Off the Vine

EBNHC's East Boston Farmers Market

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When: Every Thursday from 3:00 to 6:30 pm through October 20, 2011 (rain or shine)

Where: Central Square
(intersection of Bennington St. & Meridian St. in East Boston)

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Our Farmers
& Vendors 

 

Farmer Dave's

Dracut, MA

 

Flats Mentor Farm

Lancaster, MA

 

Jones Farm

Chelmsford, MA

 

Nagog Hill Farm

Littleton, MA

 

303 Caf� 

East Boston, MA

 

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THIS WEEK AT THE FARMERS MARKET: August 18, 2011
Free Bicycle Repairs at the Market  

Boston Cyclists Union to make its second visit of the season

 

BCU logoDid you miss the Boston Cyclists Union at the Farmers Market last month? Today is your second chance to see them and get your bicycle tuned up for free. And, if your bike needs a new part, you can purchase it for a nominal fee. The BCU's Bike to Market program visits the East Boston Farmers Market on the third Thursday of each month and offers free tune-ups and low-cost gear, including $5 helmets. Beat the line and get there early!

 

The BCU's presence at this week's market makes it particularly easy to combine physical activity and healthy eating. Take care of your bike and your belly; peruse the market's wide array of straight-from-the-farm fruits and vegetables, as well as freshly baked bread. We're right in the middle of tomato season, so be sure to check out each farmer's offerings! 

 

Looking ahead to next week...

green bean tomato salad

Next Thursday, August 25, UMass Extension will be back with another tasty recipe sampling. Next up on the menu? Green bean and tomato salad! 

   

 

MARKET TRANSITIONS
Good Luck, Eleanor! Welcome, Ben!

Last weekeleanor kids's market was one of our busiest yet! While our steady rise in attendance is always a call for celebration, last week also marked a bittersweet chapter in the East Boston Farmers Market book as we said goodbye to our former Market Manager, Eleanor Chandler. Eleanor joined the EBNHC team as an AmeriCorps HealthCorps member in September 2009. In addition to her role as Program Leader for the Let's Get Movin' program, where she led school-based and after-school physical activity and nutrition programming for children and teens at risk for overweight or obesity, Eleanor also focused on food access-related programming for Let's Get Movin', including the coordination of the low-cost CSA (farm share) program for participant families, and of course the management of the East Boston Farmers Market.

Over her two years at EBNHC, Eleanor worked to grow and improve all of the programs she touched. As Market Manager, she made it a priority to turn the market into a more diverse, bustling community meeting space with an even wider variety of products available. Through her tireless efforts cold-calling hundreds of farmers, she more than doubled the amount of vendors at the market. She also ramped up the marketing and promotion of the market within the East Boston community to bring in more people than ever before, so that the increase in vendors would not mean a decrease in sales per farm.

The AmeriCorps service term is typically a one-year commitment. Eleanor decided last fall to stay on for another year, and she continued to add to the projects she worked on, leaving behind a permanent framework that Let's Get Movin' will continue to use in its programming in further years. Her second year officially ended last week, and her next journey brings her to the Match Charter School in Jamaica Plain, where she has received a prestigious fellowship to teach elementary education. The East Boston Farmers Market's success was largely a product of Eleanor's hard work and dedication to increasing access to healthy food in the East Boston community, and we thank her for all that she has done!

E-mail Eleanor at chandlee@ebnhc.org if you'd like to drop her a note and thank her personally.

This transition is not all teary farewells, however. With Eleanor's departure, we welcome Ben Talbot as our new Market Manager. Ben is another AmeriCorps member who has chosen a second term with Let's Get Movin.' We are overjoyed that Ben has decided to continue on with us for another year of service. Ben has trained alongside Eleanor all summer long, learning the ropes of the Market Manager position, and he brings a year of experience and familiarity with the East Boston community. Welcome, Ben! We're so happy to have you! 
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Ali's Ideal Egg and Cheese Sandwich

 

This recipe takes the traditional egg and cheese sandwich and adds the wholesome crunch of toasted wheat bread, creamy decadence of avocado, and the savory-sweet juiciness of farm-fresh tomatoes. It's the perfect brunch offering, but is a great start to any day of the week! From the kitchen of Ali Smizer, author of this newsletter. 

 

Serves one.

 egg and cheese

Ingredients:

1 egg

2 or 3  thick slices of tomato*

(of the larger variety)

2 or 3 basil leaves*

2 slices of fresh-baked whole-grain bread*

2 to 4 generous slabs of your favorite cheese (sharp cheddar works well)

1/4 Hass avocado

salt & pepper to taste

 

*Indicates that this ingredient can be found at the East Boston Farmers Market

 

Directions:   

 

1.  Cook the egg over low heat in a skillet until the egg reaches the consistency you like. (I cook mine over easy until the yolk becomes gooey, kind of a pudding-like thickness. Not runny and not chalky.)

 

2.  When the egg is about halfway done, lightly toast the bread. Prepare the avocado, tomato, basil, and cheese and have them at hand for when the egg is cooked completely.

 

3.  When the egg is done, place it onto one of the slices of bread. Immediately cover the hot egg with the cheese so that it melts. Layer the tomato, basil, and avocado on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

4.  Place the other slice of bread on top, push down on the entire sandwich with both hands, slice in half, and enjoy!

WHAT'S IN SEASON?
What You'll Find at the Market this Week

 

Wondering what fruits or veggies you'll find when you come visit us? Below is a list of some of the crops that you'll most likely come across today at the East Boston Farmers Market:

  • Arugula 
    tomatoes
    Look for tomatoes this week at the market--we've been waiting all year for them!
  • Basil
  • Beets
  • Blueberries
  • Bok Choy 
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots 
  • Cauliflower
  • Cilantro
  • Corn
  • Cucumbers
  • Currants
  • Eggplant
  • Garlic
  • Green Beans
  • Green Onions 
  • Lettuce
  • Mint
  • Onions
  • Peaches
  • Parsley
  • Peppers
  • Radishes
  • Raspberries
  • Scallions
  • Spinach
  • Spring turnips
  • Strawberries
  • Summer Squash
  • Tomatoes
  • Zucchini
MAKING HEALTHY FOOD AFFORDABLE
Community Resources

Families and individuals that qualify can use a range of vouchers and coupons to make fresh fruits and vegetables even easier to purchase.

  • SNAP/EBT participants can use their cards at the market and receive 50% off purchases up to $20, thanks to the Boston Bounty Bucks program sponsored by the Food Project and the City of Boston.
  • WIC participants can save in two ways with the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program and with WIC Fruit & Vegetable vouchers. The East Boston Farmers Market is the only market in the city of Boston participating in this new nutrition voucher program.
  • Seniors can use their Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons at the market
ABOUT THE EAST BOSTON FARMERS MARKET
Getting in Touch

 

For more information on the Farmers Market, visit the Farmers Market web page at EBNHC's external website. If you have any questions, please contact Ben Talbot, Market Manager, at talbotb@ebnhc.org or 617-568-4028. We'll see you at the market!

 

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center

10 Gove Street
East Boston, MA 02128