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USDA Press Release:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the 2010 National Farmers Market Directory lists 6,132 operational farmers markets, representing 16 percent growth over 2009 when the agency reported 5,274. Pennsylvania saw an increase of 203 markets.
“Seeing such continued strong growth in the number of U.S. farmers markets indicates that regional food systems can provide great economic, social and health benefits to communities across the country,” said Vilsack. “Farmers markets provide fresh, local products to communities across the country while offering economic opportunities for many producers of all sizes.”
The USDA National Farmers Market Directory can be found here. Farmers markets can be searched by state, county, zip code and participation in federal nutrition assistance programs.
Posted 2 weeks, 4 days ago. Add a comment
What works up an appetite more than biking between all the cute little trail towns on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) this summer? This trail runs from just south of Pittsburgh the whole way through to Washington DC. Several towns have great farmers markets which feature seasonal produce, baked goods, local mustards, jams, and crafts. What a great way to spend a day biking, taking in the scenery, and refueling with a picnic of bread, cheeses, fruit and some Amish cookies! Read on for details:
On Saturdays there are markets in:
- Connellsville, Yough River Park, 8a.m – 1p.m, July 3 – Sept. 4
- Ohiopyle, Ohiopyle Borough, 2p.m – 6p.m, May 29 – Sept. 4
(These markets are part of a larger Fayette County Buy Local initiative, which also includes farmers’ markets in Uniontown (Thursdays, 4p.m – 7p.m) and Masontown (Fridays, 3p.m – 7p.m).)
- Cumberland (MD), Cumberland Downtown Pedestrian Mall, 9:30a.m – 12:30p.m, June 5 – Oct.
If you are a mid-week rider:
- Meyersdale, Fuller Playground, Wednesdays, 7:30a.m – 12:30p.m, May 26 – Sept. 8
- Cumberland (MD), Cumberland Downtown Pedestrian Mall, Thursdays, 9:30a.m – 2p.m, June 3 – Oct.
-Frostburg (MD), Main Street, Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30p.m, June 4 – Oct.
For more information on planning a ride:
Trail Towns
Great Allegheny Passage
Posted 1 month, 2 weeks ago. Add a comment
Last week I ventured over to the other side of the Mon River to cruise around the South Side Market…still on the hunt for some cooking ingredients to make it feel like summer. The market takes place on Tuesdays from3:30-7:30, tucked in a neighborhood at the intersection of 20th and Sidney Street.
I arrived around 3:45 and the market was already busy. There were a few familiar vendors so I decided to stop at one I didn’t recognize first. There was no name posted for his business, but the very nice gentleman there was selling snow cones and hot sausages. He also had some beautiful Italian treats called pizzelles. They were round with a delicate lace pattern and flavored with anise oil. I decided they would be a treat for down the road. When I attempted to take a picture of the pizzelles I realized, sadly, that my camera battery was dead, so this post will unfortunately not have any pictures. That just means YOU will have to go experience it for yourself!!!
Around the corner was Sito’s with their fresh and light, locally made Mediterranean-style dressings. I heard the young man selling them say they’re made from a Syrian recipe. They also had stuffed grape leaves and veggie-stuffed filo pastries. Yum! Next in line was Hastetler’s Amish Bakery with some great-looking, homemade breads and pastries that would be great for dessert or a special breakfast.
I turned around to find a lush stand filled with produce from Miller’s Farm in New Wilmington, PA. They had tomatoes, lettuces, beans, cucumbers and lots more! There were also a couple coolers with grass-fed lamb, pastured pork and all-natural, grass-fed cheeses. Some of their unique products were soy candles, soaps and jams.
Upon a little more wandering I saw a friendly face and a table full of peaches, nectarines, apricots, apples, tomatoes, squash and basil. It was a bounty of fruit that would be great for the makings of a summer dessert. Mmm…my wheels were turning…peach compote on ice cream, or apricot tarts…I was brought back from my reverie when the woman behind the table engaged me in conversation. She told me about how they had planted their crops later this year because of the rain, underscoring how the weather is always a major factor in farming. I assured her that the produce looked wonderful, despite the late start. Her farm is called Pleasant Hill and is located in Harmony, PA.
On the corner was King’s Farm from Valencia. They were selling gorgeous bouquets of flowers with huge sunflowers. Their selection included potatoes, tomatoes, beets, cucumbers and too much else to mention.
Right next door was a vendor that was new to me; Billy’s Country Smokehouse. They sell old-fashioned, hickory smoked meats such as kolbassi, super-smoked salmon and fresh sausages. I got to thinking the smoked salmon would be great on crackers as an appetizer…I filed it away as a party idea.
There were of course some of the the usual suspects, like the Fine Family Apiary, River View Dairy, Najat’s Cuisine and Clairon River Organics. I couldn’t stop myself from visiting the Clarion River booth and this time they had some products I hadn’t noticed before. They had maple syrup, organic strawberry jam, heirloom tomatoes and giant beets.
As I pulled myself away I was lured by the smell of onions and potatoes over to Gosia’s Pierogies. They kindly let me taste a potato and cheese pierogie, and I can attest that it was delicious! They had very affordable packages to go. It would be the perfect addition to a family dinner, or a fun party food.
My next indulgence was at Vanilla Bean Small Batch Bakery, where the owner and baker, Deanna Soost, gave me a complimentary maple-walnut biscotti. Yum! She also had giant gingersnaps for sale, and among her many biscotti flavors were lemon, almond and orange-cranberry. They all sounded good to me. She uses olive oil whenever possible to make them a bit more healthy and informed me that the classic Italian cookies will keep well for two to three weeks if they’re sealed up tight.
My last stop was a refreshing one. I met Erin, the Juice and Tea Lady. The first thing I noticed was her organic and fair trade coffee. She was extremely friendly and I needed a drink, so I paid her a dollar for a small cup of her Arnold Palmer iced tea with lemonade. It was mild and refreshing. The other drinks available were great for summertime too; organic tea with spearmint and chamomile, as well as strawberry/raspberry lemonade. She grows all her own herbs and buys the fruit for her juices from the farmers at this market whenever she can. What a great example of vendors supporting one another in their ventures!
It was the perfect end to my market stroll for the day. I wasn’t feeling too inspired to go home and cook on this particular day, but I had certainly gotten some great ideas for next time I have a party. If you’re planning on entertaining this summer, nothing beats the freshness of a farmers’ market and the food this season is plentiful!
Posted 1 month, 2 weeks ago. Add a comment
Yum’s sidekick here with the second installment of, This Week at the Farmers’ Market. Follow me each week as I continue on my quest for the perfect summer meal, fresh from the farmers’ market.
I hopped off the bus at the East Liberty station and made my way over to the lot across from Home Depot, where I thought the market was located, only to find a full parking lot. A kind woman directed me a little further down the road on Penn Circle West. As I walked and passed a few buildings that had been blocking the view, suddenly before me was the bustling East Liberty Farmers’ Market!
I was so overwhelmed with excitement that this market was teeming with people at 4:00 in the afternoon, that I almost didn’t know where to start. Then I saw a familiar face and my favorite pita bread in town. It was Henry from Najat’s Cuisine. We did some catching up and I told him how I buy their pitas at the East End Food Co-op. They make wonderful humus and he let me taste their new asparagus dip. Yum!
Next door to him was Bluebird Farm with a stand filled to the brim with beautiful certified organic produce. I spotted the first locally grown fava beans I’ve seen this season and my mouth started watering. They are an essential ingredient in the perfect summer meal. I decided to make the rounds and come back to buy some on my way out.
Then came one of my other favorite foods…salsa! Cinco de Mayo Salsa can be found in the strip district and many markets around town selling their delicious varieties of salsa. The owner is Arturo Vizzuett, but his nephew was at the market today. After tasting it and confessing my salsa addiction I assured him I would buy a container on my next visit. It would add the perfect zest to a summer party.
I walked by a few more stands with a variety of fresh products; Harvest Valley Farms from Valencia, Schramm Farms, Sand Hill Berries, Mish Farms, and more you’ll have to visit to see. Everything looked so wonderful, I had to keep reminding myself not to let my eyes get bigger than my stomach.
It was great to see such a diverse mix of people at this market, and that it was so busy.
Walking around, observing market-goers and vendors prompted me to notice their interactions. I noticed that a few vendors had little to no line, while others had many people waiting to make a purchase. Often their selection of produce was similar. This made me realize that the vendors who reached out to passersby, had a big smile on their face and had developed relationships with their customers had the most business. They seemed approachable, and it looked like it was paying off.
I noticed this especially when I arrived at One Woman Farm’s booth, run by Margaret Schlass in Gibsonia, PA. Her hair was done up playfully and she was having a conversation about zucchini blossoms with a devoted customer.
I also had a conversation with a young man from Woolf Farms out of East Rochester, Ohio. He was also busily conversing with obviously repeat customers. They had baskets of freshly-picked blueberries, apples and their own apple cider. Mmmm!
To add some sweetness to my trip, honey, was my next stop. The Fine Family Apiary out of Manongahela, PA had some fine-looking honey.
The gentleman at the stand informed me they have about 75 colonies, and they had two varieties of honey available at the market.
I had just about made it around to where I’d started and decided to talk with the friendly folks at Spring Harvest Farms. In Cochranton, PA they grow hydroponic tomatoes, cucumbers and soon will have beans available. I was told that they will soon be on Facebook.
As I was wrapping up my time at the market I was impressed by the beautiful display of produce from Who Cooks For You Farm…named after the call of an owl. They lived up to their name too because I heard them giving several customers cooking tips. They had quite a spread, from kohlrabi and radishes, to sunflower sprouts and snap peas. It was all organically grown and looked great. Their farm is in New Bethlehem, PA and they offer a CSA, so check them out.
My second to last stop was Rose Ridge Farm, to learn a little about their organically raised beef. They’re based in Waynesburg, Ohio and I was told that they have been using organic practices for many years. You can also occasionally find them at the Mt. Lebanon farmers market on Wednesdays. Their beef would surely be a great addition to a summer cook-out. I would just have to plan ahead and enlist some grill-master friends.
On my way out I went back by Bluebird Farm, only to have my fava bean dreams dashed to pieces. Alas, they were out, but I learned my lesson that the good stuff sells out fast. I would have to wait another week to have any hope of adding them to the perfect summer meal. See you next time, at a market around the ‘burgh!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at Farmers Markets: A How-To Handbook. The handbook provides the managers of farmers markets with a step-by-step guide to installing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) machines and accepting SNAP benefits.
The handbook was developed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), in cooperation with the Project for Public Spaces. It provides essential guidance for farmers market managers who are thinking about implementing EBT technology at their market sites to allow them to accept SNAP benefits (previously known as food stamps).
Topics addressed in the handbook include how to install an EBT machine and how to make the program work successfully for vendors and customers. The handbook also features a list of resources, a glossary of important terms, and several case studies from farmers markets that have successfully implemented EBT technology.
The total value of SNAP redemptions at farmers markets and food stands doubled from $2 million to $4 million between fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Currently, there are more than 1,100 farmers markets and farm stands using EBT machines across the country. In FY 2009, 946 farmers’ markets participated in SNAP. Over the past five years, the number of farmers markets increased 250 percent. As of May 2, 2010, there are 1,156 authorized FMs in SNAP. More SNAP benefits were redeemed at farmers’ markets in fiscal year 2009 during October than any other month of the year. Of the 3,153 counties in the United States, 496 (16%) have at least one SNAP authorized market.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at Farmers Markets: A How-To Handbook, is available by clicking here.
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago. Add a comment
Last Wednesday I enjoyed a warm and windy afternoon strolling through a cozy market with some lovely first bits of early summer produce. I was welcomed onto the lawn of Phipps Conservatory by Native American flute music trailing down the sidewalk. A steady stream of customers came through while kids ran around and played on the lawn.
There was a wonderful variety of products. I stopped first at Clarion River Organics, which is a co-op of ten farms from Sligo, PA. They had a lovely display of garlic scapes, lettuce, rhubarb, beets and some delicious garlic scape pesto for only $3.00! Over the weekend I added the pesto to penne pasta for a delicious, savory lunch with a friend of mine. Next time I’m going to try their cherry and almond chèvre by River View Dairy. Yum!
They even had green bell peppers and patty pan squash this early in the season from Zeb Bartel, thanks to his high tunnel growing.
The next booth over was bursting with flowers.
It was Gwen’s Garden run by the woman herself, Gwen Thomas. She makes beautiful flower arrangements of various sizes with yarrow, larkspur, Pennycress, peonies, astilbe, gorgeous hydrangeas and so much more! All of the flowers are grown by Gwen in her Braddock Hills garden. We had a great chat and it was a joy to be surrounded by such vibrant colors.
Blackberry Meadows Farm was there with a great assortment of greens and some plant starts for sale. On the other side of the market I strolled over to the Friendship Farms booth. They had pasture – raised Angus beef, a variety of baked goods, and assorted jams. Luckily they had my personal favorite, their sour cherry jam.
The last person I spoke with was a cheerful woman dressed in overalls and a red and white checked shirt. Her name was Terry Seltzer, from Son Shine Farm in Mercer, PA. She was more than kind and I overheard her giving all kinds of cooking tips to her customers. Their farm sells Certified Naturally Grown veggies, but at the market she had mostly meats as well as eggs and vinegar. They use no antibiotics, steroids or hormones in their meat production and sell immature, pasture – raised beef, rabbit, pork and goat.
I hung around for awhile longer, when suddenly, it started to rain…and then pour. This put a damper on families sitting on picnic blankets, and market-goers in general ran for cover…highlighting how often farmers and their profits are impacted by the whims of nature.
Farmers at Phipps is on Wednesdays from June through October; 2:30-6:30 p.m.
Posted 2 months, 2 weeks ago. Add a comment
Harvest Bounty
Farm Market Managers often come to the job with a giant heap of enthusiasm, a pile of passion and a pinch of experience. A decision to invest in one’s community this way is not often a product of a straight career path.
Farmers markets are a much-beloved part of many communities. People tend to put shopping at a market more on their want-to-do list and less on their to-do list. The interest of being involved in a market at a deeper, more meaningful level is something that attracts folks from many backgrounds to this work. Taking on the responsibility of managing a market can be fun as you get to know the local farmers, neighbors, local business owners and such. However, when questions surrounding topics such as liability insurance or authoring and passing by-laws need to be answered, market managers can start to feel overwhelmed.
This lack of formal training and the unique types of variables that need to be addressed makes farm market manager positions a job that is learn-as-you-go and can be, at times, challenging. These positions are sometimes funded by a stipend or more commonly accepted by a dedicated volunteer. This short workshop was designed by Penn State Extension and PASA to give a good general overview, and identify resources a typical farmers market manager would need to consider.
Information about running a farmers market can be grouped into four main categories: Consumer Trends, Farmer Perspectives, Management Considerations, and Marketing the Market.
Consumer Trends speak to the fact that more and more consumers are taking an interested in one or more of the following: where their food comes from, seasonality, food safety, economic development /town revitalization, recreational and social aspects of markets, nutrition, freshness and so on. The USDA has shown national growth of farmers markets to be almost 7% annually between 2002 and 2008. This illustrates the fact that purchasing food from local farmers and value added producers speaks to consumers at many levels, and is much more than a trend.
Many Market managers are not farmers or food producers themselves. Because of this, we discussed issues important from the farmer’s perspective. Farmers often derive benefits from direct marketing products. This allows control over quality and presentation as well as the possibility for an increased profit margin. We all know that taking out the middle man puts more dollars in the pocket of the producer.
Another consideration from the producer perspective is that Pennsylvania is home to many small businesses that take a raw product and process it into something delicious. Those of us in the biz call this ‘value added’. These types of products span the food spectrum and include baked goods, cheese and other dairy products, sauces, jellies and jams, even liquid libations like beer, wine and vodka. Cottage industries like these account for many of our state’s small businesses. Farmers markets can offer a safe place to test the waters as an agricultural entrepreneur starts and grows a business.
Day to day market management considerations include, well, A LOT. Specifically, stepping back and taking the long view of the purpose and goals of the market can help define most everything that follows. The managers discussed , market structures, by-laws and rules, vendor fees, attendance requirements, vendor mix and regulations and requirements. We also touched on health department inspections and how to accept produce vouchers from human service agencies.
Marketing the market is a kind of an art, especially when there is quite often no money for advertisers. Participants shared ideas and strategies they have used to get the word out and about, and people in to the market. Public relations and marketing, developing contacts and how to create mailing was an exciting part of the workshop.
All in all, it was wonderful to share information and see folks share experience and newer managers identify mentors and strategies. As we continue to offer our support to our local farmers, let’s also support those folks whose organizing activities make locally grown food accessible to for us, the ever-hungry consumer.
Posted 4 months, 1 week ago. Add a comment
Despite the wave of global warming that is upon us, it is still early in the season. A wonderful, early market opening this Saturday is Sewickley Farmers’ Market.
The market is held in the parking lot of St. James Catholic Church, which sits at the junction of Broad Street and Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard), at the Sewickley Bridge.
What can you expect to find this time of year at market? There will be a mix of early-season produce (including arugula, spring salad mix, spinach, asparagus, and scallions), fresh herbs (including chervil, chives, and cilantro), and potted plants (including
flowering perennials and cool-season annual/perennial herbs), baked goods.
How exciting that spring is here!
PASA and Penn State Cooperative Extension present:
Farmers Market Manager Workshop and Networking Meeting
Saturday, April 17, 2010
10:00am-11:30am
Join farmers market managers from around Western Pennsylvania to learn about farmers market start-up and development as well as opportunities for markets in the coming season!
Heather Mikulas, Penn State Extension Program Associate, Community Based Agriculture will share ideas and information about market management, promotion, and regulations.
Learn how to become a part of an on-line network to connect with other farmers market managers all season long!
Join us Saturday, April 17th from 10:00-11:30am at the Allegheny County Extension Office, 400 North Lexington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218.
REGISTRATION: $10.00
Pre-Registration Is Encouraged To Reserve Your Space
Deadline is Friday, April 16
Email leah@pasafarming to RSVP or send your check made payable to PASA to:
PASA
Market Manager Workshop
650 Smithfield St.
Suite 1160
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Walk-ins welcome!
Questions? Contact Leah at leah@pasafarming.org or 412-697-0411
Posted 5 months, 1 week ago. Add a comment
Foodies beware, you may soon find yourself driving north on Rt. 8 towards Gibsonia to acquire some of the most well made, delicious preserved fruits and flower infused jellies available. Most folks have a vague idea that jellies and jams are made by cooking fruit and sugar together. But that is way too simplified.
Linda Croskey is a self described outdoors woman who has been making jams and jellies for at least 27 years, with recipe cards dating back to the mid 1980’s to prove it. Her talent for creating gorgeous fruit spreads has been passed down from her grandmother, who sent homemade preserves to her house in glass jars, sealed with paraffin wax. Lucky for residents of the northern suburbs, Linda started selling her jams and jellies earlier this year at select markets under the name, “The Purple Spoon”, named after an old wooden spoon, stained from the juice of berries used over many years.
The first thing one notices about these jams and jellies is how perfectly they are packaged, followed by how perfect they taste. Everything about the product is made by hand, in small batches, from the hand-picked fruit to the hand-drawn labels that adorn each jar. Yum was lucky enough to meet the woman behind “The Purple Spoon”, last week, and could not help but notice how well done every aspect of the business is, including Croskey’s purple car, purse and accessories!
Croskey makes several varieties of jellies made from flower infusions in addition to her fruit based offerings. The most amazing part of this is how seasonal and fresh her concoctions are, everything is picked by hand. Everything. That means when violets are blooming, she is picking packed quarts of flowers for each seven jar batch of jelly. The fresh flowers are steeped overnight before being processed, and the color has to be seen to be believed. Imagine pure ultraviolet light captured in a jar and made edible. Other flower jellies made this way include red clover and dandelion.
The jams come in 18 varieties, including classics such as elderberry, blackberry and peach plus holiday favorites such as cranberry walnut and pumpkin pecan butter. In keeping with the philosophy of making small batches when things are in season, Croskey drove south to bring back peaches and pecans from her sister’s pecan tree in South Carolina earlier this summer. Yum can’t help but think beyond toast, to drizzling the gold raspberry jelly (picked at Paskorz’s Berry Farm in Cheswick) over fresh chevre cheese or topping some vanilla ice cream with peach jam.
Croskey goes to these lengths to create such a high quality product because, she says, ‘I have a passion for God and nature and the earth. These (flowers and fruits) are God’s gift of nature’. Really, there is no way this level of quality could be produced commercially.
For real, old-fashioned jams and jellies made with no chemicals and no shortcuts visit one of the following markets that sell “The Purple Spoon’s” products:
Dave’s Country Market – 1359 Pittsburgh Rd. Valencia, PA 16059-2343; (724) 898-3280
Harvest Valley Farm Market – Rt. 8 and Cunningham Road, Valencia, (724) 898-FARM
Iris & Ivory Cafe and Tea House – Cheswick, (412) 767-4136
Standing Chimney/Mary Mac Bakehouse – 566 Paden Road, New Galilee, PA (724) 336-5224
McGinnis Sisters – Cranberry; (724) 779-1212
Mish Meat Market – Oak Road, Gibsonia; 724-449-6328
Narcisi Winery – Gibsonia Rd., Gibsonia, PA 724-444-4474
Soergel’s Orchards – 2573 Brandt School Rd, Wexford, PA 15090 (724) 935-2090
Wagner’s Market – 4978 Middle Road, Gibsonia; (724) 443-3777
Backyard Gardens – 650 Ohiopyle-Farmington Rd. Ohiopyle, PA (724)-329-4014
B&Z Deli – Hartwood Towne Centre, 3392 Saxonburg Blvd. Glenshaw, PA (412)-767-4101
Reyna Foods – 2031 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA (412)-261-2606
Soup Du Jour – 2228 W.Hardies Rd. Wildwood, PA (412)-486-2313
Winfield Winery – 1026 Winfield Rd. Cabot, PA (724)-352-9589
Posted 10 months, 1 week ago. 1 comment
