Port Washington Farmers’ Market

Dear friends- It looks like we will have good weather for our last market of the season. I know that many of you look forward to Saturday mornings for outdoor shopping and a safe space for greeting friends and neighbors. We do too! Hopefully, when we re-open in June of next year, the worst of the pandemic will be behind us. With all the attention to COVID regulations, I completely forgot I had ordered the beautiful soap from WEBA. I will have it out near the Grassroots bread ...table tomorrow. WEBA makes a beautiful soap, wrapped in paper, that is made to be used as soap, shampoo, and shaving cream. Talk about a ZERO WASTE product! Imagine a single bar of soap in your shower instead of all those plastic bottles with all those chemical ingredients!! And don’t forget to bring your containers to our young refill vendor for laundry and personal care products!! Also, a reminder to do some holiday shopping tomorrow - our vendors are ready and anxious for you to see their special gift items. Imagine - a basket with some colorful winter squashes, olive oil, tea, a pretty piece of pottery (maybe a garlic grater dish), or a set of mugs and a handmade apron. Sounds good to me! Winter root vegetables store well and bread and baked goods freeze nicely. Yes, I am making two apple cakes. And a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you for your support. Despite the challenges, 2020 has been a great market season! I will have a sign-up sheet for those who would like to keep up with the other work of Grassroots. See you tomorrow!

Hello friends of the Port Washington Farmers’ Market! We are going to have beautiful weather tomorrow and even warmer weather for Sunday so, outdoor eating is definitely an option! Please come early to the market, as people arriving after 11 are usually disappointed in the diminished selection, especially at Grassroots' bread and baked goods table. BTW, did you know that the market is a project of local non-profit, Grassroots Environmental Education? Gorgeous fall vegetabl...es are thriving in the fields in this Indian summer weather, so stock up your root cellars (basements, garages) with those root vegetables that should last you through the end of the year and beyond! Some recent arrivals at the market include a refill store, where you can get high quality personal care and laundry products in your own containers and avoid all the single use plastic bottles and containers that will end up as micro plastics somewhere on our planet, EVEN if you recycle them. Don’t feel comfortable that recycling will take care of this major waste problem - less than 9% of the plastic that is recycled is actually made into some else! So talk to our youngest (8th grader) vendor who is doing his best to make a difference! Another new vendor is Scout and Cellar wines, bringing wines from vineyards that were farming organically, hand harvesting, using biodynamic farming methods and avoiding the 250 approved chemicals and the over 300 pesticides that are finding their way into almost all mass-produced wines. Pure, honest and well priced, seek them out for something special for holiday meals. Looking forward to seeing you all this weekend!

It looks like we will have decent, but brisk weather for tomorrow morning’s market! First, I want to remind you that we have extended the market until November 21st, so be sure to mark those extra Saturdays on your calendars! And second, I want to let you know about two new vendors that will join us in the morning: Issac Graubard’s ZERO WASTE REFILL STORE and Scout & Cellar organic and biodynamic wines! Please make sure to stop by their booths to see what they are offering a...nd how they are helping to create a cleaner planet! We will also be back with THE BREAD and MUFFINS tomorrow - we took off some time to gather our whole gang last weekend, and are thankful for the time we had together. Veggies galore this time of year - keep stocking up for healthy eating throughout the week! And many squashes and other fall crops last well on the counter!

Hello friends, A new vendor will be joining us! Hope Farm, owned by a Port Washington family, will be bringing their organic pumpkins to help celebrate the fall and entice you to maybe try some pumpkin recipes! Actually, I just do two things with an organic pumpkin - take out the seeds and roast them on a cookie sheet with a little sea salt and make pumpkin custards with the flesh. We love these custards for breakfast, dessert, and just healthy snacking! Ask me for the re...cipe if you are interested! We will be there with our breads and muffins - last weekend we took a break to visit family in Boston! We look forward to seeing you at the market tomorrowlooks like we will have beautiful weather!

Dear friends, The most important news is that the market will be extended for three weeks into November, with the last day being November 21st - perfect for stocking up on the best local organic veggies for Thanksgiving dinner and choosing special gifts for the holidays. We will be inviting a few additional artisans to join us for the last three weeks to bring you some new items for gift giving.... Cooler weather means more cooking and our farmers have beautiful, delicious, and nutritious ingredients for weekend feasts! I am busy freezing extra greens for soups I’ll be making in January! They take up very little space in your freezer - for instance, I washed and dried 6 bunches of parsley and packed those fragrant and nutritious leaves into just one small glass jar! When I am making soup, I just grab a handful! Peppers also freeze particularly well - just wash, chop, and freeze in plastic bags or glass jars. I’m a glass jar person because I know too much about what single-use plastic bags are doing to our environment! And you don’t have to worry about chemicals in the plastic! We will see you next Saturday - family commitments in Massachusetts this weekend! Thank you for your continued support of the PW Farmers Market.

We are looking forward to a cool, almost fall day tomorrow for the market! It’s my favorite time of year! Our farmers will have early fall veggies and of course, tomatoes and shishito peppers. For someone who has never grilled anything, browning up these delectable little peppers has become an almost nightly ritual! With a little sprinkle of Maldon salt flakes..incredible! We are planning to run the market through the end of November this year, as has been suggested b...y vendors and shoppers alike! We will let you know definitely next week. We also have a new baker with three varieties of her fabulous and healthy bars - good for breakfast, snacks, and dessert! Stop by and check out Morganic Bakeshop! See you in the morning - come early for the best selection!

Freshly harvested watermelons and other mid-summer crops will be offered on Saturday at the market. I have a particular fondness/obsession for shishito peppers which I have never had before this summer. They are incredible when grilled! But, beware, nine out of ten shishitos are quite mild, but then you'll come across one that makes your eyes water! Golden Earthworm Organic Farm will offer up a few - get there early! Crumble Pie Co. will be joining us at the market this week...end. Each pie is made with simple organic ingredients and fresh fruit to provide the highest quality pie. Flavors include apple, blueberry, mixed berry, and seasonal flavors! $1 is donated to Long Island non-profit organizations for each pie sold. Make sure you stop by and check out the delicious pies! The market is open rain or shine, so bring an umbrella if the sky is gray. See you on Saturday morning!

Hello friends, As you probably all know, Grassroots Environmental Education runs the PW farmers’ market but is also engaged in many efforts to protect us (especially our children) from harmful environmental exposures. For example, one of the current projects is working with the Town and PW residents to address the build-out of wireless antennas in our neighborhoods. To learn more about this, visit our sites https://www.americansforresponsibletech.org/ and https://www.5gcrisi...s.com/ Other technologies that pose a threat to human health and the environment include GMOs. All of the fresh, organic produce you buy at our market is GMO-free! Although biotechnology companies have been trying to commercialize genetically modified fruits and vegetables, they are currently licensing them primarily to large scale factory-style farms. If you are opposed to eating bioengineered food, you can rest assured that locally grown produce was bred the old-fashioned way, as nature intended. See you on Saturday!

Week 7 of the farmers’ market and we seem to be doing just fine, even though the pandemic looms over us all. Vulnerable people and people who had COVID-19 and who are now experiencing long- term effects are understandably concerned about possible exposure, so thanks to everyone for making them feel safe and comfortable. We want to welcome Perry Sherman of Sweetwater Organic Ices to our growing list of vendors...look for the cart and the umbrella! Summer’s bounty is on full display now. When you buy directly from a farmer, you are re-establishing a time-honored connection between the grower and the consumer. Knowing your farmers gives you insight into the seasons, the weather, and the miracle of growing food! See you tomorrow morning!

Looks like no rain for tomorrow, so we put in a large bread order! We also got a new shipment of goat cheese from Catapano. We're changing it up with two new varieties - lemon/black pepper and chive - in addition to plain. We will also have homemade strawberry lemonade (I keep the strawberry juice when I am making strawberry jam, and freeze it) and organic fruit pops for kids and big kids! The average distance food travels from farm to plate in the U.S. is 1,500 miles! At ou...r market, you will get freshly harvested produce that travels just over an hour. Grocery store produce that is at least one week old loses its nutrients as sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink and the plant loses its vitality. We are hoping that while staying home people are preparing more of their own meals and eating healthieran upside to COVID! "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants - Michael Pollan

RAIN at last! At least we can take a break from watering the 19 trees we have planted around town for the next few days! As you know, the market is open, rain or shine, so many of our vendors will be there tomorrow morning to serve you. If we’re lucky, we’ll get a few breaks in the weather as the morning goes on. Just FYI, we have to order our bread on Thursday morning, so the forecast of rain made us put in a smaller order. If you want bread or pastries and organic coffee, c...ome early!! Again, we are so grateful to every one of you who support the market and our vendors. And remember to visit our website for pre-orders! www.pwfarmersmarket.org See you tomorrow!

Hello friends, Yes, the farmers’ market will be open this Saturday, July 4th! We hope everyone who has plans for a holiday cookout or family gathering will shop for the freshest ingredients from our vendors. I’m thinking of all kinds of salads, fresh fish, and freshly baked bread slathered with goat cheese and pesto!!... My favorite salad is Russian kale with a dressing of half olive oil and half lemon juice, crushed garlic (lots), shaved pecorino romano (lots), and fresh bread crumbs. You really have to massage the dressing into the leaves. Unbelievably Yummy!!! Much gratitude to all for following COVID guidelines - we want everyone to be comfortable and safe. Masks are required - we will keep reminding everyone and providing hand sanitizer! Hope you all have a happy, healthy and safe 4th of July! Can't wait to see you at the market!!

Hi friends, Okay - two weeks down, and we are so happy and thankful to see so many people shopping at the market! It’s important to us (and to Gov. Cuomo) that everyone makes an effort to stay healthy and keep everyone else healthy. Masks will probably be mandatory throughout the season and we will continue to provide free hand sanitizer and disposable masks for anyone who needs one. We need to do a little better with the distancing, and we will try out out a new strategy ne...xt weekend. So glad Meredith, our fish lady, has joined us! What its better than fresh fish with a plate of delicious organic grilled vegetables and salad? NOTHING! We should have homemade organic strawberry lemonade and 100% organic fruit pops for the kids this weekend as well. Still looking for volunteers to help out at the Grassroots coffee and bread (and muffin) tent - anyone have an hour, especially between 8:30 and 9:30? If so please sign up at https://www.pwfarmersmarket.org/volunteers Looking Forward to seeing everyone again this Saturday!!

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! If you can spare an hour or two on Saturday mornings to help manage the market, please fill out the form on our website. We could really use your help! https://www.pwfarmersmarket.org/volunteers

Our first market is this Saturday and it looks like the weather will cooperate! We will be there early to set up a ribbon barrier to help people enter where they are supposed to. NYS Ag and Markets requires masks for everyone over the age of two and gloves are optional. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer will be at the entrance and exit for your convenience and protection. Our greatest number of customers come to shop around 9. You might want to come either earlier or later to... avoid crowds and waiting on line. We have some new vendors this year that we are very excited about and we’re anxious to see them gather some loyal customers! Please note that many of our vendors are offering pre-ordering for your convenience. See our new website www.pwfarmersmarket.org to view the descriptions of their offerings and browse their websites. Looking forward to seeing you all there!!!

June 13th is just a week from Saturday and we are busy preparing for the opening of the farmers’ market! With COVID in mind, we will be following all of the protocols required by NYS Ag and Markets. The most important thing to remember is your mask, followed by your own bags! We will have an alcohol-based sanitizer at the entrance fo the market for cleaning hands. Your children will need to follow the protocol as well. We look forward to seeing everyone and are excited abo...ut some of our new vendors! Please visit our new website for more information about our vendors and pre-ordering. The website will be updated with more information as the market season goes on! www.https://www.pwfarmersmarket.org/