PRFM + Meals On Wheels

Peachtree Road Farmers Market and Meals On Wheels Atlanta Collaborate:

Farm to Table for Seniors in Need

Meals On Wheels Atlanta and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market at The Cathedral of St. Philip are partnering to provide the freshest locally grown vegetables to senior clients of Meals On Wheels Atlanta. At the market on Saturday mornings, Meals On Wheels Atlanta purchases - at a discounted rate - vegetables left at the end of the market to deliver to their senior clients.

Chef Nick Leahy of Saltyard is on the Board of Trustees for Meals On Wheels Atlanta and was instrumental in developing this partnership. “It’s a win-win for everyone. Local farmers are able to reduce waste and Meals On Wheels Atlanta clients benefit from fresh local vegetables,” he said.

Peachtree Road Farmers Market at The Cathedral of St. Philip is open every Saturday 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM through December 13, 2014. Peachtree Road Farmers Market is the largest producer-only market in metro Atlanta. The market has created Chef Pop Ups that will benefit the Meals On Wheels Atlanta and Peachtree Road Farmers Market partnership. The Chef Pop Ups feature local chefs preparing a delicious dish for shoppers utilizing market produce. The shoppers can choose to make a donation which will help offset the cost of the vegetables provided to Meals On Wheels Atlanta. Upcoming Chef Pop Ups benefiting the partnership will be on October 11, November 8, November 22 and November 29.

Lauren Carey, Executive Director at Peachtree Road Farmers Market, is responsible for working with the market farmers and providing Meals On Wheels Atlanta with their weekly supply of vegetables. “Our farmers are so excited about this partnership. It really is the perfect relationship. Shoppers enjoy Chef Pop Ups made with market veggies, the money goes back to supporting the farmers who are helping to feed seniors in need,” she said.

In Georgia, one in six seniors does not know when or where their next meal will come from. To combat senior hunger in the Atlanta community, Meals On Wheels Atlanta will deliver more than 130,000 meals this year to local Atlanta seniors in need.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide fresh vegetables from local farmers to our senior clients. This partnership shows how Atlanta’s nonprofits can team up to do what’s best for the seniors in our community,” said Jeff Smythe, Executive Director for Meals On Wheels Atlanta.

To make a donation to support this partnership, please visit www.mealsonwheelsatlanta.org.

About Meals On Wheels Atlanta
Founded in 1965, Meals On Wheels Atlanta is a nonprofit organization that supports senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community. Through extensive programming, Meals On Wheels Atlanta delivers more than 130,000 meals annually, repairs hundreds of senior homes, manages seven neighborhood senior centers, provides community and wellness education, and helps seniors and their families manage Alzheimer's and dementia. Meals On Wheels Atlanta serves approximately 2,400 seniors annually. For more information on how to volunteer or donate to Meals On Wheels Atlanta, please visit www.mealsonwheelsatlanta.org or follow them on Facebook and Twitter or call (404) 351-3889.

About Peachtree Road Farmers Market
The Peachtree Road Farmers Market was founded in 2007 and exists as a program of The Cathedral of St. Philip. Now in its eighth year, Peachtree Road Farmers Market is a leader in the community connecting over 70 farmers and local producers to over 2,500 weekly shoppers. PRFM is the largest producer-only farmers market in the state. Producer-only means that everything at the Market has been grown, raised, or made by the seller, ensuring fair prices for both the vendors and the consumers. The Market takes place on Saturday mornings beginning in April, rain or shine, until mid December. PRFM accepts and doubles SNAP (EBT/food stamp) benefits. For more information please visit our website at www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Photo credit: Sara Craig-Goodell. L-R: Chef Nick Leahy of Saltyard, Asner Jean and Vanessa Ashi with MOWA, Lauren Carey with PRFM, and Farmer Michael Hendricks of Indian Ridge Organic Farm.

Congrats: Cory Mosser of Burge Organic!

PRFM is proud to announce that one of our own farmers, Cory Mosser of Burge Organic Farm, has won the grand prize in the 2012 Farmers Market Inspiration Awards. Congratulations, Cory! Your winning essay is impressive and inspiring—reminding us just how much our market matters to its farmers, vendors, and community of shoppers. Check out Cory’s essay below:

Any Given Saturday

By Cory Mosser of Burge Organic Farm

Do you remember June 30th, 2012? I do.  At our farmers market, it reached a record heat of 106 degrees and even hotter on the blacktop parking lot where we set up. It was the type of weather that farmers love only because we can complain to other farmers about it. There was more than a little trepidation driving into town as sweat rolled down our foreheads before the sun had even made an appearance- not a good sign. Would we (our farms three apprentices, and myself), along with our vegetables, roast into little crispy morsels of despair? Would our customer base ignore us completely for the comfort of an air conditioned box store? Would we all have to go find jobs in said box store the following week?

As it turns out, we had nothing to worry about. We didn’t wither in the heat, we smiled. We were greeted by close to two-thousand market goers (our market can easily top three-thousand on its busiest days), who were excited to buy produce from us and who refused to let a silly little thing like soul-sucking heat keep them away from the food they know and love. By the time the bell rang to signify the end of market, we still had a line and we had sold almost 50 percent more than we did the same day on the year before. As we were cleaning up in our giddy, sleep deprived but socially satiated state, we were reminded again of how much fun selling at market can be. 

I love Saturday. As a kid, Saturdays meant adventure, hiking trips, long days riding bikes or swimming.  As I got older Saturdays mostly meant no work, something I was particularly fond of while working terrible jobs like Hotel Night Auditor, Long-distance Telemarketer, or Foundation Repair Technician. Saturday became like a refuge from the rest of the world. No one was allowed to mess with my day off.  It’s more than a little ironic that, now that I’ve stumbled in to this profession which I absolutely love, the cost of admission is foregoing the traditional weekend.  Every Saturday from mid-March until right before Christmas is dedicated on the calendar. I’ve become accustomed to the off-kilter vibration that comes from going to bed too late after Friday harvest and prep, and getting up WAY too early on market day. I miss weddings, college football, soccer games, and beach trips. I nap like an old man every Saturday afternoon.

The crazy thing is that it’s unequivocally worth it. Rather than a loss, Saturday for me is the big payoff.  It’s our chance after a week of talking to plants to be the center of a conversation. We have a captive audience. We get to be menu planners, stand-up comedians, life coaches and garden councilors.  I get paid not only in dollars, but also in priceless vignettes that unfold every weekend right in front of me. Watching tomatoes I’ve battled into existence over months fly off the shelf. The emotional battery charge of smiling familiar faces. The kids that want to eat raw okra right from your booth.  The knowing glance of a fellow farmer on a slow dog day in August. The other day I received a handwritten note from a market customer that simply said: “My baby’s first solid foods came from your farm, thanks so much for everything you do!”  These moments are worth all the lazy Saturdays in the world.

Selling at Market has created a passion for going a little overboard. Last year, we started bringing a pepper roaster (basically an excuse to safely light things on fire in public), which led to the development of the Pedal Powered Pea Pusher (an old exercise bike converted to fit a pea sheller), which in turn inspired the Solar Powered Market Mister (solar chicken fence charger + spray tank pump + greenhouse misters + cooler full of ice water= happy veggies, customers and farmers). We tried it out on that record-breaking day, and we were able to maintain a “cool” 85 degrees!

We are incredibly fortunate to be a part of one of the best farmers markets in the southeast. I have participated in at least 5 other markets during my farming career, and Peachtree Road Farmers Market outshines them all. We have a great location. Our market manager is vigilant about ensuring that the integrity of the market is upheld.  We have a dynamite staff of volunteers that donate over 150 hours of their time to the market each week. There are weekly chef demos, musical performances, kids’ activities, costume contests, festivals, fundraisers, and films. I’m proud that our farm is part of Wholesome Wave Market, which doubles the value of each EBT/WIC dollar spent. To date, according to market manager Lauren Carey, our market has provided over $7,000 in Whole Wave dollars to help families who have a true need for clean, locally-produced food. Our market also partners with Second Helpings, a local food donation charity. Last year, fellow market vendors donated almost 3 tons of produce and other food items which were distributed to area food banks.

A nice booth and good management are only the baseline for a successful farmers market. The real magic is in the community that supports it. The fashionable knock on producer-only farmers markets is that they are elitist and only reserved for a select few, an argument that is myopic and lazy. During the past few years we’ve noticed a subtle shift in our customer base. A movement that may well have been initiated by well-to-do foodies and cutting-edge hipsters is burgeoning into a diverse and passionate community of local food advocates. We can count among our regular customers- factory workers, public school teachers, teenagers, college students, grandmothers on social security and even a few grade-school kids. What’s more, sales are up this year. We are averaging 20% more on a weekly basis, and we have topped our record day from last year 6 times this year. That type of growth is clear evidence not only that more people are interested in local food, but that whole groups of people are willing to come together over it. It has been nothing short of incredible to witness a community come into full bloom around local food. People come to the market to talk with their neighbors and to make new friends. Families bond over dinner plans. Folks tend to linger and let their kids play or their dogs sniff around. Market goers seem to actively engage with each other in a way that is almost foreign today.  In a world that is plagued by ceaseless distraction, to see people connect without a Wi-Fi signal is a real treat.

As we finished clearing our market space on that inferno day, I noticed there were still 2 families hanging out. A couple of kids with melted popsicle faces were yawning, and the parents were negotiating strollers, dogs, and large baskets of produce. As they parted I heard one of them say “See you guys here next weekend?”  The other shouted across the now empty lot “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

Neither would I.  

 

 

Southern Summer

This week at PRFM…

Join us for live music from Clark Brown, and pick up some of this season’s newest produce: eggplant, peppers, okra, and beans!     

Chef Demo with Jenn Robbins 
of Avalon Catering
10:00 a.m. on 8/4
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
Chef Jenn Robbins was born and raised in Atlanta where she grew up active and hungry for tasty food! Her culinary interests led her to “the other South” when she enrolled in the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin. Her first professional kitchen work? With none other than Texas legend Kent Rathbun at Jasper’s Austin (y’all might be familiar with our own legendary Rathbun brother, Kevin). Speaking of Kevin…when Jenn moved back home to Atlanta, she joined the kitchen of Kevin Rathbun Steak, where she worked until deciding to follow her foodie passion to the world of catering. Now with Avalon Catering under Chef Cathy Conway, Jenn develops personalized menus and experiences for their clients. Jenn’s considerable talents combined with her love of using high quality local ingredients makes this chef one to watch—so come on over this Saturday and do just that!

Foodie news you can use…

Dine Around to Support PRFM

Join PRFM and eight other farmers markets as we celebrate Farmers Market Month this August. When you dine with our partner restaurants on the dates and times below, 5% of sales will benefit PRFM. A great way to eat well and do well, we’d say!

August 10: 5 Seasons Restaurant & Brewery, Westside (dinner specials only)

August 14: Farm Burger, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

August 18: The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) *Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas McKeown at 9:30 then head over for lunch!

August 26: 4th & Swift, Old Fourth Ward (5:30 to 11 p.m.)

August 30: Souper Jenny, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

- Jennifer Maley

Culinary Arts

This week at PRFM…

Chef Demo & Cookbook Signing

with Rebecca Lang 
10:00 a.m. on 7/28

Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

You won’t want to miss acclaimed cookbook author and food writer Rebecca Lang! Here’s why. She’s got the chops—Rebecca is a former apprentice of Southern food goddess Nathalie Dupree and holds a culinary arts degree from Johnson and Wales University. She’s got the props—her published cookbooks include Quick-Fix Southern (2011), Southern Entertaining for a New Generation (2004), and Mary Mac’s Tea Room (2005); she’s also a contributing editor for Southern Living and her writing and food styling have been featured both locally and nationally. She’s got the peeps—Rebecca has served on the board for the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, and is a member of The International Association of Culinary Professionals, The Southern Foodways Alliance, the James Beard Foundation, and Georgia Organics. Last, but certainly not least, she’s got some killer ingredients to work with: sweet corn and tomatoes. Y’all come.

Kids Learning Patch

8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Sponsored by The Captain Planet Foundation

Stop by the Kids Learning Patch tent for a family-friendly demo & activity! This week, it’s “Veggie Prints,” where kids will use vegetables and paint to make “culinary art.”

Foodie news you can use…

Dine Around to Support PRFM

Join PRFM and eight other farmers markets as we celebrate Farmers Market Month this August. When you dine with our partner restaurants on the dates and times below, 5% of sales will benefit PRFM. A great way to eat well and do well, we’d say!

August 10: 5 Seasons Restaurant & Brewery, Westside (dinner specials only)

August 14: Farm Burger, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

August 18: The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) *Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas McKeown at 9:30 then head over for lunch!

August 26: 4th & Swift, Old Fourth Ward (5:30 to 11 p.m.)

August 30: Souper Jenny, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

- Jennifer Maley

Farmers Market Dine Arounds

9 ATLANTA FARMERS MARKETS TEAM UP 

TO CELEBRATE LOCAL FOOD IN ‘DINE-AROUNDS’

Dining events to be held exclusively at area restaurants
that support Georgia farmers

In August, nine community famers markets will join forces to celebrate Atlanta Farmers Market month through a series of dine-around events in Atlanta. Events will take place at establishments that support Georgia-gown farmers and produce.

Local farmers market managers have joined forces to support local farmers and markets in honor of August Farmers Market Month.  The Farmers Market Managers Working Group (FMMWG) was formed for managers to serve as a resource for each other, with the principle goal of getting more people to look to their local farmers as a primary food source and their community farmers markets as the place to purchase. With so much of the food in stores coming from all over the world, it can be very confusing for shoppers to figure out when and where to buy Georgia grown, farm fresh goods.  Farmers market managers who work directly with local farmers are excited to help more people say, “I know my Farmer”.

Participating Farmers Markets & Dine-Around details are as follows:

o  Clarkston Farmers Market

*  August 3, 5:30 - 7:30 at Clarkston Community Center (Vendors include Tamale Queen, Katmandu Kitchen, Nazifa's Bakery & CaribPops)

o  Decatur Farmers Market

*  August 14, 11am-10pm at Farm Burger, Decatur

o  East Atlanta Village Farmers Market & Grant Park Farmers Market

*  August 06,Dinnerat Urban Cannibals, East Atlanta

*  August 07, All Day at Grant Central East, East Atlanta

*  August 8, All Day at Dakota Blue, Grant Park 

*  August 13, All Day at Tomatillos, East Atlanta

*  August 19, 4-9pm at The Shed at Glenwood

*  August 20, Dinner at Urban Cannibals, East Atlanta

*  August 28, All Day at The Porter, Little Five Points

o  East Lake Farmers Market

*  August 22, 5-10pm at Wahoo! Grill, Decatur

o  Morningside Farmers Market

*  August 1, Dinner at  Rosebud Restaurant, Morningside

*  August 19 , Dinner at Cakes & Ale Restaurant, Decatur

o  Peachtree Road Farmers Market

*  August 10, Dinner Specials Only at 5 Seasons Westside, Westside

*  August 14, 11am-10pm at Farm Burger Buckhead, Buckhead

*  August 18, 6:30am -2pm The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas Mckeown at 9:30 then head over for lunch!)

*  August 26, 5:30-11pm at  4th & Swift Restaurant, Old Fourth Ward

*  August 30, 11am- 10pm at Souper Jenny, Buckhead

o  TrulyLiving Well

*  August 03, 5-7pm, Feed Store, Atlanta

o  Tucker Farmers Market

*  August 13, Dinner at Enzo's Pizzeria, Tucker

*  August 16, All Day at Old Tucker Fountain, Tucker

*  August 21, All Day at Roly Poly, Tucker 

*  August 22, Dinner & Food only at Local 7, Tucker

“Now more than ever, our consumption must be community-based; not commodity-based.  A sustainable local food system is critical to the future of Georgia's health, environment, and economy- a fact imperative not only when shopping for groceries, but also when dining out. We applaud restaurants that support Georgia’s hard-working farmers each and every single day.” –Alice Rolls, Executive Director of Georgia Organics

“We pride ourselves on offering our customers locally-sourced food from Georgia farmers. Our dedication to local food is a win-win for every person who walks into a Farm Burger- they get to enjoy fresh produce that is in-season and we get to make a direct impact on the local economy.” –George Frangos, owner Farm Burger.

“As the state’s largest producer-only farmers market, we have a deep-seeded appreciation for restaurants that recognize the value of creating menus around local produce. Their commitment to fostering community by shopping local is a testament not only to their values, but is also a response to the growing awareness of their customers.” –Lauren Carey, Director of Peachtree Road Farmers Market.

Red Hot Summer

This week at PRFM…

Chef Demo with Ford Fry
of JCT. Kitchen and Bar 
10:00 a.m. on 7/21

Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

Check out just how amazing we think Ford Fry is here. What’s new since then? Oh, not much…just his opening of Decatur’s new fave restaurant, No. 246. Oh, and another opening on the Westside—The Optimist, maybe you’ve heard of it? Also, a partnership with the fabulous Taria Camerino (Sugar-Coated Radical) and rumors of a new Buckhead spot in the works. Right now, whether you’re looking for Southern farmstead, seasonally-inspired Italian, or the freshest seafood ITP, Chef Fry’s got you covered. And, as you’ll see below, he’s gearing up for another killer Tomato Fest. Suffice it to say, you won’t want to miss this week’s demo, y’all.

Foodie news you can use…

Get ‘em while they’re hot! Tickets are on sale now for this Sunday's Fourth Annual Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival at JCT. Kitchen! For the drool-worthy details, check out their swanky website at www.jctkitchen.com/tomatofest. Tickets are $70 per person and benefit Georgia Organics. Buy ‘em here before they sell out!

We’re cheesy and we know it. Take a look at our recent shout-out on Atlanta Magazine’s blog to read all about the incredible cheeses now on offer at your Peachtree Road Farmers Market!

- Jennifer Maley

Atlanta Magazine Names PRFM #1!

We're excited to post that Atlanta Magazine has named your Peachtree Road Farmers Market number one in the metro. Thanks to Deborah Geering for the shout-out and to you, our shoppers and vendors, for making the market shine!

To read the full article, click on the two images below:

- Jennifer Maley

Right at home with The Shed

This Week at PRFM
Fall hours begin this Saturday when the market opens at 9:00 a.m.

Chef Demo with
Lance Gummere
of The Shed at Glenwood
10:00 a.m. on 10/1
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
If you haven’t had the pleasure of a leisurely brunch at The Shed or visited the fine folks there for Wednesday’s $3 Slider Night (not your usual sliders, y’all), get out your pin, paper, or techno gadget and jot this down: check out The Shed at Glenwood! You’ll feel right at home in the cozy neighborhood spot and, with Executive Chef Lance Gummere at the helm of the open kitchen, you’ll want to stay a while. His extensive culinary experience includes over 15 years working with Chef Shaun Doty and he carries his love for simply prepared, market fresh menus to his dishes at The Shed. His outlook is casual, but his food is something serious—the perfect combination which results in dishes like Braised Suckling Pig with Heirloom Corn Grits and Collards, Baked Cedar Plank North Carolina Trout with Mushrooms, Scallions, and Fennel Salad, and a Shepherd's Pie made with Smoked Beef Brisket and Yukon Gold Mash. And don’t get us started on the sliders (seriously, mark your calendar). With a variety of large and small plates and creative cocktails, it’s no wonder Lance has built a following of regulars. Stop by his demo this Saturday and find out for yourself!

Also this weekend

Last chance for tickets: Field of Greens
Sunday, October 2
The sixth annual festival will be held at Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm (in Covington) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 2. Tickets are $20 in advance (available at PRFM this Saturday or online at www.fieldofgreensfestival.com), $25 at the gate. Admission includes unlimited tastings from the Chef's Tent. Children 12 and under enter for free. Event proceeds benefit the local farming culture through Slow Food Atlanta, supporting Truly Living Well's Wheat Street Garden project.

Save that date!

Coming Soon: Market Mash-up
Saturday, October 15^th
Silent Auction: 9:00–12:00 p.m.
Tasting: 10:00–11:00 a.m. (vote for your favorite!)
Remember how fun last year’s mash-up was? Excited to see what new creations our Market vendors will create this year? You won’t want to miss PRFM on October 15^th, including your favorite vendors working together plus a new Silent Auction featuring more than 50 items including market goodies, restaurant certificates and events, trips, art, and more! Judges for this year’s Mash-up include Atlanta bureau chief for the New York Times Kim Severson, Dining Critic for Atlanta Magazine and Knife & Fork Christiane Lauterbach, Editor for Eater Atlanta, Blissful Glutton Jennifer Zyman, and CNN Eatocracy contributor Emily Smith. 250 Mash-up taste tickets will be available ($5 to taste all 10 dishes).

In the news…PRFM love!

Winner of Creative Loafing’s “Best Farmers Market”

Buckhead Patch video—check it out to see what’s coming in season this fall!


- Jennifer Maley