Tag Archives: fresh produce

Baby Calf has a Name and Farmers bring Farm Fresh Produce to Market

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It was another cold day at the FFM

Mother Nature has been a bit grumpy and unpredictable this winter. The chilly wind blowing through the Franklin Farmers Market this past Saturday was proof of that. It’s the sort of weather that calls for a good dose of comfort food and that’s what everyone was getting at the market. Instant warm-ups, like those hot doughnuts from Ellie’s Old Fashion Doughnuts or Jones Mill Farm’s sourdough rolls with Triple L Sausage definitely qualified as comfort food. So did the hot chocolate from Ridiculous Chocolate and warm freshly prepared cornbread, made with Beaverdam Creek Farm’s special mill stone ground cornmeal.

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Warm doughnuts and hot coffee from Ellie’s

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Stone Ground Cornmeal and Grits from Beaverdam Creek Farm

Veggies, like potatoes and cabbage to make homemade soups. Great meats, like a chuck roast for a warm delicious meal.

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Organic Cabbage from Delvin Farms

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Delvin Farms Organic Potatoes

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Tender tasty fresh beef from Bear Creek Farm

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Homemade soups from Lucy’s Kitchen

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Kenny’s Cheeses from Moonshadow Farm

And the vivid orange carrots and green Brussels sprouts offered a little tease of spring with their bright colors.

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Garlic, Turnips and Tomato Sauce from Delvin Farms

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Winter Squash from Delvin Farms

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Delvin Farms Brussels Sprouts

Here’s a question for you: You don’t see any flowers growing or green leaves on trees, so how do vegetables grow during the winter? We overheard that very question being asked at the market this past Saturday. Are those veggies grown somewhere else in warmer weather and then shipped in to Tennessee? The answer to that question is no. Some vegetables, such as cabbage grow much better in cooler weather. But when the weather gets a little cold, row covers and hoop houses go over the top of the plants to protect them. The coverings help the plants to get a little more warmth from the sun and protection from frost too. So what you see in the FFM during the winter really is grown on a local farm.

Buttermilk

Call me Buttermilk!

And finally, the voting is over and the little calf at Triple L Ranch is no longer without a name. Say hello to Buttermilk. The top seven names in the Name the Calf contest were Ollie, Jasper, Ace, Leo, Oliver, Bartholomew and Buttermilk. Who submitted the winning name? It was actually Ann Lee of Triple L Ranch. Ann put the name Buttermilk in the poll as a little joke, because the calf is neither a heifer nor a dairy cow. But that kind of backfired, because Buttermilk was voted as the favorite name for calf.  The runner-up in the contest was the name Bartholomew, which was submitted by Savana Stroud. So the Lee family has awarded the prize of a day at the Triple L Ranch to Savana. Our thanks to everyone who voted in the Name the Calf contest!

The Franklin Farmers Market is community driven Saturday morning farmers market bringing together the best local farmers in the state of Tennessee.  Visit our photo gallery and farmer profiles to learn more about Tennessee farm fresh produce and meats.

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Fresh lettuces from Paradise Produce

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Farm fresh eggs from River Cottage

 

Sunshine brings out Tennesseans for Winter Farm Fresh Foods!

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Sunshine brought happy smiles from everyone at the market on Saturday!

Sunshine, smiling faces and the best in farm fresh foods from local farms – there’s not a better way to start the day and that’s what type of day it was at the market this past Saturday. What a difference a week can make! No more nasty polar vortex weather to deal with and that brought lots of happy people out the FFM.  Quite a few of our farmers sold out of their fresh winter produce.

Brussels sprouts and cabbage, colorful carrots and potatoes were going home with smiling customers as well as baskets of fresh apples.

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Paradise Produce

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Pilgrims Produce

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Kirkview Farm

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Farm Fresh Veggies for the week is a good thing

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Kirkview Farm still has crisp sweet apples!

Fresh baked goods, grits, eggs, pecans and tender local beef, pork and chicken – it was all at the market Saturday.  And we spotted some of you taking home fresh green kale for salads or maybe to make that crazy good kale fudge pops recipe we told you about last week.

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Lucy of Lucy’s Kitchen enjoying the sun

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Tennessee pecans from the Diggs Family Farm

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Flying S Farm sweet treats

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Homemade soups from Lucy’s Kitchen

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Organic locally made baby food by Chubby Bunny

Speaking of recipes, some of you have been asking about the market’s Eating in Season cookbook and where you can get a copy of it. The cookbook booth is on winter break, but you can still pick up a copy of Eating in Season at the market. You’ll find the cookbooks at the Norton Family Farm booth. And while you are there, pick up some of the Norton’s famous fresh lettuce or delicious baked goods, like Karen Norton’s fantastic biscotti – perfect with a fresh cup of coffee!

And finally, we also spotted quite a few of you stopping by to ask the folks at Triple L Ranch about the name of their new four-legged family member. But they don’t know, because voting for the calf’s name isn’t over with yet. This Saturday, January 18th the polls will close, so you need to get your vote in now and pick the name for the little fellow. Should he be named Bartholomew or is Jasper a better name? What about Ollie or Buttermilk? You make the choice. Vote now!

The Franklin Farmers Market is community driven Saturday morning farmers market bringing together the best local farmers in the state of Tennessee.  Visit our photo gallery and farmer profiles to learn more about Tennessee farm fresh produce and meats

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An excited market customer buying her first Miniature by Phillip, hand crafted by a local artisan

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Custom barn wood signs by Tom the Furniture Guy

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Folk art on a sunny day

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Muffns from Lucy’s Kitchen brings a smile

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We’re just happy to be at the market!

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Hatcher’s Chocolate Milk

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Nothing sweeter than local honey from Johnson’s Honey Farm.  Great for hot winter drinks!

My Farm Fresh Breakfast this Labor Day Weekend

Free Range Chicken Eggs, Sourdough Rolls with Apple Jam and a slice of Heirloom Tomato and make for a mighty good farm fresh breakfast

Free Range Chicken Eggs, Sourdough Rolls with Apple Jam and a slice of Heirloom Tomato make for a mighty good farm fresh breakfast

We so enjoy our visits to the Franklin Farmers Market each Saturday morning eager to discover what our Tennessee Farmers have brought to market.  My favorite time of each weekend is to cook and enjoy the farm fresh produce, free range eggs, jams and preserves, heirloom tomatoes, fresh dairy butter and the all natural meats that don’t contain hormones or antibiotics.  I love the bolder flavors my taste buds get to experience when all my food is freshly picked and harvested.

This morning I was a little more excited about preparing breakfast because of what I found yesterday.  Judy of Jones Mill Farm had her first Fig preserves, I love Fresh Fig Preserves!  Now I have discovered one of those special finds-Judy had some Apple Jam.  OMG!!!

Apple Jam and Fig Preserves made fresh by Judy in her kitchen

Apple Jam and Fig Preserves made fresh by Judy in her commercial kitchen at Jones Mill Farm

Judy’s Apple Jam is the best Jam I’ve ever had.  The symphony of flavor created from her Apples, Brown Sugar, Lemons, Ginger, Cloves and Nutmeg sent my taste buds into a tasting celebration!  Such a wonderful balance of flavor and not overly sweet.  And of course the Fig preserves were outstanding as ever.

So here’s a few pictures of my simple quick breakfast using farm fresh free range eggs from West Wind Farm, I love the color and flavor from fresh free range chicken eggs.  And of course Judy’s sourdough rolls with the Apple Jam and Fig Preserves was just perfect to start my day!

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West Wind Farms Free Range Eggs bring unexpected fresh flavor to scrambled eggs

Sourdough Rolls made from 100 year old sourdough darter with butter, free range eggs, water, honey, sea salt and yeast

Sourdough Rolls made from 100 year old sourdough starter with butter, free range eggs, water, honey, sea salt and yeast

Our Apple Jam is made with slices of farm fresh apples, brown sugar, lemons, ginger, cloves and nutmeg

Judy’s Apple Jam is made with slices of farm fresh apples, brown sugar, lemons, ginger, cloves and nutmeg

Fig Preserves on Sourdough Rolls are great for breakfast

Jones Mill Farm Fig Preserves on Sourdough Rolls are great for breakfast

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Mission Complete…I’m ready for my day!

Please share a comment if you enjoy cooking with farm fresh produce, baked goods and locally raised natural meats from the Franklin Farmers Market.  Check out the pictures from Market Saturday’s.