Join us for the Winchester Farmers Market
Saturdays, 9:30 - 1:30, Town Common |
Greetings!
Welcome to the July 11 issue of the Winchester Farmers Market newsletter.
This week we are pleased to welcome back Flats Mentor Farm to the Market. Flats Mentor was a favorite vendor at the market last year, selling oriental produce.
You can always check the farmers market website for additional information about the market, including vendor profiles, frequently asked questions, and the schedule for artists, entertainers, and community groups. Visit the website for Sustainable Winchester, the sponsor of the farmers market, to get information about current projects, monthly meetings, and volunteer opportunities.
Remember that the market will take place rain or shine throughout the season. Try to bring your own shopping bags to the market, and please ride your bike or walk to the market if you can. If you drive, park your car in the Aberjona or Shore Road lot to leave parking spaces surrounding the common open for short-term parking near downtown businesses. The Aberjona lot, which runs along the commuter rail track across from the post office, is free on weekends, including the permit spaces in the end of the lot.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday on the common.
Sincerely,
Winchester Farmers Market Organizing Committee
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This Week at the Market |
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Vegetables: arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, corn, cucumbers (slicing, pickling), fennel, garlic scapes, kale (green), kholrabi (green), lettuce (baby lettuce mix with edible flowers, Boston, iceberg, oak leaf, romaine), peas (shelling, snap, snow), pea tendrils, radish, scallions, spinach, squash (kousa, summer, zucchini), Swiss chard (green, rainbow, red), tomatoes, vegetable plants
Fruit: apples*, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
Herbs: basil, chives, cilantro, dill, dry herb and spice blends, herbal tea, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, herb plants
Flowers: annuals, cut flowers, hanging baskets, plants
Other products: bread; cow, goat, and sheep milk cheeses; fish
Artist: Jan Santiello, paintings
Entertainment: MMZ Jazz Trio
* You may be wondering how a farmer can have apples now when it isn't apple season. By picking the best fruit in the fall and keeping it in a carefully controlled storage atmosphere, several apple varieties can last up to 8 or 9 months and taste as fresh as they did in the fall.
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| Featured Item of the Week: Beets |
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 Beets seem to elicit either a love or a hate reaction from most people. If you think you hate beets, but can only remember ever eating beets out of a can, try some fresh beets and see if they can change your mind!
Beets have a high sugar content, so they are very sweet while still being low in calories. In fact, the sugar beet is a main source of refined sugar. Beets are in the same family as Swiss chard is, and you may notice the resemblance between Swiss chard and beet greens, which is a good reminder that beet greens are edible and delicious.
Beets are usually cooked before eating, and roasting is an especially good method to bring out the sweet flavor of beets. Peel the beets after cooking to preserve maximum color, and be sure to wear gloves because beet juice can stain (you can remove beet stain from your hands with lemon juice).
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| Winchester Star Article about the Farmers Market |
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Many of you may have seen the front-page article in The Winchester Star last week about the farmers market. The article was written by Rachel Yen, daughter of our market manager, Fred Yen. In case you didn't already see Rachel's great article about her experience at the farmers market, be sure to check it out to read about how enjoyable it is to attend and volunteer at the farmers market!
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| What's On My Food? |
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As a farmers market shopper, you are probably already conscious of wanting to reduce your exposure to pesticides by buying produce from local farms that use organic and sustainable methods to reduce or eliminate pesticide use. The Pesticide Action Network's What's On My Food? website has an informative database of information about pesticide residue in commercial foods. The data is complied from the US Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program (PDP) and from Environmental Protection Agency data. |
| Warner Farm CSA Shares Still Available |
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Warner Farm, one of the regular farmers market vendors, still has some CSA shares available in Winchester for this summer. The cost of shares is prorated for people who join after the beginning of the season (share distribution started on June 16). Check out the details on their website, and stop by their tent at the market to sign up if you are interested. |
| Volunteer at the Market |
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Every week on market day, we need volunteers to help with setting up and taking down the market, as well as activities during the market, such as taking surveys.
If you would like to help at the market this week or in the future, click here to sign up for a time slot. You can volunteer for as little as one hour and help support the market. | |
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