The Weblog
This weblog contains LocallyGrown.net news and the weblog entries from all the markets currently using the system.
To visit the authoring market’s website, click on the market name located in the entry’s title.
Stones River Market: Weblog Entry
Stones River Market
How to contact us:
Our Website: stonesriver.locallygrown.net
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/StonesRiverMarket
On Wednesdays: Here’s a map.
Market News
BRR!!Frosty, freezing morning everyone!
We have lots to share in terms of market goodies this week!
Erdmann Farm is back with pumpkins!
Stephanie The Krafty Kupboard shares this:
I will have plenty of holidy treats this week! Hummus, pumpkin butter, apple butter (all of which freeze beautifully if you want to save for Christmas), granola, hot cocoa, trail mix, low-sugar jelly and more!
Did you know that Stephanie also loves to sew? Some of her items are available this week and they make fantastic gifts! Available this week are: infinity scarves (both stylish and warm), child aprons (great for the little cook or to use as an art smock), child leg warmers, baby beanie hats, breastfeeding covers, baby blankets, burp cloths and a few others items. Be sure to check it all out!
Valentine Family Farm will be on vacation, from the market until after the holidays!
Rainbow Hill says Merry Christmas and that they will return first of the year with more broccoli and cauliflower.
Flying S Farms says The cold temperatures have taken its toll on our produce. Watch for more greens on the Spring. We still have winter squash available. Warm up with our dried Thai peppers and frozen pepper purée perfect when you want a touch of heat to any dish. We have restocked several of our jams, great for gifting with our breads. Our seasonal Christmas Jam is a treat, made with fresh Strawberries and Cranberries. Watch for more pepper jams/jelly overbite next week, they are wonderful over cream cheese our in a cheese ball.
So many of our items can be gifted as a “locally grown/made” basket and is ALWAYS loved and appreciated! Even out-state folks love a good “Made in Tennessee” gift!!
Jams, jellies, prepackaged convenience foods, hot cocoa, popcorn, soaps and skin care and more! Stock up and gift away. You are not only giving from local sources, you are supporting YOUR local community families who need it more than ever and appreciate you so very much!
OH and stop into Quinn’s to check out the made locally items Tracy and her staff have! She carries items that are not on the market that round out the basket nicely!
See ya on the porch!!
Tracey & Ashleigh
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See the complete list of products at http://stonesriver.locallygrown.net/
The Wednesday Market: The Wednesday Market is Open!
Good evening.
The Wednesday Market is open for orders. Please place your order by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. Wednesday. See the website for all of this week’s product listings. Here is the link: https://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Zebulon’s Christmas Parade is tomorrow. More than 60 vendors have booths throughout the Courthouse Square that open at 12 p.m. The parade starts at 3 p.m. This is a family friendly event with activities for youngsters and will help even the most bah-humbug souls get into the Christmas spirit! Even the weather feels like Christmas. It’s going to be chilly, so bundle up!
We hope you all have a great a Sunday and will come out to Zebulon for tomorrow’s festivities. And we’ll see you at the Market!
Thanks,
Beverly
ALFN Local Food Club: End of the Year Update
Hi ALFN Members!
We hope you are enjoying the holiday season! We have some exciting news to share with you as we prepare to move into a new year.
We propose to transform ALFN’s online market presence by purchasing a state-of-the- art market platform and we are seeking member support to help cover the cost of purchasing and launching the new software.
ALFN’s board of directors made this decision based in part on generous feedback from many of you, ALFN’s members, over the last several months. We’ve heard your thoughtful comments and believe that each was valuable in helping us decide our next steps.
We’ve also done a deep dive into other factors affecting the market and our key finding is that the market is in steady and steep decline.
We need to level with you; our market is in trouble. We’ve seen an increased decline in sales over the last year that is very concerning to us. It’s only a matter of time until we no longer have a viable market. The decline is due to many factors, but mainly because our customer base and sales continue to dwindle in spite of our efforts to grow. Competition from other markets and retailers has increased tremendously since ALFN’s founding. Your comments identified our dated online presence as undesirable and frustrating for users.
Our efforts to grow the market over the past year have included: increasing our online presence through social media, offering promotions to customers, addressing product quality, offering more products like dry bulk goods, distributing flyers, pamphlets, and posters, launching a new ALFN website, and changing our membership fee structure. The only thing we haven’t tackled is updating our online market software.
And that’s exactly what we, the board, are proposing to do – reinvigorate the market by moving to a new online solution.
Why is this the best next step?
In this era of rapid innovation, our online market is becoming a technological fossil, dated and clunky. An update is needed to improve our customer experience. An improved customer experience will help drive increased sales from existing and new customers. A new system will also provide the board and staff with key metrics that are vital to making informed decisions for the future of ALFN.
Here’s a few ways a new online solution will make it easier to shop with us:
- Mobile friendly ordering, accessible from your phone or iPad
- User ability to sort products by attributes like chemical-free, organic, or naturally grown, increasing ease of selection and product confidence.
- More flexible membership fee options, convenient and affordable for weekly, monthly, and seasonal shoppers.
- Secure online browsing and checkout
- Simple online account management.
Over the last three months, we have spent many hours researching online market options for ALFN. We believe that we have found a good option and want to move forward with the implementation. However, we need to raise the money to cover the startup costs.
In this week’s email from Claire, we’ll have a link to our Go Fund Me page. The goal is to cover the setup costs and at least one year of subscription fees. We hope to raise $5,000.
How can you help?
- Support our move to a new market platform by donating to ALFN.
- Invite your friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, even strangers to join the fun at our fundraising event at Lost Forty on Thursday, January 18th. Also, please share our Facebook event page.
- Show your continued love for ALFN by shopping often with us.
- Consider serving as a board member. We have several open board positions and are specifically seeking people with financial or bookkeeping or IT experience. We need your leadership!
Even though we are concerned about the future of our online market, the board is excited about the opportunity to renew ALFN’s user experience and attract a new wave of customers who will become as passionate about ALFN as we all are.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. The best way is to email Claire at littlerockfoodclub@gmail.com.
Have a wonderful holiday! Here’s to a successful and happy new year!
Tifany Hamlin
Chair, ALFN Board
Patchwork Online Market: Patchwork Urban Farms Winter Market Open
The market is now open! Get your orders in by Monday at noon. Stay warm out there.
http://patchworkfarmstand.locallygrown.net
Dothan, Alabama: December 9, 2017 Market Newsletter
This Week’s Newsletter:
Here We Go Again!
Market Chitchat
Seasonal Growing
Grower Notes
TUESDAY OPEN HOUSE
Days like today . . . you either love them or you hate them, and your thoughts may well depend on whether you are indoors or out! As I type, the sky is clear bright blue, the wind is howling and it’s cold as blue blazes . . . at least this particular 44 degrees fells like it.
As you know, Open House did not take place last Thursday as originally planned. When everything was said and done, rescheduling was the absolute right thing to do! Thankfully it has not been canceled! We are looking forward to much nicer weather next TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12 from 4-7 pm. It will still be chilly and require a jacket or sweater but the weather promises to be warmer and hospitable.
So that’s what’s going on with Open House. THANK YOU for your patience with all the ups and downs dealing with this cold front.
Who’s Who at Open House
| Company | Product |
|---|---|
| Avalon Farms | Fruits & Vegetables |
| Casablanca Farms | Grass Fed Beef |
| D’s Jellies | Local Gourmet Jellies |
| Hortons Farm | Local Honey, Honey Products, CITRUS |
| Katies Good Kookies | Artisinal Sugar Cookies |
| Lynn Koning Pottery | Local Artist |
| Martin Teas | Gourmet Tea Products |
| Mary Opiary | Local Artist Crochet Products |
| Mayim Farms | Local Organic Medicinals |
| Restoration Farms | Fresh Microgreens & Vegetables |
| Richter Farms | Pastured Heritage Pork |
| Simple Life | Essential Oils |
| S’More Dessert Company | Decadent Local Sweets |
| Working Cows Dairy | Organic Dairy Products |
MARKET CHITCHAT
Thank you to everyone who braved Friday’s nasty weather to pick up their orders. Some of you probably noticed that your “refrigerated” items were already bagged. It just made since as the weather felt like a refrigerator! Those of us working were most thankful for the little Coffee Bar inside the Nursery as the warm liquid refreshment was most helpful!
I thought we’d have a name for our pick up area to announce this week, but more names came in on Friday. We talked about them, then got so busy we forgot to settle on one! So its not too late to speak up if you think of anything. Just email to marketatdothan@gmail.com . We’ll try again!
Today is the first of two more order cycles for 2017. Individual schedules allowed us to “stay open” a bit longer this year which means you should be able (weather permitting!) to get FRESH greens and produce almost right up to Christmas.
And if you have not noticed, the Market is offering local seasonal citrus this year! A neighbor in Dothan is sharing his abundance and we are so glad because his fruit is so good!
SEASONAL GROWING
Today seemed like to good time to talk about cold and how it affects crops. Market At Dothan has been very blessed with beautiful and bountiful greens this year. Yesterday I saw several kinds of lettuce, chard, kale, collards and turnip greens come through . . . and brought some home too!
Farmers have dealt with the forces of nature for centuries and have employed many means to deal with it – everything from row covers to blankets and spraying water and in recent years the use of greenhouses and hoop houses. Even those are subject to the whims of nature. At one time Avalon Farms enjoyed the use of a hoop house . . . until a tornado came through. The Lolleys of Mayim Farms are engaged with Auburn developing cold tolerant Moringa Trees . . and hoping theirs survive. No doubt Danny has his hand built bed covers over the lettuce at his farm. We here at Horton’s farm have lost several citrus trees over the years despite drastic measures to keep them alive all the while hoping the cold will help the raspberries set fruit the next spring.
Now that we’ve got this cold front upon us all of our growers are hoping it doesn’t destroy the hard work they’ve put into their winter gardens. No doubt covers and protections are in place, but those things don’t guarantee plants will do well in harsh conditions.
Timing determines a lot of a plants ability to survive tough conditions. Young tender shoots don’t stand much of a chance in prolonged harsh conditions, whereas other plants actually thrive and become tastier on a bit of cold. I’ve heard many an old timer talk about frost making their collards better.
Variety plays a part in it too. While lettuce prefers cool weather , Danny of Danny’s Greens has elevated growing lettuce to nearly an art by careful selection of seasonal varieties. The seed for the winter varieties growing right now wouldn’t even germinate in June because of the soil temperature.
THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES
We have the best Growers in the Wiregrass! Please learn more about them on our Grower Page.
AVALON FARMS: One of our goats has learned a new trick…not in a good way. She’s discovered that the temporary fence we used to utilize some extra grass is NOT electrified. So she just politely rears up and sort of falls over it! Smarty pants. Another trip to Tractor Supply for electric fence tape. She loves kale, turnips and snap peas so free range goat near the market garden is a BAD idea.
As far as the garden goes, we’ll have to see what things look like after this freeze. Farming is so unpredictable.
BAIN HOME GARDENS: Hello market friends, We hope this weblog finds you are yours warm & dry! This has been a difficult task over the last few days and we have concerns about how the garden will fair, especially since the lowest forecasted temperatures are yet to come! Although we didn’t get any snow, friends of ours, north of us in Grady, Al did get some. I made sure to express just how jealous we were!
As a side note, this is good time to make sure that those we love have adequate heating for the winter. Sometimes our dear friends & loved ones suffer in silence so as to not be a bother. If everyone checks on someone, we should all be ok.
We hope to be sharing some new items with you this week! They have been tried and tested by our family and pass the “deliciousness test”! So look out for our tasty peas & salad blend from our family to yours!
FOOTNOTES
We would love to hear from you! If you have a favorite recipe, want to write a product review, have an idea or request for an article or information, let us know! You can reply to this newsletter or write marketatdothan@gmail.com.
Order Saturday 5pm to Tuesday 5pm weekly for Pickup the following Friday
Dothan Pickup: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
Daleville Pickup: Daleville Chamber of Commerce Office
Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net
Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan
Be sure to use our hashtag! #marketatdothan
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!
Duette, FL: Cabbages
Dear Customers,
We have some cabbages that are ready. Do you remember the Cabbage Soup Diet?
The cabbage soup recipe has taken many forms over the years, but they all have one thing in common—they’re chock full of non-starchy vegetables swimming in a flavorful herb-filled broth.
Please have a look at what we have this week and place your orders.
Tahnk you,
David and Betty
Duette Locally Grown Market
The Cumming Harvest - Closed: The Market is Cancelled Today
We’ve decided to CANCEL the market today. If you paid by CC, your card will not be charged.
Call or Text if you have any questions.
404-702-2601
Thank you!
Spa City Local Farm Market Co-op: The market is now open for ordering
*The Last Market Before Christmas *is now open for ordering
The Spa City Co-op market is now open for ordering at spacity.locallygrown.net.
Please place your orders before Tuesday at 9 pm, and plan to pick up your orders at Emergent Arts on Friday from 3PM to 4:30PM. If you’re unable to pick up your order at this time please make arrangements to have your order picked up for you.
Remember to scroll all the way down and click place this order.
Don’t forget – this market has no paid positions, so we NEED VOLUNTEERS to run every market. It’s fun, you get a $5 gift card as well as extend your membership by 2 months, and you learn so much about local foods in Arkansas.
Have a great week and see you on Friday!
this market’s manager
Karen Schuman
karenschuman9@gmail.com
501-276-3318
Middle Tennessee Locally Grown: Time to Order Fresh Local Farm Products!
Manchester Locally Grown market
We always have a few new farmers, waiting their turn to join our market and offer their wonderful products to all our customers. In order to add more farmers, we feel it would be best to grow our customer base a bit. We want to be able to offer you and your friends some new local farm products.
The farmers and market managers would really appreciate your efforts to help spread the word about our fantastic market. What a great local resource for fresh, local farm products. Please pick up a few business cards to hand out to your friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Advertising is very expensive, and we want to use our slim market funds in a responsible manner.
To Contact Us
Our Website: manchester.locallygrown.net
On Facebook: Manchester Locally Grown Online Farmers’ Market
By e-mail: tnmomof10@gmail.com
By phone: (931) 273-9708
Our new pickup location is across the street from the Manchester City Schools administration building:
Good morning!
Order the “cream of the crop” from local farmers, the best products picked and made with pride especially for YOU! All our farmers and local artisans are located within about 30 miles of our drop-off location. You can’t get any fresher than that – no cross-country trucking involved! Thank you for supporting your local farmers and small businessmen and women.
The market will remain open for your orders till Tuesday at 10 pm.
Please be sure to read the section of the page entitled “Important Ordering and Pickup Information.”
Farm News of the Week
Catherine from Flying S Farm has been very busy perserving her fall bounty. Recently she has added several new items to the market, including the following:
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(L to R) Top: Frozen Habanero Pepper Puree, Butternut Squash.
Middle: Dried Thai Pepper Pods, Banana Friendship Bread.
Bottom: Wild Blackberry Jelly, Pomegranate Jelly.
Our market has so many delectable, grassfed meats available! Last week we featured some newly restocked beef and lamb cuts. We also have chicken cuts from two local farmers, Tonic Farms
and Wayne Diller.
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(L to R): (Top) Whole Broiler and Chicken Feet from Wayne Diller. And from Tonic Farms: Boneless Skinless Breasts, Leg Quarters, and Wings.
For this Christmas season, Manchester Locally Grown managers will offer combination gift baskets, each containing items from several farmers. We currently have listed some smaller baskets, with a couple larger ones planned to contain perishable items. Please check back to see our other offerings, and let us know if you have specific needs for gift baskets.
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Erdmann Farm has returned this week, listing two types of pumpkins for your pre-Christmas baking.
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(L to R) Connecticut Field Pumpkin, Long Island Cheese Pumpkin.
Speaking of pumpkin, the favorite fall flavor is well-represented on our market:
Bar Cookies, Bread, and Cookies from Flying S Farm
Candles from Full Circle Candles
Granola from Solace Farm
Muffins from Hope for Health
Pie and Pumpkin Roll from Kountry Vittles
Enjoy them while they’re here. Most of them will disappear from the market within a short time.
Dogwood Valley Greenhouse still has all colors of blooming Christmas Cactus plants. We will foil wrap the pots so they are ready for gift-giving.
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Important Ordering and Pickup Information
Ordering will be open until TUESDAY at 10 p.m., and your order will be available for pickup on THURSDAY between 4:00 and 5:30 at our NEW LOCATION across from Manchester City Schools administration building, 215 East Fort Street, Manchester.
We can also deliver your order to your home (or other location) on Friday afternoons, for a small fee, if it’s more convenient for you. If you prefer to utilize this service, please place an order for it, same as other products, selecting your delivery area. Don’t forget to give us your location address in the comments section of the order. Also please text Linda at (931) 273-9708 for specific arrangements.
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible. Please encourage our local farmers by helping to spread the word about our wonderful market to everyone you know. We offer a great variety of local farm products, and our items will be in your hands in time to plan for the weekend. Wonderful local products are available for ordering from the comfort of your own computer.
More new farmers are considering joining our market, if they can expect enough sales to help pay their transportation costs. Please help us grow the market by sharing this e-mail with your friends and inviting them to give us a try. And if you haven’t ordered from Manchester Locally Grown for a while, please check out our wide variety of offerings this week. Also please let us know if we can improve our selection or scheduling in any way to better suit your needs.
Blessings,
Linda & Michael
Here is the complete list for this week.