Cecil Bronnenberg was well known for the tomatoes he brought to market every Saturday. Lots of people said they were the prettiest tomatoes they had ever seen. But Cecil was also known for his wonderful sweet personality and that is why we will miss him so very much. On Tuesday of this week, at the age of 90, Cecil passed away. Cecil has been a part of the Franklin Farmers Market for a long time and well-thought of not just by customers, but by the other farmers and vendors at the market. Over the course of his life, Cecil was a school principle, a farmer and a WWII Navy Veteran. Last year he went to Washington D.C. on one of the special WWII Veterans Flights to visit the WWII Memorial. It was a very moving experience for Cecil and a proud moment for those of us who loved him to see him honored for service to his country. It is with a very sad heart that we say a final goodbye to Cecil. We will miss him dearly.
Visitation for Cecil will be held from 10am – 1pm Saturday at the Coffee County Funeral Home in Manchester. Services take place at 1pm. ObituaryIn Cecil’s words
From a giant cat holding a crow, to the minions from Despicable Me, it all made for a weird, but wonderful day at the market last Saturday. The Invasion of the Scarecrows took place and even though it was a cloudy, chilly day, everyone had a great time.
Kids picked up over 300 free pumpkins in the special pumpkin patch and then painted wild colors on their pumpkins and faces too.
Got to decorate those pumpkins!
There were free pumkins for kids
It’s perfectly painted!
And our friends from Williamson Medical Center set up a great free photo booth so everyone could take home photos from the Scarecrow Invasion.
Market manager Deb Grant and the WMC team
Just got the free family photo from Williamson Medical Center!
Judges Brandy Blanton, Stephanie Clark and Nancy Williams awarded Noble Springs Dairy 1st place.
The scarecrow contest between the farmers and artisans was really something to see. Judges Nancy Williams, director of the Downtown Franklin Association, Brandy Blanton, publisher of Southern Exposure Magazine and Stephanie Clark of Williamson Medical Center had a tough time picking the winner of the contest, but in the end Noble Springs Dairy Farm won the grand prize with two goat scarecrows defending their garden against the crows. Beaverdam Creek Farm’s Despicable Me display with Gru and the Minions as scarecrows won 2nd place. And Bloomsbury/Spring Meadow Farms won 3rd with their Duck Dynasty scarecrow, complete with live ducks!
Beaverdam Creek won the 2nd place prize
Bloombury Farm’s Duck Dynasty took 3rd place
The Barkers Market scarecrow
Triple Springs Farm’s ghost
Purple Tree Farm’s Witchy Woman
The best dressed group of scarecrow winners
There were live scarecrows roaming the market too. These three from Zadock the Natural Farmer, took home the first place prize for the best dressed scarecrows.
It was a fun day at the market!
All in all, it was a wacky fun day for everyone at the Franklin Farmers Market! Click here to view all the photos taken on Saturday, you just might see yourself!
We have to admit, it was a little chilly Saturday when the market first opened. But a cup of coffee paired with some sweet, warm Ellie’s Doughnuts made everything okay. And even with a lot of fall festivals going on, there were still plenty of people wandering around the market and we’ve now figured out why. The Franklin Farmers Market is not only the best place for fresh food from local farms; it’s a great spot to socialize on Saturday mornings.
Maybe you pick up a yummy sourdough roll with sausage from Jones Mill Farm or you head over to the Biscuit Love truck for a bite of breakfast to munch while roaming the market. Chances are that you’ll run into a neighbor or an old friend who’s doing the exact same thing.
Kirkview Farms fresh veggies
Customers of Rocky Glade Farm
Local tomatoes still available
Plus it seems like a lot of new people are moving to Franklin and Williamson County too. Every market day, there are people who stop at the info booth to find out more about the farmers and the market.
V’s Pottery is beautiful!
Lucy’s Kitchen’s yummy soups
River Cottage Farm’s meats
Legacy Acres soft & warm Alpaca yarn
Great barnwood signs from Tom the Furniture Guy!
Colorful mums and pumpkins from Purple Tree Farm
A lot of them have just moved here. We’ve been doing a little poll of those people and have found out that quite a few of them are here from California, like this mom and her son standing next to the scarecrow. They just moved here from Los Angeles. Welcome to Tennessee!
Just moved to Tennessee!
Smiling faces & sunflowers
Posing with the pumpkin & scarecrow at the market info booth
And you may have noticed at the market this past Saturday that lots pumpkins can now be found from several farms at the market.
The King Family Farm grows lots of pumpkins!
And with those pumpkins, little scarecrows are starting to pop up everywhere.
Little scarecrows popped up at Rainbow Hill’s booth
But just wait… The market will soon be took over by scarecrows and they’ll be bringing lots of fun for the whole family. It’s The Invasion of the Scarecrows, brought to you by our friends at Williamson Medical Center.
There will be a free pumpkin patch for the kids, complete with a tractor-riding scarecrow watching over the patch. After picking out their pumpkin, kids can paint and decorate it at the Perfect Pumpkin Painting booth. The kids can get “decorated” too with face-painting from Tom the Artist. And once the pumpkins and the kids have been decorated, stop by the Williamson Medical Center’s tent for a free family photo to take home and remember the day!
Beaverdam Creek Farm’s beef cuts
Of course, there will be plenty of delicious fresh food from your favorite farmers at the market too. From big and tall to short and small, lots of scarecrows will be everywhere. It’s all happening next Saturday, October 19th from 8am – 1pm at the Franklin Farmers Market!
A good selection from Pilgrims Produce
Click here to view pictures from this past Saturday’s market.
The Franklin Farmers Market is always a great place to bring the family, with music, lots of farmers and artisans and of course, great food. But on October 19th, a there’s a curious change in the way things normally are. Lots and lots of scarecrows invade the market and with them comes a lot of free fun for your family!
Scarecrows, big & small are at the market.
It’s the Invasion of the Scarecrows, brought to you by our friends at Williamson Medical Center.
The free pumpkin patch for kids!
There’s a free pumpkin patch for the kids, complete with a tractor-riding scarecrow watching over the patch.
Can you paint the perfect pumpkin?
After picking out their pumpkin, kids can paint and decorate it at the Perfect Pumpkin Painting booth. Or maybe the kids would rather be the ones being decorated!
Funny free face-painting at the Invasion!
Tom the Artist can paint the perfect Halloween scene or cartoon on their faces. And after the pumpkins and the kids have been decorated, stop by Williamson Medical Center’s tent for a free family photo to take home and remember the day!
Scarecrows spotted at the Beaverdam Creek booth!
As always, there’s plenty of delicious fresh food from your favorite farmers at the market too. And from big and tall to short and small, lots of scarecrows are everywhere. It’s all happening Saturday, October 19th from 8am – 1pm at the Franklin Farmers Market… Don’t miss it!
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.
Two Ribeye’s Grilling on the Big Green Egg
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 from the Franklin Farmers Market
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
Local Farm Beef
Local Free Range Chicken
Triple L Ranch Cattle
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.
Jones Mill Farm Sourdough Rolls
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 Ribeye’s
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!
Local Free Range Chicken ready for the Big Green Egg Smoker
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.
Flying S Farm White Chocolate Friendship Bread
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.
A Pumpkin Helper
Cinderella Pumpkins
King Farm Pumpkins Invade the FFM
Small Pumpkins for young visitors
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.
Beautiful Tomatoes still in good supply
Beaverdam Creek Farm Fall Eggplant
Trish holding a CSA from Beaverdam Creek Farm
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.
Fall Mums and Custom Baskets from Bloomin’ Baskets
Fresh Jams and Preserves from Jones Mill Farms
Brenda of Moonshadow Farm hosting Kenny of Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese
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!
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.
Maybe it was that yummy roll with sausage from Jones Mill Farms. Or it could have been a deliciously sweet treat from Ellie’s Doughnuts with a good cup of hot coffee. Or perhaps some of Hatcher Dairy’s famous chocolate milk was the way to start the day. Whatever it was, despite the wet weather, a whole lot of you showed up and munched on breakfast goodies while walking around the market this past Saturday morning.
Ellie’s Old Fashioned Doughnets
Norton Family Farm Pumpkin Rolls
Singing in the Rain!
BB’s Gourmet Pretzels
Wonderful Granola MIx
And our farmers and vendors really appreciate that, because whether it’s rain or shine, hot or cold, there’s good fresh food harvested every day. So again, big thanks to everyone who came out to shop at the Franklin Farmers Market in less than ideal weather.
Pumpkin Face Drawing
Peaceful Pastures now taking Turkey orders
The cooler, wet weather shouldn’t have been a surprise though because Sunday was the official first day of autumn and that means some changes are coming in the produce at the market. There are still a lot of your summer favorites, like tomatoes and cucumbers or squash and field peas.
Farm Fresh Tonmatoes
Just picked Okra
Summer Veggies from Pilgrims Produce
Produce variety from Pilgrims Produce
But with the change in the season, different veggies start showing up. Not everything in the garden is harvested during the hot days of summer. There are a number of vegetables that grow better in cooler temps and are ready to be harvested during both spring and fall. That’s why there is a good supply of such veggies like radishes, beets and carrots during the cool months at the market. Turnips, lettuce and sweet potatoes are plentiful during the fall and spring too. Many farms in Middle Tennessee grow all year long, so the Franklin Farmers Market stays open all year long. The winter market officially begins on November 2nd.
Pumpkins in market from Purple Tree Farm
Sweet Potatoes from Colbert Farm
Wagon of Pumpkins from King Farm
And of course with the fall season, pumpkins come to the market. And when the pumpkins start showing up (like they are now), scarecrows are not too far behind them. October 19th is the day for scarecrows to take over the market. The Invasion of the Scarecrows is great day for family fun, with a free pumpkin patch for the kids, yummy pumpkin goodies to eat, plus the kids can paint pumpkins and get their faces painted too! The Invasion of the Scarecrows is presented by the Williamson Medical Center.
Cherry Jelly from Norton Family Farm
Sunflowers and Veggies from Beaverdam Creek Farm
Great veggies to eat and enjoy; lots of pumpkins and a market takeover by scarecrows… We love fall at the Franklin Farmers Market!
Apples! Apples! Apples! So many varieties to choose from!
We’ve got to say, this past Saturday at the Franklin Farmers Market was just right… beautiful blue skies, perfect weather and the absolute best of fresh food from local farms. Who could ask for anything more? The first official day of fall is actually next Sunday, but the delicious food of the season is starting to come into the market now. Crisp apples and apple cider, root veggies and squash – fall is definitely just around the corner.
Beautiful just picked Squash from Rainbow Hill Farm
Collard Greens from Norris Family Farm
Fresh Apple Cider from Kirkview Farm
Multi-colored peppers are still in good supply and great for grilling
Fresh picked Apples from Rainbow Hill Farm, Apple Pie Anyone?
Fresh picked Lettuces from Norris Family Farm
Triple L Ranch Fresh Beef Ribeye’s
Or maybe we should call it something else besides fall. Maybe we should call it football tailgating season, because a lot of you are picking up beef, chicken, pork and more from the meat farmers now. The market is the place for meats and veggies to be outdoor grilling before the football games.
Grilling Triple L Ranch Ribeye’s on a Big Green Egg
Fall Football Tailgating with Farm Fresh Beef , Chicken and Pork Delivers unmatched Flavor!
And there was a lot of talk about scarecrows at the market this past Saturday too. The Invasion of the Scarecrows takes place on October 19th, with lots and lots of scarecrows taking over the Franklin Farmers Market. It’s a big day of family fun, with a free pumpkin patch for the kids and much more. Look for more details soon. The Invasion of the Scarecrows is brought to you by the Williamson Medical Center.
Finally, this past Saturday was also a great day at the market’s Growing Kids Educational Garden. While the kids have gone back to school and the garden classes are over for the year, there’s a lot that needs to be done to put the garden to bed for the winter. And the community team from Whole Foods came out and took a big step in helping us get the garden cleaned up and ready to grow next spring. From pulling up weeds to taking out dead veggie plants, our friends from Whole Foods did a great job on the garden.
So we’ll say it again… all in all, this past Saturday was just right!
Early Saturday morning at the Franklin Farmers Market, there was a just a little touch of fall in the air. Cooler temps made for a nice start to the day. But soon, the day went back into summer mode with bright sunshine and hotter temps. It was fitting though, because there are still plenty of summer favorites available from the farmers.
Summer Okra still in good supply
Fresh picked Herbs from Bloomsbury Farm
Cucumbers, Large and Small Tomatoes from May Lo Fresh Produce
Green Beans from Rainbow Hill Farm
Fresh Plump Tomatoes from Rainbow Hill Farm
Mark Alan Artisan Woods
But this past Saturday was also the very first market day of September and while we are all about fresh food from local farms, September brings more unique arts and crafts to the Franklin Farmers Market. Every Saturday in September we celebrate the local artisans of middle Tennessee. Long time favorites, such as V’s Pottery, Lovely Beads by Brenda and Mark Alan Artisan Woods are at the market through September, but there are new crafts people too, like El’s Silverware and Glass Gardens by RuthE.
Hand made beads from Lovely Beads by Brenda
Hand carved wood from Mark Alan Artisan Woods
Custom made craft baskets from Bloomin’ Baskets
September also brings the first of big beautiful flowers to market too, like those from Bloomin’ Baskets and the huge mums from Purple Tree Farm. And the first of the pumpkins are also starting to show up. Pumpkins little and big, orange or striped white and green were spotted this past Saturday. Fresh apples are now at the market too, along with apple cider. Fall is definitely just around the corner.
Nice variety of Pumpkins from Purple Tree Farm
Just picked Apples from Rainbow Hill Farm
Apple Cider from Kirkview Farm
Fresh Carrots from Norris Family Farm
Sharon talking recipes with a young chef!
Fresh Baked Cookies from Dozen
Great Traditional Bluegrass from the Franklin Square Pickers
And with the approach of cooler weather, some of what occurs each fall at the market is quite odd. Things start to look different and curious characters begin to appear. Keep your eyes wide open…They are coming to the market soon. Very soon.
Visit photos from this past Saturday’s Market by clicking here!
Deb Ringing in the start of another great Market Saturday
You know that old saying about how time flies? It’s true. Even though autumn doesn’t start until late September, everyone considers Labor Day to be the end of summer. School’s back in session, there’s no more summer vacation and all of our favorite summer fruits and veggies are gone. But wait just a minute…that last part’s not true. There are still plenty of summer goodies at the Franklin Farmers Market.
Fresh Produce from Bloomsbury Farm
The proof is in the photos… Look at the beautiful produce from Bloomsbury Farm that was available at the market this past weekend.
Farm Fresh Green Beans from Kirkview Farm
There were lots of fresh veggies and fruits to choose from, like these green beans from Kirkview Farm or these sweet watermelons from Pilgrims Produce.
Heirloom Tomatoes from Evans Produce
Kirkview Farm Peaches
Okra, Onions and Garlic from Gardner Grove
Beaverdam Creek Farm Booth full of produce
Gardner Grove Heirloom Tomatoes
mAnd while it is almost the end of summer, the market keeps on going and going. There were a lot of people on Saturday, asking when the market would shut down for the winter. We don’t. The Franklin Farmers Market is open year-round, every Saturday. There are lots of good winter vegetables that our farmers grow too.
First Pumpkins of Fall 2013 King Farm
Bags of Apples from Kirkview Farm
Farm Fresh Sprouts from Bloomsbury Farm
So while summer may be flying by in a hurry, there are no worries about getting good local fresh foods. The Franklin Farmers Market has got what you want.
Ellie’s Old Fashioned Doughnuts
Fresh Baked Cookies and Scones from Dozen
Fresh Tomato Juices and Salsa from Delvin Farms
Tie Dye Garments from Pieceful World Clothing
Little Jimmy’s Italian Ices
However with the fall season, there is a peculiar occurrence takes place at the market. There’s a curious change in the way things normally are. Something odd happens and strange occupants suddenly overrun the market. So be forewarned… they are coming to the Franklin Farmers Market soon… very soon.
