Monthly Archives: April 2014

Strawberries, Asparagus and more Fresh Produce Arrive at Market

April 28, 2014

Loving that first Strawberry from the market

And they’re off! It was just like a race this past Saturday as some of you practically ran through the market to get strawberries, the first asparagus, radishes and other spring goodies. The lines for strawberries were particularly impressive. But If you missed out on the ‘berries and new veggies, don’t worry. There should be even more next Saturday. With the warm temperatures and sunshine we had, things are growing a lot faster now. Enough so, that the market will begin its’ summer season next Saturday (May 3^rd), giving you an extra hour to find your favorite fresh food. Market hours will switch to 8am – 1pm.

Delvin Farms Strawberries are in!

Fresh Kale and Green Onions from Delvin Farms

Asparagus from Delvin Farms

Beautiful Radishes from Gardner Grove

Happy FFM Volunteers ready to serve

This past Saturday was also Volunteer Day at the market. We’ve got a great group of volunteers, but we can always use more to help with special events and market operations overall. A good number of people stopped and signed up to be a member of the FFM volunteer team. If you missed out, you can become a team member by visiting the Volunteer section of the market website. It’s a great chance to become friends with the farmers and vendors, be up close and personal for all of the FFM’s special events and to be styling in a really cool volunteer t-shirt too. Visit our volunteer page to learn more.

Jones Mill Fresh Picked Asparagus

Farm Strawberries anyone?

Romain Lettuce from Norton Family Farm

Having some fun at the Triple L Ranch

Beaverdam Creek fresh lettuces

As we said before, days like this past Saturday really put things in the garden into high gear. Every weekend through the summer, there’s some newly harvest vegetable coming into market. It’s only natural to grab as much as you can to take home and enjoy.

This long line of strawberry lovers snatched up all strawberries by 10am

Green Onions and Broccoli from Norton Family Farm

Just picked spinach from Norton Family Farm

Get your Farm CSA’s now as shown by Beaverdam Creek Farm

But do you know how to take all of those veggies and turn them into the perfect meal? Find out how at the FFM’s Chef Saturday. On the first market day of every month, there will be a professional chef at the market to give you more ideas on cooking. This upcoming Saturday, Chef Cyndi Shalhoub who specializes in delicious healthy organic cooking will be at the market to show you great ways to prepare the perfect meal with the fresh food from the market. When you get a sample of what she prepares, your taste buds will be doing the happy dance!

Young plants from Earth Advocates Research Farm

Somebody will do some serious planting

Beautiful plants from Purple Tree Farm

Farm Hoop Houses providing early Local Farm Produce

April 21, 2014

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Rocky Glade farm grown strawberries

We saw them too – red, plump and juicy and flying out of the market as fast as cars zooming around a racetrack. The very first local farm strawberries of the spring were at the FFM this past Saturday and some of you could not wait to get your hands on them. We can’t really blame you. Those beautiful strawberries were grown on Rocky Glade Farm and are a couple of weeks earlier than expected. But remember how we told you that farmers are pretty resourceful, using hoop houses and row covers to protect their crops from bad weather? That’s exactly what they did on Rocky Glade Farm. The Vaughn family raises a lot of good vegetables in the fields. But they also have two large hoop houses, which help to protect early spring crops from those last-minute blasts from winter. It all adds up to delivering delicious local farm produce like those early strawberries. We’re betting you’ll see more of them next Saturday.

Pilgrims Produce radishes

Sweet green onions from Pilgrims Produce

Beaverdam Creek fresh lettuces and radishes

Farm fresh spinach, carrots, lettuces and radishes from Paradise Produce

Just picked romain lettuce from Norton Family Farm

It was one of those everything old is new again days at the FFM this past Saturday. Think about it for a minute. Sometimes it seems like winter drags on forever, with no bright flowers to see and no warm weather fresh veggies to enjoy. So when all the local farm produce of spring finally show back up again, it’s like we’re seeing them for the first time. That’s what it was like at the farmers market. There were new spring veggies to enjoy, like fresh green onions for the perfect salad.

Lettuces from Pilgrims Produce

Green Onions from Kirkview Farm

Celery from Rocky Glade

Delvin Farms fresh lettuces

Carrots from Norton Family Farm

Fresh lettuce mix from Norton Family Farm

Early starter plants, such as squash, tomatoes and cucumbers were going home to be planted by backyard gardeners.

Vegetable Starter Plants from Paradise Produce

Blackberry plants from Delvin Farm

Plus all the flowers… beautiful, bright flowers were found all over the market. Spring makes everything new again.

Beautiful Flowers from Blooming Baskets

FFM customers heading home with new starter plants for their garden

Volunteer Day April 26th

Have you ever wondered how the FFM comes together every Saturday, year-round? Sometimes to us, it seems like magic. But it is really the work of our volunteers who play an important role in making the Franklin Farmers Market the best market in Tennessee for local farm produce. We’re always looking for great volunteers.

Next Saturday is FFM’s Volunteer Day. It’s your chance to join the market team and help out in a variety of different ways. If you believe in local food, sustainability and the goodness of Tennessee farms, we’d love for you to be part of our team.

Look for the special farmers market Volunteer booth next Saturday at the front of the market and join the FFM team!

Beautiful Spring Day visits Farmers Market

April 14, 2014

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Vegetable plant starts from Paradise Produce

Allegedly, there is no “perfect” day. But this past Saturday came pretty close to being one a perfect farmers market day. It was a sunny, warm t-shirts and shorts kind of day and there was plenty of good food all around the market. One of the things that make the Franklin Farmers Market a good place to go on any day in the spring is to see what’s new – what’s growing on the farms, what springtime veggies are ready to enjoy. The bright colors of flowers were popping up all over the market, with bedding plants for people to take home and increase that curb appeal. There were the veggie “starter” plants grown by the farmers for those of you that like to do a little back yard gardening. It was a good weekend to grill out too and many of you were getting the best in beef, chicken and pork from our farmers to enjoy. Lots of smiling faces all around as everyone just got outside and enjoyed the day!

Herbs and Veggie starters from Earth Advocate Research Farm

Ferns and other hanging baskets from Purple Tree Farm

Home baked cookies from Dozen

Fresh Farm Eggs have brilliant yellow yolks and more flavor

Yum, an Elle’s Donut Fan

Custom made miniatures by Phillip

Hand made soaps from Totty’s Bend Goat Farm

Of course, some of you were kind of pushing the season on Saturday, expecting to find such goodies as corn and tomatoes at the market. After all, you’ve see corn showing up in the produce section of the grocery. We’re anxious for corn, tomatoes and other summer goodies to be ripe too, but it’s not the time of the year to find those veggies at the market.

Fresh picked lettuce mix from Norton Family Farm

Fresh green onions from Pilgrims Produce

Beaverdam Creek Farm CSA, sign up today for your farm CSA!

Newly grown veggies from Kirkview Farm

Sweet carrots and lettuces from Norton Family Farm

Hand crafted knives by Antler

Custom made barn wood signs from Tom the Furniture Guy

And while the weather plays a big role in when crops are ready to harvest, you can get a good idea of when your favorite fresh food will be at the market by stopping at the FFM’s Info Booth at the front of the market and getting what we call the “cheat sheet”. It’s a handy little chart that gives you an idea of when the peak season is for summer produce in Tennessee.

All in all, it was a great Saturday at the market. Lots of smiling faces all around as everyone just got outside and enjoyed day! See for yourself with a visit to our market photo gallery.

It was all smiles on Saturday with clear blue skies and lots of sunshine as this young Franklin family stops for a quick picture

Home Garden Vegetable Plants Sell Fast

April 7, 2014

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Ford Lincoln of Franklin places a new vehicle every Saturday in front for new car buyers. Thanks for being our corporate sponsor!

The day started off a bit chilly this past Saturday, but it warmed up nicely at the market. We even saw a couple of people with shorts on! It must have been all of those tell-tale signs of spring throughout the market that made that happen, like the plant starts for gardens from Paradise Produce and the happy colors of little Dutch iris and buttercups from Blooming Meadows. And those massive ferns from Purple Tree Farm had everyone thinking about prettying up their porches for the warm weather. Lots of new Franklinites came to the market for the very first time and some out-of-town folks too, including a family from Hawaii. So all in all, it was a pretty good day at the market.

Purple Tree Farm has beautiful ferns and other new plants for spring

Garden starter plants grown right on the farm at Paradise Produce

Garden starter plants sold fast at market

Herbs and lettuces starters from Earth Advocate Research Farm

‘Local Farmers are sharing their vegetable plants for all market customers

Tomato plants from Kirkview Farms deliver sweet tomatoes for your home garden

And with warmer weather, things really start jumping at the Franklin Farmers Market with special days and events. In fact, we’ll kick off the summer season in May with a special day that will make your taste buds oh-so-happy. Details are coming soon!

This young couple are exited to find healthy tomato plants for their home garden

Young farm hand Dylem helps out at Hatcher Milk stand

Fresh Lettuce and green onions from Pilgrims Produce

Kale, collards, spinach and squash from Kirkview Farm

Just picked fresh lettuce mix from Norton Family Farm

Shiitake Mushrooms from Gardner’s Grove

Easter crosses from Time Traveler Treasures

Finally, there was a little confusion this past Saturday about when the market opens and when it closes. All through the month of April, the market will open at 8am and close at noon. That gives the early birds a chance to get in and out of the market quicker but for you socializers, it’s an extra hour to eat good food and have good conversations while shopping at the market.

Wonderful goodies home baked at Lucy’s Kitchen

Even on a cold windy day customer pack the market

Jams, Jellies and Breads from Jones Mill Farm

Home baked cinnamon rolls from Pappa C Pies

Beautiful Spring Flowers from Blooming Baskets