This Week's Farmers' Markets

Markets in Philadelphia unless noted otherwise.

Rittenhouse Farmers' Market
Walnut Street (south sidewalk), west of 18th St.
Tueday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

University Square Farmers' Market
36th at Walnut St.
Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Girard & 27th Farm Stand Market
Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Fountain Farmers' Market
East Passyunk Ave., at 11th St. and Tasker St.
Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

East Lancaster
Historic Eastern Market
308 East King Street
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

City Hall Farmers' Market
Philadelphia City Hall
Wednesday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Broad & South Farmers' Market
Broad and South streets
Wednesday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Cliveden Park
Chew Avenue and Johnson Street
Wednesday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Temple University Farmers' Market
Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Broad Street and Park Walk
Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Weavers Way Farmers' Market
Carpenter Lane and Greene Street in front of High Point Cafe
Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Jefferson Farmers' Market
On Chestnut Street east of 10th Street.
Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Norristown
Swede and Main streets
Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Oxford Circle
Oxford and Summerdale avenues
Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Clark Park Farmers' Market
43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Fairmount Farmers' Market
22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue
Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Schuylkill River Park Farmers' Market
25th and Spruce streets
Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Palmer Park Farmers' Market
Frankford Avenue and East Palmer Street
Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Germantown Farmers' Market
Germantown Avenue and Walnut Lane
Friday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Roxborough Farmers' Market
Ridge Avenue at entrance to Leverington Avenue parking lot.
Friday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Overbrook Farms Farmers' Market
63rd Street between Sherwood Road
and Overbrook Avenue
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

East Falls Farmers' Market
Midvale Avenue near Ridge Avenue.
Friday 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Fitler Square Farmers' Market
23rd and Pine streets
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Phoenixville Farmers' Market
Bridge Street and Taylor Alley
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wrightstown Farmers' Market
2203 2nd Street Pike (Rt. 232)
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Glenside Farmers' Market
Easton Rd. and Glenside Ave
Glenside, Pennsylvania
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Chestnut Hill Growers Market
Winston Road between Germantown Avenue
and Mermaid Lane.
Saturday, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm

Conshohocken
Fayette and West Hector streets
Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bryn Mawr Farmers' Market
Municipal Lot 7 on Lancaster Ave.
Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm

Catasauqua
Pine Street between Front and Railroad streets
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Manayunk Farmers' Market
Canal View Park on Main St., near Gay St.
Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm

Lansdowne Farmers' Market
Lansdowne Avenue Parking Lot
between Baltimore Pike and Stewart Avenue
Saturday, 9 a.m to 1 p.m.

Collingswood Farmers' Market
Between Collings Ave and Irving Ave.
Collingswood, New Jersey
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Headhouse Farmers' Market
2nd and Lombard streets
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

North Hills-Oreland Farmers' Market
110 Pennsylvania Avenue near Twining Road
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Swarthmore Farmers' Market
In front of the Swarthmore Co-op
Saturday, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm

Lansdale
Railroad Plaza
Main and Green streets
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

West Reading
500 block of Penn Avenue
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We Are The Link Photo!!!!

One of the Philly Food Feed's photos from Headhouse Farmers' Market this past Sunday has made the Huffington Post's Farmers' Market Photos for the week. In fact, we are on the Green main page as the link photo to the article!!! This photo was of the Blooming Glen Farm's stand and the beautiful bounty they offer. Go Blooming Glen! Go Headhouse Farmers' Market and
GO PHILLY FOOD FEED!!!

CHECK IT OUT!!!

Wow, What a Weekend!!!

Wow, what a weekend for the Philly Food Feed! Sarah, Ben, and Ethan put some miles on the car (hyper-miles of course) visiting local food hot spots over this past weekend and now it’s time to share our experiences. Our pockets are lighter, our pantry and stomachs are full, and our hearts are overflowing with satisfaction. Not only did we make our usual stop at the Headhouse Farmers’ Market, we made two other local food related visits as well. And when we eventually did get to the Headhouse, we were joined by a cadre of newly indoctrinated local food enthusiasts. At this point you must be bursting with anticipation like a Hammonton, New Jersey Blueberry bursting with flavor. Corny? Yes, but as the mushroom says, I am a fungi! If you have made it this far, there is no reason not to read on.
We here at the Philly Food Feed have been trying to expand our horizons. We wanted to start to branch out of the Philadelphia area and see what other parts of the Delaware Valley has to offer, so on Saturday morning after breakfast, we drove out to the Swarthmore Farmers’ Market in, you guessed it, Swarthmore Pennsylvania. Incidentally, this was not on a whim. I have been checking out the Pennsylvania Buy Fresh Buy Local web site, entering in my zip code and finding all sorts of local food sites in my area. I have found this site vital in my locavorian pursuits (locavorian – not yet in Webster’s but we can get it in their folks). Take the time and check it out, you might be surprised to find a farmers’ market or natural food store or co-op right in your back yard.
So off to Swarthmore we drove. When we arrived we found a quaint market with a cornucopia of locally grown and artisanal foods.
Vendors we encountered included Pappardelle’s, provider of artisanal pasta. It turns out they have over 100 flavors of pasta ranging from Basil Garlic Fettuccine to Lime Cilantro Linguine. We had just been to Wegman’s and bought our allotted pasta for the week but next time we go back (probably next week), we will definitely be adding some of these intriguingly flavored pastas to our coffers. Among other vendors were Davidson’s Exotic Mushrooms, Beechwood Orchards (whom we recognize from the Headhouse), Sioux City Soaps, and of particular note, Big Sky Bread. I say of particular note because as I am writing this, I am chowing down on one of the chocolate chip cookies we purchased from this awesome find. When I tell you this cookie is obscene, I don’t do them justice. These are “last meal” type cookies. And here are the ingredients – Organic Whole Wheat, rolled oats, brown sugar, butter, egg, molasses, baking powder and salt. That’s it. Sounds like something Grand Mama used to make right? Tastes like it too. It’s like I can taste every individual ingredient as I am eating it. Rather than just eating a cookie, it’s more of an experience in your mouth, like the ingredients are dancing in a tango of taste on your tongue. You like that description? My wife did too.
Big Sky is out of Wilmington Delaware, but you can find their products from West Chester to Newark to Kennett Square. Besides the cookies, we also bought a Mutlti-Grain bread which is delicious AND healthy. And the best part (especially for all you Omnivore’s Dilemma and Food Inc. people) NO PROCESSED SUGAR! NO CORN SYRUP!!! Needless to say, I am thrilled. All of this great food AND really friendly people to boot.
I spoke with the owner, Mr. Patrick O’Neil. An amiable gentleman if there ever was one; he took the time to seek out and introduce me to Mr. Marty Spiegel, the coordinator of the market. Marty was intrigued by the Philly Food Feed and wanted us to spread the word about the market which we are happily obliging. This is certainly not the last trip we will be making to this market. Did I mention another reason to visit? The market is directly across from the Swarthmore Co-op.
While the co-op is community owned, anybody can shop there. It has been around since 1937 and was awarded as The Best of Philly in 2006. With those credentials it’s no wonder that the food there we saw all looked fresh and delectable. There were all sorts of locally grown produce and meats and fish that ran the gambit from conventional to organic to all natural. A little something for everybody. There was also a very nice woman doing a demonstration for Zukay salad dressing. All natural, no added sugars or hidden corn. We sampled a plethora of different flavors and the Philly Food Feed recommends you give these dressings a try.
So that was Saturday - a fantastic day in Swarthmore. There is no doubt that we will be returning to this market and the co-op very soon. Now, a deep breath and on to Sunday!
As is our custom, Sarah, Ethan, and I usually find ourselves at the Headhouse Farmers’ Market on Sunday mornings and this past Sunday was no exception. However, we were not alone. Joining us on our weekly visit was Philly Food Feed Alum Susan Anderson and her husband Henry and their children, my sister-in-law Emily and her husband Stu, and our new friends Dana and John and their daughter. What a crew! I have been singing the praises of the Headhouse for so long, our friends and family wanted to see what all the fuss was about. And from what they are telling me, nobody was disappointed!
As always, we started at Blooming Glen Farm. Last time I was here I bought some Walla Walla Onions that were so sweet and good, they had to make a return engagement to our pantry.


That picture makes you want to go vegan doesn’t it? We also bought lettuce, squash(for baby Ethan), and heirloom tomatoes. When the food looks like that, it makes you want to buy the whole stand!
I also made sure we all stopped and said hello to Ben Wenk at the Three Springs Fruit Farm stand. There our clan picked up conventional peaches, white peaches, and white nectarines. I peeled and cut up one of those white nectarines for my oatmeal this morning and it was like eating candy. And since Three Fruit Farms grows the IPM way, you can feel good knowing that what you are eating is of the sustainable variety. There is something about that, you know? Eating something that is so delicious and knowing it wasn’t inundated with chemicals and that somebody really took the time to grow this so it can be healthy for you and your family. I cut up one of those peaches for baby Ethan’s breakfast this morning. Thanks Ben Wenk! And thanks to all of the other local vendors that make healthy eating possible.
The market has a different look to it, the past couple of weeks. In order to make more room, some of the vendors have moved their stands to the outside of the shambles. Considering the throngs of people that have been swarming to the market, it makes getting around a lot easier. Especially with a baby carriage, which in our party there were three. Thanks to the Food Trust and the Headhouse vendors for making access to the food all the more easier for us conscious eaters!
Before I end this long post, I wanted to mention that the Huffington Post, every liberal’s favorite blog, has been showcasing farmers’ markets all over the country recently and has asked those who frequent these markets to send in pictures of their favorites. With camera in hand, I was shooting candids all over the market on Saturday. Hopefully one will make it and give the Headhouse and the Food Trust all the publicity they deserve. On another note, LocalHarvest.org, the ultimate guide to all things sustainable, is running a contest in conjunction with Care2.com to find America’s favorite farmers’ market. The market with the most votes gets a $5000 prize! We at the Philly Food Feed can’t be partial, but we are posting a link on our page so you can show support for your favorite market. Who knows, with your help, your favorite market could walk away with five grand. That can buy a lot of peaches!

Potato Salad From the Roadside

I wanted to share a recipe for potato salad that I made on Sunday. The potatoes were purchased from Farmer John's, a roadside stand in Aston, Pennsylvania (3358 Market St Aston, Pennsylvania 19014-3428 610-485-9100). I spoke to Farmer John himself and he informed me that his potatoes were purchased from a wholesaler that does business with local family farms in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. That's all I needed to hear. Three pounds of robust red potatoes later, I was making my first potato salad -

2 pounds (about 6 medium) red potatoes
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups of minced celery
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1/3 cup of cider vinegar
1/2 cup mayo
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 cup diced sweet pickle with some juice
2 tablespoons of prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon of salt (for the potatoes)
salt and pepper to taste

cub potatoes and cut in 1-inch cubes. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and boil potatoes until tender (but not too much, you don't want it to be mushy). Drain and let cool. Combine potatoes with all of the other ingredients. Mix. Cover and chill for at least an hour.

And there you have it. Incidentally, the eggs I used were from grass-fed chickens, the onions were purchased from a local farmer. Just mentioning it, is all. :)If any of you try this recipe, let us know! Happy eating!

I Love Being a Locavore!!!

On Sunday, Sarah, Ethan, and I once again made our way to the Headhouse Farmer’s Market on 2nd and Lombard in Philly. While I know I should be spreading the wealth and visiting different spots, something about Headhouse draws us back.
Perhaps it’s the cornucopia of vendors and choices. I always start at Blooming Glen Farm. Besides the fact that they are the first vendor on the right, they always have a huge selection of fruit that looks like it should be on the cover of Local Food Monthly. If only there was such a periodical! Maybe if this blog takes off…I digress. Blooming Glen supplied me with a couple of huge heirloom tomatoes which ended up on the grill later that evening. A little olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and a little basil – roasted on the barbeque. They were very tasty but I could have cooked them a bit longer. Good thing I will be buying more next week!
We also visited Ben Wenk and the gals at Three Springs Fruit Farm out of Aspers, Pennsylvania. These folks use IPM to control their pests which is great for you AND the environment. See, helping ourselves and the environment doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive! Ok, off of the soapbox…At Three Springs, I was introduced to the Italian Cucumber Melon which, if I would have been smart enough to bring my camera, you would be seeing here. They were a bit smaller in length than a regular cucumber but were fleshier and definitely sweeter. I know this because they adorned that night’s dinner salad as well as the rest of the vegetables from the day’s bounty. Before we departed from Three Springs we picked up yellow peaches as well. The family has been eating those all week. They are especially good peeled in oatmeal, believe it or not. We also blended a couple up for Ethan – they make terrific baby food!
When visiting Headhouse, we always make an obligatory stop at Natural Meadows Farms out of Mount Pleasant Mills, Pennsylvania. We picked up four pounds of pastured, ground meat which always makes the best burgers (sorry to my vegetarian friends). We made the first two pounds last night for my in-laws and after eating it, my mother-in-law said something that, as a burgeoning locavore, almost brought tears to my eyes – the taste was familiar to her and after trying to place it she said – “This is how food used to taste”. What a response!!! It validates everything I have been trying to do in regards to integrating local food into my family’s lives. It’s not just lip service! There is a difference between the Industrial Feedlot and the clover filled meadow! AWESOME!!!
Well, I think that is enough exclamation points for one post. Please, if you are visiting farmers’ markets, let us at The Philly Food Feed know. We want to hear all about your experiences. And if you haven’t yet, C’mon already. What are you waiting for?

This Week's Farmers' Markets

Markets in Philadelphia unless noted otherwise.

University Square Farmers' Market
36th at Walnut St.
Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Girard & 27th Farm Stand Market
Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Fountain Farmers' Market
East Passyunk Ave., at 11th St. and Tasker St.
Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

East Lancaster
Historic Eastern Market
308 East King Street
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

City Hall Farmers' Market
Philadelphia City Hall
Wednesday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Broad & South Farmers' Market
Broad and South streets
Wednesday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Cliveden Park
Chew Avenue and Johnson Street
Wednesday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Temple University Farmers' Market
Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Broad Street and Park Walk
Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Weavers Way Farmers' Market
Carpenter Lane and Greene Street in front of High Point Cafe
Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Jefferson Farmers' Market
On Chestnut Street east of 10th Street.
Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Norristown
Swede and Main streets
Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Oxford Circle
Oxford and Summerdale avenues
Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Clark Park Farmers' Market
43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Fairmount Farmers' Market
22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue
Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Schuylkill River Park Farmers' Market
25th and Spruce streets
Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Palmer Park Farmers' Market
Frankford Avenue and East Palmer Street
Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Germantown Farmers' Market
Germantown Avenue and Walnut Lane
Friday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Roxborough Farmers' Market
Ridge Avenue at entrance to Leverington Avenue parking lot.
Friday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Overbrook Farms Farmers' Market
63rd Street between Sherwood Road
and Overbrook Avenue
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

East Falls Farmers' Market
Midvale Avenue near Ridge Avenue.
Friday 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Fitler Square Farmers' Market
23rd and Pine streets
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Phoenixville Farmers' Market
Bridge Street and Taylor Alley
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wrightstown Farmers' Market
2203 2nd Street Pike (Rt. 232)
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Glenside Farmers' Market
Easton Rd. and Glenside Ave
Glenside, Pennsylvania
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Chestnut Hill Growers Market
Winston Road between Germantown Avenue
and Mermaid Lane.
Saturday, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm

Conshohocken
Fayette and West Hector streets
Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bryn Mawr Farmers' Market
Municipal Lot 7 on Lancaster Ave.
Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm

Catasauqua
Pine Street between Front and Railroad streets
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Manayunk Farmers' Market
Canal View Park on Main St., near Gay St.
Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm

Lansdowne Farmers' Market
Lansdowne Avenue Parking Lot
between Baltimore Pike and Stewart Avenue
Saturday, 9 a.m to 1 p.m.

Headhouse Farmers' Market
2nd and Lombard streets
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

North Hills-Oreland Farmers' Market
110 Pennsylvania Avenue near Twining Road
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Swarthmore Farmers' Market - now open!
In front of the Swarthmore Co-op
Saturday, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm

Lansdale
Railroad Plaza
Main and Green streets
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

West Reading
500 block of Penn Avenue
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

King of the Hill - More Good Food - More People

So I'm watching a rerun of King of the Hill tonight and it was all about Hank's pursuit of a better tasting steak. He eventually finds himself at the local Co-op! It's a great episode that includes a trip to the local pastured beef farm and a guy named Appleseed. Check it out for a good laugh and some food for thought concerning the dangers of Industrial Organic!