Brattleboro Farmers' Market News

Harvest Health Coupons Available at Brattleboro Area Farmers Market

2010-08-13T11:51:00.001-04:00

NOFA-VT's Harvest Health project will start this Saturday, July 24 at the Brattleboro Farmers Market. Harvest health is a coupon incentive project designed to encourage more 3SquaresVT/SNAP (aka food stamps) customers to utilize their EBT cards at Market. Coupons are issued as a dollar for dollar match up to $10 per customer/ per market to customers who purchase 3SquaresVT tokens. Customers may use their EBT cards to purchase 3SquaresVT tokens and receive their Harvest Health coupons at the Manager's Desk at Market. Every vendor who accepts 3SquaresVT tokens MUST accept the Harvest Health coupons, too. Both the Wednesday (at Gibson Aiken) and Saturday (Rt. 9) Markets will be participating in the project.

So, visit the Market for fresh summer veggies, local meats, delicious lunches, treats, beautiful crafts and more!

The Brattleboro Area Farmers Market is open @:

The Gibson-Aiken Center, Main St. Wednesdays, June-October from 10am-2pm.
&
On Rt. 9 (Just past the Creamery Bridge) Saturdays, May- October from 9am- 2pm.

Come join us at the Market--Always Homegrown, Homemade, and Hand-Crafted.

Harvest Health Coupon Program

2009-08-20T11:50:00.004-04:00

Beginning Wednesday, August 26, participants in 3Squares VT (Vermont's Food Stamp Program) will be able to increase their purchasing power by $10 a week for eligible food purchased at Brattleboro Farmers' Market.

We're piloting the Harvest Health Coupon Project (HHCP) from August through October along with four other markets throughout the state. The goal is to encourage limited income Vermonters to purchase farm-fresh, nutritious food at farmers' markets.

The HHCP is administered by Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) and is generously funded by Ben and Jerry's Foundation and Wholesome Wave Foundation.

With the Harvest Health Coupon Project, five Vermont farmers' markets are joining markets in Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington DC, and California in piloting a coupon incentive project to encourage low-income Americans to shop at farmers' markets.

We hope to see lots of new 3Squares VT shoppers at market, enjoying the bounty of the season.

Circus Fun at Saturday's Market

2009-07-07T18:50:00.005-04:00

Join KidsPLAYce on Saturday, July 11 from 9am – 12pm, for free circus fun at the Brattleboro Area Farmer’s Market. KidsPLAYce invites kids of all ages to try their hand at hula-hooping, plate spinning, juggling and more while shopping the market.

KidsPLAYce wants to spread the excitement and news that Circus Smirkus, Vermont’s award-winning international youth circus, will be returning to Brattleboro in July for four shows under their big top tent at the Vermont Agricultural Business Education Center.

For additional information please contact KidsPLAYce at 802.254.5212 or visit www.smirkus.org.

Hanah LaBarre - June Frequent Walker/Biker

2009-06-30T17:50:00.002-04:00

Hanah LaBarre is the June Frequent Walker/Biker winner at the Brattleboro Area Farmer's Market. Her name was chosen at random from those who had walked or bicycled to market at least six times recently. She wins $20 in tokens to the market. This program is sponsored by the Brattleboro Area Bike/Ped Coalition and the Brattleboro Area Farmer's Market. Congratulations, Hanah!

This Saturday: KidsPLAYce Circus Fun

2009-06-16T18:37:00.003-04:00

Join KidsPLAYce on Saturday, June 20 from 9am – 12pm, for free circus fun at the Brattleboro Area Farmer’s Market.

KidsPLAYce invites kids of all ages to try their hand at hula-hooping, plate spinning, juggling and more while shopping the market.

KidsPLAYce wants to spread the excitement and news that Circus Smirkus, Vermont’s award-winning international youth circus, will be returning to Brattleboro in July for four shows under their big top tent at the Vermont Agricultural Business Education Center.

This Saturday at the Farmer’s Market, along tips on how to sharpen your circus skills, market patrons will be able to purchase tickets for the upcoming Circus Smirkus shows.

For additional information please contact KidsPLAYce 802.254.5212 or visit www.smirkus.org.

Win With a Walk

2009-05-20T16:58:00.002-04:00

The Brattleboro Area Farmer's Market and Brattleboro Area Bike/Ped are collaborating again this May-October to encourage and reward people who walk and bicycle to market in lieu of driving a car.

When you arrive at the market, go to the manager's table and ask for your Frequent Walker/Bicyclist card. Each time you walk or bike, get your card marked. Six walks/rides will fill your card and then you will be entered in a monthly drawing to win a treat from one of the Farmer's Market vendors!

Your efforts will save gas, reduce carbon emissions, and allow you to arrive for "homegrown, homemade, and hand-crafted" with your own two feet!

Preparing the Market

2009-04-19T17:23:00.012-04:00

Site Day, 2009

Painting, raking, moving gravel, trimming trees, locating booth sites, and of course - lunch. Opening day is in less than two weeks.

Grant For the Youth Horticulture Project

2009-04-15T15:01:00.006-04:00

This year’s EBT program is being managed by market member Youth Horticulture Project (YHP), a 4-H program based out of UVM Extension’s office and 1-acre farm in Brattleboro. Under a grant from New England Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NE-SARE), YHP and their youth employees will operate the EBT machine, create new outreach materials for market customers who use food benefits and debit cards, and write an EBT manual including operation, troubleshooting, and marketing. The project is supported by the BAFM, Post Oil Solutions, Early Education Services, the Drop-In Center, and Lilac Ridge Farm.

We hope that you’ll have some good ideas about incentives to encourage food stamp and debit use at market too! Questions and suggestions may be directed to the BAFM EBT committee:

Lori Schreier (chair) schreierlori@aol.com
Cathi Wilken wilken@sover.net
Liz Kenton ekenton@uvm.edu

Jurying New Vendors

2009-03-24T09:14:00.003-04:00

On Wednessday, March 25, the Jury committee will meet to view the products of new applicants for the Farmer's Market. The Jury Committee then makes its recommendation to the Board of Directors.
The Committee is always looking for new agricultural vendors as well as crafts and prepared food vendors that add more variety to the Farmer's Market.
Although there is not enough room for everyone who applies to the Farmer's Market, all are encouraged to apply if they fit the Market Criteria which is listed in the Rules and on the application.

Accepting New Applications

2009-03-01T16:03:00.002-05:00

BAFM is currently accepting applications from new vendors in Windham and Cheshire County. Application forms and rules are available on the main web page. If your application is unsuccessful, your membership fees will be returned.
New applicants are advised to read the rules carefully before submitting applications.

March 11, 6 PM New Applicants Meeting
March 25, 6 PM Jurying
Both meetings are in the Senior Center, 207 Main Street, Brattleboro.

THANKSGIVING MARKET

2008-11-20T18:56:00.002-05:00

Despite the efforts of the polar bears to expand their diminishing habitat into Vermont, we will have our Thanksgiving Market on Saturday. We will have a bonfire and roasted apples and music for our intrepid market lovers.

Thanksgiving Market

2008-11-10T21:56:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving Market will be Saturday, November 22 at the market site in West Brattleboro. We'll have a roaring bonfire, and a special treat of roasted apples. Veggies to grace the Thanksgiving table, warm woolen scarves, socks and sweaters, cuddly lambskins, yarn for those winter projects and more will be offered.

Preserve the Fall

2008-10-10T08:35:00.003-04:00

Try dipping a few leaves in beeswax to save a little bit of fall color. Leaf Dipping will be this Saturday, October 11, in the southwest end of the vendors' circle.

Celebrate The Harvest

2008-10-05T18:02:00.006-04:00

Apple Tasting Day

2008-09-24T21:14:00.002-04:00

Julie Robinson from the Brattleboro Food Coop will be at Market on Saturday to do an Apple tasting demo. We will feature market products hot cider, apples and cheese, waldorf salad and apple style granolas with Coop yogurt. The demo will go from 11 am until she is out of samples or Market is over. Stop by and say hello to her if you get a chance!

We Take EBT and Debit Cards

2008-08-24T14:46:00.006-04:00

Brattleboro Farmers' Market has an EBT card machine, which means that people can use their food stamp benefits to buy local produce. The machine also accepts debit cards. Read about this NOFA program in the Times Argus.

EBT CARDS
It’s FAST and DISCRETE to use your Food Stamp EBT on LOCALLY GROWN FOOD and you get the freshest choices and best nutrition for your family. You may use your coins for produce, bread, meats, eggs, honey, maple, granola, etc – not prepared lunches or crafts.

Using Food Stamps at Farmers’ Market keeps money circulating locally & goes to local farmers who give back to the community. We value and appreciate your food dollars at Brattleboro Farmers’ Market where our primary goal is to provide locally grown agricultural products.

DEBIT CARDS
You receive market dollars in $5 increments which can be used on anything at Brattleboro Farmers’ Market, any time. You can receive change. The debit machine is funded by a FOOD STAMP Pilot Project. Your debit fee supports local food access, education and the local economy!

Tomato Tasting

2008-08-21T20:11:00.002-04:00

Julie Robinson from the Coop will arrive at the Market on Saturday around 10:15 bringing olive oils, etc. to set up to do a tomato tasting from 11:00am - 1:00pm. Yum. Big red ones. Purple and yellow heirlooms. Green tomatoes that are RIPE. We have to wait 'til 11. But we can shop for peaches while waiting. Isn't August something?

Frequent Walker/Biker

2008-08-03T13:41:00.004-04:00

Fertile Fields Farm CSA members Kate Rose and Tim Thrasher. Kate won the frequent biker/walker drawing at the market this week. If you walk or bike to market you can get a card from Martha at Dwight Miller Orchards booth and she stamps it. After 10 stamps you get entered into a drawing for $20 in market wooden tokens.

Where would you spend your $20?

Waterlogged

2008-07-24T12:27:00.003-04:00

We got through the Weds market without a major deluge, and it looks like there won't be any rain left above the continent by the time Saturday comes. It looks like it might be dry Friday and Friday night for our farmers to harvest things without having to hire a lifeguard.

This Week's Music

2008-07-16T20:48:00.003-04:00

Marty Cain is a 17 year-old singer/songwriter from Marlboro, who plays original songs that combine indie rock and folk influences, as well as covers of 60s folk songs, accompanied by award-winning drummer Michael Ferris.

Summer veggies are all about - green beans, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes (still greenhouse), cherry tomatoes (from the fields!), garlic, flowers to decorate your food, new potatoes and zucchini. Just to add to the mix - jewelry, body butter, herbal remedies, lambskin rugs, maple syrup, root beer, cheese, yarn, pottery and wrought iron.

And prepared food. Yummy.

Circus At Market This Week

2008-07-07T22:42:00.001-04:00

Join KidsPLAYce on Saturday, July 12 from 9am - 2pm, for free circus fun at the Brattleboro Area Farmer's Market. KidsPLAYce invites kids of all ages to try their hand at hula-hooping, plate spinning , juggling and more while shopping the market.

Greens and Reds

2008-07-02T20:34:00.006-04:00

When you walk around the market now, you find plenty of greens - spinach, lettuces of all sorts, broccoli, snap peas - the usual early summer stuff.

The reds are coming in - the radishes, the
beets, the strawberries, the tomatoes.

Don't forget the crafts.

And the food. And the music.

STRAWBERRY DAYS, Saturday, June 21

2008-06-15T18:44:00.004-04:00

Strawberry season is here at the Brattleboro Farmers' Market. Lots of fresh strawberries for sale.

Special Strawberry Days events, from 11 to 1:
Ice Cream Making
Strawberry Foods Tasting
Recipes & Facts
Face Painting

The Big Question

2008-06-11T16:49:00.001-04:00

Will there be local strawberries?

Music this week is Colman's Well, composed of Brendan Taaffe, Nils Fredland, and Rachel Gordon.

Celebrate The Strolling of the Heifers

2008-06-03T22:03:00.003-04:00

Brattleboro Farmers' Market celebrates The Strolling of the Heifers, Vermont's tribute to its agricultural heritage. After the parade come to the Market for your greens, to help you "Live Green".

Great week for spinach, lettuce, arugula, mizufuni, and more. Such an offering we have for you.

This week's music is by Peter Siegel.

"...this local strummer has a split-level artistic vision and real instrumental talents....He takes aim at easy targets like television consumerism but pulls it off because of his genuine, biting humor and instrumental virtuosity...."

-Johnny Memphis, DJ, WRSI, Northampton, MA http://www.wrsi.com

Plant Your Tomatoes

2008-05-29T08:58:00.002-04:00

"Shingle the Roof" is this week's band.

Time to get you tomatoes in.

Seedlings, annuals, perennials - all waiting for your planting. The weather promises good planting.

Broadband and Seedlings

2008-05-21T22:10:00.003-04:00

Broadband is featured this week. Broadband and seedlings and lettuce and all sorts of wonderful greens. Jewelry, pottery, 15 different food servers, and the sun promises to shine.

Kids' Day

2008-05-12T10:04:00.001-04:00

Saturday, May 17, is the first of the Kids Days at the Brattleboro Farmers' Market. Children from Windham and Cheshire Counties are invited to set up tables and sell their homemade, homegrown, handcrafted items from 9-2. No boxed cookie/muffin mixes, please.
Rt. 9 West past the Creamery Bridge. Info at 254-8885 or brattleborofarmersmarket.com

Saturday, May 10

2008-05-09T21:11:00.002-04:00

We're promised a sunny day, so plan on enjoying a busy day of buying starter plants, both vegetable and flower, and then a leisurely lunch at one of our fifteen food vendors- everything from pizza to crepes. Most important - the first spinach and mesclun of the year.

Saturday, May 3, Opening Day

2008-04-30T21:09:00.002-04:00

Opening Day at the Brattleboro Farmers' Market promises to be very exciting. Andy Davis will be teaching folks various Maypole dances. Fifteen food vendors will provide lots of good food, while fifteen craftspeople offer everything from pottery to soap. And then there are the agricultural products -- early produce , lots of seedlings and perennials galore.

Spring Dates Set

2008-04-06T16:27:00.000-04:00

The 2008 sites will be assigned on Site Day, scheduled for Saturday, April 19th, with a rain date the following Saturday.

The market opens for the season with a Maypole celebration on May 3rd.

New Member Applicants

2008-03-23T17:16:00.002-04:00

Jurying for new member applicants will take place Thursday, Mar. 27 at the Senior Center, 207 Main St., Brattleboro. Applicants should leave sample products for jurying between 5 and 6 PM, and return to pick them up between 8:30 and 9 PM. The board of directors will act on applications at their April 2 meeting.

Site Day is coming up soon- April 19th. Rain date is April 26.

Currently Accepting Applications

2008-03-01T14:41:00.001-05:00

The Brattleboro Area Farmers' Market is currently accepting applications for the 2008 season. Interested agricultural, craft, and food vendors can download rules and application forms from our website. To receive them by mail click on the "E-Mail the Market" link on our homepage or call 802 254 8885.