Monthly Archives: July 2014

TomatoFest Celebrates Local Farm Grown Tomatoes

July 28, 2014

Tomatoes were everywhere you looked – there’s no way you could have missed them. There were tomatoes all over the market this past Saturday during TomatoFest. Whether they were red, striped, green, yellow, orange or purple, it was tomato heaven.

Market customers came early for this years Tomato Festival 2014

CSA customers could not resist red juicy sweet tomatoes at Allenbrooke Farm

Over 30 different tomato varieties to choose from now at the Franklin Farmers Market

Beautiful and just picked from Colbert Farm

From tasting the many samples of heirloom and traditional favorite tomatoes to enjoying fresh gazpacho and tomato jam prepared on the spot by our friends at Amerigo Italian Restaurant, TomatoFest 2014 was a big, juicy, delicious kind of a day.

Amerigo Italian Restaurant Chefs Paul and Stephen used their culinary skills for great tasking tomato treats

The sweet smell of Amerigo Italian Restaurant Chefs preparing a culinary delight

There’s no doubt that all of the tomatoes were delicious, but which ones were the absolute best to eat? We let a panel of judges decide that for us.

Tomato Festival Judges had the best job of tasting all tomato tasting contest entries

Market volunteers helped make the day a total success

Tomato Festival Judge Derby Jones of Williamson Herald loving some tomato tasting

Tomato Judges Nancy Williams looking on as Kari Jarrell enjoys tasting an Heirloom Tomato

And when it was all done, the judges picked the following farms as having the best ones: The Top Tomato in the heirloom category was grown by Sturbridge Farm. The second place heirloom tomato came from the Colbert Farm, while third place was won by Beaverdam Creek Farm.

Market customers enjoyed tasting Heirloom Tomatoes to determine which they liked best

1st Place Heirloom Tomato Sturbridge Farm

1st Place Best Tasting Heirloom Tomato went to Sturbridge Farm

2nd Place Best Tasting Heirloom Tomato winner Colbert Farm

Beaverdam Creek Farm 3rd Place Heirloom Tomato

3rd Place Best Tasting Heirloom Tomato winner Beaverdam Creek Farm

But apparently, the Top Tomato contest was just a little bit harder in the standard tomato category. First place went to the Colvin Family Farm, but second place was a tie between Blooming Baskets and Allenbrooke Farm.

Colvin Family Farm 1st Place Hybrid Tomato

1st Place Best Tasting Hybrid Tomato winner Colvin Family Farm

Big and juicy sweet tomatoes from local Tennessee Farmers

Blooming Baskets 2nd Place Hybrid Tomato

2nd Place Best Tasting Hybrid Tomato winner (Tie) Blooming Baskets

Allenbrooke Farms 2nd Place Hybrid Tomato

2nd Place Best Tasting Hybrid Tomato winner (Tie) Allenbrooke Farms

The same thing happened with third place – it was a tie between Delvin Farms and Kirkview Farm!

3rd Place Best Tasting Hybrid Tomato Winner (Tie) Delvin Farms

3rd Place Best Tasting Hybrid Tomato winner (Tie) Kirkview Farm

All in all, TomatoFest was a great day and judging by the crowd at the market, we all agree on one thing – tomatoes rule!

The market paparazzi snapped a lot of great photos at TomatoFest. Did we get one of you? Find out now with a look at the Franklin Farmers Market photo gallery!

Tennessee Sweet Corn Sells Fast

July 21, 2014

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Many of you came out to pick up your Tennessee sweet corn, fresh tomatoes, okra, peppers, watermelon and much more from our farmers while the rain was pouring down last Saturday morning.

It’s that time of year again!

Heirloom Tomatoes from Evans Produce

Okra from Beaverdam Creek Farm

Colorful Baby Bells now in market

Beautiful Melons from Delvin Farms

Fresh picked green beans from Colbert Farm

Many of our market farmers now have a good supply of sweet corn each market Saturday. Fortunately, the rain cleared out early, the temperatures remained nice and it turned into a very good day to be at the market.

Sweet Silver Queen Corn

Sweet Peaches and Cream Corn

Organic Summer squash from Delvin Farms

Fresh picked Jalapeno’s from Kirkview Farm

CSA pick up from Delvin Farms

Green bell peppers from Kirkview Farm

Hand made barn wood signs from Tom the Furniture Guy

Chef Michael Martin from Whole Foods our featured Chef Saturday

Of course, handing out free samples of delicious meat didn’t hurt anything either. All you had to do was take a deep breath and follow the appetizing aroma to get a mouthwatering bite of pork, chicken and steak, prepared to perfection by Chef Michael Martin of Whole Foods.

Local Tennessee farm meats full of great tasting flavor

It was Chef Saturday at the FFM and this particular day featured pork from Bear Creek Farm, chicken from Peaceful Pastures and steaks from Beaverdam Creek Farm. One bite and you knew it was top quality meat from local farms. Everyone loved it – over 1000 samples were eaten and enjoyed! Get your taste buds ready and keep watching for another Chef Saturday to take place soon!

And next Saturday promises to be a great day at the market too especially for all of you tomato lovers as the 2nd annual TomatoFest takes place. It’s tomato heaven that gives you the opportunity to sample the many varieties of heirloom and standard tomatoes at the market. Chef Steven of Amerigo will be preparing tasty recipes featuring tomatoes and handling out samples for you to enjoy. Taste tomatoes harvested fresh and ripe by our farmers and learn more about growing heirloom tomatoes yourself with our seed saving demo by Zadock, The Natural Farmer. And for the kids, there’s free face painting and games to enjoy.

It’s all happening at TomatoFest, July 26th at the Franklin Farmers Market!

Heirloom Tomatoes from Bloomsbury Farm

Organically grown Cherry Tomatoes from Delvin Farms

Do you see yourself or friends from Saturday in the FFM Photo Gallery?

Peak Season for Local Farm Food

July 14, 2014

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Hot market, but oh-so-cool local farm food. It’s the peak season for the best of summer veggies and that made it worth the while to brave the nasty heat last Saturday and come out to the market. The FFM looked like a foodie’s dream come true – tomatoes of all varieties, sweet corn on the cob, bell peppers, onions, potatoes, okra, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, green beans, peaches – you name it and it was there. The very best in fresh food straight from Tennessee farms.

Squash and tomatoes from Allenbrook Farm

New arrival of Tennessee Corn from Kirkview Farm

Farm Fresh produce from Colbert Farm

Fresh picked squash and zucchini from Sturbridge Farm

Beautiful Okra from Colbert Farm

Fresh picked Blueberries from Blue Honey Farm

Sweet peaches from Kirkview Farm

Bountiful CSA’s from Delvin Farms

Fresh farm produce from Beaverdam Creek Farm

Peas and lima’s from Kirkview Farm

Even though it was a hot, sweltering kind of day last Saturday, everyone seemed to be handling the heat with no problem. Lots of smiles and lots of people at the FFM, so naturally we had to take some photos. Did we catch you smiling? Take a look at the market’s big photo gallery and find out!

Loving a farm Sunflower

Found the perfect 2 tomatoes I like!

Hank resupplying organic potatoes

Karen’s wonderful tasting Tomato Pie from Norton Family Farm

Tomatoes large and small, red or yellow, heirloom or standard varieties – it really is tomato season at the market. We love tomatoes and the different recipes you can use them in, like the tomato pies that Norton Farm had this past Saturday. A ripe juicy tomato straight from the garden is the ultimate summer treat and that’s why we celebrate the tomato. July 26th, join in the fun at the Franklin Farmers Market TomatoFest. Our friends from Amerigo know a thing or two about tomatoes and they’ll be demonstrating the different ways to use tomatoes in delicious recipes. There will be heirloom tomatoes to sample, demos on seed saving and a fun kids’ area too. It’s all happening July 26th – TomatoFest at the FFM!

Juicy just picked red tomatoes from Colbert Farm

Tomatoes, White and Blueberries!

July 7, 2014

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It really was a Kodak or Pintrest moment – the red tomatoes and yellow squash, green cucumbers, purple beets and blueberries.

100% organically grown tomato from Delving Farms

Colvin Family Farm cucumbers and squash

Fresh picked cucumbers from See Sun and May Lo farm

Best crop of blueberries in years from Blue Honey Farms

Beets for salads from Bloomsbury Farm

It was a colorful, picture perfect 4th of July weekend day at the Franklin Farmers Market this past Saturday, with a huge array of summer’s finest produce and fruit. From cauliflower to peppers and blackberries to peaches, practically everything foodies crave could be found at the market.

Organic Cauliflower from Delvin Farms

Allenbrooke Farm Cayenne peppers

Sweet peaches from Kirkview Farm

Fresh carrots from Bloomsbury Farm

The long holiday weekend and great weather made for big smiles all around the market too. For proof of that, just take a look at our market photo gallery. What a great day!

Red, White and Blue

Is a peach cobbler in the works?

Beaverdam Creek Farm Sunflowers

Extremely sweet tomatoes now coming to market

Tomato, toemato- makes no difference in how you pronounce it because both mean you’re getting ready to eat something really good. It’s the perfect time of the year for tomato lovers. You can find tomatoes in all colors, sizes and varieties at the market now. The tomato truly is the king of summer produce and as such, deserves to be celebrated. So join us on July 26th at the market as we pay homage to the tomato with TomatoFest. Lots of good heirloom tomatoes to sample, kids’ activities and much more. Rumor has it that some “rotten tomatoes” may be flying around too! It’s all presented by our good friends at Amerigo, July 26th at the FFM.

Tomato heaven from Delving Farms

Heirloom tomatoes from Evans Produce

Just a reminder that the July classes at our Growing Kids Educational Garden will begin this Tuesday. From “bees please!” to melon mania, the classes at the kids garden are a fun and interactive way for kids to learn more about the environment and where their food comes from. Visit our Kids website page to get more info and sign up for classes!

As you know nothing seems to be authentic these days, these beautiful hand crafted signs are made from real Tennessee reclaimed barn wood and hand painted by Tom the Furniture Guy