We are looking for a colorful, eye-catching poster to advertise the Great Falls Farmers Market (Turners Falls) for the 2016 season. Winner will receive a $50 prize, and see their art displayed all over town!

Considerations: We will need to reproduce the poster; most of the posters for display will be sized at 8 ½ x 11 inches. Original artwork only please.

What you need to convey: Locally grown healthy food, fun atmosphere, community.

Details the poster must include:
Great Falls Farmers Market
2:00 – 6:00 pm Wednesdays May through October
Rain or shine
Avenue A, Turners Falls, near the Discovery Center
SNAP, WIC, and Senior Coupons accepted.

All entries must be received by April 18, 2016. Please send hard copies to Donna Francis, 130 Meadow Rd. Montague, MA 01351. Please put your name, address, phone, and email on the back of the poster. Digital artwork can be sent to greatfallsfarmersmarketturners@gmail.com. The contest is open to all artists.

Questions? Contact Donna at (413) 687-1288 or at the email above. Winner will be selected by members of the Montague Agricultural Commission.

For more information on the market or contest, please visit https://www.facebook.com/GreatFallsFarmersMarket/ or http://greatfallsfar...urners.blogspot.com/
 

The Farmers Market in Turners Falls is seeking vendors for the 2014 season. The market is held every Wednesday, May through October, 2:00 to 6:00 pm, on the lawn near the Discovery Center (2nd St. and Ave A). We welcome locally grown or produced fruit and vegetables, meat, cheese, eggs, syrup and honey, flowers, baked goods, wool, crafts, etc.

To learn more, please join us for a vendor meeting:
March 26, 7:00 pm
Public Safety Complex (Turners Falls Police Station) community room
180 Turnpike Rd, Turners Falls, MA

Sponsored by the Montague Agricultural Commission
Contact: Donna Francis greatfallsfarmersmarketturners@gmail.com or (413) 687-1288
 

This week's market will include the monthly visit from Franklin County Home Care along with a representative from the new community gardens in Turners Falls.
As usual there will be plants, eggs, grass feed beef, crafts, soaps, local hot house produce, jams and maple products.
 

Fresh picked corn on the cob from Hadley is available while the supply last

3 ears for $1.25
6 ears for $2.50
Baker's Dozen for $4.75
There is also grass feed beef, eggs, rasberries, bread, pastries, crafts, chair massage, and numerous fresh veggies
 

A few words from Bucking Bull Farm.

Great to be back!
Thank you to all the grassfed beef enthusiasts! Bucking Bull farm will continue to bring meat, eggs, and veggies throughout the season. We have Hereford and Jersey (which some prefer for its yellow fat and flavor) all raised on pasture land free of chemicals. Although not certified we operate on organic principles. Our beef comes frozen and packaged for ease of cooking without icky styrofoam. Most steaks come two per pack
Here's a sampling of our products, prices subject to vary:

Ground approx.90% comes in 1lb, 1.5lb, and 2lb tubes - lb makes 4 patties $4/lb
With bone - beef short ribs 8 for $5, Porterhouse and T-bone $12/lb
Boneless ribeye $8/lb Sirloin steak $6
Sirloin tips and Kabobs for grilling $7
Liver steak $3

We also have steamship rounds and can cater your party with our homemade smoker using your meat of choice (chicken, pig, ribs, beef)

Alicia
 

Today is the first day of the Monday Market from 3 - 7pm in front of the Montague Grange. Local farms offering eggs, greens, wool, and heirloom vegetable starts will kick off the first market of the season. This market is open during library hours, and is looking for vendors. Watch us grow!

If you would like to become a vendor at the Monday Market at the Montague Grange, email suzanne@brooksbendfarm.com


 

Over these past few weeks The Great Falls Farmers Market has been offering a chance to win a box, basket, of donated items from some of the vendors that set up on the day of the drawing. On August 19th, this past Wednesday, we had that drawing and the winning customers were Meg Chapman and Rev. Ray Payne both of downtown Turners Falls

Listed are the donations and vendors. We will be having another raffle again in September. No purchase is required just fill out your name and telephone number.

Bob Johnson - potatoes
Back Door Bakery (Marge) - Chocolate cookies
Far Away Farm- fresh breads
GillBilly Farm - green beans and cucumbers
Peter Kretenger - apples and tomatoes
Lotus of the Nile (Rochleigh) - bath salts
bloody Brook Farm - Corn on the cob

See you on Wednesdays
 

Interested in participating as a vendor at the Great Falls Farmers Market?

The Farmers Market is located on the corner of 2nd Street and Avenue A. in Turners Falls, MA right next to the Great Falls Discovery Center.

The market is held each Wednesday afternoon, rain or shine, from 3:00pm until 6:00pm. The season opens on May 6th and continues through October 28th.

The market includes the sale of produce and plantings but also offers and encourages crafters, baked goods, meats, fresh eggs, preserves and honey. Civic groups are always welcome to participate. Entertainment is frequently offered

If you are interested in participating in this mid-week market please contact Don Clegg at sealeggsdc@yahoo.com or greatfallsfarmersmarketturners@gmail.com

Or write to Don @ G.F. Farmers Market,
63A Fourth Street, Turners Falls. 01376
 

People have been asking me who is the guy that plays all the instruments at the Farmers Market. I guess I get to do my friends bio then, with his approval. The musician is Tim Adams. Among the instruments Tim has played at the market have been the violin, the djimbe, penny whistle, Native Flute, tenor banjo, and guitar. Tim excels in percussion and regularly plays all of those above instruments save the tenor banjo.
Anyone else the would enjoy playing in the surroundings of a Farmers Market are more than welcome to come on down. Tim has been playing for free these last three weeks and I greatly appreciate his help in drawing more attention to the market and providing some fun summer entertainment.
Thank you Tim

Don Clegg
 

Included is an observation and advertisement from one of the vendors at the Great Falls Farmers Market.

" It’s been wonderful having LIVE MUSIC at the Great Falls Farmers’ Market these last few weeks. I think that it livens things up for both the patrons and the vendors.

My subject line: I finally have ripe BLACK RASPBERRIES. I had 2 -- 1/2 pints with me last week and sold both early in the afternoon. I expect to have some again this week, perhaps a little more quantity. Also, the BLACKBERRIES are continuing to ripen. If this rain and heat combo continues, maybe I’ll have them by the 16th. Stay tuned...

My LEAF LETTUCE is also coming along now. I don’t have bushels, but noticed that I was the only one with it last week, at least later in the day. The plants I pick the leaves off of (both Black Seeded Simpson and some variety of ’red’) come from seedlings that I bought from Bob and transplanted. I learned back in the 70’s that leaf lettuce can be continually harvested if we don’t get too much August-type weather. If that happens, it may go to seed like spinach.

My ORANGE DAY LILLIES have been popular as a cut flower, particularly with people who have some emotional attachment to them. Of course, they are also one of the perennials that I have available for planting.

Hopefully, at least a few macrame-type PLANT HANGERS will be available this week. The ’rope’ I have is green, blue and white, red, orange, and red & white. The hangers are made to adjust to various size pots.

The Fashionable FLIP-FLOPS are very popular. The challenge has been to have the right size in the right color for the patrons. I have done SPECIAL ORDERS for a few loyal folks who have come back a second time just to get the particular color in the right size. Just this year I started making the sizes for the younger gals, and they’re a big hit, too.

The ’FASHION’ SCARVES’ (not wool) are selling even in these summer months. Of course, AFTER LABOR DAY, I’ll bring the WARMER SCARVES and HATS, many made of wool or wool blends.

JEWELRY is one area where I haven’t been as productive as I had hoped. My plan is to make some necklaces and earrings with sea shells that I collected in Florida a few years ago.

Thanks again for making the market possible. You know, it’s not just about sales and a few dollars. Rather, it’s about the people connections -- both with the other vendors and with the patrons -- old friends and new."

Shalom
Julie R.
Creations by Juliemarie


The Great Falls Farmers Market is held on the lawn between the Great Falls Discovery Center and 2nd street in Turners Falls, MA. each Wednesday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
 

The sun is shining, vendors are setting up, the Community in Action (WIC Program ) has an informational booth and cooking area, and we have entertainment.
I friend of mine, Tim, has brought a bunch of instruments and he plans on trying them all out. So stop on by. The Market will be going until 6:00 pm. However, Marge of the Back Door Bakery leaves early sometimes because her goodies get sold out.
 

The Farmers’ Market this week will have Community Action, program for WIC. Program representatives will be doing a cooking demonstration with farmers market vegetables and have a few things to give out along with WIC information and also to assist families with using farmer market coupons.
There has been a lot of interest and questions this past week from farmers, crafters, entertainers and civic groups to participate in the market. We encourage all who put their own effort into their product to give this market a try. You can contact this site or call Don at the Montague Reporter, 863-8666, at MCTV, 863-9200 or email sealeggsdc@yahoo.com
 

A new Vendor has joined The Great falls Farmers Market

Hi Friends,

It’s been a cold spring. The right place to be if you’re a tomato is in a greenhouse! Even this coming week looks a little cool, so if you haven’t got your tomatoes in, don’t worry!

Brook’s Bend Farm at 119 Old Sunderland Road in Montague Center has heirloom tomato starts that are ready to burst into action as soon as they’re put in the ground and the temps heat up.

Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Prudens Purple, Rose de Berne, Nebraska Wedding, Yellow-Orange Pineapple, Black Pineapple, Black Krim, Black Prince, Black Russian, Caro-rich, Orange Banana, Aunt Ruby’s German Green, Isis Candy, Garden Peach, Ceylon, and Indian Moon!

And, surprise! We have Paprika Peppers, the best for drying and eating fresh. These exquisitely colored small round peppers like it warm, but once the days heat up, they produce prolifically and fast.

Visit the farmstand to stock up on beautiful tomatoes and paprika peppers. We’ll be glad to see you, and tell you how to save seeds of your favorite plants, so you can have your own supply of your favorites varieties.

Suzanne and Al
367-2281
 

Today, Wednesday June 4th, was a good test for this year’s Great Falls Farmers Market. Even with crappy weather conditions we had seven vendors and what I understand a fair amount of customers considering those conditions. The vendors told me they are starting to see many repeat customers from previous weeks and this is very encouraging. As I have written before and expressed in pamphlets and even on a radio interview on WHAI last week is that we are really encouraging local vendors that put their time, work and effort into a product. So far in just these fews weeks we are averaging 8 to 9 vendors a week selling baked goods, crafts, flower plants, veggie plants, maple syrup, scarfs and sandals. So if your interested contact this site or e-mail me directly, sealeggsdc@yahoo.com

You Don’t have to set-up each week to be welcome to this market, in fact I am encouraging the local farmers that have seasonal crops to include us as a mid-week outlet for their produce. When your strawberries are overflowing think of joining in on the market and the same can be true as other crops become available such as corn, tomatoes, pumpkins etc

I also would like to encourage groups that are doing fund raising to contact me. Last week the Greenfield Center School was selling plants , I believe the Friends of the Discovery Center plan on selling raffle tickets for a kayak next week and the Community in Action is planning on giving out information on the WIC program in mid-June. Just drop me a note and the Farmers Market will try to help.

Thank you and hope to see you at this growing mid-week market

Don
 

Make that 10 vendors now. The Greenfield Center School is selling plants as a fund raiser. This is great, the school is participating and we encourage other schools and organizations to do the same. Just contact this site or Don at e-mail address sealeggsdc@yahoo.com
 

The Great Falls Discovery continues to welcome new vendors.

I MAKE and sell crocheted accessories "Creations by Juliemarie"

The accessories currently are:
scarves -- ’fashion’ at this time of year, warmer ones towards the fall.
flip-flops (summer sandals/indoor slippers) These are the plastic ones that I then add the "foo-foo" yarn to, around the straps that hold them onto our feet.
pocketbooks -- not yet, but soon -- on the smallish side w/ regular and "foo-foo" yarn.
some jewelry -- mostly earrings, some with sea shells (if I get to it).

Plants, perenniels: Hosta, violets, day lillies, irises, rose bushes, maple tree saplings, other saplings, yarrow, raspberries, forsythias. ... I might not have ALL of these EVERY week. So, if you need me to be more specific and/or committed, please let me know.
Julie
 

Will even thought the weather is a little iffy we have 7 vendors set up at today’s Farmers Market. We are welcoming the Undergrowth Farm from Gill . In their bio they introduce themselves as "some new farmers beginning work on an old farm......... We dig our gardens by hand, save seeds from our open-pollinated crops. They are also organic. Stop by and say to either Anna,Toby, Aaron, Erin, Colleen, Andrew or Tim.
 

Fred the "Tomato Guy’ is returning this week. He was very busy last Wednesday answering questions and enjoying the Farmers Market. This was Fred’s first trip to this market, not just as a vendor but also as a customer. He was quite surprised to learn that customers came down to see him because of last weeks posting on this corkboard.

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I, Fred, am planning on coming to the Farmers Market this Wed. I will have a small wagon full of Heirloom Tomato flats with rare and extremely rare plants. My strategy is to have empty 6 packs, 9 packs, and single pots, so that people can try as many varieties as possible. Instead of having to purchase whole 6 or 9 packs, they may pick and choose.

I will have the complete SVEN OLAFSON line of BLOND tomatoes that I have cross polinated with a Swedish tomato named OLGA. They are Yellow Calabash, Yellow Pineapple Calabash, Orange Pineapple Calabash, Saucy Sven, and Viking Calabash, Charlie Pineapple, and Gramps’ Banana Legs. And for the first time ever a new tomato from Cape Cod called SEA URCHIN. Last years newcomer is back again producing true from seed for the third year: "SHUNNER."

I will have many flats with multiple plants in each "plug" I hate to see plans die, so if someone wants to do at little transplanting work, they can get a real bargain.

It is important to note that this is still New England, and that the plants that are being sold right now at WalMart, etc. have no business whatsoever being in the ground. We can expect FROST well into the END of May. They are taking a big risk, and asking for a lot of LUCK to get fruit from these early birds.

My plants are meant to be planted on MEMORIAL DAY or LATER as this year it is quite early in the month. These little plants, if transplanted now into about a four inch pot or bigger, and cared for (hardened off) Properly, will SPRINT right past all the early birds who will doubtless be stressed by their PREMATURE trip to the garden.

Don Hope this info helps. If you want to also mention that I will have Brochures of my 200 plus varieties available at my table, that would be much appreciated.