Thank you Officer Breeden!

We want to thank Officer Marty Breeden for coming by the Farmers Market today. He was there all morning fingerprinting the youngsters. With a smile on his face, he sat in the heat and never complained...Thank you again Officer Breeden!

Child Safety Event...

CHILD SAFETY EVENT

The New Market Farmers Market is partnering with the New Market Police Department this coming Saturday, September 3, 2011. They will be doing free fingerprinting for children from 9 a.m. to Noon.
Bring your child by to be fingerprinted and enter a drawing for a prize!!!
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Directions:
From Rt 11 - we are in the New Market town parking lot next to Jalisco’s Mexican Restaurant. If going south on Rt 11 we will be on your right.
From Rt 211 - you can turn into the parking lot behind Suntrust bank and come up the little hill.

We Hope to See You There!

Weight Watchers

We want to thank Lee, from Weight Watchers for coming out to market today...she had lots of great information on Weight Watchers and eating healthy...

She had lots of goodies for you to look at...that included product & information about the program...

The Lions Club

We want to thank the local chamber of the Lions Club for being at the Farmers Market this Saturday...

Look at What You're Missing!!!

For those of you who haven't made it to the Farmers Market...here's a look at just some of what you're missing!

Gourmet Coffee...served hot or cold....

Baked Fresh and YUMMY!!!

Come on...You know you want to try some....







You'll be greeted with smiles and great products....

Locally grown and fresh!

Healthy and Tasty!

Eco-Friendly products!

Fresh Eggs, Herbs, Dried Gourds and More...

Mixing it up in New Market!

So Why Haven't You Visited Our Market?

What's Happening in June at the Market!!!

First...

Cabin Creek Roaster won't be at the Farmers Market for the next two weeks due to prior commitments. Free Spirit Farms will have some of the roasted coffee that has all ready been tasted just in case you're having withdrawals. If you have any special orders please provide them to Allyson so she can get them to the Roastmaster prior to the next Farmers Market. Cabin Creek will be returning on June 18th and will be featuring three new coffees. The iced coffee, with French Vanilla, Roasted Hazelnut or Creme Caramel, was a big hit on May 28th and will be featured again on June 18th...

Second...The events...

June 4th - Join us and the Shenandoah County Animal Shelter as they bring in some sweet little cats and kittens to adopted...

June 11th - Have you ever milked a cow? Would you like to try? The 4-H Dairy Club will be at the market with an artificial cow just for you to milk...come on...you know you want to!

June 18th - we kick off our Food drive for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry in New Market...we are trying to collect at least 500 non-perishable items...and if we do...New Market's Mayor Larry Smith will kiss a cow!

June 25th - Tacy Hawkins will be there with her weaving machine and if you've ever wanted to know how to weave, she'll show you how...

Those are just some of the things we have going on in the month of June...We hope you will come and visit once, twice or every weekend!

Remember, we're open from 8 a.m. to Noon...Every Saturday through October 8th!

What's happening at the market!

I can't believe the first month of the market is over all ready! We've enjoyed seeing familiar faces and meeting new people. And can't wait to see what fun we can have in the next few months!

We have a new Vendor at the Market!

The Farmers Market on Congress Street is happy to welcome Monty of Cabin Creek Roasters to the market!




As a small volume, specialty coffee roaster located in beautiful Shenandoah County, Cabin Creek Roasters provides only the best coffee (100% Arabica beans) from around the world and delivers them fresh to their customers. The best cup of comes from freshly roasted beans, and Cabin Creek roasts only after an order is received or the day before a farmers Market. Customers area assured of freshness by the "Roasted on" date written on the package label.

Cabin Creek Roasters currently offers 14 single-origins coffees and 4 blends. Not every coffee is roasted to the same level (style). As Monty shared with us, "As Roastmaster it is my job to find the perfect roast style to enhance each coffee we import, so that each has its own taste, and is discernible from our other coffees. Roasting will not only bring forth the natural flavors and oils from within the bean, but it will also add a roasted flavor ranging from an essence of light cinnamon to a bittersweet caramel smoky flavor. It is my job as the Roastmaster to celebrate and honor the beans attributes with a perfect roasting recipe and then to recreate that same roast consistently. The roasting process is a lot of what sets good coffee apart from exceptional coffee. Like many of our customers, I'm passionate about coffee."

Ground coffee will be available in 2 oz and whole beans available in 1/2 lb bags. Monty plans to bring cold brewed iced Senedo Ridge Espresso for those hot summers days. The cold brew process creates a concentrate that can be blended perfectly with water, cream or 1 oz milk and MONIN coffee flavors to make a wonderful iced coffee or a skinny latte.

Stop by the market on Saturdays and meet Monty and see what he has available to delight coffee lovers!

GRAND OPENING THIS SATURDAY!!!

Did you hear me? The Farmers Market on Congress Street in New Market will be opening up this Saturday, May 7, 2011...

Come by and sign your mom up for several prizes to be given away on Saturday...Bring your youngsters by so they can plant a flower for their Mom and give it to her...

Enjoy the wonderful products from our vendors...not to mention our smiling faces...and don't forget we'll have the Klymer Kurtz Band playing music and the Girl Scouts will be there selling hot dogs and nachos...

So much fun...and we can't wait to see you there!!!

It's Almost that Time of the Year Again!!!

We are so excited that the Farmers Market will be opening up soon...Only 19 more days!!! We hope to see ya there...

So here's what we have planned for the month of May...

May 7 - Grand Opening!!! We will have music and Mother's Day activities and giveaways!!! We will have flower pots to decorate and flowers to plant for you mom...and the Girl Scouts will be there selling hot dogs and nachos!

May 14 - We are having our first Seed Swap! Bring in your seeds and swap them for different seeds...do you have flower seeds that you want to swap for vegetable seeds? Or vegetable seeds that you want to swap for flower seeds? Then this is the weekend for you!

May 21 - This is a weekend to get some wonderful information to help the senior in your life. Lifecare Rehab Services in New Market will have information on their Senior Fitness program and on Fall Prevention. Cornerstone in Mt Jackson will have information on their Silver Care product. This is a Personal Medical Emergency program. And the Red Cross will be there with information on all their programs...you might just be shocked at how much the Red Cross does...

May 28 - Memorial Day weekend...doesn't mean we are taking the weekend off...oh no...instead we are having the American Legion selling bbq chicken...so come support your local veterans.

All this and wonderful vendors too!!! You just can't miss this...so remember:

Farmers Market is opening up on May 7, 2011 and will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to Noon through October 8, 2011...Oh...and don't forget...We're in a new location...in the parking lot right next to Jalisco's Mexican Restaurant!

Hope to see you there!

What can Honey do you for you?

Who knew all those bees were working hard for us? The honey they create doesn't just taste good, it has health benefits that you might not know about...Here's 5 great reasons to take honey each and every day!Honey is a natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies. It has natural fruit sugars that play an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise.

1. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy.
   
2. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar.
3. Honey can be a powerful immune system booster. The antioxidant & anti-bacterial properties can help improve digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease.
4. Honey not only soothes throats but can also kill certain bacteria that causes the throat infection.

Are you ready to improve your health? Visit Pure & Simple Honey at the Farmers Market on Congress Street...Starting May 7, 2011 through October 8, 2011...every Saturday from 8 a.m. to Noon!

The Benefits of Tomatoes

There are so many health benefits to eating tomatoes. They are in fact, a highly versatile health product and due to their equally versatile preparation options, there's really no reason to neglect the tomato as part of a healthy diet.

Lycopene is a vital anti-oxidant that helps fight against cancer and other kinds of diseases. Free radicals in the body can be flushed out with high levels of Lycopene. And the tomato is loaded with this nutrient.

Tomatoes are by far the healthiest of the fruits and vegetables with the power to ward off some of the worst known diseases to man. With the vast variety of tomato products on the market, it really shouldn't be difficult to get the full health benefit of tomatoes.

Did you know that it only takes as little as 540 milliliters of liquid tomato product to get the full benefits of Lycopene. This means that a daily glass of tomato juice has the potential to keep a person healthy for life.

So have a glass of tomato juice, or a tomato sandwich or soup...eat it raw or cooked...enjoy it by itself or in a recipe...whatever and however you do it...just do it...have a tomato...and get healthy....

Are homemade dog treats good for your dog & cat?

Do you have a cat or dog? Are they a pet or part of the family? My little furbabies are definitely part of my family. This is why I decided to cook for them and why I decided to make their homemade treats...

I know what is in the food that I make for them...Have you ever read the ingredients on the back of your furbaby's food?

So what are some other benefits of homemade food over store bought?

1. Homemade taste better...doesn't homemade lasagna, chicken, etc taste better than what you can buy at the store? It's the same for your furbaby. When you don't have all those chemicals in your food, you can taste the actual food, and so can your cat and/or dog...
2. They are healthier...you can make them meals that are low fat, you can use healthier choices to flavor the food. Plus, a lot of furbabies are starting to get allergies to foods because of the ingredients in the store bought brands, so this allows you to make foods that don't have the foods they are allergic to...
   
3. They are safer...We all remember the contaminated foods from a few years ago. If you are making these meals for your furbabies then, again, you know what is going into them and you don't have to worry about contamination.
4. Cost effective...believe it or not, making your pets food can be cheaper than buying it. Buy your meats on sale, make a batch & freeze for later...adding rice, pasta, potatoes and other ingredients can make it stretch out for several meals.

Well guess what? This year at the Farmers Market, we will not only be sharing recipes for homemade meals for your furbaby, but we will also have homemade treats for sale. There will be some for dogs and cats...And Koda says, your furbaby will love them!

Fast Food vs Fresh Food

We all love the convenience of fast food, but you know...Fresh food can be fast food too...How you ask? There are all kinds of recipes that are 5 ingredients or less and crock pots can cook anything (okay, so crock pots take all day to cook your dinner, but you don't have to do anything but toss the items in the crock and it does the rest) So with a couple ingredients from your local Farmers Market, you can have Fresh Fast Food... Here's a recipe to try when you get your tomatoes and honey:



Honey Baked Tomatoes

Ingredients (I know 7 ingredients not 5, but who counts salt & pepper these days as an extra ingredient...grin)

• 8 medium-size ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch slices
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 2 white bread slices
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• 4 teaspoons butter

Preparation

Place ripe tomato slices in a single layer in a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan. Drizzle with honey, spreading honey into hollows.

Process bread in a food processor or blender until finely chopped.

Stir together breadcrumbs and next 3 ingredients; sprinkle evenly over tomato slices. Dot with butter.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until tomato skins begin to wrinkle.

Broil 5 inches from heat 5 minutes or until tops are golden. Serve warm.

We will also have Wildtree products at the Farmers Market...these products are not only healthy, but also have easy recipes...Here's one for you to try...

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons Wildtree Natural Grapeseed Oil 1 1/2 cup shrimp, shelled and deveined 1 1/2 cup frozen stir fry vegetables 1/3 cup Wildtree Kickin’ Asian Stir-Fry Sauce 1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti, cooked
PREPARATION: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and sauté until cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside. Add the stir fry vegetables and cook until heated through. Add Stir Fry Sauce, whole wheat pasta and shrimp. Toss until pasta and shrimp are coated.

So...Don't give up on Fresh food...it's healthier...it's less expensive...and it can be just as easy as Fast Food!

See Ya at the Market!

What do YOU think makes a good Farmers Markets?

A few days back we posted some reasons why you should go to a Farmers Market, but what we would really love to know is...

What do YOU think makes a good Farmers Market?

Only TWO More Months!

I can't believe that it is almost that time of the year again...The Farmers Market on Congress Street will be open in just two short months!!!

That's right...May 7, 2011 we will be open for our new season...

New Location! Same Great Vendors!

We are planning a great opening day (more details on that to come later on)...

Can't wait to see our customers from last season and to meet our new customers this season! Hugs!

So Why Go to a Farmers Market?

For the Consumers

• They provide direct contact and feedback between customers and producers, so you can be sure how your vegetables are grown and meat produced.
• They help to improve diet and nutrition by providing access to fresh food.
• They play an important role in educating the consumer as to the production and origin of their food.
• They can be a source of information and inspiration on how to cook and prepare fresh ingredients.

For the Environment

• They help reduce food miles, thus vehicle pollution, noise, and fossil fuel use.
• They help to reduce packaging.
• They encourage more environmental production practices, such as organic or pesticide free.
• They encourage farm diversification and hence bio-diversity.

For the Community & Local Economy

• They help bring life into towns and cities aiding regeneration.
• They encourage social interaction particularly between rural and urban communities.
• They stimulate local economic development by increasing employment, encouraging consumers to support local business, and thus keeping the money within the local community.
• They attract business to retailers in the vicinity.

So visit your local Farmers Market and enjoy the locally grown, locally made items...

Calling all Vendors!

Calling all Vendors! The Farmers Market on Congress Street is looking for vendors for the 2011 season! If you are interested, please email belocalnewmarket@yahoo.com for an application and more information! We're also looking for musicians interested in joining us for a couple hours on Saturdays! :-)

A Look Inside Our Farmers Market...

Mark your calendars...May 7, 2011 is opening day at the Farmers Market on Congress St in New Market, Virginia. So since May will be here before you know it, we thought you might like to learn a little bit about the vendors that will be smiling and greeting you when you visit the Farmers Market...

Pure & Simple Farm. We sell raw honey and raw infused honey, and don't forget to ask about "The Local Bar" which are tallow soap, lotion bars and lip balms that are handcrafted using mostly local ingredients. And if you bring your honey jars & caps back to them, we will give you a 25 cent return deposit.

"We place an emphasis on sustainability and are committed to using ingredients in addition to our own that are local, fair trade, organic, wild crafted and/or cultivated without chemicals."

Wildtree. These are natural products that are free of MSG, food dyes, additives, preservatives and more. These products compliment other items at the Farmers Market for a healthy and nutritious meal. Stop by and sample before you buy.

"My product has side 'benefits' instead of side effects!"

Shenandoah Farms. Since 1993 we have developed our passion for farming and raising safe and healthy food. We utilize sustainable and natural practices that enhance the fertility of the soil as well as other media for growing our products. This, in turn, enriches the nutritional value of our products.

"It is our belief and integrity upon which we try to provide nutritious, safe and fresh product to you and your family."

Koda's Kookies. Seven years ago we decided to get a puppy, Koda, and I decided I wanted to feed him a healthier diet over a store bought diet, so after doing some research, I learned all about cooking for him and making him healthy snacks & treats and now I get to share those snacks with others.

"I want my furbaby to enjoy a healthy and tasty snack because he is more then a pet...he's a member of my family."

Free Spirit Farm. We make our own cleaning products such as: laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaners, floor cleaners, carpet fresheners and more. They are better for the environment, safer for your home and healthier for your family. We also make blackcurrant jam, quick breads, needle-felted jewelry items, accessories and small folk-art paintings.

"The farm was quickly named 'Free Spirit Farm' as it became a place to grow and harvest creativity for our 'free spirits'."

Simply Basic Nutrition. We offer chemical free wheat products that I mill and use immediately therefore preserving the many healing nutrients that a kernel of wheat contains. I also offer an assortment of other nutritious products such as granola bars, granola, bread and much more.

"My goal is to offer suggestions that will encourage people to take back their health since the responsibility of good health lies within each and every one of us."

Mix It Up. A creation of mixes for your coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Adding spice to your life is never a bad thing. Enjoy a cup alone or with someone special.

"Everyone needs to mix it up a little bit to keep from getting bored."