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June 2  - Where's 
the Fruit? Here's the Beef!

Collegeville Farmers' Market 

Collegeville Farmers' Market is the best place to buy the best, freshest and local foods, plus one-of-a-kind specialty items.  

Open Every Saturday - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
frecon cherries
The Market Beet
News You Can Really Sink Your Teeth Into
Questions of the week:

 

Where's the fruit?

What's the beef?

Here's the Beef! 

 

With temperatures rising, grilling season is in full swing!  Bendy Brook Farm has a great variety of organically raised (no hormones or chemicals) and pastured meats for your family - Non-nitrite hot dogs, grill sausages, pastured chicken legs and thighs, and of course 100% grassfed ground beef to make burgers!

 

Bendy Brook's 100% grassfed beef has many inherent nutritional benefits as compared to grain-fed animals.  It contains:

-          5 times more CLA, a cancer-fighting substance

-          3 times more omega-3's (long chain) which are good for your heart

-          Lower calories, total fat, and saturated fat than grain-fed

-           

Their beef also does not carry the risk of food-borne disease (such as E. coli) that grain-fed animals do.   But, buyer beware - sometimes the term "grassfed" is used a bit loosely.  Buying 100% grassfed beef insures that the animals were not given grain at the very end to fatten them up, which would cancel out all the health benefits!

 

Nevin Mast, owner and operator of Bendy Brook Farm is at the market every week, so you can stop by and talk directly to the producer.  He has a wealth of knowledge about farming and producing healthy, high quality products for your family to enjoy.

 

CFM Meet and Eat 
this Saturday, June 2

Here are some fresh new  dining ideas  from the folks who make our market special.

Meet:
Eat:His new BBQ Sauce: 
"I'll be debuting my new Guavanero BBQ sauce. "
 
maryanne and husband gelatoMeet:  Marianne Cozzolino
 
"(We) will proudly be serving our Rustic Lemon, our bold and smooth Sunrise Espresso, our to-die-for Chocolate Supreme, and our   seasonal Strawberry Sage.  Next week, we'll be moving on to a new seasonal flavor featuring sweet cherries, so you better stock up on the Strawberry while it's still available."
 
Meet: Betsy Gibbons
 
"Celebrate with cupcakes this month - graduation, Father's Day, birthdays, summer vacations, etc!  Make sure to stop by this week and try our newest flavor, The Malt Shoppe! You can pre-order any quantity of cupcakes from the flavors of the week! Place your order via email cupcakes@ICEDbyBetsy.com or phone (610)755-7062. " 
 
 
Eat:  Mighty Mint Urban Garden Bar from John and Kira's Chocolate: "Five
percent of sales (support) urban gardens.

 

Meet: Beth Reed and her family

Eat: Sweets from All Hands in the Cookie Jar

 

"I will be offering 4-packs of Gluten-Free (GF) Lemon Poppyseed Muffins this week, as well as several types of GF cookies (including Flourless Chocolate Cookies).  Orders customized for particular food allergies can be called in by Noon onThursday of any week to be brought to the market or delivered directly to your home."  

 

Meet: Marcy
Eat: Marcy's Granola

 

 "I am busy baking fresh batches of all 12 flavors for the market.  I always offer 2 package sizes: 1/2 or 1 pound sizes and my 6 flavor gift packages in Original or Vegan.  They make wonderful any occasion gifts for hostess gifts or birthdays."

  

Honey Meet: Maria from Old Mill Gourmet

Eat: Homemade jams and sauces and specialty foods.

 

"I will have the following items: strawberry rhubarb jam, mango strawberry, blueberry lime jams, pickled leeks, argentine chimichurri, maple syrup, honey and honey sticks."

 
A Parade to Remember

 

The Memorial Day parade on Monday was by all reports 

a fabulous event with 59 groups participating!  Everyone had  a wonderful time marching for the Farmers' Market today and too quickly gave out 500 goody bags of market coupons to families, and we could have used a couple hundred more.  Estimates are that well over 2,500 spectators showed up to show community pride and to show appreciations to those who have served in the military. 


 

Special thanks to Bev Altemose, Rich, Shannon and Jonah Wallace, Charlie and Karen McCaslin, Sue and Jim Calvin, Kathy Newkirk, and Andrea Baptiste for showing thier Collegeville Farmers' Market pride! 

 

 

 

  

 

 
 
 
Don't Miss the Lansdale Jammers at the market this week!
Bluegrass fun for everyone!
whatsfresh 
Mo's Market Morsels 
Tidbits from the Market Manager

 

Live each season as it passes; 

breathe the air, 

drink the drink, 

taste the fruit, 

and resign yourself to the influences of each.            Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

 

 
Where's the fruit?
 

This will be my fourth Saturday here at Collegeville Farmers Market, and every week I am blown away by the unexpected bounty of local goodness, fresh from the farm and produced in our community.root veg

 

So too, am I wowed by the awesome folks who come every week to socialize, to chat with local farmers and vendors and to load up their market bags with a rainbow of Swiss chard, crimson beets, orange carrots, and greens of every shade.

  

But inevitably, every week, someone asks the same question, "Where's the Fruit?" 

 

I've come to anticipate it, and I am grateful for the opportunity to talk about the role we play in keeping it real by supporting local and sustainable agriculture.

 

You won't find oranges or lemons or limes at our market, ever. They can't grow in our climate and they'd have to travel thousands of miles to get here. 

 

But cherries, peaches, plums, melons, raspberries, blueberries, apples and more will all be here...eventually, in their own sweet time.

  

 

It's the blessing and the curse of a producer-grower market like ours. Unlike your local produce mart or supermarket that might offer year-round produce at sometimes cut-rate prices. Everything our farmers/vendors bring to our market is grown locally and sustainably. No mass-produced waxed fruit, no tasteless tomatoes, just the fresh-picked goodness of produce that doesn't need a passport to get to your table. We support our local economy and are gentler to the environment, too. That's the blessing.

 

  

The curse? Well, who likes to wait?  Not me. But you've got to be patient; all good things come in good time.

  

And lucky for us, an extra-warm spring means that good times are approaching fast. Paul and Hana Crognale of Down Home Acres tell us the summer veggies are just around the corner. In fact, early tomatoes might be here by next week.

 

Image Credit: Frecon Farms

Likewise, Josh Smith of Frecon Farms, let us know last week that we can expect the first cherries of the season starting June 9. After that, each season will bring something new to appreciate and enjoy. It's like Christmas every Saturday from May through November. And for those of us who just can't wait to be surprised, this handy calendar for Penn State Cooperative Extension is a great planning tool.

Courtesy of Penn State Extension

 

Keep in mind, however, farming is an uncertain business so there are no guarantees, except for this: 

we will have the best seasonal, local produce, farm-fresh meat and dairy, quality prepared and specialty foods every single Saturday. 

 

Be sure to stop by to see what's fresh! 

  

Learning and Growing: 

Not Just for Kids 

 

The first of many educational workshops at the market was held Saturday, and kids and adults had fun together, getting their hands dirty and learning about composting.
 
This Saturday at 10 a.m. a free composting program will be held for adults, just in time to benefit your summer garden.
 
Thanks to the Penn State Extension and the Collegeville Farmers' Market Education Committee for giving us opportunities to learn and grow. 
 

 

 Over the Fence 
(News from the Neighbors)
 
So You Want to be a Farmer? 

For those of you that missed it - Jennifer Brodsky, Greener Partners' chief operating officer at Longview Agricultural Center participated in a discussion on Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane. The segment focused on the "Farming Renaissance" in our area and the many benefits and growing interest in locally-grown, sustainable food. You can still listen to the podcast by following this link.
 
 
Raffles and Rides 

 

car show new

Save the Date:  Sunday, Aug. 12 is the Collegeville Fire Company's Annual Car Show

  

The Collegeville Fire Company is hosting their annual car show in the Borough. The classic cars and other vehicles parked up and down Main Street are a delight for young and old, and are sure to evoke fond memories from residents of all ages!  The event takes on a festival atmosphere, with music, vendors, food and fun.   This year's car show is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday Aug. 12th, with a rain date of Aug. 19th.  It will once again be held on Collegeville's Main Street.  You won't want to miss it!

  

Our dedicated fire men and women are raising money to bring the show to our community through a money raffle.  Tickets are $5 each or three for $10.  There will be five $1,000 cash prizes awarded at the car show and there is no need to be present.  Tickets can be purchased at the market on Saturday. Please help them by participating in their raffle! 

  

For more information, visit the Fire Company's website, www.collegevillefire.org.  Tickets are being sold at the Fire House at Fifth and Main Streets on Monday and Wednesday nights between 7 and 9 p.m., or call the Fire House at (610) 489-4464 and leave a message.

  

  

 

Contacts

Maureen Cawley
Collegeville Farmers' Market Manager
 
vendor-listvendors 

Earth Energy Herbs
Kay Bryant Creations
Philly Bill's Dills
Ridge Valley Farm