We heart fall.

This week at PRFM…

Pumpkins? We’ve seen them. Breezes? We’ve  felt ‘em. Welcome, fall! We heart you.

Chef Demo with Todd Richards
of The Shed at Glenwood

10:00 a.m. on 9/29
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

They don’t let just anyone cook chicken and waffles with Al Roker on Today. And Chef Todd Richards isn’t just anyone—he’s the real deal, y’all. We’re so glad he returned to the A in 2008, after wowing Louisville as chef de cuisine at the Seelbach Hilton’s Oakroom (Kentucky’s only AAA Five-Diamond restaurant). Back in Atlanta, he’s helped bring us One Flew South, Rolling Bones BBQ, and some mighty fine dining at The Ritz-Carlton (downtown and Buckhead). Named one of “Four New Chefs to Watch in 2012” by Esquire, you can now find Chef Richards creating perfectly balanced bistro-inspired dishes in the kitchen of The Shed at Glenwood. PRFM is proud of his commitment to using naturally raised or grown ingredients and we’re in awe of his culinary talent (he’s also thrown down on Iron Chef America, after all)—so excited to welcome him to our demo tent this Saturday for some full-on fall flavors!

Foodie news you can use…

Field of Greens

The seventh annual festival celebrating local food will be held at Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm (in Covington) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 30. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit www.fieldofgreensfestival.com. Tickets will also be on sale at PRFM this Saturday.

GA Conservancy's ecoBenefête
Tickets on sale at PRFM!
On Thursday, October 11, the Georgia Conservancy is honoring Will Harris of White Oak Pastures at their annual gala, ecoBenefête. Join the Conservancy in celebrating Will for his dedication to advancing organic and sustainable farming! Tickets will be on sale at PRFM this Saturday, September 29. Five percent of the proceeds generated from the sale of memberships, merchandise, and tickets at PRFM will be donated to the market's “Emergency Farmer Fund.” Founded in 1967, the Georgia Conservancy is the state’s oldest environmental organization dedicated to protecting Georgia land and water. For more information, visit georgiaconservancy.org.

Save that Date!

PRFM Fall Harvest Celebration
Friday, October 12: 4:00-7:30 p.m.
Join us for a local beer tasting, food vendors, live music, kids’ activities, artists, pumpkins, and a full farmers market. Check out our poster for more details.

- Jennifer Maley

Almost Fall Y'all

This week at PRFM...

Chef Demo with Drew Belline
of No. 246 – 10:00 a.m. on 9/22
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

You may recall from last year's post about Chef Drew Belline that he's not only a critically lauded chef who's worked with the likes of Charlie Palmer, Tom Colicchio, and team Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison, but he's also got some pretty cool hobbies: fly fishing and foraging for mushrooms. Since last year, when we learned these fun facts about Chef Drew, he's opened Decatur's favorite new hotspot, No. 246, with business partner Ford Fry. Like Fry, Belline is an avid believer in using local products at their peak (he forages for mushrooms, y'all), and hisItalian-inspired menu at246 is a showcase of these ingredients plus a pretty sweet wood-fired oven. You know what else is gonna be pretty sweet? This week's demo, of course.

 

Foodie news you can use…

 

Field of Greens

The seventh annual festival celebrating local food will be held at Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm (in Covington) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 30. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit www.fieldofgreensfestival.com.

 

Save that Date!

PRFM Fall Harvest Celebration

Friday, October 12: 4:00-7:30 p.m.

Join us for a local beer tasting, food vendors, live music, kids’ activities, artists, pumpkins, and a full farmers market. Check out our poster for more details.

 

 

- Jennifer Maley

Save the Date 10/12: Special Harvest Celebration!

Local is Global is Local

This week at PRFM...

Chef Demo with Steven Satterfield
of Miller Union 
10:00 a.m. on 9/15 
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

Mark your calendars, folks, because Steven Satterfield is the jam (and he makes it, too). Check out our homage to Chef Satterfield, and get ready for one delicious demo of muscadine chutney over Heritage Farms chicken on a bed of squash puree and arugula. He is for real, y'all.

Kids Learning Patch

8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Sponsored by The Captain Planet Foundation

Stop by the Kids Learning Patch tent for a family-friendly demo and activity. This week, Recycling is RAD! Kids will use assorted recyclable objects to make their own art that celebrates reducing, reusing, and recycling.

GA Conservancy's ecoBenefête

Tickets on sale at PRFM!

On Thursday, October 11, the Georgia Conservancy is honoring Will Harris of White Oak Pastures at their annual gala, ecoBenefête. Join the Conservancy in celebrating Will for his dedication to advancing organic and sustainable farming! Tickets will be on sale at PRFM this Saturday, September 15 and also on September 29. Five percent of the proceeds generated from the sale of memberships, merchandise, and tickets at PRFM will be donated to the market's “Emergency Farmer Fund.”

Founded in 1967, the Georgia Conservancy is the state’s oldest environmental organization dedicated to protecting Georgia land and water. For more information, visit georgiaconservancy.org.

- Jennifer Maley

Congrats: Cory Mosser of Burge Organic!

PRFM is proud to announce that one of our own farmers, Cory Mosser of Burge Organic Farm, has won the grand prize in the 2012 Farmers Market Inspiration Awards. Congratulations, Cory! Your winning essay is impressive and inspiring—reminding us just how much our market matters to its farmers, vendors, and community of shoppers. Check out Cory’s essay below:

Any Given Saturday

By Cory Mosser of Burge Organic Farm

Do you remember June 30th, 2012? I do.  At our farmers market, it reached a record heat of 106 degrees and even hotter on the blacktop parking lot where we set up. It was the type of weather that farmers love only because we can complain to other farmers about it. There was more than a little trepidation driving into town as sweat rolled down our foreheads before the sun had even made an appearance- not a good sign. Would we (our farms three apprentices, and myself), along with our vegetables, roast into little crispy morsels of despair? Would our customer base ignore us completely for the comfort of an air conditioned box store? Would we all have to go find jobs in said box store the following week?

As it turns out, we had nothing to worry about. We didn’t wither in the heat, we smiled. We were greeted by close to two-thousand market goers (our market can easily top three-thousand on its busiest days), who were excited to buy produce from us and who refused to let a silly little thing like soul-sucking heat keep them away from the food they know and love. By the time the bell rang to signify the end of market, we still had a line and we had sold almost 50 percent more than we did the same day on the year before. As we were cleaning up in our giddy, sleep deprived but socially satiated state, we were reminded again of how much fun selling at market can be. 

I love Saturday. As a kid, Saturdays meant adventure, hiking trips, long days riding bikes or swimming.  As I got older Saturdays mostly meant no work, something I was particularly fond of while working terrible jobs like Hotel Night Auditor, Long-distance Telemarketer, or Foundation Repair Technician. Saturday became like a refuge from the rest of the world. No one was allowed to mess with my day off.  It’s more than a little ironic that, now that I’ve stumbled in to this profession which I absolutely love, the cost of admission is foregoing the traditional weekend.  Every Saturday from mid-March until right before Christmas is dedicated on the calendar. I’ve become accustomed to the off-kilter vibration that comes from going to bed too late after Friday harvest and prep, and getting up WAY too early on market day. I miss weddings, college football, soccer games, and beach trips. I nap like an old man every Saturday afternoon.

The crazy thing is that it’s unequivocally worth it. Rather than a loss, Saturday for me is the big payoff.  It’s our chance after a week of talking to plants to be the center of a conversation. We have a captive audience. We get to be menu planners, stand-up comedians, life coaches and garden councilors.  I get paid not only in dollars, but also in priceless vignettes that unfold every weekend right in front of me. Watching tomatoes I’ve battled into existence over months fly off the shelf. The emotional battery charge of smiling familiar faces. The kids that want to eat raw okra right from your booth.  The knowing glance of a fellow farmer on a slow dog day in August. The other day I received a handwritten note from a market customer that simply said: “My baby’s first solid foods came from your farm, thanks so much for everything you do!”  These moments are worth all the lazy Saturdays in the world.

Selling at Market has created a passion for going a little overboard. Last year, we started bringing a pepper roaster (basically an excuse to safely light things on fire in public), which led to the development of the Pedal Powered Pea Pusher (an old exercise bike converted to fit a pea sheller), which in turn inspired the Solar Powered Market Mister (solar chicken fence charger + spray tank pump + greenhouse misters + cooler full of ice water= happy veggies, customers and farmers). We tried it out on that record-breaking day, and we were able to maintain a “cool” 85 degrees!

We are incredibly fortunate to be a part of one of the best farmers markets in the southeast. I have participated in at least 5 other markets during my farming career, and Peachtree Road Farmers Market outshines them all. We have a great location. Our market manager is vigilant about ensuring that the integrity of the market is upheld.  We have a dynamite staff of volunteers that donate over 150 hours of their time to the market each week. There are weekly chef demos, musical performances, kids’ activities, costume contests, festivals, fundraisers, and films. I’m proud that our farm is part of Wholesome Wave Market, which doubles the value of each EBT/WIC dollar spent. To date, according to market manager Lauren Carey, our market has provided over $7,000 in Whole Wave dollars to help families who have a true need for clean, locally-produced food. Our market also partners with Second Helpings, a local food donation charity. Last year, fellow market vendors donated almost 3 tons of produce and other food items which were distributed to area food banks.

A nice booth and good management are only the baseline for a successful farmers market. The real magic is in the community that supports it. The fashionable knock on producer-only farmers markets is that they are elitist and only reserved for a select few, an argument that is myopic and lazy. During the past few years we’ve noticed a subtle shift in our customer base. A movement that may well have been initiated by well-to-do foodies and cutting-edge hipsters is burgeoning into a diverse and passionate community of local food advocates. We can count among our regular customers- factory workers, public school teachers, teenagers, college students, grandmothers on social security and even a few grade-school kids. What’s more, sales are up this year. We are averaging 20% more on a weekly basis, and we have topped our record day from last year 6 times this year. That type of growth is clear evidence not only that more people are interested in local food, but that whole groups of people are willing to come together over it. It has been nothing short of incredible to witness a community come into full bloom around local food. People come to the market to talk with their neighbors and to make new friends. Families bond over dinner plans. Folks tend to linger and let their kids play or their dogs sniff around. Market goers seem to actively engage with each other in a way that is almost foreign today.  In a world that is plagued by ceaseless distraction, to see people connect without a Wi-Fi signal is a real treat.

As we finished clearing our market space on that inferno day, I noticed there were still 2 families hanging out. A couple of kids with melted popsicle faces were yawning, and the parents were negotiating strollers, dogs, and large baskets of produce. As they parted I heard one of them say “See you guys here next weekend?”  The other shouted across the now empty lot “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

Neither would I.  

 

 

Hunger Action Day

This week at PRFM…

Join us for Hunger Action Day and learn about how we can work together to take action against hunger in our community. The Atlanta Community Food Bank, Second Helpings, and Wholesome Wave GA will all be on site to share, educate, and help you get involved. A few examples of PRFM taking action against hunger: through Second Helpings, market vendors have donated over 7,000 lbs of food to in-need residents; and through Wholesome Wave GA, our market accepts and doubles SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/food stamp) benefits so that $1=$2 to make healthy local food more accessible to all. You won’t want to miss a Saturday morning full of great info as well as live music from Alex Gordon, and a chef demo and cookbook sale/signing with Hugh Acheson!

Chef Demo and Cookbook-signing

with Hugh Acheson

10:00 a.m. on 9/8

Chef Demos are sponsored by

Whole Foods Market

We just can’t say enough about how awesome our local celeb chef Hugh Acheson is. But we sure did try in our post last year, so check out our love letter to Hugh here. Since last year’s demo, he’s racked up a few more accolades: in 2012, he’s received the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast, the Mentor Chef award from StarChefs.com, and the James Beard Award for Best Cookbook in the field of American Cooking for his first cookbook A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen. So, take a turn into the demo tent this Saturday for a little learning, tasting, and cookbook-signing fun. The brow never disappoints, y’all.    

- Jennifer Maley

Demos, Canning, and Bees (Oh, my!)

This week at PRFM…

Stock up on Labor Day favorites like hot dogs and other grillin’ meats, buns, peppers, lettuce, melons, cucumbers, herbs, desserts, and much more!

Chef Demo with Whitney Otawka

of Farm 255 – 10:00 a.m. on 9/1

Chef Demos are sponsored by

Whole Foods Market

You might recognize Chef Whitney Otawka from her recent run on Top Chef Season 9, or from accolades like being named a “2012 Atlanta Rising Star Chef.” If it’s not clear by now, we’re talking about one seriously talented local chef—and this Saturday under our demo tent, you can check out for yourself just how lucky we are to call her one of our own! So, we won’t hold it against Whitney that her culinary journey started across the country, when she was taking French classes at the University of California-Berkeley…she responded to an advertisement for a waitress position at a local French creperie; with no waitressing experience, she was hired instead as one member of a two-person kitchen, and the rest, as they say, is histoire. Whitney continued her training in California restaurants until she moved to Athens (Georgia, y’all) in 2005. She quickly worked her way up to sous chef at Hugh Acheson’s 5&10, then for a while worked simultaneously as chef de partie at Linton Hopkins' Restaurant Eugene. She also took time to stage in several kitchens across New York, including the renowned restaurants Per Se and Le Bernardin, and also traveled to learn from chefs and winemakers across Europe. In 2010, Whitney took a unique opportunity to serve as executive chef at the stunning Greyfield Inn of Cumberland Island. It was from there that she headed to Top Chef, and we’re glad she’s now returned to her southern roots to serve as executive chef of Athens’ Farm 255 (us Atlantans know these fine restaurant folks through Farm Burger). You won’t want to miss this chef demo, where Whitney will show you how to bring new flavors to rustic cuisine, all while using the season’s best ingredients. Super-star, indeed.  

Canning with Martha! 

8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

New this year at PRFM, join us for a series of seasonal canning demos with expert Martha McMillin. Up this week, preserve the last of the summer peaches, tomatoes and more! Who says you can’t enjoy the season’s juicy, yummy produce later in the year? Well, nobody’s going to say it after this demo. Martha has received her certificate from the FDA’s Better Process Control School at UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—so if you’ve been nervous about canning, stop by Martha’s tent and learn all the tips and tricks that will put you at ease and impress your friends!

Also, bees.

Metro ATL Bee Keepers will be on hand with their observation hive, a bee suit for kids to try on, cool equipment, and of course…some (very) local honey to taste!

- Jennifer Maley

Health Class is In

 

Join PRFM this Saturday for Kids' Healthy Eating Day!

We'll have hands-on activities and crafts from Chickin Feed, Atlanta Farm to School, and Whole Foods Market; live music with Alex Gordon; and a chef demo by Restaurant Eugene's Jason Paolini, who'll show how your kids can master the kitchen like pros.

Chef Demo with 

Jason Paolini
of Restaurant Eugene
10:00 a.m. on 8/25
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
If you know (and love) how Chef Linton Hopkins’ Restaurant Eugene is an integral part of Atlanta’s farm-to-table movement, you know just how much care goes into the food and experience there. And you also know that there are good folks behind that good food and fun. Whether you’re in the know or just finding out, you’ll want to spend some time with Executive Sous Chef of both Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House, Jason Paolini. Like Chef Hopkins, Jason’s respect for the art and craft of American cuisine developed early in life, growing up hunting and fishing in Belle Chasse, Louisiana—from then on, he’s known the importance of fresh, quality ingredients. Jason’s wowed folks with his delicious preparations from getting his start in New Orleans’ famed Palace Café to his time working with Gary Mennie at Canoe and Taurus to his stint as opening sous chef at Craft Bar Atlanta. He found his culinary home with Chef Hopkins in 2009, when he became sous chef for Holeman & Finch Public House. Since then, he’s been promoted to Executive Sous Chef there and at Restaurant Eugene, where he and Chef Hopkins create some of this city’s finest American cuisine. You won't want to miss his demo this Saturday, with kid-friendly foods that'll wow 'em!

Dine Around to Support PRFM

Join PRFM and eight other farmers markets as we celebrate Farmers Market Month this August. When you dine with our partner restaurants on the dates and times below, 5% of sales will benefit PRFM. A great way to eat well and do well, we’d say!

August 26: 4th & Swift, Old Fourth Ward (5:30 to 11 p.m.)

August 30: Souper Jenny, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

- Jennifer Maley

Chef Market Tour & Dine Arounds

Chef-led Market Tour this Saturday

Ever wish that a chef would take you on a tour of the market, highlighting all of the lovely finds, and then cook them for you? You're in luck! This week, Chef Thomas McKeown of The Grand Hyatt Buckhead, a regular Peachtree Road Farmers Market shopper, will take you on a tour of the market. After the tour, he'll prepare a special lunch at The Grand Hyatt restaurant showing off the best of PRFM! Meet at the Information Tent at 9:30 a.m. to join the free tour.  A portion of the proceeds from the lunch following the tour will benefit your Peachtree Road Farmers Market.

Dine Around to Support PRFM

Join PRFM and eight other farmers markets as we celebrate Farmers Market Month this August. When you dine with our partner restaurants on the dates and times below, 5% of sales will benefit PRFM. A great way to eat well and do well, we’d say!

August 18: The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. *Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas Mckeown at 9:30 a.m. then head over for lunch!)

August 26: 4th & Swift, Old Fourth Ward (5:30 to 11 p.m.)

August 30: Souper Jenny, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

Healthy Snacks Are Go

This week at PRFM…

Join us for live music from Alex Gordon Hi-Fi; a Whole Foods Buckhead back to school tent with kids’ activities and healthy lunch-box ideas; and new Waste Wagon bins!  

Plus, you won’t want to miss one of our fave chefs to demo…

David Sweeney of The Bakery at Cakes & Ale

10:00 a.m. on 8/11
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 newest role perfectly as Chef of The Bakery at Cakes & Ale. 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 inspired grain bowls at The Bakery, 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.

Foodie news you can (still) use…

Dine Around to Support PRFM

Join PRFM and eight other farmers markets as we celebrate Farmers Market Month this August. When you dine with our partner restaurants on the dates and times below, 5% of sales will benefit PRFM. A great way to eat well and do well, we’d say!

August 10: 5 Seasons Restaurant & Brewery, Westside (dinner specials only)

August 14: Farm Burger, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

August 18: The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. *Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas Mckeown at 9:30 then head over for lunch!)

August 26: 4th & Swift, Old Fourth Ward (5:30 to 11 p.m.)

August 30: Souper Jenny, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

- Jennifer Maley

Southern Summer

This week at PRFM…

Join us for live music from Clark Brown, and pick up some of this season’s newest produce: eggplant, peppers, okra, and beans!     

Chef Demo with Jenn Robbins 
of Avalon Catering
10:00 a.m. on 8/4
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
Chef Jenn Robbins was born and raised in Atlanta where she grew up active and hungry for tasty food! Her culinary interests led her to “the other South” when she enrolled in the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin. Her first professional kitchen work? With none other than Texas legend Kent Rathbun at Jasper’s Austin (y’all might be familiar with our own legendary Rathbun brother, Kevin). Speaking of Kevin…when Jenn moved back home to Atlanta, she joined the kitchen of Kevin Rathbun Steak, where she worked until deciding to follow her foodie passion to the world of catering. Now with Avalon Catering under Chef Cathy Conway, Jenn develops personalized menus and experiences for their clients. Jenn’s considerable talents combined with her love of using high quality local ingredients makes this chef one to watch—so come on over this Saturday and do just that!

Foodie news you can use…

Dine Around to Support PRFM

Join PRFM and eight other farmers markets as we celebrate Farmers Market Month this August. When you dine with our partner restaurants on the dates and times below, 5% of sales will benefit PRFM. A great way to eat well and do well, we’d say!

August 10: 5 Seasons Restaurant & Brewery, Westside (dinner specials only)

August 14: Farm Burger, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

August 18: The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) *Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas McKeown at 9:30 then head over for lunch!

August 26: 4th & Swift, Old Fourth Ward (5:30 to 11 p.m.)

August 30: Souper Jenny, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

- Jennifer Maley

Culinary Arts

This week at PRFM…

Chef Demo & Cookbook Signing

with Rebecca Lang 
10:00 a.m. on 7/28

Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

You won’t want to miss acclaimed cookbook author and food writer Rebecca Lang! Here’s why. She’s got the chops—Rebecca is a former apprentice of Southern food goddess Nathalie Dupree and holds a culinary arts degree from Johnson and Wales University. She’s got the props—her published cookbooks include Quick-Fix Southern (2011), Southern Entertaining for a New Generation (2004), and Mary Mac’s Tea Room (2005); she’s also a contributing editor for Southern Living and her writing and food styling have been featured both locally and nationally. She’s got the peeps—Rebecca has served on the board for the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, and is a member of The International Association of Culinary Professionals, The Southern Foodways Alliance, the James Beard Foundation, and Georgia Organics. Last, but certainly not least, she’s got some killer ingredients to work with: sweet corn and tomatoes. Y’all come.

Kids Learning Patch

8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Sponsored by The Captain Planet Foundation

Stop by the Kids Learning Patch tent for a family-friendly demo & activity! This week, it’s “Veggie Prints,” where kids will use vegetables and paint to make “culinary art.”

Foodie news you can use…

Dine Around to Support PRFM

Join PRFM and eight other farmers markets as we celebrate Farmers Market Month this August. When you dine with our partner restaurants on the dates and times below, 5% of sales will benefit PRFM. A great way to eat well and do well, we’d say!

August 10: 5 Seasons Restaurant & Brewery, Westside (dinner specials only)

August 14: Farm Burger, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

August 18: The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) *Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas McKeown at 9:30 then head over for lunch!

August 26: 4th & Swift, Old Fourth Ward (5:30 to 11 p.m.)

August 30: Souper Jenny, Buckhead (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

- Jennifer Maley

Farmers Market Dine Arounds

9 ATLANTA FARMERS MARKETS TEAM UP 

TO CELEBRATE LOCAL FOOD IN ‘DINE-AROUNDS’

Dining events to be held exclusively at area restaurants
that support Georgia farmers

In August, nine community famers markets will join forces to celebrate Atlanta Farmers Market month through a series of dine-around events in Atlanta. Events will take place at establishments that support Georgia-gown farmers and produce.

Local farmers market managers have joined forces to support local farmers and markets in honor of August Farmers Market Month.  The Farmers Market Managers Working Group (FMMWG) was formed for managers to serve as a resource for each other, with the principle goal of getting more people to look to their local farmers as a primary food source and their community farmers markets as the place to purchase. With so much of the food in stores coming from all over the world, it can be very confusing for shoppers to figure out when and where to buy Georgia grown, farm fresh goods.  Farmers market managers who work directly with local farmers are excited to help more people say, “I know my Farmer”.

Participating Farmers Markets & Dine-Around details are as follows:

o  Clarkston Farmers Market

*  August 3, 5:30 - 7:30 at Clarkston Community Center (Vendors include Tamale Queen, Katmandu Kitchen, Nazifa's Bakery & CaribPops)

o  Decatur Farmers Market

*  August 14, 11am-10pm at Farm Burger, Decatur

o  East Atlanta Village Farmers Market & Grant Park Farmers Market

*  August 06,Dinnerat Urban Cannibals, East Atlanta

*  August 07, All Day at Grant Central East, East Atlanta

*  August 8, All Day at Dakota Blue, Grant Park 

*  August 13, All Day at Tomatillos, East Atlanta

*  August 19, 4-9pm at The Shed at Glenwood

*  August 20, Dinner at Urban Cannibals, East Atlanta

*  August 28, All Day at The Porter, Little Five Points

o  East Lake Farmers Market

*  August 22, 5-10pm at Wahoo! Grill, Decatur

o  Morningside Farmers Market

*  August 1, Dinner at  Rosebud Restaurant, Morningside

*  August 19 , Dinner at Cakes & Ale Restaurant, Decatur

o  Peachtree Road Farmers Market

*  August 10, Dinner Specials Only at 5 Seasons Westside, Westside

*  August 14, 11am-10pm at Farm Burger Buckhead, Buckhead

*  August 18, 6:30am -2pm The Grand Hyatt, Buckhead (Tour the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with Chef Thomas Mckeown at 9:30 then head over for lunch!)

*  August 26, 5:30-11pm at  4th & Swift Restaurant, Old Fourth Ward

*  August 30, 11am- 10pm at Souper Jenny, Buckhead

o  TrulyLiving Well

*  August 03, 5-7pm, Feed Store, Atlanta

o  Tucker Farmers Market

*  August 13, Dinner at Enzo's Pizzeria, Tucker

*  August 16, All Day at Old Tucker Fountain, Tucker

*  August 21, All Day at Roly Poly, Tucker 

*  August 22, Dinner & Food only at Local 7, Tucker

“Now more than ever, our consumption must be community-based; not commodity-based.  A sustainable local food system is critical to the future of Georgia's health, environment, and economy- a fact imperative not only when shopping for groceries, but also when dining out. We applaud restaurants that support Georgia’s hard-working farmers each and every single day.” –Alice Rolls, Executive Director of Georgia Organics

“We pride ourselves on offering our customers locally-sourced food from Georgia farmers. Our dedication to local food is a win-win for every person who walks into a Farm Burger- they get to enjoy fresh produce that is in-season and we get to make a direct impact on the local economy.” –George Frangos, owner Farm Burger.

“As the state’s largest producer-only farmers market, we have a deep-seeded appreciation for restaurants that recognize the value of creating menus around local produce. Their commitment to fostering community by shopping local is a testament not only to their values, but is also a response to the growing awareness of their customers.” –Lauren Carey, Director of Peachtree Road Farmers Market.

Red Hot Summer

This week at PRFM…

Chef Demo with Ford Fry
of JCT. Kitchen and Bar 
10:00 a.m. on 7/21

Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

Check out just how amazing we think Ford Fry is here. What’s new since then? Oh, not much…just his opening of Decatur’s new fave restaurant, No. 246. Oh, and another opening on the Westside—The Optimist, maybe you’ve heard of it? Also, a partnership with the fabulous Taria Camerino (Sugar-Coated Radical) and rumors of a new Buckhead spot in the works. Right now, whether you’re looking for Southern farmstead, seasonally-inspired Italian, or the freshest seafood ITP, Chef Fry’s got you covered. And, as you’ll see below, he’s gearing up for another killer Tomato Fest. Suffice it to say, you won’t want to miss this week’s demo, y’all.

Foodie news you can use…

Get ‘em while they’re hot! Tickets are on sale now for this Sunday's Fourth Annual Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival at JCT. Kitchen! For the drool-worthy details, check out their swanky website at www.jctkitchen.com/tomatofest. Tickets are $70 per person and benefit Georgia Organics. Buy ‘em here before they sell out!

We’re cheesy and we know it. Take a look at our recent shout-out on Atlanta Magazine’s blog to read all about the incredible cheeses now on offer at your Peachtree Road Farmers Market!

- Jennifer Maley

Savor the Season

This week at PRFM…

Chef Demo with Thomas McKeown
of Grand Hyatt Atlanta 
10:00 a.m. on 7/14

Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

If you ever joined Chef Thomas McKeown on one of his farmers market tours at PRFM, you know just how passionate he is about local foods. You also know that he’s a pretty smart, fun, and talented guy. What can we say? He makes an impressive impression. You’ll want to stop by the demo tent and check out how this European born and trained chef creates delicious dishes out of the sustainable ingredients indigenous to the South. Chef McKeown highlights local and organic as the executive chef at Grand Hyatt Atlanta’s Cassis restaurant and oversees all of the hotel’s weddings, social gatherings, and corporate shindigs. He’s also a member of Hyatt’s Sustainable and Responsible eating team—yes, that is a thing, and yes, it is very cool. What else is cool, you might ask? Local goat cheese mousse, Georgia organic heirloom tomato jam, and crisp crostini with olive oil. See how it’s made and try a tasty sample this Saturday! P.S. Chef demo recipes can be found here, updated after each PRFM demo.

Canning with Martha!  
Tomatoes and Peaches

8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

New this year at PRFM, join us for a series of seasonal canning demos with expert Martha McMillin. Up this week, learn how to can tomatoes and peach preserves. Who says you can’t enjoy the season’s juicy, yummy produce later in the year? Well, nobody’s going to say it after this demo! Martha has received her certificate from the FDA’s Better Process Control School at UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—so if you’ve been nervous about canning, stop by Martha’s tent and learn all the tips and tricks that will put you at ease and impress your friends!

- Jennifer Maley

All in the (Food) Family

Photo by Our Labor of Love

Chef Demo with Jeb Aldrich
of 4th & Swift – 10:00 a.m. On 7/7
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

Like father, like son?  If we're talking about two of our city's best chefs' talents for dishing up some mighty fine, market-driven food...then, yes. Not only is chef Jeb Aldrich the chef de cuisine at 4th & Swift, he's the son of its executive chef and owner Jay Swift. And though cooking might be in the blood, Jeb's also got sweat (we can't speak to the tears) in the game: classically trained at Johnson & Wales, stints at Rainwater (with chef Swift) as well as Canoe and the much-lauded Joël, and work in Austria and Italy. Three years ago, after honing his skills in these prestigious kitchens, he joined his dad at 4th & Swift to create seasonal menus from the highest quality ingredients. Stop by the demo tent this Saturday to enjoy chef Jeb's deliciously refreshing tomato melon gazpacho!

Also this week...
Attention, market shoppers: turn your greens into some green! Just buy seven different veggies at the market and not only will you have made good healthy choices, you'll also be entered to win a $20 gift card to PRFM! Stop by the info tent and show us your seven to enter.

- Jennifer Maley



 

Hot Dog!

Ok, let’s get real…It’s gonna be hot from here to the Fourth. So how about we think on some things that are both hot and enjoyable—hint: one of them fits in a bun and is a pretty delicious Fourth of July cookout item. Don’t forget to pick up your hot dogs and other grillin’ meats along with buns, veggies, fruits, and desserts that are sure to make your holiday get-together the coolest place on the block.  

Chef Demo with Jared Lee Pyles
of HD1 – 10:00 a.m. On 6/30
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
You won't want to miss this Saturday's demo with our own PRFM “Iron Chef” winner Jared Lee Pyles of Richard Blais' haute doggery HD1. Chef Pyles first earned his kitchen stripes at restaurants in Auburn, Alabama: in the front of the house, as a pizza maker, and at the state's only microbrewery. He then enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta, but before his classes even began, Pyles was noticed by chef Mike Isabella who asked him to apply for a position at Pano I. Karatassos' much-lauded Kyma. Pyles went on to work with chefs Michael Tuohy and Kevin Gillespie at Woodfire Grill, where he learned the art of whole animal butchery and charcuterie. His culinary path then met up with that of “Top Chef” Richard Blais, first at Home and later at FLIP burger boutique. As a chef at FLIP, Pyles' inventive outlook landed him the opportunity to conceptualize HD1’s menu with Blais. Serving as executive chef there, Pyles continues to think outside the proverbial box when it comes to exciting diners with his thoughtful twists on favorite dishes. Stop by the demo tent and catch a little of that excitement, y'all.

Also this week...
Attention, market shoppers: turn your greens into some green! Just buy seven different veggies at the market and not only will you have made good healthy choices, you'll also be entered to win a $20 gift card to PRFM! Stop by the info tent and show us your seven to enter.

Ice Cream Social Winners 
The results are in from last week's
Slow Food Atlanta Ice Cream Social!
Best Overall: Jenni Etchison from Pricci - Zabaione Gelato with Strawberry Rhubarb Marmalade
Most Seasonal: Ron Eyester from Rosebud - Corn Pop Ice Cream
Most Unique: Pam Moxley from Miller Union - Fennel with Candied Orange and Peach Compote


- Jennifer Maley

Fennel: A Veggie with Flair

Whether you're leaving the market with bags full of your local favorites or picking up a CSA subscription, there's no mistaking when you've scored some fennel. With its pluming fronds and distinctive, anise scent fennel is a diva of the vegetable world - and rightly so! Popular in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, fennel belongs to the Umbellifereae family alongside parsley, carrots, dill and coriander.

Fennel has a rich history reaching as far back as 500 BC and was a prominent vegetable since early Grecian times. In fact, called "marathon" by the Greeks, the Battle of Marathon between the Greeks and the Persians was so named because it was fought on a field of fennel! It was valued for its healing properties and even hung in homes throughout the Middle Ages to ward off bad spirits.

A powerhouse in the health department, fennel not only boasts a fair amount of vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium, it also contains valuable phytonutrients and flavonoids, giving it strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. It has also been used historically to sooth the stomach, maintain healthy eyesight and treat high blood pressure.

When choosing your fennel, look for firm, white bulbs without signs of splitting and a pleasant, licorice-like smell. Fresh fennel can be stored in the refrigerator crisper for up to 5 days, but has the most flavor when consumed as fresh as possible. With exciting recipes like these, we're sure you'll have no problem doing that:

1.  Add thin raw slices of the bulb to your coleslaw, chicken salad or tuna salad

2.  Top deviled eggs and other apps with a bit of green frond

3.  Caramelize thin slices of the bulb and add it to any sandwich or salad

4.  Try this recipe for Buttermilk‐Marinated Fennel with Citrus, Peppers, and Olive Oil Fried Croutons from Chef EJ Hodgkinson of Woodfire Grill 

- Kimmy Coburn

Atlanta Magazine Names PRFM #1!

We're excited to post that Atlanta Magazine has named your Peachtree Road Farmers Market number one in the metro. Thanks to Deborah Geering for the shout-out and to you, our shoppers and vendors, for making the market shine!

To read the full article, click on the two images below:

- Jennifer Maley

I Scream, You Scream

This week at PRFM… 

We all scream for good food! Oh, and ice cream—naturally.

Slow Food Atlanta Ice Cream Social
June 23 from 12:30–2:00 p.m.
Garden of St. Philip’s Cathedral
Proceeds benefit the Atlanta Chapter of Slow Food International and your Peachtree Road Farmers Market.
Buy your tickets now to taste the best frozen treats from Atlanta’s renowned local chefs and ambitious amateurs participating in the Sixth Annual Slow Food Ice Cream Social fundraiser! The event features over 25 delicious homemade ice cream and sorbet flavors made from fresh ingredients, and is a sell-out every year. Participants include chefs from 5 & 10, Bocado, Davio's, Kyma, Livingston, Local Three, Market, Miller Union, Murphy's, No. 246, Red Queen Tarts, Rosebud, Sotto Sotto/Fritti, Southern Art, Spice Market, The Hungry Peach, The Spence, Watershed, plus our awesome amateurs! Tickets, which include a taste of each flavor and a ballot to vote on your fave, are $15 for adults, $5 for children ages six to 10, and free for children five and under. Tickets can be purchased online here.  
FREE SAMPLE: Check out our post about the fourth annual Ice Cream Social to enjoy the sounds of sweetness (as recorded by WABE).

Chef Demo with Ron Eyester
of Rosebud – 10:00 a.m. on 6/23

Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market

Before you enjoy all that delicious, delicious ice cream, don’t forget to stop by the chef demo and lay down a layer of the savory stuff. Hint: it is also delicious, courtesy of Chef Ron Eyester. Last year, we loved Chef Ron’s unique take on what it means to eat local, and we know from experience that he makes preparing the season’s best a whole lot of fun. Ask him about cooking at the James Beard house recently or about his upcoming Allman Brothers-inspired “Eat a Peach” dinner. Or maybe ask about brunch for supper. Just don’t you worry—“The Angry Chef” is really one of the nicest guys you’ll meet.

Kids Learning Patch 

8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Sponsored by The Captain Planet Foundation

Stop by the Kids Learning Patch tent for a family-friendly demo & activity! This week, it’s “Bring on the Birds,” where kids will create their own pinecone bird feeders and learn how important birds are as pollinators and part of our ecosystem.

- Jennifer Maley