This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

**Please Note: Tomorrow is the Running of the Bulls 8k Race. There will be some street closures through downtown from 7:15-8:30.
Also, there will be no access to the Farmers' Market parking lot on Morris Street until 8:45am due to the race. Take a look at the Course Map for street closures.**

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MARKET...
Blueberries, Cherry Tomatoes, Green Beans, Raspberries and maybe some Peaches will be at the Market tomorrow! You may wonder why I say that peaches are only a "maybe". On Wednesday, our peach growers from Kalawi Farms came to Market with two early season varieties of peaches - Carored and Rich May. Ben Williams told me that is has been a rough year for peaches so far and the yield, especially for the early season varieties, has been drastically reduced compared to past years. The long, cool, rainy spring coupled with the late frosts in early April has taken a toll on this year's peach crop. This unusual spring brought many crops to the Market later than usual and some crops have been reduced in numbers because the weather. So, they will come to Market with peaches if they are able to harvest enough which we won't know until later today. Once I find out, I'll make sure to mention it on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Tomorrow morning, we will have Chef in the Market! Chef Katie Coleman from Durham Spirits Company will be back to cook for us. When Chef Katie comes and cooks in the Market, she likes to choose a vegetable to focus on and then she makes several recipes that feature it. This week, she has chosen to cook with SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS. Starting at 10am, Chef Katie will be slicing, dicing and cooking up shiitake dishes. She will have plenty of tastes and there will be recipes for you to take with you so that you can make these dishes at home!

2013 Farm to Fork Picnic: This year's Farm to Fork Picnic is next Sunday afternoon and the tickets are on sale right now. For the past several years, Slow Food NC has set up a fun picnic where they pair local chefs with local farmers. Thirteen DFM farms will be participating and several of our food artisans will be featured! The Picnic supports new farmer training at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) and the Breeze Farm. For more information, list of the pairings and to purchase tickets, go to FarmToForkNC.com

CALL FOR DURHAM FARMERS' MARKET VOLUNTEERS: The Market is looking for a few folks to add to our great volunteer crew! We've got lots of cooking and canning demonstrations, kids cooking classes, and reading hours planned for this summer and we'd love to have a few more hands to make it all happen.
Requirements: Can-do attitude, minimal lifting, and the ability to wake up early on a Saturday :)
Email info@durhamfarmersmarket.com if you are interested.

See you at the Market, bright and early!!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook and Twitter

Upcoming Events and Spring Schedule
 Saturday June 1: Chef in the Market -- Chef Katie Coleman from Durham Spirits Co. will demonstrate several recipes using SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS! Recipes and samples available. Starts at 10am. DurhamSpiritsCompany.com

Wednesday June 5: Quick Dinners from the Market Demo, 4pm Anne Everitt from Triangle Food Fight will demonstrate a quick kale sautee! Samples and recipes starting at 4pm. trianglefoodfight.blogspot.com

Saturday June 8: Chef in the Market - Chef Christy Quirk from Bull Street Gourmet and Market will be cooking with FENNEL! Recipes and samples available. Starts at 10am. BullStreetGourmetandMarket.com

Saturday June 8: Kids Reading Hour, 10am

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: BLUEBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, Strawberries and maybe some early season Peaches!
VEGETABLES:  CHERRY TOMATOES, GREEN BEANS,  Last of the Asparagus, Artichokes, Asian Greens (Bok Choi, Mizuna, Tat Soi), Arugula, Beets, Beet Greens, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Greenhouse and Field Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, English Shelling Peas, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Fava Beans, Fennel, Frisee, Green Onions, Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes, Gourds, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Onions, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Radishes,  Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms,  Spinach, Sugar Snap Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Vitamin Greens, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged cow and goats milk cheeses.
FLOWERS & PLANTS: VEGETABLE and HERB SEEDLINGS including tomatoes; FLOWERS: Calendula, Lupine, Zinnia, Sunflowers, Peonies, Dutch Iris, Agrostemma, Batchelors Buttons, Sweet William, Icelandic Poppies; Landscaping Plants, House Plants
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Pastas, Perogies, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

Nuke Dog Advances to Final Four of MiLB Foodfight

In baseball, fans are always wondering who will be top dog. Now Durham Bulls fans have to ask which dog will be top dog.

After two weeks of intense online voting, the Durham Bulls’ Nuke Dog has advanced to the final round of Minor League Baseball’s #FoodFight, a competition to decide the best ballpark concession item in the Nation.  The Nuke Dog topped stiff opposition in the “Hogs N Dogs” bracket to move on to the finals, and the spicy frank will now face off against three other category winners to for title of #FoodFight Champion.

A culinary tribute to the 25th anniversary of Bull Durham, the super-spicy Nuke Dog debuted at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Opening Day 2013. Named for fireball-throwing Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh, it's a classic Carolina Packers red hot dog with crushed red pepper as an added ingredient.  It's also topped with the award-winning, all-natural "Get Me a Switch" spicy relish from locally based Cottage Lane Kitchen.

The Nuke Dog will now compete against three other International League finalists for the overall #FoodFight crown: Gwinnett’s “Knucksie” sandwich, Toledo’s “Fantastic Freeze Sundae” and Lehigh Valley’s “Aw Shucks” Roasted Corn.

Final round voting is live now through Thursday, June 6. Fans can vote as many times as they would like online or via Twitter, by following @MiLB then tweeting the hashtag #FoodFight and including “Nuke Dog” or mentioning the Durham Bulls. Retweets of the official @DurhamBulls twitter account count as votes as well.

Fans can get a taste of the Nuke Dog during the current Bulls homestand, which continues tonight through Monday, June 3rd.  Tickets for all home games are available at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park box office, by phone at 919.956.BULL or online at durhambulls.com.

Learn why Durham is where great things happen.

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the South Durham Farmers Market

• Market open Saturday 8 am - Noon Rain or Shine at Greenwood Commons 5410 hwy 55
• Music by Scott Boggs at 8:30 am - 11:30 am
• Radishes Strawberries, onions, chard, broccoli, greens, tomatoes, and more!

We're Hiring!
Ben, our intrepid Market Manager who has represented SDFM for the past year, will be tending the Market for the last time this weekend.  We are sad to see him depart, but he has accepted a full-time position with the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, so we also can't help but be incredibly excited for him as well.  Please stop by the Manager's tent this weekend and wish him all the best in his new endeavor.

We have also begun searching for someone to take over the part-time Market Manager position.  The ideal candidate would be highly organized, customer service-oriented, and loves working with a diverse group of people.  If you or someone you know is interested, please visit the website for additional information and application instructions.

Picnic Season is Here!
We have a new Pinterest Board up to celebrate all of our favorite ideas for places and recipes that will help you get outdoors and enjoying the best and freshest foods our farmers have to offer.

SDFM Vendor Featured in Local Commercial
At this point, we still become giddy whenever we find our vendors and our market in the local newspapers, so imagine our excitement when a film crew showed up a couple weekends ago to feature Stephanie Hall and Sassafras Fork Farm in a commercial promoting local farmers' markets!  This commercial, sponsored by the All In 4 Health Project, aims to increase awareness of healthy eating and the promotion of farmers' markets throughout the central North Carolina region.

According to All In 4 Health's website, eating locals foods builds community by promoting genetic diversity in our food systems; building vibrant communities; preserving open spaces, supporting a healthy ecosystem, and creating an investment in our future by ensuring that farmers will be part of our community for generations to come.  We couldn't agree more.

The commercial will begin airing on local TV stations starting on Monday, June 3rd...or you can watch it now.

Durham Named One Of “South’s Smartest Medical Cities For Groups”

Today Durham was announced as tops in yet another category - it was selected as one of nine cities on ConventionSouth magazine’s 2013 Editors’ Hot Picks For “South’s Smartest Medical Cities For Groups." While not exactly a mainstream interest area, the ranking is important because it shows the breadth and scope of the ways that Durham excels against national and regional competitor destinations.

"We're both pleased and excited by this recognition," said Shelly Green, the President and CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB), the organization responsible for marketing Durham as a place to live, work, and do business. "Accolades like this help us complete the picture for people outside our market.  Lots of people know about our food scene, great universities and sports, and so much more.  Now we have another way to show that Durham is more multi-faceted than people may have previously thought," Green added.

Corey Bizzell, DCVB's Vice President of Group Sales and Business Development, also expressed his excitement about this announcement, "Medical meetings are important to Durham.  I like that lists like this continue to help people be more familiar with Durham, and all the ways it excels as a place to meet." Bizzell has been selling Durham for more than 10 years, and has seen the destination's stock in trade rise steadily in that time. "Fewer meeting professionals are surprised when they experience Durham in person than in years past.  It's an exciting time to be bringing people here," he added.

ConventionSouth, the national multimedia resource for planning events that are held within the South, has selected Durham for their 2013 Editors’ Hot Picks for the “South’s Smartest Medical Cities for Groups.” After an in-depth review of nearly 30 cities in the South that are known for their healthcare infrastructure, the editors of ConventionSouth deem Durham to be one of the most ideal cities for hosting healthcare-focused groups and meetings.

“It is a great honor to recognize Durham as one of the South’s top cities for hosting medical, pharmaceutical and other healthcare meetings and events,” said ConventionSouth Associate Publisher Marlane Bundock.  “Durham is home to several nationally recognized medical facilities such as Duke University Hospital & Medical Center and a physician-to-population ratio almost 4.5 times the national average. Durham’s reputation in the U.S. and global healthcare industry provides a valuable resource for medical and healthcare conferences, allowing the events to have access to some of the country’s most renowned hospitals,  healthcare institutions and experts.”

A complete list of ConventionSouth’s 2013 Editors’ Hot Picks for the “South’s Smartest Medical Cities for Groups” can be found online.

Learn more about meetings in Durham, NC here.

Downtown Walking Tour This Saturday focused on Activism in Durham

Something as simple as taking a walk can stir the imagination to reflect on a time when social justice activism had yet to make the great strides that impact society today.


The Duke Human Rights Center's Pauli Murray Project at the Franklin Humanities Institute will present a walking tour in Downtown Durham Saturday, June 1 from 10 a.m. until Noon. The tour will begin and end at Parrish Street Forum at 108 W. Parrish St. Refreshments will be available. 

The walking tour is free and open to everyone, and will connect social justice activism across issues and time while presenting Durham's history and discussing the people who lived it. Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, Anti-War Actions, Anti-Klan Rallies and the fight for LGBTQ rights are all a part of Durham’s history. Join us as we visit the sites of these protests, share our knowledge and experience and learn more about this history from people who lived it.

This event is sponsored by the Pauli Murray Project at the Duke Human Rights Center/Franklin Humanities Institute with outreach partners Preservation Durham, Museum of Durham History, Durham Committee on the  Affairs of Black People, Southwest Central Quality of Life Project, Bayard Rustin Centennial Project, Durham County Library and Parrish Street Advocacy Group.  For more information, visit their website.




Discover more about Durham's rich history online.

Tour de Fat Returns to Durham June 15

If dressing freaky, riding bikes, listening to bands and drinking beer are things you like, then don’t miss the most FUN fundraiser around…Tour de Fat is coming back to town!

New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale and other award-winning beers, is bringing the 14th annual Tour de Fat to Durham on Saturday, June 15 in Diamond View Park at the American Tobacco Campus.

Parade Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. with ride times from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Entertainment/Revivalation will take place from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. with performances by Those Darlins and He's My Brother She's My Sister. Proceeds will benefit                    
The North Carolina Active Transportation Alliance, Triangle Spokes Group and Durham Bike Co-op. Admission is free and the parade participation has a suggested donation of $5 or more. Beer is $5 for a 16 oz. pour. See Facebook for the Tour de Fat credo, schedules, videos and to submit an entry to swap your gas-guzzler for a fancy new bicycle.

Gather up your friends, family and neighbors and come enjoy eclectic entertainment and stellar beer, all while helping local bicycle nonprofits raise funds. The event is free, yet all proceeds from beer and merchandise sales and donations from parade participants will help make Durham a better place to ride a bike. Last year, approximately 2,200 people came to the festival and raised more than $16,000 for local nonprofits.

To properly kick-start the festival, Tour de Fat begins with a giant bicycle parade that weaves through city streets. Each parade route is designed for people of all skill levels; everyone is welcome and colorful costumes are encouraged. For the rest of the afternoon, the stages heat up with world-class acts like He's My Brother She's My Sister and Those Darlins and the park becomes a celebration unlike any other.

Kids of all ages can ride funky bikes, eat delicious fare, relax in the grass, and participate in games and activities such as a “Thousand Person Dance Contest”, which will determine the winner of a 2013 New Belgium Cruiser Bike. Everyone 21 and older can sample new and classic favorites from New Belgium, including the brewery’s flagship brew, Fat Tire, this summer’s seasonal, Rolle Bolle, and selections from the acclaimed Lips of Faith series.

“Tour De Fat is where everyone can enjoy the unexpected,” said Matt Kowal, New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat Impresario. “It’s a festival for all ages and stages of life, from young bike lovers to seasoned beer lovers and everyone in between. We guarantee you’ll be inspired by interactive art, music and comedy performances for the year to come!”

In every Tour de Fat city, one brave role model will step on stage to trade in his or her car keys and pledge to live car-free for one year. Each swapper is awarded a $2,250 stipend to buy their own commuter bike and receives rock star status when the crowd goes wild in support of their commitment. We’re now on the hunt for a swapper in Durham! Car-for-Bike Swappers are chosen after submitting an application describing why they are ready to give up their vehicle for the gift of two wheels. To apply, click here.

Tour de Fat seeks to leave as small an environmental imprint as possible. New Belgium partners with recycOil to use biofuels from recycled cooking oil to power the festival’s transportation, stages, sound, food trucks and more. The stage is decked out in recycled materials; attendees are encouraged to ride bikes or carpool; and recycle and compost receptacles are available throughout to help divert waste from landfills.

About New Belgium Brewing Company 
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100 percent employee owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews eight year round beers; Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsener, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel. Learn more online.

For more cool Durham events, visit the Durham Event Calendar.

Comedian and Radio Funnyman Rickey Smiley to Perform at DPAC Aug. 24

As the song says, about comedians, "Make 'em laugh! Don't you know everyone wants to laugh?" There will certainly be enough laughter to go around in Durham's DPAC soon.

Funnyman Rickey Smiley is known for making millions laugh for over 20 years. As a well-loved comedian, television host and top-rated, nationally syndicated radio personality, he has earned a reputation for delivering for audiences on stage and over the airwaves. DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, fans welcome back Rickey Smiley on August 24, 2013 for his third appearance following two previous sold out performances.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 31 at 10am online, at the box office, and by phone at 919.680.2787. Friends of DPAC members may place their orders on May 30.

"We've long sought out Rickey Smiley to bring his show back to DPAC. With two previous sellouts here we know Triangle fans love to laugh with Rickey and there is no better place to see comedy than DPAC. This season has seen fifteen of the world's biggest comedy talents on our stage, and our new comedy season that starts this August will be just as fantastic and funny," said Bob Klaus, GM of DPAC.

With the distinct ability to take everyday observations and turn them into comedic gold, Rickey Smiley is a standout in the entertainment world. His audiences are treated to such original characters as "Mrs. Bernice Jenkins,” “Li'l Daryl,” “Joe Willie” and "Beauford." In addition, his comedy shows often include a live band, which he joins to play several instruments and sing.

Smiley has taken the world by storm with his unique blend of comedy and originality. In 2007, he became the host of the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, one of the funniest and most compelling morning shows in the country. Based in Atlanta, and now in over 50 markets (and still growing), the Rickey Smiley Morning Show is a blend of laughter, community outreach, socio-political awareness and celebrity news.

Smiley is the only comedian who has had the honor of hosting BET’s Comic View for two seasons. Over the years, he has made numerous television and movie appearances. He has released eight comedy CDs containing his hilarious prank phone calls, church announcements and parodies. In addition, Smiley released his DVD Open Casket Sharp, which had premiered on BET as a special in the fall of 2011; it debuted at number one on iTunes.

Smiley and veteran TV producer/director Roger Bobb have teamed up to create The Rickey Smiley Show, a sitcom starring Smiley as a comedian, nationally syndicated radio personality and single father of three--a character a loosely based on his own life. The show’s stories are derived from Rickey’s attempts to raise his children by himself and still have a personal life. Rickey handles situations that arise at the radio station as well, which entail office politics, social issues, celebrity appearances, music and, of course, humor. The Rickey Smiley Morning Show is featured in a daily entertainment news television show Dish Nation which airs weeknights on FOX affiliates.

Rickey Smiley is a graduate of Alabama State University and a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. His free time is spent with his loving children in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.

Discover all Durham has to offer on the Durham Event Calendar.

Duke Homestead Hosts “Bull Fest” for June 8 Second Saturdays

Who was the Duke family? How did they impact the city of Durham, exactly?  Visitors can answer all these questions and more at Durham's Duke Homestead.

A celebration of everything Durham happens at Duke Homestead State Historic Site on Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at “Bull Fest.” The free family fun program will go back to the roots of the Duke family and the 1870s birth of the tobacco industry in Durham and the country.  Sustain-a-Bull will give a presentation on local Durham businesses and Wool-E-Bull will greet the kids.

This is the first of the summer’s 2nd Saturdays programs organized by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources happening at historic sites and history and art museums statewide.  Each venue will create a unique experience of authentic North Carolina culture to delight locals and tourists alike on June 8, July 13 and Aug. 10.

In addition to demonstrations of making pipe tobacco in an on-site factory, in the historic home there will be sewing and preparation of bags and labels for the Duke’s first pipe tobacco brand, called Pro Bono Publico.  Meanwhile, there will be cooking on the wood-burning stove, a country doctor display, and historic games and toys to entertain the kids.

A mini food truck rodeo, musical performances, including the Little River cloggers, and artisans and craftsmen selling locally made products will offer ample opportunity to enjoy the crafts and tastes of the past and present.

For additional information call (919) 477-5498 or visit online.  Duke Homestead is within the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources (NCDCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's cultural resources to build the social, cultural and economic future of North Carolina. Led by Secretary Susan W. Kluttz, NCDCR's mission is to enrich lives and communities by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history and libraries in North Carolina that will spark creativity, stimulate learning, preserve the state's history and promote the creative economy. NCDCR was the first state organization in the nation to include all agencies for arts and culture under one umbrella.

Through arts efforts led by the N.C. Arts Council, the N.C. Symphony and the N.C. Museum of Art, NCDCR offers the opportunity for enriching arts education for young and old alike and spurring the economic stimulus engine for our state's communities. NCDCR's Divisions of State Archives, Historical Resources, State Historic Sites and State History Museums preserve, document and interpret North Carolina's rich cultural heritage to offer experiences of learning and reflection. NCDCR's State Library of North Carolina is the principal library of state government and builds the capacity of all libraries in our state to develop and to offer access to educational resources through traditional and online collections including genealogy and resources for the blind and physically handicapped.

NCDCR annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council and the State Archives. NCDCR champions our state's creative industry that accounts for more than 300,000 jobs and generates nearly $18.5 billion in revenues. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit this website.

Learn more about Durham's history online.

Durham Hosts First-Ever E-Town Hall June 3

Now that City Manager Tom Bonfield has presented the FY 2013-14 preliminary budget, Durham residents have a chance to weigh in on how they would like to see the City’s budget used in the coming year.

New for this year, an e-Town Hall will be held on Monday, June 3 during the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting. Moderated by WTVD’s weekend anchor and reporter Anthony Wilson, the City’s e-Town Hall will be televised live on Durham’s local television, DTV8 (Time Warner Cable channel 8), from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. as well as from the City’s website. The forum is part of the Budget Public Hearing also taking place at the meeting.

City Council members will take part in the interactive event, addressing questions submitted by Durham residents regarding how tax dollars are allocated in the proposed budget and what the priorities are for the upcoming year. “This forum will give residents, who might not otherwise come down to City Hall, another option to let us know what they think,” said Bertha Johnson, director of the City’s Budget and Management Services Department. “Additionally, there are so many people who are active on social media – Facebook and Twitter in particular – we felt an e-Town Hall would be a great way to reach them, while supporting the City’s overall efforts to increase and diversify our outreach to Durham residents.”

Residents are encouraged to submit their questions prior to the June 3 event by email, through Facebook, or on Twitter using hashtag #DurhamETH. Residents can also upload a video of their question to YouTube and then share the link via email. After May 31, questions can only be submitted by Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

For more information on the City’s first-ever e-Town Hall, click here or watch a series of YouTube videos.

About the Budget & Management Services Department
The Budget and Management Services Department is responsible for preparing, implementing, and monitoring the City’s annual operating budget as well as the five-year revenue/expenditure projections for all City government services. The department also provides operational and organizational studies as identified by the City Council, City Manager's Office, and department staff. Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, which the department established and maintains, the department helps to ensure that the City of Durham is a well-managed city by working with City agencies to build and implement performance measurement monitoring and evaluation. The department is also responsible for preparing the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), coordinating the City's process for petition and City-initiated annexations, conducting resident satisfaction surveys, and evaluating departmental achievement of City goals and objectives. Learn more.

DBAP Draws Largest College Baseball Crowd in State History

Downtown Durham was especially hopping this past weekend.  With a berth in the ACC Baseball Championship Game on the line, North Carolina and NC State clashed in front of a paid attendance of 11,392 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park Saturday night, the largest crowd ever to watch a college baseball game in the state. The mark ranks second on the DBAP’s all-time attendance list, as the Durham Bulls and Gwinnett Braves played in front of 11,674 on July 4, 2010.

The previous collegiate baseball attendance record was set at the 2012 ACC Baseball Championship when the same two teams faced each other in the final at Greensboro’s NewBridge Bank Park.  10,222 fans saw the Heels edge the Wolfpack 4-0 in that game.

Tickets for Sunday’s ACC Baseball Championship Game between either North Carolina or NC State and the Hokies of Virginia Tech are on sale now at the DBAP box office, by calling 919.956.BULL, or online.

Learn more about Durham, NC, where great things happen.

Durham County Library Hosts Reception Honoring Howard Clement

In Durham, history isn't always a thing of the past. Sometimes, history is living, breathing and walking among its citizens. Next week, the Durham County Library will honor that history.

Durham County Library’s North Carolina Collection will host a reception honoring city councilman and former North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance executive Howard Clement for donating his personal papers to the North Carolina Collection. The event will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street.

In November 1960, North Carolina Mutual invited Mr. Clement to join the company. He has been a force in Durham ever since, including continuous service on the city council since 1983, a long career with NC Mutual, civil rights activism, volunteer work for the good of the public schools and their students, an active member of St. Titus Episcopal Church, and a family man.

Durham County Library will celebrate Clement’s life and work and thank him for making his papers available to posterity. For more information about this event, contact Lynn Richardson, 919- 560-0171.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit  their website.

Discover the place where great things happen.

Durham Hosts “Get Your Grass Off Gas” Event June 15

With mowing season underway, area residents have one more chance to trade in their old gas-guzzling mowers and other yard equipment and take advantage of steep discounts on cleaner and greener electric versions.

The second event in the 3rd Annual “Get Your Grass Off Gas” will be held at Jordan High School, located at 6806 Garrett Rd., on Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event will be held rain or shine.

Hosted by the Durham City-County Sustainability Office, this final event provides residents with the opportunity to purchase discounted electric yard and garden equipment to help get polluting gasoline-powered equipment “off the grass” and into the recycling bin. Discounts will range from 20 to 45 percent depending on the model. Available equipment includes lawnmowers, trimmers, edgers, blowers, vacuums, and loppers. Residents who do not have older equipment to trade in can still purchase electric models at the events, but with a smaller discount.

For more information on models and prices and to pre-register to reserve specific electric equipment, visit the Greener Durham website. Pre-registration is not required; however, event organizers cannot guarantee a particular model will be available without pre-registration.

All gas-powered equipment brought in to recycle must be drained of fluids before being dropped off. Used motor oil can be dropped off at the City of Durham’s Waste Disposal and Recycling Center (Transfer Station), located at 2115 E. Club Blvd. The facility is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

For more information about this event, contact Sustainability Manager Tobin Freid at (919) 560-7999 or by email. Residents may also learn more by liking the Greener Durham (Durham City-County Sustainability Office) Facebook page or by following Greener Durham on Twitter.

Learn more about all that Durham has to offer online.

Juneteenth Comes Early to Historic Stagville on June 8

Historic Stagville is getting an early start on Juneteenth celebrations, for the June 19, 1865, date cited as when the last of the enslaved learned they were free -- months after the Civil War ended. A day full of family activities and riveting slave narrative performances at night will create a well-rounded observance at Stagville. This is the first of 2nd Saturdays programs arranged by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources at museums and historic sites statewide on June 8, July 13 and Aug. 10.

The day’s activities include a joyous drumming circle of commemoration, craft making including cowrie shell necklaces and cardstock Thomas Day benches. North Carolina Award winning children’s book author Carole Boston Weatherford will read “Juneteenth Jamboree.”

Also celebrate the blues, with North Carolina Folk Heritage Award winner John Dee Holman in performance. The Golden Genies from the Durham Center for Senior Living will dance and prove that you’re never too old to keep on stepping. Storyteller Priscilla Best will entertain young and old, and the period games of “Graces” and “Mancala” also will delight the kids. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be for sale.

Spellbinding performances of “Let Them Be Heard” will be presented by Bare Theatre productions starting at 7 p.m., and on the half hour.  Actors bring to life the words of slave narratives performed in cabins that were constructed and lived in by the enslaved.  This is a return from last year by popular demand.  Tickets are $10 and are on sale for the powerful performances on June 7 and June 8, and also on June 14 and 15. Tickets may be purchased at online or in person at the site.

For additional information call (919) 620-0120. Historic Stagville is within the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.      

Another Juneteenth celebration, produced by Spectacular Magazine, will be held in Durham on June 15th at CCB Plaza.  Learn more about that event here.

To learn more about history in Durham, visit online.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market Wednesday Market

WHAT'S NEW AT MARKET?
I got a call yesterday from Jan Williams of Kalawi Farms to tell me that the peach season has started! This afternoon, two early season varieties of peaches will available. They are called Rich May and  Carored. Both Rich May and Carored have a reddish skin color and yellow flesh. The Rich May flesh often has some red pigmentation in it as well, that reddish color are the anti-oxidants! Both varieties are sweet but tangy and juicy, and both are cling stone peaches. (Click on the variety names to see videos about the varieties from a peach specialist at Clemson University).

This week is the first of about 16 weeks of peaches. Each variety of peach lasts for about 2 weeks. Kalawi Farms, which is solely a peach farm, has an approximately 50 acre orchard with over 30 varieties of peaches. These varieties get ripe at different times throughout the season. So the peach season, if all goes well, should last until early September! Throughout the peach season, notice that the flavors and textures of the peaches change as different varieties ripen and come to Market. It is very interesting to taste the differences in the flavors of the different varieties.

In other fruit news: SOUR CHERRIES are back for a short show! Sour cherries are a big hit with the birds, so it is quite a task for the farmers to beat the birds to the cherries. This makes the ones that come to Market that much more special.  If you are looking for sour cherries, try to get to the Market early!

Also, blueberries should be right around the corner. I haven't heard from any of the farmers if any are ready today. I expect in the next week or so, they will start to come to the Market. If we are lucky, there may even be a few pints today!

With fruits starting to come into season, it is time to start thinking about preserving the flavors by making jam! This year, this Market has received a grant from the Farmers' Market Coalition and Ball Jars to help the market educate people about the techniques and joys of preserving and canning fresh food from the Market. We have received all kinds of supplies to do that. On Saturday, the Market's Assistant Manager led a demonstration of how to make no-cook freezer jam. Today from 3:30 to 4:30, Shanna will be back with samples of fresh no-cook strawberry jam! She'll talk about the process of making jam and there will be packets of pectin for you to take home to try it at home. We'll also have lots of resources and some coupons for you to pick up. Shanna will be next to the Market info table. When you stop by for a taste, you can also enter a drawing for a Ball Blue Book of Food Preservation!

Right now, we are working on finalizing a great series of canning demonstrations and workshops this summer. Very soon we'll be putting it up on the website and we'll have more info at the info table.

Finally, if you haven't driven by the Market's Pavilion recently and seen it, the Durham Farmers' Market now has an ATM!!! A portion of the ATM fees will go toward funding an EBT/SNAP (Food Stamps) program at the Market! We are currently in the process of setting it up and hope to have everything ready to go later in the summer.

See you at the market!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow the Market on Facebook and Twitter

Available Wednesday! 
Fruits:  SOUR CHERRIES, PEACHES, Strawberries  
Vegetables:  ONIONS, POINTED CABBAGE, BROCCOLI RAAB, FRISEE, Artichokes, Asparagus (the very last of it!), Asian Greens (Bok Choi, Tat Soi, Mizuna), Arugula, Beet Greens, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Collards,  English Shelling Peas, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes, Green Onions, Herbs (including Cilantro, Thyme, Oregano, and Greek Oregano, Marjoram, Dill, Holy Basil, Bergamot, Chammomille, Bay, Lemon Balm), Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, New Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Radishes, Salad Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sugar Snap Peas, Summer Squash, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Zucchini
Meats: Beef, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Pork
Eggs: Chicken and Duck  Eggs
Flowers: Calendula, Peonies, Zinnia, Lupine, Batchelors Buttons, Sweet William, Zinnia, Iris, Sunflower, Agrostemma, Snapdragons and mixed Bouquets
Plants:  Vegetable and Herb Seedlings, House Plants, Landscaping Plants
Specialty Items:  Creamed Honey, Mustards, Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits,  Goat and Cow Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods - Breads, Pastries, & Pies, Preserves, Gluten Free Baked Goods, Fermented Items, Nut Butters, Pasta, Tempeh, Herbal Teas, Herbal Salves,
Crafts:  Wood Crafts, Pottery, Goats Milk Soaps

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

**Please Note: The Parking Lot on Foster Street, catty-corner to the Market, will be CLOSED tomorrow for the Doughman Race. Plenty of Parking can be found in the Farmers' Market parking lot, behind Morris Ridge on Morris Street and in other lots and streets around the neighborhood. Click HERE to see a map.**

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MARKET...
There is so much happening at the Market tomorrow, I'm not sure where to even start...

First, with much anticipation we are very pleased to announce that Durham Farmers' Market finally has an ATM! It was installed yesterday and will be ready to use starting tomorrow!! It has been a work in progress for a long time and we are so happy that it is finally a reality. A portion of the fees charged at the ATM will be used to fund out EBT/SNAP (Food Stamps) program that we are currently working on. We hope to have that up and running by the end of the year. The ATM unveiling will happen at 7:50am!

Second, tomorrow, we'll have some special guests serenading us with beautiful music! From 10am to Noon, as a fundraiser for the Farmer Foodshare, the youth band from Iglesia Emanuel will be performing for us in the Leaf (the new-ish structure on the other side of Foster Street)! The Farmer Foodshare is a local 501(c)3 nonprofit that connects people who grow food with people who need food. Every week, at farmers' market's around the Triangle, donation stations raise local funds at farmers' markets to buy top quality fresh local food for people at risk of hunger. Shoppers buy food from farmers and donate it, or give cash and Farmer Foodshare volunteers buy and donate on shoppers behalf. Farmers also donate excess food.  The Durham Farmers' Market's Donation Station is a weekly fixture at the center of the Pavilion.

For the past few months, Iglesia Emanuel's Food Pantry has been the recipient of the food purchased with your donations to the DFM's Donation Station. Along with the everyday responsibilities of running a church, Iglesia Emanuel operates a food pantry for those in the Durham community that are food insecure. They also hold weekly dinners for folks that are in need of a warm meal and nourish their community. The youth band is very excited about providing entertainment to the community that has given so much to their community!

Finally, tomorrow morning at 9:30, we are kicking off our Discover You Can - Learn, Make, Share canning education program with our first canning demonstration of the summer! Assistant Manager, Shanna Bierman, will lead demonstrations on how to make No-Cook Freezer Strawberry Jam at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30. Each demonstration
will last about 20 minutes, she'll go through the process of preparing the berries, mixing the jam, and putting the jam into jars. Freezer jam is not sealed into the jars, once you've made it, it can be stored in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to a year. There will be plenty of samples and recipes & free packets of pectin so that you can pick up some berries and make some at home!

Between demonstrations,  Shanna, she'll be on hand to talk about canning and the series of workshops, classes, and drawing that will be happening through out the summer. Tomorrow, our first drawing of the summer will be for Ball Blue Book Canning Guide! The demonstration and drawing will happen under the Pavilion near the DFM Info table and the Farmer Foodshare Donation Station.

See you at the Market, bright and early!!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook and Twitter


Upcoming Events and Spring Schedule

Saturday May 25: Farmer Foodshare Benefit concert with the youth band from Emanuel Iglesia Church! The music will be located in the Leaf starting at 10am.

Saturday May 25: Discover You Can - Learn, Make, Share Canning Education Program Kick Off! 9:30-12 Shanna Bierman, DFM's Assisatant Manager will demonstrate how to make No-Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam. Samples, Freebies and a drawing for a Ball Blue Book Canning Guilde.

Wednesday May 29: Storytime with Cynthia Raxter, 3:30-5:30pm. Local storyteller Cynthia Raxter will be at Market telling stories to little (and big) kids about growing up on a farm in western NC.

Saturday June 1: Chef in the Market -- Chef Katie Coleman from Durham Spirits Co. will demonstrate several recipes using SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS! Recipes and samples available. Starts at 10am.

Saturday June 8: Chef in the Market - Chef Christy Quirk from Bull Street Gourmet and Market will be cooking with FENNEL! Recipes and samples available. Starts at 10am

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: A *few* SOUR CHERRIES, Strawberries
VEGETABLES:  ARTICHOKES, ONIONS, POINTY CABBAGE, FRISEE, FAVA BEANS, Asparagus, Asian Greens (Bok Choi, Mizuna, Tat Soi), Arugula, Beets, Beet Greens, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Greenhouse Grown and Field Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, English Shelling Peas, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Fennel, Green Onions, Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes, Gourds, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Radishes,  Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms,  Spinach, Sugar Snap Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Vitamin Greens, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged cow and goats milk cheeses.
FLOWERS & PLANTS: VEGETABLE and HERB SEEDLINGS including tomatoes; FLOWERS: Calendula, Lupine, Zinnia, Sunflowers, Peonies, Dutch Iris, Agrostemma, Batchelors Buttons, Sweet William, Icelandic Poppies; Landscaping Plants, House Plants
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Pastas, Perogies, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

Yankees Affiliate Makes Only Visit of Year in Big Homestand

Bison, RailRiders, and Fireworks, oh my!  It's sure to be a great Memorial Day at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham.

The Buffalo Bisons and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders make their only visits of the season during the Durham Bulls next homestand, beginning Monday, May 27. A special 5:05pm start on Memorial Day, an appearance by the Russian Bar Trio and Friday Night Fireworks highlight the eight game event schedule.

A day after the ACC Baseball Championship concludes at the DBAP, the Bulls return home on Memorial Day to begin a four game series against the Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.  A special holiday first pitch on May 27 is set for 5:05pm.

Tuesday’s 7:05pm game is another AAA Membership Card Night. At every Tuesday home game in 2013, fans who show their AAA Membership Card can buy one Terrace Reserved ticket and get one, courtesy of AAA Carolinas.  The 7:05pm game on Wednesday, May 29 is presented by DPAC.

On Thursday, May 30, Bayer CropScience presents a fun-filled series finale between the Bisons and Bulls. Back by popular demand, the Russian Bar Trio returns to the DBAP Thursday to entertain fans during several between-inning performances (Watch video here). In addition, Thursday home games at the DBAP (with the exception of July 4) feature $1 Bright Leaf hot dogs, popcorn and fries. Thursday is also College Night, where students can get a Terrace Reserved ticket and $5 in Bulls Bucks for just $10 or an Outfield Reserved ticket for only $4.99 by entering the promo code COLLEGE (and using a valid .edu email address) when purchasing tickets online at durhambulls.com.

The new look affiliate of the New York Yankees begin their only Durham visit of 2013 on Friday, May 31. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and Bulls get underway at 7:05pm on Friday night, in a game presented by the North Carolina Education Lottery. Fans will be treated to a Diamond Cutters performance during the game and Friday Night Fireworks immediately following the series opener.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC presents Saturday’s 7:05pm game between the newly named RailRiders and Bulls.  On Sunday, June 2, Kids Run the Bases following a 5:05pm game thanks to Pepsi.  The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre series and the homestand conclude on Monday, June 3 with the final midweek day game of the season, as the two teams get underway at 1:05pm.

The Durham Bulls return home to the DBAP on Monday, May 27 to begin an eight game homestand featuring visits from the Buffalo Bisons and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Tickets for all home games are available at durhambulls.com, by phone at 919.956.BULL, or at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park box office.

For more great things to do in Durham, visit www.durham-nc.com.

Peanuts LIVE at Northgate Mall

Summer is almost here so it’s time for baseball, fun, singing and entertainment.   Soon, the beloved Peanuts characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy will visit Northgate Mall for three interactive shows for children and their families entitled "Happiness is…Baseball with Charlie Brown and Snoopy".

These free events will also feature an appearance by UNC’s mascot Rameses Saturday, June 8, 2013 at 10:30am, 12:00pm and 2:30pm for children and their families.

Popular long-time educator Terri Morley and friends along with Rameses will be decked out in character and lead children in three lively interactive shows around a baseball theme including songs from You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and other beloved story lines featuring the hapless Charlie Brown, his clever beagle Snoopy and, even Rameses, too.

All events are free and open to the public with shows at Northgate’s Center Court at 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Photos with the characters will be available for purchase, courtesy of Northgate’s Showcase Photography. There will also be a showing of the movie You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. See the website for details.

The Cookery and American Meltdown to Host “Artisan Cheese Fest”

No matter what happens next month, it's sure to be cheesy - and for area foodies, that's a very, very good thing.

Triangle residents will be able to sample a variety of cheeses, charcuterie, bread, wine, and even cheesecakes at The Cookery Saturday, June 29th from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.  The event, which is promoted as “for the fromagaholic in all of us,” will take place in the Front Room, The Cookery’s event space on West Chapel Hill Street.

“We at American Meltdown are, of course, pretty passionate about cheese,” said Paul Inserra, who owns the American Meltdown food truck with his wife, Alycia Inserra.  “I’m confident everyone will leave this fest with new flavor knowledge and a discovery about selecting cheese.”

Participating businesses for this free event include event co-organizer American Meltdown, which will be serving gourmet melts out of it’s food truck on the patio, Chapel Hill Creamery, Cultured Cow Creamery, Elodie Farms, Hillsborough Cheese Company, Holly Grove Farms, La Farm Bakery, Southern Season, Whole Foods, and Cookery members Milk and Honey Bakery, and This Little Piggie Charcuterie.  In addition, a “Dueling Ricottas” demonstration will be hosted by Billy Cotter of Toast and Matthew Daniels of Triangle Raw Foods, and wine tastings by Wine Authorities will take place upstairs on the mezzanine.  The Front Room bar will also be open, offering local draught beers, wine, and hand crafted cocktails.

“When we opened the Front Room, we set out to serve as a space to celebrate local culinary talent with the community,” said Rochelle Johnson, who co-owns The Cookery with her husband, Nick Hawthorne-Johnson.  “We get especially excited when we can open our doors to the public and revel in fabulous food, like the cheeses available right here in our area.”

For more information on great events in Durham, visit the Durham Event Calendar, and remember that since Durham is The Tastiest Town in the South, to use the hashtag #DurhamIsTastiest! when sharing news of Durham's food scene on social media.

Triangle Opera Studios Makes Its New Home at Durham School of the Arts

What's that sound? A soprano aria? Opera has found a new home in Durham. Triangle Opera Studios, (TOS) a three years young source for area opera singers with potential for careers as professional performing artists, is pleased to announces its new home for rehearsals, masters classes and performances at the Durham School of the Arts (DSA) in downtown Durham.

Bridging the gap between the voice studio and professional stage for aspiring professional singers through performance opportunities and master classes with prominent singers and coaches, Triangle Opera Studios will present its first series of performances at DSA June 7-9, 2013 with two popular works by Italian-American composer and librettist Gian Carlo Menotti.

Durham School of the Arts’ magnificent 1,600-seat Weaver Auditorium is now home to Triangle Opera Studio’s performances, beginning with the Menotti double bill. In addition, Triangle Opera Studios will be an active collaborator with School of the Arts faculty in providing services and opportunities to enrich DSA student experiences with invitations to attend rehearsals and participate in productions where possible and appropriate.

“We are very grateful to DSA’s Principal David Hawks, faculty and staff for making this collaboration happen,” says TOS Founder/Director Christine Weidinger, former star soprano at most of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera.  “We owe special thanks to Assistant Principal Michelle Hunt who first conceived of this arrangement and convinced her colleagues to talk to us. Now we have a home base and it’s a dream come true!”

Weidinger is devoted to the stated mission of her organization. “We are focused on the singers, who are not paid a dime to perform. They may help defray some of the production costs but that is nothing compared to the large tuitions most companies like ours charge singers to perform in their programs.”
She is clearly passionate on this point: “Singers beginning a career are not in a position to pay huge sums to perform. We provide them, tuition-free, the opportunity to rehearse and perform under expert supervision. For them, each production is a learning experience and for the public, we hope, an opera lover's joy,” add Weidinger.

For more cultural information about Durham, visit online.

Fourth Annual Cool Summer Nights Concerts at DPAC

Throughout this blazing North Carolina summer, DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, is pleased to offer six must-see indoor shows as opportunities to escape the heat and humidity while enjoying superstar entertainment.

From June to August, there will be six concert and comedy events that offer something for everyone. Single tickets to each event are on sale now for the 2013 Cool Summer Nights Concerts at DPAC featuring Grammy® Award-winning artists, two superstar comedians, and five DPAC premieres. Cool Summer Nights Concerts at DPAC will consist of the following six shows:

• June 5 – Back by Popular Demand, Kevin James
• June 8 – A Soulful Summer Tour with Anthony Hamilton with Eric Benét & Marcus Canty
• June 16 – Summer’s Ultimate Hip-Hop Music Experience, Kings of the Mic Tour: LL Cool J with Ice Cube, Public Enemy, De La Soul
• June 30 – The Empress of Soul with America’s Treasured R&B Trio, Gladys Knight & The O’Jays
• August 3 – Sheryl Crow in her Most Intimate Concert Ever in the Triangle
• August 10 – “Politically Incorrect” Comedian and Host of HBO’s “Real Time” Bill Maher

Tickets are sold separately for each event and are available now online, as well as at the box office at 123 Vivian Street.

"DPAC’s Cool Summer Nights is something our team looks forward to every year. We've put together a lineup that features the hottest artists and comedians to be showcased in our intimate theater. Our fans already know that DPAC provides the Triangle’s best summer event experience. As we like to say, it’s better indoors,” said Emily McLoughlin, Marketing Director for Concerts and Comedy at DPAC.

Visit the Cool Summer Nights Concert website for more information, and learn more about great Durham events online.

Durham Arts Council's Dinners a l'Art Presents bar de Miguel Tapas

For one night only, Durham will pull back the curtain and allow visitors a glimpse into the lives of one of Durham's most prolific businessmen while sampling dinner from one of Durham's most lauded chefs.

In true Durham style, the evening will also benefit a good cause.

The Durham Arts Council's Dinners a l'Art will host bar de Miguel Tapas, an inspired evening featuring the flavors and rhythms of Spain, hosted by Michael and Liz Goodmon Thursday, June 6th at 7:00 pm at the Goodmon Family Home (directions will be provided following ticket purchase; valet parking also provided). Tickets are $100 per person and all proceeds will benefit the Durham Arts Council. Visit this site for tickets. Additional information is available through the Durham Arts Council.

Renowned Chef Matt Kelly of Mateo bar de Tapas & Vin Rouge will present a fabulous Spanish tapas feast. Performers from Flamenco Carolina, who have been trained by Carlota Santana, will perform the mesmerizing and romantic rhythms of Flamenco music and dance. The event is shaping up as one not to be missed.

Proceeds from this will go to support the programs and services of the Durham Arts Council including arts programs for over 300,000 people a year and Season Grants to 24 Durham arts organizations. Carlota Santana Spanish Dance is a Durham Arts Council Season Grant recipient.

For more information about all the great food Durham offers, visit eat.durahm-nc.com.

Kickoff Time for Bull City Gridiron Classic Announced

If a Devil took on an Eagle, who would emerge victorious? Durham residents and visitors will soon be able to answer that question.

North Carolina Central University’s Eagles season-opening football game – the Bull City Gridiron Classic at Duke University on Saturday, August 31 – will kick off at 4 p.m., announced on Thursday (May 23) by the ACC office.

The Bull City Gridiron Classic featuring the Blue Devils and Eagles will be available exclusively over ESPN's web-streaming platform of ESPN3, which is now available in more than 73 million homes.

For Bull City Gridiron Classic ticket information, visit this site or call the Duke Athletic Ticket Office at 919-681-BLUE.

Durham sports teams are watched nationally and with great local pride. Learn more online.

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

• 8 am to Noon at Greenwood Commons Shopping Center 5410 NC Highway 55 Durham, NC 27713 
• The Durham Master Gardeners will be at their booth to help you with your planting questions! 
• 8:30am - 12pm
• Fresh this Week: Strawberries, radishes, asparagus, broccoli, onions, greens, tomatoes, flowers and more

Ninth St. Bakery's Local Flour Power
By our counts, The Ninth Street Bakery has been committed to local and sustainable agriculture for 32 years through their consistent use organic flours and local ingredients.  Needless to say, we were thrilled when they applied to participate in our inaugural season last year, but we were overjoyed when they said they wanted to use our market to roll out their new line of artisanal sourdough breads featuring NC grown wheat flour.

But, why is a Durham-based bakery growing bread using NC wheat so special?  According to the Southern Foodways Alliance, North Carolina (and the rest of the South) is the land of tender cornbread and biscuits for a very good reason...Read More.

FREE STUFF!
This Saturday, the very first person to show Ben their "Check-In" at market gets a free SDFM car magnet!

Magical Microgreens
We have become accustomed to finding SDFM vendor products on local dining menus, but lately some of our vendors have come to market with some seriously gourmet ingredients – most recently, in the form of the microgreen.  Microgreens are young vegetable plants that are harvested at 7-14 days old and have reached a height of 1 to 1.5 inches.  Most leafy crops make fantastic microgreens including kale, broccoli, arugula, mustard, chard and cabbage.  Beets, radishes, and kohlrabi are also used for their vibrant colors and crisp, spicy flavor.

And yet, the size and intense flavor of microgreens is only part of their allure – recent research studies have suggested that microgreens can have between 4 – 40 times more vitamins per serving as their mature counterparts.

How to buy:
Each Saturday, you can find farmers Ross and Jillian with Open Door Farm selling pre-washed microgreens at SDFM.  They are usually sold pre-bagged or in small growing trays.  Look for greens that are still bright in appearance and look fresh.

How to store:
Store prebagged microgreens in your produce drawer at 38 – 40 degrees F.  If kept dry and in a closed container (such as the bag you bought them in), microgreens can stay fresh for up to a week.

You can store a trays of microgreens on your counter, just keep the trays moist and at room temperature.  Use scissors to cut off what you need – but remember, these are living plants and will continue to grow in the right conditions, so it’s best to enjoy tray microgreens within a couple days of purchase.

How to eat:
Microgreens require very little preparation – nothing more than a light wash in cold water and then added whole and fresh to various dished.  Use them in place of lettuce on a sandwich, add to an omelet for breakfast, or in a salad with thinly sliced radish and celery, drizzled with a red wine vinaigrette.

DPAC Tops with Travelers, Again

DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center  in Durham, NC was honored today with an award it has won before, the Certificate of Excellence from travel website TripAdvisor.

Given that Trip Advisor has more than 50,000,000 worldwide visitors per month and is the world's largest travel website and online travel guide, winning this certificate is a significant achievement. This prestigious award puts DPAC in the top 10% of all businesses and organizations worldwide listed on the site.

The center's fifth season featured over 185 performances with attendance expected to total 350,000 guests by the time the season draws to a close next month. General Manager Bob Klaus said "Of the many accolades DPAC has received since opening, this is the one of which we are the most proud. We love hearing from our guests, and TripAdvisor is one of the very best national forums for visitors to weigh in on their experiences. "

"Service has always been a major focus at DPAC, and it shows in the experience that both residents and visitors alike share when they attend an event.  The staff are committed to exceeding their guests' expectations in every way possible," said Shelly Green, President and CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Since its opening in 2008, DPAC, the Durham Performing Arts Center, has become the center for live entertainment in the Triangle. Recognized for its contemporary design, DPAC features 2,700 seats, intimate sightlines and state-of-the art sound and video. Listed four times in the top 10 in Pollstar magazine’s annual worldwide theater attendance rankings, DPAC is currently the #5 ranked theater in the U.S.

Read the story about DPAC winning this award last year here and learn more about the arts in Durham here.  Season tickets are on sale now for the 2013-14 season which includes the blockbuster, The Book of Mormon.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market Wednesday Market

WHAT'S NEW AT MARKET?
Part of my job as Market Manager is visiting the Market member's farms and businesses. Every year, as a way to preserve the integrity of the Market and ensure to our customers that our vendors are growing and producing everything that they are selling, the Board of Directors randomly selects a handful of our member's farms and businesses to visit. Occasionally, I get to go on one of these visits. During these visits we see the crops that they are bringing to Market growing in the fields; we see the animals that they are raising; we see and talk about their methods of production - farming, baking, crafting, etc; and we see their productions facilities and store rooms. We periodically check on these things to make sure that everything and above board so that you can KNOW that when you shop at the Market you are getting the locally raised and produced food and goods that you were promised.

During these visits, while looking at the technical parts of the farm and business, we (the visitors) also often get to hear stories about the history of the farm and the farmer's connection to the land. On farm visits we usually learn about the lay of the land, the watershed and irrigation and often talk about soil health, crop rotation, inputs and farming methods. And on almost all types of visits, we often get to hear about the motivation for why the farmer farms, the baker bakes, the crafter crafts. I can speak from experience when I say, there is nothing prouder than a farmer in her fields or a cook in his kitchen. (PS - Farm Tours are a great way to get to see the farms and hear the stories too!)

This week, I had the chance to see two farms - Lil Farm and Abanitu Farm. I saw them both after the rain and near dusk and they were each lush, productive and beautiful. One thing that I saw on both farms were vines FILLED with Sugar Snap Peas! I'm sure that lots of farms are now flush with Sugar Snaps. These peas are only in season for the short few weeks during the brief the window between spring and summer. As soon as it gets hot, peas fade away until next year. So, during this short pea season, make sure you get to enjoy them before they disappear! They are good in so many ways - in salads, in stirfrys, or straight from the box that you bought them in!

One way that you can briefly extend the season is by making Refrigerator Sugar Snap Pea Pickles. These pickles don't get processed and sealed, so they aren't "shelf stable", they have to stay in the fridge to stay fresh and they can last for a month or two. Below are a couple of recipes that I've enjoyed in the past. I hope you enjoy them too!
Quick & Easy Pickled Sugar Snap Peas from LearnToPreserve.com
Quick Pickled Sugar Snap Peas from SeriousEats.com

See you at the market!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow the Market on Facebook and Twitter

Available Wednesday! 
Fruits:  Strawberries  
Vegetables:   FAVA BEANS, ZUCCHINI,  SUGAR SNAP PEAS, Asparagus, Asian Greens (Bok Choi, Tat Soi, Mizuna), Arugula, Beet Greens, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Collards, Culinary Herbs including Cilantro, Thyme, Oregano, and Greek Oregano, English Shelling Peas, Fennel, Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes, Green Onions, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, New Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Radishes, Salad Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Summer Squash, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips
Meats: Beef, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Pork
Eggs: Chicken and Duck  Eggs
Flowers: Iris, Sunflower, Agrostemma, Snapdragons and mixed Bouquets
Plants:  Vegetable and Herb Seedlings, House Plants, Landscaping Plants
Specialty Items:  Creamed Honey, Mustards, Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits,  Goat and Cow Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods - Breads, Pastries, & Pies, Preserves, Gluten Free Baked Goods, Fermented Items, Nut Butters, Pasta, Tempeh, Herbal Teas, Herbal Salves,
Crafts:  Wood Crafts, Pottery, Goats Milk Soaps

Bracket Released for 2013 ACC Baseball Championship at the DBAP

Until now, it has been a mystery.  Who will the Durham Bulls meet in the 2013 ACC Baseball Championship at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park?

Well fans, wonder no more.

The Atlantic Coast Conference today announces the bracket for the 2013 ACC Baseball Championship to be hosted at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park May 22-26. Pool-play is headlined by a local match up between top seeded North Carolina and No. 4 seed NC State on Saturday night at 7:00pm.

Under the pool-play format, each team will play one game against each of the other three opponents in its division Wednesday through Saturday (May 22-25). The two teams with the best records within their respective division brackets will advance to the title game on Sunday, May 26, with the winner earning the ACC’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

UNC (47-8, 21-7) earned the No. 1 overall seed and will head up Division A. The Tar Heels will be joined by fourth-seeded NC State (42-13, 19-10), fifth-seeded Clemson (39-17, 18-12) and eighth-seeded Miami (35-21, 14-16).

Florida State (44-11, 20-10) earned the No. 2 overall seed and will be joined in Division B by third-seeded Virginia (45-9, 22-8), sixth-seeded Virginia Tech (35-19, 15-14) and seventh-seeded Georgia Tech (33-24, 15-15).

Game times Wednesday through Saturday are set for 11:00am, 3:00pm and 7:00pm. Sunday’s championship game will begin at 1:00pm.

Single-game tickets and full tournament passes are available now at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park box office, by phone at 919.956.BULL or online.

For more information about the ACC Baseball Tournament in Durham, visit this site.

Durham Outpaces Nation in Creative Vitality

Durham, NC continues to outpace the nation, the state of North Carolina and a benchmark group of 10 similarly-sized communities in the Southeast when it comes to its creative economy.

From a study produced by WESTAF and recently released by the Durham Arts Council (with assistance from DCVB), the Creative Vitality Index - 2011, provides a numeric expression of the health of the creative economy in both profit and not-for-profit sectors.

The report is composed of two major sections.  One focuses on jobs created by, or in support of for-profit and non-profit arts-related enterprises. The other measure reflects a community's participation in the arts.

Where the baseline score is 1.0 nationally, Durham scored 1.25; meaning it outpaces the state by 25%. It also outperformed the State of North Carolina by 93% and its Southeast comp set by 69%.

An important takeaway from the study is that Durham's Creative Economy supports 7,335 jobs, a figure that has grown 22% throughout the past five years.

The report was presented at the Creative Entrepreneur Expo in Durham on May 16th. The event was an opportunity for aspiring artists and entrepreneurs to connect with resources and get information necessary to launch new arts-related business projects, or hone and enhance those that already exist.

The Creative Entrepreneur Expo was presented by the Durham Arts Council, the City of Durham Office of Economic & Workforce Development, the Durham Cultural Advisory Board, the Durham Small Business Advisory Council, and the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Durham is also home to the highest percentage of creative class jobs in the US, according to Dr. Richard Florida in a report posted on TheAtlanticCities.com.  Read more about that report here.

Other stories on Durham's Creative Vitality Index:

February 16, 2011 - Durham Looks Good with Creative Vitality Index
October 29, 2010 - Durham's Creative Vitality Index

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the South Durham Farmers Market

• Music by Scott Boggs 8:30am - 11:30am  
•  Education: Join Maia Wirth of Open Arts in Morrisville, NC for nature-themed kids activities, storytelling, and more!
  9am - 12pm 
• Featured this week: asparagus  herbs, strawberries, greens, broccoli, rainbow chard, flowers, bread and more 

Locopops at SDFM
If you're going to quit your day job and focus on something totally loco, it should hopefully be something that makes you and other people happy. And that's exactly what Summer Bicknell, founder of Locopops, did. Summer's first paleta (Mexican popsicle) shop only came to be in Durham by pure chance- she stopped in Durham to fill up her tank with gas, loved what she saw, and decided to stay. Ever since that fateful day she has worked hard to make the people of Durham and the greater Triangle area smile with her delicious summertime treats.

What makes us happiest to have Locopops as a part of the market is Summer's commitment to keeping Locopops local. Read more here!

O, Artichoke
There are so many new vegetables available at SDFM right now, but none as curious as the green and ancient artichoke.  Artichokes have been around so long that Roman philospher Pliny the Elder called them, "one of the Earth's monstrosities," - yet, he and his friends could get past appearances long enough to eat them with gusto.  This might be due the fact that the Romans considered artichokes to be a delicacy and an aphrodisiac (the Romans could throw quite a party).  At SDFM, we feel particularly special to be able to get these delicious Mediterranean lovelies over the next few weekends at market.

How to Buy: Look for firm, heavy, medium-size artichokes. To test for freshness, squeeze the artichoke and listen for a squeaky sound (we can't make this up!). Avoid those that look dry, have split leaves, or heavy browning. Baby artichokes are just smaller versions of the same plant, but are a little easier to prepare.

How to Store: Fresh artichokes can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to five days; wash just before cooking.

How to Eat:

1. If the artichokes have little thorns on the end of the leaves, take a kitchen scissors and cut of the thorned tips of all of the leaves. This step is mostly for aesthetics as the thorns soften with cooking and pose no threat to the person eating the artichoke.
2. Slice about 3/4 inch to an inch off the tip of the artichoke.
3. Pull off any smaller leaves towards the base and on the stem.
4. Cut excess stem, leaving up to an inch on the artichoke. The stems tend to be more bitter than the rest of the artichoke, but some people like to eat them. Alternatively you can cut off the stems and peel the outside layers which is more fibrous and bitter and cook the stems along with the artichokes.
5. Rinse the artichokes in running cold water.
6. In a large pot, put a couple inches of water, a clove of garlic, a slice of lemon, and a bay leaf (this adds wonderful flavor to the artichokes). Insert a steaming basket. Add the artichokes. Cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off. Note: artichokes can also be cooked in a pressure cooker (about 15-20 minutes cooking time). Cooking time depends on how large the artichoke is, the larger, the longer it takes to cook.

Simply dip white fleshy end in melted butter or sauce (find some sauces here). Tightly grip the other end of the petal. Place in mouth, dip side down, and pull through teeth to remove soft, pulpy, delicious portion of the petal. Discard remaining petal. Do this until you arrive at the "heart", discard the fuzzy portion or "choke", and then enjoy the heart by dipping it in a sauce or placing it in a jar with olive oil, lemon juice and spices and place in refrigerator to marinate. Use in a salad or sliced on bread.
Find artichokes at Parker Farm & Vineyard this Saturday, and artichoke plants from Four Leaf Farm, with more vendors to supply them in the coming weeks!