Vendors to Round out Our Season!

The gardens at the Theater-by-the-Sea, known to many for their abundant beauty and enhancement of the grounds, are managed by Starberry Farm.  Proprietors Tom Senter and Michael Anthony have joined our market this summer with offerings of gladioli, daylilies, and other plantings.

The glossy blackberries have made their midsummer entrance, and they are worthy of a magazine photo essay.  Better yet, they are delicious!  The berries are joined by a harvest of peaches and apples, fragrant and flavorful, all from Narrow Lane Orchard in North Kingstown.

The Charlestown Land Trust Farmers’ Market delights in the local aspects of the products our vendors sell each week.  The addition of The Providence Granola Project has given our market a broader definition of the word “community”.   This delicious, healthy granola – in several yummy variations – is prepared each week at Amos House in Providence by those who have come here from the larger world community. 

The Vendor Parade…Continued!

Newest of the new, our market has recently been joined by ABC Dahlias, a local family-owned business that specializes in a breathtaking assortment of….dahlias, dahlias, dahlias.  At first one might notice the proprietor’s straw hat worn each week by Bill Dykstra…But as soon as eyes drift over to the waves of blooms, there is no where else to look.  The flowers are perfection.  Alone or in clusters they offer a mesmerizing rainbow of mid summer color.

Getting a taste of SouthCounty can mean more than having local vegetables, meats, and seafood on the table.  Donald Cameron from Sand Hill Cove Photography offers the flavors of our locale in his exquisitely captured photographs.  Perusing the scenes at his weekly exhibit can transport a viewer across the spectrum of our corner of New England

Summer and Lemonade, ideal companions!  Our market Lemonade Stand exemplifies the partnership.  Johnny Mitrano, mentored by Mike Bussey,  learned the art of lemonade making.  Before the observer’s eyes lemons are transformed via a hand juicer into a fresh beverage that quenches a thirst like none other.  And, in between customers, one might notice some lemon juggling going on under the market tent thanks to Johnny’s dad, Caesar and an occasional passing volunteer.

Capturing designs in nature and crafting those designs into pottery is the realm of Kelley Kreations Pottery run by the Scotti family of North Kingstown.  Inspiration comes from our very own environment, a leaf perhaps or a tiny frog imaginatively created to climb over the rim of a bowl.  The wares offered here compliment the spirit of our market where appreciation of the natural world is fostered.

Just down the road from our Farmers’ Market in Cross Mills is a new local boutique run by Holly Ricci.  Entwined is making its presence known this summer at our market with handcrafted items, many that are created from objects found along our shore. 

Still More Vendors….Old and New

What started as a “hobby” in nearby Perryville has grown over the past decades into a thriving seasonal blueberry business, Jerry’s Berries.  Jerry Lynch and his family had the acreage and an ideal setting for growing blueberries.  What goes better with steamers and fresh corn after a day at the beach in summertime South County than blueberries?  Jerry has brought his sweet harvest to our market since its very beginning six years ago, and people come back to the market each week, even each year, for more.

Can Paradise be faraway?  Not if you visit our market and stop at Paradise Hill Farm.  This year, farmers Ted and Shirley Robbins have added our market to their schedule bringing with them an array of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers that is as appealing to the eye as to the taste buds.  Viewing their display of produce each week is just the first step on a delicious and healthful journey. 

If you shop, there must be a way to carry those purchases.  Beth Iovino of Mio Bags provides packaging that is as eye-appealing as what may be put inside.  Her reusable oil cloth creations are available in a host of sizes, patterns and colors – there at her market stand or made to order.  Beth, our market manager, is indeed busy each week expanding her inventory with more bags and an imaginative selection of useful items.

Follow the trail of shoppers with a yen for a cinnamon roll or cookie treat and you’ll likely be standing next to the Great Harvest display of baked goods – breads and pastries made from scratch with whole grains and many local ingredients.  Each week you’ll be greeted by a smile, perhaps a sample, and then a choice of tasty and healthful items that provide a perfect compliment to the fresh produce available from surrounding farmers and vendors.

MORE VENDORS – OLD AND NEW….

Burnside Acres is said to have been operating in the 1750s, but the Jacksons (John and Vikki) have been farming there for “only” the past 35 years.  Located in the Green Hill/Charlestown area, they grow a full assortment of vegetables, herbs, and flowers at their original site, and now also on West Beach Rd.  Burnside Acres’ offerings, local as can be, continue to be available weekly at the Charlestown Farmers’ Market as they have from its very beginning.

The sight and sound of real live farm animals ties the senses to farm life – right at our weekly market.  The experience can be irresistible to shoppers on any given market day – especially the children.  This year, Silk Tree Farm, owned and operated by Cathy and Tom Bardsley, bring along their Nigerian dwarf goats each week to help market goat cheese, free range eggs, goat milk soap and soy candles, among other products.

VENDORS – OLD AND NEW

Each week we plan to present at least two vendors from our 2013 Market – one veteran and one newer member.  Read a little about each business here….and then come on over to meet the market participants in person!

Shellfish from Ninigret Oyster Farm have been offered at the Charlestown Land Trust Farmers’ Market since it opened in 2007.  Rob Krause, the oyster farmer, sites his oysters as the primary crop (award winning flavor!)  but little necks, steamers and mussels can be found most weeks – all sweet and fresh from Ninigret Pond just down the road.

Walk through any farmers’ market and it’s likely that fresh flowers will be the eye catching, eye stopping display.  This year, to our delight, we have cut flowers from Petals, a local flower farm just down the road.  Thanh Thanh Luu grows, arranges, and transports the rainbow of blooms she harvests each week.

Meet the 2013 CLT Farmers’ Market Vendors!

Charlestown Land Trust Farmers’ Market Vendors for 2013.

Check out this range of choices to fill your local market needs and delight your senses all summer long.

For vegetables and produce there is food from Burnside Acres and Paradise Hill Farm.  Blueberries by Jerry’s Berry’s and by mid season there will be fruit from Narrow Lane Orchards.  Seafood comes fresh from Ninigret Oyster Farm and Local Catch.  And there is meat that has grown up here in RI under the care of Stoney Hill Cattle Co. and New England Grass Fed

There are baked goods form Great Harvest and Provencal Bakery along with special sauces and salsas from the Meadow Brook Inn.   Silk Tree Farm has eggs and goat milk products…with baby goats adding their “voices” to the sounds of the market .

Locally grown cut flowers from Petals and flowering perennials from Haven’s Nursery brighten the market scene.  And the Worm Ladies of Charlestown offer ways to improve gardening practices.   Jewelry and flowers are featured by Entwined.  Most all of these items can be transported using oil cloth bags from MIO Bags.

The Carolina Fiber and Fiction group can often be seen weaving and spinning handmade items before the eyes of those strolling through the market.  Kelley Kreations offers nature inspired pottery.  And for the sheer appreciation of the beauty of our part of the world there is the photography of Sand Hill Cove…which features locations all around South County.

Keep your eye on this section of the blog to learn more about each vendor.  We plan to feature info about one “old” and one “new” vendor each week.  But best of all, stop by and discover who we are!

Busy opening to the marketI!

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the market yet, make sure you make plans to stop by on Friday mornings to the beautiful grounds of the Church of the Holy Spirit and see what your local farmers and artisans have for you this week.  You never know what you are going to find at the farmers market!

 Fresh fruits, veggies, meats, seafood and bakery items

Market tent and artisan vendors  Cooking demo from The Wilcox Tavern

 Local musicians   

Children’s activities  

Non Profit of the Week  

See you Friday!