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Vendor Spotlight: Full Belly Farm
Full Belly Farm is a highly diversified 300 acre organic farm in the Capay Valley. Owner Andrew Brait is a first generation farmer, who comes to agriculture with an appreciation for redefining the roles of stewardship, production and marketing. Andrew believes successful farming must look at a "triple bottom line" - ensuring fiscal solvency, ecological sustainability, and social profit. Learn more about Fully Belly Farm from an interview with AIM staff and watch the short web episode below, featuring Full Belly Farm and Meals of Marin.
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What's in Season
Apples
Avocado
Bell Peppers
Bitter Melon
Blackberries
Cherry Tomatoes
Chilies
Corn
Eggplant
Garlic
Grapes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Melons
Okra
Padron Peppers
Summer Squash
Squash Blossom
Tomatillos
Watermelon |
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Let's Get Cooking!
Join AIM at the Marin City Blues Festival!
 Thanks to a grant from the Kaiser Community Benefits Program, AIM will be organizing a series of intergenerational chef demonstrations in Marin City! The first demonstration will be at the Marin City Blues Festival on Monday, Sept. 6th from 12 - 6pm. Chef Dontaye Bell of Good Foods Catering will be hosting 2 demonstrations throughout the festival, featuring farm-fresh ingredients from the Marin City Farmers Market. If you are passionate about cooking and would like to share your skills with your local community members, please contact us to get involved! |
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Thursday Marin Market Moves
ONLY: September, 9th, 8am - 1pm
Due to Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), the Thursday Marin Farmers Market will relocate to another location. Stay tuned, the location will be announced next week. Check back in with our website or stop by the market next Thursday to find out.
Mark your calendars - the Thursday market will also have to move on November 11th, due to a memorial in observance of Veteran's Day. Location to be announced. |
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Waste Wise Update
East Bay Markets Steppin' Up
 The Grand Lake & Newark Farmers Markets introduced Waste Wise stations (pictured right) in July thanks to a grant from StopWaste.org. At Grand Lake, approximately 90% of all market waste is either being recycled or composted. Previously, the market generated 15 to 20 thirty-two gallon bags of trash. Now the market produces 2 to 4 bags of waste. Newark Farmers Market Manager, Chris Blackburn, estimates that two-thirds or more of the trash generated at the market is now being composted and recycled at the Waste Wise stations. Progress indeed, but we can do better! We're looking for local volunteers to help market patrons navigate the new waste stream at our East Bay farmers markets. Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering or know of any schools that need volunteer hours.
 Waste Wise Stations at the Hayward Farmers Market are in the works, meanwhile, the market has partnered with the Hayward Community Gardens to lauch a farmer composting program. Now farmers can place all their unused produce scraps in bins to be composted at the Hayward Community Garden. A big thank you to Garden Director Sandy Frost and her amazing volunteer George (pictured above). |
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Farmers Diversify to Save the Farm & the Planet
October 14th, 2010, 9am - 5pm
 Join AIM, Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT), and Bioneers on Thursday, October 14th to explore three diversified family farms and ranches in Marin County. Learn how value-added products and techniques to sequester carbon are helping farmers tackle challenges as basic as financial viability, and as complex as global climate change.
The day will begin with a behind the scenes look at the Thursday Marin Farmers Market, followed by a tour of Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, AllStar Organics, and the Marin Carbon Project. Mark Pasternak, of Devil's Gulch Ranch will join us for a lively discussion over a delicious locally procured lunch, prepared by "edu-caterer" Fork Full of Earth. Transportation for the day will be provided. Cost is $125, register now, as space is limited - we're half full!
Bioneers is a premiere environmental conference that features social and scientific innovators sharing new ideas and tools that enable people to create positive change in their own communities. The conference takes place October 15th-17th at the Marin Center in San Rafael - check out their line-up for 2010. Scroll down to the bottom of this email to get a 10% discount on your conference registration non-member fees! |
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Market Updates
What's Hot at Your Favorite Farmers Market?
- Thursday Marin: Ever tried a pink pearl ? It's just one of the 12 varieties of apples that Hale's Apple Farm brings to the market over the season.
- Sunday Marin: It's time to plant your fall crop! On Sundays there is a selection of local farmers to get your plant starts from: Woodside Farms, Triple T Ranch, Nature Spirits, and Sunnyside Organics.
- Stonestown: Nago Foods won the prestigious Sofi Award from the National Association of Specialty Food Trade in New York this summer. Their all natural ginger sesame dressing won silver for the Outstanding Salad Dressing award in this national contest. Congratulations!
- Novato: Our seasonal markets are drawing near to their close. Get your last licks of the Downtown Novato market, closing night is Tuesday, Sept. 28th. Be sure to taste some of Schletewitz Family Farm's grapes before they go out of season!
- Newark: Welcome Chronic BBQ a local Fremont business selling mouth-watering tri-trip and chicken straight of the Q!
- Marin City: Fallon Hills Ranch joined the vendors at Marin City on Saturdays. Try owner Kevin Molone's grass-fed beef and lamb raised out in West Marin.
- Hayward: Finally has fish! Fisherman Pat O'Shea brings the fresh catch of the day with his company Mission Fish. Try some rock cod or the limited but delicious California King Salmon.
- Grand Lake: A local market-goer is interviewing vendors and posting them on her blogs. To learn more about the raw milk revolution and watch the interview with Organic Pastures.
- Fairfax: The market has MEAT! But don't worry, this meat is pasture-raised with lots of love from the fertile grounds of Potter Valley by owner Brock Fulmer of Black Sheep Farms. To learn more, come meet Brock.
With 9 unique AIM markets to choose from it may be a difficult decision, but please don't forget to vote for your favorite farmers market in this year's American's Favorite Farmers Market contest, sponsored by the American Farmland Trust. Make an informed decision - visit them all! |
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