Contra Costa Certified Farmers's Markets Weekly e-Newsletter

In this Issue:

The Season is Changing...
Upcoming Events
Did You Know?
Where Food Comes From
NEAR Fundraiser next Sunday
In the News
Cookbook

The Season is Changing... by Jessie Neu, General Manager

The season is changing… and so it seems to be the appropriate time for the e-Newsletter to also begin the transition for change. The reason for this new design is to give recognition to the people who are the voices of our markets.

Our organization has been very fortunate in having very special passionate people working for us. They are people who are always willing to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to get a job done and fill the need, when asked.

One of these people is Keith Farley. I thank him for having the motivation to begin the development of the "Lettuce Leaf" e-Newsletter. He has brought many ideas to the table and has made many of us look forward to his weekly updates through this publication. The other person is Lesley Stiles who is on a mission to help as many people who will listen, to eat fresh and start good eating habits early through school gardens.

The intention and goal in this "New Look" is to launch the plan for our future. Our grass roots organization is having some growing pains. The hurt and pain are necessary, in order to grow to meet the needs of our mission. We'll be experiencing many new challenges as we begin to plan our 25th season. The year will be a bitter sweet one, especially since it will be our last season in the Library Lot in Walnut Creek. We are in the early stages in the development of a relocation plan for the move.

Our seasonal markets in Pleasant Hill, Martinez and Orinda will be closing soon so this change was also intended to give them a nice send off for the next several weeks. We were happy to open these markets with a good kick off in the spring with the launch of the new website.

It has been a very good, productive season. Thank you for your continued support of our markets. Please let us hear from you. We are interested in your feed back and thoughts.

"Hey Aggie, Its time you step out of your overalls and put on a clean pair of jeans. They'll be stiff for a while but you'll break them in….. I guarantee yah."

Jessie Neu can be reached at gm@cccfm.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Martinez:
Music: Jose Reynolds.
Managers: Janice Faust & Karen Stiles. E-mail: mmarket@cccfm.org
From Jan Faust, Co-Manager:
Greetings Martinez Shoppers,
Boy things are moving and shaking at the Sunday Market. If you haven't been there in a while you need to come on down, These last few weeks of the season are a great time to renew your commitment to eat more locally grown fruits and veggies! Also, its just plain fun at the market. We've had great music all season. This week it's Jose Reynolds- - always a market favorite.

So grab a coffee and stay awhile. On Sept. 24th the Market will look a little different due to the Festa Italia on Main St. that weekend. Your favorite farmers will all be there but those who are usually on the plaza will be scooting down and the Market will extend through the 500 block. This will make it extra easy for you to join us at Haute Stuff for the fabulous Italian Feast fundraiser! Get your tickets now at all the Markets. It's a great cause! And tax deductable. See you there.
For more info

Orinda:
Music: Prairie Rose
Manager: Janice Faust. E-mail: omarket@cccfm.org
From Jan Faust, Manager:
Hello Orinda Shoppers,
We're saying goodbye to our stone fruits, so you'd better come down and get the last of those sweet nectarines and peaches. But don't despair because the grapes are crispy and sweet and Rainbow Orchards is back with their sweet mountain grown apples and fresh pressed cider. It's feeling like fall! Are you a football fan? Shop the Market early for healthy snacks for the Cal game. Go Bears! Parking is easiest if you shop early. The Veggie Valet is always available on the corner at Orinda Way. If you need assistance with your purchases please ask at the Manager's stall. We are glad to help. See you at the Market.
For more info

Pleasant Hill:
Music: Jose Reynolds
Manager, Karen Stiles. E-mail: pmarket@cccfm.org
From Karen Stiles, Manager:
Thank-you to all our frequent shoppers! This Saturday we will have a drawing for a ticket to the September 24 fundraiser being held in Martinez. The fundraiser is for continuing work of putting organic gardens is schools and establishing salad bars. Our market chef Lesley Stiles has created two so far. One at Strandwood Elmentary and one at Pleasant Hill Middle School (formerly Pleasant Hill High). Please stop by the Pleasant Hill Middle School and see the wonderful garden in front of the multiuse room. I personally can't make it to the fundraiser due to previous commitments but I am donating my ticket to one lucky shopper. If you are busy Sept. 24, please consider a donation or buy a ticket for someone who can make it to our fundraiser. The next school to receive a garden and salad bar is Collage Park High followed by Las Juantas Elementry School in Martinez. Community support built our Farmers Markets and we need your support to encourage our young people to be aware of what they eat and where their food comes from and how it is grown. So for a better future please buy a ticket or make a donation. This is our first fundraiser and we are the one of the the oldest continuing Farmers Market in California (maybe the whole U.S.!) so I urge you to stop by the manager's booth at the Market and show your support for a good, healthy community by buying a ticket. The food will be of the finest quality and freshness. (See menu at website or the managers' booth. If you would like to work with our gardens please show up this Saturday (9-16) at Gregory Lane Park and join Pleasant Hillls' Community Service Day. Hope to see you all at the Markets Saturday and Sunday.
For more info

Walnut Creek:
Cooking: Cooking demo with Chef Instructor Nader Sharkes from Contra Costa Community College Culinary Program 10 am to noon
Music: Legends of Martinez
Manager: Keith Farley. E-mail: wmarket@cccfm.org
For more info.

Did You Know? by Keith Farley, Manager, WC

Essay Contest
Keith Farley The essay contest is coming to an end and the final entries are trickling in. We have some talented writers in the crowd. The cut off for entries is this Friday the 15th, but I will extend the deadline until Sunday the 17th for you procrastinators. Get them in so I can put them together and get them to the judges. I have my favorites, but I am not a judge so lets' see who wins. For more info.

Compost
The composting program is off to a good start and I am seeing many buckets leave the market at closing time. I think we could use a few more participants. The amount of compostable waste in the trash cans is down by half. This is the reason we started the program. Keep it out of the landfill and put it back in the garden where it belongs. Next step is to get the school gardens on the composting trail and I'll bet we can get almost 100% reductions at all the markets.
Speaking of all the markets, I know many of you shop the *other* farmers' markets in the area, hey, it's ok, no really it is. I want you to shop as many markets as you can and still see us on Saturday and Sunday. While you're at the other markets stop and talk to the manager about their composting program. If they don't have one, encourage them to start one. It is good for all of us.

The times they are a changin'
As Jessie mentioned in her article, change is here and it is sometimes tough. Ask Aggie. I had to drag him out to Wally's Farm Wear the other day to get him a new pair of jeans and man did he complain. "I hate new things, their too stiff, they aren't faded enough". Well, they are just fine now and he is a happy guy to be working in the background to make a better farmers' market for everyone. Although he still grumbles about the fact he didn't get the new hoe promised him, but like they say, "change happens".
The market will be moving when the library project kicks off and just as soon as we get firm plans made I will announce them here. We have had ongoing meetings with the City of Walnut Creek and have agreed in principal to a location. We just need to work out the details. The move wont' happen immediately and we will make sure that everyone knows in advance. The proposed site has alot going for it and let's just say the parking problem will improve DRAMATICALLY.

'til next week .. See you at the Markets!
Keith Farley can be reached at wmarket@cccfm.org

Where Food Comes From by Chef Leslie Stiles

We are breaking ground on the College Park Organic Garden this weekend as a part of the "Where Food Comes From" Kaiser Grant and we are excited. This garden has been a bit more work than the Troy Spencer Memorial Garden but it is at a high school and the school district is more involved in this project than the other one because of the location of the garden as well as the campus' age. Our goal for the first work party is to sink 68 posts for the garden boxes. The community support is amazing here. We ordered and paid for the post wood yesterday and my neighbor, Jim Goonan, picked up the posts, cut them to the right length, and delivered them to the garden plot thus eliminating the need for a chop saw, electricity, saw horses and someone sawing on Saturday. That is a big deal. Now all we have to do is dig 68 holes!

The need for these garden projects is extremely vital currently in our society because kids have become so disconnected with where there food comes from in the first place. When they learn where and how food is grown as well as participating in the growing process they will automatically become an educated consumer. Whether they like it or not they are now going to know that some of the stuff they have been consuming is not real food. By educating children about the origins of their food and the ramifications of their choices we are fixing the poor choices of a generation of people. We are giving the students a positive culinary beginning that will follow them into the next level of schooling where these now educated consumers will revolt against the current spate of junk food offered to them for lunch at school every day. The educated consumer knows that they are essentially voting with their dollars when they buy food. They are saying to the producers of said food that this is what I want. Look at the organic industry. The voice and vote have been so strong here that Wal-Mart is getting in on it now. This may not be such a great thing for the organic industry it turns out. The large discount chain may be destroying the small family farms by undercutting them and lowering the prices so much that they will fold in the competition with the large organic growers such as Earthbound Farms. The answer of course is to continue to buy locally at the farmers market and educate our kids about where their food comes from. It is a sad stat of affairs when my son gets his once a week junk food fix by buying his lunch at school.

This pre autumn weather is just putting me over the edge here. It is so beautiful outside and the evenings and mornings have taken on the feel and thickness that only this time of the year can offer. Get out there!

See you at the NEAR Fundraiser! Does everyone have their tickets for it yet? Get them so I know how many to cook for!!

Lesley Stiles can be reached at chef@cccfm.org or on the market hotline 925 431-8361

NEAR Fundraiser

Date: Sunday, September 24
Time: 9 AM to 2 PM
Location: Haute Stuff Restaurant, 521 Main St. Downtown Martinez
Click here for more information

NEAR, Contra Costa Certified Farmer's Markets, and Kaiser Permanente are joining forces in Autumn 2006 to introduce the concept of eating fresh, locally and seasonally to our local schools.

College Park High School Organic Garden (Pleasant Hill)

We are working with the College Park High School PTSA and planting an organic garden on school grounds. We will be providing the student curriculum with many educational opportunities associated with the garden. We also plan to sell produce on site.

Las Juntas Elementary School (Martinez)
We are developing a program to bring local, seasonal and mostly organic produce via a salad bar to the school.

Join us in September for an Italian Feast created by local premiere Chef Lesley Stiles! We're creating gardens and salad bars in local schools. Join us in making this happen!

Click here for the MENU for the NEAR FUNDRAISER September. 24, 2006
Cost: $30.00 per person
Mark your calendars now. Tickets on sale at the Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Walnut Creek and Orinda Farmers' Markets, check with your market manager. They will go QUICK!