Free birds and flowers...and school lunches!

When I returned home from my THREE college drop-offs last week to the stark realization that I was officially an “empty nester,” a dear friend suggested a better term to describe my current situation: a free bird.

And just like that I felt instantly better. And lighter. Free.

In my house (where vegetarians co-mingled with omnivores) this means free to eat MEAT and FISH whenever we want. What perfect timing - this weekend is for grilling proteins. Harlem Valley Homestead and R&M Farms have coolers stocked with beautiful cuts of pastured meats from pork chops and country-style ribs to top-notch steaks and plump chicken thighs ready to slip into the MOMO Dressing marinade of your choice. Steak is expensive so you want to get it right. Here's a refresher on how to properly grill a Porterhouse steak.

Free also means we can happily have a dinner of Painted Goat chevre or McGrath's Rascal cheese and those amazing spelt crackers from River Valley Community Grain and call it done. How about an artisanal ice cream sandwich from LUXX Chocolat for dinner, free bird?

Of course, many, if not most of you, are instead trying to plan how you will feed your families healthy, sustainable meals on a tighter weeknight schedule with school starting next week. And... you're thinking ahead to lunch boxes.

We can help you with all of it. As luck would have it, the new apples and grapes are coming in over the next couple of weeks. River Valley Community Grain is here Saturday and has all the flour and rolled oats you'll need to make these healthy strawberry muffins using a batch of later summer strawberries at the Orchards of Concklin tent. Of course any berry will do. Grab a savory pie from Noble Pies to pop in the freezer to have at the ready on a harried school night. Ditto for quiches from Escargot Voyageur and spinach ravioli from Bambino. (La Trafila Pasta is away this week).

But between now and the first day of school we have a long weekend of feasting and relaxing before us. Have friends over to enjoy the last “obligation-free” weekend of the year. Heimat Liqueurs and Freefall Sangria can assist in the beverage department.

As a side to your grilled meats, consider making this Ottolenghi tomato salad with sumac and pine nuts honoring the end of the tomato season. Some dear friends (and fellow free birds) made this for us on Saturday night with market tomatoes and shallots and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

Or consider a rich platter of mixed grilled vegetables. This recipe is a great starting point. It is totally adaptable. Use whatever vegetables that catch your eye at the market. I love that it suggests grilling radicchio which you can find at the Morgiewicz or Sun Sprout tents. And it recommends topping with tofu or crumbled feta (again, Painted Goat) – perfect for the vegetarians in your crowd.

Rest assured, the PTSA will be here with those oh-so-popular (and necessary!) calendars and Yellow Jackets logo wear. (Ok. That might be a little hard for me.)

Also hard is not seeing at least one of my daughters in the market tent after ten years of working alongside them on Saturdays. But we at the Hastings Farmers Market are so very happy to welcome our new market intern: Peyton Sutherland, a freshman at HHS. Please come buy the market tent on Saturday to give her a warm welcome, and buy a t-shirt while you're at it. They were a big hit among the cousins in France this summer.

Also this being the first Saturday of the month, we'll have our story hour at the market from 10 to 10:30. Allee Manning, Children's Librarian at the Hastings Library, picks a different theme each month and this month, her theme is FLOWERS.

And, what a perfect segue into the roaring dahlias and delicate asters that Sea Change Flower Farm is bringing.

Happy Labor Day to all!

See you at the market!