Durham Farmers' Market Announces Winter Schedule and Cheese Event

The Durham Farmers' Market will be open Saturdays 8am-Noon and will be closed on Wednesdays until the spring.The effects of Hurricane Sandy will most likely be felt tomorrow as it moves along the eastern seaboard, but the Market is open rain, shine or hurricane and will be open tomorrow morning.

After the hurricane passes, the weather is forecast to turn cooler and there will be a real chance for frost near the end of next week.  With a possibility of frost, that means an end to tender summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, basil, eggplant, beans and okra.   Hardy fall greens, root vegetables and brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts) can survive and even thrive through frosts and produce late into December and  beyond. So now is the time to enjoy the remaining summer vegetables!

Tomorrow morning, the Durham Farmers' Market will be celebrating American Cheese Month!  American Cheese Month is dedicated to celebrating the diverse cheeses produced by American dairy farmers and cheesemakers! The Durham Farmers' Market is lucky to have three great farmstead cheese makers -- Celebrity Dairy, Chapel Hill Creamery and Elodie Farms!  Their cheeses are nothing like what is found in the dairy section of the grocery store. These cheesemakers make their cheeses in small batches using time-honored traditions to ensure quality and character. On these farms, the animals that supply milk are raised on pasture and have a healthy diet in order to get the highest quality milk possible.

To celebrate our cheesemakers, we will have our first "Meet the Cheesemakers" event from 10-11am.  Patrick Coleff from Durham's Reliable Cheese Company will kick off the event (on the lawn, depending on the weather) by giving brief introductions of the three farms and then chat with cheese maker and farmer Portia McKnight from Chapel Hill Creamery about her experiences.  After that,  Portia will give a mozzarella stretching demonstration. Patrick will be on hand to answer any cheese questions and Celebrity Dairy and Elodie Farms will have samples of their cheeses at their booths!  For more information about the farms and the event, click here.

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES:   FENNEL, CAULIFLOWER, PUMPKINS,  Asian Greens, Arugula, Beets, Beans, Bitter gourd, Broccoli, Butterbeans, Cabbage, Carrots, Celeriac, Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, Collards, Cucumbers, Daikon Radish, Escarole, Eggplant, Edamame, Fresh Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Galangal, Ginger, Green Onions, Garlic, Gourds, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lambs Quarter, Lemongrass, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peppers (Sweet, Hot, and Padron), Potatoes, October Beans, Okra (Red and Green), Onions (Red, Yellow, White), Ornamental Gourds, Pea Shoots, Purple Hull Peas, Pumpkins, Salad Mix, Shiitakes,  Sweet Potato Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Summer Squash, Turmeric, Turnips, Tomatoes,  Winter Squash - Butternut, Acorn, Delicata, Kabocha, Long Island Cheese, Spaghetti and more, Zucchini
FRUITS:  PERSIMMONS - Asian, Asian Pears, Apples, Scuppernong and Muscadine Grapes
MEATS AND EGGS: Beef, Bison, Chicken, Cornish Game Hens, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Rabbit
Duck Eggs and Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged cow and goats milk cheeses.
FLOWERS and PLANTS: Dahlias, Lisianthus,  Sunflowers, Zinnias, Mixed Bouquets,
FALL BEDDING PLANTS - PANSIES, MUMS and SNAPDRAGONS, Vegetable & Herb Seedlings, Landscaping Plants, House Plants
SPECIALTY ITEMS: NEW ITEM: GRAPE JUICE! No sugar added! Raw Honey, Flour, Pecans, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Pasta, Breads, Cookies, Pastries, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Stained Glass Art, Handmade Baskets,  Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Soaps, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions