Downtown Farmers Curb Market Celebrates American Pie Day

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Stop by the Downtown Farmers Curb Market on Saturday for some good, old-fashioned pie-related fun.

There are pie baking, pie eating and pie throwing contests. The little birdie told me that the folks from Mayhem in the A.M., City Commissioner Justin Troller and Pat Alderman had volunteered to be targets for the pie throwing contest.

Here's the activities line-up:
PIE BAKING CONTEST* (PROFESSIONAL/AMATEUR)
AUCTION OF WINNING PIES • 1 PM
CHILDREN’S PIE MAKING • 10 AM - 1 PM
SALES OF PIE-BY-THE-SLICE
PIE EATING CONTEST
PIE THROWING FOR CHARITY


For more information, call 221-4633. You can view the flier here.

Lakeland Farmers Curb Market Celebrates American Pie Day

It warms my heart to attend the Lakeland Farmers Curb Market each Saturday and witness its growth. I'm seeing more vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables and for the past two weekends, a lady who makes and sells homemade pet treats has been there. I bought the peanut butter flavored treats for Lucy and Callaghan two weekends ago and last night they polished off the last of them. If they had thumbs, they would have given the treats four thumbs up.

Now there's yet another reason to visit the Farmers Market- American Pie Day (View the flier here). On March 15, the market will feature pie baking, eating and throwing contests. Entry forms can be viewed and downloaded here. Pre-registration deadline is March 10.

The pie baking contest has a professional and amateur category. The entry fee is modest at $5 per pie unless you wait until after the 10th. In that case, you must include a $10 fee with your entry.

So dust off the cookbook and enter your best pie!

Weekend Round-Up

Friday night the cops visited the next door neighbor. Apparently, he wasn't taking visitors, as he refused to come to the door. My husband and I went out and talked to the cops for a few minutes. The neighbor from across the street also came over for a minute. He could stay long. He had to run an errand and back his car into one of the patrol cars before he left. Busy night. I thought I would DIE laughing. Turns out the officer just got that patrol car last week. The fender bender didn't even bend anything, but before the neighbor drove off, I couldn't help but be an instigator and suggest he submit to a field sobriety test first. He didn't laugh.

Saturday meant it was time to venture down to the Lakeland Farmer's Curb Market once again. This time, it was for a couple of reasons. First, Darby and I wanted to see if our video and my article in The Ledger resulted in increased attendance. We think it did. How do we know, asks the dear reader?

Darby and I went around asking people how they heard about the market. Many said they read about it in the paper. All of the responses were good but two. These two women clearly were not from the south, as evidenced by their Yankee accents. Darby asked the question. Both women said they read it in the paper. Darby explained she was asking because her friend had written the article.

Immediately- I mean, there was NO hesitation here- both women said in very Yankee voices, "Well tell yah friend the directions wah haaaarible!"

Followed by, " Yah, we almost left."

Followed by my first thought, "I wish you woulda."

They went on for a second and finally I piped up and said, "I wrote the article. I'm 'the friend.'"

They weren't even embarrassed. Instead, they said, "Oh. Saaaaahry. But yah should put directions. We almost nevah found the place."

I attempted a little Journalism 101 lesson, but decided it was futile. Instead, I explained that I had put the address in there. In fact, this is exactly what I put in the article:

"The Farmers Curb Market is held from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturdays at 200 N. Kentucky Ave., in the plaza of the Peterson Building, across the street from the Downtown Crispers. Anyone wanting to become a vendor should call Market Manager Jim Luna at 863-688-4238 or 863-221-4633. For more information, visit the market Web site: www.ldda.org/curbmarket/."

So I guess the only advice I can give those two Yankee complainers is this: don't forget to pull your head out of your ass before you get behind the wheel and head to the Farmers Market. Otherwise, you might miss it.

At the market I bought fresh strawberries and kiwi, along with a bag of chocolate chip cookies for my friend Vonya's baby shower. We planned this shower two weeks before her due date, but she decided to have baby Zoe early.

No mention of a baby shower where the baby has been born would be complete without a picture, so here you go: Aren't they both beautiful? :o)

On Sunday, I spent the morning gathering up tax info from my business , as corporations must file by Jan. 31. I spent the afternoon making cards and watching football in my Miami Dolphins hoodie. I know, I know. But a true fan is a fan in good times and bad.

Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curbside Market Video

My friend Darby and I put together a video about the Lakeland Farmers Market. She did all the difficult work- I just did the speaking. This is the first time I've done this, so feedback and constructive criticism are welcome. Don't be hateful. :o)