Champaign, OH:  The Price Is Right!

We like to keep our little local market of love customers informed, enlightened, in the know…

Your assistant manager, Mark, passed this on. We field these comments, thoughts, questions, all the time…

Interesting read…and, we want you to be informed…because we love you!!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Vegetables-and-Fruit

By Tom Cherveny, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.

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Ask people why they shop at farmers markets and they will answer one, two and three: They like the freshness and quality of the produce, supporting the local economy, and the social interaction they find.

“If you ask, price doesn’t enter. It isn’t in the top three,’’ said Ryan Pesch, a market coordinator with the University of Minnesota Extension.

And yet, Pesch and University of Minnesota undergraduate student Maria Keeler found that price represents one of the best reasons to shop the local farmers market.

On average, they found that the prices for traditional produce such as tomatoes and onions were lower when purchased at farmers markets in west central Minnesota as compared to prices at big box supermarkets, traditional grocery stores, and specialized local food stores.

They found that a mixed basket of produce including nine different vegetables, from cabbage to zucchini, cost an average of $12.85 at farmers markets and $14.33 at grocery stores. They published their price study in February.

While farmers markets offered the lower price on average, they also had the greatest variation in prices. Prices could vary from vendor to vendor and market to market, Pesch said. The variations could often be explained by differences in how producers raised their vegetables and the varieties. All tomatoes are not created equal.

Along with a better price on average, Pesch, himself a local foods producer and vendor, argues that shoppers at farmers markets enjoy higher-quality produce as well, certainly in terms of freshness. The lion’s share of produce sold at traditional grocery stores is trucked long distances, he said.

He and Keeler undertook the pricing study to find the answers that a lot of vendors at farmers markets have been seeking. While farmers market consumers may not always be price-sensitive, the vendors are, Pesch said. They are constantly looking over their shoulders at what prices the grocery stores and others are asking.

The Thursday afternoon Becker Market in Willmar was among the farmers markets selected for the analysis. Market director Nancy Johnson said she was not surprised by the findings. Johnson said she has always felt that consumers enjoy "extra good value’’ not only because of price, but because of the freshness and nutritional value of the local goods.

She noted that Willmar is fortunate in that it also has Wednesday and Saturday farmers markets that join large numbers of producers and consumers. "We’re trying to grow the local economy,’’ she said.

The desire to support the local foods economy and to enjoy fresh, healthy foods are the big motivations for consumers at farmers markets whether they live in the metropolitan area or greater Minnesota, according to Pesch. Previously, he studied consumer attitudes at farmers markets in Renville County and found that they matched exactly with their urban counterparts.

But until now, he said there has often been a "mixed message’’ when it came to pricing at farmers markets. Some view them as "overpriced meat boutiques,‘’ and others as "end-of-season bargains.’’ In truth, shoppers can both pay a premium or find a bargain at farmers market, but on average, they get very good value on their dollar, the analysis showed.

About the study:

The price study is based on shopping trips conducted during July and August of last year to farmers markets in Willmar, Alexandria, Benson, Fergus Falls, Lowry, Morris and Sauk Centre. They also shopped major discount and traditional chain stores in the same towns, except for Lowry. They also shopped the Kadejan Market in Glenwood and the Pomme-de-Terre Co-op in Morris.

Prices were analyzed through the season on cabbage, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, string beans, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes and zucchini.

Champaign, OH:  Garden of Love!

As I mentioned in my market opening, last night, the gardens are coming alive, once again!!

I wanted to send a note from Joe and Charlene of Swisher Hill Herbs!!

At last! Spring is here! Trees and spring shrubs are budding, Forsythia is staring to bloom, spring bulbs are in their glory, display gardens are starting to show signs of green with returning herbs and perennials, early vegies are in the ground and- and- and – Herb plants are back on the virtual market this week. Check them out cilantro, dill, lavender, lemon grass, Oregano, parsley, rosemary, Thyme and old Fashioned Rose Geranium. Nothing beats the flavor of your own fresh cut herbs in your favorite culinary creations. See you in the gardens!
Take Thyme, Joe and Charlene

Thanks, Joe and Charlene…spring is in the air, the gardens of love are smiling, again!!

CLG:  CLG Pickup TODAY 4-6pm. Bring glass jars, egg cartons please.

Good morning,
This is a pickup reminder for those of you who ordered this week. Thank you for your order! You can pick up your order from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. today at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at 925 Mitchell Street in Conway.

If something comes up that you cannot personally pick up your order today, please contact someone to pick up for you.

Remember to bring your glass jars for recycling, egg cartons, and bags for ordered items. Reduce, reuse, recycle! See you this afternoon.

Come early for the best selection from the EXTRAS table!

Thank you,
Steve

How to contact us:

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Instead…

Phone or text: Steve – 501-339-1039

Email: Steve – kirp1968@sbcglobal.net

Our Website: www.conway.locallygrown.net

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Conway-Locally-Grown/146991555352846

Joyful Noise Acres Farm:  The on line market is open for ordering.

I hope everyone enjoyed their week and are ready for a full week of spring and sunshine. I hope to get some planting done on Sunday and am looking forward to our Fermented Beverages class on Saturday. Please join us, we still have room.
Blessings,
Mary Beth

Champaign, OH:  Sugar Magnolia

Sugar Magnolia, blossoms blooming…
Heads all empty and I don’t care…
Saw my baby down by the river…
Knew she’d have to come up soon for air…(Sugar Magnolia-Grateful Dead)

So…Magnolia, blossoms, blooming…do we have a theme? The warm weather, the longer days, the sun, the rain, the hint of even warmer days…April showers, May flowers, and not just flowers but amazing herbs!!!

Yes…you are correct…the market is now LIVE and in action…with live plants!!! It’s that time, again!!!

Swisher Hill Herbs brings us their selection of live herbs!!! This is the time of year that makes me so excited!! During the growing season, SHH are the only herbs that this market manager grows, and uses in her breads!!! SHH are the best…make sure to get your selections ready, place your orders, and let your planting begin!!

Flowers…beautiful flowers!!! As with each year, we bring you the live flowers from the green thumb of Katie Hoover of Sunshine Gardens!!! Her hyacinths are simply amazing!! And, she is running a special price for the market!! Make sure to get them while they last. They are very time sensitive so I suggest ordering, pronto!!

Herbs, flowers, plants…it’s that time, again…and we couldn’t be happier!!

I am opening the market, once again, for the week!! Thank you, always, from the bottom of our hearts for supporting this little market of love…

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Spa City Local Farm Market Co-op:  JV Farms visit update

Farm Dinner Dates Set:
Please correspond directly with Jay and Valerie. See email address below.

We’ve settled on May 17 and May 31 for our Farm Dinners. These will feature local food from JV Farms and surrounding farms.

The table and set up will be provided by Cody & Company, and you can enjoy the sunset as we eat, from 6 to 8 pm. There will be a short, mushroom log tutorial before we eat.

Limited to 20 per dinner and $35 per person. Reserve now.

Jay and Valerie
jvfarms71929@gmail.com

CSA Farmers Market:  Growing Season Update April 17, 2015

Koleine Law has reported that the Maple Syrup has been flowing good this year.

The above picture is the inside of one of the hoop houses at White Pine Farm. Inside it is a few things that are ready to be harvested, although in limited quantity as not everything is good enough quality. When harvesting happens they may find they have more than they put on the website so please request it in the comment section.

This picture is the tomato plants waiting to be transplanted into one of the hoop houses.

Delbert from GCC Organics reported that the pullets are starting to lay eggs. Pullets are the younger chickens and when they start laying they lay smaller eggs. As the chickens get older the eggs get larger.

They will next order cycle have turkey parts available on the website.

White Pine Farm will be planting onions soon, for anyone that would like to help with this task you are welcome to contact us to get details, you will also get a farm tour.

Until Next Time
Marian Listwak

CSA Farmers Market:  FUTURE HOUR CHANGES

It may not seem like much of a miracle, but pulling off this market often feels like one. There are other markets in other states that do very similar markets. They give their customers about 2 days to order and the farmers 5 days to get the orders together. Some monthly markets actually give the farmers about 10 days to get the order together. We are the other hand give the customers about 4 1/2 days to order and us only about 2 1/2 days to harvest and gather product. Since we give ourselves such a narrow window we will eventually be shortening the order time we give customers. This I believe will give us a little more time to deal with issues that arise and more time to pay attention to detail. The future time we plan to be open the market will be 7:00 pm on Thursday and we will close the market Monday night at 10:00 pm.
On Thursday it sometimes is a madhouse here because we are packing orders at the same time when the market is being opened and it is often that the farmers that have just harvested their crops are also packing their items and they have not always had time to update the website. At the same time we have to back up all files, edit invoices, write the weblog in HTML before we are even down packing order and by 3pm we would love to have all our hair in our head.

Adding three hours for us at the beginning of the market would make a huge difference and the two hours at the end of the market would also help.
The beginning time will be implemented before we go onto a weekly order cycle. The closing the market time we be implemented sooner.
Thanks

Suwanee Whole Life Co-op:  Market is OPEN! Group Buy Maple Syrup this weekend

ORDERING:
The market is now open for ordering!
suwanee.locallygrown.net

Group Buy Maple Syrup Grade B – We order only once a year so don’t miss out.

If you do NOT receive a confirmation email immediately after you placed your order, then your items are still in your cart and your order is not complete. All orders must be placed by 5pm on Sunday.

PICK UP:
Pick up is on Tuesday at 4942 Austin Park Avenue, Buford 30518 from 1pm to 6:45 pm.

PAYMENT:
We take checks, cash, credit card and Dwolla

If you are planning to pay using Dwolla please make sure your deposit includes the 25 cents fee. For example, if your order total is $22.50 make your deposit for $22.75.

Please make sure you understand our pick up policy before you order.

Have a blessed weekend!
Nora

Suwanee Whole Life Co-op:  News: Group Buy Maple Syrup