Saturday, November 19, 2016

Off-Season Sales


Market season may be over, but we will continue to share updates, recipes, and other resources from time to time throughout the off-season.

Our first update is an exciting one...Although the market may be closed, you can still buy some of your favorite local products from our vendors!  Below is a list of vendors who continue to sell during the winter months.  We hope you will continue to support our local farmers!


3 Ponds Farm - While 3 Ponds may not be selling all winter long, they still have beets and onions available to sell.  Contact them via their Facebook page or e-mail 3pondsfarm@gmail.com.

Fat Radish Farm - A variety of produce with in-town pickups is available, including Dino kale, Red Russian kale, pak choi, spinach, mixed greens, arugula, radishes, parsley, dill, Hakurei turnip, and pickled beets.  Please e-mail fatradishfarmpa@gmail.com to check availability and to place an order.

Mahoning Creek Farm - Pastured Angus Beef, Duroc Pork, and Lamb available year-round.  The farm store is now open in the farm house Fridays 2-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays 2-5 p.m.  Deliveries twice a month to the old Giant Eagle Express parking lot on Wayne Avenue in Indiana.  For more information or to place an order, call 724-541-5717 or 724-286-9671 or e-mail sales@mahoningcreekfarm.com.  You can also check out their website and Facebook page for updates and special sales.

Shine Natural Beauty - Shine Natural Beauty has goat milk soap, lip balm, body butter, and other natural products available all year long!  Visit our website to order.  During the holiday season, gift sets are also available, so check out our Facebook page to see what is in stock.  Custom orders can be requested through e-mail (sostreets@aol.com) or by calling 814-266-1759.

Remember to "Like" Indiana County Farmers' Market and your favorite vendors on Facebook.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Final Market of 2016!

Last chance for fresh, local, yummy (and delicious) produce and your other favorite market goodies!!  


This Saturday is our final market of the year, so bring the family down to stock up on your favorite local produce, baked goods, meats, eggs, honey, and more!

If you want to be the first to know about market happenings and the start of the 2017 season, be sure to subscribe to our e-newsletter by e-mailing indianafarmmarket@gmail.com.  

You can also "like" us on Facebook for market updates, articles, recipes, and more!

In search of a simple, versatile dinner idea?  Look no further than this Roasted Fall Vegetable & Italian Sauasage Sheet Pan Meal.  Not only can you find all the ingredients you need at the market, but you can also substitute whatever veggies you like most!  


See you at the market (one more time)!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

October 22nd Market

Last Saturday was as beautiful a market day as you could ask for, and we are hoping for more of the same for our final two markets of 2016!  You can still find us this Saturday and next behind S&T Bank with lots of delicious produce, meats, eggs, baked goods, honey, and more!

If you don't already receive our e-newsletter and want to see market updates, recipes, and more throughout the off-season, be sure to e-mail us at indianafarmmarket@gmail.com and ask to be added to the list!

You can also "like" us on Facebook for market updates and articles.

As the weather cools, you might just need a tasty treat to warm your belly.  Nothing says fall like fresh, local pumpkin pie or baked apples!


See you at the market!

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

October 15th Market

Can you believe we're already halfway through October?  The countdown is on - only 3 Saturdays left to enjoy Indiana's best fresh, local produce, baked goods, meats, eggs, honey, and more!  Stock up on your favorites while you can!

Remember to stop by the market before or after IUP's Homecoming Parade.  You can find us in our regular location behind S&T Bank at 8th and Church Streets from 9 to noon.

It's the season of winter squash, and you can find several types at the market, including butternut, spaghetti, delicata, and more.

Need some inspiration?

This looks like a delicious variation on butternut squash soup - and you can find many of the ingredients at the market!

Ever wonder about how to prepare spaghetti squash?  This recipe is as simple as they come - and it is to much fun to scoop out!


See you at the market!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Week of October 5 & 8

 Thanks to all who joined us on Saturday for a cool (and slightly wet) fall morning market!  There are still a few weeks left to enjoy your favorite fresh, local produce.

This Wednesday, October 5 will be our final Wednesday afternoon market of the season, so be sure to stop in one last time!

Our regular Saturday morning market continues through the end of October.  You can still find a great variety of produce, including beets, beans, eggplant, peas, carrots, garlic, wild mushrooms, chestnuts, apples, pumpkins, winter squash, gourds, flowers, baked goods, meats, eggs, and more!

Last week we enjoyed a great beekeeping workshop with Dave Varney.  He shared his expertise on keeping bees in Pennsylvania, including building a hive with local swarms.  He showed off basic beekeeping equipment, a live bee observation hive, and more.  Thank you to the entire family for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with us!

If you are interested in getting started with your own hive or learning more about beekeeping, check out the Indiana Pa honey bee group on Facebook.


See you at the market!

Monday, September 26, 2016

Week of September 28 & October 1

Fall is officially here, and with it come changes in our weekly  market schedule.  Our final Wednesday market of the season will be next week, October 5th.  You will also notice fewer scheduled activities in our special tents.  But don't worry - there are still several weeks of Saturday markets left with your favorite fall produce, meats, baked goods, and more!  We will also be offering special workshops and demonstrations throughout the month of October.


Last week, we had lots of fun with two sets of kids' activities and some great information being shared by students from IUP!  The Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics (SAND) helped kids create their own delicious, healthy, and super cute (I mean terrifying!) apple monsters.  The Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank shared information on SNAP benefits, recipes, kids' coloring and activity sheets, and a fun food group matching game.  Finally the IUP SEEDS Club (Strategies for Ecology, Education, Diversity and Sustainability) shared information about seed saving and the upcoming community seed swap.


This week, we are happy to present a beekeeping workshop with Dave Varney.  This will be an ongoing informational booth including:

* Cost to start a hive
* How to keep bees strong and healthy
* Benefits and characteristics of "real" honey
* Displays of common beekeeping tools and an empty hive

Dave's son and daughter will be on hand to chat with our younger market-goers about bees, as well.  Fun and learning for the whole family!


Our featured vendor this week is Mahoning Creek Farm of Smicksburg.  Their Angus beef, Duroc pork, and lamb can't be beat, and you can even find their pork at a couple of our local restaurants!



See you at the market!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

September 21 & 24

Fall is in the air!  While we may still have a few warm weeks left, autumn is definitely upon us, and the are signs all around the market - pumpkins, apples, winter squash, and more.  Be sure to stop by to snatch up the last of your summer favorites and enjoy the first tastes of the new season.

Last week, we celebrated all things Health & Wellness thanks to some excellent groups and activities in our special tents.  Dietetics Interns from IUP's Department of Food & Nutrition occupied two of our tents and provided information about fermented and probiotic-rich foods, samples of a yummy mango yogurt smoothie, and fun with food science making watermelon treats for the kids.  John Baker cooked up nutritious and tasty samples, and Gatti Pharmacy shared information about their services and new location, along with cool color-changing cups.


This week, we are looking forward to another lively market.  The Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics (SAND) from IUP will offer suggestions for healthy Halloween treats.  IUP's SEEDS Club will be on hand with information and seed packets.  SNAP Outreach joins us with program information, recipe cards, and coloring pages and a food group matching game for the kids.  We will also have information about an upcoming seed swap event.

Our featured vendor this week is Healthy Harvest Gardener.  You surely have noticed Michael's bright green wheatgrass ready for juicing fresh on the spot, along with wild foraged mushrooms, gourmet garlic, and a variety of other produce.  Stop in and try something new!

Thank you to the IUP Department of Food and Nutrition for sharing this tasty recipe!



SAND (the Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics) provides members with professional involvement in food and nutrition activities as they develop their career potential.

The SEEDS Club of IUP stands for Strategies for Ecology, Education, Diversity and Sustainability and is a program of the Ecological Society of America.

The mission of the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is to feed people in need and mobilize our community to eliminate hunger.

The 3rd Annual Community Seed Swap will be held Saturday, November 12 and is part of a larger project that will help to begin the Northern Appalachian Seed Bank.

See you at the market!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Week of September 14 & 17

Get healthy at the farmers' market!  The theme of last year's Customer Appreciation Day was Health & Wellness, and it was such a big hit, we gave the subject it's own day again this year!

Terms like health & wellness bring to mind so many different ideas and images, and there are certainly many approaches to achieving them.  But, most would agree, lots of fresh, local (and delicious) fruits and veggies is a great place to start!  Join us as we learn new ways of preparing your favorite market produce and share tips for living a healthy lifestyle.

Last week, we enjoyed another lively Saturday at the market!  The League of Women Voters registered voters in the Community Tent, and Charity Brubaker presented her original paintings in the Artisan Tent.  Kendra Fairman of the Wise Women Natural Health Collective provided activity for all ages, including samples of fire cider and a fun market scavenger hunt for the kids!

You might have also seen our booth at the Northern Appalachian Folk Festival over the weekend.  Thanks to all who stopped by!

This week, we celebrate all things health & wellness.  Dietetics Interns from IUP's Department of Food & Nutrition will be on hand in two of our special tents this week.  The Community Tent will feature information and samples of fermented and probiotic-rich foods, and the Kids' Tent will have fun with food science while making tasty fruit sorbet.  We also welcome former professor of Hotel Restaurant Management at IUP, John Baker, to the Artisan Tent for cooking demonstrations.  Gatti Pharmacy rounds out the lineup.


Our featured vendor this week is Shine Natural Beauty - the best smelling booth at the market!  Shine features homemade goat milk soap and a variety of other products.  They make great gifts!



See you at the market!

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Week of September 7 & 10


Autumn may be upon us, but the market is still in full swing!  Be sure to stop by for your favorite produce, baked goods, and family fun on your way to the Northern Appalachian Folk Festival downtown this weekend!

Last week, we had a full lineup of amazing special tents.  The highlight was certainly another cooking demonstration with delicious samples by chef Josh Truitt.  The menu this time included hot dogs, chanterelle mushroom toast, sweet corn succotash, balsamic beets, and melon with fresh herbs - Yum!

We also enjoyed speaking with members of the Women's Club of IUP.  They raised money for their scholarship fund by sharing the Club's own community cookbook and free samples of one of the recipes.  Jackie Montgomery filled the Artisan Tent with her Terrible Towel apparel, and kids of all ages enjoyed playing and singing with Music Together.  It was an awesome market with weather to match!


This week, the fun continues.  We are looking forward to seeing a new artist, Charity Brubaker, and her original paintings in the Artisan Tent.  The League of Women Voters will be on hand in the Community Tent for voter registration.  Finally, we welcome back Kendra Fairman of the Wise Women Natural Health Collective.  She will demonstrate how to make fire cider and provide samples.  She is also putting together a scavenger hunt for the kids that is sure to be lots of fun.  What a great way to explore the market and discover something new!

Our featured vendor this week is Longview Farm and Apiary, and first-year vendor at the market.  While Emily specializes in honey and cut flowers, you can also find a variety of tasty produce, beeswax lip balm, and more!


The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Wise Women Natural Health Collective exists to provide examplary health care to its participants physically, mentally, and spiritually through a variety of services by trained credentialed practitioners.  Wise Women has the wider goal of addressing the wellness of the whole person and to create a joyful supportive "village" through its community initiatives. 

What is fire cider?

Save the Date!!
Health & Wellness Day is Saturday, September 17th!

All of our special tents and activities will be focused on healthy living, including Food Science Fun with fruit sorbet and information and samples of fermented foods with dietetics interns from IUP and chef demonstrations with Nick Karas of Nap's Cucina Mia.

Follow our Facebook event for details and updates!


See you at the market!

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Week of August 31 & September 3


Welcome back IUP students, faculty and staff!  The market is still in full swing, and we are excited to have the bustle of a new school year beginning.  If you haven't been to the market in a while, now is the time to make a visit.  We have lots of new vendors this year, and this weekend will also feature a full lineup of special tents, including a chef demonstrations.  Come see what is new!

Last week, the Indiana Free Library once again shared stories and games with kids of all ages.  We also learned about hunger in our community and ways to help with the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Indiana, PA.  One of their current initiatives is the Power Pack Program, which provides food to local children who are at risk of hunger.

This week, we are looking forward to lots of activity!  The Women's Club of IUP kicks off the new school year in our Community Tent, selling some of their very own community cookbooks.  Our Artisan Tent will feature one-of-a-kind items (such as skirts, dresses, and ponchos) created from Terrible Towels by Jackie Montgomery.  Kids and music combine this week with the Music Together! program.  Finally, we welcome back Josh Truitt of The Coventry Inn for another chef demonstration.  He will be cooking up some of your favorite market produce and handing out samples.  His zucchini salad, grilled green beans, and meatballs were a big hit earlier this summer, so be sure to check it out!

Our featured vendor this week is Mother Earth Farm.  Chloe began as a volunteer with the market and is now in her second year as a farmer and vendor!


We are open during Fair week at our regular times and locations - including Wednesday afternoon on Wayne Avenue across from the KCAC (in the same lot as Fair parking).

You can also visit us at our Fair booth in the exhibition building across from the grandstand every evening this week!


Music Together is an internationally recognized music and movement program for children birth through age five - and the grownups who love them.  Our local Music Together program is run in partnership with the IUP Community Music School.

Save the Date!!

Health and Wellness Day is Saturday, September 17! 

All of our special tents and activities will be focused on healthy living, including chef demonstrations with Nick Karas of Nap's Cucina Mia.

Follow our Facebook event for details and updates!

See you at the market!




Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Week of August 24 & 27

It's back to school time!!  What better way to send your kids off to learn and play than with a full belly of fresh, nutritious fruits and veggies?  Bring the whole family to the market to pick up your favorite foods, try something new, and enjoy family-friendly activities.

Last week, we enjoyed great conversations with the Center for Community Growth and amazing cooking demonstrations and samples with Portia Diaz of Portia's Bistro.  She used market produce to prepare lamb and beet hash, radish salsa, and a coconut corn porridge and shared coffee and donuts courtesy of Donut Connection!


This week, we welcome the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Indiana, PA to our Communtiy Tent where they will share information about hunger awareness, and the Indiana Free Library will once again occupy the Kids' Tent.

This week, we also shine on the spotlight on a long-time vendor at the market, Peterson Produce.  The Petersons have been farming for about 40 years and sell a wide variety of produce, specializing in greens, potatoes, and beans.  Learn more about them here.


We will be open fair week, regular times and places.

Looking for a new way to use your summer favorites?  This recipe for Sauteed Summer Squash and Tomatoes mixes lots of fresh veggies you can find at the market with a hint of mint for even more refreshing flavor.

First Unitarian Universalist Church is a religious community grounded in love, support and acceptance committed to such goals as inspiring and nourishing the personal spiritual journey and promoting compassionate and responsible thought and action in the world.

The Indiana Free Library offers programs for children of all ages throughout the year, providing a fun environment to teach early literacy skills through books, songs, hand rhymes, and crafts.


See you at the market!

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Week of August 17 & 20

Hello!  I, your friendly blogger and newsletter-sender, have been away on vacation, so this week's edition will be short and sweet.

The main idea - come to the market this Saturday!  We have the freshest, most delicious, LOCAL produce around - including tomatoes, peppers, melons, cucumbers, zucchini, and your other summer favorites along with baked goods, meats, eggs, flowers, handmade beauty products and more!

Last week we welcomed LOLA's Early Care and Education Center to the Kids' Tent for face painting, and Tyler Gaston joined us once again in the Artisan Tent with his beautiful woodworking.

This week, we are excited to have a chef demo with Portia of Portia's Bistro.  She will be grilling up lots of tasty market produce and focusing on a variety of marinades.  Our Community Tent will be occupied by the Center for Community Growth.

The Center for Community Growth engages people of diverse philosophies, faiths, and backgrounds to work together to form a more equitable and sustainable community.

See you at the market!

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Week of August 10 & 13

I can hardly believe it, but this week week marks the halfway point of our farmers' market season!  There is still lots of fresh produce, baked goods, honey, meats, cooking demonstrations, kids' activities, and more to look forward to, so be sure to take advantage of the time we have left!

Last week, the Wednesday market was an exciting one, as we welcomed chefs from IRMC who provided delicious samples of grilled balsamic zucchini, grilled tomatoes with pesto, and grilled buffalo cauliflower with blue cheese.  Yum!

The Saturday market was a calm one this week, but the weather was beautiful, and we have lots of special tent activities scheduled for this week!


Special Tents
Artisan Tent:  Tyler Gaston - Hand-crafted wooden goods for the home
Community Tent:  TriYoga of Indiana
Kids' Tent:  LOLAs Early Care and Education Center


TriYoga® is a flowing style of yoga that connects movement, breath, and focus.  With rhythmic pacing, relaxation-in-action, spinal movements and economy of motion, TriYoga® creates strength, flexibility, and inner calm.

LOLAs Early Care and Education Center's mission is to provide affordable child care with the highest quality care and education while supporting members of the local community through opportunity in quality employment.

See you at the market!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Week of August 3 & 6

Thank you to all who supported Customer Appreciation Day!  We had a surprisingly good turnout considering that it rained ALL morning long, and vendors and shoppers alike had smiles on their faces!  Huge thanks to our vendors who participated with samples, promotions and donations toward the event, those in our special tents who added so much to the atmosphere of the market, and (of course) our amazing, loyal customers - we wouldn't be here without you!

We enjoyed lots of activity Saturday including sauerkraut demonstrations and workshops, music from Dan Stonerook, beautiful art by woodworker Tyler Gaston, kids' activities with the Indiana Free Library, and cooking demonstrations and delicious samples by Josh Truitt of The Conventry Inn - zucchini salad, grilled green beans with peppers, and pork meatballs with kale pesto, just to name a few of the tasty, market-fresh dishes he prepared!

We also had the pleasure of drawing four winners to receive gift baskets of market goodies that included lots lots of fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, jam, coffee, meats, sweet corn, beauty products, and a great big cookie!  Congratulations to Rebecca, Colleen, Pao Ying, and Donna!


Wednesday was a great market, as well.  The IRMC mobile unit was on site providing free blood pressure screenings, and we saw our first peaches of the season - they only last for a little while, so get 'em while you can!

This week, we take a little breather after such a big week, and so can you - check out the Kids' Tent Saturday morning for yoga with Ed Stancombe of  Sunflower Yoga - open to "kids" of all ages.  Just some of the many benefits of yoga for children include improved self-esteem, concentration, and physical fitness...and it's fun, too!

We also highlight one of our returning vendors - Eight Maples Farm.  They specialize in tomatoes, green peppers, and several delicious varieties of watermelon, along with beautiful potted plant arrangements.  Stop in and say hello!


If you missed it, be sure to check out the amazing article about us in last week's Shopper's Guide!



See you at the market!