On the Town Common,
Saturdays, 9:30 - 1:30
 
September 25, 2010

Dear :
 
As fall begins, the market will be filled with wonderful harvest season fruits and vegetables. Remember that the market runs through October 30 on the common, and there will also be a special indoor market on November 20.

This week's cooking demonstration will help you figure out what to do with the abundance of zucchini and basil now available. Winchester's Fit Foodie Denise Costello will show you how to take these nutritious veggies and herbs and turn them into a simple, delicious meal your whole family will enjoy. Denise will be demonstrating at 11:00 how to prepare Summer Squash "Linquini" with goat cheese and Basil and Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Basil Pesto.

Bistro 5 will again be at the market selling delicious ready-to-eat sandwiches and salads--which presents a great opportunity for a picnic lunch on the common!

Mark your calendars for this year's environmental fair, which will take place on the common on October 16 alongside the farmers market. See below for more details.

Thank you to the customers who have used our system for advance ordering from participating farmers and other vendors. Try out advance ordering when you have a busy Saturday scheduled or when rain is predicted or to be sure you get an item that might sell out. Let us know if you have any questions or suggestions about advance ordering.

Check the farmers market website for additional information about the market, including vendor profiles, frequently asked questions, and the schedule for artists, entertainers, and the rotating business, food, and community group tents. 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 the common on Saturday.

Sincerely,
Winchester Farmers Market Organizing Committee
 
This Week at the Market

    Potatoes    Sunflowers 
 
Vegetables:
beans (green), beets, bok choi, broccoli, chard (bright lights, green, red), corn, cucumbers, eggplant (Japanese, purple), garlic, kale (green, red), okra, peppers (cubanelle, green, jalapeno, poblano, purple, rainbow, red, serrano, white), squash (kousa, patty pan, summer, zucchini), tomatoes (cherry, grape, heirloom, yellow, plum, red), winter squash (acorn, butternut, red curry, spaghetti), zucchini flowers
 
Fruit: apples (Cortland, Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp, Macintosh, Macoun, Mutzu, Paula Red, Royal Gala), blackberries, grapes (green, purple, seedless), melon (athena, cantaloupe, honeydew), nectarines, peaches (regular, white), pears (Bosc), plums (prune, sugar), raspberries, strawberries

Herbs: basil, dry herb and spice blends, herbal tea
 
Other products: grass-fed beef, bread, candy, cheese, chocolate, cider, cut flowers, eggs, fish, honey, jam and preserves, lobster, ready-to-eat sandwiches and salads from Bistro 5

Entertainment:
Off the Record

Artist:
Ingrid Jochimsen, intarsia, wood boxes

Community Group Tent: Winchester Historical Society

Business Tent: Andrea Corkum, Kaleidoscope Soap

Food Tent: Deborah's Kitchen, homemade jams and preserves; Sweet Lolo's, handmade candy

Cooking/Nutrition Demonstration: Denise Costello, Summer Squash "Linquini" with goat cheese and Basil and Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Basil Pesto

Environmental Fair

The Environmental Fair is in its third year held in conjunction with the Winchester Farmers Market on the Winchester Town Common. This year the Fair will be on Saturday, October 16, from 9:30am to 3pm

The vision for the Environmental Fair is to serve as an educational resource for all aspects of the lives of the residents of Winchester and the surrounding towns: recreation, home, business, and government. There will be several components along with the various exhibitors including a lecture series, live music, bicycle safety and
repair workshops, and a children's activity center. Part of the schedule includes a ceremony presenting Winchester's Climate Action Plan to the Board of Selectmen. The cross-section of the exhibitors will range from local, state, and federal government initiatives; updates from Winchester student activities; local and regional environmental groups; energy efficiency and renewable experts; recycling choices; and sustainable lifestyle choices.

As always, it's a great opportunity to bring your family to the common to listen to live music, shop for local produce, and learn about all the environmental initiatives happening in our town.

Volunteers are needed to work that day--from setting up tables in the morning and helping exhibitors unload, to breaking down tables in the afternoon. Please email Sara Ferguson to sign up for a shift: sara_ferguson@verizon.net.

Eating Local during the Winter: Preserving the Harvest

In addition to winter CSA shares and winter markets, another way to eat local during the winter is to make use of the many different ways to preserve fruits and vegetables. Several options are available, such as freezing, canning, drying, fermenting, and root cellaring. Take advantage of the abundance of produce available at the farmers market now by getting some extra to preserve so that you can continue to enjoy it throughout the winter.
 
Visit the website of the National Center for Home Food Preservation for detailed information about preservation options (inlcuding general guidelines and specific information for many different fruits and vegetables). Brief overviews of some methods are included below.
 
Freezing is one of the easiest ways to preserve food because many fruits and vegetables can be frozen with little or no processing. Try freezing whole plum tomatoes or raspberries in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer and then packing them in freezer bags once they have frozen solid. Although the texture of the tomatoes and berries will be soft after freezing, they are excellent to use in sauces or baked foods. Freezer pectins are available for making quick and easy jams without any cooking or canning.
 
Canning is one of the most common traditional methods of preserving food, but it can be a fairly long, complex process for a beginner. However, it does give excellent results and long-lasting food preservation. Canning involves packing prepared fruits and vegetables in jars that are vacuum sealed by heating them in boiling water or a pressure canner. 
 
Drying can be as simple as hanging a bunch of herbs in a warm place to dry or as complicated as making fruit leathers in a food dehydrator. If you plan to do a lot of drying, a good food dehydrator would be a worthwhile investment. You could buy an electric food dehydrator (try to find one at a yard sale, in the Want Ads, or on craigslist) or consider making a solar food dehydrator. You can also dry many fruits and vegetables in a low-temperature oven ("sun-dried" tomatoes made in the oven are easy and delicious).
 
Fermenting is a process that uses acidity for preservation, often by adding vinegar or salted water to vegetables. Pickles and sauerkraut are well-known fermented foods. Vegetables are usually cut in pieces or shredded before fermenting to increase the surface area exposed to the liquid they are submerged in, and they are also usually salted to discourage bacterial growth and to make them release water and thus become crunchier. Use ceramic or glass containers for fermenting (metal containers will corrode).
 
A root cellar is a room or structure, usually built underground, in which vegetables can be stored for several months in an environment of low temperatures (32-40�), high humidity (80-95%), and good air circulation. In this environment, many vegetables (such as root vegetables and winter squash) will last for four to six months. An unheated, underground garage or basement (especially in a north-east corner) in your home can be converted into a root cellar. Root cellar conditions can be created in a buried trash can in your backyard, and vegetables such as carrots can even be stored for several months in a pail of damp sand or sawdust in a dark room, such as a garage, that is 32-40�. Be sure to cut the leaves off of carrots before storing them this way.

Raspberry Picking at Wright-Locke Farm

Raspberry season continues at Wright-Locke Farm. Come pick  . . . for jam, for freezing, for that favorite peach and raspberry crisp, or for just plain eating! There is a 1 1/2 acre field of this certified-organic crop. Set in a town-owned heritage landscape, the farm is stroller friendly and a great destination for families. Buckets are provided for picking. Take your picked berries home in your own containers or our compostable pint boxes.

Where: 78 Ridge St, Winchester, at the intersection of Lockeland & Ridge Streets

Hours:  Tu, Wed, Th:  9 am - 12 pm                                               
             Fri, Sat, Sun: 1 pm - 4 pm
             Mon:  CLOSED                                                                   Photo by Jim Whitehead
                                                                                                    
Pricing:  1st and 2nd pints, $5 each
              3rd pint and beyond, $4 each.
              Similar quantity discount if picked by the bucket

Info & Email: Updates, www.wlfarm.org; 24-hour info line, 781-721-7128.
                     
Volunteer: Help our friendly team with U-Pick sales under the shade of the old maple tree. Visit www.wlfarm.org/volunteer for more information and to sign up for a full shift or an easier-to-manage 1 1/2 hour shift.

The Wright-Locke Farm Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) organization, manages the land and buildings of the Wright-Locke farm. Come walk the easy trails anytime. Map and trail notes at the entrance kiosk on Ridge Street.

Follow the Farmers Market on Facebook and Twitter
 
Visit the farmers market Facebook page to share your photos of the market, post comments, and get updates about the market.

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Follow the market on Twitter to get the latest updates from the market on Saturday mornings.

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 Volunteer at the Market

We need volunteers this week (and every week) to help with the farmers market, especially for setup before the market between 8:30 and 9:30 and takedown after the market between 1:30 and 2:30. If you are able to help, please sign up at our online signup sheet to let us know when you are coming.
 
Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered to help. Your assistance is especially important in keeping the market running smoothly, and we appreciate everything you do!

We also have some short-term volunteer positions to fill for the Environmental Fair on October 16. Be a part of this fun, informative, and community-building event! Please email Sara Ferguson at sara_ferguson@verizon.net to sign up.