August is Produce Month in PA!

Pa Dutch Country Insider August 2010 Summer Edition issue #004

Here in Pennsylvania August is all about the Produce. 3,000+ fruit and vegetable growers across PA will be producing a wonderful bounty of fruits and vegetables this month. There is a reason Lancaster is called the Garden Spot. Come see and taste for yourself all the wonderful produce of Lancaster, York, and the surrounding PA Dutch Counties have to offer. Make sure you take some home to share with your friends and family. I have even included a recipe at the bottom so you can dry some of that wonderful sweet corn to have all year long. Great to use in all the PA Dutch recipes that you see that call for dried corn.

Also in this issue are some great places to beat the heat and other fun activities.

Attractions

So, it's the heat you want to avoid? I know me too. No better way to cool off then to go deep underground. Why not visit one of Pennsylvania's most popular natural attractions and head to Kutztown and visit Crystal Cave . Crystal Cave is Pennsylvania's oldest operating cave. And bonus, its a cool 52 degrees. They offer a restaurant where you can Pa Dutch specialties or other fast food items. And they also offer an ice cream parlor, yum!

Still want that fun in the sun and stay cool too? Then take a hop on over to the sweetest place on earth, Hersheypark ! Not only can you catch a cool breeze on the coasters but they have plenty of water rides to keep you cool.

Looking for the slow calm pace of days gone by? Then take a trip back to the 1700's. Visit The Strasburg Creamery Their ice cream is homemade and made fresh daily. And they also feature homemade waffle cones. Sit back, relax, and watch the Amish buggies stroll by while indulging in this cool treat.

Events

How about dinner and a movie? Every Thursday in August you can eat dinner in downtown Lancaster and then catch a free movie in Binn's Park. Go to the website for restaurant coupons and the movie schedule. http://www.lancastercityevents.com/dinner.html

Spend a cool evening watching the fireworks and fountain show . This show runs August 14th and September 5th.

Produce

Now let's Get you out for some produce.

CHERRY HILL ORCHARDS, INC. 400 Long Lane (Rts. 741 & 324), Lancaster, PA 17603 717-872-9311

DOWNTOWN LITITZ FARMERS MARKET Water Street, Lititz, PA 17543 717-626-6332

GREEN DRAGON MARKET AND AUCTION 995 North State Street, Ephrata, PA 17522 717-738-1117

KAUFFMAN'S FRUIT FARM & MARKET 3097 Old Philadelphia Pike (Rt. 340), Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505, 717-768-7112

For more Farmer's Markets visit http://www.pa-dutch-travel.com/farmers-markets.html

Recipes

Now that you have all this produce what are you going to do with it? Well, you could can some, dry some, and freeze some. You don't know how to you say. That's ok, because below I shared some simple tools and a book that will help you get started. Just click on the Amazon widget to find out more about canning and preserving all your goodies.

I have also listed a recipe below for dried corn. And For easy Pa Dutch Peach Strudel and Ham and Green Bean recipes go to http://www.pa-dutch-travel.com/Pennsylvania-Dutch-Recipes.html

DRIED CORN

Blanch corn in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes

Cut sweet Corn from the cob or use tip of spoon and go along the rows and push under the kernels to pop kernels from the cob. Then spread it in pans and dry in a warm oven no less then about 150 degrees for about 2 - 3 days. Cake pans work good, spread about 1/2 inch thick. Make sure you stir the corn occasionally.

Take out of oven when corn is thoroughly dried. Corn is thoroughly dried when you can squeeze between two fingers and nothing comes out and it is hard. Store in containers such as glass jars.

Click here for more Pa Dutch recipes

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SBI!