This Week at the Market

Saturday, June 18 has something for everyone!

Book Signing & Chef Demo with Sheri Castle
Book Signing: 8:30-9:30 a.m. + after the Demo
Chef Demo: 10:00 a.m.
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market
Sheri Castle is the author of The New Southern Garden Cookbook: Enjoying the Best from Homegrown Gardens, Farmers' Markets, Roadside Stands, and CSA Farm Boxes, which celebrates and promotes the delicious, healthful homemade meals made possible by the diverse array of seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in the South and around the nation. She melds culinary expertise, storytelling, and humor to inspire people to cook with confidence and enthusiasm. She lives in Chapel Hill, N.C., with her husband Doug Tidwell, daughter Lily, and beloved dog Domino. Join Sheri this Saturday for a demo featuring green beans and a book signing before and afterwards!

Kids Learning Patch: Chickin Feed
Sponsored by The Captain Planet Foundation
Come visit Chickin Feed during the Market this Saturday and find out all about good FARM GRUB. We'll have lots of "fun stuff to build healthy habits" and free stickers for the little chickins! The tools from Chickin Feed will help you get the whole family eating better!

Slow Food Atlanta Ice Cream Social
12:30-2:00 p.m.
in the garden of St. Philip’s Cathedral
Proceeds benefit the Atlanta Chapter of Slow Food International and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market.
Taste the best frozen treats from Atlanta pro and amateur chefs participating in the Fifth Annual Slow Food Atlanta Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social fundraiser! Join us for delicious homemade, not-necessarily-traditional ice cream and sorbet flavors made from fresh ingredients. Tickets are available for purchase online for $15 each and earn Slow Food fans a taste of each flavor and a ballot to vote for his or her favorite. Children ages 5-10 are $5 and children under 5 are free. Please bring a spoon from home or purchase a compostable spoon for $1 at the social. FREE SAMPLE: Check out last year’s post about the Ice Cream Social and take a listen to the sounds of sweetness (as recorded by WABE)!


- Jennifer Maley

Still Super, Thanks for Asking

Chef Demo with Hector Santiago
10:00 a.m. on 6/11
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
Chef Hector Santiago has a philosophy that works: “Bueno, Bonito, Barato,” which means “Good, Attractive, Value.” And that’s just what you’ll find in his incredible dishes at Pura Vida, Burro Pollo, and Super Pan. Good food, attractive environments, and fair prices have earned Chef Hector much love from his customers as well as critics. With his appearance on Season 6 of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” and his nominations for “Best Chef Southeast” by the James Beard Foundation in 2008, 2009 and 2011, the nation is quickly learning what we Atlantans have known since the opening of Pura Vida—if you’re looking for Latino cuisine straight from the heart and beautifully presented, you’ve got to see Chef Hector. For more information, check out our post from last year’s demo!

Also this week at the Market:

In-town Premiere of GROW!
Saturday, June 11th at 1:00 p.m.
(following the Peachtree Road Farmers Market)
Inside the Cathedral of St. Philip, Child Hall
Benefiting the Emergency Farmer Fund and
the Peachtree Road Farmers Market.
Join the Peachtree Road Farmers Market for the in-town Atlanta premiere of GROW!, a film produced by Anthony-Masterson. A documentary about young, sustainable and organic farmers, GROW! captures the energy of a fresh crop of farmers who have turned to the fields for a fulfilling life. The film takes a look at this brave new world of sustainable farming through the eyes, hearts and minds of 20 idealistic, passionate and fiercely independent farmers. In GROW! they speak of both the joys and the challenges involved in tending the land. Filmed during an entire growing season on 12 farms throughout Georgia, GROW! provides an honest and inspiring look at this next generation of farmers. Anybody who appreciates the value of good, wholesome food grown close to home, who cares about our food supply and the future of farming, will want to see GROW! Proceeds from this screening will benefit the Emergency Farmer Fund, which offers immediate aid to farmers in crisis after natural disasters, and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Georgia’s largest producer-only market. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and include refreshments by YEAH! Burger. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are available for purchase by phone at 404-365-1078 or at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on June 11th. For more information about GROW! visit http://growmovie.blogspot.com/.

Les Dames d’Escoffier Culinary Yard Sale
Saturday, June 11th from 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market
Benefiting Georgia Organics and the Les Dames d’Escoffier scholarship fund for women attending Culinary School.
Items for sale include cookbooks, linens, culinary tools/utensils and house wares in great condition from well known chefs, cookbook authors and other women from the culinary profession in Atlanta. In addition, Les Dames will be selling some fabulous home-made cakes by their well known chefs. Les Dames d’Escoffier International is a worldwide organization of professional women of high achievement in the fields of food, fine beverage, and hospitality. With active chapters throughout the world, Les Dames is dedicated to supporting and promoting the achievement of women in the culinary professions and to fostering excellence through education and charitable activities.


- Jennifer Maley

The Chef. The Brow. The Food.

Chef Demo with Hugh Acheson
10:00 am on 6/4
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
We’re never quite sure what his brow is thinking, but we know for certain what will be on your mind when you taste Chef Hugh Acheson’s food—in a word, “YUM!” Known for combining the beauty of the South and the flavors of Europe, this quirky Canadian chef proves that good southern food can, and should, be celebrated by all. And in Chef Acheson’s case, make that great southern food. As chef/partner of Five & Ten, the National, and Gosford Wine in Athens, GA and Empire State South in Atlanta, the man and his brow have garnered much due acclaim. He’s been named a Food & Wine Best New Chef (2002), received the Atlanta Journal Constitution Restaurant of the Year (2007), and been nominated five times for the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011). He also keeps some cool company—Chef Mario Batali chose Hugh as one of the 100 contemporary chefs in Phaidon Press' Coco: 10 World Leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs; and, if you’ve tuned in to Bravo recently, you’ve been enjoying Chef Acheson’s adventures with fellow master chefs on Top Chef Masters: Season 3. To Hugh, though, he couldn’t keep cooler company than his wife and two young children. Ottawa can claim his birth, but Georgia claims his heart. And how lucky for us to have him! You won’t want to miss Chef Acheson’s charm or his delicious dish at this week’s Demo—maybe he’ll even share a recipe from his new cookbook, due out this fall, A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen. It’s sure to be a brow-raiser (in a good, happy kind of way)! /:)

Don’t forget: Tickets on sale Saturday for the
Premiere of GROW!
Premiering Saturday, June 11th
at 1:00 p.m. (following PRFM)
Cathedral of St. Philip, Child Hall
2744 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305
Benefiting the Emergency Farmer Fund and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market
Join the Peachtree Road Farmers Market for the in-town Atlanta premiere of GROW!, a film produced by Anthony-Masterson. A documentary about young, sustainable and organic farmers, GROW! captures the energy of a fresh crop of farmers who have turned to the fields for a fulfilling life. The film takes a look at this brave new world of sustainable farming through the eyes, hearts and minds of 20 idealistic, passionate and fiercely independent farmers. In GROW! they speak of both the joys and the challenges involved in tending the land. Filmed during an entire growing season on 12 farms throughout Georgia, GROW! provides an honest and inspiring look at this next generation of farmers. Anybody who appreciates the value of good, wholesome food grown close to home, who cares about our food supply and the future of farming, will want to see GROW! Proceeds from this screening will benefit the Emergency Farmer Fund, which offers immediate aid to farmers in crisis after natural disasters, and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Georgia’s largest producer-only market.
Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and include refreshments by YEAH! Burger. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are available for purchase at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on June 4th & June 11th, or by phone at 404-365-1078. For more information about GROW! visit http://growmovie.blogspot.com/.


- Jennifer Maley

This Week at PRFM

Stop by the Market this Saturday for fresh fruits and veggies like mulberries, tomatoes, fennel, squash, cabbage, radishes, arugula, asparagus, beets, carrots, peas, potatoes, and more—even hot dogs and buns! Stay awhile and check out this week’s events:

Canning 101: Chef Linton Hopkins
10:00 am on 5/28
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
Think “putting up with it” has to be a bad thing? Well, we think that depends on the “it.” You won’t want to miss this Saturday’s canning demo with the master himself, Chef Linton Hopkins. Learn how to put up what our farmers are throwing down (for you literal folks, that means canning the season’s best produce at its peak so you can enjoy it year-round). Chef Hopkins will show you the basics of home canning and share coupons for jars and canning kits to get you started—Yes, you CAN!

The Learning Patch (you know, for kids)
Topic on 5/28—Worms!
The Learning Patch is a hands-on education area for kids of all ages, sponsored by The Captain Planet Foundation. This week we’ll be learning all about WORMS—time to dig in!

On Sale this Saturday:
Premiere tickets to GROW!
In-town Atlanta Premiere of GROW!
Saturday, June 11th at 1:00 p.m.
(following the Peachtree Road Farmers Market)
Inside Cathedral of St. Philip, Child Hall
2744 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305
Benefiting the Emergency Farmer Fund and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market

Join the Peachtree Road Farmers Market for the in-town Atlanta premiere of GROW!, a film produced by Anthony-Masterson. A documentary about young, sustainable and organic farmers, GROW! captures the energy of a fresh crop of farmers who have turned to the fields for a fulfilling life. The film takes a look at this brave new world of sustainable farming through the eyes, hearts and minds of 20 idealistic, passionate and fiercely independent farmers. In GROW! they speak of both the joys and the challenges involved in tending the land. Filmed during an entire growing season on 12 farms throughout Georgia, GROW! provides an honest and inspiring look at this next generation of farmers. Anybody who appreciates the value of good, wholesome food grown close to home, who cares about our food supply and the future of farming, will want to see GROW! Proceeds from this screening will benefit the Emergency Farmer Fund, which offers immediate aid to farmers in crisis after natural disasters, and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Georgia’s largest producer-only market.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and include refreshments by YEAH! Burger. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are available for purchase at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on May 28th, June 4th & June 11th, or by phone at 404-365-1078. For more information about GROW! visit http://growmovie.blogspot.com/.


- Jennifer Maley

Mixmaster Lara

Refresh yourself at this week’s Demo with
Mixologist Lara Creasy of JCT. Kitchen and No. 246
10:00 am on 5/21
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market










Southern flavors? Check. Local ingredients? Check. These are just a couple of things that mixologist Lara Creasy has in common with the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. The other thing? Awesomeness. Ok, so that’s more of a lifestyle than a thing, but you can dig it, right? Join us at this Saturday’s demo for a refreshing cocktail of southern, local awesomeness straight from JCT. Kitchen & Bar’s famous Lara Creasy. She’s been mixing things up at JCT. since January 2009 with seasonal drinks that reflect both the old and the new South. And Decatur fans are set to raise a glass soon when she completes the cocktail program at No. 246, the highly anticipated restaurant from Chef Ford Fry (of JCT.) and Chef Drew Belline (formerly of Floataway Cafe). We can’t wait to taste her creative concoctions incorporating tastes and ingredients from the South with the traditional beverages of Italy—a marriage that gave us the classic Bellini (peach + bubbly) can only grow sweeter; and word on the street is that Creasy’s take on the the Bellini transforms it into a seasonal sip that combines local peaches, Cocci Americano, aromatic bitters, peach bitters and Prosecco. Are you ready to whet your whistle yet? Check out this weekend’s demo for tips and tricks on making your own spring and summer sippers—from creating infusions from scratch to masterful muddling, Lara will show you how to beat the heat in delicious fashion. Join us for a juicy cooler featuring mulberries and strawberries—we think you’ll agree that knowledge has never tasted so sweet!

P.S. Three Cheers for Lara! Creasy won the United States Bartender Guild cocktail competition at JCT. Bar— which qualified her to compete alongside some of the world’s greatest bartenders at last weekend’s Manhattan Cocktail Classic. Congrats from everyone at PRFM!


- Jennifer Maley

Vegetable Virtuoso

Don’t miss this week’s Chef Demo with
David Sweeney – 10:00 am on 5/14
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market











If you love vegetables, you’ll love Chef David Sweeney. If you hate vegetables, you’ll love Chef David Sweeney. He’s just that good. Atlantans came to know and (with just repetition) love Chef Sweeney when he brought us Dynamic Dish, the much-missed restaurant that gave diners fresh, seasonal, clean (and not least of all, yummy) foods that benefited their mental, physical, and spiritual health. His ideology of balance, health, and community informed Chef Sweeney’s beautiful food at Dynamic Dish for three years; and it’s an ideology that fits his new role perfectly as Chef de Jardin (Chef of the Garden) at Restaurant Eugene. From his time as a vegetarian and biodynamic caterer in Munich, Germany (where he grew up in an Army family), to his matchless creations at Dynamic Dish, to his unique place on the Restaurant Eugene team, Chef David Sweeney has the utmost care for ingredients and their impact on the plate and on your palette. You won’t want to miss his demo this Saturday as he talks about the importance of using local honey and prepares a vegetarian, gluten-free dish—a dish that is sure to inspire and delight, much like its chef.

Miss a Chef Demo? Catch it online! Demo videos are posted on the PRFM website each week. Check them out here and find recipes here. If we could offer you smells and samples online, too, you know that we would. Until then, enjoy a virtual front row seat with Atlanta’s best chefs.


- Jennifer Maley

Delicious Demo—And that’s the truth!

Check out this week’s Chef Demo with
Scott Serpas of Serpas True Food - 10:00 am on 5/07
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market












Chef Scott Serpas is known for his honest approach to southern food with Louisiana flair. So it’s fitting that we welcome him back to PRFM on Mother’s Day weekend, a time when we celebrate true love with truly good food. And if you’ve ever stopped by Serpas True Food or if you happened to join us for last year’s demo with Chef Serpas, you know what we mean by truly good food. Check out his bio here and stop by the demo tent this Saturday for a special recipe—one that you might even want to share with Mom! P.S. PRFM is the perfect last-minute Mother’s Day gift spot. Nothing says “I love you” like cooking up something delicious to share or giving the gift of our vendors’ incredible products. Bon Appétit, Mom!


- Jennifer Maley

On a Roll

Dust off your pedals and ride to the Market in style this Saturday! In partnership with Atlanta City Councilmember Aaron Watson and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, PRFM will host Bike to the Market Day, including helmet fittings and bike safety checks by Peachtree Bikes. Spring is the perfect time to get your wheels spinning for healthy food, healthy bodies, and a healthy planet! Check out the Living Smarter Through Cycling website for more info on this and upcoming rides with Councilmember Watson and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition.

Park your bike and stay a while for this week’s Chef Demo, 10:00 a.m. with Linton Hopkins. As founder of the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, there’s no one better to share tales and tips on cooking with local, seasonal ingredients. Hopkins, whose deep Atlanta roots inform his passion for supporting southern farmers, is on a roll—recently receiving his fourth James Beard Award nomination, celebrating Restaurant Eugene’s seventh anniversary, opening H&F Bottle Shop, and making a little trip to the White House Garden where he harvested vegetables with Michelle Obama, DC School children and the White House Chef to celebrate the First Lady’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative. Chef Hopkins' commitment to Georgia’s own bounty is evident through his meticulous and loving house-made preparations of natural meats and fresh, local produce. And this year brings even more presidential treatment as he heads up the Board of Directors for the Southern Foodways Alliance—hail to the chief, y’all!


- Jennifer Maley

Planet PRFM: Celebrate Earth Day!

Peachtree Road Farmers Market shoppers do their part each week to support a healthy earth by choosing local, sustainable foods. The Market is excited to announce that the PRFM shopping experience is about to get even more earth-friendly! Through the hard work of PRFM super-intern, Lovett High School student Avery Wiens, the Market has secured funding from the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation (AFYF) to provide corn-based biodegradable bags to customers for the 2011 Market season. These bags provide cover for more fragile produce like lettuces and herbs, as well as loose items like tomatoes and berries. Together, AFYF and PRFM will save a half-ton of plastic bags from entering landfills. Join us this Saturday at 9:00 a.m. for a special Earth Day weekend presentation about our new partnership, featuring Avery and representatives from the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation.

After the presentation, you’ll want to stick around for the 10:00 a.m. Chef Demo with Jay Swift. At 4th & Swift, he serves up seasonal market menus that change daily to reflect the best ingredients available. Chef Swift’s modern American comfort food + PRFM’s farm-fresh ingredients = the perfect Earth Day weekend demo. In case your invite to the two dinners he’s cooked at the renowned James Beard House in NYC got lost in the mail, now’s your chance to learn from the best! Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Once the kids’ tummies are full, bring that energy over to PRFM’s new Kids’ Learning Patch tent–where kids of all ages can learn more about keeping our earth and our bodies healthy.

See you Saturday for a world of fun!


- Jennifer Maley

Get Fresh!

Check out this Saturday’s Chef Demo with Sheri Davis at 10:00 am on 4/16
We loved Chef Sheri Davis’ demo last year when she showed us how easy, fun, and delicious market-fresh cooking can be. Join us this Saturday as we welcome Chef Sheri back to our demo tent where she’ll prepare something wonderful celebrating springtime produce! From her days at Virginia-Highland’s Dish restaurant and at Whole Foods Market to her current work with Chickin Feed, Chef Sheri’s passion is to share the joys of good-for-you and tasty-too food. Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

In Season: Get your shopping list ready for this Saturday with these springtime favorites: Arugula, Beets, Broccolini, Carrots, Collards, Eggs, Green beans, Herbs, Kale, Lettuce, Onions, Plants, Potatoes, Radishes, Snow Peas, Spring Garlic, Swiss Chard, and Zucchini. Also, we might even see the season’s first strawberries and asparagus!

New Faces at the Market: As you may have seen last week, this season we welcome a few new faces to PRFM: Westside Creamery ice cream truck, Queen of Tarts, King of Pops, Il Bel Cuore olive oil, Many Fold Farm featuring farm-fresh eggs, McMullan Family Farm, Greendale Cheese, Doc's Wood Turning and Green Thread Studios. Stop by and say hello to our new vendors!

Save the Date, Saturday, April 23: Also new to the Market this year is the Kids’ Learning Patch tent, making its debut on April 23. Bring kids of all ages to learn more about keeping our earth and our bodies healthy.


- Jennifer Maley

It's Spring–Time for Fresh Foods!

Opening day is almost here! Have you missed your local farmers and friends as much as they've missed you? Come visit us on Saturday, April 9 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. for your favorite vendors and new members of the Peachtree Road Farmers Market family. As the largest producer only market in the state, PRFM will feature over 65 vendors this year - offering fruits, veggies, eggs, organic meats, baked goods, cheese, yogurt, pops, ice cream, Savannah-caught shrimp and much more!

Bring your bells and whistles to celebrate opening day, which will begin with - what else? - an opening bell! BYO-Noise-maker and welcome in the 5th season of the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. April 9 festivities will also include live music and, at 10:00 a.m., the first Chef Demo of the year - you won't want to miss Rosebud's Ron Eyester, who delighted us last year with his awesome humor and delicious farm-fresh food. Don't forget to ask Chef Eyester about his newest addition to the local food scene, The Family Dog.

For a full list of 2011 Chef Demos sponsored by Whole Foods and for other PRFM events, click here.

It's good to be back!


- Jennifer Maley

Help Support GreenLeaf Farms

We all know and love Farmer Greg Brown of GreenLeaf Farms in Barnesville; you’ve seen his smiling face each Saturday for the past two Market seasons. Now he needs our help. His health condition has not only resulted in some very high medical bills, it's also taken him out of commission on the farm for a bit. One of the risks self-employed, sustainable farmers take to provide the rest of us with clean food is forgoing any sort of benefits package. So when the hard times hit, sometimes they hit very hard.

That's why we're hoping to raise money to help Farmer Greg keep GreenLeaf Farms. Whether you know Greg personally, have enjoyed his delicious produce, or simply want to make sure that sustainable farmers like him get the help they deserve when they need it most, please consider donating $10 or whatever you can. Join the 80 other supporters on the ChipIn site to donate!

GO GROW!

It’s February, y’all. Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to grow (figuratively) a little bit, perhaps? The old adage that “you are what you eat” has never been more prevalent and there’s never been a better way to grow than by empowering your mind and body. Get back to your roots and check out the 14th Annual Georgia Organics Conference & Expo “GO GROW!” Even if you’re unable to attend this March, you can still support the growth of Georgia’s own by making a donation to the farmer scholarship fund.

And if you can attend, you’re in for a great event, including the keynote speech from world-renowned advocate for organic agriculture and ecological prosperity, Vandana Shiva.

Taking place March 11-12 at Savannah’s International Trade & Convention Center, the two-day Georgia Organics conference is the largest sustainable agriculture event in the southeast.


- Jennifer Maley

Stay Warm + Think Spring

Stay Warm: Local Firewood

Rekindle Peachtree Road Farmers Market memories and support the Market by stoking your fire with locally harvested firewood this winter! With the help of Elliot Smith of Sundog Farm and Dan Latham of Moto Bene Pizza, Dave Lennox of Hope’s Gardens has turned four massive oak trees that fell during the flood of 2009 into some mighty fine firewood. Face cords of locally harvested split oak firewood are now available, delivered and stacked, for $150. To order, call Dave Lennox at 404-367-1440. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Photo by Flickr user sarahheiman

Think Spring: PRFM Now Accepting New Members

The first Market of 2011 is mere months away, with opening day set for April 9. There are still a few spots open for new members! If you’d like to set up shop alongside the Atlanta area’s best farmers, growers, producers, and artists, send in your application by February 28th to be considered for the 2011 season. Please see member information, guidelines and application process on the “Join” page of our website.


- Jennifer Maley

Update: Support YOUR Farmers Markets

We encourage supporters of farmers markets to support the proposed Atlanta Farmers Market zoning ordinance this spring!

TALKING POINTS & FAQs:

• We support Amendment Z-10-30, the zoning code change that will define “farmers market” and expand the zoning rules to allow markets to happen in more places.

• Previously, the zoning code did not have a set of rules that made sense for farmers markets or their role in contributing to a healthy, safe community.

• How is this proposal different than the process currently in place?

Farmers Markets will be able to apply for a single SAP (special administrative permit) per year at a cost of $250 instead of reapplying at cost every 90 days.

It will also allow farmers markets to vend in zoning areas that had not been approved previously, such as schools and church/temple parking lots. The increased flexibility will allow farmers markets to address issues of food deserts and food insecure neighborhoods.

• It is estimated that the total cost to each market per year will be $250 SAP + $66 Fire Safety Permit = $316 annually. For markets larger than 200 people, an off-duty police officer will also be required. Currently, Peachtree Road Farmers Market is the only market of this size and, as such, will incur a total cost of $5,700 annually. There may be a chance to reduce the SAP fee if there is enough public support for reducing it.

What can I do to help now?:

1. Attend your Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) meetings and voice your support. If you aren’t sure what NPU to which you belong or when they meet, please visit: http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/planning/npu_system.aspx
At the bottom of the map is a link to the meeting locations and agendas.

2. Send an email. Questions, comments or ideas on how to improve the legislation? Have your voice heard! Email sustainability@atlantaga.gov to share your thoughts during this process.

3. Get informed. For more information about the new zoning code including a copy of the proposal visit: http://www.georgiaorganics.org/takeaction/advocacy.aspx

What Happens Next?:

NPUs will vote throughout January. The proposed ordinance then goes to the Zoning Review Board in March, and finally to the full City Council this spring. We hope to have your support every step of the way and will keep you updated on when future meetings will be. Please see our current list of NPU meetings here. We hope to have a large showing of support at the Zoning Review Board meeting, which will be in March – the exact time & date is TBA.

Thank you so much for your support of your local food community!

Lauren Carey
Market Manager

Resolve to Support YOUR Farmers Markets TONIGHT!

New Year = New Rules?

Dear Supporters,

Tonight will be the first in a series of meetings that decide the fate of your farmers markets. A new zoning amendment has been drafted with the help of The City of Atlanta Office of Sustainability, Georgia Organics and local Farmers Markets to define “farmers market” and to establish criteria for the success of neighborhood markets. We SUPPORT the proposed amendment. Show your support by attending the Neighborhood Planning Unit meetings for your area and by telling the board that you support the Z-10-030 amendment that would allow legitimate farmers markets to continue to operate.

We need YOU! We are asking for your help to support this new amendment by attending your neighborhood planning unit meetings beginning tonight! Below, please find a list of the meetings, a summary of the amendment, and the full draft of the proposed amendment. Please come and voice your support at the meetings listed below, beginning TONIGHT – signs are encouraged!

Meeting date TONIGHT: 1/4/2011
*TWO LOCATIONS, BELOW*

NPU (Neighborhood Planning Unit) B
Closest Market: Peachtree Road Farmers Market
Meeting details: Cathedral of Christ the King 2699 Peachtree Road, N.E.
7-9pm

NPU C
Closest Market: Peachtree Road & NW Area Farmers Market
Meeting details: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3003 Howell Mill Road
7-9pm

Meeting date: 1/11/2011
NPU L
Closest Market: Westend Farmers Market
Meeting details: Hagar Missionary CMT-19 Joseph E. Lowery
7p-9p

Meeting date: 1/12/2011
NPU T
Closest Market: Westend Farmers Market
Meeting details: Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club-1191 Donnelly Ave.
730p-9p

Meeting date: 1/20/2011
NPU G
Closest Market: NW Area Farmers Market
Meeting details: Zone 1 Precinct-2315 D.L. Hollowell Pkwy., NW
7p-9p

Meeting date: 1/25/2011 *Two locations
NPU J
Closest Market: Westend Farmers Market
Meeting details: Atlanta Job Corp 239 West Lake Drive, NW
7p-9p

NPU O
Closest Market: East Lake Farmers Market
Meeting details: TBD
730p-9p

Meeting date: 1/26/2011
NPU W
Closest Market: East Atl Farmers Market
Meeting details: Martha Brown United Methodist Church.1205 Metropolitan Avenue, S.E.
730p-9p

Farmers’ Market Text Amendment Z-10-30
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES

This text amendment proposes to modify and revise certain provisions of the Zoning Ordinance to:

Create a definition for Farmer’s Markets, producer, farm products, and value-added farm products.

Identify zoning districts where they would be permitted, and
Establish minimum criteria under which such establishments may operate.

Substantive Changes to the Regulations

1) Changes to Chapter 16-29.001of the City of Atlanta Municipal Code:

a) Farmers Markets: a new definition of “farmers’ market” as an outdoor market open to the public selling farm products or value-added farm products. It also defines the following key terms within the farmers’ market definition: producer, farm products, and value-added farm products.

b) SAP revised permit duration: Currently Farmers’ Markets may only receive a Special Administrative Permit (SAP) for 90 days. The revised SAP permitting process will accommodate the full growing season of local. SAPs issued for Farmers’ Markets will be valid for 12 months and require annual renewal.

c) SAP Permit Criteria: Establishment of minimum criteria under which Farmers’ Markets may operate. The criteria include specification of operating procedures, on-site management and operations, parameters for hours of operation, recycling and waste removal.

2) Changes to the Zoning Ordinance to allow farmers’ markets as permitted uses in the following zoning districts:

Residential Limited Commercial (RLC)
Office Institutional (O-I)
Commercial (C-1 through C-5)
Industrial (I-1 and I-2)
Planned Developed Districts (PD-MU, PD-PB and PD-OC )
In the following zoning districts Farmer’s Markets shall be limited to parcels used as churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and other religious worship facilities or schools:
Single Family and Two Family Districts (R-1 through R-5)
Multi-family Districts (RG and MR)
SPI Districts – residential subareas

3) Parking: Establish minimum parking requirements for Farmer’s Markets for on-site and off-site parking arrangements.

Neighborhood Commercial (NC)
Live Work (LW)
Mixed Residential Commercial (MRC)
SPI districts

Other Organizational Changes

Certification: The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability will certify that at least one Producer is qualified to operate at the Farmers’ Market before the Office of Planning may approve an application for a Farmers’ Market special administrative permit.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Questions? Need More Information? Contact…

Mandy Mahoney Enrique Bascuñana

City of Atlanta, Office of Sustainability City of Atlanta, Office of Planning

404-954-8488 or mmahoney@atlantaga.gov 404-330-6296 or ebascunana@atlantaga.gov

Documents available for download at www.atlantaga.gov

Thank You & See You in April!

Dear Market Shoppers,

It has been quite a year! Over 1,720 facebook fans, 120 dogs, 65 vendors, 38 wonderful markets, 36 chef demos, 20 amazing volunteers, 2 Holiday Artist sales, 3 baby goats, a Halloween parade and a Market Mash-Up! We have celebrated being named the Number #1 Farmers Market in Georgia (#4 in the nation), Atlanta's Best Farmers Market by Creative Loafing and, most recently, the Best Farmers Market in Atlanta by Atlanta Magazine!

We have also struggled to be seen by the city of Atlanta for the amazing community that we are. We've worked tirelessly to raise the funds needed to pay for the police officers and new city permit fees. In 2011, we will continue to pay these fees as well as be required to have police officers at the market. We are so grateful to the Zyman Family Foundation for establishing the matching grant and to all of our shoppers who gave to support the market.

Peachtree Road Farmers Market is a special place because of the smiling faces we see each week - farmers, artists, food producers and most importantly YOU. 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 2010 Peachtree Road Farmers Market. We can't wait to see you on April 9 for opening day 2011 as we launch our 5th season.

Sincerely,
Lauren Carey
Market Manager

Final Market of the Season & Holiday Artist Market

This Saturday, Dec. 18
Final Market of the Season &
Holiday Artist Market
Join us inside as we welcome over 25 artists to the market to help you with your holiday shopping; and plan to stock up on all of your farmer and food favorites for the winter!

The Market has moved inside the Cathedral so you can shop in comfort. Reminder: Please leave your dogs at home for our inside Markets…thanks!


- Jennifer Maley

Holidays at the Market

This Saturday
Story Hour @ 9 AM
Twelve Days of Christmas
in Georgia
Susan Spain, the delightful children's book author, and Elizabeth Dulemba, the illustrator, come together for a lively program featuring their colorfully appealing new book, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Georgia. The book is a cheery romp featuring two cousins traveling through the Peach State. Based on the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," it includes fun visits to some of Georgia's best-known sites; with stops like Atlanta’s King Center and a jaunt along the Appalachian Trail. The timing couldn't be more perfect for holiday gift giving. Come get a copy of the book for the kids on your list!


Save the Date: Next Saturday
December 18
Final Market of the Season &
Holiday Artist Market
Join us inside as we welcome over 25 artists to the market to help you with your holiday shopping; and plan to stock up on all of your farmer and food favorites for the winter!

The Market has moved inside the Cathedral so you can shop in comfort. Reminder: Please leave your dogs at home for our inside Markets…thanks!


- Jennifer Maley

Whole Foods Demo

Don’t Miss this Saturday’s Chef Demo with
Sheri Davis of Whole Foods Market – 10:00 am on 12/4
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

Chef Sheri Davis cares about good, whole food. It’s a passion that comes naturally since her inspiration is Mother Nature herself! From 1998 to 2008, Chef Sheri created fine cuisine in a neighborhood-friendly atmosphere at Virginia-Highland’s Dish restaurant, where she also held the role of partner, then sole-proprietor. Her focus on fresh, seasonal and locally grown organic ingredients won her accolades from guests and critics alike; including praise from publications like the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Knife & Fork, Wine Spectator and Bon Appetit.

Chef Sheri is honored to be a part of the Atlanta food community, though she didn’t begin her path anywhere near the sunny South. Her cooking career began in Milwaukee, WI at the James Beard Award-Winning restaurant, Sanford. She then traveled to San Francisco and New York City where she honed her skills at restaurants like Quilted Giraffe and the famed Le Bernadine. Chef Sheri moved to Atlanta when Le Bernadine's Chefs Eric Ripert and Gilbert Le Coze invited her to accept the heralded position of opening Sous Chef for Brassiere Le Coze.

Her Atlanta journey led Chef Sheri to Dish in 1998 where, after 10 years of business, she decided to close her restaurant in 2008 to pursue freelance opportunities and focus on her children. She now caters events small to large and works with Chickin Feed, a company creating products that build healthy eating habits for kids and their families. She also works with Whole Foods Market, appearing on their “Chef Channel” and as a Whole Foods Chef since this April. Join Chef Sheri this Saturday for a taste of winter warmth!

The Market has moved inside the Cathedral so you can shop in comfort. Reminder: Please leave your dogs at home for our inside Markets…thanks!

Save the Date: December 18
Final Market of the Season & Holiday Artist Market
Join us inside as we welcome over 25 artists to the market to help you with your holiday shopping; and plan to stock up on all of your farmer and food favorites for the winter!


- Jennifer Maley