The Executive Leadership Foundation Awards North Carolina Central University $350,000 for Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy

North Carolina Central University will soon be able to help close the achievement gap of black middle and high school students, with assistance from a new grant.

The Executive Leadership Foundation (“ELF”) awarded North Carolina Central University (NCCU) a grant of $350,000 during its annual Recognition Gala on Thursday, October 24, 2013. The grant was provided under ELF’s Community Impact Initiative, a national program aimed at closing the achievement gap among black middle and high school students. Previous grantees include INROADS, LEAD and A Better Chance.  Dr. Debra Saunders-White, NCCU chancellor, accepted the award which will support the university’s Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy.

“Through our Community Impact Initiative, we are making a strategic investment in the next generation of business leaders, providing more than $1 million in just three years to deserving grantees,” said Ronald C. Parker, president and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council and Foundation.  “We are pleased to expand our impact and reach by providing this grant to North Carolina Central University’s Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy.”

The NCCU School of Business and ELF are aligned around the goal of preparing students for career success and global leadership. Under the Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy, high school sophomores and juniors take part in a two-week, non-residential business and entrepreneurship immersion program.  Students participate in lectures, corporate visits, and a case competition, where they work in teams to prepare a business plan. A panel of judges from the business community evaluates the plan and awards a prize to the winning team.

“This generous gift from The Executive Leadership Foundation will enable NCCU to invest in training for the next generation of business leaders, entrepreneurs and scholars,” said Dr. Debra Saunders-White, NCCU chancellor. “We are thankful to the ELF for supporting our efforts to build a pipeline of skilled individuals for the workforce in North Carolina and our nation.”

The partnership with ELF will allow the NCCU Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy to expand its outreach to include more students and provide additional services at no cost to the student.   The program began in 2012 with 16and is expected to grow to 60 students in 2014 and double its enrollment in both 2015 and 2016.

Learn more about Durham educational institutions online.

NC Craft Brewers Guild Hires Metzger

Today, the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild announced that they have hired a new executive director, Margo Knight Metzger.  "This great news for us in Durham," said Sam Poley, Director of Public Relations and Communications for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB), the organization charged with marketing Durham as a place to visit, live, do business.  "Margo has been such an asset to us in her current post, and now we're excited to be helping her and the Guild in any way we can to cement the idea that Durham is a great destinations for beer lovers," he added.

Durham is home to All About Beer magazine, and the original World Beer Festival held annually in October.

Metzger brings ten years of experience to the role, including government affairs, tourism promotion and alcohol beverage industry insight. She will lead the guild’s efforts to advance the interests of the state’s craft breweries and to promote North Carolina craft beer.

Craft beer is an undeniable trend in Durham, and across NC, too.  With three operating breweries, and more on the way, the beer scene in Durham was part in parcel of it earning the title Tastiest Town in the South.

“We are thrilled to bring Margo on board,” said Sean Lilly Wilson, president of the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild and the Chief Executive Optimist of Durham's Fullsteam Brewery. “While we had an impressive slate of highly-qualified candidates, Margo’s extensive experience in government relations, tourism, and the alcohol industry made her the perfect fit. Even better, she’s passionate about craft beer and loves her native North Carolina.”

Metzger attended the NC School of Science and Math in Durham, an experience that left her with a strong appreciation for Durham. She leaves her position as public relations director for the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, part of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. She previously served as Executive Director of the North Carolina Wine & Grape Council. Prior to that, Metzger led marketing for a beer and wine wholesaler in the Triad region of North Carolina. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Learn more about Durham's beer scene online.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

This summer, in the span of one week, two of Durham Farmers' Market's farmers passed away. First, Gary Murray of Sunset Farm and a week later, Steve Mobley of Meadow Lane Farm (and the Durham Farmers' Market president) followed. I spoke of both men in the newsletter, but it was hard to sum up the impact of their work and their lives while sorting through my own sadness.

  

Over the past several weeks, journalist Elizabeth Shestak has taken the time to learn more about both of these dedicated farmers and has written about them for the Life Stories column in the News and Observer. This morning, I encourage you to take a moment to read about these two incredibly hard working farmers and the positive work that they did to improve their land, small scale agriculture in NC, and the community.

   

To honor Steve's life, his wife, Martha, has set up the Steve Mobley Small Farmer Scholarship Fund. Contributions can be made c/o Marie Boyette, BB&T, P.O. Box 464, Louisburg, NC 27549.

TOMORROW AT MARKET

New this week: Persimmons! Both Asian Persimmons and Native Persimmons will be available. The Native Persimmons will be available for a shorter amount of time, the Asian varieties will be available through late November. Also, new this week - a limited quantity or Brussels Sprouts!

The first frost is predicted to happen TONIGHT and may have already happened further out in the country side! So, this may be the last week of tender summer vegetables such as eggplants, green beans, zucchini, field tomatoes, corn, melons, and peppers. Following the frost, we always have inventive farmers that grow small quantities of these in heated or unheated greenhouses. So, stock up before they disappear!

Finally, for the next few weeks at the Market's Info Table, we'll have the remainder of the free packets of pectin and salsa spices that we received with the Discover You Can grant from Ball Brand Jars this summer.  We'll have them available until they run out so, come by and stock up for next years preserving projects!  

See you at the Market, 

Erin Kauffman

Market Manager

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Upcoming Events Saturday October 26th, 10:00-12:00 - Beer Brewing DemoThe folks from Bull City Homebrew will be on hand demonstrating how to brew seasonal beers. They will be brewing Pumpkin Ale using Market pumpkins. They will answer your questions and you can even stir the pot! Saturday November 23rd, 10am - Chef in the Market! Amy Tornquist & Matt Lardie from Watts Grocery will be cooking and sampling some Thanksgiving-y dishes! Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week.... FRUITS: Persimmons - Native & Asian Varietues, Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Raspberries, Asian Pears VEGETABLES: BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CARROTS, FENNEL, DAIKON RADISH, WATERMELON RADISH,  Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Broccoli, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Galangal, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabil, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs CHEESES:Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses. PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants. FLOWERS: Tuberose, Celosia, Gomphrena, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed BouquetsSPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, WoolCRAFTS: 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

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the Market

• Education by Master Gardeners
• In Season: Radishes, Kale, Potatoes, Green Beans, Garlic, Broccoli, Lettuce and more

We Got the Beets
My parents’ childhood experience of beets had been limited to those sold pickled in a can, so like many children of baby boomers, I grew up without ever trying the beetroot.  I was told that they were too mushy, and the same went for brussel sprouts and broccoli. (I suppose they were served one too many overcooked vegetable casseroles in the 1950s.) Then I went away to school in DC, and I tried roasted beets in garlic sauce at a family-style Greek restaurant. Delicious!

Since then, I grate raw beets into salad, roast slices with olive oil and salt and have bowls of borscht throughout the winter.  And last year, I celebrated a friend’s birthday with beet cake! Not to mention, as I wrote in last Sunday’s Herald Sun, beet greens are full of flavor. (Originally, beets were actually grown more for their leaves than the root.) If you have yet to try the greens, beets are closely related to chard, and the greens have a similarly savory bitter taste.

The red beets we have at market don’t have as much sucrose as sugar beets, which are grown commercially for sugar production, but they still have more sugar than sweet potatoes, corn or watermelon. Beetroots are even sweet enough to be made into wine! But, the red jewel’s sweetness is no reason to hold back. This veggie’s got lots of soluble fiber, iron, folate, potassium and vitamin K.

Baby boomer or millennial, if you are still unsure about beets, now is the perfect time to give them a second chance. Beets love this cool weather, so we have lots of fresh, local beets available, and like Dwight Schrute, the beet farmers of the SDFM are dedicated to growing only the highest quality beetroot. Also, Two Chicks is bringing their crunchy pickled beets with caraway, which might just convert the beet doubters among us.

Durham Among First Government Municipalities in NC to Join "A Healthier NC" Campaign

Durham is getting quite bullish on health and fitness – and 28,000 residents completing 420,000 hours of activity, and losing 280,000 pounds are wanted to lead the charge to beat this challenge.

Elected officials will join Durham’s health advocates on Monday, October 14, during a 10:00 a.m. ceremony at the Durham County Human Service Building to launch “A Healthier Durham.”

The City of Durham and Durham County have partnered to become the first government entity in N.C. to join the parent “A Healthier NC” campaign, which launched in April of this year.

Obesity and chronic illness is no small problem in Durham County. According to Durham County’s 2012 State of the County Health Report, 59% of adults and near one-third of high school students are considered overweight or obese.

“A Healthier Durham” will play a significant role in helping to address these health disparities, which align with key objectives in strategic plan health goals for both the City of Durham and Durham County.

“Durham is honored to be the first city-county government partnership in N.C. to rise to the challenge,” said Public Health Director Gayle B. Harris. “Recently, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) selected Durham as one of 12 finalists for the RWJF Roadmaps to Health Prize, which honors communities that are transforming health by bringing together a broad range of partners to improve health outcomes for residents. This is yet another example of just how committed Durham is to the health and well-being of its residents.”

The “A Healthier Durham” campaign and challenge provides free health journaling tools, access to a variety of Durham-specific health resources and educational materials, and will allow users to submit information about fitness opportunities in proximity to a user’s address at www.ahealthierdurham.com.

In addition to providing access to health resources, the “A Healthier Durham” website is designed to facilitate group participation locally and in the “A Healthier NC” challenge

“A Healthier Durham” is part of the larger “A Healthier NC” campaign, led by NC SPIN and supported by the following sponsors: N.C. Academy of Family Physicians, N.C. Medical Society, N.C. DHHS Office of Rural Health and Community Care, the AARP Decide.Create.Share campaign, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of N.C.

Tom Campbell, creator and producer of NC SPIN, and sponsor of “A Healthier NC”, said, “A Healthier NC is about more than just weight loss—it’s about transforming lives. It's an appeal and call to action for all of us to be active participants in our own health. It's encouraging one another to make smarter choices about what we eat, how active we are, and how important it is to take care of ourselves, and the ones we love. We're thrilled that Durham leaders are using the A Healthier NC platform to encourage citizens to strive for improved health.”

The idea for the “A Healthier NC” initiative arose out of concern for the state’s low rankings in reports that measure health on the national and state level. In 2012, North Carolina was ranked thirty-third for health by the United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings®. The Be Active North Carolina 2012 Report “Tipping the Scales” also highlights the extent and cost of poor health choices by North Carolinians.

The campaign was also inspired by a 1940s era campaign called the “Good Health Plan”, which was initiated by N.C. Governor Mel Broughton to improve health services in the state.

Learn more about Durham online.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

TOMORROW AT MARKET 
It is officially PUMPKIN time at the Durham Farmers' Market! Pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, colors and textures are abundant at the Market right now.

These pumpkins aren't just good for carving and decorating. Some varieties are really good for eating too. When looking at pumpkins, ask your farmer which ones they recommend for eating because flavors and textures differ from variety to variety. The pumpkin varieties that are best for eating tend to have a sweeter flavor and a smooth flesh. When cooked (and pureed), the flavor is absolutely phenomenal and works well in soups, stews, breads, cookies, and even pancakes. Cooked pumpkin freezes well so you don't have to worry about eating up a big pumpkin really quickly.

Speaking of pancakes, last night I made pumpkin pancakes for dinner (we are a big pancake eating family) and I found a great recipe on the internet for Pumpkin and Oatmeal Pancakes. If you love pancakes or pumpkins, I highly recommend this one. You'll need to make pumpkin puree for this, which couldn't be easier. For directions on making pumpkin puree from scratch check out this recipe HERE.

Another orange vegetable that is back is season is CARROTS! Last week, there were a couple of farmers that brought the first of their carrot harvest to Market. As summer vegetables continue to dwindle, remember both carrots and pumpkins will be around to enjoy almost all winter long!

Both carrots and pumpkins are high in Vitamin A and in general, both are really good for you. Growing up my parents always told my sister and I to eat our carrots because they would help us to see in the dark. I always thought that was a ploy to get us to eat more carrots, plus as a child, I was pretty excited about the idea of seeing in the dark. But, is wasn't just a clever ploy, there is truth in that story! Vitamin A IS good for maintaining eye health. Check out this article on DukeHealth.org about the connection between carrots and eye health.

Have a delicious, healthy week!

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Upcoming Events

Saturday October 19th, 8:00-12:00 - Bull City Coop Tour! Coop Tour and Master Gardener Egg-sperts will be back with information about raising backyard chickens. Also, Chef Wendy Woods from NOSH will be our special Chef in the Market tomorrow! She'll be demonstrating a yummy egg dish to celebrate the Coop Tour!

Saturday October 19th, 10-11am - Unveiling of Mt. Merrill in Durham Central Park. While the Farmers' Market is buzzing along, Durham Central Park, our landlord and partner, will be unveiling the first piece of the interactive play area on the east side of Foster Street near the Leaf! Check out what will be built this coming winter and spring! Read more about it on DurhamCentralPark.org

Saturday October 26th, 9:00-12:00 - Beer Brewing Demo
The folks from Bull City Homebrew will be on hand demonstrating how to brew seasonal beers. They will be brewing Pumpkin Ale using Market pumpkins. They will answer your questions and you can even stir the pot!

Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Raspberries, Asian Pears, Watermelon
VEGETABLES: CARROTS, FENNEL, DAIKON RADISH, WATERMELON RADISH,  Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Broccoli, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Galangal, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabil, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Tuberose, Celosia, Gomphrena, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, 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 

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

• Education: Backyard Chickens with Master Gardeners
• In Season: Squash, Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Chard, Lettuce, Turnips, Rutabaga and more!

A Vendor's Story Turned Over
Since starting as the market manager in July, one of the many pleasures of my work has been getting to know our vendors at market. While each has a distinct story and journey that has brought them to the South Durham Farmers’ Market, I have also found that they all possess common core traits: a willingness to work extraordinarily hard, a commitment to quality food and the mettle to take on being their own boss, laborer, marketer, accountant and salesperson. This perfectly describes Aida Jeanan Risk of Aida’s Turnovers, who with her husband, Adam Armstrong, decided to start a new business based on an old family recipe.

Aida’s Turnovers are a product of her own unique mixed heritage growing up in Egypt with a British mother and an Egyptian father. Her turnovers bring together the traditional English handheld meat pie, or pasty, with the vegetables and spices of the Middle East. She carries on her mother’s lifelong habit of turning any and all ingredients into the fillings for turnovers, and she continues to follow exactly her mother’s recipe in order to recreate her flakey pastry crusts.

Although Jeanan has been making pastry since she was eight years old, it was not until last year, at the encouragement of their sons, that she and Adam considered becoming professional bakers. They have worked together on every aspect of the business: learning how to scale up production, source ingredients, package the turnovers, and obtain nutritional facts. Adam designed their logo, which includes a cameo image of Jeanan at seventeen, and he fastidiously upholds their quality standards. (I have several times been the happy recipient of their discounted ’oopsie’ turnovers, which are just as delicious as those that make the regular cut.)

Almost every Saturday after market, I make a lunch of warmed turnovers over lightly dressed greens, so I have had the opportunity to taste each of their savory flavors. I am partial to their zucchini and pea stuffed turnovers, but recently I have been in the mood for their ground turkey pasties, which are fragrantly seasoned with dill, nutmeg and cumin. Jeanan and Adam use quality organic ingredients as much as possible and source many of their ingredients from farmers at the SDFM, including leeks, scallions, zucchini and spinach.

At the moment, we can claim the honor of being the only location with Aida’s Turnovers, but I hope you will join me in spreading the word about their delicious and distinctive offerings. Also, look out for the mulled hot cider coming next weekend!

Bull City Coop Tour
Get ready for the third annual Bull City Coop Tour this Saturday, October 19th! Come to the market early to do your shopping, and then purchase a map for the self-guided tour from our Master Gardener volunteers.

The tour is organized by Bull City Chickens, an organization dedicated to providing education on maintaining backyard chickens in an urban environment. On Saturday, members of the group within Durham city limits will open their homes and backyards from 10am-3pm to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for our feathered friends.

History Hub A Great DCVB Partnership

With its grand opening now immortalized within its walls, the Museum of Durham History's (MoDH) History Hub is now open to visitors on the loop in Downtown Durham. Both a collection of artifacts and interactive historical content, the "Hub" facilitates the telling of stories about Durham. Fortunately, many great occurrences, people, ideas, inventions, and movements have been a part of Durham’s great history.

Prior to the Museum's opening, Durham was the only major city in NC without a history museum. DCVB, the Durham Cultural Advisory Committee and many other organizations and individuals had rated a history museum a top priority for the destination.

"Durham is rich in many ways.  But there was a void in our product that needed to be filled," said Shelly Green, President and CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB). "I'm proud that DCVB has been actively involved in the evolution of this project since the beginning," Green added.

The museum already has quite a history itself to which DCVB contributed as part of a team of civic and municipal organizations that helped get the project rolling. Charged with marketing Durham as a place to visit, live, and do business, DCVB was instrumental in the museum's incorporation, designed the original Museum of Durham History (not the History Hub) logo, helped crowd-source images of historical figures through its extensive social media network and produced print collateral. It was also involved in developing concepts for the grand opening events and for providing promotion and media coverage for the Grand Opening, and beyond.

Ribbon-cutting for the opening of the
Museum of Durham History's History Hub
 Photo by Mark Schultz

The Saturday, October 12 ribbon-cutting included State Senators Floyd McKissick and Mike Woodard, Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell, Durham County Commissioner Vice Chair Brenda Howerton, several members of the Board of Commissioners and City Council, a representative from Congressman Price's office, museum board members, as well as DCVB's Shelly Green.

Equally important, there was significant community participation at the grand opening event. More than 500 people attended, including 15 groups which participated in the morning parade and 20 different groups and individuals that performed or led activities on the grounds from Noon - 5.

Learn more about visiting Durham's great history online.

DCVB Brings Home Numerous State and National Awards

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB), the official marketing agency for Durham, is competing in the big leagues, and winning.  Just announced this week, DCVB has won two national PR awards from industry powerhouse Ragan Communications.

For its Tastiest Town in the South campaign from which Durham received more than $3.3 million in exposure in a single announcement, DCVB has also now been recognized with two awards from Ragan's PR Daily. Ragan Communications and their associated outputs including PR Daily, are global leaders in the public relations arena.

"Recognition like this doesn't happen every day," said DCVB President and CEO Shelly Green. "The campaign was one we put together quickly to seize an opportunity.  Our team set a goal to earn the Tastiest Town title and stayed focused on it until we won. That we have received recognition like this from a firm like Ragan is a spectacular endorsement of our achievement," she added. DCVB was the only convention and visitors bureau named as a winner. 

The campaign was submitted for consideration in two categories, both of which were named winners against steep competition. The awards are as follows:

Best Location-Based Campaign
Winner: Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, "The Tastiest Town in the South"
Honorable Mentions:
·         CBRE Group, Inc., "Real Estate 360 in 60 Southern California Forecast"
·         MWW for the McDonald's New York Nutrition Tri-state Owner/Operators                 Association, McDonald's New York Metro Nutrition Network

Best Digital PR Campaign – Budget Under 25,000 

Winner: Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, "The Tastiest Town in the South"
Honorable Mentions:
·         AMD, AMD Radeon HD 7990 eBay Publicity Stunt
·         AMD, Social Media Launch of AMD's “Never Settle: Reloaded”
·         BolderBOULDER, "I AM BOLDER"
·         Proudly Represents & Mediatic for Domino's Pizza Netherlands &               Indie Amsterdam, Domino's Pizza "Safe Sound"

DCVB also won a platinum award for its 2011-12 Annual Report recently from the state-wide Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina.  
Recognized nationally for best practices and excellence in Destination Marketing, DCVB has received more than 150 awards and recognitions over the past 15 years. 

Such recognition serves as affirmation of one of the organization's most important core values: CANI – Continuing and Never-Ending Improvement. 

Learn more about Durham online, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Durham Ranks Fourth Best Place to Live and Visit

The continued attention paid to Durham is flattering - especially when Durham is ranked #4 on the list of the Top 100 Places in the US to live and visit by Livability.com. The national website ranks quality-of-life amenities in America’s small and mid-sized cities. Durham ranked most highly for health care and amenities.

"The things that make Durham rank high in quality of life indices are some of the same things that make Durham a great place to visit," said Shelly Green, President and CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, the organization that markets Durham. "Things like great dining, shopping, arts and cultural opportunities, as well as abundant natural recreation areas, raise the experience bar for everyone," Green added. 

In 2012 Durham welcomed 9 million visitors who took advantage of these things and many others.  

According to the website, the data collected for the ranking were weighted based on an exclusive survey conducted for Livability by Ipsos Public Affairs, a leading global market research firm. Respondents were asked about factors that make their communities better places to live, as well as the factors they would consider in selecting another city. Those factors were narrowed down to eight categories – economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and healthcare – that were then used to determine each city’s LivScore. See the entire list on their website.

To produce its inaugural list of Top 100 Best Places to Live and Visit, Livability.com partnered with Richard Florida’s Martin Prosperity Institute, the world's leading think tank on the role of location, place, and city-regions in global economic prosperity. A months-long study of more than 1,700 U.S. cities and the factors that make them the best places to live, work and play was conducted. Florida also ranked Durham as having the highest percentage of creative-class jobs in the US.

See all the ways Durham is ranked highly online.

Bulls announce schedule for 2014’s All-star Summer

Even though baseball season has ended in Durham, The Durham Bulls are already looking to the 2014 season.

The Governors’ Cup Champion Durham Bulls announced their home schedule for the 2014 International League season. The Bulls will welcome the new season at home on Thursday, April 3, showing off a newly renovated Durham Bulls Athletic Park against the Gwinnett Braves on Opening Night. 2014 will be anchored by Minor League Baseball’s premier event, as the DBAP hosts the Triple-A All-Star Game and surrounding All-Star festivities in mid-July.

All-Star Week in the Bull City begins the weekend of July 12, as the Bulls kick off Triple-A Baseball’s Midsummer Classic with All-Star Fan Fest in downtown Durham. Minor League Baseball’s most prolific sluggers will take their shots at the Snorting Bull, the most iconic home run target in baseball, on Monday, July 14 in the Home Run Derby. Durham Bulls Athletic Park then hosts the main event, the 2014 Triple-A All-Star Game, on Wednesday, July 16.

The Governors’ Cup Champs open the 72-game home schedule with an eight-game homestand, which features a rare weekend day game at the DBAP, as the Bulls host the G-Braves at 1:05pm on Sunday, April 6. Six other day games dot the home ledger, including the regular season finale at 1:05pm on Monday, September 1 against Norfolk. The 2014 home schedule features 11 Friday dates, 11 Saturdays and 13 Sundays.

The International League Champion Durham Bulls begin their Governors’ Cup title defense at the DBAP on April 3, 2014 against the Gwinnett Braves.  Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the 2014 Triple-A All-Star Game, is in the midst of a $15 million renovation project. Season ticket and mini plan packages for the 2014 season are on sale now.

Learn more about great things to do in Durham at www.durham-nc.com.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

TOMORROW AT MARKET 
Well, the weather seems to have shifted from July to November in the matter of one week! Last Saturday, the temperatures were in the low 90s and by the time the Wednesday Market rolled around a few days later, there was a cold, blustery rain falling on us. What a contrast! Looks like tomorrow will be a little less extreme, temperatures will be in the 60s and 70s which will help ease us towards late fall and winter.

As it is feeling more fall like, the crops coming into Market are looking more fall-ish every week. This week, you'll find some of the first jerusalem artichokes of the fall, an ever growing selection of pumpkin & gourd varieties, and an increasing quantity of fall staples such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and greens, greens, greens! And, because we haven't had the first frost yet, there is still a plentiful supply of fall plantings of beans, squash and tomatoes. There is certainly lots to enjoy right now.

Chef Challenge Recap
In case you missed the 5th Annual Chef Challenge, here is what you missed! Chefs Katie Coleman, Mike Hacker and Justin Rakes were presented with this year's secret ingredient of EGGPLANT at 9am. After 2 hours of shopping, chopping, and cooking, the chefs presented the judges and the customers with dishes that featured 9 different creative uses of eggplant. After a long period of deliberation, the judges presented Justin Rakes and Scott Martin of (soon to be open restaurant) Salted Pig with this year's title and trophy. After Market, I tallied up the People's Choice votes and it was nearly a three way tie! Mike Hacker from Pie Pushers edged out the others to claim the People's Choice Winner.

Check out the full recap on Judge Bryan Christopher's blog Searching for Sicily. 

Thanks for a GREAT Wednesday Market Season!
This Wednesday was the final week of the 2013 Wednesday Market season! Thanks for making this Wednesday Market season the best one yet! It was open for more weeks, featured more vendors and hosted more customers than ever before in it 6 year history. You'll see some of your favorite Wednesday Market vendors on Saturday during our Winter Season which begins December 7th. You'll also see many of them at the Pre-Thanksgiving Market on November 26th! The 2014 Wednesday Market season will begin in spring of 2014, date TBA.

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Upcoming Events
Saturday October 12th, 8:00-12:00 - The annual Bull City Coop Tour will be held on October 19th. In preparation, there will be information about the Coop Tour and the Durham County Master Gardener "Egg-sperts" will be on hand to talk about raising backyard chickens!

Saturday October 19th, 8:00-12:00 - Bull City Coop Tour! Coop Tour and Master Gardener Egg-sperts will be back with information about raising backyard chickens. Also, chefs from NOSH will be there demonstrating some yummy egg dishes!

Saturday October 26th, 9:00-12:00 - Beer Brewing Demo
The folks from Bull City Homebrew will be on hand demonstrating how to brew seasonal beers. They will be brewing Pumpkin Ale using Market pumpkins. They will answer your questions and you can even stir the pot!

Mark your calendars!! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th - Pre-Thanksgiving Market, 2-5pm! Stock up with your local needs for your holiday meal. Also, Fickle Creek Farm is now taking orders for Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Raspberries, Asian Pears, Watermelon
VEGETABLES: CAULIFLOWER, GALANGAL, JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES, BROCCOLI, Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Kale, Kohlrabil, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Lisianthus, Tuberose, Gomphrena, Gladiolus, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, 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 

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the Market

• Greenwood Commons 5410 HWY 55 Durham, NC 27713
• Games: Cornhole
• Samlpling: Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup
• In Season: Cabbage, Tomatoes, Radishes, Apples, Peppers, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Flowers and More!

The Sweet Potato
Growing up, not only did we relegate sweet potatoes to once-a-year Thanksgiving side dish, but we also couldn’t get their name right—we always called them candied yams. But, as I have gotten older, and especially after moving to North Carolina, I have discovered the culinary versatility and nutritional benefits of the sweet potato. It is now on my dinner plate at least once a week.

As you likely already know, sweet potatoes do particularly well in North Carolina, and our state has ranked #1 in sweet potato production for over forty years. These tasty tubers love our hot, humid days and warm, equally humid nights. Fortunately for us, this means we have no shortage of SDFM farmers with O’Henry and Covington varieties of sweet potatoes.

And, don’t be fooled by their deliciously sweet flavor; sweet potatoes are definitely part of a healthy diet. They are an excellent source of fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B, potassium and manganese. Plus, they have a very low glycemic index. In fact, some of the longest lived people in the world, the Okinawans, rely heavily on the sweet potato. Though their variety is purple, it is quite similar nutritionally.

There is no end to the ways you can prepare the orange tater. Just two Saturdays ago at the market, I tasted a new sweet potato preparation. Down 2 Earth Farm soaked raw sweet potato slices overnight in water and vinegar and voilà: a fresh, healthy snack.

In addition to having piles of sweet potatoes at market, we also have sweet potato greens available from Pine Knot Farms. The leaves are tender like spinach with a very mild taste. Plus, Mommo’s will be back this Saturday with their creamy sweet potato pies made from local tubers. Come enjoy autumn at the market!

Calling All Craftspeople!
We are hosting the second annual Holiday Crafts Market on Saturday, December 7th. If you have a craft, check out how to apply here.

Durham will make history on October 12th

This weekend, Durham's long-awaited History Hub will make its grand debut! Dozens of groups and individual entertainers will turn the October 12 Grand Opening of the Durham History Hub into a day-long celebration. More than 40 sponsors, led by Presenting Sponsor SunTrust Bank, are providing financial and in-kind support for the big day. The History Hub, located at 500 West Main Street, is the first home of the Museum of Durham History.

Beginning with a 10am History Parade down Main Street, followed by a ribbon-cutting, and rolling into a full afternoon of performances, the Grand Opening will launch the Hub in style. All activities and entertainment are free.

The parade will include the Bull City Brawlers Roller Derby Team, costumed bagpipers, Durham’s own Tobacco Queen, and Civil War re-enactors. Along with floats from Hayti Heritage Center, NC Pride Parade and Festival and Sam’s Quik Shop, there will be antique cars, a “biker bar,” Organic Transit vehicles, and more – all to the beat of the Hillside Hornets Marching Band.  The parade will begin near the Old Courthouse and travel west down Main Street to the History Hub.

At 11:30am, Mayor Bill Bell and Durham County Commissioners Vice Chair Brenda Howerton will join Museum Board Chair Lew Myers to open the History Hub’s doors and invite the audience inside for a first look at exhibits. Everyone who visits the exhibits will get a free ticket to enter one of four raffles.

Between Noon and 5pm, Durham Bulls announcer Jatovi McDuffie will keep things moving on two stages, featuring musical performers such as The Famous Jordanairs, NCSSM Jazz Ensemble, Blue Star Travelers, Kamara Thomas, TROSA Band, Heart of Carolina Chorus, Immaculata Catholic School Liturgical Choir, Durham Ukulele Orchestra and Durham Academy’s In the Pocket. 

A Bare Theatre acting duo, storytellers Dorothy N. Clark and Beverly Fields Burnett and Mr. Rainbow the Clown will be on hand, along with the Bellan Contemporary Dance Theatre and Bouncing Bulldogs Jump Rope Team.

Cartoonist VC Rogers will draw caricatures, the Durham Comics Project will oversee a kids art activity, Duke Homestead will lead several artisan demos, and local history authors will be available to sign their books.

Visitor parking will be available at no charge at nearby marked lots on Morris Street. All-day event parking is available for $3 in the Durham Centre deck, entered from the Morgan St. loop.

A full schedule of afternoon activities is attached and is also found online. Food trucks will be on site.

About the Museum of Durham History
The Museum of Durham History is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Durham's history to life and encouraging appreciation for our community’s heritage, pride in its accomplishments and support for its potential. The Museum’s home, the History Hub, is located downtown at 500 W. Main St. and will hold its Grand Opening on October 12, 2013. For more information, see www.museumofdurhamhistory.org.

Learn more about Durham's history at online.

Top Five Durham Finalists Announced for Nature’s Plate Award

As The South's Tastiest Town, food is pretty important in Durham.  So is the environment, and being socially conscious, and just being a friend to one another and our surroundings.  The Nature Conservancy recognizes this about Durham, too, and has announced five Durham finalists for the Nature’s Plate Award Contest.

In September, people nominated their favorite green restaurants. The five restaurants with the most nominations are now finalists and voting to determine the winner will run from October 1 until October 15. Durham finalists are:

• Bull City Burger and Brewery
• Fairview Dining Room
• Piedmont
• Toast
• Watts Grocery

Votes can be case here before October 15. Nature’s Plate is a people’s choice contest for top green restaurant. This year 18 Nature Conservancy chapters across the country are participating in Nature’s Plate.

Learn about all the great restaurants in Durham online.

DPAC #3 in the US; Five Year Impact Tops $175 Million

With the release of its third quarter rankings, Pollstar magazine again recognized DPAC - The Durham Performing Arts Center as one of the top 10 venues in the world as measured by ticket sales - a global industry standard used to measure performance. Attaining the #6 spot in the world and #3 spot in the US (missing #2 by a mere 1255 tickets sold), this state-of-the-art facility in Downtown Durham plays host to some of the most popular performances on tour.

This recognition is ideally timed and serves as punctuation of DPAC's many contributions in its first five years.

"Occasions like this are a great opportunity for us to celebrate DPAC's success and highlight its economic contributions to Durham," said Shelly Green, the President and CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB).  "They've certainly been an important contributor to Durham's continued growth and popularity as a visitor destination."

Through its first five seasons (one partial and four full seasons) the 2,700+ seat theater has sold 1.65 million seats.  That means each seat has been sold more than 600 times on average. Another telling number is that the 1.2 million non-resident visitors sitting in those seats spent about $175 million in Durham.  Patrons typically spend much more than just the price of their ticket.  They visit restaurants, stay in hotels, buy gas and shop in stores here, too.

DPAC has hosted many of Broadways hottest touring shows.  The current Suntrust Broadway Season features several blockbusters including The Book of Mormon, Once, Ghost, Evita and The Wizard of Oz. Click here to see the full line up and purchase tickets.

Stay up to date on all that is happening with the Durham Event Calendar.

American Tobacco Trail Bridge Opening Delayed

The long-awaited opening of the American Tobacco Trail Bridge over Interstate 40 has been delayed again.

The public is invited to join American Tobacco Trail aficionados and City and State leaders to celebrate the completion of the trail into Chatham County. While the celebration was initially planned as a ribbon cutting for the bridge opening, the completion of the bridge is delayed due to a combination of construction and design flaws with the safety fence, according to Marvin Williams, director of the City’s Public Works Department.

“The City is as disappointed as everyone else about this delay, but the safety of those using the bridge is always our first consideration,” Williams said. “Despite the bridge delay, the completion of the N.C. Highway 54 southward to the Chatham County line section of the 22-mile long trail is a major milestone of the $11 million project that deserves to be celebrated.”

The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 12 at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of Southpoint Cinemas at the Streets at Southpoint, 6910 Fayetteville Road. Slated to speak, pending the lift of the federal government shutdown, is Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak. Joining him are City of Durham Mayor William V. “Bill” Bell; U.S. Representative David Price; N.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Tony Tata; and East Coast Greenway Alliance Executive Director Dennis Markatos-Soriano.

According to Williams, an issue with the pedestrian safety fencing was discovered during a recent inspection of the posts that are a part of the fencing. The fabricated angle of the fence posts, constructed by an out-of-state contractor, as well as the condition of the factory-installed paint was unsatisfactory. The repairs could cost anywhere from $200,000 to $300,000, but will not be incurred by the City.

“This is an important safety issue, and we can’t open this bridge until corrections are made by the contractor. At this point, we anticipate opening the bridge in December 2013,” Williams said. “We realize that limiting access to the bridge at this time is unfortunate and will be an inconvenience to all users. However, the ability to protect pedestrians as well as properly maintain this bridge for all current and future users is also important, and we ask for patience and understanding as we make sure this gets done correctly.”

Funding for the construction project was provided from a variety of sources, including federal funds from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO, and the City of Durham Sidewalk Bond fund. Funding for the October 12 celebration is being provided by the East Coast Greenway Alliance, Performance Bicycle, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, and N.C Rails-Trails.

“The American Tobacco Trail spans 22 miles across three counties and, once the bridge is opened, will complete the missing link of this important transportation corridor as well as improve users’ access and connectivity,” said Williams. “While we had hoped the bridge would be open for this event, we still feel it’s important to honor all those that helped make this project a reality as well as celebrate the successful work that’s been completed on the trail.”

For information about the American Tobacco Trail project, click here.

About the Public Works Department
The City of Durham Public Works Department provides a wide range of services, including street maintenance, engineering design, development review and stormwater quality and infrastructure maintenance. The department also oversees street resurfacing and sidewalk projects. The department plans and executes the City’s winter weather and natural disaster plans. Public Works serves as a steward of the City’s physical assets and ensures that residents live in a safe, secure, and thriving community. For more information, visit this website.

Learn more about Durham at online.

Vote for DCVB for ConventionSouth Readers' Choice Award

Telling others all about why they should visit Durham is a job the folks at the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau do every day.  The Durham Convention Center is one of the things that DCVB tells people about.  Now, both are up for a chance at some recognition.

Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Durham Convention Center are on the ballot for a ConventionSouth magazine Readers’ Choice Award and they need your votes!

Voters can access the ballot here, and voting ends on Oct. 14. Editors will tally the results based on votes received and select 150 meeting sites among 15 states in the South (varying amount per state) and 5 meetings sites in the Caribbean.

Winners will be announced on October 18^th and showcased for their achievement within the December 2013 issue of ConventionSouth. 

Learn more about all the ways Durham is a great place to host a meeting, convention or family reunion online.

Book of Mormon Coming to DPAC

The Tony-award winning musical The Book of Mormon is coming to Durham and tickets will soon go on sale.

The producers of the national tour of the new musical The Book of Mormon  winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical DPAC announced that single tickets will go on sale October 26 at 8 AM at the DPAC Box Office only and at 10 AM online and on phones. An exclusive pre-sale for American Express ® Card members will begin at 10 AM on October 23 through October 24 at 11:59 pm.  Tickets will be available at the DPAC Ticket Center at 123 Vivian Street/Durham, N.C., all Ticketmaster outlets, by visiting online, or by calling 1.800.982.2787. Group orders of 15 or more must be placed by October 22 by calling 919.281.0587.

The Book of Mormon features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of the landmark animated series, “South Park.” Tony Award-winner Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q.  The musical is choreographed by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.

The Book of Mormon is the winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Book (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Direction (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker), Best Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album; four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, and the Drama League Award for Best Musical.

The Book of Mormon features set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Brian Ronan.  Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus.  Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Stephen Oremus.  The Original Broadway Cast Recording for The Book of Mormon  winner of the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is available on Ghostlight Records.

Find more events at the Durham Event Calendar.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market Wednesday Market

Sadly, today is the LAST Wednesday Market of the season.
Unfortunatley, every year, the Wednesday Market season comes to an end. Today will mark the end of the longest and best Wednesday Market season in the 6 years that it has been open! In 2013, the Wednesday Market was open for more weeks, had more vendors, saw more customers, and had the best diversity of products than we have ever had before! Thank you to each and every one of you who has made the Wednesday Market part of your weekly routine and made it a great success!

There will be one more mid-week Market before the year ends! The Market will be open on Tuesday, November 26 from 2-5pm for our annual Pre-Thanksgiving Market! Lots of vendors will be there that day with supplies for your Thanksgiving Meals, holiday gifts and yummy treats. So, mark your calendars!

Even though the Wednesday Market season is ending, the Saturday Market will continue to be open year round. You'll see some of your Wednesday vendors at the Saturday Market all year, other vendors will return to the Saturday Market when we switch to Winter Hours on December 7th, and a few of your Wednesday Market vendors will return to Market when we re-open in the spring of 2014. The opening date of the Wednesday Market will be determined over the Winter and we will announce it in early 2014.

TODAY AT MARKET...
On this cool, grey fall day, you'll find lots of comforting fall foods... sweet potatoes, winter squash, and greens. You'll also find a good selection of meats and plenty of eggs. Unfortunately, there won't be any cheese at the Market today. There will also be a good supply of fresh cut flowers, aromatics, and herbals - turmeric, galangal, and roselle - which is a type of hibiscus and great for teas!

Thanks for you ongoing and wonderful support of the Durham Farmers' Market! Our vendors strive to bring you the best of what can be grown and produced in the Piedmont of North Carolina. But, every week, we know that the Market would be nothing without such a wonderful crowd of customers and supporters!

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

Available Wednesday! 
Fruits: GRAPES - Scuppernong & Muscadine, Raspberries, Asian Pears
Vegetables: CABBAGE, LEMONGRASS Arugula, Beans, Beets, Braising Mix, Butternut Squash, Butter Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Corn, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Eggplant, Garlic, Galangal, Ginger, Green Onions, Herbs (Cilantro, Basil), Kale, Leeks, Malabar Spinach, Onions, Okra, Peppers - Sweet and Hot, Potatoes, Purple Hull Peas, Pumpkins, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Summer Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips, Turmeric, Zucchini
Meats: Beef, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Pork
Eggs: Chicken and Duck  Eggs
Flowers & Plants: Celosia, Gomphrena, Tuberrose, Dahlia, and mixed Bouquets, Mums, Pansies and Herbs
Specialty Items: Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits,  Goat and Cow Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods - Breads, Pastries, & Pies, Preserves, Gluten Free Baked Goods, Nut Butters, Pasta, Herbal Teas, Herbal Salves,
Crafts:  Wood Crafts, Pottery, Goats Milk Soaps

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

5th Annual Chef Challenge - TOMORROW MORNING! 
Tomorrow will be an exciting (and beautiful) fall day at the Market. We are holding our 5th Annual Chef Challenge!

This year, three local chefs will be competing for the title of 2013 Chef Champ by cooking a dish that features a secret ingredient which will be revealed to the chefs tomorrow morning.  The secret ingredient is always a vegetable that is in abundant supply at the Market at the time of the competition. Can you guess what it is this year?

This year's chef contestants are:

Katie Coleman of Durham Spirits Co.

Mike Hacker of Pie Pushers

Justin Rakes of the soon to be open Salted Pig

Billy Cotter, from Toast, who has been the Chef Champ for 3 years running has decided to sit this one out and let other chefs compete for the title, but I'm sure that we'll see Billy and Kelli surveying the scene! This year's Chef Champ will get a handmade trophy crafted by local sculptor Tom Dawson, lots o' bragging rights, and the opportunity to defend their title at next year's Chef Challenge.

This year's judges are three food writers/food lovers. They are Susan Sink, tarheelfoodie.com, Bryan Christopher searchingforsicily.blogspot.com and Elizabeth Shestack, journalist for the News and Observer. The emcee will be Frank Stasio, host of WUNC's The State of Things. 

2013 Chef Challenge Schedule: 
8:30-9 - Chefs Arrive
9:00 - Secret ingredient revealed
9:00-9:30 - Chef Shop
9:30-11:00 - Chefs Cook
11:00 - Judging begins
11:30-11:45 - Chef Champ Named

As the judges are tasting and judging the food, you'll have an opportunity to get a taste of the chefs' creations too! Have a taste and you can vote for your favorite too!

TOMORROW AT MARKET: Besides the Chef Challenge fun, the Market is hitting the point of the year, where the diversity of products are at their peak. Tomorrow, you'll see the last few weeks of summer veggies and the fall vegetables keep coming. Two weeks ago, I saw the first broccoli and chinese cabbage of the summer and the greens supply keeps getting bigger and bigger!

Also tomorrow, there will be a lot of extra activity in the Durham Central Park neighborhood... the annual Beer Fest will be taking place at the Old Durham Ballpark at the corner of Morris and Corporation. The only street closure will be on Corporation between Morris and Roney. All other streets will be open and the parking lots will be open too, with the exception of the lot at the Ball Park.

See you at the Market,
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Upcoming Events
Saturday October 5th - 5th Annual CHEF CHALLENGE!! 

This years chef contestants are.... Mike Hacker from Pie Pushers, Katie Coleman from Durham Spirits Co, and Justin Rakes from the soon to open restaurant The Salted Pig!!

Wednesday October 9th, 3:30-6:30 
Last Day of the Wednesday Market for the season. The Wednesday Market will re-open in April 2014.

Saturday October 12th, 8:00-12:00 
The annual Bull City Coop Tour will be held on October 19th. In preparation, there will be information about the Coop Tour and the Durham County Master Gardener "Egg-sperts" will be on hand to talk about raising backyard chickens!

Saturday October 19th, 8:00-12:00 - Bull City Coop Tour!
Coop Tour and Master Gardener Egg-sperts will be back with information about raising backyard chickens. Also, chefs from NOSH will be there demonstrating some yummy egg dishes!

Saturday October 26th, 9:00-12:00 - Beer Brewing Demo
The folks from Bull City Homebrew will be on hand demonstrating how to brew seasonal beers. They will be brewing Pumpkin Ale using Market pumpkins. They will answer your questions and you can even stir the pot!

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: Scuppernong & Muscadine Grapes, Apples, Asian Pears, Watermelon
VEGETABLES: KOHLRABI, BROCCOLI, CHINESE CABBAGE, Acorn Squash, Arugula, Beets, Bitter Gourd, Bok Choi, Butterbeans, Butternut Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Delicata Squash, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley, Roselle), Eggplant, Frisee, Green Beans, Green Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Kale, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Long Beans, Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Purple Hull Peas, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato Greens, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Turnips, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Rabbit, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Lisianthus, Tuberose, Gomphrena, Gladiolus, Dahlia, Zinnia, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, 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 \