Native plant talk and slide show
January 12, 4-4:30 in the Patuxet Room
Louise Barteau

Artist and native plant gardener, Louise Barteau discovered native plants while volunteering in a birding park in Philadelphia. Part personal history, part gardening story, part art project, Louise will tell the story of how she came to garden with all life in mind on an island on the South Coast of Massachusetts. The talk will be illustrated with slides of native plants.

You can see the RFP HERE

You can read the Stephens Field concession CONTRACT HERE

You can READ HERE a bit in the news about the matter.

You can sign a PETITION HERE asking the town to withdraw the RFP and work toward a broader land use policy that a farmers' market held on public space in Plymouth can fit within.

Thank you for your support and interest. Please forward questions/comments to AdvisoryGroup@plymouthfarmersmarket.org

According to the Patriot ledger, the number of EBT/SNAP benEficiaries (formerly known as food stamps) has doubled on the south shore in the last year with 15% of us needing this food assistance to feed the family. The Plymouth Farmers' Market is pleased to announce we were awarded a grant to begin redeeming these benefits at the market for fresh, farm food. Read about what Eligible foods may be purchased with SNAP at the Farmers Market. The First $1,000 of SNAP dollars spent at the market will be matched Dollar for  dollar as incentive to patronize the farmers and cooks at the market when you can. We hope everyone in the region can feed themselves with the best, locally grown  foods available from our area farmers;Spending these dollars with our local farmers and cooks strengthens our local food economy. if we can feed ourselves with food that has traveled from nearby towns, instead of from far off, we have helped our own.

if you or someone you know has questions about SNAP or would like more information about food assistance, check here. Please help spread the word!

READ a bit more about EBT/SNAP in our local food magazine, edible South Shore.

thank you to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transitional Assistance for the grant funding that has made this possible. Friends of the Market have also invested faith in the Plymouth Farmers' market to expand access to locally grown foods among all of our neighbors, thank you for your help as well.

What can I buy with SNAP food assistance?

• From Mass Resources
  To check on a particular food item, call the Massachusetts SNAP food stamp office at 1-866-950-3663
• 
  "You can buy any food item except food that is hot when you buy it, or food that is sold to be eaten in the store like restaurant food. Eligible food items include:
  • any food products or ingredients used to prepare meals at home
  • cold prepared sandwiches, salads, and other deli items
  • ethnic and health foods
  • snack foods, candy, soda, and ice
• You can buy seeds or plants that you will grow to produce food for your household.
• You can buy locally grown food at farmers' markets (if the markets have EBT equipment).
• You cannot buy non-food items like liquor, cigarettes, vitamins or medicines, pet foods, soap, cosmetics, laundry products, paper goods, or other household products.
• If you are elderly or disabled, you can use your SNAP food stamps to pay for approved home-delivered meals such as Meals on Wheels, or for meals at senior housing, Dining Centers, or other group meals.
• People in drug/alcohol treatment programs, homeless shelters, shelters for battered women, and certain other group living situations can use SNAP food stamps to pay for their meals."

From Mass Resources
To check on a particular food item, call the Massachusetts SNAP food stamp office at 1-866-950-3663

WINTER…

The Plymouth  Winter-into-Spring Market at Plimoth Plantation will be held on the second Thursday of the month from 2:30 till 6:30: November 10, December 8, January 12, February 9, March 8 and April 12. This event is free and open to the public! Everyone is welcome!

Thursday, January 12, 2:30-6:30, "THREE FIRES MARKET":

Gather round the hearth-fire with farmers and local food-makers for “Three Fires” market at Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Ave, Plymouth, Thursday, January 12th from 2:30 till 6:30 inside the visitor’s center. Browse the tables of root crops, greens, fresh eggs, herbs, grass-fed pork and beef, breads and pies, regional cheeses, artisan chocolates; take home foods made with locally sourced ingredients, and warm foods to enjoy by the fire. Attend "Lighting a Fire" Native plant talk at 4pm by gardener artist Louise Barteau; shop for earth-based arts made by skilled artisans; visit the Plantation shops, dance to music by Ray Papile and feel the warm rhythms from Native American drummers who will perform fireside. SNAP/EBT cards are welcome; this event is free and open to the public. Click here For directions.

Farmers: Web Of Life Farm, Plato's Harvest Organic Farm, Silverbrook Farm, Lawton Farm,  West Elm Farm, Moonlight Rose Alpaca Farm, Brown Boar Farm, Allen Farms, 

Food-Makers: Jenny's Bread,  Honey I'm Home, Walters Specialty Foods, Foxboro Cheese,  Blueblinds Bakery, Sirenetta Seaside Chocolatier, Fromage a Tois with homemade cheese and pasta, Rein' Real Rye

Others:  Olio Di Melli with South Coast cheeses and olive oil; Blue Heron Arts with pottery, knitting and eggs; So Berry Clean with soap berries for laundering, StoneLeafMooon with handspun yarn and art, Life Rocks, jewelry from the Plymouth Shore (December),  Harvest Delivery with CSFish shares, Sumi Earth Arts (December,) multi-talented Artisans from the Plantation staff and more!

*ALSO:  Special Guests each month, workshops and demonstrations

January 12, 4- 4:30pm, Patuxet Room adjoining Gainsborough Dining Hall:

Native Plants Presentation- Lighting a Fire in the Heart

Artist and native plant gardener, Louise Barteau discovered native plants while volunteering in a birding park in Philadelphia. Part personal history, part gardening story, part art project, Louise will tell the story of how she came to garden with all life in mind on an island on the South Coast of Massachusetts. The talk will be illustrated with slides of native plants.

*Check back for more details or sign up for the market newsletter to receive updates in your inbox.

…..into Spring!

 
Click For films and times

Remember, you can have a mug of Mayflower beer
or a glass of wine along with a warm carton of popcorn on Saturday nights
as you watch one of the first run, independent films shown at the
Plimoth Cinema, how nice!

Thank you to Plimoth Plantation
for welcoming the Farmers and Food-makers!

• Coolers will be available to store your foods while you stay to see a film, shop the shops or browse the artisans offerings as well as appreciate all the local foods.
  

This Friendship has *Benefits!
*scroll down to see this weeks benefits

Join the Plymouth farmers' Market to support the cause of Local Foods and to generate our local food economy:

Become a Friend!

For a $25 Gift to the Farmers market, Friends receive a card (see example above!) Your card will be the ticket to weekly  Specials, discounts, freebies and seasonal local food opportunities. These special offers Are from the farmers and food-makers as well as supportive institutional and business Friends for all 2011 Friends of the Plymouth Farmers' Market. You may check Back here for market specials, Sign up to receive a weekly email or stop by the market tent each Thursday and Saturday to see what is being offered to Market Friends that day. Send your Friendship by mail or stop by the market! The 2011 Friendship Fund contributes to the EBT/SNAP redemption program partially funded by a Department of Agriculture and Department of transitional assistance grant awarded this june.

Sign up for a Market Friendship today, good thru April spring market at Plimoth Plantation!

"thank you!"
for your help to sustain a vibrant farmers' market for the Plymouth region.

By Paula Marcoux, edible South Shore writer
CLICK image to see story and recipe!

So, is buying produce at the farmers' market more expensive than at the grocery store? Here is some research to consider:

From Poltics of the Plate

From The Atlantic

WINTER…

The Plymouth Local Foods Winter-into-Spring Market at Plimoth Plantation will be held on the second Thursday of the month from 2:30 till 6:30: December 9, January 13, February 10, March 10 and April 14. This event is free and open to the public! Browse the tables of root crops, greens, fresh eggs, herbs, delectable breads and pies; take home foods made with locally sourced ingredients; shop for earth-based arts made by skilled artisans; gather around the hearth-fire for conversation and music. Everyone is welcome!

Note: Working late? Pre-orders may be made online until Tuesday at midnight and can be picked up as late as 7pm on market day!

See 2011 participant list with links.

This wintertime gathering is made possible in collaboration with our beloved local living history museum, Plimoth Plantation.

Here's What's Growin' on at Each Winter-into Spring Market:

Thursday April 14: EGGtravaganza!

Winter-into-Spring market moves down the hill to the Peabody Pavilion…With the museum OPEN, this is your chance to visit the Colonial Village and the Wampanoag Homesite. Take in some living history as you you pick up your into spring local foods.

SEMAP, the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership will be the market host. Look for news about preserving and expanding access to local food and sustainable farming in our region. SEMAP will sponsor the GREENHORNS film about fresh farmers across America…come get inspired! Screenings at 4:30 & 7pm, Tickets $9.50, $5 for Friends of the Market, Plantation and Semap members. Discussion to follow the 7pm movie. We will have coolers available to store your foods as you enjoy the film.

Bluegrass Music will be performed by the Changing Strings, a compilation of experienced and eccentric local musicians…toe tapping fun just in time for spring!

The Rare Breeds department of Plimoth Plantation will offer a hands-on workshop at Nye Barn. Experience behind the scenes with the museum's animal experts and learn how rare breed farm animals are preserved and how they contribute to the programs at Plimoth Plantation. Includes hands on animal care such as milking, walking a goat and demonstration of goat and sheep grooming. There will aslo be a drop-in Butterfly garden workshop beginning at 3pm…come plant a garden to take home and visit with some newborn babes!

Thursday, December 9 GET FRESH by the FIRE!

Market featured The Harper and the Minstrel  who will played lovely holiday and winter music and Wildlands Trust was the host and story reader.Thank you!

Thursday, January 13: RE-FRESH, RENEW!

Market will be hosted by Wildlands Trust.  They will offer a special storytelling at 4pm for children, learn about how they are preserving the natural history of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Also hear readings from Black Feather Horse Rescue's new book Murphys New Home, about a special horse and a determined local farmer who together make a miracle happen 3pm, 4pm and 5pm in the Black Box Theatre.

And for all parents looking to renew and refresh Amy Martell, mother, mediator and meditator, will facilitate a discussion "with a heart toward peace." This Peaceful Parenting conversation will start at 6:30 in the Black Box Theatre inside the visitors center.

Thursday, February 10: WARM THE HEART!

Market will be hosted by Soule Homestead, a friendly farm education center in Middleboro, they will have descriptions of and sign ups for February Vacation programs and may even have a few remaining tickets for their well loved Heart & Soule Valentines Dance on February 12. They also will offer "Sheep to Sweater" activities throughout the day focusing on sheep shearing, carding, spinning and crafting with wool. Children may card and spin wool into a friendship bracelet and the youngest ones may make a wooly necklace using sheep shapes. Lots of fiber fun!

The Lindsays, a Plymouth dynamic duo, will perform Irish and ecclectic music (and maybe even a few love songs) from their new CD, From the Green to the Blue.

The Holistic Moms Network, South Shore chapter will meet at 6:30 in the Pawtuxet Room to share ideas on "Getting Your Heart Healthy Share of FRESH."

And, Plimoth Plantation will offer " An Unforgettable Valentine" workshop using dried herbs and flowers from the museum gardens for a heart shaped, red cloth sachet you will sew together and decorate. The museum horticulturist, Lori Danek, will talk about the aromatic value of herbs during the workshop, drop-in from 3-5 in the Pawtuxet Room, adjoing the market. Please visit the workshop link above for registration details. You may also want to check out all of the many February activities happening at the Plantation later this winter month.

Thursday March 10: WINTER WIND DOWN and WARM UP!

Black Feather Horse Rescue will host the market. Learn about their efforts to provide shelter for homeless horses and listen to readings from their new children's book, Murphy's New Home.

Ray Papile will serenade from the hearth with his smooth, easy listening vocals and guitar.

Holistic Moms Network will meet at 6:30 in the Pawtuxet Room for a presentation by Amy Martell and Juli Ford: Spring into Spring with Raw foods, Green Smoothies and Spring Cleanses.

You can order grass fed pork cuts from Brown Boar Farm for pic up at the market.

Farmers: Web Of Life Farm, Plato's Harvest Organic Farm, Allen Farm, Silverbrook Farm ,Lawton Farm, Centerhill Farm, Lucky Field organic farm (Dec and Feb), Bay End Farm (December), West Elm Farm, Bull Frog Acres, Moonlight Rose Alpaca Farm, 

Food-Makers: Jenny's Bread,  Honey I'm Home,  The Artisan Kitchen, Walters Specialty Foods Narragansett Creamery, Foxboro Cheese,  Dave's Cape Cod Smokehouse, Blueblinds Bakery, To Dine For Mediterranean foods (december), Sirenetta Seaside Chocolatier, Side Dish Cafe, Nantucket Wild Gourmet, Joslin Foods with Pasta sauce and Nella Pasta (starting in February.)

Others: Rainwater Falls Apothocary with soap and herbals; Olio Di Melli with South Coast cheeses and olive oil; Blue Heron Arts with pottery, knitting and eggs; So Berry Clean with soap berries for laundering,  edible South Shore magazine with a book selection on food and farm issues,  multi-talented Artisans from the Plantation staff and more signing up each day!

Pending:  Special Guests each month

If you have a sustainable food film suggestion or if you are a community group with a similar mission and would like to "host" a market, or if you have a question or suggestion, please email.

*Check back for more details or sign up for the market newsletter to receive updates in your inbox.

…..into Spring!

 
Click For films and times

Remember, you can have a mug of Mayflower beer
or a glass of wine along with a warm carton of popcorn on Saturday nights
as you watch one of the first run, independent films shown at the
Plimoth Cinema, how nice!

Thank you to the Plantation
for welcoming the Farmers and Food-makers!

• Coolers will be available to store your foods while you stay to see a film, shop the shops or browse the artisans offerings as well as appreciate all the local foods.
  

Manure Renaissance? Why a Fertilizer Crisis May (Thankfully) Make Farmers Ditch the Chemicals for Old-Fashioned Poop

By Gene Logsdon at Chelsea Green Publishing

as seen on Alternet

Photo Credit: Muslanne via flickr

I never thought I'd see the day when shit — the bodily kind — would make headlines the way it is right now.

When my book about managing manure, Holy Shit, came out recently, erstwhile friends grinned and remarked, "You've been shooting the bull all your life so, sure, why not write a book about it?"

But this time what I'm writing is definitely not B.S. The current fertilizer crisis is real. Chemical fertilizer prices rise and fall with every change of pulse in supply and demand, but they are definitely on a long-term rise — not only because production and transportation costs are increasing, but because of anticipated shorter supplies in the future. People talk about Peak Oil, but we're also at Peak Fertilizer. Without plenty of some kind of fertilizer, there will not be enough food to go around. The headline hype is not just overreaction from the press: recently farming news sources such as DTN were reporting all over their networks about how international traders in phosphorous and potash are elbowing for bigger chunks of the remaining fertilizer pie.

I would like to puff up and brag about how smart I must be to see this coming, but actually for anyone who has milked cows for a living like I have, it's a no-brainer. Although I spent an awful lot of time in classrooms studying weird subjects like theology and anthropology, my real education began as a hired man for a dairy farmer in Minnesota, who was very astute and rather wealthy, too. He made money even though the bright boys at the university would say he was backward. He still used horses for much of his farm power, and he didn't use any "bought" fertilizer. As a farm boy from Ohio who thought he knew a thing or two about farming, I was surprised to see how well his corn grew anyway.

My employer smirked when I said as much, and patiently explained to me that the gods of manure and legumes could keep a farm profitable by keeping the farmer independent of all those agribusiness suppliers who so much wanted to lead him to the poorhouse. Since then, my own experience milking a hundred cows has taught me the same lesson. Manure can be the key to real farming success. It not only fertilizes the crop but also builds organic matter, the secret to sustainable agriculture. As Edward Janus says in his new book, Creating Dairyland, in the days before chemical fertilizers, wheat farming nearly impoverished Wisconsin, until it became a leading dairy state.

"You might say that manure was the poop that saved Wisconsin," writes Janus.

I firmly believe manure will be the salvation of the whole world in the days after chemical fertilizers run short. That's why I call it holy.

Janus' book also describes a very large dairy and cheese factory business that uses its manure to produce methane, generating enough electricity from it to power the business and some 450 residential homes. The amount of electricity generated is valued at $300,000, a very impressive number. The cost of producing those kilowatts is, however, is not offered. In fact, from all the research I've been able to do, there isn't any proof yet of profit-generating electricity from methane. But even if this idea does become profitable, what if the manure used is worth $300,000 for fertilizer, or even half that? Will we use such manure to make light bulbs glow or bodies grow?

Stories about holy shit are popping up all over the Internet. Last week, Treehugger reported that the Soil Association, a venerable organic farming organization in England, had just released a study concluding that we are approaching "peak phosphorus" as early as 2033. In addition, deposits of potash in Canada, our usual and handiest source of another necessary plant nutrient, are declining by all accounts. Commercial nitrogen fertilizer, the third of the big three plant nutrients, is manufactured almost entirely with natural gas, which has an increasing number of competing uses. Tell me: If you heat with gas, are your bills going down these days?

But I suppose the naysayers will have evidence that we have plenty of fertilizer left, just as they say that we have plenty of oil deep down in the bowels of the Earth, under the oceans.

The point is, no matter what, as population and the cost of business both rise, sources of chemical fertilizer will become harder to get at and more expensive to process and deliver to the farm. The value of manure will rise along with the price of chemical fertilizers but without nearly as much increase in their application costs. Throwing away billions of dollars of human and animal manure that could be used for fertilizer, plus who knows how much money spent in the throwing, is no longer a sane option.

One bright spot is that scientists have found a way to extract phosphorous from human sewage to use as fertilizer. But the method is expensive. Another alternative is using properly treated sludge directly on farmland, a practice that the National Academy of Sciences has twice approved.

But many farmers and environmentalists balk at the use of biosolids, pointing out that there is too much danger yet from sludge contaminated with pollutants that humans throw away down their toilets, including pharmaceuticals. And their point is well taken. We need to find a proper way to separate the manure from the heavy metals. However, culturally speaking, we are still victims of the flush-it-and-forget-it culture. If we can learn to live with our own human manure (and see the benefits from its proper application), we'll realize we're sitting on a gold mine. Literally.

The same problem will no doubt come from fertilizing with animal manures from large-scale concentrated animal feeding operations. It's not as simple as taking crap from CAFOs.

However, while these operations couldn't give their manure away a few years ago, now farmers close enough to afford the transportation costs are lining up to buy it, because it's being sold cheaper than chemical fertilizers. If this practice grows, factory-animal manure will come under closer scrutiny, and well it should. Indeed, it bears its own risks because of the levels of antibiotics and other additions to the feed and insecticides used in the buildings and on the grounds.

In fact, I remember clearly about 15 years ago, soils on which poultry manure from large-scale operations had been spread were found to be so highly contaminated with copper — which if I remember correctly was being added to the chickens' water. Farming had to be suspended on that land.

In other words, it's not as simple as just taking the manure and spreading it. We need to know where the manure comes from, how it was treated, and what the lives of the animals that excreted it were like. Otherwise we'll just encourage the production of poop on a massive scale, for production's sake, reinforcing an agricultural system that doesn't value animals, a healthy environment, or sustainability in any way.

The key is re-imagining our current system into something that values manure as the holy, healthful, fertilizing substance it is. Sustainable shit, in other words, is the only holy kind.