Newsletter for Friday March 18, 2016

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 every other Friday Winter Market schedule from 3:30 - 6:30:  Please see Previously Announced section for dates of the Winter Market.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"The time may soon be here when your doctor's prescription for what ails you might well be a trip to the farmers' market instead of a call to your local pharmacy."  

Mary Silva, Science Journalist  

If the above quote resonates with you, you are in good company because more and more people are waking up to what Hippocrates said centuries ago, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food."  Are we finally getting (back to) the point where we realize that it's best to Eat Well as a way to good health?  I'm hopeful that this is the case.  

If the steady increase in the number of new customers coming to our market each week is a sign of renewed interest in Eating Well for health, then I'd say we are on the right track.  This is even more the case when so many of these new customers, and our long-time customers, are so appreciative of the high standards for quality at our market; all produce is grown using no synthetic chemicals, beef if 100% grass-fed, hence no gmo, pork is pastured and fed no gmo, chicken and eggs are pastured and fed no gmo and no soy.  I'm thrilled with our producers' gold standard production methods!  Yes, only the best for our customers!   

NOTICES

• The date for the showing  of GMO OMG has been changed.  Please see details in the Previously Announced section.
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• Thanks to all our loyal customers who so warmly welcomed our newest vendor, The Pickled Pig.  They sold out of almost all the fermented veggies and fermented beverage items they brought; therefore, it's a very good idea to pre-order.  More details are in the Previously Announced section. 

RECENTLY ADDED
Organic Flours  
Beginning this week, Honey Tree Acres will be selling locally grown organic flours.

 This is part of our market's collaboration model, partnering with other local producers to expand the types of offerings, thus providing a wider array of products to our customers.  As I've said before, your trips to the grocery store can become fewer/less frequent as you take advantage of the growing number of quality items at our market; and, they're fresher and more nutritious.  Following  is information  from Honey Tree Acres about the new products.

We have partnered with Morning Sun Farm (Dale Filburn Family) to begin offering 3 varieties of organic flours raised and produced by Dale Filburn on his farm in West Alexandria, Oho.  We have personally replaced white flour with the heirloom grain spelt flours from Morning Sun Farms. We use these flours in pancakes, muffins, corn bread, pizza dough and anything else requiring flour.

Spelt is an ancient or heirloom grain that has higher protein, fiber and nutrients as well as less carbohydrates and gluten than wheat.  These flours are not bleached or enriched (have not be artificially fortified).  The following link provides more information on the benefits of spelt: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/cereal/spelt.html

We will be providing baked good samples using the spelt for you to try at the market.

We will be offering these flours primarily on a pre-order basis [see pre-order details in Previously Announced section] with a limited amount available on a first come, first serve basis.  

The varieties available are:

Golden White Spelt
Whole Grain Spelt
Turkey Red Wheat

IMPORTANT HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN 

You are invited to attend these two community events, free and open to the public.

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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 March 18, April 1, 15, and 29.  

All vendors will be at market on the above dates except Mahlon, who will next be at market with his pastured pork on April 1. 

Other pertinent information:  We will continue with our very successful pre-order program (more details below).  Although we expect to have produce throughout the Winter Market, there will be brief periods where the supply is a bit limited.  Our vendors will be adding new items throughout the winter, so stay tuned for all the yummy updates.

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IMPORTANT HAPPENING AROUND TOWN 

Film Screening: 'GMO OMG: Is this the end of Real Food??'
DATE CHANGED  Date: Tuesday, March 29 - 6:30 to 8:45 PM
Location: Niehoff Urban Studio, 2728 Vine St. (Entrance is on "Short Vine" at East Daniels St.)

There will be time after film for a short discussion. Petitions on-site for GE/GMO labeling.
Film Description: "GMO OMG is a timely, informative, entertaining, and ultimately insightful documentary about the question that's a growing concern to citizens around the world: Who controls the future of our food?"
Details: Doors open: 6:30 pm. Film starts 6:45 pm (sharp). Please arrive early to mingle and get seated for the film. Group discussion will be held after the screening. Parking is available in nearby parking garages and on-street.
* Tea and refreshments will be served. All ages welcome. Wheel-chair accessible facility.
Event is open to the public. Suggested donation $5. All donations go into the SouthWest Chapter treasury to support future events.  For further information email swoeffa@gmail.com

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IT'S CSA TIME  
Yes, it's time to sign up for the Honey Tree Acres CSA.  There is a limited number  of spaces available in the CSA. For more info or to sign up http://www.honeytreeacres.com/#!csa/cewk You may also obtain further information by stopping by their booth at market.  To learn more about their farm, their philosophy, and their growing practices, please read their story below.  


Honey Tree Acres is a small, family owned and operated farm located 3 miles north of St. Leon, Indiana.  Our farm has gone thru many transformations over the last 40 years – beef cattle, hogs, a dairy, corn and soybeans, etc.  In 2010, our Dad decided to pursue his dream of implementing a different farming model that would support our families and our community through responsible farming practices.  While our Dad didn’t live to see his dream fulfilled, we have continued to carry on his legacy by making his dream, and ours, come true. 

We believe being a sustainable farm requires going “Back to the Future” - learning from the past to be successful in the future.  Honey Tree Acres has no desire to compete with the large, mega-farmers.  Like our family’s ancestral farmers, we feel that small, family owned farms can still be economically viable and successful today by partnering with the community to provide fresh, nutritious produce without the use of modern day synthetic and/or chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides.  We want to be a trusted partner with our community and consumers through openness, honesty and integrity.  Developing relationships built on a foundation of trust is critical to our success and a cornerstone of our vision. 

While we are not yet certified organic, we follow organic practices to ensure that our produce is nutritious and healthy.  We use only non-GMO seeds for our produce and raise soy-free, non-GMO eggs and poultry.

We also believe that, much like the foundation of a house is critical to the longevity and stability of a home, the soil is the foundation of the farm – it all starts in the soil.  We continue to expand our comprehensive soil management program using cover crops, composting and mulching to ensure that our crops reap the benefits of a well-balanced eco-system.  We use soil testing to track our progress and make necessary adjustments prior to growing the produce.

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NEWS, NEWS, NEWS  
Please welcome our newest vendor, "The Pickled Pig."  Come sample Chef Gary Leybman's nutrient dense fermented veggies and fermented beverages and then take home your favorites.  His offerings change from week to week so you can explore news ones each week.

I'm so glad to add the quality products from The Pickled Pig to our market lineup.  This helps in the continuing efforts to round out the variety of items available to our customers.  If you would like to get a sneak peak at all their products, check out their website  http://smokedandpickled.com/   And if you're on Facebook, please "like" them  https://www.facebook.com/smokedandpickled/ 

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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.  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