The Squash It! Cooking Contest was a real smash...

Savory Category:
Zuchini Pizza - Star Mary Castro

Athens Squash Roll - JingZia Wu

Noodle Nest - Steve Huang

Zucchini Relish for Diabetics - Phil Foreman

Cold Squash Soup - Carole Schloss

Aunt Pat's Summer Salad - Sue Crook

Sweet Category:

Sweet Summer Squash Pie - Sarah Jane Mills

Summer Squash Pie with Lemon - Dodstil Dempsey Jr.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread - Helen Klingaman

Patty Pan Espresso Bites - Brandon La Bonte

Thanks to all who participated!

Up to my ears...

In sweet corn?!? Yep, we sure are. Athens Farmers Market is just about exploding in tomatoes, peaches, green beans and potatoes this time of year. Its hard to see three feet in front of you during the 10 am rush on Saturday morning, shoppers hustling and bustling past, limbs loaded down with fresh food and cut flowers. I stand agog at the plenitude.

There's so much going on right now at our Market and in the Athens local food scene, I simply can't sum it up in a day, let alone one post. We made headlines last week for our part in the Local Food Summit hosted by ACEnet and sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation. So many incredible organizations were represented, and I was again reminded that our community stands apart in the impressive quantity (and certainly quality) of key resources we have at our disposal. Check out CFI, the Green Plate Club (of Village Bakery/Della Zona descent) and more. And if you are one of the many supporters who shop at our Market each week or participate in CFI workshops, give yourself a big (but gentle) pat on the back. You have single-handedly stimulated our local economy and diverted more dollars away from big business aimed at pilfering our pockets to line their own. Keep it here, in Southeastern Ohio, where you earned it.


Boy this soapbox is slippery...I'll be getting down now.

Coming soon...the results of our wildly successful Squash It! cooking contest...what a hoot! And, the Friends of AFM will also be launching its official Membership Campaign next Saturday - find them at the Market Cafe to sign up and receive a free tote bag with membership. Its a great way to show your support of AFM and get more involved at YOUR Market!

Upcoming Event at the Market Cafe....

For those of us who dare to experiment, the next Friends of AFM cooking contest is right up our alley. SQUASH IT! calls all food artists to show off for an expert panel of eaters...come one, come all!

Mending Fences with Integration Acres

I recently had the pleasure of visiting one of our Market's most notable producers in one of Athens' most notable places - a goat farm in Albany. Chris Chmiel, co-owner and proprietor of Integration Acres, hosted a get together he called a "Walk the Line" party. The reason - completion on a 3,600 ft. woven wire perimeter fence enclosing his entire pasture. Now you may be wondering why such fencing possessed me to pack up two kids, brave the rainy weather and drive out to Albany - for the free goat cheese? You bet. No really, I wanted to be sure that Chris's herd couldn't outsmart this new boundary line and go visiting the neighbor's tasty tree plantings. And if you've never kept goats (count me in this category) you may not realize how strong-willed these animals can be - when they know there's something good to be had one pasture over, they'll stop at nearly nothing to get there. Well, they're stopping now - Chris's fence is officially impenitrable (and just to be really sure, I had my husband act like a goat and attempt to pass through - he bleated mercifully to give up after a few noble trys).

We also got a chance to milk some of the resident goats...this experience, I am glad to say, was a great way to solidify my prior convictions to stick with vegetable farming. I did, however, feel an odd sense of solidarity with these sweet mama goats, sharing the same woes of an ever-lactating mother in constant need of milking.

A great time was had by all, and I came away an even bigger goat food enthusiast than I was before. Chris and his wife, Michelle, are not only meeting the demand for quality products at our Market but also mending fences with their neighbor for the betterment of our community. Kudos, Integration Acres.

What's New at AFM

Spring's Bountiful Harvest is Here!

Look for the following fresh foods at AFM this time of year:

Vegetables:
-asparagus
-ramps
-spinach
-chard
-collard greens
-lettuce/spring mix
-potatoes
-sweet potatoes
-garlic

Fruits:
-apples
-apple cider

Meats:
-pork
-beef
-chicken
-lamb
-eggs
-dried sausage
-cheese
-goat cheese


Baked goods:
-breads
-cookies
-fudge
-noodles
-scones, breakfast foods
-pizza

Preserves:
-Jams
-Jellies
-Vinegars


Other:
-bedding plants
-vegetable starts
-trees and shrubs
-gourmet dog buiscuts
-walnuts