| Join us for the Winchester Farmers Market
Saturday, 9:30-1:30, on the Town Common |
| Issue 21 |
October 25, 2008 |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the October 25 issue of the Winchester Farmers Market newsletter.
This Saturday will be the last farmers market of the season. The first season has been a great success, and the farmers market organizing committee extends a heartfelt thank you to everyone who was a part of this success. Many different people have come together to form a dynamic and exciting farmers market community: the customers; the farmers and other market vendors; the artists, musicians, and community groups; the downtown merchants; town officials; and market volunteers. Without the support, enthusiasm, and advice of any one of these groups, the farmers market could not have become such an enjoyable community event. Sustainable Winchester and the farmers market organizing committee sincerely appreciate the positive response, continued support, hard work, dedication, creativity, and generosity of all of these groups!
Winchester's first annual Eco Festival will be taking place this Saturday alongside the farmers market on the town common, as well as in the First Congregational Church, Town Hall, and Jenks Center parking lot. See updated details for the Eco Fesitval below, including the alternate location in case of rain. The Eco Festival promises to be an exciting, educational, and inspiring event that you won't want to miss.
Be sure to check the end of this newsletter for special offer coupons for farmers market customers from La Patisserie and Cocoa Express Cafe.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday on the common, and to seeing you next year for the 2009 farmers market season.
Sincerely,
Winchester Farmers Market Organizing Committee
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This Week at the Market |
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This week at the market, the farmers expect to bring the following:
Vegetables: beets, broccoli, cabbage (green, red), cauliflower (cheese, purple, Romanesco, white), chard (bright lights, green, red), collard greens, corn, fennel, kale, lettuce, onions (red, white), peppers (green, Jalepeno, purple, red, Sweet Carmen, potatoes, pumpkins, scallions (green, red), summer squash (summer, zucchini), tomatoes (grape, plum), winter squash (acorn, ambercup, blue hubbard, buttercup, butternut, carnival, sweet dumpling)
Fruit: apples, concord grapes (green, purple), pears, raspberries
Other: cider, gourds, Indian corn, mini pumpkins
In addition to the farmers, Globe Fish will be selling fresh fish; Glutenus Minimus will be selling gourmet gluten-free cookies; Cocoa Express will be selling coffee, tea, and baked goods; Trooper's Treats will be selling homemade, all-natural dog biscuits; Taza Chocolate will be selling organic, stone-ground chocolate; and Mamadou Artisan Bakery will be selling bread.
Sara Brown will return to the market to display and sell prints by her father, Rick Austin.
Featured entertainment from 9:30am to 12:00pm will be jazz ensemble It Don't Mean a Thing, and from 12:30 to 1:30pm, Kapr Bangura and Bruce Lerner from the Sangba Arts and Education project will lead a hand drumming demonstration.
A frame swap will take place in the Winchester Artists Network tent as part of the Eco Festival. Bring frames that you are no longer using so that they can be reused by someone else, or take home a "new" frame. It's free! Look for the white WAN tent on the Winchester Common. Small and large frames are welcome. Frames should be in good condition and empty of art. Glass must be removed from any frame larger than 9" x 12" for safety reasons.
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| Cocoa Express Cafe: Beyond the Farmers Market |
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Farmers market customers have been enjoying delicious treats from Cocoa Express Cafe at the market all season. Owner Marlene Nalbandian will be offering her weekly favorites apple crisp muffins, cranberry banana oat bread, lemon zucchini bread, cranberry oat scones, handmade chocolate treats, pumpkin muffins, hot and iced coffee, mulled apple cider, and hot cocoa, as well as selling whole bean Costa Rican coffee at the market this week.
Even though this Saturday is the last day of the farmers market, customers can enjoy Cocoa Express Cafe on other days of the week and throughout the year. Cocoa Express Cafe is located in the Wedgemere Train Station at 42 Bacon Street. The cafe opens at 6:30 am, Monday through Friday. Train commuters can stop and enjoy breakfast or lunch while they are waiting for the train. People who are driving to work can park right downstairs and run up for coffee and breakfast items to go. But the cafe is much more than just a place to run into for a few minutes on the way to work. There is a nice open space with tables and chairs to sit and relax, and it is also a great space for birthday parties or meetings. Catering and gift baskets are also availble. Beginning in mid-November, the cafe will be open on Saturday mornings, and soon there will be an "Acoustic Cafe," with live music by acoustic musicians. If you would like to learn more, contact the cafe at cocoaexpresscafe@yahoo.com.
See the end of this newsletter for a special 10% discount coupon for farmers market customers who shop at Cocoa Express Cafe, either at the farmers market this week or at the cafe at Wedgemere.
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| Verill Farms Fundraiser |
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 Verrill Farms in Concord lost their farm stand to a fire on Saturday, September 20. Luckily, no one was injured, and the fields were not damaged. The Verrills have decided to rebuild the farm stand. In the spirit of wanting to promote local agriculture and a sense of community, the Acton Farmers Market has decided to help raise funds to help Verrill Farms rebuild. On Monday, November 10 at 6:30pm, a dinner benefit and silent auction will take place at Sprigs Restaurant in Acton. All of the proceeds will be donated to the Verrill Farm Stand Fund.
The tickets are $75 per person,
or $125 dollars for a couple. To
or call Jennifer at 978-877-1657.
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Winchester Eco Festival |
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The Family Action Network and Sustainable Winchester invite you to join us at at Winchester's first Eco Festival, which will take place this Saturday, October 25 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm at the town common, town hall, and First Congregational Church.
The Eco Festival has truly become a community-wide effort, bringing together nonprofits, town agencies, businesses, and volunteers to help spread the message about sustainability. It is being done in a way to not only educate ourselves about what we can do in our own homes but also make an immediate impact to help our town and our schools.
One specific example is that The Computer Cafe will be accepting ALL donated computers, and those that can be salvaged will be refurbished by The Computer Cafe, who will donate them to Winchester Public Schools. In this time of economic distress when school funding is tight, these donations will provide a great service to our schools and are an example of the benefits we as a community can reap by living the theme Reduce Reuse Recycle.
The Computer Cafe will be accepting:
- Computers: Desktop/tower systems.
- Laptops: In working condition.
- Peripherals: Keyboards, sound cards, modem cards, Ethernet cards
- Printers
- Scanners
- Video cards (No CRT monitors)
- All software. If we can't use it we will give it away or recycle it.
For a full listing of items that can be dropped off at the Jenks Parking Lot on the day of the festival, please visit www.winchesterecofest.org and see how you can help organizations such as Mission of Deeds, Cradles to Crayons, and Winchester Public Schools!
Rain Plan
The festival will still be held in the event of rain! If the weather isn't favorable, all exhibits planned to be held on the Common will be moved to Winchester High School cafeteria, located at 80 Skillings Road. The Recycling Area will remain at the Jenks Center Parking Lot, under canopies. The Art Exhibition and the Lecture location, being indoors, would remain unchanged.
If rain is in the forecast, please call (781) 729-8870 beginning at 5:00pm on Friday, October 24 or check our website to verify event location.
We thank the Chamber of Commerce for allowing us to use their phone line on the day, if needed, to deliver our rain date message.
Events on the day of the Eco Festival will include:
Recycling opportunities provided by Bikes not Bombs, Building Resources Center, The Computer Cafe, Cradles to Crayons, Lion's Club of Wincheter, Mission of Deeds, Winchester Artists Network frame swap, Winchester Community Music School, and the Winchester Department of Public Works.
Children's events provided by Boston Tree Preservation, the Family Action Network, Kimberly Higgins's Social Group Preschool, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Park Rangers of the Department of Conservation, REI, Score, Winchester Community Music School, Vietnam veteran Joseph Cozza, Winchester Foundation for Educational Excellence, and the Winchester Interfaith Environmental Network.
Transportation exhibits by Bonnell Motors, Sustainable Winchester, the Tri Community Bikeway/Greenway, and the Winchester Foundation for Educational Excellence.
Educational exhibits by the Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources, Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreations, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, National Grid, Town of Winchester, Winchester Community Music School, and Winchester Interfaith Environmental Network.
Green products and services information from Abitibi Bowater/Paper Retriever, Boston Solar Living, Boston Tree Preservation, Carole Kitchen and Bath Design, Diamond Baking Company, the En Ka Society, Energy Federal Incorporated, GerrityStone, Green Bridge Wealth Management, Higgins Home Improvement, Home Works Energy, Lessard Envinonmental Inc., Local Hero Tech Support, Nexamp, One Penny Per Mile Inc., Organic Soil Solutions, Panda Paddles, Rotary Club of Winchester, and Shaklee.
- 10-11am, Introduction to Geothermal Groundsource Heat Pumps, Lessard Environmental Inc. Renewable heating and cooling energy source from your backyard.
- 11am-12pm, Solar Energy Panel. This panel will enlighten homeowners on how they can implement solar technology within their own homes. A representative from Commonwealth Solar will be on hand to discuss the Massachusetts rebate program. Nexamp, a solar installer, will be able to answer your installation questions. Additionally, David Ramirez, who used the rebate process to get PV, solar hot water, and a new boiler, will be able to answer your questions about his experience as a homeowner.
- 1-2pm, Energy Efficiency Design and Conservation for the Home, Fred Yen, Sustainable Winchester
- 2-3pm, Available Resource on Energy-Use-Related Issues, Sustainable Winchester.
Arts and entertainment featuring artwork made from recyled objects and musical performances.
The Eco Festival will showcase the concept of "reduce, reuse, and recycle." The primary aim of the Eco Festival is to educate community members about the conservation of our natural resources, innovative alternative-energy technologies, and waste-reduction practices. Through children's activities, dynamic exhibits, workshops, and stimulating speakers, the Winchester Eco Festival will foster public awareness about opportunities for environmental change. It is hoped that the event will inspire community members to make their homes, businesses, and town more ecologically minded and environmentally sound, while also encouraging activism and volunteerism.
If you are interested in volunteering to help on the day of the Eco Festival, please sign up online. |
| Other Local Farmers Markets |
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Lexington, Tuesdays 2pm to 6:30pm, Mass Ave. and Fletcher Ave., Lexington Center (through Oct. 28)
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| Save 10% |
A Special Offer for Farmers Market Customers from Cocoa Express Cafe
Present this coupon to save 10% on a total purchase of $20 or more from Cocoa Express Cafe, either at the farmers market or at the cafe, incuding gift basket orders. |
| Offer Expires: December 12, 2008 |
| Save 10% |
A Special Offer for Farmers Market Customers from La Patisserie
Farmers market customers got to enjoy delicious apple pie compliments of La Patisserie on Community Appreciation Day. Visit La Patisserie at 30 Church Street in Winchester, and present this coupon to get 10% off the purchase of any pies.
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| Offer Expires: October 31, 2008 | |
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