Newsletter for Friday December 4, 2015

Lettuce Eat Well Farmers' Market is held year-round at Cheviot United Methodist Church 3820 Westwood Northern Blvd. 45211.  The market is usually held in the church's Werner Lounge.  Follow the sign that says OFFICES and we will be right inside that entrance.  Please note that this location could vary depending on other activities taking place at the church.  Follow the happy voices and you'll find us.  

We are now on our Winter Market schedule:  Fridays 3:30 - 6:30 P.M.  Please see Previously Announced section for dates of the Winter Market.



THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHT
Honey Tree Acres
At this time of year, many people celebrate various traditions that have meaning for their
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family.  Here at LEWFM, one tradition that many of our customers celebrate is the return of the prized and infamous Christmas Crunch candy (pictured in the little boxes).  Christmas Crunch, now made by Auntie Patty a member of the Honey Tree Acres crew, is a long-time favorite of their family.  Auntie Patty offers some background regarding how she came upon the secret recipe for Christmas Crunch:

The Christmas Crunch recipe came from my husband's late Aunt Laeotis, who lived in Johnstown, Pa, and ran a sweet shop called "Sis's Corner."  Aunt Laeotis made all of the cookies, cakes, pies and candies in the kitchen of her sweet shop.  Besides her Christmas Crunch she made all varieties of chocolates including solid Santas, reindeer, trees, bunnies and 3 dimensional Easter baskets.  Her molds were very collectable and sold to serious collectors at the auction of her things upon her death.  Her peanut butter meltaway chocolate covered eggs put Reeses to shame.  When I became a member of the family in 1981, Aunt Laeotis gave me the Christmas Crunch recipe with the solemn promise it would always be a secret. 
While the recipe remains a secret, the deliciousness of the Christmas Crunch is no secret at all.  You can discover this for yourself when you stop by the Honey Tree Acres booth this week.  And, the picture above shows only a small sampling of the items you can purchase from them.  They continue to have a plethora of produce, and a beautiful selection of handcrafted holiday decorations.

Jenny of Angela's Homemade Pies & More is also in the holiday mood.  Jenny will be offering special holiday baked goods each week.  This week she will have chocolate fruitcake.  Oh, making-my-mouth-water yummy!  "Kids" of all ages tend to crowd Jenny's booth to snatch up her latest delights.  Of course she will also have all of your every week favorites: jams, energy bars, locally made cheeses, etc.  Pre-ordering from Jenny, and all the vendors, is always a good idea.  For more details about pre-ordering, see the Previously Announced section.    


PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

Some of you are long-time readers of the newsletter; others are new to the market and are reading the newsletter for the first time.  This section is included each week to bring your attention to important happenings around the market and around town. 

WINTER MARKET DATES AND INFO
The remaining dates for the Winter Market are December 4, 11, 18. January 8 and 22, February 5 and 19, March 4 and 18, April 1, 15, and 29.  

All vendors will be at market on the above dates except Mahlon.  Mahlon and his pastured pork will be at market on the following dates:  Dec. 18, Jan. 8, Feb. 5, March 4, April 1. 

Other pertinent information:  We will continue with our very successful pre-order program (more details below).  A plethora of produce is expected throughout the Winter Market thanks to our farmers who make use of their greenhouses.  Our vendors will be adding new items throughout the winter, so stay tuned for all the yummy updates.



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HELP KEEP THE  FAMILY FARM AS A FARM  
Please help us spread the word about a
A view of the Suhre Family Farm
family farm that will be offered for auction soon.  Marilyn Suhre Wilson, one of our customers, and her siblings will be selling part of their family's farm, located in nearby Brookville, Indiana, at auction on December 5.  It is crucial that we help them sell it to someone who will farm the land in a sustainable way.

It is imperative that we act swiftly to ensure this land goes to a person who will protect and preserve it, utilizing it in a way that will enhance, rather than destroy, environmental diversity and sustainability.  As Dan Barber, chef and author, says, "Our job isn't just to support the farmer; it's really to support the land that supports the farmer."  The American Farmland Trust, whose mission is to "protect farmland, promote sound farming practices, and keep farmers on the land," says that "over 50 acres of U.S. farm and ranch land are lost every hour.  We can't live without the land that grows our food.  We must act now." 

We each can act now to help keep the Suhre Family Farm as a farm.  Forward this information to all your contacts.  Post it on all your social media sites.  Someone you know knows someone who knows the person or people who want to farm the Suhre Family Farm in a sustainable way.  Imagine: this land could be part of the future of our market.  As the market grows we might need an additional farmer to provide quality food for us.  Or, imagine: the land could be turned into yet another housing development, resulting in the land's growing potential being lost forever.  We each can take part in helping determine the outcome.  

Detailed information about the farm and auction can be found on the Suhre Family Farm website  http://suhrefarm.com/      


You may also contact Marilyn Suhre Wilson at (513) 258-5478 or marilynwilson57@gmail.com


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At Small Acres Family Farm we are passionate about providing fresh, healthy, local,
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and all natural beef to you and your family. Our grass fed beef is hormone free, antibiotic free, and humanely raised. Our happy cattle are provided rotational grazing, which means they get fresh new grass to munch on every day.

Here are a few facts about why grass fed beef is better:
1. There are higher levels of Omega 3's, more vitamins A and E, and more antioxidants found in grass fed beef.
2. Grass fed beef is lower in saturated fats.
3. There is twice as much CLA in grass fed versus corn fed.
4. The quality of the animal's life is improved... The cattle spend their days in nice open fields instead of confined to a feed lot.
5. It's better for the environment! It takes less fossil fuel to produce a grass fed cow... All they need is fresh green grass!
Our family farm is a happy farm, and a happy farm = a healthy you:)
♥- Small Acres Family Farm




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Pre-ordering Pays Off
Have you ever arrived at market to purchase your favorite item/s from your favorite vendor/s only to be disappointed because the vendor/s sold out of the item/s?  Did you know that no longer has to happen?  At LEWFM you can pre-order your items and pick them up any time during regular market hours.  Pre-ordering not only pays off for you, it also helps the vendors know how much to prepare/harvest, which greatly reduces waste.  Pre-ordering is a real win-win for all, and it only takes a few minutes of your time to plan ahead and place your order.  Given the importance of Eating Well, getting into the habit of placing your pre-orders each week will likely become a high priority on your weekly To Do List. 

There are two easy ways you can place your pre-orders, in person at market or via email.  Here's how the email ordering works:  Email me at LEWFMLOCAL@GMAIL.COM and ask to be added to the vendor email pre-order list.  Each week you will receive an email from the vendors detailing the items they have available for you to order that week.  Reply to their email, letting them know the items you wish to order, then come to market on Friday to pick up your items. 

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  For a full listing of our vendors, their products, and services including:    
  • Kids & Krafts, where the kids can have loads of fun so you can leisurely shop the market
  • Many food and non-food items
  • and a list of vendors who accept credit cards
Check out our Vendors.

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Produce Perks
For those who noticed the logo at the bottom of the newsletter recently and wondered what it means, here is the good news about a new program.  Produce Perks is an incentive program that is meant to encourage and help those who receive EBT (formerly known as food stamps) purchase more produce.  Produce Perks is a dollar for dollar match (up to $10), with the matching dollars used on produce.  The Produce Perks website offers the following additional information:
“Produce Perks” is an initiative modeled after a similar program in Cuyahoga County.  It is administered by OSU Extension, Hamilton County as a partnership of OSU Extension, Hamilton County; the City of Cincinnati Health Department; and the City of Cincinnati Creating Healthy Communities initiative.  Focus is on access and affordability of healthy fruits and vegetables for under-served consumers. 
Produce Perks are incentive tokens given to customers at participating farmers’ markets who use an Ohio Direction Card (“electronic benefits transfer” or EBT card) to purchase food.  A customer wishing to use their food assistance benefits can swipe their card at one central terminal, located at participating market’s information booths, and ask to withdraw a desired amount. The market provides tokens for the transaction and additional Produce Perks that can be spent on fruits and vegetables.  As the name suggests, Produce Perks are only good for purchasing fruits and vegetables.  All other tokens purchased with the Ohio Direction Card are good to use on eligible items at the market.           
Please help us spread the word about this very worthwhile program.  One way to help get the word out is to stop by the market management booth to pick up brochures to share with those you know who receive EBT benefits.  You could also leave brochures at your church, doctor or dentist's office, or any locations that would permit you to do so. 


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Please share this newsletter with friends and family to help spread the word about LEWFM!

We hope to see you real soon at Lettuce Eat Well Farmers' Market!




Newsletter compiled by Mary A. Hutten, Market Manager

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