Monday, October 26, 2009

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. OCTOBER HOURS ARE FROM 9:00 A.M. TO NOON! Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!

Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, October 31, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, assortment of peppers, gourds, lettuce, potatoes, pumpkins and mini pumpkins, pork, a variety of winter squashes such as acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, sorghum, hydroponic tomatoes, plants decorative corn, holly seedlings
From the Kitchen: bagels, brownies, cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade, muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, flavored popcorn, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, hot spiced tea, yeast breads, hot chocolate
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, furniture pieces, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, squirrel feeders, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
You can all sleep in an extra hour during the month of October before heading to the farmers market. Due to the later sunrise, we’ll be open from 9 a.m. to noon throughout the month of October. This Saturday will be our last farmers market for the 2009 season. Bring the kids in costume for trick-or-treating at our Boo Parade with our friendly vendors and volunteers. There will be horse and buggy rides with Brack, Linda and Luke, the horse. Mary Lou Beckett, our favorite Master Gardener will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and to test your garden soil for free! Bring 2 cups of soil in a container for her to test.)
After the farmers market, go home and take and nap. Then come back to enjoy the Town of Orleans "Halloween on the Square" from 6 to 8 p.m. Safe Trunk or Treat activities etc., some of the Orleans merchants will be open and treating youngsters. Have your little ones picture made with the Great Pumpkin at Orleans Antiques on the corner downtown.

2009 ORANGE COUNTY HOMEGROWN HOLIDAY MARKET:
Mark your calendars for your holiday shopping! The Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market is set for Saturday, November 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium and cafeteria. Our vendors are already busy preparing wonderful gifts for you to buy this season!

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
Thirty-eight vendors came to the farmers market bundled up in their warmest. It drizzled just long enough to get some things a bit damp, but just as our beloved jammers warmed up their fingers enough to sing “You Are My Sunshine” the sun made an appearance and the day turned out to be lovely. Visitors from California and Florida signed our guest book. There were seven participants in our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow Contest. Suzanne Catrett won first place with her Esmeralda the Witch scarecrow, Arthur Baird won second place and Madison Moon won third place. All of the participants received a coupon for the farmers market and the winners won a $15, $10, and $5 gift certificate (respectively) that could be spent at the farmers market or at this season’s Holiday Market on November 14th. The contest “judges” were all of the visitors, volunteers and vendors. Many thanks to all who cast their ballots.

FEATURED VENDOR:
This week we’re featuring Ginger East. She sells soaps, lotions, salves, bath salts, herbal preparations, and wonderful herbal vinegars. If you are visiting her booth when the timer rings, you’ll get a coupon!

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. This Tuesday will be the last Valley Farmers Market for the 2009 season. On October 27th at the Valley Farmers Market, Mary Lou Beckett, our favorite Master Gardener will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and to test your garden soil for free! Bring 2 cups of soil in a container for her to test.) You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST:
Forestry Field Day October 30, 2009 from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Dubois County Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee, Dubois County SWCD, and the Indiana Forest and Woodland Owners Association This field day is part of the IFWOA annual meeting, but can be attended separately.
Meet at Jasper Inn (Jasper, Indiana), then travel to Jasper Desk for a tour of the plant. Then travel to the Mike Braun family farm north of Jasper for lunch, followed by a walking tour of the Braun farm. Stops will include planting in forested areas, invasive species, woodland openings, wildlife management and bird habitats and bird watching, etc. Pre-registration is required and is $30/family or $15/person. Contact Liz Jackson at (765)583-3501, or Dubois County SWCD at (812)482-1171 Ex. 3. Also, check the IFWOA website at www.ifwoa.org for information on the Saturday (31st) program.
Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market will be on Saturday, November 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium & cafeteria. Plan to get most of your holiday shopping done at this year's holiday market!

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Monday, October 19, 2009

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. OCTOBER HOURS ARE FROM 9:00 A.M. TO NOON! Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!

Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, October 24, 2009:
From the Farm: assortment of peppers, gourds, potatoes, pumpkins and mini pumpkins, a variety of winter squashes such as acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, sorghum, turnips, plants decorative corn, holly seedlings
From the Kitchen: bagels, brownies, cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade, muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, flavored popcorn, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, hot spiced tea, yeast breads, hot chocolate
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, furniture pieces, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, squirrel feeders, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
You can all sleep in an extra hour during the month of October before heading to the farmers market. Due to the later sunrise, we’ll be open from 9 a.m. to noon throughout the month of October. It’s your last chance to Make-Your-Own Scarecrow! Bring old clothes and we’ll provide the straw and twine. Have your scarecrow made by 10:00 for our Scarecrow Contest. Everyone (visitors, vendors, volunteers and jammers) at the farmers market gets one vote. From the Host Tent we’ll hand out tickets to everyone to use as their “ballot.” Cast your ballot by 11:00. “Ballots” will be counted by our volunteers and the winners will be announced. Bring your camera too for some great photo opportunities. Read below for the details. And as always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music!
SCARECROW CONTEST DETAILS! Each Saturday through October 24th, we’ve had our free Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area set up with straw, twine and scissors. To make a scarecrow, all you need to do is bring some old clothes to stuff your scarecrow with. We’ll have local pumpkins available to buy too if you wish to have a head for your scarecrow. On October 24th, make a scarecrow at the Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. or bring the scarecrow that you made earlier back to the Market. We’ll have a place set up to display all the scarecrows. Next to each scarecrow, we’ll place an empty mason jar. From the Host Tent, we’ll give everyone one ticket each to use for voting. We’ll all get to look over the scarecrows and drop in our ticket to cast our vote for our favorite. Voting will begin at 10:00 and end at 11:00. There will be prizes for the winners.

2009 ORANGE COUNTY HOMEGROWN HOLIDAY MARKET:
Mark your calendars for your holiday shopping! The Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market is set for Saturday, November 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium and cafeteria. Our vendors are already busy preparing wonderful gifts for you to buy this season!

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
Okay, so it was a bit cold out this past Saturday, but if you got some free coffee or some delicious hot chocolate (with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles) and stayed in the sunshine, it was quite wonderful at the farmers market. People are already talking about how they’re going to miss their Saturday farmers market fix, but we still have two more Saturdays to go before we take our long winter’s nap. We welcomed 32 vendors this past weekend. We counted 68 visitors at 10 a.m. and 80 visitors at 11 a.m. We had some Californians who braved the cold temps to sign our guest book at the Host Tent. One Amish vendor sold the last of the sweet corn including one dozen ears to yours truly. If you haven’t bought a pumpkin or some winter squashes yet, there’s still plenty more. There were scarecrow makers busy getting ready for the contest. We think there’s going to be some stiff competition this year! Once our beloved jammers fingers thawed up a bit, they played away!

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. On October 27th at the Valley Farmers Market, Mary Lou Beckett, our favorite Master Gardener will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and to test your garden soil for free! Bring 2 cups of soil in a container for her to test.) You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST:
Fun in the Forest Field Day is October 24, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM This is a family event featuring many hands on and educational activities for kids and adults including game calling, orienteering, information on invasive species, use of a bucksaw, scavenger hunts, tree cookies, etc. Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee Pre-registration is requested. Contact White River RC&D (812)883-3006 Ext. 5.
Lost River Market & Deli's 2nd Anniversary Harvest Open House Saturday, October 24th Huge Sales and Free Samples All Day Long! Member Appreciation Day Same Day Open House: 12pm-2pm: Troubadours of Divine Bliss & Grease Gravy Band Grill out with Fischer/Hall Farms Brats Meet Kenny from Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese - free cheese samples Craft Beer Tasting Tent with Cavalier Distributing
A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Sunday, October 25 at 1 p.m. Alex Stewart and resort officials will be on hand to talk about the design and the resort's commitment to offering quality trails. Since the buffalo first discovered the area, it’s only fitting that French Lick Resort’s new mountain biking trail be named Buffalo Trace. A five- mile single track loop, opening October 3, is just the beginning of a trail system being developed on the resort’s 3000 acres. Designed by trail builder and designer Alex Stewart from Spectrum Trail Designs, the user-friendly trail takes full advantage of features including rock outcroppings, whet stone quarries and caves.
Forestry Field Day October 30, 2009 from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Dubois County Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee, Dubois County SWCD, and the Indiana Forest and Woodland Owners Association This field day is part of the IFWOA annual meeting, but can be attended separately.
Meet at Jasper Inn (Jasper, Indiana), then travel to Jasper Desk for a tour of the plant. Then travel to the Mike Braun family farm north of Jasper for lunch, followed by a walking tour of the Braun farm. Stops will include planting in forested areas, invasive species, woodland openings, wildlife management and bird habitats and bird watching, etc. Pre-registration is required and is $30/family or $15/person. Contact Liz Jackson at (765)583-3501, or Dubois County SWCD at (812)482-1171 Ex. 3. Also, check the IFWOA website at http://www.ifwoa.org/ for information on the Saturday (31st) program.
Boo Parade on October 31st, the last day of the 2009 season at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans) from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring the kids in costume for trick-or-treating with our friendly vendors and volunteers. Horse and Buggy Rides with Brack, Linda and Luke, the horse. Mary Lou Beckett, our favorite Master Gardener will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and to test your garden soil for free! Bring 2 cups of soil in a container for her to test.)
"Halloween on the Square" October 31st from 6 to 8 p.m. Safe Trunk or Treat activities etc., some of the Orleans merchants will be open and treating youngsters. Have your little ones picture made with the Great Pumpkin at Orleans Antiques on the corner downtown. The Orleans Kiwanis will host their annual Halloween Party on the 31st starting at 5 p.m.
Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market will be on Saturday, November 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium & cafeteria. Plan to get most of your holiday shopping done at this year's holiday market!

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Sunday, October 11, 2009

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. OCTOBER HOURS ARE FROM 9:00 A.M. TO NOON! Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!

Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, October 17, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, assortment of peppers, gourds, maize, onions, potatoes, pumpkins and mini pumpkins, a variety of winter squashes such as acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, green tomatoes, sorghum, turnips, plants decorative corn
From the Kitchen: bagels, brownies, cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade, muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, flavored popcorn, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, hot spiced tea, yeast breads, hot chocolate
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, squirrel feeders, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
You can all sleep in an extra hour during the month of October before heading to the farmers market. Due to the later sunrise, we’ll be open from 9 a.m. to noon throughout the month of October. We’ll also have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area all ready with straw and twine for you and your family to make this year’s scarecrow for your home. Just bring some old clothes to stuff him with. There’ll be lots of locally grown pumpkins available for his head. We’ll have the Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area available each Saturday through October 24th when we’ll have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow Contest. So use that imagination you have to create a great scarecrow this year! And as always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music!

OUR VENDORS OF THE WEEK:
Lost River Market & Deli will be our featured vendor this week. Lost River Market & Deli is celebrating its second birthday in October. As part of the month-long celebration it is hosting a Harvest Dinner Fundraiser on Sunday, October 25 at Paoli Peaks. (Details of this fun event are listed below.) Many of our farmers market vendors sell their produce and other products at this community-owned grocery store. If you are visiting their booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

2009 ORANGE COUNTY HOMEGROWN HOLIDAY MARKET:
Mark your calendars for your holiday shopping! The Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market is set for Saturday, November 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium and cafeteria.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
With worries about the heavy rains in the days just before this weekend, we all awoke Saturday to one of those clear crisp fall days that we all love. Congress Square Park was the best place in the world to be this past Saturday. Not only was our farmers market busy with 53 vendors and loads of visitors, but the Town of Orleans hosted a fabulously successful Fall Fun Fest. At 9 a.m., just the farmers market part of the park had 173 visitors and then at 10 a.m. 259 visitors. There were just too many people for us to count on the Fall Fun Fest part of the park! One of our favorite sights of the morning was the Pet Parade passing by the Host Tent. Every time we looked up, we’d also see Luke the horse pulling Brack and a buggy load of visitors around the town. Music lovers who sat on some of the straw bales enjoyed the music provided by our beloved jammers while others used the straw to make their own scarecrows.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET:
Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC AND SENIOR FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the ORANGE COUNTY RECYCLING CO-OP truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and SENIOR FARMERS MARKET NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST:
• Lost River Market & Deli is celebrating its second birthday in October. As part of the month-long celebration it is hosting a Harvest Dinner Fundraiser on Sunday, October 25 at Paoli Peaks. An afternoon of free family fun is planned with family activities scheduled from 4-6pm in the front room. Dinner will be served from 6-7:30 p.m. and dancing with dance lessons will be held from 7-9 p.m. Tickets for dinner are $15.00 for adults with children under 12 free. Tickets for dinner and dancing are $20 for adults with children under 12 free. Family Fun activities will include pumpkin carving, Food Pyramid Bingo, face painting, and outdoor lawn activities (weather permitting). For adults a euchre tournament is being organized. Throughout the afternoon everyone will have a chance to bid on items during the Fusion Auction and occasional live auctions. Items to be auctioned are still welcome. Dinner will include chili and soups cornbread and coleslaw. Everyone is invited to bring something to share in the dessert pitch in. Coffee, iced tea and water provided. A cash bar is provided by Paoli Peaks. All proceeds benefit Lost River market & Deli and will go toward meeting the Harvesting Funds for the Future goal of $40,000. Tickets are available at the Lost River Market & Deli. Patron tables are available for strong supporters of the Co-op who want to attend the dinner and provide additional funding towards the Harvesting Funds for the Future goal. A Patron Table with six seats is available for $150. We thank Paoli Peaks for being a generous partner in this event and encourage everyone to plan to attend the Paoli Peaks Open House on Sunday, November 8. For more information on the Harvest Dinner Fundraiser contact Lost River Market & Deli at 812-723-3735.
• Fun in the Forest Field Day October 24, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM This is a family event featuring many hands on and educational activities for kids and adults including wild game calling, orienteering, information on invasive species, use of a bucksaw, scavenger hunts, tree cookies, etc. Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee Pre-registration is requested. Contact White River RC&D (812) 883-3006 Ext. 5.

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Sunday, October 04, 2009

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market

The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. OCTOBER HOURS ARE FROM 9:00 A.M. TO NOON! Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, October 10, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, cabbage, corn, assortment of peppers, gourds, onions, pears, potatoes, pumpkins and mini pumpkins, radishes, a variety of winter squashes such as acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoes (yellow and white), sorghum, turnips, watermelon, plants decorative corn, animal bedding, plant starts
From the Kitchen: bagels, brownies, cake, candy apples, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade, muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, flavored popcorn, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, hot spiced tea, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, squirrel feeders, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
You can all sleep in an extra hour during the month of October before heading to the farmers market. Due to the later sunrise, we’ll be open from 9 a.m. to noon throughout the month of October. At 10 a.m., the wonderful chefs from the French Lick Springs Resort Hotel will return for another Farm to Fork Demonstration where they’ll take fresh fall produce purchased that morning at our farmers market and cook up something yummy for all of us to taste. We’ll also have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area all ready with straw and twine for you and your family to make this year’s scarecrow for your home. Just bring some old clothes to stuff him with. There’ll be lots of locally grown pumpkins available for his head. We’ll have the Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area available each Saturday through October 24th when we’ll have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow Contest. So use that imagination you have to create a great scarecrow this year! Brack and Linda will offer Horse & Buggy Rides with Duke, our favorite farmers market horse. And as always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music! But wait! You’re in luck! Not only do we have fun family events at the farmers market, but it’s also the Town of Orleans Fall Fun Fest. Here’s a list of the events planned for the day: 6:30 to 9 a.m. Pancake Breakfast @ American Legion Home; Tri-County Machinery & Antique Tractor Display; Dunn Memorial Health Express Rock Climbing Wall; OC Humane Society’s “Smooch the Pooch"; Pet Costume Parade; Tri Kappa Harvest Corner- Caramel Apples, Apple Cider, Caramel Corn, Face Painting, Puppet Show; Dunn Memorial Health Walk; Meet WTTV 4’s “Cowboy Bob”; Food served by the OC Cattlemen’s Assoc. Steak Sandwiches, drinks & more; Indiana Bulldog Baseball Fundraiser Creek Bank potatoes, snow cones, popcorn, etc.; Classic Car, Truck, Motorcycle Show; Corn Hole Tourney; Mum Sale; Tri Kappa Pie Eating Contest; Chili Cook-off; Lunchtime Concert in the Park and Music in the Park Concerts; Historical Downtown Walking Tour; “Rusted River” Free Concert in the Park

OUR VENDORS OF THE WEEK: Our featured vendors this week include Julie Mc Dill, of Two Be Weavers, who sells knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs which includes free jump start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects plus knitted items for those chilly autumn nights and Judy Thompson, who sells lovely handcrafted wooden crochet needles and shawl pins. If you are visiting their booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

2009 ORANGE COUNTY HOMEGROWN HOLIDAY MARKET:
Mark your calendars for your holiday shopping! The Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market is set for Saturday, November 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium and cafeteria.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
The hot coffee donated by our good neighbor Maple Street Restaurant was certainly appreciated this morning at the farmers market. It was quite chilly as we all set up even though we started an hour later. We looked quite full with 61 vendors in attendance and with our customer count still hovering above 100 visitors each hour. Janet’s last yoga class for the season enjoyed the sunny morning while doing their poses. People of all ages came to make their own scarecrows and we spoke to many more who plan to take advantage of this fun fall activity in the coming Saturdays and who plan to participate in this season’s Make-Your-Own Scarecrow Contest on the 24th. Our beloved farmers market jammers entertained a happy crowd this week as well.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST:
· Saturday, October 10th, 2009 Ladies Day Spiritual Harvest & Fellowship (open to the public) at Paoli Friends Meeting House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Special speaker & music. Bring a can of food for the local food pantry. Lunch will be served at noon by the men of the Meeting House. Call Pat Smetzer 723-3916 or Becky Gardner 755-1507 or Royce Springer 936-4101 to RSVP.
· Saturday, October 10, 2009 Montgomery Farm (Scottsburg, IN) Fall Festival http://www.montgomery-farms.com/farm.php 812-752-2300 info@montgomeryfarms.com Come celebrate the fall season with us at our 4th annual Fall Festival. It will be a day full of fun activities and events for all ages to enjoy. Hours: 10 am – 6pm, continuing with Montgomery Farms night time activities. Events and Activities include: Local Vendors; Lick Creek Band; A’mazing Corn Maze Race with Kix 92.7 WXKU; Pumpkin Painting; Door Prizes/Giveaways throughout the day; Fireworks at Dark
· Fun in the Forest Field Day October 24, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM This is a family event featuring many hands on and educational activities for kids and adults including wild game calling, orienteering, information on invasive species, use of a bucksaw, scavenger hunts, tree cookies, etc. Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee Pre-registration is requested. Contact White River RC&D (812) 883-3006 Ext. 5.

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Monday, September 28, 2009

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. OCTOBER HOURS ARE FROM 9:00 A.M. TO NOON! Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!

Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, October 3, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, cabbage, carrots, chestnuts, assortment of peppers including pepperoncini and poblano, eggs, gourds, green beans, herbs, okra, potatoes, pumpkins and mini pumpkins, (pick-a-pie pumpkin, gold rush, crinshaw, round yellow, prize winner varieties), radishes, a variety of winter squashes such as acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoes (yellow and white), sorghum, turnips, watermelon fresh flowers, plants including Christmas cactus, aloe, coxcombs, water plants, decorative corn, animal bedding, plant starts
From the Kitchen: bagels, brownies, cake, candy apples, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, flavored popcorn, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, squirrel feeders, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
You can all sleep in an extra hour during the month of October before heading to the farmers market. Due to the later sunrise, we’ll be open from 9 a.m. to noon throughout the month of October. This week’s events include a free yoga class with Janet 9:30 a.m. No experience is necessary. You’ll leave her yoga class feeling refreshed and ready to begin your fall day! We’ll also have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area all ready with straw and twine for you and your family to make this year’s scarecrow for your home. Just bring some old clothes to stuff him with. We’ll be lots of locally grown pumpkins available for his head. We’ll have the Make-Your-Own Scarecrow area available each Saturday through October 24th when we’ll have our Make-Your-Own Scarecrow Contest. So use that imagination you have to create a great scarecrow this year! Brack and Linda will offer Horse & Buggy Rides with Duke, our favorite farmers market horse. And as always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music!

OUR VENDORS OF THE WEEK: Susan and Larry Toothman are our featured vendors this week. They sell sorghum. Put sorghum over your pancakes, biscuits or toast, as a topping for your ice cream or in Grandmas' treasured recipes for ginger snaps or ginger bread. Sorghum can be used in your stir fry base as well as in your baked beans, its' a great ingredient to add into you homemade breads and can be substituted cup for cup in any recipe that calls for molasses, honey, corn syrup or maple syrup. If you are visiting their booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

2009 ORANGE COUNTY HOMEGROWN HOLIDAY MARKET:
Mark your calendars for your holiday shopping! The Orange County HomeGrown Holiday Market is set for Saturday, November 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orleans Elementary School gymnasium and cafeteria.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
We had a busy farmers market despite the rain threats. We had 42 vendors set up to sell. At 10:00 we counted 145 shoppers enjoying the fall weather at the market. The Art Day Tent was filled to the brim with children creating some colorful and cheery paintings. Rookie vendor, Katlin Percifield and watercolor artist, Anna Marie Mahler helped with the Art Day activities. Abstract Artist Ray Beauregard brought his easel and painted all morning. He finished two pieces worthy of an art museum. Many visitors admired some of his other pieces which were on display. Dunn Memorial Hospital was quite busy with free health screenings. It’s was the final day and prize drawing for the Farmers Market Walking Club. Dwain Glenn, Treva Brim, Ann Huffman each won a gift certificate to the Lost River Market & Deli. Grace Chastain and Judy Crews each won a gift certificate to Maple Street Restaurant, and Brenda Wells won a gift certificate to the HomeGrown Farmers Market.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST:
· Saturday, October 10th, 2009 Ladies Day Spiritual Harvest & Fellowship (open to the public) at Paoli Friends Meeting House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Special speaker & music. Bring a can of food for the local food pantry. Lunch will be served at noon by the men of the Meeting House. Call Pat Smetzer 723-3916 or Becky Gardner 755-1507 or Royce Springer 936-4101 to RSVP.
· Saturday, October 10, 2009 Montgomery Farm (Scottsburg, IN) Fall Festival http://www.montgomery-farms.com/farm.php 812-752-2300 info@montgomeryfarms.com Come celebrate the fall season with us at our 4th annual Fall Festival. It will be a day full of fun activities and events for all ages to enjoy. Hours: 10 am – 6pm, continuing with Montgomery Farms night time activities. Events and Activities include: Local Vendors; Lick Creek Band; A’mazing Corn Maze Race with Kix 92.7 WXKU; Pumpkin Painting; Door Prizes/Giveaways throughout the day; Fireworks at Dark
· Fun in the Forest Field Day October 24, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM This is a family event featuring many hands on and educational activities for kids and adults including wild game calling, orienteering, information on invasive species, use of a bucksaw, scavenger hunts, tree cookies, etc. Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee Pre-registration is requested. Contact White River RC&D (812)883-3006 Ext. 5.

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Sunday, September 20, 2009

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, September 26, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, cabbage, cantaloupe (???), chestnuts, assortment of peppers including pepperoncini and poblano, eggs, gourds, onions, potatoes, pumpkins and mini pumpkins, (pick-a-pie pumpkin, gold rush, crinshaw, round yellow, prize winner varieties), a variety of winter squashes such as acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoes (yellow and white), tomatoes, fresh flowers, plants including Christmas cactus, aloe, coxcombs, water plants, decorative corn, animal bedding
From the Kitchen: bagels, cake, cinnamon rolls, fruit cobblers, cookies, cornmeal, focacia, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, hot chocolate, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, squirrel feeders, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
It’s Family Art Day at the Farmers Market! We’ll have tables set up from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. with plenty of art supplies for anyone who would like to create a piece of art with a farmers market theme. We’ll also provide chalk for chalk drawings on the walk. We’ll give out farmers market coupons for those who participate. Visit with Anna Marie Mahler, watercolor artist and Abstract Artist Ray Beauregard and admire their work which will be on display. It’s also the final day and prize drawing for the Farmers Market Walking Club. Dunn Memorial Hospital will be on hand to do the final health screening. Walking Club Members will certainly see an improvement in their test results! Those who walked regularly during the farmers market season will have a chance to win a prize. The prize drawing will take place at 10:00. (No need to be present to win.) As always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music! We might even have horse & buggy rides with Brack, Linda and our favorite farmers market horse, Duke!

OUR VENDORS OF THE WEEK: Jon Hoffman is this week’s featured vendor. Jon brings to the market a wonderful variety of fall pumpkins and squashes to eat and to decorate your home. If you are visiting his booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

The LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST ended this past Thursday, September 17th. Thank you and your friends and family for supporting us in the "Love Your Farmers Market" contest. The contest ended on September 17th. We certainly felt the love!!! It looks as if we are #10 in the nation, only 12 votes behind Bloomington (#9) The website now states, "We are in the process of verifying votes and will announce the final winners of our contest soon. Thank you!" We'll let you know as soon as it's official.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
· Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.
· We could sure use more volunteers to help with customer counts, veggie inventory, coffee help and set up and tear down. Please see Alice in the Host Tent if you are interested in giving of some of your time. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile is required.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
The sunrise was quite lovely as we all pulled in to the farmers market to set up. Many thanks go to vendor and farmers market jammer, Dennis Fields who pulled our Buck-a-Book trailer with a chain to the market when our truck wouldn’t start and to Tim True who was able to get our truck started by market’s end. The 4-H kids put on a great display of their projects. Phil Mininger along with some energetic youngsters demonstrated the use of his antique cider press using local apples. Everyone got free samples of the fall treat. Duke, the horse, was busy taking Brack, Linda and buggy loads of visitors on many, many trips around town.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST:
· Stump to Product Tour—September 24, 2009 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee This field day will cover BMP’s, a Landowner chainsaw Safety demonstration, and a tour of International Wood in Salem Pre-registration is required ($10/person; no charge for students). Contact White River RC&D (812)883-3006 Ext. 5.

· The West Baden Historical Society invites you to the 100th anniversary celebration of the First Baptist Colored Church (deeded 1909) Sunday September 27, 2009 12:00 Noon to 4:00PM on the Church grounds. Join us in an old-fashioned celebration with an afternoon of gospel and old-time music and a church social lunch. Tickets are $10 and include lunch. Send check to: WEST BADEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY PO BOX 284 WEST BADEN, IN, 47469 Or Contact: Judi Kimmel @ 812-936-4744 jjkimmel@smithville.net or Bonnie Taylor 812-936-4875 boburto@aol.com

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Monday, September 14, 2009

love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!
What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, September 19, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, cabbage, cantaloupe, assortment of peppers including pepperoncini and poblano, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggs, eggplant, herbs, gourds, kohlrabi, onions, potatoes, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, sweet potatoes (yellow and white), tomatoes, turnips, watermelon, fresh flowers, plants including Christmas cactus, aloe, and wooly thyme, water plants including sweet Amy, decorative corn, corn stalks
From the Kitchen: bagels, cake, cinnamon rolls, fruit cobblers, cookies, cornmeal, focacia, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, sour dough breads, teas, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects), shredded wood animal bedding
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
It’s 4-H Day at the farmers market. Be sure to visit the kids in the 4-H tent to see the projects that they worked so hard on. Phil Mininger returns to the farmers market to demonstrate the use of his antique cider press using local apples. Free samples for everyone! If you’ve not had a chance to play our Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt, you’re in luck. Visit us at our Host Tent to pick up a list of who you should look for. (We even have a kid’s version of the game so the whole family can play!) When you find that person at the market, ask them for their signature. (Someone might even be looking for YOU!) When you have six or more signatures, come back to the Host Tent to draw for a coupon. As always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music! We might even have horse & buggy rides with Brack, Linda and our favorite farmers market horse, Luke!

OUR VENDORS OF THE WEEK: Local photographer Beverly Baird will be this week’s featured vendor. She takes great photos of our beautiful county. They are framed and ready to hang and would make a nice gift for anyone calling Orange County their home. If you are visiting her booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

The LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST ends this Thursday, September 17th! Let’s see if we can make it to the top ten in the nation by then!
As of September 14, 2009, we are ranked #12 of the top 100 farmers markets in the nation! This contest ends soon on September 17th. (To see the current list, go to http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/top_markets ) Here are a couple of love note quotes left this week at the website about our farmers market: “The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market has everything from garden goodies, books, crafts, baked goods, homemade soaps, photographs and plants. Plus there is always beautiful music to greet you and carriage rides through town.” and “I support the Orange County, IN HomeGrown Farmers Market because I always find new and exciting things there and the vendors there are so nice.” If you think the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is the best in the land, and then please cast your vote for us so that we can win the Love Your Farmers Market Contest and help us defeat the big city markets ranked above us! You can cast your vote online at http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com When you get to this webpage, click on the Vote Today button on the right side of the screen.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
· Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.
· We could sure use more volunteers to help with customer counts, veggie inventory, coffee help and set up and tear down. Please see Alice in the Host Tent if you are interested in giving of some of your time. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile is required.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
What a glorious day at the farmers market with 65 vendors in attendance and hundreds of visitors enjoying the cool weather. It was Congress Square Park Appreciation Day so all of our donations for the day went to the Town of Orleans for park upkeep. We were able to write a check to the town for $187.77. Thank you everyone. Our square dancing friends donned their dancin’ finery and swung their partners round and round. United Way was present to distribute Senior Vouchers. We had many visitors earning coupons while playing the Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt. Luke, our favorite farmers market horse, earned his oats pullin people all around the town of Orleans in the buggy with assistance from Linda and Brack. Our chef buddies from the French Lick Resort Hotel cooked up marinated flank steak from Fischer Farms along with a colorful relish of local peppers, eggplant, onions and tomatoes purchased that morning at the market. They even bought paw paws to take back with them to the resort so they could make a paw paw crème brulee dessert. Yum!

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

FREE LAWN CHAIR CONCERT THIS COMING THURSDAY!
Orange County HomeGrown Arts will present its next and last concert in French Lick in front of the French Lick Resort Hotel this Thursday, September 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m. and will feature: Low Gap (David & Ellen Percifield, farmers market vendors) performing Acoustic Folk, Bluegrass plus Songs from “The Flip Side” and then at 7:30 p.m. Swallowtale performing Celtic music. This concert series is made possible through a matching grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, the Jasper Community Arts Council and Visit French Lick West Baden.

OTHER EVENT OF INTEREST:
Stump to Product Tour—September 24, 2009 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM Sponsored by White River RC&D Forestry Committee This field day will cover BMP’s, a Landowner chainsaw Safety demonstration, and a tour of International Wood in Salem Pre-registration is required ($10/person; no charge for students). Contact White River RC&D (812)883-3006 Ext. 5.

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Sunday, September 06, 2009

love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!
What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, September 12, 2009:
From the Farm: broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, assortment of peppers including pepperoncini and poblano, cucumbers, eggs, eggplant, garlic, green beans, herbs, gourds, okra, onions, paw paws, potatoes, summer squash, winter squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, fresh flowers, plants, water plants including sweet Amy water plants
From the Kitchen: bagels, cake, German cakes, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, focacia, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, scones, sour dough breads, tea, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
It’s Congress Square Park Appreciation Day so that means all of our donations for the day will go to the Town of Orleans for park upkeep. So be sure to come and show your appreciation for this perfect farmers market venue. Put on your dancin’ shoes ‘cause our square dancing friends are coming to show us how to do it! United Way will be present at the farmers market to distribute Senior Vouchers for those who qualify. Our chef buddies from the French Lick Resort Hotel are going to show us how to use the wonderful fall produce that’s coming in right now to cook up something delicious during their Farm to Fork Chef Demo. If you’ve not had a chance to play our Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt, you’re in luck. Visit us at our Host Tent to pick up a list of who you should look for. (We even have a kid’s version of the game so the whole family can play!) When you find that person at the market, ask them for their signature. (Someone might even be looking for YOU!) When you have six or more signatures, come back to the Host Tent to draw for a coupon. As always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music! We might even have horse & buggy rides with Brack, Linda and our favorite farmers market horse, Luke! Barry’s Carnival which benefits MD will begin at 10 a.m. and go through 5 p.m.

OUR VENDORS OF THE WEEK: The Percifield family will be this week’s featured vendors. When they vend, they do so as a family! This talented family not only sells great products, but they often play with our jammers. You’ll find Ellen, Dave and their children, Katlin, Rosie, Seth and Tula selling delicious baked goods, groovy granola, caramel corn, soaps, jewelry, stilts and squirrel feeders. If you are visiting their booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon! (Ellen and Dave also known as Low Gap will be performing acoustic folk and bluegrass at the Orange County HomeGrown Arts Lawn Chair Concert Series in French Lick on Thursday, September 17th at 6:30 p.m.)

LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST UPDATE:
As of September 6, 2009, we are ranked #12 of the top 100 farmers markets in the nation! This contest ends soon on September 17th. (To see the current list, go to http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/top_markets ) Here are a couple of love note quotes left this week at the website about our farmers market: “We are there most every Saturday. It’s lively and fun. There’s always something good to buy!!” and “I am very proud of our homegrown farmers market. Each Saturday our community joins together to share produce, conversation and goodwill.” If you think the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is the best in the land, and then please cast your vote for us so that we can win the Love Your Farmers Market Contest and help us defeat the big city markets ranked above us! You can cast your vote online at http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com When you get to this webpage, click on the Vote Today button on the right side of the screen. While there, check out some yummy husband-tested recipes. There are over 200 recipes on the page so far. Recipes featuring ingredients found at Lost River Market & Deli and the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market are put to the test and added to the blog on a regular basis.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
· Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.
· We could sure use more volunteers to help with customer counts, veggie inventory, coffee help and set up and tear down. Please see Alice in the Host Tent if you are interested in giving of some of your time. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile is required.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
There was a full moon and a cool morning mist over the countryside as 71 vendors (including 12 Amish vendors) gathered at Congress Square Park for the farmers market. We counted 282 visitors at 11 a.m., a record for the season! Janet lead a yoga class which included a regular visitor from Jasper. Our friends from the Orleans Fire Department brought their emergency vehicles, goodie bags and fire safety information for our younger visitors. RiverSpirit Adopt-a-River/RiverWatch volunteers came to display some of the creatures that live in our rivers and streams and spoke with customers about how we can work together to keep our rivers and streams pristine. Brack was busy taking visitors for buggy rides with his horse, Luke. Several people played the Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt and earned coupons for doing so. Our jammers played music all morning out in the open air (without their tents) on this fine day.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

CONCERT THIS COMING SATURDAY!
Lick Creek Band http://www.lickcreekband.com will perform a concert this Saturday, September 12th at the Mitchell Opera House on 7th and Brook Streets in Mitchell, IN from 8 to 10 p.m. Call (812) 849-2337 for ticket information. Tickets are $7.00 and can be purchased at the door. Lick Creek Band plays a unique brand of “Eclectic Acoustic Music.” Tight vocal harmony is the most distinctive feature of the group. They have performed in hundreds of venues throughout Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Blending guitar and bass, Lick Creek affectionately renders rock, pop, jazz, and original music into their tuneful stylings.

Alice Wootton
Orange County HomeGrown
orangecountyhomegrown@earthlink.net
http://www.orangecountyhomegrown.org
(812) 653-1047

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Sunday, August 30, 2009

love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, September 5, 2009:

From the Farm: apples, beets, raspberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cantaloupe, chard, assortment of peppers, cucumbers, eggs, eggplant, garlic, green beans, herbs, kale, gourds, maple syrup, kale, okra, onions, paw paws (?), potatoes, pumpkins, rutabaga, summer squash, winter squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelon, zucchini, fresh flowers, plants, mums, water plants

From the Kitchen: brownies, cake, German cakes, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, focacia, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, scones, sour dough breads, tea, yeast breads

Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)

Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
Learn something new this week at our farmers market. First, there’s a free Yoga Class with Janet from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Then, learn about how to stay safe with our friends at the Orleans Fire Department as we celebrate Fire Safety Day. Be sure to stop by to see the very cool RiverSpirit Adopt-a-River/RiverWatch displays with Larry and Helen and see a sample of the creatures that live in our rivers and streams while learning how you can keep our rivers and streams pristine. Be sure to bring an extra pen or pencil to the farmers market this week because we’ll be playing another round of Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt. Visit us at our Host Tent to pick up a list of who you should look for. (We even have a kid’s version of the game so the whole family can play!) When you find that person at the market, ask them for their signature. (Someone might even be looking for YOU!) When you have six or more signatures, come back to the Host Tent to draw for a coupon. As always, our beloved farmers market jammers will entertain us with their uplifting music!

OUR VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Morning Lark Baskett is this week’s featured vendor. She sells very interesting and beautiful Native American and early American jewelry, leather goods, purses, soap, dream catchers, and produce. If you are visiting her booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST UPDATE:
As of August 29, 2009, we are ranked #12 of the top 100 farmers markets in the nation! This contest ends September 17th. (To see the current list, go to http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/top_markets ) Here are a couple of love note quotes left this week at the website about our farmers market: “Today was my first visit. Loved it! Very friendly vendors, nice variety of produce and clean surroundings.” and “In only a few years, this great market has grown by leaps and bounds to become a local institution. It just wouldn't be Saturday morning without it!” If you think the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is the best in the land, and then please cast your vote for us so that we can win the Love Your Farmers Market Contest and help us defeat the big city markets ranked above us! You can cast your vote online at http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com When you get to this webpage, click on the Vote Today button on the right side of the screen. While there, check out some yummy husband-tested recipes. There are over 200 recipes on the page so far. Recipes featuring ingredients found at Lost River Market & Deli and the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market are put to the test and added to the blog on a regular basis.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.
We could sure use more volunteers to help with customer counts, veggie inventory, coffee help and set up and tear down. Please see Alice in the Host Tent if you are interested in giving of some of your time. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile is required.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
We were blessed with another gorgeous morning at the farmers market. We had 71 vendors who came to sell. We had a record number of Amish vendors as well, twelve buggies showed up. Our customer count was up as well. At 9 o’clock, we counted 149, at 10 there were 256 and then at 11 o’clock, we counted 239. The American Red Cross had 17 blood donations. Those who donated life saving blood received coupons and a t-shirt. La Leche League of Orange County provided young mothers with information about breast feeding. Two mothers won a book for participating. The Lost River Intertribal Council captivated a large audience during their ceremony complete with costumes, dancing, singing and storytelling. The Tri County Antique Machinery Farm Association really set the stage with their antique tractors parked right at the market. Linda, Brack, and Luke, our favorite farmers market horse were very busy taking visitors all around Orleans in their buggy. United Way was on hand to distribute Senior Farmers Market Vouchers. We had 22 musicians playing rousing music all morning.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

FREE HOMEGROWN ARTS STORYTELLER CONCERT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd beginning at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) behind the Paoli Public Library featuring folk singer-songwriter, John Gage, of Kentucky HomeFront fame http://www.kentuckyhomefront.org/john_gage.html; Tom Cunningham, fiddler, singer, songwriter and storyteller http://www.fiddletales.com/locations.htm; and award winning storyteller, Arbutus Cunningham http://arbutuscunningham.com/ Plan on bringing your friends and the whole family. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket. Call (812) 653-1047 for more information. This concert is sponsored by Orange County HomeGrown Arts and is made possible through matching grants from the Indiana Arts Commission, the Jasper Community Arts Council and the Orange County Visitors Bureau Visit French Lick/West Baden.

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Monday, August 24, 2009

love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, August 29, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, blackberries, raspberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cantaloupe, assortment of peppers, corn (?), cucumbers, eggs, eggplant, garlic, green beans, herbs, maple syrup, kale, okra, onions, potatoes, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelon, fresh flowers, plants, mums, water plants
From the Kitchen: bagels, cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, focacia, fudge, jams, jellies, granola, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, scones, sour dough breads, tea, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bird houses, bookmarks, canes, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
Roll up your sleeve this Saturday because the American Red Cross will be at the market to take blood donations. Those who donate will receive a free t-shirt and a $2.00 coupon to spend at the farmers market. For new mothers and the mothers-to-be visiting our market, the La Leche League of Orange County will be on hand to celebrate World Breast Feeding Month with information about the benefits of breast feeding. Lost River Intertribal Council will hold a ceremony complete with costumes, dancing, singing and storytelling. Tri County Antique Machinery Farm Association will have a Tractor Show right at the market, so stop by to chat with the farmers and see these beautiful old tractors. For those who’ve always wanted to play a musical instrument, Margie Delph will hold a beginning banjo/bass workshop. Don’t forget to stop by the Host Tent to pick up your coupon if you are in the Farmers Market Walking Club.

OUR VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Cathy Davison and Kathy Gifford are this week’s featured vendors. They make delicious homemade pies, cookies and breads. Why not pick up a pie, call up your buddies and invite them over for a homemade dessert? If you are visiting their booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST UPDATE:
As of August 24, 2009, we are ranked #12 of the top 100 farmers markets in the nation! (This is up from #15 last week!) We only need nineteen more votes to get ahead of San Francisco, California! This contest ends September 17th. (To see the current list, go to http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/top_markets ) Here are a couple of love note quotes left this week at the website about our farmers market: “I am a people person and enjoy watching people enjoying life and each other, so my summer Saturday mornings are well-spent at the Orleans Farmer's Market!” and “Great market! We will drive the hour and a half to get to it. Lots of fresh produce, music, and friendly people!” If you think the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is the best in the land, and then please cast your vote for us so that we can win the Love Your Farmers Market Contest and help us defeat the big city markets ranked above us! You can cast your vote online at http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com When you get to this webpage, click on the Vote Today button on the right side of the screen. While there, check out some yummy husband-tested recipes. There are over 200 recipes on the page so far. Recipes featuring ingredients found at Lost River Market & Deli and the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market are put to the test and added to the blog on a regular basis.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
· Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.
· We could sure use more volunteers to help with customer counts, veggie inventory, coffee help and set up and tear down. Please see Alice in the Host Tent if you are interested in giving of some of your time. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile is required.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
We were supposed to be celebrating the Dog Days of Summer, but can you believe we were wearing sweatshirts this morning when we set up alongside 71 vendors? Our customer counts were even higher than last week. We greeted visitors from Texas and Florida all parts of Indiana. The produce looked especially colorful and abundant this week. The Orange County Humane Society and Kirk Veterinarian Service adopted out several puppies and kittens to loving homes while offering face painting for the kids. There were many who participated in the fun Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt and five participants won Humane Society T-Shirts. Linda, Brack and “Luke” were quite busy taking visitors on horse and buggy rides.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

FREE HOMEGROWN ARTS STORYTELLER CONCERT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd beginning at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) in back of the Paoli Public Library just off the square in Paoli, Indiana, featuring folk singer-songwriter, John Gage, of Kentucky HomeFront fame http://www.kentuckyhomefront.org/john_gage.html; Tom Cunningham, fiddler, singer, songwriter and storyteller http://www.fiddletales.com/locations.htm; and award winning storyteller, Arbutus Cunningham http://arbutuscunningham.com/ Plan on bringing your friends and the whole family. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket. Call (812) 653-1047 for more information. This concert is sponsored by Orange County HomeGrown Arts and is made possible through matching grants from the Indiana Arts Commission, the Jasper Community Arts Council and the Orange County Visitors Bureau Visit French Lick/West Baden.

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Thursday, August 20, 2009

love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, August 22, 2009:

From the Farm: apples, beets, black raspberries, red raspberries, cantaloupe, assortment of peppers, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, green beans, herbs, maple syrup, onions, potatoes, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelon, fresh flowers, plants, mums
From the Kitchen: bagels, cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, fudge, jams, jellies, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, scones, sour dough breads, tea, Kool-Aid, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bird houses, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market along with Orange County Humane Society and Kirk Veterinarian Service will be celebrating the Dog Days of Summer. The Humane Society will bring some furry friends in need of a loving home for on site adoption. Dr. Kirk will provide free spaying or neutering for any pet adopted on site during this event. They’ll also have snow cones available for sale along with face painting with all the proceeds going to the Humane Society. Humane Society T-Shirts will be available for sale just across the street at Dr. Kirk’s office with all proceeds going to the Humane Society. We have another new event to offer this week! Be sure to bring an extra pen or pencil to the farmers market on Saturday because we’ll be playing Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt. Stop by the Host Tent to pick up a list of who you should look for. (We even have a kid’s version of the game so the whole family can play!) When you find that person at the market, ask them for their signature. (Someone might even be looking for YOU!) When you have six or more signatures, come back to the Host Tent to draw for a coupon. Those who participate will even have a chance to win a Humane Society T-Shirt.

OUR VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Dixie Durbin is our featured vendor this week. She makes the most beautiful greeting cards for all occasions. She also makes journals and other great gifts. You’ll find her booth right next to the Host Tent. If you are visiting her booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST UPDATE:
As of August 22nd, we are ranked #15 of the top 100 farmers markets in the nation! (This is up from #19 last week!) (To see the current list, go to http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/top_markets ) Here are a couple of love note quotes left at the website about our farmers market: “Remarkable that such a small (but motivated!) community can produce such an abundant & lively market.” and “The produce is first class and it's a happy place with music in the air.” If you think the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is the best in the land, and then please cast your vote for us so that we can win the Love Your Farmers Market Contest and help us defeat the big city markets ranked above us! You can cast your vote online at http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com When you get to this webpage, click on the Vote Today button on the right side of the screen. While there, check out some yummy husband-tested recipes. There are over 200 recipes on the page so far. Recipes featuring ingredients found at Lost River Market & Deli and the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market are put to the test and added to the blog on a regular basis.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.
We could sure use more volunteers to help with customer counts, veggie inventory, coffee help and set up and tear down. Please see Alice in the Host Tent if you are interested in giving of some of your time. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile is required.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
It was a gorgeous sunny summer morning, perfect weather for our Customer Appreciation Day. We had 76 vendors show up to sell. Our customer counts were high as well. At 9 a.m., we counted 140, at 10 a.m., we counted 230 and at 11 a.m. we counted 239. Visitors from all parts of Indiana, Alabama, Texas, Florida, and even Germany signed our guest book. Vendor, Alesia Hoover, made miniature scones specially wrapped for us to give away to our customers. They went down nicely with the coffee donated by our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. Fifty customers won prizes donated by our generous vendors. Our first annual Tomato Tasting with HomeGrown Board Members, Ian and Carla Mc Spadden was a big success. One hundred visitors tasted twenty-one different varieties of our locally grown tomatoes. Tasters got to vote for their favorite tomato. The winning tomato was “Black Cherry” grown by our vendor Dave Kintz. The Stonebelt Stargazers brought their telescopes and talked with visitors about the moon, the sun and the planets and invited people to attend their stargazing party that night at Spring Mill Park. Our jammer tent was bursting with 29 musicians (fiddles, guitars, mandolins, banjos, dobros, harmonicas, 3 bass players and lots of singers) They sure made some joyful music for the morning. Linda Lee and Brack Coulter along with “Luke” were busy taking visitors all around the town throughout the morning. Volunteers Janet and Nathan conducted surveys about the farmers market and the county provided by the Orange County Visitors Bureau Visit French Lick West Baden. They’ll be back again next week.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market. Their Customers Appreciation Day will be Tuesday, August 18th.

FREE LICK CREEK BAND CONCERT THIS THURSDAY, AUGUST 20: Lick Creek Band http://www.lickcreekband.com will perform pop, rock, jazz and all your favorites this Thursday, August 20 on the French Lick Springs Resort Hotel front lawn beginning at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) Plan on bringing your friends and family. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket or sit on one of the rockers on the hotel porch. To make an evening of this concert, why not bring a picnic dinner from the Lost River Market & Deli in Paoli or pick up a pizza Pluto's Pizzaria located inside the hotel. The hotel often times offers a cash bar during the concert series. During intermission, be sure to get an ice cream cone at Scoops Coffee & Creamery located right inside the hotel just off the porch. The concert will go on rain or shine (look for us on the porch in case of rain!) Call (812) 653-1047 for more information. This concert is sponsored by Orange County HomeGrown Arts and is made possible through matching grants from the Indiana Arts Commission, the Jasper Community Arts Council and the Orange County Visitors Bureau Visit French Lick/West Baden.

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!

The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, August 15, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, black raspberries, cantaloupe, assortment of peppers, cucumbers, eggs, eggplant, green beans, herbs, maple syrup, meat (beef), onions, potatoes, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelon, fresh flowers, plants, mums
From the Kitchen: bagels, cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, fudge, jams, jellies, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, scones, sour dough breads, tea, Kool-Aid, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, benches, bird houses, candles, cat hammocks, chopping blocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
It’s Customer Appreciation Day this Saturday! (Tuesday, August 18th will be the Valley Farmers Market Customer Appreciation Day) We are always grateful for our visitors and customers. To celebrate, many of our vendors will have specials and items on sale this day. Also, with every purchase you make, you’ll receive a ticket. Write your name on the tickets you’ve collected and turn them into the Host Tent for a chance to win farmers market prizes donated by our vendors! (You must be present to win.) Drawings will take place every hour. Vendor, Alesia Hoover, will bake delicious treats which we will serve for free at the Host Tent along with the free coffee donated by our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant and ice water donated by our other neighbor, The Dollar Store. We’re even having a special Tomato Tasting with the HomeGrown Board Members, Ian and Carla Mc Spadden. So come celebrate the wide variety of locally grown tomatoes grown by our friendly produce vendors. The Stonebelt Stargazers will bring their telescopes to the farmers market for moon and sun viewing. Afterwards, be sure to go home and take a nap so that you can attend Spring Mill Stargazing Party at Spring Mill Park with the Stonebelt Stargazers 9:30-11:00 p.m. (Gate admission. Meet them at the swimming pool parking lot.) And, as always, our Farmers Market Jammers will lift your spirits with their fun music. Bring your instrument and/or your singin’ voice and join in!

OUR VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Alesia Hoover is our featured vendor this week. She makes scones, honey wheat bread and cinnamon rolls. She is making little treats especially for Customer Appreciation Day. If you are visiting her booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST UPDATE:
As of August 13th, we are ranked #17 of the top 100 farmers markets in the nation!
(To see the current list, go to http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/top_markets ) Here are a couple of love note quotes left at the website about our farmers market: “You feel like 'family' when you’re shopping there.” and “It is the best farmers market that I have ever seen. All of the friendly venders put this market over the top.” If you think the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is the best in the land, and then please cast your vote for us so that we can win the Love Your Farmers Market Contest and help us defeat the big city markets ranked above us! You can cast your vote online at http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com/ When you get to this webpage, click on the Vote Today button on the right side of the screen. While there, check out some yummy husband-tested recipes. There are over 200 recipes on the page so far. Recipes featuring ingredients found at Lost River Market & Deli and the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market are put to the test and added to the blog on a regular basis.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
· Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.
· We could sure use more volunteers to help with customer counts, veggie inventory, coffee help and set up and tear down. Please see Alice in the Host Tent if you are interested in giving of some of your time. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile is required.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
It was a bit warmer this morning, but we were grateful for the sunny skies. Seventy-seven vendors set up all along the park. We registered five new vendors including two rookie vendors. The sidewalks were crowded today with lots of visitors. We had shoppers from Germany, Holland, Washington, California, North Carolina and all parts of Indiana. Chefs from the French Lick Springs Resort made a refreshing salad using ingredients they purchased from our produce vendors for a Farm to Fork Chef Demo. Many shoppers had fun playing Farmers Market Bingo Game. Brack and Linda were back taking visitors on horse and buggy rides.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle, courtesy of our neighbor, The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market. Their Customers Appreciation Day will be Tuesday, August 18th.

OTHER EVENTS:
· Spence Restoration Nursery is hosting an educational bus tour on August 12, 2009 in Indianapolis. The tour will be of native plant communities being successfully used in place of traditional landscaping, storm water BMPs, and educational plantings around the Indianapolis area. Several experienced professionals will be on hand to answer questions about the problems and pitfalls that can occur in native plant installations and how to avoid them. If you are interested, please email Kevin Tungesvick kevin@spencenursery.com.
· Sign up for Daily Soup-of-the-Day and Deli-Menu Emails at Lost River Market & Deli. Just send an email to soup.lostrivercoop@gmail.com with "SIGN ME UP!" in the subject line and we'll start sending your daily emails (Mon-Fri) to let you know what's cooking in the deli kitchen.
· Lick Creek Band will perform pop, rock and jazz at the next Orange County HomeGrown Arts Lawn Chair Concert in French Lick in front of the French Lick Springs Resort Hotel on Thursday, August 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. In case of rain, the concert will move up onto the porch.

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Monday, August 03, 2009

love your farmers market contest - help your market win $5,000 - vote today!

What’s Happening at This Week’s Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market
The Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is located on the west side of the beautiful historic Congress Square Park in Orleans, Indiana, and takes place each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Please support your local growers, bakers, artists and handcrafters by shopping at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Bring your friends and family!
Last week we surveyed our wonderful vendors. Here’s what they expect to have at the Orange County HomeGrown on Saturday, August 8, 2009:

From the Farm: beets, blackberries, cabbage, cantaloupe, chard, assortment of peppers, corn, cucumbers, eggs, eggplant, garlic, green beans, herbs, kale, maple syrup, meat (beef), okra, onions, sweet peppers, potatoes, red raspberries, summer & winter squash, tomatoes, tomatillo, zucchini, watermelon, fresh flowers, plants
From the Kitchen: bagels, cake, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cornmeal, fudge, jams, jellies, lemonade (4 kinds), muffins, sugar free muffins, noodles, pies, quick breads, raisin bread, salt rising bread, scones, sour dough breads, tea, Kool-Aid, yeast breads
Art and Crafts: aprons, baby bibs, bags, baskets, bean bag toys, bird houses, candles, cat hammocks, cloth books, clothespin bags, crochet, handcrafted crochet needles, cutting boards, horseshoe crafts, hypertufa, jewelry, leather goods, painted gourds, painted tools, planters, photographs, purses, quilts, recycled bags, rugs, rustic furniture, signs, soft goods, soaps, stationary, stilts, monogrammed towels, wooden bowls, wooden toys, wreaths, wool yarns, woven items, knit & crochet kits with unique pattern designs using plant fibers such as cottons and bamboo (Includes FREE jumps start lessons with any kit purchased with assistance as needed throughout projects)
Host Tent: farmers market gift certificates are now available

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
This week we welcome back our chef buddies from French Lick Springs Resort for another Farm to Fork Chef Demo. Be sure to check out the chef demo tent at 10:00 to see what they will make with the produce that they purchase this Saturday from our wonderful local vendors. There will be free samples and recipes while supplies last. We’re also bringing back the popular Farmers Market Bingo Game. It’s easy and fun to play. Here’s how. Pick up a specially made Farmers Market Bingo Card from the Host Tent. On the card you will find photos of our vendors, volunteers and special features at our farmers market. As you do your shopping, look for the people you see pictured on your Bingo Card. When you find someone pictured on your card, ask that person for a sticker. Place the sticker on the matching photo. When you have five stickers in a row across, down or diagonally, show your card to the Host Tent volunteer and you’ll get a coupon to spend at the farmers market!

OUR VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Anne Pittman is this week’s featured vendor. She’s new to our farmers market this season. You’ll find her in her tent surrounded by colorful vintage style aprons that she makes herself. She also sells pin cushions, dolls and doll clothes. Any of the items in her booth would make perfect gifts for friends and family. If you are visiting her booth when the timer rings, you’ll get coupon!

LOVE YOUR FARMERS MARKET CONTEST UPDATE:
As of August 3rd, we are ranked #21 of the top 100 farmers markets in the nation! Here are a couple of love note quotes left at the website about our farmers market: “It's so personal, talking with the producers and hearing their experiences in growing. Going to our farmers market is like going to a community “family” reunion. It's very peaceful and relaxing. The music and special events are really great. It's the highlight of my week!” “Our farmers market offers such variety and good vibes! The community spirit is so high and unifying. Love the attitude and music.” If you think the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market is the best in the land, and then please cast your vote for us so that we can win the Love Your Farmers Market Contest and help us defeat the big city markets ranked above us! You can cast your vote online at http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com/ When you get to this webpage, click on the Vote Today button on the right side of the screen. While there, check out some yummy husband-tested recipes. There are over 200 recipes on the page so far. Recipes featuring ingredients found at Lost River Market & Deli and the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market are put to the test and added to the blog on a regular basis.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mark your calendars for Customer Appreciation Days! Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmers Market will be Saturday, August 15th and the Orange County HomeGrown Valley Farmers Market will be Tuesday, August 18th.
If you are looking for a gift for someone special, farmers market gift certificates are now available for purchase. You’ll find them at our Host Tent. The gift certificates can be used to purchase any item from any of our friendly vendors.
Buck-a-Book is in need of children’s books and cookbooks. Please consider donating or trading children's books and/or cookbooks at our Buck-a-Book trailer.

REPORT FROM LAST WEEK’S MARKET:
Nothin’ but blue skies did we see at Congress Square Park at this week’s farmers market. It was just a lovely day to be out and, boy did we all get out! We broke our all time record with 82 vendors in attendance! We were quite busy in the Host Tent registering eight new vendors. (We now have 151 vendors so far who have registered this season, also a record.) Our customer counts were high as well with 136 at 9 a.m., 233 at 10 a.m. and then 201 at 11 a.m. Several visitors took advantage of the pretty morning to participate in our free yoga class. Janabai Raymundo of Lost River Market & Deli presented a very informative Grow-Your-Own Sprouts class. Visitor Judy Thompson won the grand prize of 3 sprouting jars with special sprouting lids as well as seeds to get her started. Janet Kennedy and Nathan Pate, recently featured in the news, led a discussion about sustainable living and using less energy, after which they welcomed attendees to tour their earth shelter, energy efficient home.

OTHER GREAT FEATURES AT THE MARKET: Be sure to stop by to see our BUCK A BOOK where you can browse a great selection of books. (We have thousands!) We welcome the donations of books for the book trailer. All of the money from book sales goes to support Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market (Orleans). Buy a book for a buck or trade two books for one book. Visit us at the Host Tent and have a free cup of coffee courtesy of our neighbor, Maple Street Restaurant. We also offer free ice water to wet your whistle courtesy of our neighbor The Dollar Store. We are fortunate to have friendly, helpful MASTER GARDENERS at every market. Bring your gardening questions to the MASTER GARDENER TABLE, and they will be very happy to help you! We have at least a dozen produce vendors who can accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Look for their signs or see us at the Host Tent. These vouchers may be used for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Another great feature of the Market is the addition of the Orange County Recycling Co-op truck. They will take household items for recycling, such as cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, paper, magazines, catalogues, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminum cans, scrap metal, metal cans, plastic grocery bags. Please rinse out plastic bottles and remove lids. Also, rinse out cans. Please break down cardboard boxes. Many of our produce vendors are WIC VENDORS and will accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program vouchers. Visit the LOST RIVER MARKET & DELI INFORMATION BOOTH and learn more about our local community grocery store in Paoli, located at 26 Library Street behind the Paoli Public Library. This full service member-owned food co-op market not only has a deli, but also bulk items, local and organic produce, local meats, cheeses, natural foods, wine and beer. Be sure to stop by to take a look. Everyone is welcome.

FREE ORANGE COUNTY HOMEGROWN LAWN CHAIR CONCERT THIS THURSDAY:
Thursday, August 6th, the Orange County HomeGrown Arts Lawn Chair Concert Series will present a free 2 hour concert at the Paoli Courthouse Lawn. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., Late for Supper will perform country tunes and then at 7:30 p.m. Margie Delph & Friends will perform an acoustic variety of bluegrass, country and fiddle tunes. This concert will happen rain or shine. Inclement weather location will be just a block away at Paoli Presbyterian Church.

ORANGE COUNTY RECYCLING CO-OP RESALE STORE YARD SALE THIS SATURDAY:
Orange County Recycling Co-op Resale Store http://orangecountyrecycle.org/ is open on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. On Saturday, August 8th, they are having a yard sale. The Orange County Recycling Co-op Resale Store is located at 105 E Water St. in Paoli Indiana

VALLEY FARMERS MARKET:
The Orange County HomeGrown Valley Market is open on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. now located between the Indiana Railway Museum and the French Lick Springs over-flow parking lot just off of Highway 56. You’ll also find Valley Farmers Market vendors on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the French Lick Market on W. College Street next to French Lick Post Office with the French Lick Market.

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Produce

Corn

Orleans mural

peppers