The Weblog
This weblog contains LocallyGrown.net news and the weblog entries from all the markets currently using the system.
To visit the authoring market’s website, click on the market name located in the entry’s title.
Athens Locally Grown: ALG Market Open for January 21
Athens Locally Grown
How to contact us:
Our Website: athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/athenslocallygrown
On Thursdays: Here’s a map.
Market News
In the past two weeks I’ve talked about the legal organization and considerations behind our market and then the financial operation that keeps everything running. I’ll wrap up my yearly primer on Athens Locally Grown this week with a few words about our growers and other market vendors.
First and foremost, let me preface everything by saying the decision to let a new grower into the market is always made by me alone. I know many farmers markets often get some press regarding one vendor or another feeling left out of the market and complaining that the committee running that market was a little too closed. Well, my efforts to run ALG in a cooperative manner aside, the responsibility here comes back to me. There’s no committee, and no formal application process. I’ve had some potential vendors that I’ve rejected get upset with me and complain that ALG is a “closed” market, and they’re right. It is a closed market, and it’s not open to just anyone to sell through. That doesn’t mean we have arbitrary standards, of course, and actually I think I’ve set the bar pretty high. A good number of our growers also go above and beyond to only bring “the best of the best”, and that pushes the de facto standards even higher. Here’s a summary of what it takes to be able to sell through Athens Locally Grown:
- All growers must use sustainable practices and never use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. I’ll come back to this later.
- All growers can only sell what they themselves have grown, made, or otherwise produced
- All growers must be from the greater Athens area. Right now, this means within about 75 miles
- All growers must be willing to be part of our ALG community, and not think of us as just a dumping off point.
- All animals raised for meat or eggs must be pastured or sustainably wild-caught
- Handicrafts must be made primarily from items produced or gathered on the farm
- Prepared foods must use organic ingredients if at all possible, and locally grown ingredients if at all possible
- All proper licenses, when required by law, must be obtained
That about covers everything, I think. When I’ve turned down requests to sell through ALG (and I turn down several monthly), the grower has clearly not met one or more of those standards. There are a few edge cases that I take on a case by case basis. Coffee is one. 1000 Faces was our first coffee vendor, and they offered direct trade coffees (they purchase directly from the coffee growers with no distributor or middle man) and did all the roasting and packaging themselves and to order. That set the standard, and other coffee vendors have to match it. Mills Farm was a founding ALG member, but they buy in organic grains for their mill. We now have Sylvan Falls Mill in Rabun Gap as a vendor, and they primarily buy their grains from local (to them) organic growers. From now on, all future millers wanting to sell through ALG will have to meet that standard. And so on.
Let me get back to that first requirement: “sustainable practices”. There’s no set definition of that, and there’s really a sliding scale. For example, when I farmed I sometimes used a gasoline-powered rototiller, and our no-till growers and the no-hydrocarbon growers would frown upon that. There is a generally accepted definition of what is “conventional” agriculture, and that includes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and confined and grain-fed animals. Those are easy to exclude. At the other end, there is the USDA Organic Certification and Certified Naturally Grown certification. Few small diversified growers can meet the expense of USDA certification, but a good number of our growers are CNG certified. This program uses the USDA rules as a starting point, made a few things more strict, and uses a system of growers certifying other growers to keep things honest. My farm had been CNG certified for nine years (though I eventually dropped my certification simply because my garden got really, really small), and many others area farms have followed since then. If a new grower does not have a certification, then I talk to them, get information about them, and visit their farm in person when necessary. A good number of our growers were ALG customers long before growing for market themselves, so I’ve gotten to know the people and the decision to let them in was easy.
In short: the growers have satisfied my standards, and I personally have approved them for inclusion in ALG. However, I want you to not just take my word for it. We occasionally have had farm tours during the warm seasons so you can go on-site yourself and see the farms in action. When we’re not in the midst of a pandemic, we have a semi-regular “meet the grower” table at the Thursday pickups so you can talk with the growers yourself face-to-face. We encourage them to take photos for their online photo album, to describe their practices, and to take care with their product listings. We want to facilitate communication between you and them, so when you place an order, they see your name and email address in case they need to clarify a request or offer a substitution, and likewise for most of our growers you can see their contact info when you view their grower profile (while logged into the site) so you can get clarification from them when needed.
I often wrestle with some of those edge cases. Doug’s Wild Alaska Salmon was one such case. The salmon and halibut they sell was caught in Alaska, but Doug and his family lived here (well, just over the line in South Carolina). They own their own small boats, and catch the fish themselves. Their practices are certified sustainable by a reputable organization up there, and their products are high quality. They’ve worked out the logistics of getting fish to you by keeping a supply at my house in a freezer they own. I have in the past talked with sugar cane growers from South Georgia, dairies from across the state, fisherman from Savannah, olive growers from Savannah, citrus producers from Florida, and other people making items we just can’t get from growers located right here. Often, the logistics of getting their items from there to here on a regular and timely basis is what breaks down, but I continually try to expand the items at our market without compromising our community of growers located right here.
Hopefully that explains how our growers get into ALG, what standards they have to meet, and so on. It’s a very important topic, perhaps the most important one for our market, but much of it goes on behind the scenes. I know you’ve put your trust in me, and I take that very seriously, If you’d like to talk with me in person about this or any other aspects of ALG, I’d love to do so. Just pull me aside when you come by to pick up your order.
And, as always, if you have any concerns or complaints about the items you receive, please let me know (and the sooner the better). Sometimes descriptions don’t always match the products delivered, or the quality isn’t want you were hoping for. We try to catch those cases before you arrive, but if anything gets by us, please let me know, and we’ll make it right and do our best to prevent it from happening again.
Thank you so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown, all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you at our market’s home on Tallassee Road!
We are still getting new customers every week (and we love seeing new masked faces!) so for all of you you can find a detailed run-down of how Thursdays go on our website here: https://athens.locallygrown.net/faq#7
Other Area Farmers Markets
If ALG doesn’t have everything you need, please support our growers at the other markets that are now back up and running, or at their own locations. The Comerian takes online orders for Saturday pickup at the bakery here: https://www.thecomerian.com/online-ordering. The Athens Farmers Market and the West Broad Farmers Market are both taking a few weeks off, but they’ll return soon. And of course Collective Harvest is going strong over at https://www.collectiveharvestathens.com.
All of these other markets are separate from ALG (including the Athens Farmers Market) but many growers sell at multiple markets. Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!
Dawson Local Harvest: THE MARKET IS OPEN!
DAWSON LOCAL HARVEST MARKET for January 17th, 2021
Lots of locally-grown and produced “Yummies” this week on the Dawson Market.
THE MARKET IS OPEN! PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW!
Foothills Market: The Market is Open!
Tired of winter? Maybe some of the sweet treats available on Foothills Market are just what you need for a little pick-me-up. We have brownies, cookies, and Almond Toffee Crunch for a snack or a small dessert. There is also a variety of quick breads made with some locally-grown ingredients, the perfect partner for a cup of hot coffee on a cold morning.
Shop the market between now and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Be sure to click the button to submit your order. We’ll have it ready for pick-up between 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Middle Tennessee Locally Grown: Lamb!
Middle Tennessee Locally Grown market
will be open for your orders till Tuesday evening at 10 pm.
Due to the Coronavirus restrictions, if you would prefer home delivery of your order, please just ask. No charge during this time.
Please also remember that our market is much safer than any grocery store.
All our products are direct from grower/producer to consumer, with no middle men handling.
Please share this information with your friends and help them to understand how safe our open-air markets are.
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Solace Farm has several cuts of lamb available:
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Top (L to R): Shoulder Roast, Ground Lamb.
Bottom (L to R): Leg Roast, Neck, Ribs.
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Carter Smith of CS3 Farm writes:
We will be off market for the next two weeks. We should have some artisan mustard and herbal honey ready to go in February. If there are special requests for our first week back, email us directly.
To Contact Us
Our Website:
Middle Tennessee Locally Grown
On Facebook:
Middle Tennessee Locally Grown Online Farmers’ Market
By e-mail:
[email protected]
By phone:
(931) 273-9708
Our Manchester pickup location is across the street from the Manchester City Schools administration building, at
216 East Fort Street, Manchester, TN
Our Tullahoma pickup location is in front of “Nature’s Elite”, in the Cherokee Square Shopping Center next to Dunham’s Sports,
open air during this time, at
1802 N Jackson St, Ste 800, Tullahoma TN
For a map, click on the address link.
Only the best fresh flavorful farm products for your family! No more week-old produce trucked cross-country. All the fresh local farm products listed come from your grower and maker neighbors in Middle Tennessee. The freshest produce is picked the day you receive it!
Your year-round weekly market is open for ordering from Sunday morning at 8 am till Tuesday evening at 10 pm.
Receiving options:
THURSDAY afternoon pickup (4:00 – 5:00 p.m.) at the market pavilion on Fort Street, Manchester.
THURSDAY afternoon pickup (5:30 – 6:00 p.m.) outside “Nature’s Elite”, Tullahoma. Open air market during this time.
Delivery on THURSDAY evening will be free during this time, or at other hours by arrangement.
See the “About” page for details.
Please help us grow:
spread the word about our market.
share this newsletter with someone.
make my day and ask to hand out some fliers.
And if you are hungry for something special, just let us know, and we will do our best to find it for you.
Thanks for supporting
Your Local Farmers
CLG: Tamales! Opening Bell: Honey, Carrots, Sausage!
Hello friends!
Tamales!
Pork, chicken or jalapeño & cheese.
Five for $7. All same kind.
At market this Friday, January 22nd.
Text me your order.
501–339-1039
We will have lots of suet cakes on the extra table this Friday for $1 each. Feed the birds.
Most of our growers are in high gear now getting ready to start their seeds for the growing season ahead. If anyone would like to try a new or exotic tomato this year, simply get the seeds and give them to me at market one Friday soon. I’ll sprout them and give you two plants 8 weeks later for your own garden if you would like. There are lots of interesting varieties in the seed catalogs. Questions, just text me.
Be sure to SEARCH for your favorite items using the search field. For instance, type in the word “sale” or “pork” and see what pops up. We have over 500 items available now!
Most items are listed by 6pm Sunday, but check back again before the market closes Tuesday night to see if any other items are ready to be harvested for you! Eat fresh! Eat local! Eat for better health!
And save your eggshells throughout the week for the laying hens! :-)
In accordance with the current guidelines, we will not have more than 10 people in the lobby at any time. We have four volunteers who can bring your order to your car if you prefer, just call or text 501-339-1039.
The market is now OPEN for orders. Click here to start shopping: *https://conway.locallygrown.net/market
How to contact us:
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Instead…
Phone or text: Steve – 501-339-1039
Email: Steve – [email protected]
Lathemtown Farm Fresh Market: Market Open
The market is open for ordering! Once again we have our detox soups available this week.
Place orders by Wednesday evening for pickup Saturday at the farm. Need it sooner? Message me for early orders.
Have a great week and stay warm!
The Wednesday Market: We're Open!
Good morning.
The Wednesday Market is open for orders. Please place your order by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 2 and 4 p.m. See the website for this week’s product offerings. Here is the link: https://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Thank you for supporting Georgia Grown. Have a pleasant Sunday, and we’ll see you at the Market.
Thanks,
Beverly
P.S. If you have questions about your order, please contact Sharon Fox, (404) 569-0582.
Champaign, OH: Good Morning Starshine
Good morning starshine
The earth says, “Hello”
You twinkle above us
We twinkle below…
(Oliver-From the musical, Hair…sung by the character, Sheila)
As I was listening to music, this morning, I got a text from Audra Bean, telling me to put this song on for instant good mood vibes.
I love when all of you send me texts, and emails, and, this has always been a favorite song of mine. It is trippy, fun, and happy.
Plus, I was looking for a song to depict a fun California-ish song for my weekly Cosmic Charlie trivia question, and this is perfect!
First…I hope you are having a happy, feel good weekend. It’s cold, and it’s snowy, but that just means we are getting things all ready with Mother Nature, to escort us into warmer, sunnier, growing days.
The market is open, and your orders are flowing in! Thank you, for that! So much loveliness in this market, from the products to the vendors to the customers.
This market IS the Starshine…
And, now…a California question for this week’s Cosmic trivia for a free Cosmic product of your choice! This will really just be a good guess, on your part, unless you have followed my writings of all the places I have lived bringing me along my path.
Fresh out of college, your favorite bread baker decided to ditch my plans to go into journalism, which was my minor in college, to take off to be a flight attendant in the mid 80s. I was a flight attendant for American Airlines, and chose Los Angeles as my first city to be based out of….but, where was my first little apartment?
It was in a beach area, and it was in one of those old school, 1950’s types of California apartment houses.
Give me the area of my first apartment…what beach area? It was, then, a little haven of hippie bohemian…ok, first one to text or email the right answer wins!!
Again…celebrating our 10 year market anniversary, and this is my Cosmic ongoing celebration to all of you…give me your guesses! And, you must be an ordering customer for the week…
XOXO,
Cosmic Pam
Stones River Market: Market is OPEN -- See you Wednesday on the Porch or Curb
Welcome to the 2021 January 17th and 18th Stones River Locally Grown Online Farmers Market.
The Market opens 8:00 am on Sunday Morning and closes 10:00 pm Monday evening. Order early before quantities available run out! https://stonesriver.locallygrown.net
We look forward seeing you on the Porch or Curb Wednesday January 20th from 5-6:30pm with deliveries following. Please comment to Manager when you checkout that you would like curb service and approximate time of arrival so we can have your order ready and watch for you. https://stonesriver.locallygrown.net
Also be sure to check back again over the next 2 days as some of our Growers may be updating their inventories.
Reminder…Delivery Service is available within a 10 mile radius of Murfreesboro, outside areas will be considered and delivery is available to Woodbury at a host location. If this is the first time you’ve requested delivery please put your address in comments before you check out….Method of Payment is Cash, Checks or Credit/Debit Cards or we can email an Invoice including a $1.00 service fee. For Delivering and Invoicing please make sure your account information is current.
Thank you for supporting our Locally Grown Market, it means a lot to our Growers and Community by Shopping Local and Staying Local!
News from some of Our Growers:
RnR Farm:
We are happy to back with a great selection of our lettuce this week, Butterhead, Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Romaine Trio and Lettuce Blend. So you know we never use synthetic chemicals or pesticides on our property and all of our produce is grown in the ground, using the fewest inputs possible.
Sow’s Ear Piggery:
Due to work travel, our pork products will be on vacation mode this week. Please watch for added products in next week’s market.
Jillian Faith Art:
Having a hard time finding a gift to cheer you or someone spirts up during these cold winter days. I have several Original Water Color prints available. Prints will come inside a protective sleeve with a foam backing (which is not attached) to ensure each print stays protected and have a few already in frames
Fungalicious:
Many have asked ‘What can I do with Mushroom Powder’? Use them to help bring more flavor to soups and stews without adding texture or meat products. Sprinkle across a salad for an extra ‘wow’ factor. Mix into meatloaf or burger patties to add an extra depth of flavor without necessarily adding bulk or texture. Sprinkle in pasta sauces for added depth of flavor.
The Flour Girl:
Looking for a special gift, dessert or something that is Gluten Free, I have just what you need; Apple, Pumpkin Pie, GF Peach Cobbler, Fudge, Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries, GF Bread, GF Blueberry Muffins, GF Angel Food Cake, Chocolate Cake and Cupcakes. Several cookie options Gluten Free and also Flour based and many other items.
Carole Herbs (CS3 Farm):
We will be off market for the next two weeks. We should have some artisan mustard and herbal honey ready to go in February. If there are special requests for our first week back, email us directly.
Mama D’s Bakery:
Hi everyone! We have everything available this week! We have Chocolate Swiss Roll, Cinnamon Rolls, Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls, Blueberry Lemon Yeast Rolls, banana breads and pumpkin breads (with the option of nuts or not), bagels(plain, cinnamon raisin, blueberry, and everything), donuts( cake and yeast), cheese Danishes, pies(chocolate fudge, pecan, chocolate chip pecan, pumpkin and sweet potato), cookies, granola and protein bars, breads, and fruit scones. Thanks so much to everybody for your business!
Barefoot Acres Herbs:
Find our products in the Herbal Healing Category. Newly added: MINERAL TOOTH POWDER (Soap and Skin Care/Toothpaste) This week I’ve added ELDERBERRY SYRUP in Pint Jars. We grow the Elderberries we use, includes organic oranges, echinacea and rosehip, cloves, turmeric, ginger and cinnamon sticks, cardamom and peppercorns, local honey and filter water. Enjoy a bit everyday for good health or pour over pancakes!
Flying S Farms:
This week produce available include; Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Winter Squash: Red Kuri Hubbard, both delicious as a side dish or pies!, along with Acorn Squash.
Processed items: Assorted Friendship Breads, Pumpkin and Orange Cranberry Breads, Brownies and Lemon bars, Pumpkins Cookies will be available for a couple more weeks. Artisan Breads…OLIVE BREADS are back! Biscuits (Sour Cream or Buttermilk, also I’m happy to freeze them for you). Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread with White or Yellow Corn. As well as our Sour Dough Breads in loaves and rolls. Need Jams? Warm up with our HOT Pepper Jams:…Ghostly Pear Jelly, Seriously HOT Strawberry, Habanero Peach, Jalapeno Cowboy Candy, these all go well with our Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread’s they are great for spicing up many things! Christmas Jam (Cranberry + Strawberry), Almost Seedless Blackberry and Black Raspberry, Blueberry Jam, Wild Fox Grape and Pomegranate. We are always Jammin’ so be sure to check back. Do you have a favorite that I don’t have listed, let me know.
We look forward seeing you “On the Porch or At the Curb" of Quinn’s Mercantile Wednesday January 20th from 5:00 – 6:30 pm, please contact me if you are unable to make delivery or are running late, please phone, email or text me so we can make arrangements to get your order to you. if we don’t hear from you, your order will be donated and you will be invoiced for the amount since we still need to pay our Growers for their products. Remember we do have Delivery if you think you will be later than 6:30 pm.
How to contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://stonesriver.locallygrown.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/StonesRiverMarket
Locations: Quinn’s Mercantile on Wednesdays: 301 North Spring Street, Murfreesboro
map: https://goo.gl/maps/GAkJS1wawb
Russellville Community Market: The Market Closes at 10 Tonight!
To ensure your order is placed, make sure you click the “Place My Order” button once you have completed your shopping. You will receive a confirmation email.
Orders will be ready for pick-up from 4PM – 8:00PM this Tuesday outside the Downtown Russellville Train Depot. Your order will be brought to your car in full-service fashion!
We have delicious Ground Beef and Ground Beef Patties for your burgers, End-Cut Bacon, Fresh Pork Shares, Asian Mixed Greens, Collard Greens, Lacenato Kale, Tat Soi (Greens), Fresh Eggs, Lemon Brownies, Italian Herb Peasant Bread, Peanut Butter Crunchy Fudge, Lip Balms, Scented Hand Creams, and more!
Check back frequently as our farmers regularly update what they have available. Multiple orders are encouraged!
Russellville Community Market
FRESH.LOCAL.ONLINE
