Fresh Picks

June 16, 2016 | Visit the Farmers Market online at LansdowneFarmersMarket.com | Subscribe to Fresh Picks


MARKET NEWS for this Saturday, June 18

Early Risers and More Variety

If there's one bit of advice we regularly give LFM shoppers, it's that those who come early get the best stuff. Last week was no exception. The first-of-the-season sweet cherries on offer at the Fruitwood Farms table were all snapped up by 11 o'clock. John Wilson was out of his Curiously Good soups, beer cheeses, and pots de crème well before closing. FBG's 80 containers of salsa were all gone by 11:30. Big Sky Bread, whose crates of bread overflow at 9 am, dwindled to near nothing by 12:30. At vendor after vendor, the tables looked progressively empty and forlorn as the day wore on.

Luckily, this Saturday is another chance for you to get there early. Plus, the selection will be expanding with the addition of another weekly produce vendor. Frecon Farms will return for the first time this season, bringing their delicious baked goods, amazing hard ciders, and boxes and boxes of cherries, blueberries, and more. Agricultural drama reached an LFM high this spring when a late frost threatened the tree fruit crop (peaches, cherries, apricots, etc) in April. Steve Frecon and his team worked through the night repeatedly, setting out fire pots to stave off the damage. They succeeded in saving much of the crop, including the sweet cherries, and now this year's harvest feels a little more precious than usual. We suggest roasted cherry vanilla ice cream or sweet cherry pie to celebrate.


Dairy on First and Third

We've worked hard to find dairy and meat purveyors so your Saturday shopping can be extra easy, with fewer places to visit to find your staples as well as your treats. Starting this week (and on first and third Saturdays from here on out), South Mountain Creamery, will be bringing all-natural eggs, milk, butter, soft and hard cheeses, beef, and pork from their Frederick County, Maryland, farm. The 35-year-old operation uses no growth hormones, gives the animals plenty of room to roam and enjoy the fresh air, lets them choose between grazing and a healthy mix of non-GMO feed that they grow themselves, and more. Their cows even get brushings to massage their muscles, clean their skin, and stimulate blood flow, and live in comfy barns with country music playing in the background. Sounds like they are very happy cows. Be sure to test SMC's delicious yogurt smoothies (we really enjoyed the milkshake-thick blueberry variety!) and pick up your dairy or meat supply for the week.

Lest you fear we give you only one dairy option, think again! The 85-acre Creative Shepherd Farm may be located in upstate New York, but its heart is in Lansdowne, where founder Sebastian Interlandi once was a Penn Wood High School science teacher and where, in addition to the Market, he still has many ties to our town. On the first and third Saturdays of the month, he makes the trek south to bring you a variety of farm products, including eggs from free-range hens, butter, hard and soft cheeses, yogurt, fruit preserves, organic heirloom herbs and vegetables, sauces, and even wool, for those who love to knit or crochet. The selection changes each time, so it's always interesting to see what's filling the CSF tables.


Well-Scheduled

Weekly: Big Sky Bread, Bonnie's Wondergardens, Frecon Farms, Freeland Market LLC, Fruitwood Farms, Green Zebra Farms, Kia's Cakes, MyHouse Cookies, and Wilsons Curiously Good Foods. Biweekly: Creative Shepherd Farm, Mediterra, Mitchell & Mitchell Wines, MoJo's Pop Co., South Mountain Creamery, Taste of Puebla, and Vera Pasta. Soap: Spotted Hill Farm.

Please note that Bonnie's Wondergardens will again be taking off in July and August, during the hottest part of the season, so if you want to buy perennials, annuals, herbs, and veggie starters when you do your LFM shopping, be sure to come by in the next couple of weeks. If you miss those weeks, you can visit her shop on Scottdale Road.

Our other weekly produce vendor, Poniton Farm, is still awaiting its first harvest so please stay tuned!

Over the next few weeks, be sure to drop by the red, white, and blue-bedecked table next to the music tent to purchase your tickets for the Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza held each year after sunset at the Penn Wood High School memorial field. The daylong Independence Day celebration, which includes a fabulous small-town parade, is organized by the hardworking team of volunteers from the Union Athletic Association of Lansdowne. Pick up tickets or make a donation to help continue this excellent tradition!


Housekeeping

Love the LFM and want to help? We can always use more volunteers to set up and break down the Market. Just show up at 7:45 am or 12:45 pm in the parking lot and we'll be glad to give you something to do.

Each week, we offer savvy newsletter readers a very easy challenge to earn a Market Buck, those wooden discs imprinted with $1 and good for purchasing from any LFM vendor. Last week, one sweet and observant soul who doesn't yet receive the newsletter (quelle horreur!) asked how to earn one. Yeah, we're suckers so we told her last week's question and thus she earned a reward. This week, we're asking you, our loyal readers, to encourage a friend, neighbor, or relative to sign up for the newsletter, either by filling out our online form or by coming to the Market Manager's tent and filling out the paper form. Just come by the tent and tell us that you've recruited someone, swearing on your scout's honor, and we'll give you a buck.


SPONSORED LISTINGS

Bob's Store inside Star Bazaar
26 North Lansdowne Avenue
Now on sale: Father's Day gifts and sports items
610-299-9190

Want to advertise in this space? Learn more.


Community, Food & Art: A Well-Balanced Day

Mark your calendar because next Saturday, June 25, is going to be a hopping day in old Lansdowne.

To start, we'll be celebrating the FIRST all-day Community Day celebration, lasting from 9 am to 8 pm. During Market hours (9 am to 1 pm), we celebrate all things local by opening spaces to area businesses, organizations, and nonprofits so you can learn about who they are and what they do. If you're committed to supporting area businesses and getting involved in community activities, this is a great way to learn how. Plus, it's always fun, with plenty of giveaways for the kiddos and adults alike. (Community Day applications are now closed, but you'll have another chance to apply for the next Community Days on August 27 and October 29. Watch the newsletter for an announcement about a month before those events.)

But wait -- there's more! If you hang around our 'Downe town until 2 pm through 8 pm, we're bringing back the popular Food Truck Festival that made al fresco dining simply spectacular following the May Lansdowne Arts and Craft Show. More details to follow in the days closer to the event.

Not enough yet? Well, check out the latest 20*20 House exhibit, Beyond Cold Polished Stones, from noon until 4, followed by an opening reception from 6 to 8 pm. The show, presented by the Lansdowne Arts Board, features work by Lansdowne-connected artists and is curated by Lansdowne native Anthony Campuzano (aka TC), whose work is in the Philadelphia Museum of Art's permanent collection. (The 20*20 House is located at 20 Lansdowne Court, right behind the Twentieth Century Club.)

More events are listed at the Lansdowne Community Day webpage.

FEATURED THIS WEEK

Artist of the Week

Maura Ciccarelli of Perizad Designs makes whimsical silver and copper pendants, earrings, and other jewelry that incorporates gemstones and crystals as well as vintage and found objects. Color, texture, and experimentation are hallmarks of her designs.

Musician of the Week

It's a twofer in the Musician tent this week, opening with accomplished guitarist and bass player Bob Fournier of Bohemian Diaspora and followed by Bob Morris, who plays traditional music on autoharp.

Business survey - win a $50 gift card

ADVERTISE

UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

David Falcone and Ari Eisinger concert
Presented by Lansdowne Folk Club
Sunday, June 19, 5:00 pm, free
(Note updated starting time)
First Presbyterian Church lawn

Beyond Cold Polished Stones art exhibit opening reception
Saturday, June 25, 6:00 - 8:00 pm; free
20*20 House
20 Lansdowne Court

Rhyme, Rhythm and Reason Poetry Series
Companions on a Journey: poetry by Bill Van Buskirk, music by Last Chance
Open mic session to follow
Sunday, June 26, 2:00 pm, free
Regency Cafe, 29 N. Lansdowne Avenue

Do you have an event to announce?
Send your upcoming events to events@lansdownesfuture.org to have them included in this space!

Read our announcement and advertising policies.

View the complete listing of local events.

market photos
Here's more market photos from John Kelly Green Photography

facebook

Lansdowne Farmers Market

Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation

MAP

The Lansdowne Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in the parking lot next to 28 North Lansdowne Avenue, rain or shine.

Visit our sister market, the Oakmont Farmers Market, Wednesday afternoons in Havertown for more local produce, bread, meat, and other products.

Newsletter Sponsor

RCN

Mercy Fitzgerald Calendar

AmazonSmile