Week of June 29 & July 2

Thank you to everyone who supported this year's kids' day!  From community groups who provided fantastic activities, vendors who joined in the fun with displays and activities in their own booths, and of course the families that came to enjoy it all...we couldn't have done it without all of you!

Last week's kids' activities included face painting by the ladies of the Indiana Women's Flag Football League, matching game and coloring sheets with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, garden-themed rock painting with the Indiana Community Garden, and music by the kids, courtesy of the Indiana Free Library.  Our vendors shared in the spirit of kids' day with a live bee display, scavenger hunt, and more!

This week, we are back to business as usual, but that doesn't mean it won't be exciting.  You can expect even more fresh produce, new vendors, and a full line-up in our special tents!

We are  happy to announce that Commonplace Coffee is joining the market!  You can find them each Saturday in July serving up their own freshly-roasted coffee.  Sounds delicious along with some tasty market baked goods!

In produce, snap peas are here, and there will also be loads of garlic on the way.  Blueberries are coming soon, as well.  Yum!

Our featured vendor this week is Hubers' 3 Ponds Farm.  This is their 9th season selling delicious produce, flowers and potted plants at the Indiana County Farmers' Market.  Stop by and say hello!

Our special tents will be full again this Saturday:

Artisan Tent:  Chere Winnek-Shawer - handmade jewelry

Community Tent:  International Friendship Program

Kids' Tent:  Indiana Garden Club 

Musician Tent:  Texas Ted & Jenna Vendetta, featuring Doc Pober

Getting ready for the 4th of July?  Keep an eye on our Facebook page for recipes and ideas using your favorite market produce!  Here's one to get  you started:

Farmers' Market Sliders - Burgers topped with grilled zucchini, squash, fresh tomatoes and basil.  Don't forget to grill extra zucchini to enjoy on it's own!

The International Friendship Program is a program of IUP's Office of International Education.  The program seeks to promote international understanding by matching local community members with international students and scholars attending IUP.

The Indiana Garden Club is a service and social organization devoted to gardening, horticulture and flower arranging.  Among other projects, the club plants and maintains four civic garden sites throughout the community, as well as two beds at the Indiana Community Garden.

See you at the market!

Week of June 22 & 25

Kids' Day is coming!  Bring the whole family out Saturday for a morning of fun for all ages!  Read
on for more details about some of the activities we have planned.

Last week, we enjoyed music from Texas Ted and Jenna Vendetta, featuring Doc Pober, and Kathy Tangren sold beautiful hand-woven rugs in the artisan tent!

We are getting into the regular market groove and are so excited about our vendors and amazing customers this season!  We so appreciate everyone who comes out to shop the market.  Some of our vendors have even been selling out by the end of the market, but have no fear - you can expect even more variety and quantity of produce as the season goes on.  The best is yet to come!!

This week, we are also highlighting one of our new vendors this season - Lone Oak Farm.  Lone Oak has been run by the Simpson family in Marion Center for four generations!  Stop by and say hello!

Next week is going to be a big one!  We hope you will join us for our regular Wednesday market and then come check out the fun of Kids' Day on Saturday.  All of our special tents will be filled with activities for kids of all ages, and some of our vendors will be participating, as well.  Here is just some of what you can look forward to:

Artisan Tent:  Indiana Women's Flag Football League - face painting
Community Tent: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank - SNAP Outreach - food group matching game and coloring sheets
Kids' Tent:  Indiana Community Garden - garden-themed rock painting
Musician Tent:  Indiana Free Library - instruments and songs

Sharing the farmers' market with your kids can have many benefits, including opportunity for conversation and learning about where our food comes from, how it is grown, and what goes into making a meal.  It's also a great way for kids to experience first-hand the seasons of foods, learn to identify a wide variety of fruits and veggies, and try something new!

Need a little help getting started?  Here are some helpful tips to shopping the market with children.

The Indiana Women's Flag Football League was established in 2015 and has expanded to 6 teams for it's second season.  It is a non-contact flag football league open to all women ages 21 and up.

The Indiana Community Gardens are located in Mack Park and bring a wide range of benefits to many people while promoting health, education, enjoyment, and a sense of community.

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

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.  Summer programs emphasizing exercise and healthy eating are happening now through July 28th.

Week of June 15 & 18

This week marked the opening of our Wednesday market, and a little wind couldn't keep our shoppers away!  We also welcomed another new vendor this week - Fat Radish Farm of Commodore.  Mahnoning Creek Farm, Peterson Produce, and the Country Bread Barn returned for the first time this season, as well.  Remember to check out our "About the Farmers/Vendors" page to learn more about all of our vendors.

Thank you to the Food Co-op of Indiana, PA for helping lead the discussion about increasing access to local foods in our community and to Christian and Taylor for creating adding even more fun to the market atmosphere with their music!

Next week, we are happy to have IRMC join our Wednesday market with free health screenings.  They will alternate weeks throughout the season with Beacon Ridge, who have provided blood pressure screenings at past markets.  What better way to improve your health than with some fresh market air and delicious, local fruits and veggies?

Saturday, our artisan tent will be occupied by Kathy Tangren and her beautiful handmade rugs.

Most weeks this season, we will highlight one of our vendors.  One of the greatest things about shopping at your local farmers' market is getting to know the people who grow and produce your food, so these spotlights will provide just a little extra information to get you started!

Save the Date:  Kids' Day is coming up in two weeks on, Saturday, June 25th!  Our special tents will be filled with fun activities for all ages, including gardening and music activities and free face painting!  Bring the whole family!

Week of June 8 & 12

Big thanks to everyone who came out to our opening day last Saturday! We had a good turnout, a nice breeze, and a lot of fun!

Did you know...

• We have 19 registered vendors this season!  Most will be there each week, but we also "mini-members" who will sell at the market for 5 weeks throughout the season.  We'll let you know when to expect them!
• We are welcoming 7 new vendors to the market this year
• Our opening market offered more than 45 different items for sale, including produce, bath and body products, potted plants, baked goods, and more!

While we are off to a great start, the best is yet to come!  As the weeks go by, we will welcome more vendors and there will be a greater variety (and more quantity) of produce for sale.  Come out and see what's new each week!

Last week, some highlights were lots of lettuce and other greens, fresh, juicy strawberries, beautiful wildflowers and cut flowers, and goat's milk soap.  We also enjoyed handmade jewelry by Chere Winnek-Shawer of CWS Design Studio, music by Dan Stonerook, yoga with Ed Stancombe of Sunflower Yoga, and learned about hosting international exchange students through the Council for Educational Travel (CETUSA).

This week, we are looking forward to our first Wednesday  market of the season, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. on Wayne Avenue in the large parking lot across from the KCAC.  

Special tents for the Saturday market include music from Christian & Taylor and information on the Food Co-op of Indiana County.  

The Food Co-op of Indiana County is a group dedicated to increasing access to healthy, locally grown and produced food and supporting local and regional food producers and growers.  

We may still have a few cool evenings ahead, and soup sure tastes great on a rainy day.  Why not try some Kohlrabi Soup?  Recipe courtesy of Stanley from Uncle Henry's Garden.

2016 Opening Day!

It’s almost here!  Opening day of the Indiana County Farmers’ Market is Saturday, June 4^th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in the parking lot behind S&T Bank, at 8^th and Church in downtown Indiana.  We are excited to see many returning vendors, familiar faces, and some new vendors, too!  

We welcome Lone Oak Farm, Fat Radish Farm, Uncle Henry’s Garden, Stutzman Farms, Longview Farm and Apiary, and Back to the Roots Farm this season.  A full list of market vendors is available on our vendor page.

Look for a variety of fresh, local items, including asparagus, rhubarb, greens like lettuce and kale, root veggies such as radishes, carrots, and beets, strawberries, and herbs.  Round out your shopping trip with baked goods, honey, and locally-raised meats!

Wondering when your favorites will be in season?  You can find a chart of popular PA vegetables here.

We also have lots of fun scheduled in our special tents this week:

·         Musician:  Dan Stonerook – “unique blend of classic rock, folk and blues”

·         Artisan:  Chere Winnek-Shawer – jewelry

·         Kids’:  Yoga with Ed Stancome of Sunflower Yoga – there are many potential benefits of yoga for children, including improved self-esteem, concentration, and physical fitness.  Adults welcome, too!

·         Community:  Council for Educational Travel (CETUSA) -  A not-for-profit international student exchange organization coordinating exchange experiences for high school students in Indiana County, with a mission “to encourage a lifelong journey of global peace and understanding” for the students, host families and communities that are part of the exchange experience. CETUSA is a U.S. Department of State Exchange Visitor (J-1 visa) sponsor organization.

Please remember that while we at the Farmers’ Market are very fond of pets of all kinds, due to PA Department of Agriculture regulations, no pets are permitted at the market.  If you do bring a pet, please tie them up outside the market.  Sorry for any inconvenience.

Bring the whole family for a morning of fresh, local foods, community, and fun! 

See you at the market!

New to the farmers’ market, or looking for ways to make the most of your trip?  Check out some top shopping tips here.