The Market is Open

I am getting very excited for fall veggies this year. We are planting leaf lettuce, winter squash, and seeding kale, broccoli, spinach, onions, carrots, beets, and peas this week. Am I in a rush? No! Since we moved here to Kentucky, I really look forward to the change in seasons. I love the fall, with its changing leaves, crisp mornings, and early nights. Our family enjoys bonfires, campouts, and watching the stars in the fall. Kentucky has the best fall weather. Plus the fall vegetable options, the veggies that love getting frost. I had never experienced a sweet brussel sprout, now I can’t wait to get that first frost, just for this tasty treat.
See you on Friday,
Angela

Join Us Today at the Caldwell County Farmers Market

The Caldwell County Farmers Market is Open today from 4-6pm at the Princeton Park (in front of the Senior Center on Eagle St). I know everyone is busy with kiddos starting back to school but what could be better than coming out enjoying a lemon shake-up and purchasing your vegetables locally. The park has a wonderful playground to let them get their wiggles out before heading home for dinner and studies. The market is a great experience for ALL AGES! Bring the whole family out today and get your little ones excited about the food they eat , the products they buy and help them learn the importance of supporting local!!
Your local farmers depend on you!
See you there today,
Angela

The Market is Open

Last week was National Farmers Market Week, and I missed the boat. So, I thought that I would carry on the week here in Princeton just a bit longer.
Did you know that Farmers Markets return 3 times more of their sales to the local economy? When farmers sell to their local communities they are keeping their dollars earned right here in our community. What could be better for Princeton than you the consumer buying local and then for the farmer to turn around and keep it local too? Statistics are pointing out that growers selling locally are adding an additional 13 jobs to our areas local economy. I know right here in Princeton that may be overstated, but think about it. Every time you buy from a local farmer, your food dollars have stayed right here in our community, supporting a small family farm, not a big corporation. When that farmer turns around and buys tires, furniture, or gets a haircut right here in our community, we have kept those dollars local!
Thank you for your continued support of this and the Caldwell County Farmers Market. You (the consumer) are making a difference in your community, and I for one thank you!
See you on Friday,
Angela
P.S. And on Thursday from 4-6 at the Caldwell County Farmers Market.

The Market is Open

It is heart of the summer and I am over run with tomatoes. So I thought I would include a recipe for Tomato Pie today.
Ingredients:
1-1/4 pounds tomatoes (5 large), cut into 1/2-inch slices, seeded
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Place half of the tomatoes in pastry shell. Top with onions and remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle with the basil, salt and pepper. Combine mayonnaise and cheddar cheese; spread over tomatoes, leaving 1-1/2 in. around the edge. Sprinkle with bacon and Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Yield: 8 servings.
See you at the Market on Friday,
Angela

The Market is Open

I am having a very busy week here on the farm. Is it only Monday? One more week till the kiddos get home and Ray and I are hustling to keep up. Part of our issues continue to be that we are working on building our farm, which includes building fences, high tunnels, and getting our soil ready to accept plants. Eric and I planted 1000 seeds (in the greenhouse)before they left for Minnesota and now I need to get the ground ready for them to be planted, and it is raining again. Part of the challenge of being a new farmer is figuring out how to be a farmer (how to do the things that need to be done), and then how to do those things in tune with Mother Nature. I feel like I am forever running behind Mother Nature.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love being a farmer. The daily challenges keep my mind and body strong. I can’t imagine my life now without the sunshine, dirt in my nails, and mud on my boots.
Look forward to seeing everyone on Friday,
Angela

The Market is Open

This week will be a different week for me here on the farm, with all of the kiddos away in Minnesota for 10 days this is a true test of my abilities. I am sure I will do fine, but I am also just as sure that I will welcome them back eagerly after 10 days.
I am posting a recipe for a Caprese Salad today. This is my favorite salad in the summer and I hope you will enjoy it too.
Caprese Salad
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into quarters
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into chunks
10-12 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
2 Tablespoons good quality olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of salt, pepper and sugar, to taste
In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella and basil leaves. In a separate small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar. Pour over the tomato-mozzarella mixture and toss. Serve immediately, or prepare up to 4 hours ahead of serving.

Enjoy! See you on Friday,
Angela

The Market is Open

Summer is coming on hot and heavy now. I love this time of year when all of the summer veggies are available. Making dinner is a joy when you get to use all the colors of the rainbow.
Remember we meet on Friday’s(4-6pm) at Tractor Supply, and the traditional market meets on Thursday’s in the Princeton Park from 4-6pm. Both are great options to get your local fresh food.
See you all soon,
Angela

The Market is Open

What a wonderful weekend we have had. The rain held off and allowed all of the festivities to go off without a hitch. Including the traditional farmers market. The rain started 5 minutes after the market closed last week. We had 150 people go through the market last week, which is impressive for a holiday week. In case anyone missed the market, you should come on out and check us out on Thursday between 4-6pm at the Princeton Park (in front of the senior center). We are expecting more farmers this week and more produce will be available each week after this. Your farmers and vendors thank you for your support of this event.
I will see you on Friday,
Angela

The Market is Open

It was two years ago that we opened Princeton Farm Fresh, and I can barely believe how fast time has flown by. It seems appropriate that we start our next adventure this week, by opening the traditional Caldwell County Farmers Market. We will be at the Princeton Park (the park at the Senior Center with the children’s play area) every Thursday from 4-6pm for 10 weeks. We will have 5-10 vendors every week, rain or shine. There is plenty of parking, a place for the kiddos to play while you shop and a nice park setting to relax and enjoy local food. This location will be an excellent start for a traditional market with plenty of space to expand as we grow. I hope that you all will continue to order here, and come out and see what is available at the traditional market. This will continue to be the only place to get JD Country Milk in the area. So I know I will see most of you on Friday’s.
See you all soon,
Angela

The Market is Open

And we are still looking for a location for the downtown traditional market. Our first market location has proven to be too small, and so we are back on the hunt for the just right location downtown. Does anyone have any wonderful ideas? I am open to any and all.
We will have a traditional farmers market meeting for anyone interested in selling produce, crafts or participating by selling prepared food, or playing music at the traditional market. Meeting is Tuesday June 23rd at 7pm at the Caldwell County Extension Office on Hwy 62. We will have membership and by law paperwork available at that time.

Our online market will continue on throughout the summer and we will keep the same Friday time and location.
Around the farm this week, we are working hard to keep things cool enough to keep them growing. We started new leaf lettuce two weeks ago and it looked fantastic until the last two days, where it has started to show some heat stress. We are still working on our cool tunnel for leaf lettuce, but like everything else, it takes time to get it up. Today we put on the boards that will make up the raised beds, along with finishing up the perlins and cross braces. Now to finish out the front and back and cover in plastic. Maybe we can finish next week?
See you on Friday,
Angela