Del's Lemonade Featured this Saturday

Susan Franklin from Del's Lemonade

   The end of the summer is quickly approaching at the the Braintree Farmers Market hosted by Sustainable Braintree and we're very grateful for all the folks who have joined us during their staycations and vacations here in Braintree.  Our popularity seems to be growing each season as we strive to present the highest quality farmers and vendors with the perfect mix of products that make the market a one-stop shopping experience.  Sprinkled into the mix are special events that we hope our customers enjoy and maybe even enlighten them a little bit about sustainable living.  The market will continue every Saturday from 9 to 1, rain or shine, through the end of October at the Braintree Town Hall Mall.  The Indoor Thanksgiving Market on Nov. 19th is our final market for the 2011 season and plans are shaping up nicely with our tried and true vendors along with visiting vendors that will be new to the market and chosen specifically to enhance this special event.

   This week's Featured Vendor at the market is Susan Franklin and her Del's Lemonade stand.  Nothing tastes better on a hot steamy market day than an ice cold Del's Lemonade.  Del's has been an institution in Rhode Island and a favorite summertime drink for generations.  Brought to the United States from Italy at the turn of the 20th century Del's Lemonade began operating under its current name in 1948.  Susan is a native Rhode Islander who brought this soft-frozen treat to Massachusetts in 2008.

   Featured on the Food Network, Del's has been recognized with several awards including Best of Rhode Island, Best Product Made in Rhode Island, Best Local Food, Rhode Island Monthly All-Star and Best of New England Editor's Choice Award by Yankee Magazine.

   Del's Lemonade is an all-natural, soft frozen beverage that is refreshingly different. Made daily in their Cohasset store, these icy drinks come in eight flavors including Lemon, Watermelon, Peach Mango, Cherry, Grapefruit, Blueberry, Pomegranate and Guava Pineapple. The signature flavor, lemon, contains real lemon and lemon rinds and the other flavors contain either skins or pulp.  Their products, except bottled drinks, are made with cane sugar and are gluten free.  Recently they released a zero calorie frozen lemonade that will be available to patrons in the coming weeks. These beverages come in many sizes including party sizes for groups.

   Susan's mobile units are becoming a staple at local farmers markets and events throughout the South Shore and Boston area.  Her carts can also be hired for private functions including weddings, family reunions, graduations and birthday parties.  So drop by and enjoy this special, refreshing treat while you're visiting the market.

   Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 3rd, as we celebrate Labor Day weekend in true New England style with our Clam & Lobster Feast.  Fresh Catch Seafood will be on hand to present their ever popular banquet of lobsters, steamers, chowders, bisques, veggies from the market and more.  Many of our other vendors will be featuring products that tie in with our clam bake theme as well.  The BELD sponsored events tent will be raised for the occasion so bring your whole family and neighbors too.  A limited print-run of Clam & Lobster Feast posters (10"x15.5") will be available, starting this coming Saturday, for only $5 at the market managers table with proceeds going toward the operational costs of the market.  For more information go to www.sustainablebraintree.org/food.  See you on Saturday.

Featured Vendor for this week is Coastal Vineyards

David Neilson from Coastal Vineyards.   

We've been waiting all year for the arrival of locally grown peaches, blueberries, corn, heirloom tomatoes and even early apples at the Braintree Farmers Market hosted by Sustainable Braintree.  The season goes by so fast here in Massachusetts so please come on down and support your local farmer and enjoy the fruits of their labor before it's too late.  In the days before the market was established folks needed to make special trips out of town to find these local treasures but now you can purchase them direct from the growers each Saturday from 9 to 1, rain or shine, at the Braintree Town Hall Mall at One JFK Memorial Drive.  Come on down and see what the buzz around town is all about.

   This coming Saturday, August 20th, we are offering a yoga workshop before the market opens.  Join Jill at 8 a.m. on the front steps of the Braintree Town Hall.  Please bring your mat. A special thanks goes out to our Yoga Coordinator, Erin Monroe, whose been putting these inspiring workshops together for the market.  Thanks Erin.

   Our Featured Vendor for this coming Saturday is David Neilson from Coastal Vineyards.  David has been working in conjunction with the market since this past spring in an effort to introduce local wines to our customers.  The criteria for selling local wines at Massachusetts farmers' market has very strict regulations that include permission from the MA Dept. of Agriculture as well a special licensing from the towns where they are sold.  Based on feedback from market patrons we were confident that offering wines would be well supported.  Thanks to David's determination to make it happen we are finally able to offer local wines at the Braintree Farmers Market.  

Coastal Vineyards is a small vineyard and winery located on the southeastern shore of Massachusetts in South Dartmouth.  It was started in 2004 by David & Linda Neilson. They planted 4200 grape plants in 2005 and 4800 grape plants in 2006 and meticulously cared for, their eight acres of vinifera grape vines to produce the highest quality grapes. Their grape varieties include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

Coastal Vineyards produces small batches of fine creative wines produced from their estate grown grapes. Their approach to winemaking is to bring out the wonderful fruit flavors of each varietal while also blending different varieties to create unique bouquets and mouth feels that cannot be found with individual varieties.

They will be introducing many of their selections of their 2010 Vintage this weekend.  Their 2010 Estate Riesling, 2010 Estate Gewurztraminer, 2010 Seyval Blanc, 2010 White Wave, 2010 Beach Rose, 2010 Vidal Blanc.   They will also be introducing their 2009 Reds.  Their 2009 Merlot, 2009 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Seaside Red. Enjoy your market foods with a wonderful artisan crafted local wine to complete your meal. It doesn't get any better than this.

The second half of the market season is quickly approaching and we're making a plea for volunteers to help us out at the market. We're currently looking to fill the setup position before the market opens, working at the market manager tent during the operation of the market and the cleanup slot to assist with putting away items used during the market. Try it once or whenever you have time and help us keep the market a valued treasure in Braintree. To sign up fill out our Volunteer Sign Up at www.sustainablebraintree.org/food or email our Volunteer Coordinator, Marie Vega, at mariev@sustainablebraintree.org for more information. Every little bit helps. See you on Saturday.

Urban Farm Day this Saturday

Urban Farm Day posters only $5.

This Saturday, August 13th, we're celebrating Urban Farm Day with a few new folks that have been invited to help us learn more about urban homesteading. Drop by the Braintree Farmers Market hosted by Sustainable Braintree at the Braintree Town Hall Mall from 9 to 1, rain or shine. Simple measures can make your life more interesting and sustainable.  Along with demonstrations on simple food preparations, beekeeping, gardening, backyard chickens, the community garden and the French House Farmyard, we'll also have live acoustic music to celebrate the day.

Learn how to Make Easy and Delicious Sauerkraut and Cauliflower Pickles with Linda Larson-Schwartz.  Long before foods were preserved with commercial methods, the summer bounty was put up for long winters using a simple process called lacto-fermentation. This method produces lots of vitamins and is loaded with friendly enzymes that help with digestion.  Learn to make delicious sauerkraut the old-fashioned way, and savory cauliflower pickles made with green beans and basil. Both are considered “living foods” because no heat has been used in the preparation. And best of all, they only take minutes to make!

  Massachusetts Master Gardeners Assoc. (MMGA) are passionate gardeners and dedicated volunteers charged with the mission of improving the practice of horticulture and developing the public's understanding and enjoyment of plants and the environment.  MMGA provides outreach informational booths at community events through most of the state.  Master Gardeners provide invaluable horticultural informations and resources to the gardening public.  At this year's Braintree event the MMGA organization will be participating to help all residents with their horticultural questions.  They will be providing free resources on a variety of topics along with information on their Master Gardeners' Program.

Allen Hiltz from Black Brook Apiary will be on hand to answer all your beekeeping questions. Check out his observational hive with live bees and try to find the Queen Bee. He'll also have a full actual hive, without the bees, beekeeping equipment and protective clothing. Look for his display on the lifecycle of bees and bee social order. Allen will focus on the need for beekeeping whether it be in an agricultural setting or urban environment.

     The Braintree Historical Society is delighted to be returning as a guest to the Braintree Farmers Market on Urban Farm Day. This year, the BHS, an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to making the past accessible to the future, will be launching a new, interactive exhibit: The French House Farmyard. The new exhibit is the showpiece of our new urban agriculture program, which brings Braintree's agrarian past to life with rare-breed farm animals on display during regular museum hours. Stop by the BHS booth on Urban Farm Day to learn about how the common practices of the past can provide inspiration for modern sustainability efforts, find out more about our educational programs, and to meet Sandy, our San Clemente Island kid goat!

     A limited print run of Urban Farm Day posters will be available for $5 at the market managers tent.  Add this new addition to your Strawberry Festival poster to create a set for your kitchen or dining room.  This design also appears on this year's organic cotton tee shirts that are disappearing quickly and are only $12.  Toddler sizes are plentiful so pick them up for the little ones to show their support for the farmers' market.  100% of profits go towards the operational costs of the market.

     Enjoy a melange of acoustic American Folk and Blue Grass performed by local musicians led by John Sullivan whose expertise in musicology is inspirational and enjoyable.  Bring your chairs and blankets and hang out for the entire market.  Dancing jigs is always acceptable at the farmers market.  Our Braintree Electric Light sponsored events tent will be raised for the occasion.  So please come down to poke around 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.

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.