Summer farmers market grows in Struthers

July 23, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

STRUTHERS

Brian Palumbo’s great-grandmother never let a piece of produce go to waste.

“If an apple fell from the tree in her backyard, she would cut off the spots and whatever was left, even if it was just a sliver, and turn it into a pie,” Palumbo said.

Palumbo, owner of Selah Restaurant at 130 S. Bridge St., learned to cook from his Czechoslovakian great-grandmother and his Italian great-grandfather.

“They were pretty much fresh off the boat,” Palumbo said of the couple.

The Struthers native believes his great-grandparents’ waste-not-want-not philosophy has seen a resurgence today.

“It’s like the whole ‘going green’ thing,” Palumbo said.

The restaurateur cites his family’s commitment to fresh food as one inspiration for a farmers market on the grounds of Selah every other Sunday from June until October.

The market, which began in summer 2015, was the brainchild of Palumbo’s sister, Jill Chesney.

“People every day are looking for locally grown, locally made products,” Palumbo said. “She thought it would go really well with Selah.”

Chesney herself is a regular vendor at the Struthers Farmers Market, where she hand-rolls pasta on site.

Other popular items for sale include seasonal fruits and vegetables, jellies and canned goods. Selah typically offers soups and its signature breads, in varieties including old world sourdough, honey wheat, focaccia and potato bread.

Palumbo bakes about 50 loaves for each market, and he always sells out.

Preparing the sourdough bread is a two-day affair, and timing is crucial when it comes to baking any type of bread, Palumbo said.

Before the market, Palumbo must be up at 4:30 a.m. to “feed” the bread, which means adding flour and water to ensure the dough will rise.

The Struthers Farmers Market is scheduled, rain or shine, from 10 to 2 p.m. on weeks opposite the Hubbard Farmers Market.

This year, the remaining Struthers markets are Sunday, Aug. 7, Aug. 21, Sept. 4, Sept. 18 and Oct. 2.