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LOKA-LANTERNS


This post expired on October 22, 2022.

Monday Update 10/22/12

LOKA-LANTERNS

With the season’s final outdoor market day and halloween FAST approaching I have been fantasizing about the various possibilities that pumpkins offer for orange-and-purple-wear. What could be more decidedly orange and more in season right now!!?? But local availability is more difficult!!! Because of the large market created for Halloween pumpkins must be grown in large, monocultural plantings. Most of those in supermarkets and even many sold in fresh markets will have been imported from out of our region.

Keep in mind, HOWEVER, that the jack o’lantern tradition began in Ireland with Celtic staples such as beets and turnips. Pumpkins are a post-Columbian modern crop which do not thrive in Ireland’s short, cool growing season. If loka-lantern is defined as the festive adornment of ANY locally grown autumn fruit we may consider a number of other (albeit non-orange) possibilities.

So, if you can’t find a local pumpkin consider carving and displaying something else grown locally this year. Try (in decreasing size) another type of squash or gourd; a turnip or rutabaga; a sweet potato (also orange); maybe even a cabbage; an eggshell; or even (at the pixie-scale) a hazelnut shell! If you require (like I probably will) more of a spectacle, consider introducing other “characters” along with your traditional jackolantern.

Bring your experiments to the final City of Clemson Farmers Market in Patrick Square this Friday afternoon(10/26, 3:30-6:30) where they can be appreciated and photographed alongside the dazzling displays of purple and orange tailgate platters we will be receiving.

If you haven’t yet ordered this week, there is still time to shop until noon today (Monday, 10/22). The entire locallygrown.net system was transformed before the market opened Friday so you may notice some differences on the Market page. If you have any difficulty ordering please contact us for assistance.

Eat well to stay well! Lance
lance@clemsonareafoodexchange.com
elian@clemsonareafoodexchange.com
renee@clemsonareafoodexchange.com
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