NEWS

Screenshot from DFM social media.

From the opening page and collage of photographs of Market Days to the first picture of one of our premiere farm families, Tommy and Anna Barbee from the 100+ year old Barbee Farm, I knew that I was in for a beautiful ride through the Market history, its contributing farmers, and, of course, recipes. While this is a cookbook, it is so much more.

I was on the Town Board in 2007 when a small, determined group of people came to us to ask for a bit of support to start a Farmers Market. That sounded like a great idea, making it an easy ‘yes.’ They just asked for the use, once-a-week, of some town land and a very little amount of money. They would do all the planning and work to get it started. All we had to do was be excited at the prospect of such a Market and what it might do to enliven our downtown.

And, Bless Pat, they did it!

Now, 18 years later, the Market is a force to be reckoned with, bringing in thousands of people to shop the Market, visit our stores, stroll Main Street, and participate in the Saturday life of Davidson. This remarkable accomplishment is now made even more visible with this lovely cookbook/history lesson/pictorial review/and model for how things are best developed at the grassroots.

The founders, board members, volunteers, and farmers, bakers, and makers of all kinds of delightful goods have lived up to their original mission statement: “To promote a farmers market in Davidson that will provide a vibrant community gathering place with locally grown agricultural and horticultural products, educational materials and programs, and family friendly activities.”

One has only to visit one Market Day to see that mission in action. The Davidson Farmers Market Cookbook, with its emphasis on the farmers who work the soil to give us wonderful things to prepare and serve at our own tables, paints the picture of a market whose time had come back in 2007, and never more than today.

The cookbook is divided into recipes for each of the four seasons, suggesting appropriate produce and other delicacies to create the dishes. The book begins with Winter, which coincides with its release. Each of the four sections has titles, such as Appetizer, Soup and Salad, Side Dish, Main Course, and Dessert. Truth in journalism compels me to let you know that I am honored to have a recipe in the Appetizer section of Winter. It pales in comparison, however, to the other recipes there, which I look forward to trying.

Courtney Spear is the Market Manager, with passion for everything local and a zest for life. Her delight in the Market shows in its music, food demonstrations, volunteer coordination, and in the love and support she has for the 49 vendors at the Market. The cookbook is also distinguished by the writing of John Syme. For many years, this Davidson College graduate worked in Communications at the college, and its publications were filled with his talent for telling a story. Now a freelance writer, John can be found just about every Saturday, setting up the Market and interacting with vendors and visitors. Many, many others participated in the creation of the Market and now in its cookbook.

I plan on giving The Davidson Farmers Market Cookbook for gifts at Christmas and for special occasions throughout the year. I will be proud to tell the story of what one small, determined group of people created in Davidson. The book is dedicated to “the farmers who feed us and the town that sustains us.” I would like to add my gratitude to those farmers and to the true believers who made the market and this cookbook a reality.

​