Sunday, July 26, 2009

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Gorgeous, fantastic, wonderful Market!

What a great Market -- so much to see, taste, listen to and buy! We hope you came home with great stuff -- we certainly did. Yesterday's post-Market lunch (chez webmaster and band) was a crusty baguette with thick slices of BBQ Colby cheese, lovely tomatoes, perfectly ripened peaches and juicy plums. Delicious and simple (and, after a busy Market, no cooking!) Many thanks to all our volunteers -- we truly could not make this Market work without the many people who work hard behind the scenes and on the ground. And to those of you hosting our new yard signs, many thanks! We noticed many new faces yesterday, and think the new signs make a difference. We have loads of new photos up on flickr -- hope you enjoy them!

Friday, July 24, 2009

We've got it all this Saturday at Cheverly Community Market




Well, we've already told you what vendors to expect (late addition: Al Pong returns to Cheverly Community Market with gorgeous plants and truly unusual produce varieties!) Here's just some of what you can expect to find at the Market tomorrow morning: Local Maryland Wine, Yellow Peaches, White Peaches, Sweet Scarlet Peaches, Early Eating Apples, Baking Apples, White Nectarines, Five Varieties of PLUMS, Blackberries, Blueberries, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Sweet corn, Tomatoes, Red and Yellow Grape tomatoes, Kale, Collards, Cucumbers, Green peppers, Red and Green Cabbage, Squash, Zucchini, Basil, Homemade jams (featuring peach preserves and some apple-grape butter/jam), Fresh coffee and tea, Homemade, European- style organic ice cream (including Kahlua Amaretto, Cantaloupe Coconut (made with Schagel Farms Cantaloupe), and Peach Amaretto (made with Schlagel Farms Peaches), crusty baguettes, organic artisanal bread, fresh pastries, scones, muffins, freshly made local tortillas and chips, lineback oysters, free-range eggs, ground lamb and goat, pork breakfast sausage, andouille sausage, chorizo, hungry-man spareribs, grassfed beef—flatiron, sirloin, skirt, T-Bone, Delmonico. NY strip. filet mignon, cookies and cupcakes (including Cookies to Cocktails makes delicious, creative treats, and this week, they'll feature banana muffins, pumpkin-chocolate chip vegan cupcakes, cupcakes/minicakes, sugar cookies and, of course, chocolate cake pops. We'll also have music courtesy of The Hot Noodles' Charles and Nate...rumor has it Charles is bringing both electric AND acoustic guitars! It's going to be a perfect Market morning (okay, a little hot, but pretty sunny). Come early, do your shopping, replenish your energy with some breakfast and great music, and finish your shopping...all before noon! See you tomorrow morning (8am to noon) at Cheverly Community Market!

Who's Coming to Market Tomorrow?

In addition to you (and we are looking forward to seeing you, your friends and your neighbors!), the following vendors are planning to be with us at the Market tomorrow morning:


Cheverly Breadbasket UMC Fair Trade Coffee Tea Gifts Martha's Jams Shlagel Farms Rebert Farm/Benny's Produce Stand Circle C Oyster Ranch (they're back!!!) Elk Run Vineyards Cookies to Cocktails Clan Stewart Farm Simple Pleasures Ice Cream ...and featuring music by Charles and Nate of The Hot Noodles Remember to pick up a yard sign -- you'll be helping to get the word out about the Market! Of course, we'll whrrl our Market story and take lots of pictures to share with you, too. And we're finishing up our BuyLocal Challenge Week...


See you Saturday morning at the Market!

Who's coming to Market? Simple Pleasures Ice cream!




We're always thrilled to have local favorites Simple Pleasures Ice Cream at Cheverly Community Market. This week, they'll bring more delicious, unique flavors, including Kahlua Amaretto, Cantaloupe Coconut (made with Schagel Farms Cantaloupe), and Peach Amaretto (made with Schlagel Farms Peaches)! How often do you have ice cream for breakfast? Here's your chance! -- Posted from the iPhone of Awesome

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Who's coming to Market this week? Rebert's/Benny's Market!




Matt Rebert writes about a motherlode of produce they'll have at the Market this Saturday: "We will be bringing peaches -- yellow and white, including sweet scarlet, which is a low-acid peach. Also on the menu: early eating apples, baking apples, white nectarines, five types of plums, blueberries, blackberries, and a variety of vegetables." Phew... We can't wait! Make sure to bring plenty of bags...you'll want to get loads of beautiful fruit from the Reberts! See you Saturday at the Market!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Who's at the Market this Saturday? CUMC Fair Trade Coffee Tea Gifts

Come have a cup coffee...and take some home! Cheverly United Methodist Church Fair Trade Coffee Tea Gifts sells ground and whole been fair trade coffees from around the world. This week, they'll feature Sumatran, Tanzanian and Nicaraguan coffees, as well as Medium Roast Breakfast Blend and French Roasts (hot or iced!) They'll also have Iced Green Tea and English Breakfast Tea, 100% fruit juice, chocolate milk and chocolate bars for sale. The CUMC tent is located right next to the band tent, and across from the Cheverly Breadbasket. Get your pastry, a cup of coffee or tea, settle at one of the tables and enjoy the music while you plan your Market purchases and catch up with your friends and neighbors. It's a perfect way to spend a Saturday morning at Cheverly Community Market!

Who's coming to Market this week? Shlagel Farms!

Eileen at Shlagel Farms writes that they'll have a real bounty of local summer produce this Saturday, including white sweet corn, peaches, cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers, green beans, kale and collards, red and green cabbage, green peppers, blueberries, blackberries, red and yellow grape tomatoes, regular tomatoes, green tomatoes and, of course, their delicious cider. Seriously, you could pick up all the produce you need for the next two weeks at this stand alone! Here's an easy way to buy, eat and enjoy local!

Who's coming to Market this week? Elk Run Vineyards!

Elk Run Vineyards, of Mt. Airy, Maryland, is bringing their largest selection of wines this week: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Chardonnay, Viognier, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Annapolis Sunset, Sweet Katherine, Port and Vin de Jus Glace wines. They'll also have Orange Juice/Tonic Water kits for making fresh sangria at home with our Sweet Katherine dessert cabernet, and, for you fashion-forward Market stalwarts: black t-shirts with "Group Therapy" or "Wine a Little" logos. Make sure to stop by and say hi to Bob and Susan. Pick up a great bottle (or three) of local wine, ingredients for Sunday morning Sangria, and a t-shirt!

Who's at the Market this Saturday? Martha's Jams!

Local favorite Martha Allen of Martha's Jams makes wonderful, wholesome products in her Cheverly kitchen. This week, she's featuring peach preserves and some apple-grape butter/jam. Martha really gets the most flavor out of the delicious fruit she selects, and the results are amazing. My favorite post-Market treat? Toasted baguette from Cheverly Breadbasket slathered with Martha's Jam and some berries or peaches. It's the best locally grown treat around -- try it...you won't be sorry!

Who's at the Market this Saturday? Cookies to Cocktails!

Cheverly baker extraordinaire Liz Esposito of Cookies to Cocktails is back at the Market this weekend. Boy, are we excited! Cookies to Cocktails makes delicious, creative treats, and this week, they'll feature banana muffins, pumpkin-chocolate chip vegan cupcakes, cupcakes/minicakes (vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip, red velvet), sugar cookies and, of course, their famous chocolate cake pops. Yum! You can also pick up small milk boxes at the cookies to cocktails table...we all know that nothing goes better with cookies or cakes than cold milk... Make sure to visit Liz and her faithful assistants this weekend at the Market -- and pick up some locally-made desert for Saturday night!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Have you seen this sign?




You will soon! Keep an eye out for our new Cheverly Avenue/Route 202 sign, which will be posted each week before the Market (starting with our August 8 date.) We're listening to your suggestions for spreading the word about Cheverly Community Market, and we hope this makes our dates even easier to remember. Also, look for our yard signs around town. Interested in hosting one in your own yard? Stop by our table at this week's Market for details. A rundown of this week's vendors will be coming out over the next few days! See you at the Market this Saturday, 8:00am to noon.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Help Us Spread the Word!

We've heard it can sometimes be confusing as to which weekend a Market is being held. To help spread the word, we've got yard signs...we'd like to see them all over town! If you can host a sign for the season, please contact our Market Manager to arrange a delivery, or you can pick one up at the Market. Many thanks - we really appreciate your help!

Will You Take the Challenge?

It's that time of year again... Buy Local Challenge Week! During the week of July 18-26, we challenge you to eat at least one thing from a local famr every day. It's not hard, and you'll show your support of our local farmers. So...will you take the challenge? Visit the BuyLocal website to get details and enroll.

Friday, July 10, 2009

The Run-Down: Who's Coming to the Market

We are so excited to to have an amazing bounty of produce at this Saturday's Market. There's definitely something for everyone, and it's a great opportunity to get people who might not normally be big produce fans to eat their fruits and veggies! If you've already made time out of your busy schedules this season to support Cheverly Community Market, local farms and food, and build community this season, THANK YOU. We still need your help! To support our vendors -- both old and new -- purchasing goods at the Market is more important than ever. This week, we're hoping that you will help us ensure the continued success of the market by inviting your neighbors and friends to share in this summer's bounty. Here's just some of the fantastic food you'll find at the Market tomorrow: * cherries * red and black raspberries * blackberries * blueberries * apricots * plums * peaches * nectarines * Lodi apples * sweet corn * tomatoes * grape tomatoes * kale, collards * cucumbers * green peppers * cabbage * green beans * wax beans * carrots * beets * red potatoes * squash * zucchini * basil * new potatoes * Local Maryland wine * Homemade jams * Fresh coffee and tea * Homemade, European- style organic ice cream * Crusty baguettes * Organic artisan bread * Fresh pastries * Macaroons * Scones * Muffins * Fresh, local tortillas and chips * Free-range eggs * Ground lamb and goat * Pork breakfast sausage * Andouille sausage * Chorizo * Hungry-man spareribs * Grass-fed beef—flatiron, sirloin, skirt, T-Bone, Delmonico, NY strip, filet mignon * ground beef (special this week: 4 lbs for $18) That is A LOT to choose from...make sure to bring plenty of bags and hands to help carry all your treasures home! Our vendors this Saturday: . Running Hare Winery . Eve's Cheese . United Methodist Fair Trade Coffee . Cheverly Breadbasket . Shlagel Farms . Swann Farms . Reberts Farms (Benny's Produce Stand) . Martha's Jams . Rose Fennel Pottery . Clan Stewart . Simple Pleasures Ice Cream Unfortunately, two favorites -- Circle C Oyster Ranch and Liz Esposito's Cookies to Cakes -- won't be able to join us this week. We look forward to seeing both of them again very soon! See you tomorrow morning at the Market!



More news from our vendors

Our vendors are bringing their A games this week, and you're the lucky winner. Make sure to bring plenty of bags (and hands) this week; you'll need them to stock up! In addition to what we've already listed, here are some updates from our favorite vendors (and all of our vendors are favorites!): Local potter Rose Fennell will be at this Saturday’s Market before she heads off to the Grand Canyon! She says, “ I’ve been making small cheese bells which are kind of sweet. I've also been working on casseroles and other items that go along with good cooking and home-style entertaining.” Going to a party this weekend? Why not bring your host a special gift? Or buy a lovely new piece for your home.


Shlagel Farms will have peaches,nectarines, sweet corn, tomatoes, grape tomatoes, kale, collards, cucumbers, green peppers, cabbage, blackberries, cider, green beans, carrots, beets, red potatoes, squash, and zucchini. Phew! As if we have don’t already have enough trouble deciding which delicious flavor of Martha’s Jams to buy, Martha is bringing two new products on Saturday: pineapple/ginger preserves and cherry sauce! The preserves would be delicious on toast, but let's think creatively here: imagine it as a glaze on grilled chicken kabobs with local peppers. That cherry sauce? Made with Rebert’s cherries...yum! Try a bit on a scoop of Simple Pleasures vanilla ice cream (which is organic and made with local ingredients), or maybe on some pork from Clan Stewart. Whatever you do, these treats from Martha's Jams will be delicious! Cheverly Breadbasket will have fresh fruit danishes and crusty bagettes from Firehook, and freshly made tortillas and chips from Moctec. Why not make a batch of salsa this weekend? If you have a garden at your house, your cilantro is probably going gangbusters!


Clan Stewart Farm has wonderful free-range eggs and pastured meats, including: * ground lamb and goat * pork breakfast sausage, andouille and chorizo * hungry-man spareribs * grassfed beef--flatiron, sirloin, skirt, T-Bone, Delmonico. NY strip, and filet mignon * dog bones * ground beef (special this week: 4 lbs for $18) They'll also have fresh, pesticide-free vegetables, including green beans, waxbeans, basil, summer squash, new potatoes We'll post a complete list of vendors later today...just thought you might like to get an idea of what's in store for you at Cheverly Community Market this Saturday! See you at the Market!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Eve's Cheese will be here!

We were thrilled to welcome Eve's Cheese to our last Market. Some of you were lucky enough to purchase some of their delicious cheeses before they sold everything. If you weren't one of the lucky ones, here's another chance!


I personally recommend the BBQ Colby -- it's really fantastic stuff. I'll also point out that the prices are very, very low for this product. You're getting a fantastic deal, and enjoying some of the very best cheese around. Get to the Market early this Saturday, pick up a fresh baguette, some fruit, some wine and some Eve's cheese. You'll be the most popular guest at any party you attend over the weekend. See you this Saturday at the Market!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What will our vendors bring this Saturday?

We're just beginning to get news in from our fantastic vendors about what they'll be bringing to Market this weekend. First up, Rebert Farms (aka Benny's), with the mother lode of fruit!
* cherries * red and black raspberries
* blueberries
* apricots
* plums
* peaches
* nectarines
* Lodi apples
* mix of vegetables
Cold blueberry soup, cobblers, jams, muffins, tarts, salsas, glazes... I can think of lots of wonderful treats to make with this bounty...if it doesn't all just get eaten out of hand, which is probably the very best way to enjoy all this delectable summer fruit. Still, there will be plenty of wonderful vegetable to balance your diet, so go ahead and indulge in the best fruits around! This is a great opportunity to get creative with fruit in your cooking, and we'd love to hear about what you do!

The Hot Noodles: Our House Band

If you've been a customer, a vendor, or a volunteer at Cheverly Community Market, you know our terrific house band, The Hot Noodles. They've been playing in the DC area for about five years, and we're very grateful to have them!
This Saturday, the Noodles won't be with us -- they'll be preparing to play a special Grateful Dead tribute show that night (8:00-11:00pm) at New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt. We'll really miss the terrific music they share with us each Market, but we're willing to share the wealth (every so often!)
The band will be performing one of the shows that the Grateful Dead played at RFK Stadium way back in 1989 -- it's 20 years ago this week!

We hope that you'll come and show your support for a terrific, long-time Market favorite. It's sure to be a fun show, and a great way to end a Market day!

Eat Local. Buy Local. Listen Local.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Our Monthly Plant Clinic with Master Gardeners

At the first Market of each month, we invite you to bring your questions -- and your plants -- for advice from the Prince George's Master Gardeners.


They will be diagnosing insects and diseases that are affecting plants in your yard. Please bring a small branch or a few leaves of your problem plant. The Master Gardeners will give recommendations for treatment of plant issues. Cheverly Community Market is pleased to include this fantastic resource. We hope that you take advantage of the wealth of knowledge that our local Master Gardeners are able to share. See you this Saturday at the Market!

Monday, July 6, 2009

New to the Market This Week

We are thrilled to bring a new vendor to Cheverly Community Market this week...Running Hare Vineyard!


In 2000, Mike Scarborough purchased a 300-acre private farm which is now known as Running Hare Vineyard. While originally purchased as a hunting property, Mr. Scarborough soon discovered that the sandy, dry soil provided ideal conditions for growing grapes. His love of wine had been cultivated in France, where he lived as a child. His desire to pursue winemaking as a hobby was realized in 2002 with a planting of 100 vines. Since then, Mike and Barbara Scarborough have added several varietals of grapes and the vineyard has expanded from the initial 100 vines to approximately 5,000 vines on an eight-acre vineyard. During the fall 2007 harvest, the Scarboroughs decided to begin a commercial operation. Since then, the winery has expanded from a 550-gallon tank capacity to 12,500 gallons, producing just over 18,500 bottles of wine to date. Running Hare Vineyard has produced numerous award-winning wines, including three international gold medals. In August 2008, tge vineyard celebrated it's grand commercial grand opening. Just one month later, five of Running Hare Vineyard's six wines received medals in the Maryland Governor's Cup Wine Competition; a first ever for a new winery! Since that time, wine production has more than tripled. Learn more about the impressive offerings of this wonderful local vineyard at their website (http://www.runningharevineyard.com). Even better, stop by and welcome the Scarboroughs to Cheverly Community Market thus Saturday. If you are a wine lover, you're really in for a treat! See you Saturday at the Market!

Friday, July 3, 2009

What Did YOU Cook?

We're asking our Market friends to share ideas about how they use the produce and other wonderful things that they find at the Market. We hope this new feature gets your creative juices flowing, too!
First up, Tammie Nelson's dinner party (with a big assist from daughter Kimberly!)
I had a dinner party tonight and everything except for the salmon was from the Cheverly Community Market. Raw veggies, so good that (a) they did not need a dip; and (b) the kids all loved them. Thinly sliced kohlrabi, baby carrots, sliced green peppers, scored/seeded/sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced red beets, shell peas. Fried green tomatoes: thinly sliced green tomatoes, dredged in egg and bread crumbs, two dashes of Crystal's hot sauce each, seasoned with salt and pepper, fried in a very thin layer of very hot oil. Flip them with a fork not a spatula. Serve hot. Chilled curried zucchini buttermilk soup: from Jane Brody's Good Food Book (couldn't find on the web and too tired to type it in; main ingredients are spring onions and zuchinni) Sweet and sour cabbage: I followed this recipe except that I served it at room temperature and used soy bacos instead of bacon. It went really well with the salmon. Fresh bread from the Market Grilled salmon, marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic. coated with sesame seeds, grilled in tin foil. (This was the only non-Market purchase!)
Sounds like a fantastic dinner, Tammie and Kimberly! Thanks for sharing with us. I understand that Tammie enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day, too, an excellent way to get the most out of your shopping/cooking dollars and time.
Have a great meal or recipe idea that you'd like to share? Tell us how you get the most out of your Market purchases!

Another Way to Help Cheverly Community Market Win!

This season, there are some great ways for you to help Cheverly Community Market spread the word that we're here...and maybe even win a prize or two! We've already asked you to show your support by voting in the American Farmland Trust's America's Favorite Farmer's Markets contest. Now we're asking you to take a minute to vote for us in the LocalHarvest Love Your Farmer's Market Contest:
love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!
Care2 will donate $15,000 to farmer's markets through this contest, with prize money ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Each week a market wins $250 at random, and there's a random drawing (tote bag) for voters, too. Please click on the button above and share your love of Cheverly Community Market. We do appreciate your support!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Vote for Cheverly Community Market!

Do you love our Market? We need your help! The American Farmland Trust is sponsoring a contest highlighting the best farmer's markets in the United States...we'd like you to vote for us! One large, medium, and small farmers market will win the title of America’s Favorite Farmers Market in 2009, and the winning markets will each receive a free No Farms No Food ® tote bag giveaway for their customers. By partnering with farmers markets, American Farmland Trust is encouraging consumers to consider the importance of farmland and to support local farmers. Let's put it another way: there is no local food without local farmland. Please take a minute to vote for Cheverly Community Market as your favorite small farmer's market. We appreciate your support!
Local Food Needs Local Farms.