Big Day at the Market with Live Music by Betty's Bounce, Knife Sharpening, and a Cooking Demo!

In case you missed the news, our market won 1st place in Massachusetts in the 2012 American Farmland Trust Favorite Farmers Market Contest. Thank you to everyone for your support!

There will be lots happening this Saturday! Betty’s Bounce will be playing sets from 10:00 a.m. through 1:00 p.m.  Consisting of Audie Bridges, Zach Bridges, and Curtis Doo, the trio features guitar and acoustic bass and plays Gypsy Jazz based in the style of Django Reinhardt.  They were a  big hit last summer and we are very pleased to have them back. For more about Betty’s Bounce, see myspace.com/bettysbounce.

Holly Pierce, Private Chef/Instructor of Sweet Thing Food will be back again with yet another of her super Cooking Demonstration! She create quick, easy, and delicious recipes from the produce and other foods she will purchase that morning at the market.  As always, Holly will have samples for you to try. Look for her next to the Market Manager Tent.

The Wakefield Rotary Club will be our nonprofit guest this week.  Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. The Rotary motto is “service above self." From donating to the recent Moulton Playground renovation to one-time and ongoing projects here and around the world, the Wakefield Rotary definitely fulfills its mission! Be sure to stop by and learn about this worthy organization.

News Flash! Participants in a ceremony honoring Civil War Remembrance Day will be walking through the market around 11:30-11:45 a.m., many in period garb, on their way from the 11:00 a.m. ceremony at the Lakeside Cemetery, through the Old Burying Ground, to the Common  for a wreath-laying ceremony and music. Be sure to thank them for remembering the heroes of those troubled times.

In addition, I do believe the mysterious Yarrow will be back this week to twists balloons to suit your fancy. 

The vendor roster for this week includes our 6 farmers and 10 food vendors, including our biweekly visit from Coutt’s Specialty Foods.  In addition, Kaleidoscope Soap and Susie Kate’s Designs will be here, as well as Trow’s Treasures, with lovely herbal health and beauty products, including a white sage herbal spray for hot flashes. Says Trow: “I have something for everyone, including your feline friends!”

Also, we will have our ONLY visit this year from On The Edge Knife Sharpening this Saturday.  Be sure to arrive early to get your blades in line!  

I am hoping that Charlton Orchards will again have their fresh apple cider (it went quickly last week!) along with produce, wine, honey, and cider donuts. Farmer Dave and Kelly’s Farm will have their usual assortment of lovely, just picked produce, with winter squashes possibly in tow, and, as always, Flats Mentor Farm will have their wonderful Asian greens and herbs.

West River Creamery will have an assortment of delicious hand-crafted cow and goat cheese from their farm, and John Crow Farm will, as always, have a variety of pasture-raised meats, including lamb and pork, and poultry. And, if you want a really special turkey this Thanksgiving, stop by the John Crow tent or put your order in now at www.johncrowfarm.com!

All our bakers, Swiss Bakers, Mamadou’s Bakery and Cannistraci Fine Foods will be on hand with their wonderful breads, pies, popovers and other goodies.  And, don’t forget: Swiss Bakers has excellent sandwiches, too

Stop by Ben’s Sugar Shack for maple and honey products and Silky Smoothies for a tasty and healthy drink for breakfast or a snack, and don’t forget that Goodies Homemade is also a gift box cookie company specializing in cookie care packages for kids away at school. "Send 24 delicious reasons to choose milk"! See www.goodieshomemade.com.

As always, there is tasty Middle Eastern Food from Samira’s Homemade, the usual and amazing selection of fresh seafood from Globe Fish/The Fish Lady. Along with pasta, regular mozzarella cheese, and frozen entrees, Fior D’Italia will have smoked mozzarella this week!  And, look for pumpkin and winter squash ravioli next week!

Coming Up: Drumlin Farms Audubon Ark visits on 9/22. The annual Plein Air Paint Out will take place on September 29, Live music by Kirsten Manville 10/6, a children’s event by the Arts Collaborative of Wakefield on 10/13, and more to come!

PARKING NOTE! Don’t forget!  Really! We can use the 1st thirty MBTA parking spaces along North Ave!   And, thanks to a generous grant from Mass in Motion, our market is now able to process SNAP/EBT and credit/debit cards. 

As always, a big thank you to Special Event Sponsor Wakefield Cooperative Bank!  Also, a big thank you to The Savings Bank and the Wakefield UPS Store for being Friends of WFM!  Your support means we can make our market an even greater asset to our community.

The Wakefield Farmers Market runs RAIN OR SHINE (except in dangerous weather, e.g. lightening or hurricane conditions).  The market opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes at 1:00 p.m. every Saturday until October 20.  Please visit our website (www.wakefieldfarmersmarket.com) for a complete listing of vendors and upcoming events.  See you at the market!

Wendy Dennis
Market Manager