{"id":12232,"date":"2014-05-27T11:13:35","date_gmt":"2014-05-27T15:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=12232"},"modified":"2014-05-27T11:48:57","modified_gmt":"2014-05-27T15:48:57","slug":"farmers-markets-bloom-in-chester-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=12232","title":{"rendered":"Farmers markets bloom in Chester County"},"content":{"rendered":"

Local foods can bring flair \u2014 and great tastes \u2014 to your table<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By Cathy Branciaroli<\/strong>, Columnist, The Times<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\"FarmersMarket1\"<\/a>

Shopper Ella Van Riper, one of the New Garden Growers Market\u2019s loyal customers, enjoys a mushroom toy on the market\u2019s opening day.<\/p><\/div>\n

As farmers market season kicks off again I am excited to reconnect with the farmers whose produce graces my summer dinners and the artisans whose foods and crafts enliven my table.\u00a0 With markets now reopening for the season, now is the time to stop by local markets to savor spring produce and other delicious goods, chat with the sellers and get the inside scoop on dishes that can be prepared using market ingredients.<\/p>\n

A trip to one of these markets can yield nearly all that\u2019s needed to make a spring dinner \u2013 local meat, fresh vegetables, tender herbs and salad fixins.\u00a0 For good measure, pick up a loaf of just-baked bread to round off the meal.\u00a0 Once underway, each week\u2019s market promises the opportunity to try new items and new recipes, not to mention experiencing the freshest produce one can buy at the height of seasonal ripeness.<\/p>\n

According to Michele Spencer of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), farmers markets are increasingly popular with consumers who are looking to eat healthier and get their food from sources closer to home.\u00a0 \u201cChester County boasts an abundance of farmers markets offering great varieties of goods including everything from fruits, vegetables and meats to specialty products like jams and baked goods.\u00a0 They offer great venues for connecting with the community while keeping food dollars in the local economy and supporting local growers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Here are Michele\u2019s tips for enjoying the best farmers market experience.<\/p>\n

\"FarmekrsMarket2\"<\/a>

Sellers and customers alike enjoy the New Garden Growers Market.<\/p><\/div>\n

Markets tend to be less crowded when they first open and sell out of the more popular items as the day progresses.\u00a0 Don\u2019t take the chance that sellers might be out of products you are looking for.<\/p>\n

Ask questions<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be shy.\u00a0 Strike up a conversation.\u00a0 Farmers are knowledgeable about their produce and can offer great advice on how to prepare an item, suggestions on pairing with other ingredients and even recipes.<\/p>\n

Experiment<\/span><\/p>\n

Each month, even each week, new items are offered based on what is in season. Discover new foods and check out interesting varieties to make the most of delicate greens in the spring, juicy peaches in the summer and squashes as the season turns to fall.<\/p>\n

Bring your own recycled bags and cash<\/span><\/p>\n

Be a friend to the environment and the sellers by bringing your own bags or baskets.\u00a0 While most vendors can process credit cards, cash is always welcome and speeds your visit through the various stalls.<\/p>\n

A trio of tantalizing markets in southern Chester County include the New Garden Growers Market, celebrating its tenth year in 2014. On opening day in mid-May organizer Carin Bonifacino celebrated the market\u2019s milestone, noting, \u201cWe are so appreciative of our incredibly loyal core customers who come here week after week to do their shopping.\u201d\u00a0 Open Saturday mornings, the market offers fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, eggs, honey, cut flowers and artisan crafts.<\/p>\n

The centrally-located Kennett Square Farmers Market is open on Friday afternoons.\u00a0 While Kennett Square is best known for its mushrooms, the market offers selections from over 20 vendors including produce, grass-fed meats, artisan cheeses, hearty breads and many delicacies<\/p>\n

Perhaps the grand-daddy of Chester County markets is the West Chester Growers Market, open on Saturday mornings for more than 20 years and offering produce, herbs, colorful cut flowers, gourmet cheeses, homemade preserves and even chili pepper products.<\/p>\n

Farmers markets are open during the growing season, starting in May and typically running through late fall although some remain open during the winter months on a less frequent basis.\u00a0 Each market sets its own opening days and times.<\/p>\n

Considering the great abundance of healthful local produce, delicious homemade goods and the opportunity to connect with the people who grow your food, what better choice than to shop farmers markets this summer.<\/p>\n

Here is a listing of local farmers markets courtesy of the Chester County Agricultural Development Council:<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Anselma Farmers and Artisans Market<\/p>\n

Historic Mill, Route 401<\/p>\n

Chester Springs, PA<\/p>\n

Wednesdays 2PM \u2013 6PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Artisan Exchange West Chester<\/p>\n

208 Carter Dr.<\/p>\n

West Chester, PA<\/p>\n

Saturdays 10M \u2013 2PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Coatesville Farmers Market Association<\/p>\n

Outside the main entrance to Brandywine Hospital<\/p>\n

Starting June 4, Wednesdays 2PM \u2013 6PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Downington Farmers Market<\/p>\n

Kerr Park<\/p>\n

Thursdays 3PM \u2013 7PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

East Goshen Farmers Market<\/p>\n

East Goshen Park<\/p>\n

West Chester, PA<\/p>\n

Thursdays 3PM \u2013 7PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kennett Square Farmers Market<\/p>\n

Downtown Kennett Square<\/p>\n

Fridays 2PM \u2013 6PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

London Britain Township Market<\/p>\n

Nichol Park<\/p>\n

Landenberg, PA<\/p>\n

Fridays 2PM \u2013 6PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Malvern Farmers Market<\/p>\n

Burke Park<\/p>\n

Saturdays 9AM \u2013 1PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

New Garden Growers Market<\/p>\n

Near New Garden Township Park<\/p>\n

Saturdays 9AM \u2013 1PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Oxford Village Market<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> & Locust St.<\/p>\n

Tuesdays 12:30PM \u2013 6PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Phoenixville Farmers Market<\/p>\n

Under the Veterans Memorial<\/p>\n

Saturdays 9AM \u2013 1PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Farmers Market at Elverson<\/p>\n

Livingood Park at Rt. 23<\/p>\n

Saturdays 9AM \u2013 1PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

West Chester Growers Market<\/p>\n

Church Street Parking Lot<\/p>\n

Saturdays 9AM \u2013 1PM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

West Grove Farmers Market<\/p>\n

Harmony Park<\/p>\n

Thursdays 2PM \u2013 6PM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Local foods can bring flair \u2014 and great tastes \u2014 to your table By Cathy Branciaroli, Columnist, The Times As farmers market season kicks off again I am excited to reconnect with the farmers whose produce graces my summer dinners and the artisans whose foods and crafts enliven my table.\u00a0 With markets now reopening for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12230,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[15,3009,4702],"class_list":["post-12232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","category-featured","tag-chester-county","tag-farmers-markets","tag-fresh-foods"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}