The recent wet July has contributed to a tomato blight fungus. It's the nail in the coffin of the worst tomato growing season in memory for many of the state’s farmers.
One casualty of the absence of tomatoes is the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market Heirloom Tomato Festival. The popular annual event was to be held Sunday, Aug. 23, but there are hardly any tomatoes to be had and organizers were forced to cancel.
Event organizers regrouped and developed a timely alternative. “We figured, when the world gives you fungus, why not throw a Fungus Festival?” explains programming coordinator Winter Caplanson.
The market’s newly christened “Fungus Festival” will celebrate mushrooms of all shapes and sizes this coming Sunday.
Farmer Jim Peppin of Maggie’s Farm in Lebanon sells his shiitake and maitake, or Hen in the Woods, mushrooms at the market. They will take center stage as the market pairs with the event’s co-sponsor, Carrie Landry of Zest restaurant in Tolland. “Carrie will pair Jim’s mushrooms with other Connecticut-grown products from our market and offer a culinary demonstration with tastings,” says Caplanson.
Landry is planning:
Shitake Potato Pancakes with ginger wasabi yogurt sauce, incorporating Staples Farm potatoes and Ladies of Levita Road yogurt.
Mushrooms stuffed with Bear Pond Farm sun-dried tomato pesto and Cato Corner Farm Cheese.
Risotto with Hurricane Farm sweet Italian sausage, Topmost Herb Farm thyme, and Peppin’s Hen in the Woods mushrooms
And a New Boston Beef steak sandwich on Wave Hill Bread with sauteed maitake mushrooms, Beltane Farm chevre and Delamatta spicy pickles.
In addition, East Hartford gourmet pasta sauce producer Capa di Roma will be sampling their Arrustica sauce made with fresh arugula, garlic, mushrooms and onions. Market vendor Norm’s Best will be sampling his gourmet marinated mushrooms at well.
To better educate the public about the tomato blight fungus, Robert Durgy of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Griswold Research Center will speak, explaining what has happened to the tomato crop and why the blight occurred.
Joe Lenoce of the Connecticut Valley Mycological Society will lead a mushroom identification talk and walk through the fields and woodlands adjacent to the market.
“The CVMS is very excited about our Fungus Festival. They’d like to hold what they call a ‘Sunday Foray’ here next year, drawing mycologists from all around the state,” adds Caplanson.
The Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market is the state’s largest farmers’ market. It is held June through October, every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead located in Coventry at 2299 South St. Surrounded by more than 500 acres of forest and picturesque rural landscape, the Hale Farm provides a beautiful backdrop for this vibrant farmers’ market.
This event is free and open to the public and will run concurrently with a full, high-summer farmers’ market. The day also features a live performance by Nina and the Quarrycats, goats for petting and a children’s scarecrow-making activity.
More information is available at www.coventryfarmersmarket.com.
Peppin’s Hen of the Woods mushroom photo taken at the market by Dot Drobney.
