More off-season goodies from Shlagel Farms!

We got this very nice note from Eileen Shlagel this morning...

I want to bring eggs to you this weekend and I can come Saturday morning at 9-10, or if it would be more convenient for all of you, I could come Friday evening 6-7. I have brown eggs, hydroponic tomatoes, bundles of spinach, (look at Shlagel Farms Facebook Page for a picture), and it is possible that I might have a few bundles of asparagus. Laurie is not able to come again until the first market, which means that she's selling alot at her winter market and so I'm very happy for her. So, I will leave it up to you guys and we will do this the democratic way........send me an e-mail with what you think you may want and the day that you prefer: Friday vs Saturday. I will come on whichever day has the most votes and I will return an e-mail to you telling you which day. 

Eileen

We are so grateful to Shlagel Farms and Waltz Family Farm for the off-season pickups during this long, cold winter! Make sure to email Eileen as soon as possible if you would like to get some pre-season goodies -- she does need to have a good amount of orders to make it a worthwhile trip!!

A week of Farmer's Market conferences...

You may wonder what we do during the off season, beyond catching up on sleep-in Saturday mornings. The truth? We do a lot of planning. A lot. From long-range goal-setting sessions with our wonderful board of directors to contacting vendors, musicians, and community groups, updating our website and materials, repainting our beloved old signs, and scheduling special events...the work of a farmer's market never ends!

This week, managers Liz O'Leary and Kathryn Andrews, and board member extraordinaire Cathy Wintermyer are busy at county and state conferences. On Tuesday, the three attended the Prince George's County Farmer's Market Conference in Upper Marlboro. Many thanks to Janna Howley of the University of Maryland Extension for conducting this great meeting. We got to hear from other market managers, farmers, and permitting authorities, and got updates on new processes and opportunities, as well as clarification on standing laws. On Thursday, Kathryn and Liz will be presenting two talks at the Maryland Department of Agriculture Farmer's Market Conference -- one session on engaging community (and thank you for being an engaged community!) and one on promotion. We'll be sharing everything we've learned -- and lots of terrific resources for vendors -- on our website in the coming weeks.

Farmer's Markets are alive and well -- and growing -- here in Prince George's County. We're thrilled to be part of the push for local, fresh, healthy, sustainable food!