Be aware that vendors are not permitted to sell items to customers until the start of the market at 3:30. Thank your for your cooperation with this.
Please note the following remaining dates of the 2016-2017 Winter Market:
January 6, and January 20
February 3 and February 17
March 3 and March 17
April 7 and April 21
Lettuce Eat Well Farmers' Market is held inside year-round for your shopping comfort at Cheviot United Methodist Church 3820 Westwood Northern Blvd. 45211. Most weeks the market is held in the church's Narthex, which is just inside the main entrance of the church. 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.
Chili to Warm Your Tummy
The Dynamic Duo Plus Two
As in previous weeks, Chef Gary of The Pickled Pig is
teaming up with Jo the Dough Lady to bring you tummy-warming soup, along with bread bowls for serving - and eating of course. This week's feature is chili. Also this week, Gary and Jo are joined by Linda of Honey Tree Acres Farm and Gardens and Jenny of Angela's Pies and (much) More. Thanks to the collaboration of our hugely great vendors you will be able to purchase everything to serve this scrumptious dish to your family. Gary will have the ready to heat and eat chili; Jo will supply the bread bowls; and you can (literally) top it off with green onions from Linda and cheese from Jenny.
Because you will likely want to serve this yummy chili numerous times throughout the winter, Gary will have a recipe card for you. Mike & Deb of Abundant Green Pastures Ranch will be at market this week with their 100% grass fed beef so you can stock up on ground beef for the chili, along with numerous other cuts of beef. They will also have pastured pork from Mahlon Schlabach, an Amish farmer in Adams County. If you are new to our market or you missed the article I wrote when Abundant Green Pastures Ranch joined LEWFM, I've repeated the article in the Previously Announced section.
Please Note: Abundant Green Pastures Ranch attends market the 1st Friday of each month.
So as to not be disappointed when you arrive at market, pre-ordering is advised because our vendors sometimes sell out of some items. You can find our vendors' contact information on the market website LEWFM.ORG. Also, if you would like to be added to the pre-order email list, please see further details in the Previously Announced section.
The Dynamic Duo Plus Two
As in previous weeks, Chef Gary of The Pickled Pig is
Because you will likely want to serve this yummy chili numerous times throughout the winter, Gary will have a recipe card for you. Mike & Deb of Abundant Green Pastures Ranch will be at market this week with their 100% grass fed beef so you can stock up on ground beef for the chili, along with numerous other cuts of beef. They will also have pastured pork from Mahlon Schlabach, an Amish farmer in Adams County. If you are new to our market or you missed the article I wrote when Abundant Green Pastures Ranch joined LEWFM, I've repeated the article in the Previously Announced section.
Please Note: Abundant Green Pastures Ranch attends market the 1st Friday of each month.
So as to not be disappointed when you arrive at market, pre-ordering is advised because our vendors sometimes sell out of some items. You can find our vendors' contact information on the market website LEWFM.ORG. Also, if you would like to be added to the pre-order email list, please 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.
PLENTIFUL PRODUCE CONTINUES
Be assured that we will have plentiful produce for many weeks to come, likely throughout most of the winter. Linda of Honey Tree Acres will be at market with a plethora of produce. Also, I will continue to sell produce grown locally by the farmers at Our Harvest Cooperative. And remember, all produce sold at our market is grown using no synthetic chemicals.
While some people shy away from going to farmers' markets when the weather turns cool because they think there will be little produce there, there is no need for you to do so. We have had, and expect to continue to have, many different types of vegetables each market day. And they are so fresh and nutritious, simply bursting with flavor. Do your health a favor and continue to shop LEWFM throughout the winter months; you won't be disappointed, I'm sure.
In addition to the fresh produce, we will have a well rounded selection of other food items, along with teas, tinctures, soaps, and many other items. As you shop our Collaborative Specialty Market you will see that our lineup of products make it well worth your while to frequent LEWFM each market day.
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 market week you will receive emails 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:
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.
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Abundant Green Pastures Ranch
In a previous newsletter I included a brief announcement about our newest vendor and a promise that I would give more information about them and my visit to their farm, complete with picture. Here goes. It was an on again off again rainy morning as I headed out to West Harrison, Indiana, an easy 30-minute drive. Gratefully, the rain stopped before I reached my destination.
When I arrived at Abundant Green Pastures (AGP) Ranch, I was greeted by Mike Ortwein, the mastermind behind what I witnessed as an amazing place. After a tour of their walk-in freezer (designed and built by Mike. Did I mention that he has owed a construction business for over 40 years?), where they store the meats, Mike told me to hop on the Gator, a golf cart type contraption that would serve as our transportation over the 120+ acres. And, yes, Mike took me over every inch of the ranch, up and down the hills, through the valleys, and over the small bridges spanning the numerous ponds and lake. The extensive tour gave me a bird's eye view of the amazing operation where they produce the quality 100% grass fed beef now available at LEWFM.
Abundant Green Pastures Ranch is certainly an appropriate name for what I
experienced on my farm visit that day. Green, green, green everywhere. If you were a cow living at AGP Ranch you would feel like you were in hog heaven. Well, maybe that mixed metaphor is a bit wacky but the point is well taken that as I observed the cows they looked totally happy to be munching away on their favorite feast: grass. Yes, the cows at Abundant Green Pastures eat grass and only grass - no grain, ever. Why is this important? Because, cows are not designed to eat grain! Cows are herbivores.
Although I could go on and on about my farm visit, I'd like for you to hear straight from the "horse's mouth" (hmm, another mixed metaphor?) regarding the background of AGP Ranch. I asked Mike to tell a bit about the origins of the ranch and about himself and his wife, Deb.
Abundant Green Pastures Ranch, Mike Ortwein and Deb Ward
Deb’s current contribution to my endeavors rests in developing brochures, from photography to manuscript, price brochures, inventory control and suggestions on how to prepare the meat in a delicious way.
Although Deb's part of the article from Mike was much smaller than that of the cattle, nonetheless, her involvement is significant. Deb stole the show their first day at LEWFM as she greeted the customers with a most pleasant smile and the offer of samples of meatballs and roast she made with their 100% grass fed beef. If you didn't get a chance to sample them, stop by this week.
To give you an idea of how popular Abundant Green Pasture Ranch's 100% grass fed beef is, I include this letter from one of their customers.
When I arrived at Abundant Green Pastures (AGP) Ranch, I was greeted by Mike Ortwein, the mastermind behind what I witnessed as an amazing place. After a tour of their walk-in freezer (designed and built by Mike. Did I mention that he has owed a construction business for over 40 years?), where they store the meats, Mike told me to hop on the Gator, a golf cart type contraption that would serve as our transportation over the 120+ acres. And, yes, Mike took me over every inch of the ranch, up and down the hills, through the valleys, and over the small bridges spanning the numerous ponds and lake. The extensive tour gave me a bird's eye view of the amazing operation where they produce the quality 100% grass fed beef now available at LEWFM.
Abundant Green Pastures Ranch is certainly an appropriate name for what I
Although I could go on and on about my farm visit, I'd like for you to hear straight from the "horse's mouth" (hmm, another mixed metaphor?) regarding the background of AGP Ranch. I asked Mike to tell a bit about the origins of the ranch and about himself and his wife, Deb.
Abundant Green Pastures Ranch, Mike Ortwein and Deb Ward
In 1974 I purchased 125 acres in St. Leon, IN with the goal of creating a sustainable living environment for my future family, complete with my own source of water, energy and food. By year 2000 I had achieved all but my food production, which was limited to fresh fish from my lake and ponds.
In 2005 I began my research on cattle production by reading many books and attending seminars in New York, Virginia, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Indiana. Through these resources I determined four things of utmost importance for healthy cattle production:
1. The right genetics for the animal to flourish on a grass only diet.
2. The right type and quality of pastures.
3. The appropriate grazing system.
4. Water to make it all happen.
The first thing I did was to set up the ability to irrigate all of my pastures so 6 in., 4, in., 3 in. and 2 in. waterlines were buried with water taps strategically placed to both irrigate pastures and water livestock. I then seeded a mix of both local grasses and clovers to the pastures.
In 2008 my son and I traveled to a farm 40 miles west of Boston, MA to purchase four Red Devon heifers, the beginning of my closed herd. Red Devons are a Heritage breed, originally brought to America by the Pilgrims because of their unique qualities – they could be harnessed to pull a plow, they provided meat and milk, and their hides are extremely thick to make excellent leather. In industrial agriculture's haste to create cattle that do well in feedlots, Devons have been overlooked; therefore, their genetics remained pure.
I use high intensity mob grazing and move the cattle every day to a new pasture. The residual forage will be stomped into the ground by the animals and that, combined with uniformly distributed manure, is the basis for creating topsoil, organic matter and micro life in the soil. My rotation system replicates how the buffalo grazed - only one or two days a year on the same real estate with a three to four month rest period. My cattle are never vaccinated, given hormones or antibiotics and they live outdoors 365 days a year in sunshine and fresh air - we have no livestock barn.
The variety of forages that the cattle consume creates an extremely healthy animal with a unique taste – the flavor you will remember from your childhood – the way beef used to (and should) taste.
Although Deb's part of the article from Mike was much smaller than that of the cattle, nonetheless, her involvement is significant. Deb stole the show their first day at LEWFM as she greeted the customers with a most pleasant smile and the offer of samples of meatballs and roast she made with their 100% grass fed beef. If you didn't get a chance to sample them, stop by this week.
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| Click image to enlarge |
To give you an idea of how popular Abundant Green Pasture Ranch's 100% grass fed beef is, I include this letter from one of their customers.
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PLENTIFUL PRODUCE CONTINUES
Be assured that we will have plentiful produce for many weeks to come, likely throughout most of the winter. Linda of Honey Tree Acres will be at market with a plethora of produce. Also, I will continue to sell produce grown locally by the farmers at Our Harvest Cooperative. And remember, all produce sold at our market is grown using no synthetic chemicals.
While some people shy away from going to farmers' markets when the weather turns cool because they think there will be little produce there, there is no need for you to do so. We have had, and expect to continue to have, many different types of vegetables each market day. And they are so fresh and nutritious, simply bursting with flavor. Do your health a favor and continue to shop LEWFM throughout the winter months; you won't be disappointed, I'm sure.
In addition to the fresh produce, we will have a well rounded selection of other food items, along with teas, tinctures, soaps, and many other items. As you shop our Collaborative Specialty Market you will see that our lineup of products make it well worth your while to frequent LEWFM each market day.
**************************************************************************
BEEF AND PORK
The first Friday of each month, Mike & Deb of Abundant Green Pastures Ranch, who supply us with their 100% grass fed beef from their Red Devon heritage breed cattle, will be selling pastured pork from Mahlon Schlabach. This collaborative arrangement between Mike and Mahlon will be more efficient for Mahlon who, being Amish, necessitated hiring a driver to bring him to market. This arrangement will be a win-win for all. If you are on the market's pre-order list you will receive further info from Abundant Green Pastures Ranch about the pork. If you are not on the pre-order list and would like to be, please see further details below.
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BEEF AND PORK
The first Friday of each month, Mike & Deb of Abundant Green Pastures Ranch, who supply us with their 100% grass fed beef from their Red Devon heritage breed cattle, will be selling pastured pork from Mahlon Schlabach. This collaborative arrangement between Mike and Mahlon will be more efficient for Mahlon who, being Amish, necessitated hiring a driver to bring him to market. This arrangement will be a win-win for all. If you are on the market's pre-order list you will receive further info from Abundant Green Pastures Ranch about the pork. If you are not on the pre-order list and would like to be, please see further details below.
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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 market week you will receive emails 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
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Please share this newsletter with friends and family to help spread the word about LEWFM!
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:
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. 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.
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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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