This day as I gaze out my window, I am lost and blinded by the tears. I was awakened this morning by a phone call telling me, that our market building was on fire. It wasn’t but a short time later, that my husband called to let me know it was a total loss. So much gone, so many hours of hard work , so much money, so many pieces of artwork, handcrafted with loving hands by so many…all gone. There are not words to describe the loss I am feeling right now. This was someone’s dream gone up in smoke. This was someone’s lively hood. this was their medicine, their food, their utility bills. For some just that little extra that kept them going.
This building such as it was, a poultry and rabbit barn for the fair, yes, but so much more. It was our market place, our store front, yes. But it was also our social outlet. A great place where neighbors and friends and family came together every Saturday morning to sell their goods, to hang out with friends, to meet and make new friends, renew old acquaintances. For some it was a reason to get out of bed.
This is a great loss not only to our members but a tremendous loss to the community as well
Where do we go from here???

Planting Season Begins

The big doors are open... Outdoor Stands are set up ...tables are loaded...It's official spring has sprung and it's garden planting time.

There is plenty to choose from here at the farmers market... plant wise anyway...cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes of all types...red... yellow...pink...stripe..from cherry size to sandwich size..you can find the right here. Pepper plants, flowers, and herbs will all be available.

Don't forget there is still plenty going on inside the building as well. Our crafts people are busy filling their shops with plenty of good things, for you to choose from, for that special gift for that someone special. Stop in, take a look and visit awhile , we are always happy to see you.

Have a Blessed Day
The former Jelly Lady

Today is our Spring Fling. Bring your children to the market and let them plant up a pot  so they can watch it grow. Every thing is supplied...soil, seed and pot. Come let them have a little fun this fine spring day.

Green --- the color of spring and cucumbers, kale, sprouts, flowers, plants, and more, all of which can be found right here at the River City Farmer's Market.
We open at 8:00 AM every Saturday, so get here early before the fresh veggies run out as supplies are limited at this time.  But you just wait, before long the doors will be open and the tables will be lined with all the fresh local veggies that you can imagine. Of course, we always have fresh local meats, cheeses and eggs along with award winning crafts.

Our next event will be May 11th - our ANNUAL CUSTOMER APPRECIATION BREAKFAST. We will begin serving at 9:00 AM  and continue cooking until the food runs out.  We will be serving sausage hot off the grill,  potato dishes, sausage gravy and biscuits, eggs and lots of breakfast breads and cookies - all home made by  the members of the market. This event really brings in the crowds as they look forward to it each year.  We will be having drawings for Mother's Day flowers again this year.  Tell a friend and bring a lawn chair and stay for the entire morning.

While you are here you can shop for your MOTHER'S DAY gift.  We will have a wide variety of hanging baskets and bedding plants including flowers, veggies,  herbs and even edible grass for your cat. We have baked goods, salsas, jewelry, purses, candles, lotions, items for the home, both useful and decorative, lawn furniture, pottery and so much more. Doesn't your Mother deserve the very best?  You'll find it here at "the Market"

We are still accepting donations for the Ohio Valley Humane Society.  Don't forget to get your free raffle ticket each time you donate with drawings to be held on April 27th and May 27th.  You may win money and the animals receive much needed help. This is a win-win situation.....

DID YOU KNOW?

Apples are a member of the rose family and that there are more than 7000 varieties in the world.

Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family and is the second most popular fresh vegetable.

Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D.

We hope to see you at 922 Front Street, Marietta, every Saturday, Year round,  from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

"Like" us on Facebook at River City Farmer's Market.

Visit us @www.rivercityfarmersmarket.org. and rivercityfarmersmarket.blogspot.com.

Questions, call President, Gary Smith at 740-984-2840 or Vice President, Debbie Cunningham at 740-373-0921.
 Have a great day

Our next event is our " SPRING FLING"  on APRIL 20th.  We will be providing seeds, potting cup and potting soil for all the children to start their very own flower or vegetable plant.  What fun it will be to experience the growing process.  They can care for their plant and watch it mature.  Should they choose a vegetable, they can eat their bounty. We hope that this will be a learning experience of a lifetime. This will be a morning long event so come in at your convenience before 1:00 pm.  For all who attend we will be offering cookies and coffee and a chance to win spring flowers.  Pick up your free raffle ticket that day.  The raffle is for one day only and the drawing  will be held at noon.  Put your phone number on the ticket to be notified if you are not going to be there to claim your flower.

Beginning APRIL 1st  through May 27th we will be accepting donations of food, toys, blankets, cat litter, cleaning supplies, etc. for the OHIO VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY.  The animals need your help too.  Let's keep the Humane Society able to help the homeless animals who need a meal, dry place to stay and lots of love.  In fact, there is probably a pet out there waiting for you..... Every time you drop off a donation you will receive a free raffle ticket for a monthly chance to win $25.00 market cash to spend with the member, or members,  of your choice. The April drawing will be held on the 27th and the May drawing on May 27th.  You need not be present to win,  just put your phone number on the ticket.

We would like to Thank all of those who helped out with our Food Drive. We, the market, appreciated it and  so did the pantries.  A little help  individually can add up to a lot of help for those in need.  Please remember to help whenever you can as food is always needed. Contact the local pantries in your area.

The flowers will be coming to the market so get those beds ready.  There will be bedding plants and hanging baskets to meet your every need, be it for shade, sun, ground cover or cutting. Flowers are a sure sign of spring. 

Of course, we will have vegetable plants too.  Get a head start on your garden. Nothing like going out to the garden for the freshest food available.  If you don't have garden space or the time to tend to a garden, you can come to the market for fresh-picked home grown veggies and herbs.  There is always a wide variety  from which to choose.

The bakers are still baking and the crafters are still crafting so make the market the highlight of your Saturday morning.  Come early and stay late.

We are open every Saturday year round. Our NEW SUMMER HOURS are 8 am until 1 pm at 922 Front Street (Washington County Fairgrounds)

"Like" us on Facebook at "River City Farmers Market".

Visit us at www.rivercityfarmersmarket.org. or wwwrivercityfarmersmarket.blogspot.com 

Questions? Call President, Gary Smith at 740-984-2840 or Vice President, Debbie Cunningham at 740-373-0921.

Have a wonderful day, enjoy the sunshine and come see us tomorrow. Remember 8:00 am to 1:00pm.

Spring has Sprung

Spring has sprung and it's starting to look pretty green, the birds are chirping and we are looking forward to gardening.  The farmers are already comparing the height of their plants and we are ready for some fresh veggies from the garden.  Some new plantings are already here, ready for you to plant. Nothing like getting a little dirt under the nails. The rewards are great.

The River City Farmer's Market's main goal is to promote a healthier way of living through better eating.

  The produce available here is all home grown locally.  We pride ourselves on the quality of produce available.  Our members make available a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, plants, fruits and so much more.  We do not always know what is in the food that we buy pre-packaged, but if you buy a tomato at the market, it is a tomato with no artificial enhancers. We will have fresh herbs to naturally flavor foods that we prepare.  How about some fresh sprouts for your salad or sandwich?

A lot of information is available these days about eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and breads made from whole grains.  Well, we have them all.

We have hormone free, organic meats and cheeses.  Some varieties of meat are chicken, beef, pork, rabbit and goat. Varieties of cheeses are too numerous to mention them all, but we have gouda, swiss, cheddar, garlic, pumpkin (yes, I said pumpkin) and many, many more.

Saturday, March 30th, we are having our 2nd annual Dessert Auction.   The auction begins at 10:00 am and ends when the last dessert is gone.The members, and some customers, are preparing their favorite Easter dessert for auction.  This was such a huge success last year that we just had to do it again.  Bid on a dessert, be it a German Chocolate or Lemon, Lemon or Coconut cake or even cookies for your Easter dinner.  All who attended last year had a blast and many had a one-of-a-kind dessert to call their own.

Also, we are still accepting donations for area food banks so desperately  in  need.
Be sure to get your free raffle ticket each time you donate.  We will hold a drawing on the 30th of March for  $25.00 market cash to spend with any member of your choice. You pick  your gift. You need not be present to win.

Speaking of gifts we have many Easter basket fillers.  How about kiddie soaps, crocheted animals, doggie bandanas, jewelry and more. Easter decor is still available for your home. And, of course, don't  forget your eggs for coloring.

We hope to see you every Saturday until 1:00 pm at the 922 Front Street, Marietta (Washington County Fairgrounds) year round.

Visit our FACEBOOK page: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM. You can give us a "like" on rivercityfarmers market.

We also have a lively website blog. Take a look: www.rivercityfarmersmarket.blogspot.com.

Should you have any questions, please call President, Gary Smith at 740-984-2840 or Vice President, Debbie Cunningham at 740-373-0921.
Until next Saturday
Have a Blessed week

Tomorrow... Saturday... February 23rd  is ...Soup Day ...Come by and sample your favorites....maybe pick up a recipe so you can prepare your favorite at home.  You may even be able to pick up some of the ingredients for that recipe right here at the market.

RIVER CITY FARMER'S MARKET

March 19 is NATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY, a time when producers, agricultural associations, corporations, government agencies, and countless others across American gather to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by American agriculture and about its contribution to our everyday lives.  We, the farmers' market, wish to THANK all the farmers,  whether big farm or small, for the fresh local produce provided for us.  We need to realize that without them we would not always know where our food comes from.

Next time you see a Farmer, thank them for the, sometimes thankless , job they do for us individually and across America.

Here, at the Farmers' Market,  we do sell crafts, but know that the Produce, meats, cheeses, eggs and other food products are our first priority.  We support our local farmers.  We carry fresh local beef, pork, rabbit, goat and lamb.  We have fresh eggs, both white and brown.  We have a wide variety of organic cheeses, some you have never heard of, but all are delicious.  We have  fresh sprouts to dress up any sandwich or salad. We have fresh produce, but, of course, in the winter the varieties are a little more limited to potatoes, kale, pumpkins and a  few others.                       

 You just wait until Spring, summer and fall.
We will have berries, apples, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, corn, and so much more, again all locally grown.  We  will have fresh herbs to spice up any meal instead of adding artificial flavor enhancers, such as salt. And, of course, do not forget the spring plants and  seeds for you to grow for yourselves.  We will have potted plants, flowers to plant in the ground or for hanging.
A lot of our bakers are farmers also.  Nothing like homemade angel food cake prepared by freshly gathered eggs.  We have healthy brick oven baked breads.  We have salsas, jellies, pies, cupcakes, fudge, brownies, sweet breads, cookies, and more. We will satisfy any, and every, sweet tooth out there.  Buy some to eat while shopping, with a fresh cup of coffee, and then some to take home for later.

Since this article is all about agriculture and food, DID YOU KNOW?
Americans eat 17.3 billions popped corn each year. Popcorn's main function is to provide the body with heat and energy.
Carrots are a good source of Vitamin A which is good for eyesight.
Eating 20 tart cherries a day could reduce inflammatory and headache pain.

We are what we eat, so eat responsibly....and  remember that without the farmers, we wouldn't have food that is actually good for us.

We hope to see you every Saturday until 1:00 at the Washington County Fairgrounds, 922 Front Street, Marietta, OH.  We open at 9:00 through the winter.

Have a Blessed Day
the former Jelly Lady

The local food pantries are extremely low on supplies. Won't you please help the River City Farmer's Market help those less fortunate? We are collecting non-perishable food and cleaning supplies for these pantries.

Each time you donate you will receive a free raffle ticket . On Feb. 23rd we will have a drawing for a $25.00 Market Gift Certificate. Give every week for a greater chance to win and to help even more.

Also on  the 23rd we are having Soup Day. Our members will be making their favorite soups to share with you, and supplying recipes as well. Be sure to come by and sample your favorites.This is free, however  All donations are appreciated. 

Our farmers are talking seeds these days, so maybe the produce will be forthcoming before too much longer. I don't know about you, but I for one am looking forward to spring and some fresh greens and spring flowers. This winter has been a long one it seams. Ready for Sunshine and warm temps.

There's always something new to be had here at the market so stop by often to check us out.

Till then
Have a blessed Day
The former Jelly Lady