Tag Archives: Bear Creek Farm

Market Customers Taste Local Farm Meats

Warm sunshine with sizzling local farm meats on the grill – it was the perfect combo for the official last weekend of summer at the Franklin Farmers Market. Grill Day at the FFM this past Saturday was a delicious way to bid summer goodbye, with a variety of local meats to sample and enjoy from our local meat farmers. The expertise of Chef Michael Martin of Whole Foods made everything extra tasty. Our friends at the Hearth and Grill Shop provided the Big Green Egg and Fire Magic Gas Grill to grill the local farm meats to perfection.

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Friends from Whole Foods

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Over 50 pounds of grilled meats

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Chef Michael

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Friends from Hearth & Grill Shop

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Veggies on a Fire Magic grill

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Grill Day

Everyone loved the tasty samples of beef, lamb, chicken and sausage from Bear Creek Farm, Peaceful Pastures, West Wind Farm, Triple L Ranch, River Cottage Farm and Hatcher Dairy Farm. Again, it was the absolute perfect way to say goodbye to summer and hello to football tailgating season!

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Grilled to perfection by Chef Michael

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Grilled local beef on a Big Green Egg

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Summer veggies still in market

Fall officially starts on Tuesday and there’s been a lot of people asking when the FFM will shut down for the year. The answer is we don’t – the Franklin Farmers Market is a year-round market. Our local farmers keep growing and while the variety of farm grown vegetables changes with the season, you can still enjoy the best of fresh food from local farms all throughout the winter. Plus with the cooler weather of fall, comes a whole lot of fun events and activities. Find out what’s coming up at the Franklin Farmers Market by taking a look at our Events page.

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Colorful Peppers from Bloomsbury Farm

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Sweet Cherry Tomatoes

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Fresh Basil

All of the colorful veggies and smiling faces at the FFM each Saturday make for some great photos. You should see the ones taken during Grill Day! Visit the market’s photo gallery to see what and who we snapped photos of this past Saturday.

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Pumpkin Roll from Norton Family Farm

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Collard and Turnip Greens

Summer Farm Produce still in Abundance

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Kirkview Farm watermelons

The calendar says it’s September, but at the Franklin Farmers Market this past Saturday, you couldn’t tell it with so much summer farm produce still available. The temperatures made it feel like a hot day in July but that’s okay because the warm weather makes the season for those summer farm produce vegetables longer than usual. There’s still plenty of tomatoes, watermelons, sweet and hot peppers and all your other summer farm produce favorites at the market. We saw several people thinking ahead though, buying large numbers of veggies to freeze or can to enjoy the summer produce all winter long. That’s a good thing to do, but if you’d rather eat food straight from the garden, don’t worry. There will be summer vegetables at the market for several more weeks.

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Norton Farm’s fresh lettuce

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Lots of good bell peppers

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Picking out apples

Farm Dinner Bloomsbury FarmFor those of you who are true connoisseurs of delicious fresh food, mark your calendar for October 4th and join us for “Feast from the Fields”. This unique farm to table dinner will be held at Bloomsbury Farm, the perfect setting to relax and enjoy an abundant gourmet meal with wine pairings.

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The perfect place for a gourmet meal is at Bloomsbury Farm

James Beard Award nominee Chef Philip Krajeck of Rolf and Daughters Restaurant will creatively prepare a savory four course meal using only the best ingredients from local farms, such as Bear Creek Farm and Bloomsbury Farm. Proceeds from “Feast from the Fields” benefit the Franklin Farmers Market and the Franklin Farmers Market Educational Foundation. Tickets are on sale now.

The official first day of fall this year is September 23rd and that caused a lot of people to stop by the market’s info booth to find out when the market would shut down for the winter. A little cold weather doesn’t bother us – the Franklin Farmers Market is a year-round market. Our farmers don’t stop growing during the winter. And while the produce grown in cooler temperatures differs from summer vegetables, there’s still a lot of good vegetables to eat. To find out what’s at the Franklin Farmers Market during the winter, stop by the info booth and pick up a free copy of the Local Table magazine. There’s a big seasonality chart in Local Table that will show you the peak season for practically every vegetable and fruit grown in Middle Tennessee. Winter market begins on November 1st!

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Cooling he veggies with water

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Smiling faces at the market

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Taste it – you’ll like it!

We like to share the photos we snap each week at the market. See who and what we captured on camera with a visit to the Franklin Farmers Market’s photo gallery!

Farm Dinner at Beautiful Bloomsbury Farm

A gourmet farm dinner on the grounds of beautiful Bloomsbury Farm would be a dream come true for connoisseurs of fresh food. Therefore, we’re making that dream a reality. Enjoying fresh sustainably grown food from local farms is a pleasure that deserves to be celebrated. Join us for “Feast from the Fields”, a unique culinary experience featuring delicious food from the farms of Middle Tennessee on October 6th. This farm to table dinner will be held at Bloomsbury Farm, one of the most picturesque farms in Tennessee. Surrounded by lush meadows and the wooded hills of Rutherford County, Bloomsbury Farm provides the perfect setting to relax and enjoy an abundant gourmet meal with wine pairings. James Beard Award nominee Chef Philip Krajeck of Rolf and Daughters Restaurant will creatively prepare a savory four course meal using only the best ingredients from such farms as Bear Creek Farm and Bloomsbury Farm. The menu of “Feast from the Fields” will showcase the intense appetizing flavor of the fresh food straight from local farms. Farm Dinner Farm Dinner

“Feast from the Fields” proceeds will benefit the Franklin Farmers Market and the Franklin Farmers Market Educational Foundation. The 501 c 3 organization focuses on educating the public about local agriculture and the significant role that it plays in the economy, environment, health issues and overall aesthetic values of communities. One of the main objectives of the foundation is to teach children about nutrition with an appreciation of food from seed to plate. In 2011, the Franklin Farmers Market Educational Foundation formed a partnership with the City of Franklin Parks to establish the Growing Kids Educational Garden. The free garden program gives children hands-on lessons about the good health values of fresh food along with a greater understanding of where food comes from.

Farm Dinner“Feast from the Fields” farm dinner tickets are sold in advance at the Franklin Farmers Market or by emailing leeann@bearcreekbeef.com. Tickets are $250 per person and include cocktail hour and a four course meal with wine pairings.

Farm Dinner Bloomsbury Farm

Grass Fed Meats Enjoyed by Local Market Customers

The delicious smell of grass fed meats grilling on a Big Green Egg just can’t be beat. It makes your mouth water and the taste buds crave a bite of whatever cut of meat is on the grill. Just ask anyone who was at the market. The Hearth and Grill Shop and Chef Michael Martin of Whole Foods got together and grilled tender cuts of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and sausage.

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Hayes & Stephen from Hearth & Grill Shop answered questions about the Big Green Egg and other grills best for grilling

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Chef Michael Martin of Whole Foods grilled over 50 pounds of local farm beef, chicken, pork and sausages

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Many customers had never sampled the great flavor of local Tennessee farm meats

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Market customers kept Chef Michael busy all market day

All of the local farm meats were provided by our meat farmers and free samples were handed out to enjoy. It was irresistible. You could not walk past the Grill Day tent without grabbing one of the grass fed meat samples to munch. Just goes to show that grass fed meats straight from the farm is the best. Our thanks to West Wind Farms, Peaceful Pastures, Triple L Ranch, Bear Creek Farm, River Cottage Farm, Hatcher Family Dairy and Beaverdam Creek Farm for contributing the local farm meats for the market’s Grill Day.  Jones Mill Farm provided the fresh baked kaiser buns and sourdough rolls with Moonshadow Farm supplying the Kenny’s Cheddar Cheese.

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Great tasting local meats

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Grilled beef slider with chopped Jalapeño and Kenny’s Cheddar cheese

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A tasty pork loin cooked to perfection!

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Certified Organically grown produce from Delvin Farms

What is it about the perfect summer day that makes everyone smile?  There was a whole lot of smiling going on at the FFM. After a week of steady rain, the sun finally decided to shine bright and fresh summer veggies were all over the market. Tomatoes and squash, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, onions and a whole lot more could be found, as well as the first of the blueberries and blackberries of the season. As we’ve said before, some farmers have crops just a little earlier than normal because of hoop house and row covers protecting their plants from cold weather and pests. But to know when your favorites will be ripe and ready at the market, you need to have a good idea of when peak season for their harvest takes place. We were glad to see so many of you stopping at the info booth to pick up a copy of Local Table, with its’ big seasonality chart to reference on harvest times for veggies and fruits.

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Fresh Blueberries from Pilgrims Produce

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Just picked Blackberries from Beaverdam Creek Farm

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Fresh squash and other produce from Paradise Farm

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Cucumbers from Napier Farm

All in all, with happy noses and smiling faces, it was a very good day at the market!  Be sure to check out our market day photos to see what went on at the Franklin Tennessee farmers market this past Saturday.

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Great tasting organic tomatoes from Delvin Farms have arrived!

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Farm fresh local produce from Beaverdam Creek Farm

What the Farmers Market has for your Thanksgiving Shopping List

Thanksgiving gives us the chance to eat ourselves silly, with a big spread of delicious food. So get ready to pig out! Make those yummy holiday recipes with healthy fresh produce, meats and dairy from the Franklin Farmers Market and you’ll feel a little less guilty about stuffing yourself this Thanksgiving.

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Triple L Ranch great tasting hen right out of the oven!

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Saturday will be a day of Families doing their Thanksgiving shopping

Here’s a handy shopping list of some of the goodies you’ll find from the farmers at the market this Saturday to create the best Thanksgiving dinner ever.

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  • Beets – delicious roasted with honey!
  • Broccoli – a broccoli casserole hits the spot.
  • Cabbage – try it grilled or sautéed
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower – pick up some fresh cheese and drizzle over the cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Chard
  • Chives
  • Greens – lots of winter greens available now
  • Leeks
  • Lettuce
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Potatoes – Got to have mashed potatoes with gravy
  • Radishes
  • Shallots
  • Squash/Pumpkins
  • Sweet Potatoes – sweet ‘tater casserole is a must!
  • Turnips
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Fresh Herbs and Lettuces from Rocky Glade Farm

Pick up fresh cheese at the market. Moonshadow Farm has delicious varieties of Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese and Noble Springs Dairy has fantastic goat cheese in different flavors. Hatcher Family Dairy Farm has the milk, cream and buttermilk you need for your recipes and the kids would love some Hatcher chocolate milk with Thanksgiving dinner.

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Farm Fresh Harvest from Pilgrims Produce

Don’t forget the eggs you need for special Thanksgiving desserts. Moonshadow Farm, River Cottage Farm, Gardners Grove and Triple L Ranch are just a few of the farms with fresh eggs at the market.

Who says you have to eat turkey on Thanksgiving? From chicken to beef or ham, you can find the meat you want at the market. Check out Triple L Ranch, Bear Creek Farm, West Wind Farm, Peaceful Pastures, River Cottage, Gardner Grove and Beaverdam Creek Farm for the cuts of meat you want. Johnson’s Honey Farm and Pilgrim’s Produce have the honey you need to spread on fresh rolls. And if you don’t feel like doing all the baking, you can pick up delicious breads, pastries, cakes and more at the market. Norton Family Farm, Lucy’s Kitchen and Jones Mill Farms have what you need. Jams, jellies and preserves can be found at the market too.

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Fresh Baked Breads from Flying S Farm

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Jams, Jellies and Preserves from Jones Mill Farm

So go ahead…. Eat it up! Happy Thanksgiving from the Franklin Farmers Market.

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Fresh Lettuces and root vegetables from Zadok the Natural Farmer

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Wonderful Thanksgiving fresh picked veggies from Paradise Produce

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Rocky Glade at your service!

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Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes and Honey from Pilgrims Produce

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Beaverdam Creek fresh Veggies

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Organic Fennel from Delvin Farms

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Taste Local Farm Meats this Saturday at our Day of the Grill Tasting Event

The tantalizing smell of local farm beef, chicken or pork chops sizzling on the grill of a Big Green Egg just can’t be beat. It’s all grilled to perfection, tender and juicy on the inside with a delicious farm meat flavor.

Ribeyes on Big Green Egg

Two Ribeye’s Grilling on the Big Green Egg

Big Green Egg Chicken

Free Range Chickens are great for Smoking on a Big Green Egg

And when you use top-rated meats from local farms, it becomes the ultimate mouthwatering experience.

local farm beef ribeye

Local farm Beef Ribeye from the Franklin Farmers Market

Local Farm Grilled Steaks

Local Farm Grilled Steak from the Franklin Farmers Market

Find out for yourself this Saturday at the Franklin Farmers Market. It’s the Day of the Grill and it’s your chance to sample local farm meats from West Wind Farms, Peaceful Pastures, Bear Creek Farm, Triple L Ranch, River Cottage Farm and Beaverdam Creek Farm.

Bear Creek Pigs

Bear Creek Pigs

Local Farm Beef

Local Farm Beef

Local Free Range Chicken

Local Free Range Chicken

Triple L Beef

Triple L Ranch Cattle

Chef Jeff Lunsford

Chef Jeff Lunsford of the Hearth and Grill Shop

Master griller Chef Jeff Lunsford from The Hearth and Grill Shop will use his talents to give you free samples of appetizing local farm meats.  “The Franklin Farmers Market supplies top quality meats that are produced from livestock -raised locally under the watchful eye of farmers that care about their animals, their product and the people they sell it to,” said Chef Jeff. This Saturday, enjoy cuts of steak, chicken, pork and lamb. Or take a bite of a “slider” – local ground beef, mixed with chopped jalapeños and grated cheese from Kenny’s Farmhouse Aged Cheddar provided by Moonshadow Farm. It’s served on one of Jones Mill Farm’s famous sourdough rolls.

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Jones Mill Farm Sourdough Rolls

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Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheddar from Moonshadow Farm

Everything will be grilled to perfection on a Big Green Egg Smoker & Grill from The Hearth and Grill Shop. “As a chef, I insist on the highest quality equipment and the very best local products,” said Chef Jeff. “The Big Green Egg provides me with the best Ceramic – Charcoal grill and smoker rolled into one fabulous grill.”

Vacuum sealed beef

Vacuum sealed Ribeye’s

Local Farm Beef Ribeyes

Local Farm Beef Ribeye’s

Look for The Hearth and Grill tent at the front of the market this Saturday and treat yourself to free samples of delicious grilled meats from our local meat farmers.  Meat lovers, rejoice! It’s the Day of the Grill at the Franklin Farmers Market!

Free Range Chicken

Local Free Range Chicken ready for the Big Green Egg Smoker

New Fall Events Coming to Farmers Market

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Norton Family Farm Fresh Carrots

Fall is definitely in the air. At the market this past Saturday, it was a bit cool with a light breeze, making it the perfect morning to stroll around with a warm doughnut and a cup of hot coffee from Ellie’s Doughnuts.

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Flying S Farm White Chocolate Friendship Bread

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Pumplin Rolls sell out fast from Norton Family Farm

Other signs of fall at the market too, like the first appearance of winter squash, more root veggies, apple cider…

…and lots of pumpkins.

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A Pumpkin Helper

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Cinderella Pumpkins

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King Farm Pumpkins Invade the FFM

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Small Pumpkins for young visitors

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King Farm Flat Bed Trailer Filled with Pumpkins of all colors and sizes

But the thing that tells us that fall is really here is the big question we’re asked every year – When do you close down for winter? The answer is, we don’t. The Franklin Farmers Market goes on year-round. Surprised? You’re not alone. A lot of folks wonder how a farmers market that’s dedicated to food from local farms can be open during the winter. In Tennessee, our winters are a bit milder and that allows farmers to extend their warm weather crops a little longer.

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Beautiful Tomatoes still in good supply

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Beaverdam Creek Farm Fall Eggplant

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Trish holding a CSA from Beaverdam Creek Farm

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Bloomsbury Farm Wheat Grass and Beets

And a number of farmers now use “tunnels” which consists of metal frames with plastic stretch over them. The plants are in the garden patch like they normally would be but the protection of the tunnel keeps frost from killing the plants. And finally, there are quite a few vegetables that prefer to grow in cool weather, like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage or carrots and potatoes.  The winter season for the Franklin Farmers Market begins in November.

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Fall Mums and Custom Baskets from Bloomin’ Baskets

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Fresh Jams and Preserves from Jones Mill Farms

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Brenda of Moonshadow Farm hosting Kenny of Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese

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Pilgrims Produce with their fall produce selection

Meat lovers, rejoice! Next Saturday, October 5th is the Day of the Grill at the market with samples of tender beef, pork, chicken and lamb from our Tennessee meat farms at the market. Enjoy tasty bites of meat from Triple L Ranch, Bear Creek Farm, West Wind Farm, Peaceful Pastures, River Cottage Farm and Beaverdam Creek Farm.  Chef Jeff Lunsford will use his talents on the grill to prepare the delicious samples.  Chef Jeff is a grill expert extraordinaire from The Hearth and Grill Shop. The Hearth and Grill Shop is locally owned and has been Middle Tennessee’s favorite spot for top-notch grills for over 40 years. This is your chance to enjoy mouthwatering samples of meat grilled to perfection on a Big Green Egg Smoker & Grill, which considered by many to be the best grill ever made. Don’t miss it… next Saturday, the Day of the Grill at the Franklin Farmers Market!

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Persimmons bring a smile to Lauren of Bloomsbury Farm

Giant smiling pumpkins and tiny little scarecrows were spotted at the market this past Saturday and they were all pointing to one thing… The Invasion of the Scarecrows is coming soon with lots of fun for the family. How about a kids pumpkin patch, funny face painting and a pumpkin decoration booth? And the best part is it’s free. It’s happening on October 19th  – The Invasion of the Scarecrows at the Franklin Farmers Market.  Presented by our good friends at Williamson Medical Center.

Visit our Photo Gallery to view pictures from this past Saturday’s Market and all Saturday Markets since May of this year.