Cheese, Please!
We promised you to continue the search for another cheese maker until the cows come home (little implied pun there), and the search has been a success! Starting this Saturday and returning (we hope) the first Saturday of each month is Doe Run Dairy, a little operation from Chester County, right outside Kennett Square, so mighty close to us. Owners Kristian and Haesel Holbrook make three kinds of cheese, some of which will be cut to order at the Market. Seven Sisters is a raw cow milk cheese aged 8 months that has hints of caramel, almond, and cream. Hummingbird is a mold-ripened pasteurized mixed ewe and cow milk cheese that's generally aged 3 to 6 weeks and is "redolent of spring pastures." Barn Owl is a washed rind pasteurized cow milk cheese that is pungent, rich, and creamy. They say it makes a great dessert cheese. We're sure they'll be offering samples to get you interested, so just step up and say, "Cheese!"

Kwik-E-Mar[ke]t
Every year, the good stuff seems to get to the Market earlier and earlier. By "good stuff" we mean, of course, kale. Just kidding! As excellent as kale is in its many forms (not the least of which is kale chips; go make some now!), it's not the product that most of us think of when we rise early on a Saturday and start crossing our fingers about what will show up this week. We're thinking tomatoes, we're thinking cherries, we're thinking (with sugar on top) sweet corn. And by gosh if they weren't all present and accounted for last Saturday, plus cukes, zucchini, green beans, blueberries, black raspberries -- you name it. Well, it is nearly July, so maybe the abundance shouldn't be surprising, but it feels like only yesterday it was strawberries and, yes, kale, and today it's corn. What's next, watermelons? Oh my, we can only hope.

The only other thing we can think to mention before you hit the Market this week is that this is your chance to stock up for your own get-togethers and the ones you're invited to. From the basics like meat (new Sweet Stem Farm hotdogs plus $1 off two packs of burgers at Green Aisle; chicken legs and thighs at Harvest Local), condiments (local agave-sweetened ketchup and relish also at Green Aisle), snacks (check out Harvest Local's chips and salsa), bread (Great Harvest, Provisions, and the Regency) and salad fixings to the "extras" like flowers or nice soaps for your hosts, fancy spreads, and ready-made soup for later in the week, don't be smacking yourself in the forehead on Sunday when you think of things you should have picked up on Saturday. Maybe even make a list before you go, then see what strikes you when you get there.

Go Fourth!
If you asked us, it's about time that Independence Day moved off the weekend and into the work week. For two years, the Farmers Market has gone head to head with the 4th of July parade, and though each suffered only slightly in terms of attendance because of the other, it'll be nice not to have to rush the enjoyment of either event this year. Make no mistake, the July 4th parade and the immediate follow-up at the high school football field -- the flag raising, the speeches, the awards, the foot races, the free water ice -- and then the fireworks spectacular later that night are what your kids are going to be telling their kids about down the road (along with stories about how much fun the weekly Farmers Market was, of course). The small-town Independence Day celebrations of our youth still loom large and shine brightly, very brightly, in our childhood recollections, and we're glad and proud to have taken up adulthood in a burg that takes the Fourth to heart.

The parade kicks off at 9:00 Monday morning, leaving the east end of Greenwood Avenue along Wycombe, turning west on Stewart and then north on Lansdowne, pausing along its route for performances at the corner of Lansdowne and Greenwood (in front of the Presbyterian Church), and then heading north on Lansdowne again to Essex, where it hangs a right and then another right a couple of blocks later into the sporting fields. Any spot along this route is a good one, and you're likely to be pelted with candy, whistles, flags, and other merry-makings of the day, so bring a butterfly net. From the kids on decorated bikes to the floats to the Mummers to the antique cars to the bagpipers to the firetrucks that bring up the rear, it's as enjoyable a parade as happens anywhere in a town of one square mile. In fact, we bet it rival towns of even two square miles. It's a mighty thing, the Lansdowne Fourth of July parade.

Then, Monday evening, starting around 7:30, a DJ will be setting the soundtrack at the athletic field at the high school, keeping the vibe light and fun while folks file in with chairs and blankets and find the perfect spot from which to watch the fireworks show, which starts at dark, around 9:00. A new company has been hired to do the fireworks this year, and big things are expected. All of the Independence Day events are sponsored by the Lansdowne Union Athletic Association and made possible by donations from the community. Tickets to the athletic field for the fireworks are $4 for kids and $6 for adults, and you'll be able to get them there or at the Farmers Market this Saturday if you haven't purchased them already. It's a small price to pay for the fireworks, the fun, and most importantly, the memories you're making.

But First . . .
The best way to really enjoy a three-day weekend is to add a couple of extra days -- or at least evenings -- onto it. So this week's confluence of last Thursday/first Friday leading right into the Independence Day weekend is especially fortuitous. Tonight at 6:00 pm at the Lansdowne Public Library, see El Norte, a much-lauded and honored film sponsored by No Place for Hate, and then hang out for a group chat about it afterward. The free film comes with free popcorn and everyone is welcome.

Then tomorrow evening, Friday, July 1, is First Friday at Art Space Lansdowne, this time featuring an emerging artist showcase, which should be a swell opportunity to catch someone on their way up and get a good deal on a painting, drawing, or photograph. First Friday takes place between 6:00 and 9:00 pm on, believe it or not, the first Friday of each month at 25 S. Lansdowne Avenue, right near the train station. It's free and open to the public and features light refreshments, interesting artwork, and loads of socializing. Plus, pick up a signed business card at Art Space and get a half-price appetizer at Sycamore that evening. Really, there's no losing.

Your Chance to Weigh In
As the LEDC ramps up its efforts to find new businesses to move into available retail spaces in downtown Lansdowne, they're interested in your thoughts on the kinds of stores and services you'd like to see in our business district. Please take a few minutes (we promise it won't take more than 10) to answer some questions about shopping and dining in downtown Lansdowne by clicking here. At the end of the survey, feel free to enter your contact information to be entered into our raffle. The grand prize: dinner for two at Sycamore! If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Main Street Manager Rachel Van Tosh at the LEDC Main Street office at (610) 745-4013. Thank you for your input and for helping us to create a stronger downtown 'Downe Town.