Newsletter for Friday, October 2, 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 Summer Market schedule:  Fridays 3:00 - 7:00 P.M.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHT

Produce-A-Plenty  
Thinking that produce is coming to an end for the season?  WRONG.  Actually, the produce is quite plentiful.  Not only do we still have some summer "hang ons" including tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, zucchini, green beans, etc., we also see the cool weather crops showing up again.  Isn't it exciting to come to market and see all the wonderful produce you can purchase for your week's menus?  

And, we expect produce to remain plentiful throughout most of the winter.  This is due to our farmers' use of high tunnels/green houses, which greatly extends the growing season.  During last winter's market we had veggies every week, with the exception of about three weeks in February.  We expect this winter's market will be the same.  No yucky store-bought canned veggies for our customers.   

NOTICES
Mahlon will be at market this Friday with his pastured pork.  For more details, please see the Previously Announced section of this newsletter.


RECENTLY ADDED
Jenny the Pie & Much More Lady will be bringing her beautiful Bittersweet decorations for your indoor and outdoor Autumn displays.  Linda also has lovely potted mums and she expects to have other Autumn decorations soon.  

IMPORTANT HAPPENING AROUND TOWN 

The next event of Local Loans for Local Foods: A Slow Money Group will be held on Sunday October 25 from 2:00-5:00 P.M. at the Peterloon Estate, 8605 Hopewell Rd., Cincinnati 45242.  The purpose of our events is to provide the venue to connect people who have capital available to lend with local food enterprises that have need for low-interest loans.  This direct lender to borrower connection helps keep our dollars local and supports the production and distribution of local, healthy food. 

Prospective Lenders:  Have you ever wondered about where your savings are being invested?  Would you prefer to support a local enterprise rather than mega-corporations with questionable business practices?  Or, are you simply curious about the idea of Slow Money?  If so, please join us at our next event where you can hear from and meet local folks who are working hard to bring us “good, clean, fair food” (Slow Food International).  Also, prospective borrowers are sometimes in need of land, or perhaps a certified kitchen, or other non-money type loans.  Please note that attending the event does not obligate you to lend; the event is informational only.  Your RSVP helps us to prepare adequately.  For more information or to RSVP, please visit our website at www.localloansforlocalfoods.org or call Mary at (513)481-1914.

Prospective Borrowers:  The format of the October 25 event will offer the opportunity for prospective borrowers who have a local food enterprise that is in need of a loan to do either an informal presentation of about 2-3 minutes or a formal presentation of up to 15 minutes.  If you would like to give an informal presentation at our next event, please email MARY.LL4LF@GMAIL.COM, or call (513) 481-1914 ASAP.  Please include a bit of information about your company.  If you would like to give a formal presentation, email ASAP for further details regarding financial paperwork you will need to complete prior to being considered to present.

Cost of event:  $5.00 suggested donation

Light refreshments will be provided.

AND THE WINNER IS.....

The winner of last week's free market bag is Kenny.  We will be giving away a free market bag every week through the middle of October.  If you are not familiar with how the pre-order/free market bag promo works, see further details in 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. 

10-Day Local Food Challenge:  I enrolled in this fun and informative food adventure

and thought you would like to join in.  It begins October 1 and is free and open to all.  The 10-Day Local Food Challenge was created by Vicki Robin of Whidbey Island, Washington.  Vicki is the author of Blessing the Hands That Feed Us and the best selling book, Your Money or Your Life.  Vicki developed the 10-Day Local Food Challenge as a way to help people discover much more about the state of our food, where it comes from and how dependent or independent we are on the industrial food system; and, very importantly, how we can become more supportive of our local food system.  

I participated in the first 10-Day Local Food Challenge last year and am looking forward to this year's experiences.  For more information and to sign on to join the fun, visit their website  http://localfoodchallenge.org/#home

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Please read this important clarification about our newest vendor, Heritage Farms.  It has come to my attention that some of our customers are under the

Click image to enlarge

impression that our newest vendor, Heritage Farms, is associated with the line of meats sold at a national grocery store chain.  Let me assure you that is not the case.  The pork at our market comes from pigs that were raised by Mahlon Schlabach of Heritage Farms in Adams County Ohio.  While the name is similar, the pork at our market is far, far superior to the meats at the grocery store.  Mahlon's pork is from his pastured pigs that were fed no GMO feed.  I have personally purchased both pork  and beef from Mahlon for several years and can attest to its quality.  As those who are frequent shoppers at our market know, we hold our producers and their products to very high standards.  Mahlon's meats meet all of our standards.  We are pleased to welcome him as the newest member of our LEWFM team.  

Although pre-ordering of the pork is not required, it is recommended because Mahlon sometimes sells out of some items.  If you are not familiar with our pre-ordering program, please see further details below.

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New Pre-order Promo: Win a Free Market Bag
Beginning June 5th we will be giving away a free market bag to a lucky winner.  Actually, there will be 20 lucky winners because we will be giving away a market bag each week for 20 weeks.  To be eligible to win a free market bag, you simply need to place a pre-order with any vendor.  Each time you pick up your pre-order your name will be entered into the drawing to win a free market bag. To learn more about pre-ordering, see the article Pre-ordering Pays Off (below).

The free market bag give away is made possible by the generous gift of  
Erin McDermott, one of the market's volunteers.

Erin, busy sewing market bags

Erin, a volunteer from Bridgetown, began spending time at the market to meet some nearby neighbors. She loves to help make sure things run smoothly and offer her friendly smile as a market greeter. Erin is a talented seamstress and recently decided to sew a few market bags to give away at the market.  She wants to thank the West-siders she sees at Lettuce Eat Well Farmers' Market for shopping local, and for taking part in an important community endeavor. Be sure to introduce yourself next time you see Erin at the market! 

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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 that no longer has to happen?  At LEWFM you can pre-order your items and pick them up any time during market hours of 3:00 - 7:00 P.M.  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