Bike powered music draws large crowd

Mt. View Acres

Triple B Farms--blueberries went quick!

Saturday's market in pictures...

Aloe plant

Candied onions--Yarnicks

Herbs--3 Ponds Farm

Beets

Fudge--Natalie's Goodies

Bike Powered Musician--Brendan Cope!

Family friendly market

 *If you don't come early to the market you may miss out on some of the best products, for example the blueberries this week were gone within half an hour of the market opening! So arrive early and stick around for the wonderful live music and community time to spend with friends, new and old!*

Bike powered live music Saturday!

If you needed another reason to come to the market on Saturday, then here it is... we will have a bike powered generator powering our live musician, Brenden Cope, performing Saturday!  Not only can you come for all the awesome vendors, but now you can get a little workout in while amplifying the live music!  Rain or shine, we'll see you there!!

You too can power the music!

Show support for our market!

If you've been to the farmers' market on a Wednesday, then you've probably notice how crowded some of our vendors have become because of the small space allotted for the market Wednesdays.  At a recent Indiana Borough Public Safety Committee meeting we learned that we cannot have any more space at our Wednesday market this year and possibly even in upcoming years.  Our idea is to hopefully gain access and utilize the new 7th street community area, once finished, as the market space for next year's Wednesday markets.  This space would showcase our market front and center and be easy access for the Indiana community.  As of now we are having to turn away vendors who are interested in participating in the Wednesday market because of the lack of space, and that is halting the progress of our market.  On Tuesday, July 2, the Indiana Borough will have their next council meeting and I invite everyone who supports our market to come out and share your support with the Indiana Borough Council members.  Our market is more than just a "small business", it is a community event that has the ability to grow larger and larger each year, if we have the space.  Farmers' markets provide more than just fresh foods, they make it possible to live a healthy lifestyle, support local community members, increase revenue for Indiana businesses, and can be attractions to individuals outside the community.  To do this we need to show our council members how important a market is to a community and it's people.
If you have time and wish to share your support, please come to the Borough Council meeting at 7 PM on Tuesday, July 2 in the borough building on 8th street.
As always, thank you!

Market preview June 26 & 29

Next Life's organic plants

If you made it out to the market this past Saturday then you knew what a beautiful day we had! We were missing a few vendors, but had a very large and continuous crowd, so large that at least two vendors were sold out of all of their produce before noon!!!  We had a new one-time vendor, Next Life Farm, a certified organic farm from the area, selling some produce and a lot of different plants.  We also had Debbie and Karen selling hand-made jewelry that seemed to be a hit with customers.  Live music by Jumpin Rob was played under the shade of a tree and set a nice relaxing tone for the morning.

Handmade Jewelry

Farmers are in a bit of an in-between season for their produce, with lettuce season almost coming to an end, and it being still too early for crops like tomatoes, peppers, and zucchinis, but with the help of greenhouses the vendors should have some fresh in-season crops for everyone next week.
Artisan Craig Peterson, featured a couple weeks ago at the market, will be making a return Saturday the 29th.  We will have live music thanks to the musician Brendan Cope (and possibly a bike powered generator to amplify his music!!!)
We are also talking about bringing back an emailing list for customers who prefer to receive their market updates via email. Find me at the market on Saturday to sign-up for the email list!!
Another beautiful week is among us and with all the excitement going on downtown we hope to see YOU at the market.

Who can you expect to see at the market this week...

3 Ponds Farm:  ruhbarb, herbs, lettuce, mint, strawberries 

Brianne's Apple Dumplings & More:  pastry pockets, fruit filled rolls, piekins, gobs, cookies (Saturday only)

Country Bread Barn:  bread, rolls, cinammon rolls (Saturday only)

Eight Maples Farm:  potted plants (Saturday only)

Flinn's Treasure Tree Nursery:  broccoli, lettuce, arugula, cilantro, kale, beets

Home Made Ice Cream Express:  vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, almond joy, chocolate marshmallow, black raspberry, butter pecan(Wednesday only)

Mountain View Acres:  lettuce mix, strawberries, tomatoes, onions, kohlrabi, cabbage, herbs, beets, cucumbers, eggs, pork, turkey, chicken, raw milk cheese, goat's milk soap, apple butter

Natalie's Goodies:  pastries and cookies

Petersons Produce:  lettuce, onions, syrup, raspberries, eggs

Plum Creek Soaps:  Homemade soaps and personal beauty products (Wednesday)

Stoke Hole Pottery:  Pottery (Saturday only)

Triple B Farms: yellow squash, beets, peas, red potatoes, green zucchinis

Yarnicks:  tomatoes, peppers, radishes, 1/2 bushel beets, kohlrabi, rhubarb, eggplant, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, kale, lettuce, green onions, herbs, sugar snap peas, broccoli, strawberries, candy onions, fresh garlic

Center for Community Growth featured Artisans:

Craig Peterson--Coffee Stained Artwork

Musician:

Brendan Cope

*Be sure to check back next week for exciting ideas for you and your whole family to do at the market and downtown for the Fourth of July weekend! If you are having extended family or friends in for the weekend, we have local activities for you!!*

Recipes to enjoy your produce with...

Sausage Kale Soup












Kale with Roasted Beets and Bacon











Kohlrabi Cabbage Broccoli Slaw

Market Preview June 19 & 22

Right out of the ground onions
from Petersons Produce

A small sampling of his work

In case you missed it, last Saturday's plant sale was a huge success thanks to Master Gardeners and Penn State Extension!  There were a LOT of plants and a lot of volunteers full of helpful information about all the plants they were selling.  The featured artisan, Craig Peterson, had numerous people interested in his work and he will make another appearance on Saturday, June 29th! He can personalize his work, so let him know what you're looking for and he can make it.  There were two new vendors there, Don selling backyard grown lettuces and Brianne's Apple Dumplings & More selling fruit filled pastries (with locally grown fruit!).  Mountain View Acres also started selling raw cow's milk cheddar cheese, and it is delicious!

Look at these tomatoes from
Mountain View Acres!

A couple people have asked which, if any, vendors grow their crops organically.  After speaking with the farmers on Saturday I have a quick run-down of what I found out.  No one is certified organic, but that doesn't mean they spray all of their crops either.  Some farmers use fertilizers sparingly and most do not spray with pesticides.  Triple B Farms, Mountain View Acres, Petersons Produce, Flinn's Treasure Tree Nursery, and Don (who sells produce from the back of his SUV) all told me that they try and grow everything organically, with the occasion of adding fertilizer to specific crops.  The best way to find out is to ask the farmer your purchasing from personally which crops they're selling are 100% grown organically.  That is the most amazing thing about a farmers' market isn't it, being able to speak face-to-face with the people who grow your food.  As always, if you have questions about the market, things you'd like to see at the market, or any other comments please comment here, on our facebook page, or come and talk with me at the market!
With a lot to see at the market, and new things coming each week, we hope to see you out on Wednesday and Saturday!!

Who will be at the market this week:

3 Ponds Farm:  ruhbarb, herbs, lettuce, mint, strawberries (Saturday only this week)

Brianne's Apple Dumplings & More:  pastry pockets, fruit filled rolls, piekins, gobs, cookies (Saturday only)

Callifonte Foods:  fresh and frozen pastas (Wednesday only)

Country Bread Barn:  bread, rolls, cinammon rolls (Saturday only)

Eight Maples Farm:  potted plants (Saturday only)

Flinn's Treasure Tree Nursery:  spinach, lettuce, arugula, cilantro, sugar snap peas

Home Made Ice Cream Express:  vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan, chocolate marshmallow, peanut butter swirl (Wednesday only)

Mountain View Acres:  lettuce mix, strawberries, tomatoes, onions, kohlrabi, cabbage, eggs, pork, turkey, chicken (on Saturday), raw milk cheese, goat's milk soap

Natalie's Goodies:  pastries and cookies

Petersons Produce:  lettuce, onions, syrup, strawberries, eggs

Plum Creek Soaps:  Homemade soaps and personal beauty products (Wednesday)

Stoke Hole Pottery:  Pottery (Saturday only)

Triple B Farms: flowers, hanging baskets, strawberries, rhubarb, onions, kale, beets, yellow and green zucchinis, kohlrabi (Saturday only this week)

Yarnicks:  tomatoes, peppers, radishes, 1/2 bushel beets, kohlrabi, asparagus, rhubarb, eggplant, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, kale, lettuce, spinach, green onions, herbs, sugar snap peas, broccoli, strawberries

Center for Community Growth featured Artisans:

Debbie

Musician:

Jumpin Rob

Tasty recipes to take home and try...

Kohlrabi Fries
Cabbage and Beet Slaw
Eggplant mini "pizzas"--I made this one for my toddler last week with Yarnick's eggplant.  Really easy, just slice the eggplant into 1/4" slices, grill turning once, then top with tomato sauce (homemade if you buy tomatoes from the market too!), cheese, and basil.  Grill until cheese melts.  (Feta or goat cheese is superb, but mozzarella works well too)

*Just heard some very exciting news, the Brown Hotel will someday in the distant future become a Farm-To-Table restaurant!!!*

Saturday June 15

Look at all those plants for sale!

Preview of market for June 12 and 15

We may not enjoy all the rain that's been falling here in Indiana, but I'm sure the farmers' crops are loving it, soaking it up, and growing taller and taller each day.  And we should love that too because it causes an influx of some new crops this week at the market like beets, sugar snap peas, and broccoli from Yarnicks, sugar snap peas from Flinn's Treasure Tree Nursery, more amazing strawberries from 3 Ponds Farm, and tomatoes from Mountain View Acres.

Sean Howard and friends playing in
the rain last Saturday!

That's not all you'll find at the market this week! We will have a special treat of having live music on Wednesday with Lea Masiello, Susan Wheatley, and Louise Bem, a trio playing folk music. Saturday should be a wonderfully eventful day at the market as well.  Not only will we have live music featuring Richard Gibson and local artisan Craig Peterson who creates amazing coffee stained wood artwork, but it'll also be your chance at some extremely discounted plants for sale in the community booth from Indiana Master Gardeners and Penn State Extension!!!
So come on out to buy some goodies (we have three to four food vendors on any given day), buy some fresh produce, and take in some culture with music and artwork, as well as a chance to take some plants home to grow yourself!!

--What you will find this Wednesday and Saturday, June 12 and 15--

3 Ponds Farm:  ruhbarb, herbs, lettuce, mint, strawberries

Callifonte Foods:  fresh and frozen pastas

Country Bread Barn:  bread, rolls, cinammon rolls (Saturday only)

Eight Maples Farm:  potted plants (Saturday only)

Flinn's Treasure Tree Nursery:  spinach, lettuce, sugar snap peas

Home Made Ice Cream Express:  vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan, chocolate marshmallow, apple dumpling (Wednesday only)

Mountain View Acres:  lettuce mix, strawberries, tomatoes, onions, kohlrabi, eggs, pork

Natalie's Goodies:  pastries and cookies

Petersons Produce:  lettuce, onions, syrup, eggs

Stoke Hole Pottery:  Pottery (Saturday only)

Triple B Farms: flowers, hanging baskets, strawberries, rhubarb, onions, kale, beets, yellow and green zucchinis, kohlrabi

Yarnicks:  tomatoes, peppers, radishes, 1/2 bushel beets, kohlrabi, asparagus, rhubarb, eggplant, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, kale, lettuce, spinach, green onions, herbs, sugar snap peas, broccoli, strawberries

On Wednesday, June 12:
Musicians:  Folk trio Lea Masiello, Susan Wheatley, Louise Bem

On Saturday, June 15:
Artisan featured at the Center for Community Growth's booth:
Craig Peterson--coffee stained wood artwork

Musician:
Richard Gibson

Community Booth:
Master Gardeners and Penn State Extension plant sale


Some recipe suggestions for the fresh produce you buy this week:
Simple sugar snap peas and asparagus--no official recipe for this one, just something I personally make that's easy and delicious (my almost 2-year-old loves her veggies this way).  Just saute sugar snap peas and asparagus in a small amount of olive oil, add a couple dashes of soy sauce, and cook until just tender!  Add hot pepper flakes to give it a kick :)
Strawberry and Basil mini angel food cakes (My daughter had a strawberry basil popsicle from the Cozy Corner Cafe the other day and it was delicious so I looked up some recipes that use the combination to try at home!)

Please let me know what you think about our market, what would you like to see more of, what is missing, what makes you the happiest?
My next mission is to ask each farmer about their farming methods because of feedback I received on facebook asking about which farmers are organic, check back to see what I find out!!

As always, I'll see you at the market on Saturday, come find me and say, "Hello!"

First Wednesday Market

Addison and Madelyn enjoying
fresh strawberries

Flinn's Treasure Tree Nursery

As I rode my bike, with my daughter in the trailer hooked on the back, I realized a nice cold strawberry ice cream would be a perfect treat to enjoy once at the market, and I was right!  It seemed like others had similar ideas about eating ice cream on the warm Wednesday afternoon, and others must share my love of biking as I saw families of bike riders and individual bike riders at the market.


Callifonte Foods was present at the market on Wednesday, a vendor who was at the market last year that I didn't realize was coming again this year, offering homemade pastas fresh and frozen. The appearance of another food vendor, the Home Made Ice Cream Express truck, was greeted with a handful of market customers. There was a lot to see and amazing produce, plants, art, and animal products to buy.

Let me just note, the strawberries from 3 Ponds Farm were out-of-this-world amazing!!

I personally picked up some beets from Yarnicks and decided to grill them with other root vegetables tonight, and was in a pickle deciding what to do with the large amount of beet greens leftover. So I decided to make beet green chips (similar to kale chips if you've ever tried that!)  Delicious and healthy, you can't beat it!  Next time you have extra greens check this page out for ideas on how to use them...beet green recipes
See everyone at the market this Saturday, be sure to check out the live music and featured artisans (listed in the previous post)!!!

June 5th and June 8th market preview

It's just been a couple of days since our season opener at the market, yet numerous individuals have stated their excitement for this Wednesdays market day! I think once community residents had their first taste of the 2013 market, they just cannot wait to continue buying locally! A special treat this Wednesday is the first appearance of the Home Made Ice Cream Express truck at the market.  So come on out for ice cream and of course fresh produce, flowers, goodies, and local art from all the vendors at the market!

What will be at the market this Wednesday and Saturday (unless noted otherwise):

3 Ponds Farm:  rhubarb, herbs, lettuce, mint, strawberries
Country Bread Barn:  bread, rolls, cinnamon rolls (Saturday only)*
Eight Maples Farm:  potted plants (Saturday only)*
Flinn's Treasure Tree Nursery:  spinach, lettuce, and sugar snaps most likely by Saturday
Home Made Ice Cream Express:  ice cream flavors--chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, apple dumpling, cherry vanilla (Wednesday only)*
Mountain View Acres: lettuce mix, eggs, pork, and possibly strawberries
Petersons Produce: eggs, lettuce, onions (Saturday only until school is out)*
Triple B Farms:  sunflowers, geraniums, herbs, flowers, potted plants
Yarnicks:  tomatoes, peppers, radishes, beets, kohlrabi, asparagus, rhubarb, eggplant, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, kale, lettuce, spinach, green onions, herbs, herb plants, and strawberries by Saturday

On Saturday, June 8:
Artisans featured at the Center for Community Growth's booth:
Kathy Tangren and Irene White--Homemade rugs and purses

Musician:  Sean Howard

Some suggestions for what to do with all the fresh produce you buy at the market this week:
 Spinach Herb Pesto

Strawberry Mint Lime Sorbet

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas with Thyme

Successful season opener at the market!

Herbs from Three Ponds Farm

Stoke Hole Pottery

With live music, new vendors, a featured artisan, and a steady crowd the first day at the market in the 2013 season was a success. Check back later in the week to see which vendors will be here on Wednesday and what products and produce will be at the market this coming week. Hope to see you out!

Mountain View Acres has Goat's Milk SOAP!

Amazing looking root vegetables

Petersons Produce

Natalie's Goodies