Customer Appreciation Day – Thank You, Customers!

Thank you, Market Customers, for this great season! 

Can you believe October is almost over! Warm fall days and cool nights have kept the produce flourishing, so our market farmers have so much still to offer! And now’s the time to shop for a hand crafted gift for those special someone’s in your life.

But, this Saturday, we at the Market want to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you, our customers during our annual Customer Appreciation Day. Thank you for all your support this season!! Even with all the new things, you’ve made the season something truly special. So, come enjoy complimentary coffee, pastries, soup, and bread from our vendors. Shop and stock up on all your favorite goods while enjoying goodies from our hands to yours.

And October 28th is our last Market of the season before the holidays – it’s Harvest Fest! We’ll be hosting you in a couple of weeks on Saturday at our Riverstone location with live music, fresh produce, food trucks, and 100+ vendors! Costumes are welcome.

Here are a few messages, specials, and other features from our vendors to you, our customers and friends!

Lake City Bakers: We are featuring our Spooky Minis Cookie Kits: 10 mini spooky shaped sugar cookies, delicious buttercream frosting, and sprinkles all in a cup! Ready for your little cookie artists to celebrate the season. We are also bringing back our cream pies with the cooler weather this weekend!

Dandelion Half Acre: We will be there Saturday with cookies, salts, and eclipse glasses to safely look at the sun if it peeks out through the clouds – tomorrow from 8:09 to 10:44 with the peak at 9:24. You won’t see it without an eclipse filter, so stop by and take a look!

Garden Party Fibers: A big THANK YOU to all who enjoy our Kootenai County Farmers Market. It is most rewarding to share my passion for spinning yarn and knitting with you all. Your support is also appreciated by local farms as I purchase wool and alpaca from them. Visiting with you all each Wed and Saturday, or just a wave as you pass my booth always makes my day!

Simply Sweet Cottage Treats: We will have savory bacon, cheddar, and chive scones, pumpkin sage rolls, and many other savory items this weekend. All of our 4-packs of rolls will be $15 for Customer Appreciation Day!

Lake City Juice: This weekend, I’m offering 15% off all three-day cleanses as well as six-pack deals with a free detox lemonade and a free wellness shot! I’ll also have gluten free and vegan donuts.

Narrow Way Coffee Roasters: We cannot say thank you enough to all our customers for supporting our new business this year. It has been such a joy to meet and serve you all! We will be offering discounts on bags of coffee and will have a fun giveaway as well! Stop by our booth for more information. See you there!

Shi Cole Pottery: I will have specially priced items on my table at the ‘Shi Cole Pottery’ booth. I am so thankful for all of the familiar and new people who came to say hello this year. I appreciate them so very much. It’s our wonderful community of people that make the Kootenai County Farmers Market such a joyful event.

Kerr Microgreens: This week we are featuring $20.00 VARIETY PACKS😍 to thank you for your support!!

Our crops this week are: Sunflower, Pea Shoot, Rambo Radish, Red Arrow Radish, Rutabaga, Mustard, Broccoli, Salad Mix, Arugula; and Specialty Crops: Cantaloupe, Cilantro, and Beets for $10. Singles are $8. See you at the market!

Willow Wood Honey Farm: We are excited to debut this year’s batch of Wild Rose Hand Butter. Made from wild rose hips collected on our farm near Athol, this all-natural beeswax hand moisturizer has a light rose scent. Stop by our booth for a free sample! Thank you!

CDA Scents: This weekend, all lotions will be Buy-one-get-one-half-off! I’m also offering a FREE hot tea with the purchase of Dave’s Miracle Supplement. And mention this Fresh Sheet post to get $25 off my DZ1 supplement. 10% Military discount, depending on your total.

Beauty Bay Winery: We are showing our appreciation by giving away FREE packs of spices with every purchase of our regular wine – spices and instructions to make our delicious hot spiced wine at home. Very easy!

And don’t forget to stop by our food court for a hot drink or bite to eat.

Reminder: Bring your market basket for your shopping or a box for your plants. Our vendors also appreciate small cash bills, especially if you are shopping early.

Fresh this Week: Arugula, Baby Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cilantro, Celery Root [Celeriac], Chard, Cucumbers, Endive, Escarole, Mixed Asian Greens, Garlic, Kale, Mesclun, Lettuce, Onions, Parsley, Parsnips, Potatoes, Rutabagas, Zucchini, Winter Squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Apples, Cranberries, and more! Pumpkins – Pumpkins – Pumpkins – Winter Squash – Gourds! fresh-cut flower bouquets, including gladiolas, sunflowers, and more! eggs (chicken and duck), beef, chicken, and pork goat and cow cheeses, and milk local honey fresh-pressed juices! herbal tinctures and hand-crafted teas culinary and medicinal mushrooms freshly-baked breads, sourdough, and pastries berry jams and jellies! And so much more!

A Special Thank You!

The Friends of the Kootenai County Farmers Market non-profit would like to give a special thanks to all of the generous donors at Fall Fest and throughout the season this year! We will have donation jars and buckets available at this year’s Customer Appreciation Day (this Saturday) and Winter Market (December TBD) as well. Funds collected by Friends of KCFM are used to help fund community programs, like the children’s Power of Produce (PoP) Club.

The Friends of KCFM is a 501c3 charitable organization and donations can also be made online at paypal.me/friendskcfm. For additional information or questions email friends.kcfm@gmail.com

On Stage:

Saturday: Rusty Jackson

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French Onion Mushroom Soup

This recipe brings together a wealth of Market flavors to warm your fall.

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American, Frech

Keyword: mushrooms, onion, soup

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 Tbs unsalted butter
• 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/4 cups dry white wine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups oyster or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp dry
• 2 Tbs chopped fresh sage leaves 1/2 tsp dry
• 1 tsp local honey
• 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tsps tamari soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or oat milk
• 6 slices sourdough baguette
• 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Melt the butter with the onions and honey in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Slowly add 3/4 cup of the wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the wine cooks into the onions. Continue to cook another 10-15 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized.

2. Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup wine, the broth, soy sauce, bay leaves, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and return the soup to a simmer, simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook another 5-10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400℉. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast for 10-15 minutes, until very dry. Remove and switch the oven to broil.

4. Ladle the soup into oven safe bowls. Add a slice of bread to each and top with cheese. Place each soup bowl on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven, broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with fresh thyme. Enjoy!