Tag Archives: winter veggies

Winter Produce, Canned Goods, Fresh Baked Food and Tennessee Maple Syrup!

Franklin Farmers Market

Snow covered Franklin Farmers Market sign

First, we say thanks to everyone who came out to the Franklin Farmers Market during the recent blizzard. Okay, we’re exaggerating, but the snow did fall during the first hour of the market this past Saturday. Of course, that made munching on a warm sweet treat from Ellie’s Old Fashion Doughnuts or Crêpe A Diem’s Bacon Bella crêpe even better. And when it’s a cold winter’s day, it’s just natural to crave comfort foods, like a warm bowl of homemade soup or fried chicken and biscuits. That’s why River Cottage Farm’s chickens were so popular, along with homemade breads from Jones Mill Farm.

Charlie Hatcher crepe

Charlie Hatcher enjoying a crepe

Franklin Farmers Winter Market

This little one was bundled up tight between Mom and Dad

Ellie's Old Fashioned Doughnuts

Ellie’s Old Fashioned Doughnuts hot and fresh

Lucy's Kitchen Soups

Lucy’s Kitchen soups ready for you tummy

Jones Mill Fresh Baked Breads

Jones Mill fresh baked breads are great with farm made soups

Even though the winter veggies at the market are tasty and fresh, some of you are getting a little anxious for warmer weather and the garden goodies that go with it.  Everyone’s a little hungry for spring, but we do have a solution to getting the most out of winter veggies and liven things up for your taste buds.  Just be a little creative. Use your imagination and prepare the carrots, cabbage, squash or other winter vegetables in different ways. From soups to salads, main dishes and even desserts, you can find recipes for hundreds of different ways to prepare winter veggies.

Hummus Chick Hummus

Hummus Chick Hummus is always fresh from her kitchen

Kennys Farmhouse Cheese

Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese are provided by Moonshadow Farm

Jones Mill Flourless Chocolate Cake

Jones Mill Flourless Chocolate Cake with a touch of Expresso

Jones Mill Chicken Salad

Jones Mill chicken salad and pimento salad are fresh made right from Judy’s kitchen

Tennessee Free Range Eggs

Tennessee Free Range Eggs from Pilgrims Produce

Farm Ground Corn Meal

Farm Ground Corn Meal and Grits from Beaverdam Creek Farm

To get you started, we’ve got a recipe for you. Pick up some butternut squash and carrots on your next trip to the Franklin Farmers Market and prepare this special Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup. It’s mouthwatering delicious!

Tennessee Maple Syrup

Tennessee Maple Syrup from Pilgrims Produce

And here’s something else to put on the list when you come back to the market – Tennessee maple syrup. That’s right – it’s Tennessee maple syrup, not Vermont or Canada. It is lip-smacking delicious for pancakes and waffles, but don’t dilly-dally about picking up a bottle. Pilgrims Produce Farm only tapped about 20 gallons of maple syrup this year, so it going to go quickly!

And finally, here’s another thought about spring – it’s time to get the kids in the garden. Look for information on the Growing Kids Educational Garden at the end of February. It’s a delicious way for kids to learn more about food, nutrition and the environment. Think Spring! And don’t forget to check out Saturday’s market day pictures.

Lucy's Kitchen Muffins

Lucy’s Kitchen Muffins always fresh baked

Flying S Farm

Catherine of Flying S Farms delivering an order of Valentine Day Cookies

Beaverdam Creek Soap

Beaverdam Creek Soap

 

Local Farmers providing Fresh Lettuce, Spinach and other Vegetables this Winter!

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Fresh lettuce from the Norton Family Farm

Salads are a summer treat, right? So how can there be fresh picked lettuce and spinach at the Franklin Farmers Market on a cold winter’s day? Just ask the market’s reigning lettuce master, Jim Norton.  This past Saturday at the market, it was cold. Very cold. But the Norton Family Farm had beautiful tasty lettuce and spinach. How was that possible?

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Norton Farm’s tender fresh spinach

You can find lettuce and spinach from the Norton farm practically year-round at the market because of the loose-leaf varieties of lettuce and spinach that Jim plants in succession and the use of hoop houses and row covers to protect the lettuce crops from weather and insects.  So even though we’ve had plenty of cold days this December, the Norton lettuce and spinach crop continues to thrive.

There were also plenty of winter veggies at the market this past Saturday too, such as winter squash, sweet ‘taters and Brussels sprouts.

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Winter Squash

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Delvin Farm’s cabbage

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Winter veggies from Paradise Produce Farm

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Checking out the vegetables from Pilgrim’s Produce

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A wide variety of winter veggies to choose from

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Freshly baked!

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Soups from Lucy’s Kitchen

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Lots of yummy jellies from the Norton Family Farm

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Tasty Brussels sprouts at the Franklin Farmers Market

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Put some green in your diet!

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The market’s “Eating in Season” cookbook

Eating vegetables year round is a healthy way to stay in shape. But maybe you are not quite sure what to do with a bunch of beets or a head of cabbage. You can find an easy solution to fixing meals with winter vegetables at the market. Pick up a copy of the FFM’s cookbook, “Eating in Season”. It has recipes for each season of the year. Let’s say that you picked up a turnip at the market but were not quite sure what to do with it in the kitchen. The Eating in Season cookbook has a recipe for Baked Turnip Fries that will leave you begging for more. You can pick up a copy of the Eating in Season cookbook through the winter season at the Norton Family Farm booth. It’s just $15 (plus tax) and it can make every meal, year-round delicious.

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Lots of goodies from Lucy’s Kitchen

On this Wednesday, we say goodbye to 2013 and hello to the New Year. And with the new year, come a couple of changes at the Franklin Farmers Market.  Starting January 4th, dogs will no longer be allowed at the market, so please leave your pets at home when visiting the market. Secondly, the market’s winter hours will change. As of January 4th, the Franklin Farmers Market will begin opening at 9am and close at noon. Those hours will remain in place until the start of the spring/summer season at the market.

As we close out this year, the farmers and the vendors at the Franklin Farmers Market want to express their appreciation to everyone who came to the market and made 2013 a record-breaking successful year.  We are very grateful for your support of local farms. Thank you!

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Tom the Barn Wood Sign Guy’s unique creations

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Antlers natural treats for your four-legged friends

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Loading up on a great variety of freshly baked breads from Jones Mill Farms