Food Safety Votes--the aftermath

To: All PASA Members

From: Brian Snyder, Executive Director

I just want to give everyone a quick update after a VERY dramatic week in Congress concerning the food safety legislation we have been following. The outcome is that HR 2749 – the so-called “Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009” – passed the House of Representatives yesterday, but they had to bend the rules to get it done. As reported last week, leaders of the House attempted to pass the bill on Wednesday under “suspension,” which requires a two-thirds vote to avoid any real debate or amendments. The “loss” on Wednesday was a direct result of grassroots efforts within the organic and sustainable farming communities to get further improvements in the bill, particularly regarding the flat fee system it would initiate. To wit, the margin of failure in Wednesday’s vote was seven, which was quite a bit less than the number of representatives voting “no” on behalf of our issues. However, the near success of the bill on Wednesday caused the House to change the rules on Thursday to only require a simple majority – though still without much debate (an hour was allowed) or any amendments – which resulted in easy passage. But we were pleased that the debate on the bill yesterday did include a reading of the Kaptur-Farr language, on which we had collaborated, into the record for later consideration in Conference Committee negotiations.

There were many successes for us in the process of putting this bill together, enough so that we can consider its passage to be a “good” thing, especially in that it codifies much of the exemption and other progressive language we will definitely be glad to have on the table once a Conference Committee does convene (i.e. after a Senate bill passes, which might contain some other positive elements for our community). Though we did not set out to defeat food safety legislation, and all along wanted a very good bill to pass, we can also view the results of the suspension vote on Wednesday to be a very positive thing, because now it is understood by everyone that the advocates of sustainable agriculture are too numerous to easily allow other suspension votes (i.e. shutting down debate) without their support. It is also a very positive thing for PASA that we were able to show national leadership through this process, and in fact had a direct role in constructing favorable language in this bill, even right up to the final days and hours of the process.

On the more negative side, we still have the very regressive fee structure to contend with in the bill as passed, though I do want to be clear that the exemptions we got into the bill would make this a non-issue for most of our members. I think folks in Washington were very surprised to find that sustainable ag advocates were not happy to improve the situation just for our own members, but were concerned for small-scale food processing businesses of all kinds. This is a battle that will continue throughout the process to come. It’s also disappointing that many of the consumer groups we have worked closely with on issues such as milk labeling and antibiotic use on farms, ended up parting ways with us in this debate. It was clear they wanted this bill to pass, even it meant leaving behind some of their better partners along the way. In the final debate on this bill, a list of organizations that formed the “winning” coalition included just about all the conventional ag advocates, plus most of the best known consumer advocacy groups – an odd combination for sure. I think we can use this lesson, however, in building enthusiasm for our own consumer-organizing efforts in the future (e.g. with the Good Food Neighborhood).

Well, this is a little longer than I expected. Time for me to get back to Snyder family activities in this week that was a long-planned “vacation” for us. I will at least return to work next week knowing that PASA is a stronger and even more respected organization for the work we have done on these issues of huge importance to both farmers and non-farming consumers in the future. Thanks to all of you for your help in recent weeks!

Best to all,

Brian Snyder
Executive Director, PASA
brian@pasafarming.org

This Week's Share--last of the lettuce

This week will mark the last of the lettuce for a little while--its starting to get a really serious bite and now its time to think about alternative types of salads--those that feature beets, carrots, cucumbers and beans. For example click here for an Isreali Couscous, Feta, Cucumber and Mint salad. If you cannot live without some sort of salad in your life check out this recent NY Times article 101 Salads for the Season--the article should supply ample inspiration.

This Week's Share Includes:
Lettuce Mix
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Beans
Potatoes
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
Beets
Herbs

Peaches, politics, lectures and literature....

There is nothing like a rainy day to get the creative and networking juices going--3 blog posts and a bunch of errands/meetings later I wanted to update you about a few happenings. First off, good news, North Star Orchards (the providers of the Fruit Explorers Share) will be joining the Kennett Farmers Market this Friday with an ample supply of peaches. Yum!

Next I strongly encourage you to call your representatives in response to the Food Safety Legislation that is about to go before congress. See previous post for more information.

Finally I spent part of the day at the lovely Terrain at Styers dropping off Chester County Feedability Guides and doing a little shopping. I purchased a bunch of new cookbooks that I will add to the collection in the distribution shed. Please feel free to borrow books--a little culinary and/or gardening inspiration--as long as you return them in a timely manner. The reason I was dropping off Feedability guides is that Terrain is hosting an Eat Local, Act Local event this Saturday, July 25 at 2pm. You can join Terrain's Jennifer Brodsky for a workshop about learning how to eat locally all year round. Jen will discuss organizations that support local eating such as Slow Food, the Fair Food Project, and the Buy Fresh Buy Local program. Learn about the best local farms in the area, how to access the best of every season's yield, and how Styer's Garden Café sources its local food. A longtime member of the local agriculture movement, Jen used to run an organic farm in Montgomery County and now shares her expertise with the Styer's Garden Café. Follow the workshop with a tour through terrain's new Farmer's Market. This event is free and open to the public.

A little weekend recipe idea
Peach Smoothie:
1 peach, peeled
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
a few ice cubes
1 t. sugar (or to taste)
A tasty, cold beverage for warm, late-summer days!

Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Serves 2 (or maybe 1, it can be hard to share!)

Food and Politics--the BIG one--Food Safety Bill

I am sure some of you are aware of the Food Safety Bill that has been floating around congress--a response to the food borne illness outbreaks as of late--spinach, tomatoes/peppers, peanut butter. I am sure you also realize the problem is generally not with small producers, but rather the big guys where traceability becomes more difficult. Unfortunately, some of the regulatory measures introduced in the bill would have a negative effect on the little guys like myself (for more on this issue click here to read interesting article).

Luckily, the sustainable ag community has been hard at work making sure any future food safety legislation makes sense for you the consumer without adversely affecting the farmer. We need your help pursuading our congressmen, some times our representatives do not understand that really the safest, healthiest food system is a vibrant local food system. Its time to act. Please read the letter below form Brian Snyder executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture:

From: Brian Snyder, Executive Director

Dear friends,

I’m going to make this as succinct as possible, while also giving you enough background to understand what’s going on. In brief, the Food Safety bill in the House of Representatives (HR 2749) is expected to move as early as tomorrow (if no bumps in the road), but certainly by early next week. The goal of the Energy and Commerce Committee (E&C) is to move this bill under “suspension,” meaning with limited debate and no amendments, which requires a two-thirds vote, and to do so before the August recess starts in two weeks. Delay of healthcare legislation at this point means they will try to move forward on food safety first, aggressively and somewhat undercover of the healthcare debate.

PASA has been centrally involved in consulting with E&C on this legislation since March, along with our friends at MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Assoc.), NSAC (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition) and others across the country. Last week, PASA farmer member Nick Maravell (Potomac, Maryland) testified in a hearing on the bill before the House Ag Committee and did an incredible job of raising the most important outstanding issues.

To date we have achieved some things we can be proud of, including exemption for direct marketers from most traceability requirements (including for sales to restaurants and grocery stores), and now including some clear language in the bill to define what on-farm processing activities might be exempt from FDA registration as well. Things are still in flux as I write, but we believe all such processing will be exempt as long as 50% or more of sales (including by Internet and mail order) are made directly to individuals (i.e. retail, as opposed to wholesale). And a huge gain just this week will likely be another exemption on sales of feedstuffs for livestock from one farmer to another, which had been included in the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 (thaaat’s right…) as an activity requiring registration. There have been other gains in specific wording of the bill, too detailed to enumerate in this email right now.

But we’re still disappointed that the fee being assessed to eligible businesses, including some on farms, will be the flat rate of $500 instead of our preferred sliding scale for smaller operations, including a minimum size below which no fee would be charged. We in fact would prefer to see a much higher fee paid by the largest food processing companies, from which most food safety issues seem to emanate in any case -- but that may not be achievable at this point. We also have other language we’d like to see in the bill that would focus attention on high risk aspects of food production, protect organic farmers from duplicative paperwork and expand the research agenda into more diversified systems. All of these concerns are contained in an amendment being sponsored by Representatives Farr, Kaptur and others that E&C must deal with if they expect to get their two-thirds vote to limit debate.

So, we’re asking ALL of you to take a little time out of your busy summer schedules to help advance the sustainable farming agenda with respect to food safety even more than what we’ve been able to on our own. Call your representatives, and maybe a few others, and express strong support for the exemptions now contained in HR 2749 for direct marketing, and ask them to support the Farr-Kaptur Amendment that would do even more to focus food safety efforts on the REAL problem areas. To be clear, they will need to insist that language of the amendment get into the bill before it is introduced on the floor. Also, let them know what you think of a system that would charge a small on-farm processing operation the same fee as facilities operated by the largest food companies in the world! Following are links where you can find contact info for members of the House of Representatives:

Find your Rep:

Phone listing:


This has already been a long slog, and if this bill passes we’ll now have to begin working with the Senate, and then a likely Conference Committee, to make further improvements. As usual, we are greatly outnumbered and outsized ($$) by groups that would rather see sustainable farmers pay the price of food system sins that have originated elsewhere. But we’ve been here before, and prevailed. A few minutes of your time today or early tomorrow could make sure that common sense wins out again!

Thanks for your care and attention to this important matter.

Brian Snyder
Executive Director, PASA
brian@pasafarming.org

Lemon Cucumbers

My lemon cucumbers got a lot of attention at last friday's farmers market and Buy Fresh, Buy Local festival. Hopefully after tasting these sweet pretty little cukes folks will be back for more. Leslie from CCDWell and I had the same inspiration--a great recipe from 101 Cookbooks. My suggestion however, would be to replace the tofu with Highland Farm's incredible french feta--similar consistancy but a saltier flavor.

Bean and Cucumber Primer

I realize that not all of you are familar with the varieties of beans and cucumbers that I grow.

Slicing--the fatter green smooth skinned cucumber

Suyo Long-Asian Cucumber--long skinny and a bit "thorny"--these have nice crisp texture, much like english cucumber--they go limp if not refrigerated.

Lemon Cucumber-Round yellow cucumber, very sweet never bitter

Poona Kheera Indian Cucumber--sweet and bitter free with an almost melon-like texture. The plants start out white and mature to a russet brown color.

Not pictured I also grow miniature white and northern pickling cucumbers.

One warning with cucumbers, every once and a while you will get a really bitter one--bitterness usually starts where the cucumber is attached to the vine--if this ever happens, just let me know and I will give you an extra next pick up.

Dragon's Tongue Wax beans--pale yellow-white and purple. Unfortunately the purple disappears when they are cooked. Crisp and refreshing these beans are great raw. They do not however store or freeze well, best eaten quickly after harvest.

Provider Green Bean-round, delicious almost floral tasting great all purpose green bean.

Roma Italian Bean-flat, tender with nice flavor. These beans are delicious cooked with butter and/or olive oil. These beans also freeze very well.

Not pictured the tender crisp tiny haricot vert. Best barely cooked. These do not store or freeze as well as the provider or roma bean.

This Week's Share-Purple Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes

Yes that's right, your share will include cosmic purple carrots--a beautiful addition to any veggie platter. This week's share will also include fingerling potatoes for the first time this year. For more info on the flavorful fingerling click here. You can choose either russian banana or rose finn apple, or if you are looking for a larger "regular" potato purple majesty and dark red norland will also be available. You could go all purple this week--with the carrots, purple peppers, dragon's tongue wax beans, and purple majesty potatoes.

With cooler weather once again, this week's share also lends itself to a delicious meal of roast chicken, potatoes, green beans, and a green or cucumber salad--what could be better than a totally farm fresh meal. Enjoy!

This Week's Share includes:
Beans--dragon's tongue wax beans, roma, provider green, and haricot vert
Little bit of lettuce mix
Potatoes--fingerlings (rose finn apple and russian banana)or new (purple majesty or dark red norland)
Summer Squash
Sweet Green Peppers (purple, white, and green--all in green phase)
Cucumbers-Asian, Indian, Lemon, and Green Slicing
Carrots
Herbs

Antibiotics and Farm Animals

As some of you may or may not know antibiotics are routinely used in conventional meat production as a growth stimulant. This Tuesday the Academy of Natural Sciences is hosting a panel discussion on this issue and its potential impact on human health. Lucky for us, our area is abundant in sources of hormone and antibiotic free meats--including our own Inverbrook chicken. I will soon be letting you know about ordering Dr. Elkins Angusburger and then there is the delicious Country Meadows Farm meats at the Kennett Farmers Market. The Lapp brothers have been bringing all kinds of delicious meats including lamb, bacon, sausage in addition to the famous barbequed chickens--their meat are all raised on pasture. And if you want to go gourmet, don't forget about the amazing cured meat selection at Talula's Table--with many of the meats sourced locally. Finally if you are looking to avoid hormones and antibiotics in your dairy products make sure you check out Natural by Nature in Avondale. We are indeed a lucky group of eaters to have such a range of healthy meats, dairy,and vegetables all grown/raised on the farms around us.


Special Town Square--Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Health Care, Food Safety and Antibiotics:
Why some methods of raising food animals are putting human health at risk.

Reception: 6:00pm
Forum: 6:30-8:30pm

Join us as a panel of experts examines the routine use of antibiotics on industrial farms as a tool to increase meat production. Learn how this widespread practice impacts human health, food safety and the environment. Panelists will include:

-Shelley A. Hearne, Dr. P.H., Managing Director, Pew Health Group

-Thomas Fekete, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Section Chief of Infectious Diseases, Temple University School of Medicine

-Robert P. Martin, Senior Officer, Pew Environment Group (former Executive Director of the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production)

-Brian Snyder, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture


David Velinsky, Ph.D., Vice President of the Academy of Natural Sciences and Director of the Patrick Center for Environmental Research, will moderate the discussion. There will be an opportunity for audience members to pose questions throughout the program. For more information on this issue, visit saveantibiotics.org


The Academy of Natural Sciences, Auditorium
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA

Free and open to the public.

Made possible by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Academy of Natural Sciences Center for Environmental Policy through the generous donations of the William Penn Foundation and the Environmental Associates of the Academy.

RSVP Required

Buy Fresh, Buy Local Festival at the Market

In addition to all the great vendors that are normally at the Kennett Square Farmers Market, this week we will be celebrating all things farm fresh and local with a cooking demonstration from Cooking For Real, local sausage tasting and recipe ideas from Talulas Table, and all kinds of information about our local sustainable agriculture community from the good folks at PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) all set to some great philly local music. Hope to see you out today.

More Recipes--Lettuce, Beets and Beet Greens

I really appreciate recipe sharing. Although I love searching my cookbooks and the internet for new and exciting ways to use the produce in the Inverbrook Farm share, sometimes farm duties keep me from do this a timely matter. So a big thank you to Nikki and Matt for your ideas and suggestions.

Tonight I cooked up my beet greens, and they came out so well, I wantedto share the recipe. It's adapted from a recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, 1000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra. I cut up all the greens and stems that were attached to my full share of baby beets, and it was exactly the right amount for
this recipe. The pungent Indian spices accentuated the delicate sweetness of the greens, and it was the perfect side dish to a plate of chicken curry with rice. It made enough to serve 4 people as a side.

2 to 3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, diced
1 tbsp peeled minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
4 to 5 cups finely chopped beet greens, including stems
1 cup chicken broth or water

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add
cumin seeds. Cook for 1 minute. Add onions and cook until golden. Add
ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute
2. Add coriander, ground cumin, and salt. Stir for 1 minute then
mix in greens, stems, and chicken broth or water. Cover and cook over
medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Uncover and raise heat to medium high, cook to reduce remaining
liquid, until greens are very soft (5-7 minutes.) Serves 4 as a side
dish.


A Salad With No Name:

I love the challenge of whipping together something tasty when presented with an odd array of ingredients. This is one of the many reasons I so enjoy being a member of our local CSA, Inverbrook Farm. In the face of an approaching weekend get-away, this week I am attempting to empty the fridge of all manner of food that could go bad. Last night, I was presented with the following for inspiration:
a mixed bag of lettuce, some baby beets, a container of feta, and a few stalks of mint.
Hmmmm...
Here's what I came up with (incidentally, it was very well-received):

1 bag Inverbrook lettuce mix

8 Inverbrook baby beets

Handful of sunflower seeds (I toasted raw sunflower seeds in a medium-hot skillet for a few minutes)

1 container of Highland Farm's feta (The best feta on earth, in my humble opinion. :-) See the attached photo my daughter, Azia, took of Martha's cheese all stacked up in Claire's distribution shed fridge over at Inverbrook Farm. Yum! )

2 small apples (I used jazz apples... super crunchy)

Mint Vinaigrette:

Handful of mint, finely chopped (Don't be shy with the mint! This is the magic behind this recipe)
1/4-1/3 C (give or take) good quality, cold-pressed olive oil
2-3 Tbs unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp (more or less... to taste) sugar or agave
Sea salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste

1. Boil the beets until firm tender. Drain. Once they have cooled, slide the peels right off and chop into bite-sized chunks.
2. While the beets are boiling mix together the vinaigrette. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Allow to sit for a good 20-30 minutes (or longer) to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Drain and crumble the feta (leave some bigger chunks too).
4. Core and chop the apples, leaving the skin intact.
4. Toss the greens with the apples, sunflowers seeds, and dressing. Top with the feta and the beets and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe Contest

The Kennett Square Farmers Market is holding a recipe contest in conjunction with Friday's Buy Fresh, Buy Local festival. Speaking of recipes check out one of their first submissions.

This Week's Share--Beans (and Garlic) for Bastille Day

Happy Bastille Day! With this picture perfect weather I suggest a french picnic to celebrate the occassion--complete with roast chicken--the french afterall were the first picnic experts.
If eating outside is not your favorite perhaps a Salad Nicoise or Pistou Green Beans would be a better way to celebrate France's version of Independence Day.


This week's share:
Small Bags of Lettuce Mix (starting to have the summer bitter bite)
Beans--Wax, Roma, Green, and Haricot Vert
New Potatoes
Summer Squash
Cucumbers--Asian, Indian, Lemon, and green Slicing
Beets
Basil
Garlic

Feed-Ability Guide Launch Party

After over a year of wonderful collaboration and hard work its time to celebrate a project near and dear to my heart--Chester County's version of a local food guide. Green Drinks, Buy Fresh Buy Local, CC Cuisine and Nightlife, and the Ag Development Council are combining efforts to celebrate the launch of the brand new local food guide--the Chester County Feedability Guide. For more information about this collaboration click here to read an article that appeared in the Daily Local.

Date: Thursday, July 9, 2009
Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Location: Victory Brewing Company
City/Town: Downingtown, PA

VIP Happy Hour and Buy Fresh Buy Local Launch Party

Celebrate all the goodness that Chester County has to offer at a Victory Brewery Happy Hour!

Chester County is celebrating the launch of their new feedability guide to take the guess work out of where to find local food, producers, markets and farms.

CC Cuisine and Nightlife is happy to join in the celebrations with a co-event at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown.

Prizes, giveaways, networking and socializing. FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS!!

This Week's Share--Last of the Butterhead Lettuce

This week's share includes:

Lettuce Mix
Butterhead Lettuce heads (more like stalks)
Green/Wax Beans
Carrots
Baby Kohlrabi
Summer Squash
Peppers
Herbs

If the heads of delicate butterhead lettuce have been filling up your refrigerator purhaps this recipe for asian lettuce wraps will interest you. This type of lettuce is also very nice as a bed for grilled salmon.

Speaking of grilling, the 4th of July always reminds me of the joys of grilling outdoors--vegetables included--a perfect solution for summer squash and peppers. While searching the web for recipes--I found an entire website dedicated to grilling vegetables--who knew!

I will be updating soon with more recipes and news about the upcoming Buy Fresh, Buy Local Festival at the Kennett Square Farmers Market.

Celebrate the 3rd of July at the Market

Perhaps you are lucky enough to have today off, if so I suggest strolling on over to the Kennett Farmers Market today from 2-6PM to get everything you need for a perfect 4th of July weekend. The market will be packed with first Friday vendors along with the regulars (myself included). See below for a complete listing of market vendors.

Big Sky Bread Co.
Location: Wilmington, DE
Products: Artisan Breads and Pastries
At Big Sky, they make bread the old-fashioned way. The way it used to be made. The way it’s supposed to be made. They use only the very best, all natural ingredients and never cut any corners. Everything’s just pure and simple. The most important ingredient in good bread is the flour. They stone grind the whole wheat flour in the bakery every morning from rich, organically grown, Montana wheat. Big Sky hopes you enjoy their baked goods as much as they enjoy baking them for you.

Castelli Plants
Location: Nottingham, PA
Products: Potted Plants
Nick Castelli starts all the plants he brings to market in his own greenhouse, to assure quality and consistency. He offers a wide variety of succulents, native plants, flowers, and grasses. Nick is a valuable asset to the Kennett Square market, and is always willing to share growing tips and ideas with inquiring minds.

Country Meadows Farm
Location: Quarryville, PA
Products: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, BBQ and Eggs
At Country Meadows Farm, the Lapp families work tirelessly to bring our community farm fresh meats without the use of antibiotics or hormone supplements. All of the animals have daily access to fresh grass, sunlight and ethical care. The broilers are a Cornish cross breed; the laying hens are both Rhode Island Red and Black Sexlink breeds; the beef comes from Black Angus cattle; and the lamb comes from the Katahdin sheep breed. All animals are butchered at the Lapp’s family butcher shop.

Countryside Bakery
Location:Nottingham, PA
Products:Baked Goods, Canned Goods, Cheese, and Berries
Countryside Bakery brings you the very best in baked goods from their own bakery. In addition to providing a wide variety of breads and delicious pies they also grow a mouth watering variety of berries. Countryside Bakery uses little to no chemical products on their farmed produce. Samuel also enjoys constructing homes for birds from dried gourds.

Shady Grove Greenhouses
Location: Nottingham, PA
Products: Hanging plants and potted ornamentals
Shady Grove Greenhouses comes to you with a variety of locally grown potted plants and flowers for you to choose from! Come see what will look best in your home and garden.

Elkdale Farm
Location:Lincoln University, PA
Products:Produce, Berries, Eggs, and Herbs
Elkdale Farm provides a wide array of produce for your buying needs. They also have a large selection of fresh herbs that can add wonderful flavor to your meals for you and your family.

Ellen April Soaps
Location:Downingtown, PA
Products:Handcrafted Soaps and Self Care Products
Ellen began crafting her soaps and self care products as a hobby, right out of her own kitchen! How fitting that you will only find her products at farmers’ markets– a deliberate move on her part, in order to maintain the intimacy with her customers that only a farmers market can allow. Over the years, she has been perfecting her craft, and now has her own workshop, to enable her to bring to market such unique products as the ever soothing Northwoods soap, or the invigorating and refreshing Lavender Mint soap. Ellen fills the market space with aromatic splendor, to awaken the senses and brighten your day. Ellen is continuously adding to her display, and even carries something for your pets to enjoy!

Highland Farm Sheep Dairy
Location:Coatesville, PA
Products:Sheep Dairy Products, Fresh and Aged
Martha does it all, and still manages to grace us with her glowing presence each and every week at market! Martha is a pioneer cheese maker and dairy farmer, specializing in artisan sheep’s milk products, fresh to aged. Come check out what Martha has to offer this week, from her fresh Brebis with Herbes de Provence (fabulous as the final ingredient on a frittata, or spread onto a fresh baguette), heavenly feta (dynamite with watermelon and mint in a salad), classic Spanish-style Manchego, to her aged-to-perfection Romano (deliciously granular) and simply divine, peasant style Tomme. Martha always has abundant samples to share, so get ready to let these lactic wonders dance on your tongue, and send you off with something new each week!

Inverbrook Farm
Location:West Grove, PA
Products:Specialty Vegetables
Inverbrook Farm is a sustainable family farm with a commitment to environmental stewardship, strengthening the community, and an enjoyable livelihood. Their goal is to produce delicious healthy food in a humane and ecologically sustainable manner. Although Inverbrook Farm is not certified organic, they grow our vegetables without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. For more information about the farm see inverbrook.com.

Jack’s Gourmet Jellies and Jams
Location:Landenberg, PA
Products:Homemade Jellies and Jams
Jack bottles a bit of his unique nature into each jar he brings to market, and is always eager to have you try something new. From his Champagne Strawberry Preserves, to his “Fire in the Hole” jalapeno jelly, Jack comes to market each week with a growing variety of preserves and jellies. Our favorite is the all fruit apricot preserve, packed with 100% fruit, and no added processed sugar. Let it speak for itself!

Roots
Location: Carlisle, PA
Products: Cut flowers, twig wreaths, dried flowers, berries
Roots is a cut flower farm located in Carlisle, PA. They offer sustainably grown fresh cut flowers from June – October. Other products include twig wreaths, dried flowers, and evergreen Christmas wreaths. Flowers are retailed at the Kennett Square Farmers market and the Carlisle Farmers Market and wholesaled to local florists and supermarkets. Roots was started in 2007 when Michelle Elston moved to Carlisle to be near family. Previously, Michelle was growing flowers and operating a garden center in Amherst, MA. Michelle’s husband, Mike, and kids, Lucy and Jake, also help out when they are not landscaping or having snacks.

Agronix
Location: Chadds Ford, PA
Products: Small Scale Non-Certified Organic Vegetables

God's Country Creamery
Location: Ulysses, PA
Products: Raw Cow's Milk Cheese

K-9 Kraving
Location: Baltimore, MD
Products: Sustainable meat dog treats, such as Bison and Beef Bones, Sweet Potatoes, Liver Logs, Cheese Logs, Wolverines, Turkey, Duck and Buffalo Breasts, Beef tendons, Beef Trachea, Bully Stick, Steer Sticks, Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Beef Gizzards, and much more!

Guinea Hen Gardens
Location: West Grove, PA
Products: Fresh and dried herbs
Guinea Hen Gardens is a small family farm that is bursting out onto the Farmers’ Market scene with enthusiasm and ingenuity. They will be offering fresh and dried herbs to delight and accompany your fresh, local fare, as well as sharing new recipes to highlight specific herbs.

Great Harvest Bread Co.
Location: Kennett Square, PA
Products: Breads and Pastries

Special First Friday Vendors:

Betty’s Tasty Buttons Location: Philadelphia,PA Products: Artisan fudge and confections from recipes handed down from generations, featuring local and fair trade ingredients.
“Betty’s Tasty Buttons originated from my grandmother Betty’s creamy fudge recipe. Summers at Harvey’s Lake were spent in part in Betty’s kitchen and the other part in her garden. Watching the pot of hot fresh fudge pour out onto the tray was impossibly exciting. The minutes were more like hours as we had to wait for the fudge to cool. The garden was the best way to distract us. Honeysuckles, roses and herbs grew in her gardens outside. By the evening the fudge had cooled and we were ready to devour it. Betty cut it into small pieces so we could store some of it in tins, but really it was just a way for all of us to pace ourselves. Over the years my grandmother gave many tins of the fudge to coworkers and friends. To this day people ask about her fudge. My memories are of how my grandmother Betty was always as excited as I was to dig into that sweet fudge. We hope to give you memories as lovely.”

Butterfly Hill Alpaca Farm Location: Lincoln University,PA Products: Alpaca yarn, fiber, felted soaps, purses and knitted and woven products, such as scarves and shawls.
Butterfly Hill is a small family operation, committed to a sustainable and humane lifestyle for their alpacas, who in turn provide the fibers for all their beautiful crafts.

Fat Spike Lavender Location: Kennett Square, PA
Products: Handcrafted lavender products, in the way of sachets, spa pillows, eye pillows, spa wraps, dog bed inserts and massage gloves.

Happy Cat Organic
Location: Centreville, DE
Products: Heirloom Vegetables, Seeds and Vegetable Plant Starts
Tim and Amy specialize in unique, heirloom varieties of vegetables, in seed and plant start form, that arrive to you directly from their Pennsylvania German and Norwegian heritage, with a splash of ingenuity. Check out “Tim’s Black Ruffles,” one of their tasty heirloom creations.
Sunny Girl Farm Vegetables
Location: Kennett Square, PA
Products: Vegetables and cut flowers
Sunny Girl Farm is a 14 acre pesticide free, naturally grown vegetable farm located in Kennett Square, PA. They grow farm fresh produce and help to provide simple, fresh ingredients for local restaurant chefs, farmer’s markets and healthy minded individuals and families. Some items they grow are arugula and other varieties, beans, tomatoes, beets, peppers, pumpkins and more!

Special Guest Vendor:
Amazing Acres Goat Dairy
Location: Elverson, PA
Products: Variety of Flavored Fresh Chevre