Westminster Farmers’ Market Report from Maple Heights Farm
It’s Still Easy to Eat Seasonally!
Our market is still as active as it has ever been!We had several new vendors last week and I hope you were able to find them and visit their booths.This week we expect a new soap/lotion vendor and also a vendor who will be selling salsa kits!Don’t think for one minute that our market is slowing down!!A bit of a nip in the air, a few raindrops, no matter -- you still have to eat and you deserve farmers’ market fresh!In addition, keep in mind that it is your patronage that keeps our vendors coming.The reason that you are able to find such great food at our farmers’ market (when many area markets are closing for the season), is simply because you shop there!Keep up the good work!
I hope you have been able to time your visits to enjoy our market entertainment!So much thanks to Dr. B and the Homemade band and the father/daughter team of Ron and Megan McGuire for performing at our market over the past few weeks!The music has been fantastic and makes the afternoon incredibly enjoyable for everyone!
This week Warren Rasmussen will be performing.He is raising new awareness about ground nuts in this area and will also be selling his book, The Mary Rowlandson Story, which is a piece of local history involving Mary, Wachusett Mountain and Redemption Rock!)
And don’t forget that this is the week for our free raffle.We will be raffling off 2 bags of farmers market products (each worth about $100).Included in the raffle we have everything from Nancy Sampson’s pottery to a beautifully handcrafted cutting board from Bob Richard.We have gift certificates from vendors, meats, cheese, a beautiful birdhouse donated by Bob Richard’s adorable grandchildren, spice rubs, photo cards and more.These items will be divided into two baskets.To enter the raffle, bring your free raffle ticket (handed out during the parade) and drop it in the picnic basket by the cooler.We have extra forms by the picnic basket if you forget yours.At 6:00, Dean Johnson will draw the 2 winning entries!
Next week (October 16th) is the pumpkin festival so come along, enjoy the festivities, bring your children to enter the pumpkin painting contest and enjoy a hayride.Have a hot cup of soup or coffee and enjoy a homemade pumpkin donut!
It is still easy to eat seasonally
We are in this great overlap of seasons where we can still have the freshest summer vegetables along with any of the fall and winter varieties which include leeks, squash, potatoes, beets, carrots, kale, Brussels sprout, salad [Read More]
Westminster Farmers’ Market Report from Maple Heights Farm
Farmers’ Market Value?You Bet!
This week for your entertainment we bring you the award winning, father daughter team of Ron and Megan McGuire! We are thrilled to have them and they will be playing and singing from 4:00 until 6:00! So, stop by and enjoy the afternoon, grab a cup of coffee, linger with your friends and neighbors and shop, shop, shop for Christmas! Please remember that tips are always appreciated for all our performers.
The delivery day for Mass Local Food is this Friday and this is going to be THE place to get your farmers’ market fresh food this winter. Mass Local Food runs like an online farmers’ market which uses preordering and monthly deliveries to Westminster, Berlin and Sterling. If we can get volunteers, we will set up deliveries wherever you want them! Currently listed on the website, you can order from over 450 products including beefalo, pork, beef, jams and preserved fruits, breads, pies and pastries, award winning cheeses, eggs, cereal, garlic, squash, herbs for your winter windowsill, honey, soaps, coffee, tea, pesto and many handmade products. Many of our producers can be found right in our local farmers’ markets. There is a $25.00 fee for a temporary membership (refundable if you don’t like the co-op) and a 5% order fee. This cooperative is run by volunteer effort and all money received is put back into the coop by purchasing software and supplies.
The parade went off without a hitch, if you don’t count the weather! It was loads of fun and if you didn’t get a free raffle ticket handed out as the Agricultural Commission fleet passed, stop by the water cooler at the farmers’ market and fill one out (or drop off the one you got at the parade). This raffle will be held on October 9th and we will be raffling over $200 in farmers’ market items. You don’t want to miss this one
Here are some photos of the Westminster AgCom's fleet in the Westminster Massachusetts 250th Anniversary Parade.
Thanks to Jessica Leger for providing us with her pics.
All in all it was a great day. The thunder showers never showed up, and the rain was just a slight drizzle. More than one of our group said it was the best time they ever had. I told them we would do it all again next week -- not!
Today is the big parade celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Westminster Massachusetts. The parade has three divisions, with over one hundred groups participating. Our Agricultural Commission has three floats, seven tractors (with implements), and a half dozen marchers.
The first float is The Mass Local Food Coop. Their theme is "from our farms to your fork". It is a dollhouse sized barn with farm animals and equipment. This scene is decorated with plants and trees. It is on my 1950 Chevy one ton platform dump truck. This truck was purchased new by my grandfather Hjalmer Johnson in 1950. It was used for years on our farm, hauling shavings, live poultry, eggs, and manure (not all at the same time). This will be the third anniversary parade this truck has been in. A youth group staged a sock hop on it in 1959, for The Town's 200th Anniversary Parade. My farm (Johnson & Sons Poultry Farm, Inc.) used it as our float in 1984, for the 225th Anniversary Parade.
The next float is our farmers' market reenactment. Marsha Foster and Cathy Magane will be riding this float that is a mock up of our Westminster Farmers' Market. It is full of colorful produce; white and brown eggs, pumpkins, gourds, red potatoes, corn shocks, butternut squash, summer squash, acorn squash, zucchini, etc. all displayed on bales of hay and a table under a market umbrella.
The last float has some of our most frequent market performers. Sue Nickerson will be playing her fiddle, accompanied by her husband Steve, on Guitar. As the music plays, Lauren Denen will be step dancing.
The tractors will be between floats. The walkers will be carrying a banner out front; "Westminster Agricultural Commission". Other walkers will be handing out fliers for the pumpkinfest, with Mass Local Food Coop and a free raffle ticket ( for food baskets) on the reverse side.
As you can see we have all put a lot of time and effort into this event. The weather was near perfect yesterday when we assembled the floats. All the floats were either parked under cover or covered with tarps. It is raining now as I write this.
The weather forecast calls for 100% chance of rain, up to 3/4" total rainfall today. Possible thunderstorms are forecast for this afternoon between 2 PM and 5PM. The parade starts at 1PM. We are the 15th group in the 3rd division. By the time we march it will probably be near 3:00.
Please say a prayer that the weather is not too severe for the marchers or spectators.
Plan to spend a bit of extra time at the market this week as you will want to listen to Bart Sides and his band, Dr. B and the Homemade Band. They will play from 5:00 until 7:00 and you are going to love them. So, stop by and enjoy the afternoon, grab a cup of coffee, linger with your friends and neighbors (or start your Christmas shopping – ideas to follow). Please remember that tips are always appreciated for all our performers.
Our 250th Anniversary Parade is this Sunday at 1:00. Our Agricultural Commission is representing the farmers’ market with a fleet in the parade with the theme, “Growing the Westminster Farmers’ Market”. That is not a mistake, fleet, not float! There will be three floats and seven tractors and farm equipment! And if that is not enough fun, we will be distributing free raffle tickets with a chance at a farmers’ market food baskets and items worth more than $200! (Note that the actual ticket incorrectly states $50) So make sure you ask for a raffle ticket when you see the floats go by. We will put a drop-off box at the farmers’ market where you can leave your entry! The drawing will be on October 9th
This Seattle area couple visited visted our Westminster MA farmers market three weeks ago. I stumbled upon their local eating blog while doing a websearch of our market.
This week at the farmers’ market: enjoy the musical talent of Dr. B and the Homemade Band. Bart Sides and his band will be playing from 5:00 until 7:00 at the gazebo. Aurelia Carter will be spending some time throughout the day juggling, and performing on a unicycle! Stop by for some food, fun and top notch entertainment. Tips and gratuities are greatly appreciated for our performers!
Watch for us in Westminster’s 250th anniversary parade where the Agricultural Commission theme is “Growing Westminster’s Farmers’ Market”. Make sure you get a hand-out as the parade passes. It contains an entry for a free raffle ticket for a farmers’ market basket filled with farm fresh products! Minimum $50 value! Participants must hand in their raffle ticket at the farmers’ market. The drawing to be held at the market on Friday, October 9th.
My grandparents Hjalmer and Lizzie Johnson lost one henhouse, and the roof was blown off the other. The forest across the road from the farm was devastated. Hjalmer bought the land. He set up a portable saw mill with the help of my dad, Walter, and uncle, Harold he cut enough lumber to repair these two buildings, and build three more. One of the new henhouses was the largest in New England at that time.
Westminster Farmers’ Market Report from Maple Heights Farm
Rain does not dampen the spirits of our local eaters!
Although we had rain, we had plenty of vendors and customers last week!We are looking forward to better weather tomorrow though!Meghan was unable to make her donuts last week and there was a minor outcry over it.She will make a double batch for tomorrow!So stop by Meghan’s “Meetinghouse Café” and try one!
We should start to see plenty of late summer and fall vegetables and fruits at the market.Pumpkins, peaches, apples, winter squash…Have you ever served peach cobbler for dinner?It’s practically a pancake and fruit but really delicious!How about pumpkin soup made with a real pumpkin?Just cut the pumpkin in half and roast it in your oven.Then substitute for the canned pumpkin in your recipes.Easy, nutritious and delicious.
On September 27, 2009, 1 PM The Town of Westminster will be holding it's 250th Anniversary Parade. The Westminster AgCom is planning on having two floats and a half dozen tractors with implements in the parade.
We plan on having a reenactment of our farmers' market on one of the floats, complete with vendors, pavilion tents, produce, flowers, and maybe customers.
There is going to be a lot of effort going into this the next couple of weeks. We have a great core of people both in The AgCom and our volunteer "Friends of Agriculture." We still have a need for more volunteers; handing out flyers for the Pumpkin Fest, marching with banners, contructing/decorating floats.
I'll keep you posted as we proceed with our plans.
We had a good turnout at The Westminster Farmer's Market on a rainy Friday afternoon. Eighteen venders set up even though it poured during the first hour. Customers showed up with umbrellas. The rain stopped after 4 PM, and the customer flow picked up.
All in all it was a good turn out for a rainy day. We are definitely a rain or shine market!
Westminster Farmers’ Market Report from Maple Heights Farm
Goal of the Season: Farmers’ Market Fresh Picnics!
Picnicking: Make Your Own Memories!
You have to find your own enjoyment in life and that enjoyment cannot be found by doing nothing and/or sitting in front of the T.V. (Do you even remember what you watched last Monday?) You find enjoyment by doing special things, planning special events and going to a bit of extra trouble to have something that gives a large return. One way to do this is to plan a picnic with friends or family. Now, when is the last time you had a picnic? This is something I would encourage you to do more often – or at least once. This fourth of July Andy and I planned a picnic with some friends on the top of Mt. Wachusett. We packed fresh lobster sandwiches (hand picked by Andy – though you will never eat a restaurant lobster roll again if you try this) on homemade “hamburger” rolls, goat cheese with Wasa crackers, fresh vegetables, a bottle of wine and a homemade rhubarb crisp for dessert. Now, you can imagine that the food, the location and the company of our friends could not be surpassed. We sat on the ski-lift-disembarking thing at the summit and watched as fireworks were lit off from here to Monadnock (Wyman’s wins out as having the most Independence Day spirit between here and New Hampshire). Everyone shared in the preparation so it was not much work.
With Autumn creeping it’s way south from the Canadian border and into the trees in our swamps and on our hillsides there will be many opportunities for picnics. Forget the quick stop for fast food and make your meals part of your destinations. (And I encourage you to read the ingredient list in the fast food we eat and give our children. Should we really be eating and feeding our children dimethylpolysiloxane in chicken nuggets? – no kidding, click on those links. You can tell me it’s safe and I will tell you it is not food. And is an “angus beef patty” really beef after you add 18 non-food ingredients??? And why do you need 18 non-food ingredients????)
Last weekend, my sister told me about “cupola dining” which is being offered by the Newburyport Lighthouse Preservation Society. Diners have an elegant meal in the lighthouse lens room and enjoy a luxurious (and very expensive) dinner with a million dollar view. It sounds incredible, but there are places around here that are just as beautiful for your picnicking pleasure:
New pictures, photographed by M.L. Altobelli. Photos were taken on 08-14-09 and on 08-21-09. August 21st was the date of our first anniversary. [Read More]
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