Crafters invade the Farmers' Market

It's no secret that the Portland Farmers' Market is the best place to find fresh produce in the city, but at this time of year the market is also a great spot to pick up handcrafted items. Here are just a few of the creative folks you'll see alongside the farmers.

Allison Villani is set up in front of the Public Market House. She has a selection of delicate, hand cut cards, along with hand painted and stamped items. She also has a fun selection of tiny hand puppets. She doesn't come every Wednesday, but she will be back on Aug. 12

At the other end of the square, Jared DeSimio of Dappermonkey, has a table set up for the first time. He creates cool courier bags ($60) made from reclaimed materials and also screenprints original images on Ts ($21), long sleeves (426) and hoodies ($42).

Nearby, Kathleen White of The Maine Bath is selling her Ocean Essence pouches. Filled with hand-harvested Maine seaweed, the sachets are meant to be placed in a bath for at-home skin hydration similar to what you'd experience at a spa. These little spas-in-a-bag sell for $11.99.

In the same area, fiber artist Martha Marques is working her antique spinning wheel. Keeping her company is her intern Margaret Gale. Martha owns Threads of Meaning on Mujoy Hill, where she offers studio classes on Mondays from 1-5 pm and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. Martha comes to most Wednesday markets, unless it's raining.

Another perennial market artist is David A. Marshall, who's also the city councilor for the West End. Dave is so well-known around town that he's often pulled away from his stand to talk politics, which explains why I couldn't find him when I snapped this photo. Another cool thing about Dave is that he doesn't own a car and transports this art display around town by bike.

Finally, I think this T-shirt of a martini-sipping lobster from Ashley Lenartson of Ashley Wear really sums up the quirky spirit of the Wednesday farmers' market. It's the place to be for good food, good art and good times.

Strawberries on sale at Farmers' Market

The big news at today's farmers' market is the appearance of those tasty harbingers of summer: Strawberries! A couple farm stands are selling them for $6 a quart, and the taste is pure heaven.

In addition to the berries, the market is overflowing with lots of good eats, including all manner of greens such as kale, Swiss chard, bok choy, beet greens, arugula and lots and lots of lettuce. You also can pick up seedlings and flowers, plus things like baby turnips, radishes, eggs, pork, honey, jams, maple syrup, olive oil and those greenhouse tomatoes from Olivia's Garden.

And should you need a stylish tote to carry all your market goodies home, then swing by this table and pick up a fun Angela Adams' canvas bag. It's a locally-made bag up to the task of handling Maine's finest farm fresh food.

The Wednesday Portland Farmers' Market goes until 2 pm in Monument Square. If you miss it, head over to Deering Oaks Park on Saturday from 7 am -noon.

Radishes, rhubarb & tomatoes fill farmers' market

It's a gray, drizzly day but lots of people are out in Monument Square looking for the first and freshest vegetables of the season. The Portland Farmers' Market sets up here every Wednesday from 7 am-2 pm, and on Saturdays you can find them from 7 am-noon in Deering Oaks Park.

This year, market-goers have been psyched that we don't have to wait until August for tomatoes. These hothouse beauties come from the folks at Olivia's Garden. The greenhouses are located at Pineland Farms, and you can find their veggies in many local supermarkets. Olivia's also has baby cucumbers for sale.

A couple stands have radishes. I bought a bunch and can't wait to enjoy their spicy goodness with tonight's dinner.

Here's something else I'll be eating tonight: Baby pac choi. Also known as bok choy, it makes an awesome addition to a stir fry.

The farmers tell me that sales are way up for vegetable seedlings. This is obviously a result of all the new veggie gardens being planted this year.

And if you're looking to start an herb garden, these mix-and-match six packs seem like a great place to start.

Portland does Earth Day

The sun is peeking out from behind the clouds and the crowds are gathering at today's Earth Day celebration in downtown Portland.

Put on by arts organization MENSK, the festival goes on until 3 pm today in Congress Square (which is the public gathering space between the Eastland Hotel and the Portland Museum of Art). You can check out green information from the Sunrise Guide and the Local Sprouts Community Supported Kitchen. Once the festival ends, head down to the Public Market House from 4-6 pm for Local Sprouts' open house with tasty local food.

In addition to bikes and info about Portland-based biofuel maker Maine Biofuels, the Portland Skatepark folks have details about the proposed park.

One of the great things about this green lifestyle event is it's free.

And once you've checked out the Earth Day festivities, head on down to Monument Square where the farmers are set up until 2 pm. You can find onions, parsnips, eggs, free-range chicken, jams, maple syrup, pickles and flowers. Because one of the easiest ways to go green is to eat local food.

First day of weekly farmers' market

Today marked the official start of the weekly farmers' market in Monument Square. Dan from Sumner Valley Farm and Mike from Uncle's Farm Stand were there as the vanguard of the 30+ farmers who will fill the square by the time summer rolls around. Look for these guys (and hopefully others) next Wednesday from about 8:30 am until about 1:30 pm. Once the weather improves, the official market hours of 7 am-2 pm kick in.

Mike had a great selection of jams, jellies, pickles and honey

Dan offered up his coveted free-range eggs and pasture-raised pork

And Mike added a decorative touch to the square with wonderful pussy willow bouquets and wreaths, plus these gorgeous violas. Thankfully, all this freshness and color isn't an April Fools joke.

Winter Farmers' Market ends, summer market starts early

This past Wednesday marked the last official day of Portland's Winter Farmers' Market in Monument Square. Once again traffic was steady as Portlanders lined up to buy local eats. The winter market is only in its second year, and this season Daniel Price of Freedom Farm and Simon Frost of Thirty Acre Farm were joined by Daniel Perron from Sumner Valley Farm.

With the winter market over, both Thirty Acre Farm and Freedom Farm plan to take the month of April to work on their farms. Daniel from Freedom Farm says he likely won't return to Monument Square until mid-May, but he told me Thirty Acre Farm will start showing up at the beginning of May.

But no need to despair about going a month without your local food fix, because Daniel from Sumner Valley Farm plans to show up in Monument Square every Wednesday starting April 1, even though the summer market doesn't officially kick off until May. Yesterday I spoke with Larry Burns of Hanson Field Flower Farm, who coordinates vendors at the Portland Farmers' Market. He told me that Sumner Valley Farm will be joined in April by a couple other farmers who plan to offer hothouse veggies.

With the winter market a success and this early start to the summer market, Portland can finally claim a year round farmers' market. And that's the kind of happy news I'm thrilled to share with you on the first day of spring!

Lining up for Maine-grown food

Once again, there was a line of local foodies queuing up for Maine-grown goodness at today's Winter Farmers' Market in Monument Square. The list of food available hasn't changed much since I wrote about it back in December, and so I'm still able to stock up on my favorite veggie staples.

If you have yet to check out this winter market, mark your calendar for Feb. 18, when the next one takes place. Anyone can show up and buy from Daniel Perron at Sumner Valley Farm. However, you need to place an order with Freedom Farm/Thirty Acre Farm to get in on their good eats. You can jump on their email list by sending a message to eatlocalallyear@gmail.com. Doesn't that address just say it all?

Winter Farmers' Market keeps city dwellers eating local

Monument Square may be covered in snow, but that hasn't stopped a trio of farmers from showing up every other week to deliver Maine-grown and raised food to us urbanites. On Christmas Eve, there was quite a line of people waiting to fill their baskets and shopping bags with holiday eats at this Winter Farmers' Market. I was psyched to restock my supplies of potatoes, carrots and beets, which were all running dangerously low.

In October, I wrote about this cold season market for Switch noting that there would be a total of four farms participating, but one of those, Cornerstone Farm, has yet to show up.

Here's some of the food offered by Freedom Farm and Thirty Acre Farm. Both farms work together to obtain email orders from customers, source food from other farms and then dole it out at the appointed pick-up day. Sumner Valley Farm has set up its stand and is taking orders too. Farmer Daniel Perron also is selling his eggs and meats to those who haven't pre-ordered.

This isn't the only winter farmers' market taking place in the state. According to Eat Maine Foods, there are similar markets in Bath, Brunswick, Camden and Gardiner.

The next market takes place Jan. 7 from 11 am-1 pm. Should you want to get in on the Portland winter farmers' market, just send the farmers an email and ask to be added to their email lists. And for added incentive, here's a peek at the foods they had available for this week's market.

>>Sumner Valley Farm
sumnervalley@hotmail.com
Pastured Pork

Shoulder Roast $5.00 a lb.
Sirloin Roast $5.00 a lb.
Chops $8.50 a lb.
Country Ribs $6.50 a lb.
Rack of Spare Ribs $6.50 a lb.
Bacon $8.75 a lb.
Ground Pork $ 5.50 a lb.
Pork Steak $7.50 a lb.
Sausage (not in links) $7.00 a lb.
Breakfast, hot italian or sweet italian sausage

Patured Chickens

Whole Chicken $3.50 a lb.
Chicken Livers $3.00 a lb.

Beef

Hamburg $5.50 a lb.
Rib-Eye Steak $11.00 a lb.
Stew Meat $5.50 a lb.

>>Freedom Farm/Thirty Acre Farm
eatlocalallyear@gmail.com

Freedom Farm
Freedom Farm Certified Organic Vegetables
Beets $2/lb (3 pound min./increment)
Carrots $2/lb (3 pound min./increment)
Rutabaga $1.50/lb
Purple Cabbage $1/lb
Red Onion $2/lb(5 pound min./increment can be mixed w/yellow)
Yellow Onion $2/lb (5pound min./increment can be mixed w/red)
Golden Shallots $6/lb (1 pound min.)
Mixed Loose kale $6/lb (1/2 lb min.)
B grade squash $.50/lb
Winter Squash (Please order by the piece)
Butternut $1.25/LB
Buttercup $1.25/lb
Long pie Pumpkin $1lb
Lamb
Leg Roasts $10/lb
Shanks $10/lb
Loin Chops $15/lb
Ground $10/lb

Thirty Acre Farm
Whitefield, Maine
mofga certified organic

Lacto-fermented foods:
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut with Caraway & Juniper
Ruby Kraut
Gingered Carrot
Kim Chi
Sour Dill Pickles
Spicy daikon

Small (16 oz.) $6.00 Large (32 oz.) $10.00

*Red Kuri Squash (beautiful red squash good in pies or just plain roasted) $1.25/lb*

Organic Pork:
Ground Pork $10.00
Sausage (loose only}
(breakfast,
hot Italian ) $10.00
Boneless Pork Chops $12.00
Bone-in Pork Chops $11.00
Baby Back Ribs $9.00
Spare Ribs $8.00
Bone-in Loin Roast $10.00
Rolled Roast $11.00
Ham Steaks $10.00
Ham Roasts $10.00
Stir Fry Tips $11.00
Country Ribs $10.00
Variety Meats $5.50

Goranson Farm
Mofga Certified Organic
Dresden, Maine

Parsnips $2.50/lb (3lb. min./increment)
Potatoes- Yukon Gold- $2.00/lb (5lb min./increment)

MAINE-LY POULTRY
LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCTS FROM WARREN MAINE.

WHOLE CHICKENS $3.25 LB.

BONE IN BREASTS $5.50 LB.

BONELESS-SKINLESS BREASTS $8.75 LB

FRESH RABBIT $5.25 LB.

GROUND TURKEY $5.85 LB

HOMEMADE ALL MEAT CHICKEN PIES WITH PEAS
LARGE $13.00 SMALL $7.00

FRESH FREE RANGE EGGS $3.50
Swallowtail Farm
Small family farm located in Cooper's Mills .

Organic Jersey Yogurt in glass , maple or plain
pint-$5.00 quart- $8.00

Organic Queso Blanco
pint-$7

Farmer's Cheese
pint- 11$

Buttermilk
quarts-$5

Creme Freche
1/2 pints- $5 pints-$8

Townhouse Farm
Whitefield, Maine

Ewegurt - sheep milk yogurt, plain and maple
$5.00- 16 oz
$2.50- 6oz

Halloumi - Cypriot frying cheese. Made from organic Jersey cow milk.
$16/lb - you can order 1/2 wheel (approx 1/2 lb), or a whole wheel (approximately 1 lb)

Morgandie - aged cheese. Similar to manchego or young parmesan. Organic jersey cow milk.
$16/lb - also in approximately 1/2 lb or 1 lb wedges.

Trees, wreaths & kissing balls fill Monument Square

Most of the farmers packed up shop after last Wednesday's market, but two die hards returned to town today. Both Uncle's Farm Stand and Beckwith Gardens are set up with a fabulous assortment of fresh holiday greenery, including wreaths, swags, kissing balls and Christmas trees.

Uncle Andy's also has a decent selection of staples, including apples, cider, onions, jams, honey and pickles. Should the weather continue to cooperate, look for them in the square next Wednesday. If not, you can always get your local farmer fix by getting your name on the winter farmers' market email lists.

Get your Thanksgiving eats at the season's last market

With the sun shining, it feels almost balmy after the wild weather of the past week. These warm rays of sun mark the always bittersweet passage known as the last official day of the Portland Farmers' Market. After braving last week's whipping winds, these farmers deserve a beautiful send-off for the season.

The crowds are much thinner at this time of year (especially when compared to the height of summer at the farmers' market), which makes me super thankful for the farmers who continue to show up to keep us Portlanders feed.

Such as ...

Pheonix O'Brien, who can be found manning the Freedom Farm stand.

And Chris Cavendish, who owns Fishbowl Farm.

And Daniel and Holly Perron, who own Sumner Valley Farm.

And Simon Frost, who owns Thirty Acre Farm.

The farmers from Uncle's Farm Stand and Beckwith Gardens plan to come back next Wednesday, although both say they will mainly have wreaths and holiday greenery.

Early this morning, the farmers were doing a steady trade in Thanksgiving staples, including pre-ordered turkeys. If you're looking for inspiration for your holiday table, here are a few tempting local eats:

Long pie pumpkin (Maine's preferred pumpkin pie squash) and other assorted squash.

Or you can purchase squash already chopped at Beckwith Gardens.

Apple cider makes a great holiday drink, particularly when you heat it and add mulling spices.

And what would Thanksgiving be without homemade cranberry sauce?

So before you get ready for tomorrow's big feed, head over to the farmers' market (it'll be open until 2 pm today) and give a big thanks to this wonderful group of folks who keep us fed all season long. And should you want to keep eating local all year, sign-up for the every other week email notifications that will allow you to order fresh food straight from the farm.

Thanks farmers! I can't wait to see you in the spring!

A tree rises in Monument Square

Portland's holiday tree arrived in Monument Square today. The 45-foot blue spruce was donated by Joyce Smith of Gorham. Her children planted it three decades earlier, but its current size was a bit too big for her front yard.

The tree's arrival in Monument Square was scheduled for 10:30 am, which is when I arrived. But the tree was nowhere in sight. Which was fine, as it gave me time to shop at the farmers' market.

The farmers had plenty of late season vegetables, along with wonderful holiday decorations such as wreaths, swags and winter berries. Sadly, the market is almost done for the season, with this Saturday's and next Wednesday's markets the last for the year. Of course, die-hard locavores will be signing up for the winter farmers' market.

Once my shopping was done, the tree had arrived. Super, I thought, as my hands were already going numb and my toes were beginning to tingle. So I milled about for a while, snapping shots of the prostrate tree. Then my camera batteries died (likely sucked dead from the Arctic wind chill).

So I headed inside the Public Market House, where I scored new batteries and ordered a falafel sandwich. Then I planted myself at the tables near the window to keep an eye on the still stationary tree without freezing to death.

That's when I suddenly saw one of the cranes begin to move. So I dashed back outside and started snapping photos before I figured out they were only moving the United Way fundraising sign. Turns out, the main crane was having technical difficulties and another was on the way.

This is when I realized the only people crazy enough to be standing around in this weather watching the non-moving tree were either involved in the tree hoisting operation or a member of the media. Lacking the proper winter gear that Mike from WGME-13 was smart enough to wear, I went back inside the Public Market House. To wait. And wait some more.

Finally - around 12:15 - a new crane arrived and things started to happen.

For a few moments the tree swung through the air.

Then the city staff and the volunteers from Keely Crane Service and Maietta Construction planted the tree firmly in an open manhole and the drama was over as quickly as it started.

But the real fun takes place next Friday, Nov. 28 at 5:30 pm when a crowd will gather for the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. This year's festivities include performances by the Maine State Ballet, the Portland Conservatory of Music and Rick Charette and the Bubblegum Band. Let's hope the weather will be a lot warmer.

Bright new day at the market

With all the political excitement in the air, I couldn't stay in bed past 4 am this morning. So I woke Adam up (at the much more reasonable hour of 5:30) and we headed down to Marginal Way to eat breakfast at the brand new Miss Portland Diner. Then, with my belly fully, I was off to the Portland Farmers' Market just after 7 am.

It's absolutely gorgeous outside, which means it's a perfect day to score some tasty locally-grown food. Brussels sprouts make a great addition to a fall meal, particularly when you roast them with nothing more than extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

For more exotic eats, you can check out these black radishes. Find them at the Thirty Acre Farm stand, which is home to the most amazing pickles you'll ever try.

And just because it's November, doesn't mean you can't get locally-grown lettuce. Many of the farmers have greenhouses and hoop houses, which means they're still offering everything from red lettuce to arugula to micro greens.

The farmers will be in Monument Square until 2 pm today, and they'll keep showing up every Wednesday until Nov. 26. Should you be wondering how to keep eating local this winter, check out my story about Portland's winter farmers' market in Switch magazine. In the meantime, try to get to the farmers' market where every dollar you spend casts a vote for a better food economy. Now that's change I can believe in!

It's cold out, so get cooking

I just got back from the farmers' market, and I'm frozen to the bone. But my heart is warm. Why you ask? Well, it's because I'm amazed and grateful that all these wonderful farmers stand out in the cold and the rain to allow us city dwellers to eat real food grown locally.

The one good thing about cold days is that they're perfect for baking pies, roasting potatoes and simmering soup. Once I get home, I plan to fire up my oven and roast some of the yummy market veggies I bought today. The market is open until 2 pm, so, if you can, get yourself to Monument Square and then get cooking.

Should you need some added cooking inspiration, you can find a number of farmers' market recipes on my cooking blog.

October means tasty market eats

It's damp and it's October, but the Portland Farmers' Market remains in full swing. In fact, most of the vendors plan on showing up until Thanksgiving. Today I loaded up on lots of fall goodies, including Brussels sprouts, beets, fingerling potatoes, rainbow chard and apples. I went early to make sure I could get my hands on some of the season's last high-bush blueberries. I was told this may be the end of them, but then again I heard the same last week. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more at Saturday's market.

The market was full of kids this morning. While I was there, a bus rolled up and dropped off the K-1 classes from Waynflete School. The students were there searching out specific vegetables and planned to set up their own market once they got back to school.

As I mentioned last week in my post about all the artists at the market, there's much more to this event than raw veggies, fresh eggs and frozen meats. Here my sister is picking up some baked goods from Elise Richer at Cream & Sugar Bakery.

Mike from Lakonia is at the market every Wednesday. He's there representing his family's business, which owns olive groves in Greece, imports the olives to its facility in Saco and presses them into the most exquisite, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil. It's a little pricey, but well worth every penny.

And for those of us with a sweet tooth, Tom's Honey offers a natural fix.

Gettin' artsy at the market

Not only is the Portland Farmers' Market the place to score the best tasting eats, it's also a prime spot for scoping out the local artistic talent. One artist you can always count on seeing at the market is David Marshall, who's at the far left in the above photo. His neon-colored works depict Portland street scenes and local landscapes. And not only is he a DAM fine artist, but he's also a city councilor. Which means should you want to gripe about city government, he's right there at the market ready to lend an ear.

Here are a few other artists you're likely to run into at the market:

Paula Collier runs Funky Designs with her daughter Katherine Evans. Today she had some really cool found object pendants that she tells me have been a hot item.

Jeffree Lerner paints these fun panels that have a mystical, tribal feel.

Kimberly Wilder (who is camera shy) runs Wilder Designs and creates lovely necklaces and bracelets with a primary focus on pearls and semi-precious stones.

I'm so thankful for all these creative people who make Portland a more interesting city just by setting up shop on the street.

Fall comes to the market

The crisp feel of autumn was in the air this morning when I made my way over to the Portland Farmers' Market in Monument Square around 8 am. For anyone unable to feel that cool Canadian air, the sight of pumpkins at many stands proved that fall is right around the corner.

Squash was in abundance too, in a range of varieties.

With truly cold weather only a month or so away, it's a good time to start eating apples to keep doctor's visits at bay. Personally, I always try to go for the organic ones because my mouth feels all tingly when I eat the ones that have been sprayed. Look for the organic apples from Ricker Hill Farm.

Another wonderful vegetable to enjoy in the fall is farm fresh celery. Once you've tasted the amazing flavor of locally grown celery there's just no going back to those anemic, plastic-wrapped stalks you can buy in a supermarket. The other night I cooked up a super tasty Market vegetable & amaranth soup using this Fishbowl Farm celery.

In case you're wondering what in the world amaranth is, here's one variety. Here in Maine we tend to see these as ornamental flowers. But the plant has been prized throughout human history for its seeds.

Carrots make me laugh

I'm a big fan of humor inserted in unexpected places. Like on this price tag for carrots at the Freedom Farm stand at today's Portland Farmers' Market. These clever farmers have had similar messages on their tags for a few weeks now, but this is the only one I spotted today. I'm not super confident the carrot-for-breakfast trend is going to catch on, but it certainly beats eating a McMuffin.

Life in the time of tomatoes

As a dedicated farmers' market groupie, I've learned that you need to go early to get the best eats. The Saturday market in Deering Oaks presents a challenge for me, because I'm not much of a early riser on the weekends. Even so, I thought we were doing pretty good to make it there at 10 am this past Saturday. But since everyone and their brother seems to have figured out that the farmers' market is the secret to eating well, the place was absolutely mobbed and the farmers were moving as fast as they could to keep the bins full and the huge lines moving.

So today, I headed out at 8:30 am for the market. The crowd was steady but not yet overwhelming, and I managed to get lots of tasty veggies and fruits. If you're heading out for today's market in Monument Square (it goes until 2 pm), here's a look at what you can expect to find.

Tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes. Every stand has them in an endless number of colors and varieties.

I'm pretty fond of these fingerling potatoes. You know how the fast food restaurants inject their machine made french fries with artificial flavors to give them that distinctive smell and taste? Well I think they stole the flavor from roasted fingerling potatoes.

Whether you like them scorching hot or sweet and mild, there's no shortage of peppers at the market.

I like to pop into the Public Market House on Wednesdays to grab a loaf of bread from Big Sky Bakery. The price, flavor and freshness can't be beat.

For dessert, there are fruits galore. I found tons of apples and a great assortment of blueberries (the wild ones are pretty much done for the season, but the high bush ones should last through to the first frost), plus raspberries, blackberries, peaches and plums.

It's a circus out there

The words farmers' market tend to conjure up one image: stacks of colorful, organic veggies. But there's so much more to the Portland Farmers' Market than food. At yesterday's market in Deering Oaks Park, the acrobats and tightrope walkers were showing off their talents by the stone bridge.

Music was in the air too, courtesy of these guys who filled the market with a folksy beat. Tucked here and there between the farmers' stands, artists and jewelry makers offered their wares to the crowd.

Because eating local food is all the rage these day, the sheer number of people shopping at the market can be a bit overwhelming. While this can mean you'll have to fight to get your hands on the last heirloom tomatoes, signature gatherers and politicians say the place can't be beat. In the center (with her back to the camera) is Anna Trevorrow, who's running for Portland School Committee. In less than three hours, she and her team picked up 160 signatures supporting her bid for office. Current Mayor Ed Suslovic (who's facing two challengers for his city council seat) was also there looking for John Hancocks to add to his nominating papers. So whether you're looking for politics, art, music or food, you can find it at the farmers' market.

Portland Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 7 am-2 pm
Monument Square

Saturday, 7 am-noon
Deering Oaks Park