Thanks + Wednesday Night Market

From our market manager...

Peachtree Road Farmers Market is a special place

. Since its founding in 2007, we have become the state's largest producer-only farmers market, which means all items are sold by the farmer/maker with no reselling. The early leadership saw that Atlanta demanded farm-fresh produce, meats, and dairy, and the community supported their idea with open arms and shopping baskets!

The Market continues

eight years later

as a nonprofit organization housed at The Cathedral of St. Philip. Our farmers and vendors bring the best produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, pasta, prepared foods, and artisan goods from around Georgia to market Saturday mornings rain or shine. The relationship between the vendors and chefs and shoppers creates a sense of community that brings people together to laugh, share, and enjoy each other. We've seen couples come to the market on their first date, taken engagement photos here, and now their children race through the market to greet their farmer friends.

As our 9th season comes to a close, we are so grateful for another successful season. The market would not be possible without support from our sponsors,

Country Financial

,

Piedmont Healthcare

,

Wholesome Wave Georgia

,

Whole Foods Buckhead

, and

Beautiful Briny Sea

. We are grateful to our host, The Cathedral of St. Philip, our team of 29 volunteers, our farmers, vendors, and artisans. Most importantly, it is our shoppers who support the market in sun, rain, cold, and blistering heat. Without your commitment to the market and to buying local, none of this would be possible.

This year we have grown our outreach and programs thanks to your support. Please take a look at our

2015 Annual Report

for more details. We wish you a wonderful winter season and look forward to seeing you at our

Saturday Market from April 2-Dec 17, 2016,

and our new

Wednesday Evening Market from 

April 13-Oct 26, 2016

(see details below)

.

Sincerely,

Lauren Carey

Executive Director

Wednesday Night Market this spring!

Take a break from cooking and enjoy a locally sourced meal for you and your family at our new addition, the

Wednesday Evening Market!

On the run? "Grab & go" dinners will be available, too! You'll find familiar Market vendors and a few new ones serving up delicious whole meals, farm-fresh eggs, meats, and produce available for your midweek needs. 

April 13 through October 26

from

4:30 - 8:00 p.m.

See you on Wednesdays next spring!

Words of Thanks from Manager Lauren Carey

Hard to believe that our 8th season is ending. At this time of the year, we are so grateful for all the gifts 2014 has brought us. A few words of thanks...

First and foremost, thanks to our amazing shoppers! We've watched your families grow, adding new members (on two legs & four) and sending those we knew as children off to college. You shop with us in all weather and make local food part of your family values. The Market cannot happen without your support. We appreciate being a delicious part of your weekly routine, and we can't wait to see you on opening day, April 11, 2015.

I'm thrilled that we have been able to continue to serve a broader community this year through both our Wholesome Wave Georgia SNAP program and our new partnership with Meals on Wheels. Wholesome Wave allows us to double food stamp benefits at the Market, making fresh local foods more accessible. Our partnership with Meals on Wheels has been the perfect circle of giving. Amazing chefs like Thomas McKeown at The Grand Hyatt Buckhead, Jenn Robbins of Avalon Catering, and Nick Leahy of Saltyard did Chef Popups to raise funds for Meals on Wheels to buy veggies remaining at the end of Market. These purchases provide seniors with additional fresh vegetable servings.

The Market could not happen without the incredible hospitality of The Cathedral of St. Philip. While the Market is self-sustaining, the Cathedral offers a home to us indoors and out during the week and on Saturdays. The values of grace, hospitality and excellence are inherent in all we do. As Dean Sam Candler always says "we don't need a big Sunday coffee hour. We have one each Saturday!"

Our generous sponsor Country Financial has done so much more than provide a donation to the Market. They have become a part of our community through the high school bag contest, support of our Sunday Supper, and as a regular part of our Market. Whole Foods Market Buckhead has supported us for years by supplying staples for the chef demos unavailable at the Market as well as drinks at our information tent.

Huge thanks to all our chef demo chefs, who not only teach us how to cook each week, but support the farmers at their restaurants. I especially want to thank two chefs, who have personally and professionally gone above and beyond for the Market this year: Chef Thomas McKeown of The Grand Hyatt Buckhead and Chef Jenn Robbins of Avalon Catering. They've served at the Sunday Supper, done Chef Popups, served our vendor appreciation breakfast, and most of all bought out the occasional bumper crops from our farmers. Our gratitude to these chefs is measured in grit bowls served and veggies bought.

Your Market is special and unique because of the committed farmers, growers, food creators and artists that come rain or shine each week. All these incredible and talented small business owners fill our plates not just with food but with love. 

 
Appreciation goes to our volunteers that make the market shine. The weekly newsletter, blog, website, chef demo sound/videos and food assistance, tent and table setup, receipt-taking, garbage cleanup, and the friendly information tent services are all compliments of an incredible team that volunteers an estimated 100 hours a week. Bo, Sara, and I are so lucky to serve not just the vendors, but you our shoppers and the local food community!

I hope you count the Market among the things for which you are grateful as well. Please consider PRFM in your year-end giving. Donations can be made securely online through the Cathedral's website at https://stphilipscathedral.securegive.com. You need to create a quick account, select Donations, and then choose Farmers Market.

Eat local,
Your Market Manager
Lauren Carey

A Word of Thanks: Market Manager Lauren Carey

It's been quite a year! Over 5,500 Facebook fans, 2,296 Twitter fans, 70 vendors, 38 wonderful markets, 35 chef demos, 40 amazing volunteers, two Holiday Artist events, hundreds of dogs and one cat, baby goats, pigs, ponies, the Sunday Supper evening, a Halloween parade, and a Market Mash-Up! This season we saw our Wholesome Wave Program double yet again, processing nearly $30,000 in food stamp benefits at the Market.

We have also seen our farmers struggle with major health issues and the worst weather season in years. All along we have been grateful for your continued support. We are also grateful to our sponsors: Country Financial, Whole Foods, Wholesome Wave. Without the support of our sponsors, our chef demos and the food stamp matching program could never happen.

Peachtree Road Farmers Market is a special place because of the smiling faces we see each week—farmers, artists, food producers, volunteers, and most importantly you, our customers. We notice when you aren't in your usual chef demo seat, we are excited to meet your new baby, and we love to make you smile as we fill your shopping bags with delicious local foods.

Thank you so much for supporting the 2013 Peachtree Road Farmers Market! We can't wait to see you on April 5 for opening day 2014 as we launch our 8th season!

Sincerely,
Lauren Carey, Market Manager

1/9 Support Wholesome Wave at Whole Foods!

Shop at the West Paces Ferry, Ponce de Leon, or Briarcliff Whole Foods stores on Wednesday, January 9th to support Wholesome Wave, an important program that works with 13 farmers markets statewide (including PRFM) to support our local farmers, economy, and community by doubling the value of SNAP benefits (formerly food stamps) spent at local farmers markets. On January 9th, all three in-town Whole Foods stores will be donating 5% of their proceeds to Wholesome Wave, so plan on stopping by and stocking up!

- Jennifer Maley