DFM Helps Make a Wish

Pirate Bob was at the Market last Saturday entertaining our small Market-goers with balloon swords, crowns, flowers and more.  DFM patrons donated close to $100 to Greater Charlotte, Make a Wish Foundation.

Local Foods Club Food Cart

Davidson College students bring local foods to campus after they shop the Davidson Farmer's Market and Bradford Store.

Are you a Growing Kid?

If you are a kid and like to plant and grow things...you could be a "Growing Kid" at the DFM.  Come sell your home grown fruits and veggies two times during the Market season.

Stop by the DFM booth for more information or Email info@davidsonfarmersmarket.org 

DFM Winter Tailgate Poster Contest

Grades K-5

Calling all local K-5 students! 

The Davidson Farmer's Market wants to feature your artwork on their winter tailgate posters.

Design should not include text and should be on 8.5 x 11 paper. Entries must be submitted at the Market Booth, September 24 and October 1. Winner will be posted on the DFM Facebook page.

Contact the Marketing Coordinator for more details.

Yes! Locavore Apps

From Mecklenburg Cooperative Extension/FCS ~ September Newsletter

Of course Locavore Apps exist.  Why wouldn't they?  There are Apps for most everything else.

Sink your teeth into these hot, Locavore Apps:

• Locavore (Free, iTunes & Android Market): Identifies foods in season and where to locate them in your area via GPS.
• Harvest ($1.99, iTunes): Provides instructions on how to select, store and assess pesticides in produce. 
• Epicurious (Free, iTunes & Android Market): Offers over 30,000 recipes from top gourmet magazines for creating delicious dishes with the local fare.
• GoodGuide (Free, iTunes & Android Market): Instantly reveals whether products are safe, healthy, green and socially responsible while you shop. 

Market Events this Week

*Music: Billy Jones

* Chef Demo: Sneaky Chef Kenya

Sneaky Chef at Market

Sneaky Chef Kenya will be at the Market tomorrow morning demonstrating how simple it is to include nutrition-packed veggies in your family meals, that your kids will love too!

Chef Demo's at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. under the big white tents near Town Hall.

Hot Dog Samples at Gilcrest Booth

Our delicious hot dogs are made by our German butcher without any nitrates/nitrites or fillers and are hormone/antibiotic free like all our meats.  All our deli products are gluten free.  A natural casing gives it that "snap" when you bite into them and they are great on the grill or in the frying pan. 

Enjoy the old world flavor - come by my booth for a sample!

Amy, Gilcrest Natural Farm

Twin Oaks Tells

Twin Oak Farms originated around the depression by owner James Patterson. Mr. Patterson operated the farm with his family until his two sons, Frank and Carl, assumed responsibility of the business. The business became known as Patterson Farms. In the mid 1970's, Frank and Carl split their business and they became Frank Patterson Farms and Patterson Farms Inc. In the mid 1990's, Tim Sloop and I assumed responsibility of the farm which became known as Frank Patterson Farms Inc.  We continued to operate the business under that name.  The business continued for many years as mainly a wholesale vegetable producer, providing tomatoes to restaurants and grocery stores.  In an effort to increase profitability, a decision was made to expand into the retail market.  Farmers Markets were becoming popular in many local areas and provided an outlet for retails sales.  The decision was made to differentiate ourselves from the "other" Patterson Farms by reverting back to the original farm name, Twin Oak Farms.

Twin Oak Farms currently grows around 40 acres of vegetables each year. Mid February is the time to start sowing seed for vegetable plants, filling eight greenhouses with plants for our own use and retail sales. We also begin planting sugar peas, snow peas, potatoes, and other early spring crops. We are also tending a crop of greenhouse tomatoes. In mid April we begin to plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, squash, cucumbers, and zucchini.  We are tending our strawberry crop (which was started the preceding Sept.) and our asparagus bed.  We are also tending some cool weather crops such as fresh herbs, broccoli, cauliflower, and lettuce.  May is the time to plant corn, beans, watermelon and cantaloupe. Later in the season we will plant some fall crops, such as winters squash and pumpkins. As the season progresses, we plant each crop in stages so that we have a continuous supply throughout the season.  We have a few blueberry bushes, peach trees, and apple trees that give us a limited supply of fruit.

Our season is currently winding down.  We hope to have tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, okra, corn, peppers, butternut squash, acorn squash, green beans, and pie pumpkins through the month of October. We appreciate the support of the folks in Davidson and hope to provide good, fresh, local produce for many years to come.

~ Greg Harsell, Twin Oak Farms

Save the Date - Annual Community Picnic

Please join your DFM volunteers, vendors and community friends for the Annual DFM Community Picnic on Saturday, Oct. 22, immediately following Market take-down at approximately 12:30 p.m.  This special event honors all the folks that make the Davidson Farmer's Market come to life - and that means you too!

The main course and beverages will be provided.  Please bring a dish to share.  If your last name begins with a-k, bring a side dish.  If your last name begins with l-z, bring a dessert. 

Hope to see you there!  RSVP here.

Lavender Lady at the Folklife Festival this Weekend

Mrs. Rita, The Lavender Garden, won't be at the Market this week, but she will be at the 3oth Annual Folklife Festival at Historic Latta Plantation, Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25. 

There will be crafts, farm animals, a hay maze, music, games and more!

Find out more here. 

Mrs. Rita will be enjoying a new adventure and we hope it's a success.  We'll look forward to having her back to Market next Saturday!