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Vol. 16 No. 3
| March 21, 2012
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The Market is closed for the season.
View Location Map
The Broad Ripple Farmers Market is a non-smoking market.
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The Market will reopen on Saturday, May 5, 2012!  
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Winter Market Opportunities
Although the BRFM is closed for the season, you can still find great local foods at the Indy Winter Farmers Market in the west wing of the historic Indianapolis City Market at 222 East Market Street, at the Traders Point Winter Green Market in the big red heated barn at 9101 Moore Rd. in Zionsville, and the Carmel Winter Market at 719 Hanover Place in the Carmel City Center.
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BRFM Survey Results
Thanks to the many of you who responded to our 2011 survey. As always, you answered many of our questions and gave us new food for thought. We had a record 431 responses, so we are feeling pretty good that we got a good cross section of customers who care about the Market.
I thought it was pretty impressive that 23% of you came to the Market on foot or bike. We don't know if our drawings for prizes have improved this number, but we appreciate all of you who are thinking green (but appreciate that these options don't work for everyone).
We got important feedback for us and for our vendors:
- Half of you would appreciate having the option to use debit/credit for your purchases
- Affirmation that it is important for you to know the product sources for prepared good, growing practices, and farm location
- Customers would like to have samplings of different varieties of fruit, heirloom tomatoes, unusual veggies, and specialty meats
- The mix of products at the market is pretty much on target but that you'd like to see more cheese, eggs, and ready-to-eat food.
We were particularly interested in feedback on last year's Wednesday Market. For the folks who responded to the survey, we learned that most knew about the Market but that it didn't fit into their schedule for a variety of reasons.
The Fate of the Wednesday Market
In addition to what we learned from the survey respondents, we also learned a great deal through the process of hosting the Wednesday Market. The bottom line is that the currently available venue at the Park (afternoon sun on black asphalt parking lot) wasn't always pleasant for vendors, customers, volunteers, musicians, or the produce. So for now, we'll keep the idea of a Wednesday Market (and our lessons learned) tabled until new venue opportunities present themselves.
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Burton's Hosts National Maple Syrup Festival
On Saturday, March 3, at noon on Burton's Maplewood Farm, the ceremonial sugar maple was tapped to christen the fourth annual National Maple Syrup Festival. Joe Kelsay, director of the Indiana Department of Agriculture did the honors to open the 2012 maple sugaring seas on. Held the first two weekends in March at Burton's Maplewood Farm and Medora Community School, at the festival visitors learn about the modern-day maple sugaring process, as well as the history of maple sugaring from Native American and French historic encampments. Burton's Maplewood Farm is one of our BRFM vendors. If you didn't make it to the festival this spring, you missed an amazing and educational experience. Go the National Maple Sugar Festival website here, for more photos and information. |
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Focus On: Rites of Spring
At the end of a long winter, ancient peoples greeted the return of spring with joyous feasting. Our modern Easter dinner has roots in those long ago celebrations that used available seasonal foods. The first hints of warm weather and spring rain bring on delicacies like asparagus, scallions, mushrooms, spring peas, lettuces, and radishes. After the cured meats of the winter are all gone, a spring lamb or suckling pig would grace the festive table (think fresh ham, not smoked or cured). And of course, the egg has long been the symbol of new life -- rebirth. Here we have compiled a delightful menu worth a bit of celebrating.
Hard-Cooked Eggs with Radishes
and Anchovy-Butter Crostini Ingredients 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature 6 olive oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 large hard-cooked eggs, cooled and halved * 2-3 bunches of radishes, like French Breakfast or Easter Egg, washed well 1 medium baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and toasted Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling * See the recipe blog on our website, June 2011, for perfect hard-cooked eggs! Directions Stir together butter, anchovies, and garlic. Serve eggs, radishes, and baguette rounds with anchovy butter and a small pile of salt, for sprinkling.
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About the Market
With more than 50 vendors, you'll find just about everything you need at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market (BRFM). We are open rain or shine, every Saturday from May through November, 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Broad Ripple Magnet High School, 1115 Broad Ripple Avenue.
Market Master: Barbara Wilder
Newsletter Coordinator: Jinny Sauer Bastianelli
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