Nella Pasta is this week's Featured Vendor

Leigh Foster from Nella Pasta

The secret to a good life is to enjoy family and friends with fresh local foods along with a great bottle of wine made right here in Massachusetts.  The Braintree Farmers Market is pleased to announce that we will be providing wine every Saturday from 9 to 1, rain or shine, at the Braintree Town Hall Mall throughout the rest of our season.  Meet David Neilson from Coastal Vineyards as he brings us his wine that has been created from a variety of grapes he grows at his vineyard in South Dartmouth, MA.  David can help you choose a wine the will pair well with any meal.  Local wines also make a great gift or try them with a cheese and bread board with other fresh ingredients from the market. skol. 

This week's Featured Vendor is Nella Pasta which is a joint venture by two ambitious women, Leigh Foster and Rachel Marshall, with a vision to create the finest pasta and share it with the world.  We've been trying to lure this vendor to Braintree since before the the market began as they seemed like such a perfect fit with the rest of our product offerings.  Now that they've joined us folks are discovering just how flavorful and divine each unique pasta they make can compliment and elevate any meal.  Try them once and you'll return each week to try a new ravioli or linguine.  Next week look for a customer favorite-fresh corn, caramelized onion and thyme ravioli made with corn grown in Rehoboth, MA by The Farmer's Garden, their neighbors at the market.

Leigh and Rachel worked at unfulfilling desk jobs together and would meet at lunchtime to talk about how to use their creative energies to do something they loved.  As life-long foodies, Leigh grew up on a farm and Rachel's a culinary grad, they found that they were both passionate about fresh pasta.  They both fell for it while they studied in Florence before they even met.  So pasta it is...  They started with an oh-so-simple idea to make pasta using only ingredients from local farms.  Their name in Italian means "in the" because what goes in the pasta means everything to Leigh and Rachel.  They only use what's in season, picked fresh and grown with organic practices.  So what exactly is in their pasta?  A trip to the farmers' market, sometimes three, to create a unique handcrafted blend of produce, locally grown wheat, artisanal cheese, and a profound respect for the freshness you find in Italy.  Then there's their secret ingredient:  a sustainable food movement, a notion worth chewing over indeed.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, August 13th, as we enlighten and celebrate Urban Farm Day in conjunction with the farmers' market.   Simple and enjoyable tasks can make your lifestyle more rewarding, healthy and have less negative impact on the environment for future generations.  Join us for demonstrations on beekeeping, simple food preparations, backyard chickens, the community gardens, the new urban agriculture program being developed by the Braintree Historical Society and more.  The market will also be hosting local musicians that are currently exploring the roots of urban agricultural music in contemporary society.  Sustainable Braintree's special events tent, sponsored by the Braintree Electric Light Dept., will be raised for this special day so please drop by and see what we're up to. For more information about the market and Sustainable Braintree or to volunteer visit us at http://www.sustainablebraintree.org/food.  See you on Saturday. 

Hearth Wood Fired Breads at the Farmers Market

Caroline and her mother Lauren Crook sample Hearth Wood Fired Breads from Ann Turpin.

Hot enuf for ya?  Summer is sizzlin' and we've got the goods for chillin' and grillin' at the Braintree Farmers Market hosted by Sustainable Braintree.  Please visit us every Saturday from 9 to 1, rain or shine, at the Braintree Town Hall Mall.  Products choices have expanded quite a bit this season as we have been perfecting our farmer and vendor lineup with the highest quality offerings that make the market a one-stop shopping experience.

For a good laugh meet us in front of the Braintree Town Hall this Saturday, July 30th, at 8 a.m. to participate in a Laughing Yoga Workshop with Mary hosted by Healing Tree Yoga.  Laughter Yoga is a unique exercise routine, combining unconditional laughter with yogic breathing.  Having a good chuckle to the start the day will set the tone for the rest of your weekend.  Everyone is welcome.

Perhaps you've had the pleasure of meeting Ann Turpin from Hearth Wood Fired Bread which is our Featured Vendor this week.  Ann's one of the friendliest and accommodating people you'll ever meet as she offers a sampling of delicious freshly baked breads to make sure you select the one that's just right.  Ann has been with this bakery since the very beginning and even witnessed the creation of their oven that was constructed with tradition in mind.  Their oven is a custom built Gueulard masonry oven, inspired by a combination of the best 18th century French and German designs.  It was built by a team of experts using exacting specifications in brick oven technology and history.  The final results is a single chamber for baking with fire burning wood in the firebox below which gives the bread a subtle nuance to it's flavor.  

These breads have only the finest ingredients, including their own proprietary natural levain (starter).  They use organic heritage whole grains which are dense with nutrients and provide rich, distinct flavors.  Each loaf is mixed and shaped by hand and baked in their fire burning brick oven.  Hearth Wood Fired Bread is proud of the fact that their bread is not produced by an automated facility.  Loaves are placed individually in the oven by bakers using only physical labor and a baker's peel.  Because of the high quality of their breads and painstaking process their breads are truly one of a kind and made for the enjoyment of all.  Enjoy them with other market products such as seafood salad, nut butters, tomatoes, cheeses, pastas, salad greens, sausages, fruit spreads and just about anything you can think of.  Stop by and give them a try and you'll come to realize that their breads are truly a work of culinary art.

Summer is at it's peak and so is the local growing season.  Treat yourself to the best in local produce, artisan foods and spa products that are now available close to home because of the hard work by Braintree Volunteers that share the vision and are passionate about the importance of the farmers market in our community.  The market is always in need of volunteers whether it's for a brief stint or as a regular please sign up at our website or our table at the market.  For more information about the market and Sustainable Braintree or to volunteer visit us at http://www.sustainablebraintree.org/food.  See you on Saturday.

Second Nature Farm Featured at the Market

Adam Tedeschi is the head farmer at Second Nature Farm

     Summer season is hitting it's stride at the Braintree Farmers Market every Saturday from 9 to 1, rain or shine, at the Braintree Town Hall Mall.  Fresh-picked, locally-grown corn is now available at both C.N. Smith Farm and The Farmer's Garden.  This is an early hybrid that matures in 60 days rather than the usual 90 days.  You'll enjoy this corn as it's sweet and delicious and a great accompaniment to any summer meal.

     The market is pleased to introduce a new grower to our roster this season who has added a unique twist to our array of produce.  Adam Tedeschi is the 25 year-old farmer who runs Second Nature Farm and is the Featured Vendor this week.  Second Nature Farm is a 3-acre, small fruit and vegetable farm located in Norton, MA.  Adam's farm may be small physically but he has perfected the art of producing large quantities of colorful, unusual and intriguing produce that will have you coming back each week to try something new.  The farm grows a number of different heirloom and hybrid varieties that are both unique and delicious. Additionally, their produce is Certified Naturally Grown - a grassroots alternative to Certified Organic.

An array of heirloom squash & cucumbers from 2nd Nature Farm.

     Adam fell in love with agriculture through apple picking as a child.  He began his farming career during college, as a member of Long Lane Farm - an organic farm run by the students of Wesleyan University. After graduation, Adam interned at Foggy Meadow Farm in Benson, VT where he gained much insight into the mechanics and details of running a small organic farm. Ready to begin his own endeavor, Adam founded Second Nature Farm the following year, cultivating a half-acre plot and each week demonstrating the great volume of food that can be grown in a small area. After two years of farming the half-acre, Adam began leasing 3 acres from an old farm down the street, which is where Second Nature currently resides.

Rainbow Carrots grown at 2nd Nature Farm.

     Second Nature Farm strives to provide the local community with fresh vegetables that are produced in a sustainable manner and free from toxic chemicals. As a corollary to this, the farm seeks to connect people to the food they eat, and in doing so create a general awareness of how the decisions we make regarding food impact more than just ourselves. Lastly, Second Nature Farm strives to be a helpful resource for those beginning their own growing endeavors, so that more people may experience the rewards and satisfaction of nurturing and eating their own food.

     This coming Saturday, July 16th, there will be a free yoga class sponsored by Healing Tree Yoga.  The program will be conducted by Jill and will begin at 8 a.m. in front of the Braintree Town Hall.  Please bring your mat.  On July 30th join us at the same time and location for Laughing Yoga with Mary.  Ha.

     This year we have a new policy for dogs at the market due health code reasons and loss of vendor products in the past.  Dogs are not allowed in the market unless they are wearing a muzzle or are being arm held.  All pets must be at least six feet away from any food items.  You may walk your dog along the outside perimeter of the market.  If there is a volunteer available inside the Market Manager tent we would be more than happy to hold your dog for you as you shop at the market.

     Thanks to all of the patrons of the market who have helped us grow and thrive.  To volunteer please sign up at our website at http://www.sustainablebraintree.org/food.  See you on Saturday.

Fastachi Nuts at the Farmers Market

Souren Etyemezian and Sosy Mooradian at Fastachi Nuts.

     This season we have added new vendors to the mix that create even more diversity in product choices.  Look for an array of freshly baked artisan breads, locally roasted nuts, heirloom vegetables, micro-greens, empanadas, cinnamon buns, creative cupcakes, tasty cranberries, handmade pastas & raviolis and even Del's Frozen Lemonade to get us through those hot summer days.  This is just the tip of the iceberg folks as our seasoned vendors are always creating new products to entice us as well.  For instance, Burnin' Love Sauces has just introduced a brand new 'My Honey Loves Me Vinaigrette' made with honey, lavender, oil, vinegar & sage which has a delicate floral flavor that matches perfectly with the heirloom salad greens you'll find at the market.  Don't miss out on trying this unique vinaigrette.

     This week our Featured Vendor is Fastachi who we are pleased to introduce at the Braintree Farmers Market for the first time this season.  They will be visiting the market every other Saturday.  Fastachi was founded locally in 1990 in Belmont, Massachusetts by husband and wife team Souren and Susan Etyemezian.  From the small storefront, where they mastered the craft of nut roasting, they quickly established Fastachi as one of the country’s top purveyors of fresh roasted nuts and nut mixes.  Expansion into the specialty food trade and web markets eventually created the need for more space.  In 2003, the couple opened a new retail storefront and moved the entire operation to Watertown, Massachusetts.

     Fastachi Nuts are hand-roasted in small batches, seasoned only with salt, and double sifted to ensure only whole pieces graduate into their packages.  Fastachi nut mixes are unparalleled- having experimented over two decades to find the most delectable combinations. Look for unusual fruit and nut combinations that are just the right balance of sweet & savory.  And when it comes to delivering the fruits of their labor, they painstakingly hand pack them with the utmost care.  Pampered, over-protected and spoiled?  Perhaps.  But that’s why when you eat any nut; you’ll always judge it by a Fastachi.

     Fastachi Nut Butters are incomparable and span many different flavors such as pistachio, cashew, walnut, hazelnut, pecan as well as the tried and true peanut butter.  Their nuts are chosen for their quality, roasted to perfection and ground into a flavorful butter with nothing else added.  These nut butters are loaded with healthy nutrients such as protein, fiber, calcium and iron.  Try them once and you'll find that you've become addicted to something that's actually good for you.

     Be sure to come down to market as corn will begin to be harvested any time now and many more delectable summertime delights are waiting for you each Saturday.  Make a habit of trying something new every week as we try to enlighten your taste bud horizons.  For more information about the market or to volunteer please go to http://www.sustainablebraintree.org/food.  See you on Saturday.

Fairland Farm at the Braintree Farmers Market

Mark Kavanagh sells cranberries for Fairland Farm.

As we reach the end of June and the beginning of July the strawberry season is starting to taper off.  To take advantage of this early summer crop before they disappear please join us at the Braintree Farmers Market hosted by Sustainable Braintree this Saturday from 9 to 1, rain or shine, at the Braintree Town Hall Mall.  Eating fresh-picked, local strawberries is one of the best ways to celebrate the fourth of July.

     This week we are featuring Fairland Farm/Cape Cod Organic Cranberry as one of our new farmers at the market this season.  Fred Bottomley is the owner and operator of this farm and has had a connection with cranberries that goes back ten generations.  His tenth generation grandfather is John Alden who just happens to be one of the pilgrims that settled the Plymouth Bay Colony.  The Native Americans were quite familiar with this local crop and introduced it to the Pilgrims.  Legend has it that cranberries were served at the very first Thanksgiving with a tradition that carries on to the present day.  The Native Americans taught the Pilgrims to use cranberries not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the year as a food staple that has many medicinal benefits as well.

     Fairland Farm/Cape Cod Organic Cranberry produces some of the finest cranberries in Southeastern Massachusetts. They have bogs located in Norton, Easton, Sharon, Dartmouth and on the Cape in Mashpee and Falmouth. Some of the bogs that have been placed in their care have existed prior to the Civil War. Fairland Farm and Cape Cod Organic Cranberry were formed to become stewards of a continuing agricultural history of Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. 

     This farm offers different varieties of dried cranberries for sale at the Braintree Farmer's Market and other markets in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They have organic sweetened dried cranberries, pomagranate juice infused sweetened dried cranberries, omega fortified sweetened dried cranberries and no sugar added dried cranberries. They also have their book, "Rubies in the Sand; Recipes from the Cape Cod Cranberry Bogs" available for sale at the market. They provide frozen cranberries for sale in bulk orders year round and fresh fruit during the harvest season.  They service wholesale customers as well as their farmer's market customers.

     Cranberries are truly a super berry offering a multitude of antioxidants and scientifically validated research documenting their effectiveness in prevention of urinary tract infections, ulcers, cavities and helping to reduce the symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia that affects many men as they age. Cranberries are one of three native berries that are a sustainable food crop and should be consumed year round for their healthy benefits. Come out and try their dried cranberries and you will never buy the other brands again!  For more information about Fairland Farm/Cape Cod Organic Cranberry go to http://www.fairlandfarm.net

     As we round the corner into July we're coming into the peak of the harvest season so please come down to the market and support our hard-working farmers and vendors and enjoy the fruits of their labor.   Produce retains more of it's flavor and nutritional value when it is consumed soon after harvesting.  Most of the produce we find has been picked before ripening and has spent many long hours, even days, reaching stores before finally becoming available to the consumer.  For more information about the farmers market visit us at http://www.sustainablebraintree.org/food 

Local Foods at the Braintree Farmers Market

Angela Cavanaugh gets her CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) delivery every week from The Farmer's Garden.

by Deanna Levanti

As the local and organic food movement gains momentum, the debate against conventional agriculture is heard for the first time by more and more people.  Many people don’t really see what the fuss is all about, and are reluctant to challenge the food system as we know it. This is understandable, since it would be a challenge to much of life as we know.  Life is complicated enough without having to analyze and change how we shop, what we eat, where we eat, and how we cook right?  Believe me, I wish I could just walk into the grocery store and not think about every detail of every item I purchase…life would be much easier if I could just go with the flow, add water, shake, bake, and eat it up.  But I can’t.  I want to know where it’s from, who grew it, whether they sprayed it, what it was eating, what they injected it with.  I want to know how their methods are affecting the surrounding environment and community.  The truth is that I simply don’t trust agribusiness to grow a product that meets my food quality standards.  I know that the bottom line encourages mass production, over-crowding, and overall excessive pressure on the natural growing processes of both plants and animals.  However, rather than trying to turn my friends on to this movement by overwhelming them with rants about everything that’s wrong with our industrial global food system, I prefer to turn them on to something better by showing them what’s right with our lovely local food system.  

One of my favorite ways of doing this, and probably the most effective, is to let them find out for themselves how wonderful food is that came fresh from the farm.  For some people, snapping into a freshly dug carrot, tasting that sweet tenderness that could only exist in a carrot just pulled up from the soil--that is the way to turn them on.  The joys of crunching into a fresh snap pea is the hook for those with a sweet-veggie tooth, or for those who like spice, give ‘em a hot pepper plucked right off the bush, and watch their faces turn red with delight after adding it to their first recipe.  Traditional cookers will be in awe when they smell the aroma and see the juiciness of freshly cured garlic…pungent and wonderful as it was meant to be.  For others, they marvel at the colors and flavors of an heirloom tomato…they never knew tomatoes could be so vibrant and bursting with flavor!  If a friend is not a veggie lover, I skip these and move right to the best secret weapon an organic farmer ever had--the awakening burst of flavor packed into a perfectly ripe strawberry…simply irresistible, undeniable, and unforgettable.
Eating is one way of experiencing things first-hand, giving people a personal introduction to local foods.  Another great way to make this connection for people is to let them actually use their hands and get a feel for what small-scale farming is all about.  Many people are interested to know how their food is grown, and are eager to get out to the farm to check it out.  Once there, they can see plants growing from seed in a greenhouse, watch farmers transplant these into the fields, and witness the crops being harvested.  Some farms work with volunteers as well, giving people the opportunity to help grow their own food.  Working on a farm is extremely hard work, but it is also extremely rewarding and lots of fun--when is playing in the dirt not fun?!
Once people realize the difference between fresh and local, and industrial and global, they will wonder why we let ourselves eat such poor specimens of produce and meat for so long!  They will know what industrial agriculture is missing, because they will have experienced it first-hand.  Local growers of fruits, vegetables, and meats are increasingly gaining visibility in the market.  Once people get a taste for their superb products, they will soon be joining the mounting demand for real, good food.  And that is my favorite strategy for transforming our food system into something better.  Try it out!

For fresh local produce, meats, cheeses, honey and much more visit the Braintree Farmers Market every Saturday from 9 to 1, rain or shine, at the Braintree Town Hall Mall, One JFK Memorial Dr. Braintree, MA. For more information visit our website at www.sustainablebraintree.org/food.

Deanna Levanti works for Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset. Her mother, Susan Ryan, is a Volunteer Coordinator for the Braintree Farmers Market. To sign up as a volunteer at the market simply go to our website.

Strawberry Festival June 18th, 2011

You are cordially invited to the First Annual Strawberry Festival hosted by the Braintree Farmers Market and Sustainable Braintree this Saturday, June 18th, from 9 to 1, rain or shine, at the Braintree Town Hall Mall.  Our events tent, donated to us by the Braintree Electric Dept., will be up with plenty of tables so folks can sit down and enjoy their market treats.  C. N Smith Farm and The Farmer's Garden are currently harvesting an abundance of fragrant and luscious strawberries.  The season is fleeting so don't miss out on this opportunity.  Ever So Humble Pie Co. will be whipping up fresh strawberry shortcake to enjoy at the market as well as shortcake biscuits you can purchase at their tent to recreate the flavors at home.   Tiffany Rozenas and Family will be on hand to entertain us with their Celtic fiddle music that creates a festive atmosphere.  A limited print-run of Strawberry Festival posters(10"x15.5"), signed by the artist, will be available with a $5 donation.  This an event that you'll want to enjoy with your entire family. 

Come by the Braintree Town Hall green at 8 a.m. for Children's Yoga led by Checka.  Get your kids interested in the basics of yoga and you'll find they take to it like fish in the water!  This activity is brought to us by Healing Tree Yoga.

SEMAP (Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership) will be at our Community Tent during the Strawberry Festival.  For the month of June they are celebrating and promoting strawberries as one of our region's favorite specialty crops.  SEMAP is dedicated to preserving and expanding access to local food and sustainable farming in Southeastern Massachusetts through research and education.  Stop by and pick up one of their flyers.

This coming Saturday our friends from Project Have Hope will be at the market with their colorful, recycled paper, beaded jewelry that will go perfect with your summer wardrobe.  Purchases from this vendor contributes to the empowerment of the women of the Acholi Quarter of Uganda.  Your support contributes directly to the women and children of this region and creates a more stable economy and provides educational opportunities.  Every piece is beautifully crafted, very affordable and contributes to a very worthy cause.

Drop by the market manager tent to pick up complimentary issues of edibleBoston and edibleSouthShore Magazines while supplies last.  Read about local foods, farmers markets and try their recipes that focus on locally grown, in-season ingredients.  They even feature local farms and food artisans like our very own Nella Pasta and Ever So Humble Pie Company.  While your visiting check out this season's Braintree Farmers Market tee shirts that are now available.  Shirts are silk-screened right here in Braintree on 100% organic cotton with several sizes available.  Shirts are only $12 with all proceeds going towards the operating costs of the farmers market.  This year we're focussing on a chicken theme as we celebrate the fresh eggs from C.N. Smith Farm and The Farmer's Garden and Joe Beaulieu Farm is now selling USDA inspected roasting chickens which is a new product for the market this year.

Many thanks to all of you who came out last Saturday to our Opening Day.  Even though the farmers market was temporarily moved for the day and the weather was challenging the market was thriving and we were thrilled with the support that our community continues to bestow upon us.  We continue to work at making the market the best that it can be with the highest quality products and vendors available and enjoy seeing everyone each and every week. 

Be sure to come out this Saturday for the Strawberry Festival.   Invite your friends and family to the market to enjoy this seasonal event.  For more information go to www.sustainablebraintree.org/food.  Follow us on facebook.