Tag: farm

  • October News from the Framingham Farmers Market

    NOTE: The following was contributed by Elizabeth Aurilio, the Framingham Farmer’s Market Manager.

    Framingham, MA –This week, expect to find a couple of new and interesting items at the market. Everyone is still coming to market with an awe-inspiring array of late summer and fall produce, baked goods, snacks, cheese and fall decorations, but now Matt Hanson has begun to bring jars of Framingham honey and Silvia’s is stocking an unusual purple cauliflower.
    Matt has been learning the art of beekeeping for a few years now – studying the specifics from his neighbor, a near-by farmer. He has both a light and a dark honey to choose from – and while both types of honey come from the same hive, the lighter, more delicate honey is the first to come off while the darker, more molasses flavored honey is scraped close to the comb. Many people swear that honey is the best cure for sore throats, dry skin and other ailments and that local honey, specifically, is above all the best naturopathic cure for seasonal allergies. While I’m in no position to offer evidence to any of those claims, I feel testimonial when it comes to taste. The honey is sublime and I recommend you snatch it up while you can. It will certainly dawn comfort in a warm cup of tea on a crackly, cold winter day.

    I picked up an odd head of broccoli at Silvia’s market stall yesterday and was marveling at the deep, jewel tones of emerald and amethyst in the florets. I know that sounds silly, but I garden and work in farmers’ markets and am therefore easily excited by colorful vibrancy in vegetables. I wanted to pay my compliments to the farmer, so I held it up and commented on the beautiful broccoli. “That’s not broccoli, it’s a purple cauiflower” said Ed. He said he thought it was broccoli too, but that his wife insists it is a purple cauliflower. “Look at the leaf”, he says, “that is the leaf of a cauliflower plant and even though I know it is biologically a cauliflower, it looks like broccoli and I think it tastes like broccoli – but not my wife, she thinks it looks like a cauliflower and tastes like a cauliflower” and with that he grabbed it from my hands and shoved it in my apron pocket to take home and help him settle the debate. Please come to the market and try the purple cauliflower – don’t leave me stranded here as the lone middleman to this debate. I can’t wait to hear what you think – and let you know where my verdict lies. See you Thursday!

  • Framingham Farm Day 2009

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Framingham Farm Day is coming up on Sat Oct 17 10am-2pm. Bring the whole family and enjoy the fall weather at any or all of these real New England farms in the greater Nobscot area. Co-sponsored by Nobscot Neighbors and the Framingham Agricultural Committee.

    – Baiting Brook Christmas Tree Farm, 32 Nixon Rd. – George and D.D. Harrington will give tours of a real tree farm, explain how Christmas trees are grown and why this is the greenest solution to holiday decorating. Tours every half-hour from 10am to 2pm, cider and doughnuts too. No charge.

    – Stearns Farm, 862 Edmands Rd. – Plant garlic with farm manager, Kathy Huckins and friends, tour the farm and learn about Community Supported Agriculture and the importance of locally produced food. No charge. Established in 1723, this historic farm was operated by the Nixon family until 1900 and became Stearns Organic Farm in 1954 and today the farm provides fruit, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers to a full roster of CSA members.

    – Hanson’s Farm, 20 Nixon Rd – Navigate Tom and Matt’s Corn Maze, take a hayride, pick your own pumpkins and raspberries, buy produce at the farmstand and picnic under the giant tent. From 10am the hayride plus corn maze is $6 per person, children under 5 yrs. no charge. The 152 acre farm has been continuously operated by five generations of the Hanson family. Open seven days a week from May to November, 9am-6pm (Sun until 5:30). Ask about the Haunted Hayride. 508-877-3058.

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  • News from the Framingham Farmer’s Market

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — Up until this season, I would have been inclined to think that a lot of rain would be good for such a water-heavy fruit as melons. Unfortunately, the converse is true.

    All the early season rain has delayed the growth of melons and we are still watching to see if this will be the melon-prize week. We did have a few melons two weeks ago – that was the first crop’s yield. The second crop, I’m told, will be larger and more satisfying – but when they will be ready for picking depends on the next few days’ weather.

    The farmers won’t pick them if they are substandard – they only want to bring premium produce to the farmers’ market. If a field taste determines more time on the vine is needed, then we will need to wait patiently for another week or so. In addition to melons, keep a lookout for another harvest of prune plums. Those should also be coming soon – hopefully this Thursday or the next.

    Last week several of us panicked when the 12:30 opening holler came and went with no sign of our Hmong farmers. They did finally arrive, about 45 minutes later, bringing with them a fine selection of pea tendrils, watercress, mustard greens, amaranth, taioba, maxixe , thai basil and, my favorite – lemongrass. For those who missed them last week, rest assured that they plan to return with plenty more this week…and they’re not expecting any further traffic delays (of course).

    In addition to copious amounts of tomatoes, peaches, zucchinis, summer squash, beans, greens, eggplants, peppers, ground cherries and tomatillos, we’ll also have our full, varied selection of cheeses, breads , baked goods, flowers and kettle corn. See you this Thursday!

    Ernie Update: Ernie is still in the throws of harvest season but as he completes the harvest of first plantings, he is harrowing the finished fields and planting winter rye. This is a very busy time of year for him as he keeps up with the picking, plucking and pulling while tending to soon-to-be-harvested kohl crops and planting winter enrichment crops.

    (Contributed by: Elizabeth Aurilio, Market Manager)

  • Ugliest Tomato Contest

    FRAMINGHAM, MACan you grow the ugliest tomato in Framingham? Bring your fresh picked “Ugliest Tomato” to the Framingham Farmers’ Market on Thursday, August 24th, 2006. Enter your homely homegrown for a chance to win a full basket of fresh farmer’s market products.

    The winner will be selected by market-goers’ popular vote. So, if you don’t have a tomato, come anyway to vote and buy fresh produce, bakery, and maple products from 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    The Framingham Farmers’ Market is held every Thursday afternoon, 12:30 – 5:30 p.m., on the Edgell Rd side of the Framingham Centre Common through October.

    For information about the market and about the Ugliest Tomato Contest, speak to Elizabeth Aurelio, the market manager, or email her at: framinghammarket@comcast.net.

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