Owosso Farmers Market a delight for backyard grilling ideas

By Denise Davidson, Market Vendor

August is that special time of year that yields all of your favorite summer vegetable treats. Sizzling hot days are perfect for outdoor cooking and cooling down the kitchen. Michigan produce doesn’t get any better than during August.

So fire up the grill and delight in extraordinary flavors from your favorites. Grilled vegetables along side your favorite meat will yield delicious results or opt for a purely vegetarian grilled meal.

Good choices for grilling include most any vegetable of your choice. Small pieces of basted vegetables may be skewered but be sure they lie flat on the grill. Otherwise arrange veggies in the center of the cooking grate. Place lid on grill and cook until streaked with brown, and tender when pierced. Plan accordingly to allow vegetables to finish cooking at the same time. Baste vegetables with olive oil or butter before and during cooking to prevent burning. General cooking times follow: Sweet corn out of husks (15 minutes), Sweet bell peppers (20-30 minutes), Onions (cut in half, 30-40 minutes), Tomatoes (cut in half 12-15 minutes), Summer Squash (may cut in half, 15 minutes), Potatoes (Cut into wedges 1 inch, cook in boiling water until tender about 6-8 minutes, drain & grill 15 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste along with minced fresh herbs are a perfect ending to grilled vegetables.

Delicious tender Sweet Corn has arrived at the Owosso Farmers Market. Varieties include super sweet bi-color (gold and white corn) or solid color varieties. When choosing corn, look for full, fat ears with green outer husks. Freshly picked Sweet corn should be stored in the refrigerator as soon as possible to help reduce natural sugars from turning into starch. By far the best way to eat sweet corn is on the cob. Excess corn may be blanched, cut from the cob and frozen, making an equally delicious winter treat.

The Farmers Market has large amounts of produce for preserving or freezing. Stock up now while they last. Shoppers will find sweet juicy red and yellow tomatoes in every size and variety. These include bulk tomatoes for canning, fresh eating Heirloom varieties for slicing and plum tomatoes for sauces and pastes. There are cucumbers for fresh eating as well as pickling. Freshly harvested Garlic, Shallots and Sweet Onions, as well as tender summer squash, eggplants and snap beans are abundant. Organic and conventionally grown produce is available all season. August is a great time for shopping the bounty of produce at the Farmers Market.

New crafters appear weekly with unique gift ideas. A pleasant stroll through the aisles of the Farmer’s Market yields many wooden crafted items for the home or yard, artist paintings, handcrafted jewelry and candles. There are beautifully knitted and crocheted items for every occasion. The usual abundance of perennial plants is available all season along with fresh cut flower bouquets weekly.

The Owosso Farmers market offers all you need to complete the perfect backyard cookout. If you can’t find a particular item while there, be sure to ask vendors as many will fill special orders. Open 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday through October.

Denise and Rick Davidson, owners of Red Rooster Farm, tend their organic garden in rural New Haven Township, Shiawassee County.