West Chester Growers Market

Ridge Valley Farms Maple Syrup - (2nd Saturday)

Check back for:

Pureblend Tea - (2nd and 4th Saturday) - COMING SOON!

Stargazers Vineyard (1st and 3rd)

Yellow Springs Farm Goat Cheese (1st and 3rd)

Golden Valley Farms Coffee (1st and 3rd)

Maiale Cured Meat - (1st and 3rd)

Vera Pasta (1st and 3rd)

Ridge Valley Farm Maple Syrup - (2nd Saturday)

May 16, 2013

Market Preview: May 18, 2013

Rain doesn't stop our faithful Market Goers. Despite a slightly soggy Saturday, the turnout was fantastic! Here are a few pictures to recap:

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It is the 3rd Saturday of the month, which means we'll be doing our Monthly Food Drive. We will be accepting both monetary donations and non-perishable items food bank donations during the Market tomorrow. Donations can be dropped off at our community tent. We are a community, let's take care of each other!

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It's the month of Market Giveaways! Congratulations to our Mother's Day weekend drawing winners! Elaine G. won a Mother's Day bouquet and Sue J. won a full flat of assorted annuals for her flower beds.

THIS week, enter to win vegetable plants from Maple Hill Farm and Red Earth Farm! Stop by our community tent to enter. Drawing will be held at 12pm and the winner will be notified by phone. The winner will have to the option to collect their prize by 1pm on 5/18 or pick it up the following Saturday, 5/25.

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Show us some Market Love!

If you are on Twitter or Instagram, snap pics and share them with @WCGrowersMarket and use hashtag #WCGM

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Stay updated on Market News by checking out the Market Calendar here on the blog, as well as our Facebook Page.

Lindenhof Farm

"Lindenhof family farm will be there with a truck full of cold coolers filled with plenty of fresh eggs, fresh turkey or chicken pies and a lot of other wonderful choices such as a nice variety of beef steaks, pork sausages, turkey meats, and lamb cubes. Check out our website product listing for special spring pricing and more delicious foods to celebrate the start the summer season of a wonderful market!!"

Applied Climatology

Azalea 'Bloom-A-Thon Pink Double' (re-blooming variety)

"New this weekend: Azalea ‘Bloom-A-Thon Pink Double’, Clematis ‘Tie Dye’, Clematis Violet ‘Stargazer’, Dianthus ‘Fancy Knickers’, Dianthus Rosy Cheeks’, Echinacea ‘Marmalade’, Geranium ‘Dark Reiter’, Monarda ‘Blue Stocking’, Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, Salvia ‘Caradonna’, Sambucus ‘Black Lace’ & Weigela ‘Midnight Wine’.

Due to popular demand, we will have more Aquilegia in 1-quart pots for $6.00 each, this weekend!"

Fresh picked Spring onions!

London Vale Farm

Available this Saturday:

Fresh brown eggs (from our cage-free chickens)

Onions

Cucumbers

Lettuce

Kale

Spinach

Peas

Potatoes

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Complete List of this week's Vendors:

Elkdale Greenhouse

Blueberry Hill Farm

Red Earth Farm

Windy Acres

Yellow Springs Farm Goat Cheese (1st and 3rd)

Golden Valley Farms Coffee (1st and 3rd)

Maiale Cured Meat - (1st and 3rd)

Vera Pasta (1st and 3rd)

Stargazers Vineyard (1st and 3rd)

Check back for:

Pureblend Tea - (2nd and 4th Saturday) - COMING SOON!

Ridge Valley Farms Maple Syrup - (2nd Saturday)

Bryer Apiary - (4th Saturday)

May 10, 2013

Market Preview: May 11, 2013

What a FANTASTIC first week at the Market! It was so great to see our Market Goers again! Here are some pictures, in case you missed it:

We LOVED seeing your photos last week! If you are on Twitter or Instagram, snap pics and share them with @WCGrowersMarket and use hashtag #WCGM (hint: we may have a fun contest later this Market Season!)

To kick off the Regular Market Season, we have some fun contests happening in the month of May. Last week, we had a big jar of M&M's and we asked you to take guess how many were in it. Congratulations to Tina H. Of Downingtown, who won last week's "Guess how many M&Ms?" contest! Tina guessed 3173 M&Ms were in the jar. Our talley was 3200.

THIS week, the WCGM will be giving away a Mother's Day bouquet. Stop by our Community tent this week and enter to win a Mother's Day bouquet from Schaffer Flowers! The drawing will be held at 12:00pm and the winner will be notified by phone if they are not currently present. Winner must pick up the bouquet by 1:00pm.

We've been overwhelmed by the amazing community response regarding the potential sale of the parking lot on which our Market resides. The responses have been both from community members and borough representatives (including Mayor Comitta). We've gotten some confirmations on several items, and still seeking clarifications on others. Our Market Director, Paul, will be drafting a letter to update you all in the very near future, so stay tuned!

Stay updated on Market News by checking out the Market Calendar here on the blog, as well as our Facebook Page.

Lindenhof Farm

Applied Climatology

"This week we will have some great perennials and shrubs for Mother's Day! Stop by for some Hydrangeas, Azaleas, Phlox, Clematis vines, Heucheras, Irises, Blueberry bushes, Raspberry bushes, Black Raspberry bushes, Hostas, Peonies, Cimicfuga and much more. Just for Mother's Day, we'll be offering Aquilegia (columbine) in one quart pots for $7 each!"

Schaeffer Flowers

"This week we should have more french tulips, a few lilac and lots of

spring mix bouquets for Mom!"

London Vale Farm

"This weekend we will have spinach, onions and kale. We will also have a wide selection of herb plants including; Sweet Basil, Lemon Basil, Lettuce Leaf Basil, Purple Basil, French Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Orange Thyme, BBQ Rosemary, Arp Rosemary (large potted plants), Variegated Oregano, Hot & Spicy Oregano, Lavender, Common Sage, Tricolor Sage, French Tarragon, Cilantro, Dill, Italian Parsley, Curly Parsley, Lemon Verbena, Savory, Peppermint, Spearmint, Lovage, Wrinkled Cress & Hyssop.

Coming soon: additional greens, kale and lettuce varieties, plus peas and cucumbers"

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Complete List of this week's Vendors:

Ridge Valley Farms Maple Syrup - (2nd Saturday)

Check back for:

Pureblend Tea - (2nd and 4th Saturday) - COMING SOON!

Stargazers Vineyard (1st and 3rd)

Yellow Springs Farm Goat Cheese (1st and 3rd)

Golden Valley Farms Coffee (1st and 3rd)

Maiale Cured Meat - (1st and 3rd)

Vera Pasta (1st and 3rd)

Bryer Apiary - (4th Saturday)

May 1, 2013

Market Preview: OPENING DAY May 4, 2013

Hear ye, hear ye! Opening Day 2013 has FINALLY arrived! We'll be starting the Market at 9am EACH WEEK through November, with tons of activities, special events and amazing vendors to enjoy. On Saturday we'll be offering Sunflower planting, as is our yearly tradition. We'll also be welcoming two new vendors to our Market: Maiale Cured Meats (which will start next weekend, as they are a 2nd and 4th week vendor) and Vera Pasta (1st and 3rd Saturdays). This year has the promise to be the best yet!

But first, we have very pressing news we need to share with you.

Because we need your help.

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As we approach our 19th year of serving the local community, the West Chester Grower's Market faces the possibility of losing our home in the parking lot at Church & Chestnut Streets.

We need your help.

The parking lot is being considered for development by the borough council

While we may not bring large revenue, tall buildings or more parking spaces to the borough of West Chester, we do believe we bring something of great importance:COMMUNITY.

We are asking you to contact your borough representative and ask them to consider these factors as they make their decision:

* Our market hosts 2000+ people every Summer Saturday

* We provide a sense of community, where neighbors talk to neighbors

* Our market acts as a drawing card to downtown businesses. Customers frequently shop there after leaving the market.

* If the lot is developed, there is a chance that our Growers Market will no longer be able to serve the community.

So please, if you value the sense of community and supporting the local farm fresh foods that our market has brought to West Chester, contact your borough representative and tell them what the market means to you.

Remember, they represent you.

Thank you,

The West Chester Growers Market

Borough Council Information:

http://www.west-chester.com/council.php

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We hope you will consider sharing your thoughts on the Market and our "home" (ie: the parking lot) with your borough council representatives.

Stay updated on Market News by checking out the Market Calendar here on the blog, as well as our Facebook Page.

Vera Pasta

"Here is my pasta list for saturday:

Tagliatelle

Pappardelle

Lemon Penne

Sriracha Penne (Spicy)

Tomato Basil Spaghetti

Gemelli

Spaghetti with Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Chiles and Parsley

Ricotta Gnocchi

Fresh Mozzarella, Ricotta and local Honey stuffed Ravioli

Goat Cheese, Sundried Tomato and Basil stuffed Ravioli

Wild mushroom and Sage stuffed Ravioli

Marinara

Sunday Gravy"

Lindenhof Farm

Red Earth Farm

"Red Earth will be there opening day. We will have a variety of salad and cooking greens, spinach, radishes and green garlic. We will also have a good selection of vegetable,flower and herb plants."

Yellow Springs Farm Goat Cheese

"This week we have chevre –plain soft goat cheese—and flavored chevre, as well as Yellow Brick Road—aged goat cheese made with Victory beer, and Red Leaf aged goat cheese—this one was Craig LaBan’s cheese of the month in Philadelphia Inquirer!

We will also have goat milk caramel sauces, too.

Goat kids born this Spring—over 80!"

Applied Climatology

"This season we will have more than 175 varieties of perennials, shrubs and trees available for your landscaping needs. On Saturday we will have a nice variety of spring blooming plants including Lilacs, Aquilegia, Azaleas, Peonies, Dianthus, Bleeding Hearts, Baptisia, Irises & Polemonium. We will have several varieties of Blueberry, Raspberry and Black Raspberry plants too!"

Schaeffer Flowers

"We will be the market with spring mix bouquets and tulip bunches. We will also be bring tuberose bulbs and calla lily bulbs."

Stargazers Vineyard

"Stargazers will there May 4. "More Wine for less Money" is our theme. We'll offer tastes of four wines, 3 or more bottles, $11 per bottle. We are introducing 2012 Gruener Veltliner and 2010 Cabernet Franc.

West Chester Market bags and hats will be for sale at Stargazers booth first and third Saturdays."

Ellen April Handcrafted Soap

"Ellen April is excited for the start of their TENTH season at the market! They'll be here on Saturday with a large variety of their soaps and body products. Stop by their booth to say hi and check out two of their new soaps Tussie Mussie and Blue Bamboo. "

Golden Valley Farms Coffee

"We will have our full line of organic, fair-trade, shade grown coffees available for sale."

Maiale Cured Meats

"Maiale will make its debut with plenty of fresh and dried sausage. We will have chicken sausage with spinach and provolone, wild boar sasusage, thai curry sausage, spicy and sweet italian sausages, tuscan salami, and our cacciatore salami."

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Complete List of this week's Vendors:

Vera Pasta (1st and 3rd)

Stargazers Vineyard (1st and 3rd)