Winner and Weekend Fun

Today's the day...I select my winner of the Taste of the Browns tickets! Thank you to everyone that entered. Random.org selected #28-- Erin. Congratulations. I don't have your contact information, so make sure that you email me by Monday to claim your two tickets, or I will select another winner. If you didn't win, there are still other blog giveaways happening. Check out Clue Into Cleveland and Cleveland's a Plum. You can also purchase general admission tickets for $150 each. Remember, every dollar donated to the Cleveland Foodbank allows them to provide enough food for four nutritious meals in a local hunger center. I hope to see some of you at the event on September 10th. Come say "hi" as we nosh on delicious food!

Happy Friday, everyone. For most of us, this weekend is also a long weekend. Bonus! What fun plans do you have? "R" and I are headed to Oktoberfest at the Berea Fairgrounds with friends tomorrow. Beer, food, people-watching, and wiener dog races. We went last year for the first time, and it was fun. We have no other plans for the holiday weekend, and that's really exciting. I love impromptu fun and excursions.

For the past several weekends, our excursions have brought us some locally sourced goods. One stop included Szalay's Farm in the Cuyahoga Valley. Typically, we stop out there in the fall for pumpkins and their corn maze. I don't know why we've never been during the summer. They had all kinds of great produce, including fresh-picked corn.

I just love summer corn on the cob.

They also have a nice variety of canned and dry goods.

We picked up some cherry preserves to serve on our "cheese nights" at home. We also got some pickling cucumbers and a spice packet, and have been enjoying sweet and spicy pickled vegetables this week.

Saturdays also bring the North Union Farmers Market in Shaker Square, highlighting the local foods of Northeast Ohio. We've never been, but I've always wanted to go. Have you? I hear that it's one of the best farmers markets in our area. Luckily, we do have many options.

So, I  encourage you to take some time this holiday weekend to support local and pick up some of Ohio's great produce and other goods before summer is over. Any other spots that you'd like to share?