow, orange, or red with subtle differences in flavor, but wholesome goodness in common. All exhibit a sweetness and juiciness simply not available from the grocery store. Home-grown tomatoes are just so much better than those bred to sustain mechanical harvest and reddened by exposure to gas rather than from absorbing the warm rays of the sun, there can be no comparison.
Like the produce itself, the petite size of a couple of the sisters standing behind the table does nothing to diminish their “flavor;” all of the lovely young ladies at the Hidden Meadow Farm table serve their enthusiastic customers with sweet smiles and quiet efficiency that belies their young ages. They answer questions, make change, bundle up purchases with care into the reusable bags of our supporters, helpfully carry the produce to customers’ cars, and gently placing the bundles safely inside. Visitors to their stand enjoy flavor, variety, and customer service, all accompanied by the same sweet smiles that welcomed them to the table in the first place.
Sweetened condensed sunshine indeed!
This column is written by members of the Presque Isle Farmers’ Market. For more information, visit their website at https://sites.google.com/site/presqueislefarmersmarket/home.
