Summertime….And the Shopping Is Easy…..

Friday, July 27, 2018

Our CLT Farmers’ Market photographers usually make their rounds once the market gets rolling.  But today Roger was on the scene early and did due diligence to highlight the teamwork and effort that preceded the opening bell.  Our newest volunteers (from Perspectives – Yes!) helped our vendors with some heavy lifting and cooperative set ups.  They made a world of difference!

 

 

 

 

 

Our volunteers have many skills….including parking assistant.  A valuable service indeed!

Once everything was in place and the shoppers appeared there was MUCH from which to choose.  Since we are now in the heart of summer, the harvest is abundant and ever increasing in variety…

This week?  Breathe in the fragrance of those peaches from Narrow Lane Orchard.  They join us each year for the second half of our season bringing local, mouthwatering fruit.  We are so delighted to welcome them!

And the tomatoes?  Check in with Narragansett Farm and Burnside Acres. ..You won’t need to go any farther than that to find a splendid array of varieties and sizes…

….not to mention ALL the other vegetables…and Burnside even has flowers….

Here’s a question.  Did you know that Stoney Hill Cattle Co., in addition to their locally produced meats, poultry and eggs, often has local mushrooms (a perfect accompaniment to their steaks) and, on occasion, cheese from a nearby source (think a version of a cheeseburger…).  You need to stop by each week to inquire of Kim, the farmer/purveyor at Stoney Hill.

Remember – If you reach into your pocket for cash and find that you’ve left it at home on the kitchen counter, stop to see Julie who will redeem your credit card (or your SNAP card) for coins that can be used at our market or at other farmers’ markets in the wider RI area. And if you have a SNAP card you can DOUBLE your purchasing power for fruits and vegetables with BONUS BUCKS!

Music this week was participatory!  We were joined by Tales and Tunes….and THEY were joined by…well, take a look.  This was Sing-along, play along time and there were many who did just that.

 

 

 

 

Girl Scouts joined us this past week….and they will be with us again this coming week.  Some of us have fond memories of our Girl Scout and Brownie days….But here’s what the G.I.R.L in Girl Scouts stands for now: Go Getter, Innovator, Risk Taker, Leader.  Stop by again and learn even more about their exciting, character-building program.

This coming Friday, August 3rd (already?!?),  we’ll be listening to Peter Weremay’s music….We look forward to Peter’s time at our market each summer!

We’ll welcome the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County with information that will help inform and protect all members of our community.  And the Girl Scouts will be back!

All we’ll need this coming Friday is the pleasure of YOUR COMPANY!

Company EVERY Week!

Friday, July 20, 2018 

You know how it is living in South County in the summer…Everyone wants to visit.  And who can blame them?  Seaside activities, inland hiking, kayaking along rivers and into ponds, woodland quietude, and an array of arts, events, and activities for all!

At the Charlestown Land Trust Farmers’ Market, Linda arranges for COMPANY at our market every single week…company you really want to get to know!  Local non profits show up once or maybe twice a summer to inform and engage our market visitors in all sorts of ways.

This past week?  A group from Charlestown Parks and Rec arrived with a giant map of a proposed, intown bike route that would connect Ninigret Park with the Cross Mills section of town, an area referred to as the village.  People were treated to information about the feasibility study being conducted and were invited to offer their own thoughts.

 

Just around the corner was the Habitat for Humanity and ReStore booth with information about both of these interconnected groups.  ReStore, which sells donated building materials and home goods to benefit the work of Habitat, can be found heading north on Route 2 in the Shannock/Kenyon part of town.

 

A couple hops from there you would encounter the Master Gardeners back with their friendly ways and gardening resources to address plant related questions.  And yes, they still had some of their free seeds for any second plantings in your garden!

 

Most of our shoppers are drawn to the market because it’s a FARMERS’ MARKET and they are seeking fresh fruits and vegetables, local meat, eggs and seafood….We have the very best of all that each week….But sometimes highlighting a particular item can enhance your weekly menu.  It can be noted that each week Wandering Star, which sells fresh sprouts, has some variation on their main theme.  Not just the predictable sprouts, but sometimes broccoli sprouts or radish sprouts with just the right amount of pizzazz to spark up your salad…And if you’ve not tried sprouts on a salad?  There’s something about the way the absorb a salad dressing or add interesting texture that will convince you to come back for more next week….

 

 

 

 

 

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Parents who come to the market over the course of the summer have found it to be quite a welcoming place for their children.  While fresh lemonade (sold by a contingent of kid entrepreneurs) dancing around to our live music each week, and taking advantage of the photo op at our Charlestown Land Trust Gothic set up are fun, it’s the Arts table, run each week by Pam from the Church of the Holy Spirit, that has the most focused following. Always something new and always something for each age level.

 

This week Paula Clare provided music with something to appeal to everyone!  

We are looking forward to having Paula’s music at the CLT Summer Party and Auction THIS Thursday evening from 6 to 9 at the Nordic Lodge.  Check out the link for more details and join us. (We throw a great party!)

As for the next market…Please come on down this Friday morning, July 27th.  Tales and Tunes will be providing the music (More participatory fare for the kids of all ages) and there will be a chance to learn more about the Girl Scouts of TODAY…They have been heading in some pretty exciting directions!  And, as has been deliciously true in past seasons, Narrow Lane Orchard is due to join us from now until the end of the summer!

 

A Dream of a Midsummer Day

Friday, July 13, 2018?  A lucky day for those who happened by the Charlestown Land Trust Farmers’ Market!  Sunny skies prevailed, and the mood of our shoppers as they streamed onto the shopping green was just as sunny.

 

Chris Fee played keyboard from the start of the day until the market closed at 1 – and what a selection of music he chose!If you were to drive by our market on any given Friday, your eye might be caught by the LINE of people leading to the Great Harvest table with its wide selection of bakery goods.  Whole grain breads, cinnamon buns, muffins, fruit squares and cookies – all made fresh locally-and offered with a warm smile each week from Blessing, Great Harvest’s new sales person at our market!

There’s more than food at our market – fresh and delectable though it may be.

A relative newcomer to us here in Charlestown, but not to the business she runs, is Jackie Smiley of Jackie’s Herbals.  Her handmade creams, sprays and lotions contain locally sourced ingredients that soften, heal, and protect. Stop by to learn more from Jackie herself!

 

A stop at the Charlestown Land Trust Market table any week results in warm greetings, an opportunity to purchase shopping bags, transformed from previous uses by Sue Tremblay….and just right for use at our market…or elsewhere.  But a stop at the market table also yields information about the Charlestown Land Trust itself and ways to protect this rural, coastal, picturesque corner of the RI.  You might just decide to attend our CLT Summer Party and Auction on Thurs., July 26th….It will be FUN!

Just two booths over from the Market Table, Audrey of Audrey’s Creations, engages with customers who look for her unique, hand crafted jewelry.  Some incorporate beach finds, others reflect light….Each piece has its own beauty.

 

Heading back to the promise of FOOD, stop by at Narragansett Farm.  Choose from fresh produce (eggplant already!) and ask about the farm where the vegetables are grown.  You might also want to learn about the Narragansett Food Sovereignty Initiative.

To round out the morning, take a stroll over to Pure Haven Essentials. Over the past few years shoppers have learned to value this line of products – from lip balm to creams to an array of personal care items – made with natural ingredients and absolutely NO harmful chemicals.  Talk with Diane to learn more.

 

Along with our Farmers’ Market which does business OUTSIDE, The Church of the Holy Spirit (the ones who welcome our CLT Market each summer season) held their annual Rummage Sale INSIDE the Church.  That meant there were a LOT of cars in the parking lot.  Weren’t we fortunate to have parking attendants with panache?

Coming this Friday, July 20th? Look for URI Master Gardeners with their soil testing advice and other tips about gardening in Southern RI.  And if you’ve never had the experience of visiting ReStore located at the north end of town, stop at their table.  ReStore carries any number of home improvement items from used appliances to second hand pots and pans.  Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity, with several active chapters in RI.

On deck for music is Paula Clare, a treat for sure.  We look forward to having you join us!

 

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Steamers, Corn…and Empanadas?

Friday, July 6, 2018

Neither wind nor rain deterred shoppers this past Friday….even though it was touch and go for awhile.

Ninigret Oyster Farm is known for it’s straight-from-the-pond shellfish.  There are always abundant numbers of oysters and little necks, sweet and fresh.  Once in awhile mussels and even chowder clams show up.  But STEAMERS?  In recent years, they have been more of a rarity.  This summer, however, steamers (soft shell clams) have made it to 2 of our 3 markets.  The quantities are likely to be limited so get to the market early if steamers are on your list for summer dining.

 

 

Securing all those carefully crafted pottery pieces pieces amidst powerful wind gusts?  The Creators of Kelley Kreations have it down.  Otherwise shoppers would not have had the pleasure of choosing from their fine wares this past Friday…mugs that fit comfortably in one’s hands, tiny clay frogs glazed upon a variety of serving dishes..Imagination unlimited…..Stop by to see for yourself.

 

Looking to be more a part of the summer fun and free of extra meal preparation?  Try Meadow Brook Inn‘s smorgasbord of side dishes! You’ll find an international array of choices – empanadas, eggplant parmesan,  tzatziki – to name a few.  Create delectable summer meals without being tied to the kitchen.

Narragansett Farm joined us this week with, among other veggies, broccoli heads the size of cantaloupes…and delicious they were!  More from their farm in a later entry….

 

 

CORN….One of the ways that we know summer is ripening into its fullness is the coming of CORN…And there it was, at Burnside Acres this very week!

As for something REALLY new and different?  We welcomed Yore Body Care + Laundry.  Products to peruse, art projects to pursue….

 

The wind persisted all morning, sweeping in shoppers and visitors….and many took pleasure in mixing with the YMCA Garden Club, a lively group with a mission to raise funds for children to attend camp.  The positive energy in this group was notable!  Also with us this week were representatives from AFS sharing information about the student exchange programs that they sponsor in local communities.

 

While not a Farmers’ Market item, the Charlestown Land Trust is hosting a Summer Party and Silent Auction on Thursday, July 26th at the Nordic Lodge on Pasquisset Pond in Charlestown.  The CLT throws a great party so get your tickets at the market table on Friday morning or go to our website: Charlestown Land Trust.  As for the location: right in the heart of town showcasing some of the reasons that Charlestown Land Trust is so passionate about preserving our open spaces….

This Friday, July 13th, stop by to hear music by Peter Weremay.  We love having Peter at our market each year as do our shoppers!  And Eileen will be on hand to talk about having an energy audit at YOUR house.  This service is free, comprehensive, and sponsored by RISE Engineering.  Next winter you’ll be glad to have looked into your options!

Bringing Together the Old and the New!

Friday, June 29, 2018  Have you met the alpacas Carl and Gandolf? 

For the past couple years they have been attracting visitors to their shady space at our market, adjacent to The Lazy K Ranch  booth where beautiful alpaca yarn items are available for shoppers.  Those alpaca creations will keep the wearer warm next winter while bringing back fond summer memories.

Our  market businesses surround a grassy expanse, much like a village green.  After visiting with the alpacas a shopper might head west around the green which means a stop at Sand Hill Cove Photography.  Don Cameron uses his artist’s eye when capturing scenes from South County.  His cards and matted pictures make it possible for people to bring home images of favorite places here in Charlestown and beyond.

But if a shopper turns east, then Stoney Hill Cattle Company awaits.  This local farm, returning to our market this year, produces delicious meat and poultry products from animals that  have led lives grazing and rooting in the pastures located on Shumuncanuc Hill Road right here in Charlestown.  There are fresh eggs and this particular market day, there were MUSHROOMS! Perfect to top off a grilled steak!

New to our market this year are SunFresh/Spirulina products produced in our own RI.  Choose from a variety of  protein rich granolas and snack foods. Samples are right there for all-presenting a tasty and nutritious set of choices.

Our community often gathers around the musicians that visit our market each week.  Farm Dog had a following of all ages spreading blankets and preparing to keep time to the tunes.

 

Our visiting community groups this week included Ray from Charlestown Parks and Rec offering information about the ever expanding opportunities for activities, many at Ninigret Park, just down the road.  Scott MacNeill, Director of the Frosty Drew Observatory, offered viewers a look, through his special scope, at the red, wave embued aura surrounding the sun.

Not far away was the URI Master Gardeners’ booth with answers to questions, soil testing availability, advice, and FREE SEEDS!

Having local nonprofit organizations show up at our market each summer can open up awareness and bring new information to our shoppers…Thanks to all of the those who volunteer their time to share with us!

This week our SNAP/CREDIT table was in full swing.  Julie was (and will be) available to exchange credit cards for market cash.  And shoppers with SNAP cards?  Bring them along to double your purchasing power for fruits and vegetables by receiving Bonus Bucks (thanks to Farm Fresh RI).

This coming Friday, BE ON HAND for Indie Cycle where all your old electronics can be recycled for free….anything with a cord might be eligible for this service.  The Y Garden Club will be on hand with their local gardening knowledge.  And for music, we have Charlestown’s own Chris Fee!