Tag Archives: fruits

Farm Hoop Houses providing early Local Farm Produce

FFM

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.

FFM

Pilgrims Produce  radishes

FFM

Sweet green onions from Pilgrims Produce

FFM

Beaverdam Creek fresh lettuces and radishes

FFM

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

FFM

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.

FFM

Lettuces from Pilgrims Produce

FFM

Green Onions from Kirkview Farm

FFM

Celery from Rocky Glade

FFM

Delvin Farms fresh lettuces

FFM

Carrots from Norton Family Farm

FFM

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.

FFM

Vegetable Starter Plants from Paradise Produce

FFM

Blackberry plants from Delvin Farm

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

FFM

Beautiful Flowers from Blooming Baskets

FFM

FFM customers heading home with new starter plants for their garden

FFM

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!

 

POLL: What Fresh Vegetables and Fruits are you Missing Most?

FFM

Summer Market Veggies

We miss them all! The summertime fresh vegetables and fruits that we love to eat. Don’t get us wrong – winter vegetables do make for good comfort food. But winter has gone on too long and we’re ready for the warm temperatures and the fresh vegetables and fruits of summer. Which veggie or fruit are you missing the most right now? Is it a ripe juicy tomato? Or maybe a strawberry is what you’re craving. Take our summer favorites poll and let us know what vegetable or fruit you’d love to find at the market now. It’s good info for our farmers, because it helps them to know what they should plant more of for this coming summer’s crop. Pick three of your favorites now!

Vote for 3 of your favorite veggies:

 

What 3 vegetables are you missing the most right now?

  • Cabbage (4%, 8 Votes)
  • Cucumbers (13%, 24 Votes)
  • Green Beans (19%, 35 Votes)
  • Peppers (10%, 18 Votes)
  • Sweet Corn (22%, 39 Votes)
  • Tomatoes (30%, 55 Votes)
  • (1%, 2 Votes)

Total Voters: 65

Loading ... Loading ...

Vote for 1 of your favorite fruits:

 

What fresh fruit are you missing most?

  • Strawberries (55%, 36 Votes)
  • Blueberries (20%, 13 Votes)
  • Cantaloupes (8%, 5 Votes)
  • Watermelons (17%, 11 Votes)

Total Voters: 65

Loading ... Loading ...

 

Finally! March is Here and Spring is in Sight!

So the sun wasn’t shining at the market this past Saturday, but nobody seemed to care. Why? Because it was the first day of March which means spring is just around the corner and we can kiss that polar vortex weather goodbye. And while it won’t be long before you start seeing spring veggies, there are still plenty of tasty winter vegetables to be found. There were lots of winter greens at the market on Saturday to enjoy, along with the ingredients for a fresh salad of tender just picked lettuce, carrots and radishes.

FFM

Norton Family Farm just picked lettuce mix

FFM

Farm Fresh Carrots from Norton Family Farm

FFM

Beautiful fresh lettuces, kale, radishes and herbs from Rocky Glade Farm

And while a lot of you were picking up fresh vegetables from the market farms, we saw plenty of you munching on sweets too, such as muffins, donuts and cookies as you walked around the market.

FFM

Fresh Baked Cookies by Dozen

FFM

Flying S Farm Apple pies

FFM

Oh so good!  An Ellie’s Old Fashioned Doughnut fan

FFM

Kirkview Farm Kale, Carrots and Butternut Squash

The official first day of spring is March 20th, but you don’t need a calendar to tell you that spring is fast approaching. All you have to do is look around the market and see all of the farms with CSA signs. Now’s the time to sign up for a CSA share from your favorite farm so that you’ll get a weekly box of the best, in-season fruits and vegetables throughout the spring and summer. Many of the farms a CSA program, so look for their CSA signs or ask if they offer CSA’s.

FFM

Greg Brown, owner of Ford Lincoln of Franklin , our new Corporate Sponsor for 2014 with market management and farmers

And it’s now official – Ford Lincoln of Franklin is the first corporate sponsor of the Franklin Farmers Market. The Franklin Farmers Market is a non-profit 501(c)5 agricultural organization and with all of the support from the great sponsors of the market, we are able to help local farms to keep growing. And it also helps us bring great events to the market, such as the FFM Strawberry Festival and supports projects such as the Growing Kids Educational Garden. Our sincere thanks to Greg Brown, owner of Ford-Lincoln of Franklin – Welcome to the market family!

FFM

Alpaca hand knitted ski caps by Legacy Acres Alpaca Farm

FFM

Hand made Soy Candles by Intoxicating Aromas

FFM

Custom creation of Miniatures by Phillip

FFM

Red Rooster painted on real barn wood by Tom the Furniture Guy

Farmers Market eases into Fall with Summer Vegetables still in Large Supply

FFM

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.

FFM

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.

FFM

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.

FFM

Heirloom Tomatoes from Evans Produce

FFM

Kirkview Farm Peaches

Okra, Onions and Garlic from Gardner Grove

FFM

Beaverdam Creek Farm Booth full of produce

FFM

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.

FFM

First Pumpkins of Fall 2013 King Farm

FFM

Bags of Apples from Kirkview Farm

FFM

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.

FFM

Ellie’s Old Fashioned Doughnuts

FFM

Fresh Baked Cookies and Scones from Dozen

FFM

Fresh Tomato Juices and Salsa from Delvin Farms

FFM

Tie Dye Garments from Pieceful World Clothing

FFM

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.
scarecrow-tease-blog

August brings Farm Fresh Produce to Franklin Farmers Market

Ha! The forecast was for a 30% chance of afternoon rain, but apparently nobody told Mother Nature. It was a cloudy day, with off and on rain. But that did not stop anyone from coming to Franklin Farmers Market this past Saturday. After all, it is the tip-top of the summer season, when just about any produce you could possibly want is ripe and ready.

DSC_0064

Farm Sweet Carrots from Norton Family Farm

FFM

Grapes from Rainbow Hill Farm

FFM

Fresh Salad Ingredients

Bell peppers and chili peppers; tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes and corn too.

FFM

Multi colored Peppers from Gardner Grove Farm

FFM

Silver Queen Sweet Corn

FFM

Beaverdam Creek Farm Tomatoes

Cantaloupes were the big star of the show at the market and fresh peaches were also snatched up in a hurry.

FFM

Delvin Farm Cantaloupes have arrived!

FFM

Fresh Peaches from Rainbow Hill Farm

FFM

Heirloom Tomatoes from Bloomsbury Farm

But while this is the high season for delicious summer produce and fruits, it’s almost the end of the road for some of the fresh veggies and fruits. Blueberry season is coming to an end and blackberries won’t be around much longer either, so if you are a big berry lover, head to the market this upcoming Saturday.  And if you are not sure what to do with all of that delicious fresh food, check out the market’s first cookbook, “Eating In Season.” You’ll find lots of great recipes from the market’s farmers and customers. It’s become very popular and is moving fast, so get yours at the market soon!

FFM

Multi colored Peppers from Gardner Grove Farm

FFM

Farm Fresh from Jones Mill Farm

FFM

Ice Cold Chocolate Milk from Hatcher Family Dairy

Of course, the highlight of the day was the little junior farmers taking a field trip around the market. They were the students from the market’s Growing Kids Educational Garden in the Park at Harlinsdale Farm and they had a big time touring the market and talking to the farmers. The kids also made off with some great market goodies too, including corn from the King Family Farm, cucumbers from Zadock the Natural Farmer, peaches from Kirkview Farm and to top it off, chocolate milk from the Hatcher Dairy Farm.

And finally, mark your calendars for August 24th. That’s the date for the Franklin Farmers Market’s popular Watermelon Festival, presented this year by our good friends at the Williamson Herald and Southern Exposure Magazine. It’s a big sweet seed-spittin’ day of fun for the whole family!

FFM

Farm Fresh from Pilgrims Produce

FFM

Potatoes from Sturbridge Farm

FFM

Fresh Basil from Colvin Family Farm

As always you can view pictures from this past Saturday’s market by clicking on “Photo’s” on the market website.  Or just click here to see if you are in any of the pictures.     https://franklinfarmersmarket.com/gallery/

Summer Fruits and Vegetables now in Full Supply

Hazy, hot and humid…. Those three words are the best way to describe the month of July. But there’s a payoff for putting up with the muggy weather, because it’s a great time to be at the Franklin Farmers Market. July is the high season for summer vegetables and fruits.

Evan Produce

Evans Produce

TN Farmers Market

Bloomsbury Farm

Kirkview Farm Watermelons

Kirkview Farm Watermelons

This past Saturday, hot weather favorites such as sweet corn were plentiful and more farmers had watermelons ripe and ready at the market. Plus delicious, sweet and juicy cantaloupes could be found too. You could practically get a natural sugar rush because of all of the delicious fruits, like peaches, blueberries and blackberries from our Tennessee farms.

Sliver Queen Corn

Fresh picked Sliver Queen Corn

Cantaloupes

Fresh Cantaloupes

Beaverdam Creek Farm

Beaverdam Creek Farm delivers first farm fresh corn for 2013

Blue Honey Farms fresh blueberries and syrup

Kirkview Peaches

Kirkview Farm Peaches

People were snatching up bags of peaches from Kirkview Farm.  They are great peaches, but do you know how to make them even better? Put them in a paper bag, fold down the top of the bag and just let it sit on the counter for a day or so. That helps the peaches to fully ripen and become the juicy sweet treat we all love.

Steamy hot July days make it tough to be outside, but people at the farmers market found delicious ways to cool down, like drinking cold limeade from Miss Lucy’s Kitchen and eating the sweet ice cold gelato from Hatcher Family Dairy.

Fresh Cucumber

Future vegetarian?

Ellie's Doughnuts

Ellie’s Doughnuts

DSC_0467

Ice Cold Limeade from Lucy’s Kitchen

FFM

Hatcher Gelato from Hatcher Family Dairy cows…So creamy and wonderful!

So visiting the Franklin Farmers Market in July is actually a good thing. Maybe we should change those three words describing July from hot, hazy and humid to sweet, delicious and yummy!

Market Flowers

Market Flowers

Farm Fresh Peppers

Farm Fresh Peppers

Franklin Farmers Market

Farm fresh veggies, jams and preserves

Bloomsbury Farm

Bloomsbury Farm fresh vegetables and herbs

Heirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomatoes

Franklin TN

Another busy Saturday at the Franklin Farmers Market…come visit!

Farm Fresh Produce being purchased in Record Numbers

FFM

Rocky Glade Tomatoes gone by 10am

And they’re off! When our farmers market opened last Saturday, it was just like the start of a race. Everyone was in a rush to find their favorite veggies and fruits. Farm Fresh Tomatoes were being grabbed in a hurry and blueberries were flying out of the market. Baskets of sweet juicy peaches were also being snatched up, along with beef steaks, ribs, ground beef, pork chops and other naturally raised farm meats for the outdoor grill. We take pride in having the best in fresh, locally grown food at the Franklin Farmers Market. And when produce such as tomatoes first start showing up, they are at the top of the list for everyone to take home.

FFM

Kelly’s Blueberries

FFM

Jones Mill Onions

FFM

Beaverdam Creek Veggies for Foodies

But relax. There’s plenty of good food at our farmers market. And the amount of farm produce and fruits you love increase every week through out the summer. For example, this past Saturday several of the farmers had the first of their tomato crop at the market. And there will be even more tomatoes to choose from this week. It’s the same thing with blueberries and other seasonal favorites. Our farmers grow a lot of food and you’ll always find a great selection at the Franklin Farmers Market.

FFM

Fresh Cut Flowers always popular

FFM

Jim Vaughn of Rocky Glade Farm

A lot of you stopped by the market information booth this past weekend to find out who had fresh corn or where the watermelons could be found. Remember, the food at the Franklin Farmers Market comes from local farmers, so it’s a little too early for both of those goodies to be ripe and ready in Middle Tennessee. But come by the info booth the next time you’re at the market and pick up a free copy of the Local Table magazine. It’s got a big seasonality chart so you can get a better idea of when your favorite veggies could be showing up at the market.

FFM

Delvin Farm Tomatoes

FFM

Kelly’s Blackberries

DSC_0323

All smiles after visiting the market

We also had a lot of people asking where to find the ATM. There is an ATM near the front of The Factory. But the best things is to plan ahead and bring small bills, like ones, fives and tens to the market. And there are several farmers who now accept credit and debit cards too. So come on out to the Franklin Farmers Market this upcoming Saturday and get all of the food you want for your 4th of July weekend!

FFM

Colvin Farms Lettuce

FFM

Colvin Farm Lettuce

FFM

Beautiful Lettuces from Colvin Farm

FFM

A young supporter of Tennessee’s Colvin Farm at the Franklin Farmers Market back lot

Farmers Bring Fresh Green Beans, Squash, Cucumbers, Blueberries, Peppers, Onions and More to Market

You know it’s going to be a good day when you spy the first of the blueberries at the market. They were the early variety, tasty and juicy. Those blueberries didn’t last long though, but that’s okay.

FFM

Deb ringing in the Start of a wonderful Market Day

FFM

Lot’s of new visitors and vacationers enjoying the day

The market was full of delicious food last Saturday. Green beans and new potatoes, along with cauliflower, beets and other fresh produce were plentiful. A lot of good farm eggs were snapped up too, along with tender steaks for the grill. Yummy breads, desserts and honey…. It was a food paradise!

FFM

Fresh Flowers to Fresh Veggies at the market

FFM

Lucy’s Kitchen always has Breakfast Treats ready

FFM

First Cucumbers of Summer

FFM

Where’s my Olive Oil and Outdoor Grill?

FFM

Absolutely Beautiful Potatoes

FFM

The new Franklin Farmers Market Recipe Book has wonderful Recipes from our Famers!

FFM

We still have Strawberries…but not for long!

FFM

Ellie’s Fresh Made Old Fashion Donuts

But sometimes you can’t find the vegetable you really want at the market. A lot of questions were asked Saturday about when would tomatoes show up at market; why weren’t there any watermelons and where was the corn? Georgia and Alabama produce typically is ripe and ready about two weeks before it is in Tennessee. The further south a farm is, the quicker the garden grows. Plus this year, we had a wet and cool spring, so some produce is running a little later than usual. But you need to be familiar with the seasonality of produce and fruit grown in Tennessee. Tomatoes typically are not ripe and plentiful until July. It’s the same thing with corn and watermelons are at their best in July and August too. Next Saturday, stop by the Market Information booth and pick up a free copy of Local Table. It’s a great guide to food and farming in Middle Tennessee, and it also has a big seasonality chart so you can get a better idea of when your favorite veggies and fruits are ripe and at market.

Speaking of tomatoes, nothing says summer like a deliciously ripe tomato. And we’re not talking about those tomatoes that are shipped in from other states or countries. We crave real tomatoes; the locally grown tomatoes. So when those first Middle Tennessee tomatoes are ripe and ready, it’s time to celebrate. And we’re going to do just that with our salute to tomatoes. Don’t miss the Franklin Farmers Market’s TomatoFest, July 27th. Fresh tomatoes are the stars of the show. Enjoy samples of delicious heirloom tomatoes. Watch cooking demos of Chef Steven from Amerigo. Learn seed-saving techniques and take part in the ugly tomato contest. It’s a tomato lover’s heaven… TomatoFest at the Franklin Farmers Market!

FFM

New Fresh Peppers

FFM

Lovely Green Onions

FFM

The clean smell of Lavender was in the Air

Hatcher Dairy Farm on NBC Today Show with Al Roker!

Did you get to see the Hatcher Family on the NBC Today Show yesterday morning? If you missed Al Roker of the Today Show broadcasting from the Hatcher Family Dairy Farm in College Grove, Tennessee, here are a few links to coverage of the show broadcast from the Hatcher Family Dairy.  What great weather for a special NBC Today Show segment with Al Roker direct from the Hatcher Family Farm!

Charlie Hatcher told me last week how excited they were that Sharon had entered a contest called “Wake Up With Al” 2 weeks ago.  After entering Hatcher Family Dairy online into the “Wake Up With Al” contest Sharon Hatcher received a phone call within a few hours asking them to be available for an interview.  From there, Charlie says it all happened so fast.  Congrats to the Hatcher Family on representing Middle Tennessee and Tennessee Farmers so well!  We are all so proud to have Hatcher Family Dairy as part of the Franklin Farmers Market!

Real Farmers!   Real Food!   Real Good!

Video of The Today Show broadcast


Watch it at Today.com

Charlie Hatcher Shares the Experience

Related Links

If you find any more footage from the Today Show segment “Wake Up With Al”, please email us and we will add it here.