Museum of Life and Science Announces Expansion

The Museum of Life and Science is an integral part of Durham, and not only because its dinosaurs have become a familiar site for walkers along the Ellerbe Creek Trail. According to the Triangle Business Journal, the Museum was the 10^th most visited tourist destination in North Carolina last year. So when they announce a $3.9 million expansion, it’s big news for both visitors and Durham.

Learn more about this new development here:  Museum of Life and Science’s website.

Durhamites Are Pleased With Durham

The City of Durham’s 2013 resident satisfaction survey was just released today. As many might know from the outward show of pride displayed for Durham, the results are very positive.

The survey shows 81 percent of residents feel the city as an “excellent” or “good” place to live and 78 percent feel the city as an “excellent” or “good” place to work. These ratings remain steady from the 2011 survey, which were 82 percent and 77 percent respectively. Areas that influence overall perceptions of Durham also ranked highly, with three-in-four people satisfied with the quality of life in their neighborhood, the quality of services provided by the City, and two-in-three people satisfied with the overall quality of life in the city.

Read the City's complete statement here, and see the full research report online.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

By now you have probably noticed that there is a big blue ATM at the entrance of the Pavilion. For years, customers asked if it would ever be possible to get an ATM at the Market. With lots of research and the support of Durham Central Park (our landlord and partner), we figured out the logistics and the ATM (finally) came to the Market.

But, did you know that that ATM actually helps to support the Market? For each transaction, $1.50 of the $3 fee goes directly to the Market. When we learned that would be the case, the Market's Board of Directors resolved to use those funds to support the implementation and ongoing costs of setting up a system so that the Market's vendors can accept SNAP/EBT benefits.

During 2013, the Market's Board and staff laid the groundwork to set up our program. Starting this April, the Durham Farmers' Market will begin to accept SNAP/EBT benefits! SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a program formerly known as Food Stamps. SNAP benefits are issued through Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit cards. Each month millions of low income Americans, including over 50,000 Durhamites, receive SNAP benefits to help put food on the table.  

This program is going to be a great opportunity to reach more of the community by increasing accessibility to good food for all people in Durham.  SNAP/EBT customers will be able swipe their card at an info table at the market and receive wooden tokens that will be worth $1 each. They can use the tokens to shop for eligible foods, such as breads, fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry and dairy products. The Market will also be offering a Double Bucks program where shoppers using SNAP benefits will receive up to ten additional tokens when they spend $10.  The Double Bucks program will be funded by local sponsorships and grant money.

Over the winter, we hired Jenny Elander as our SNAP/EBT Coordinator. Jenny is very excited to help get this program off the ground. "I think it's great that the community is helping to fund this program at the Durham Farmers' Market through their use of the ATM, because it is something that will benefit everyone" says Elander. "This program has the potential to greatly improve the health of our community by increasing access to fresh, local foods.  We are really excited to get it off the ground this spring!"

Tomorrow at Market:
Our farmers are finally starting to recover from the extreme cold and excessive precipitation over the past couple of weeks. So, you can look forward to a steadily increasing supply of green vegetables along with all of the other yummy things the Market vendors have to offer!

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

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Beet Greens, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs, Garlic, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Miners Lettuce, Minutina, Potatoes, Napa Cabbage, Parsnips (possibly), Pea Shoots, Radishes, Salad Mix, Scallions, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: Pork, Beef, Quail, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: A few House Plants.
FLOWERS: Anemones, Poppies, Tulips, Stock, Mixed Bouquets, Dried Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, 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

• Saturday 9am-Noon Greenwood Commons 54110 Hwy 55 Durham, NC 27713
• Music by Bulltown Strutters from 10am-11am
• Face painting by Amy Burns
• In Season: cabbage, squash, brussel sprouts, broccoli, green onions, herbs, potatoes and more!

SDFM Needs You!
Only one month left before we begin our third season at the South Durham Farmers' Market! That means it is time to gather up the General Membership and, among other things, to elect new members to the market’s Board of Directors. If you are a part of the market’s Community Membership, we invite you to attend the annual General Membership meeting on Wednesday, March 12th at the Durham County Extension Office from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. The meeting is catered, so if you plan to attend, please RSVP by emailing the market manager. There are vacant Community Member seats on the Board, and we are accepting nominations at this time. Self-nominations are entirely welcome.

Samedi Gras at Market
This Saturday, we are bringing a little of the Durham Carnival to market! The Bulltown Strutters are going to be parading through and around the market from 10am to 11am. The music might get a little loud, but the costumes promise to be even louder. We definitely encourage our young shoppers to come out in their dress-up clothes and join the party!

We are also happy to be serving free samples of King Cake from La Farm Bakery. It’s a French-style King Cake made from brioche with a cinnamon filling and iced with the traditional green and purple Mardis Gras colors. Of course, in each cake there is a trinket, and the lucky shopper who gets the baby figurine in their slice wins a free t-shirt. And, we will have a very talented face painter, Amy Burns, ready to help our little shoppers get gussied up for the festivities.

If you are planning any Fat Tuesday parties of your own, don’t forget to stock up on Andouille and chorizo for your jambalaya!

This Week at the Durham Farmer's Market

This Week at the Farmers Market
Saturday Winter Hours: 10am-Noon

Today the weather couldn't be more different than it was at this time last week. Last Friday, we were digging out of snow and this morning, as I'm writing, there are strong thunderstorms moving through the area. Unfortunately, neither types of weather is particularly good for farming!

 

This morning, when I opened by email, I found a comprehensive article written by Chatham County-based Agriculture Extension Agent, Debbie Roos. She details the challenges that local farmers have dealt with during this exceptionally cold and harsh winter. Included are pictures and stories from last week's snow storm as well as, information about the effects of the extremely cold weather on winter vegetable production and harvests. She interviews Doug Jones, the owner of Piedmont Biofarm, a long time winter vegetable farmer at DFM. Debbie also includes information about how farmers who raise animals and livestock are faring through this harsh winter. It is totally worth a read: Farmers Don't Get Snow Days. 

 

On the bright side, the warmer temperatures this week and increasing day length have meant that many of our farmers are able to start planting their spring crops, both in and out of the greenhouses and high tunnels (unheated greenhouses)! Additionally, seeds for many summer crops have already been sown and are starting to germinate in snug, warm heated greenhouses. After the threat of frost has passed, these seedlings will be ready to plant outside. Before long, the Market will, once again, be teeming with bottomless piles of fresh vegetables.

 

This week, Market will be open from 10am-Noon. Look for a somewhat limited supply of winter vegetables, including tender veggies grown in greenhouses and storage vegetable, such as sweet potatoes and winter squash. And as always, a great selection of meats, eggs, cheese, baked goods, other delicious treats, and FRESH FLOWERS (like the ones pictured above)!

 

See you at the Market, 

Erin Kauffman

Market Manager

Follow DFM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Fresh this Week....

VEGETABLES: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Garlic, Green Onions, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Potatoes, Napa Cabbage, Pea Shoots, Radishes, Salad Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Turmeric,  Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more

MEATS AND EGGS: Pork, Beef, Quail, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs

CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses. 

PLANTS: A few House Plants. 

FLOWERS: Anemones, Poppies, Tulips, Stock, Mixed Bouquets, Dried Bouquets

SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool 

CRAFTS: Pottery, 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

• Saturday 9am-Noon Greenwood Commons 54110 Hwy 55 Durham, NC 27713
• Special Market Guest: Elizabeth Turnbull sampling pork chili
• Music by Nick White
• In Season; cabbage, kale, potatoes, carrots, squash, broccoli, and bread.

Duck, I Says
Pickings are slimmer at market this time of year, but there’s still plenty available, and we are turning the corner as the days grow longer and warmer. Besides speeding up the growth of all the early high tunnel produce, longer days also encourage our farmers’ hens to grow more serious about their egg production. And, when I say ‘hens,’ I mean the lady ducks, too.

One of the most recent additions to Fickle Creek Farm’s assortment of livestock is a team of ducks, and every week they have been bringing dozens of delicious fresh duck eggs to market (including this Saturday!).  I have occasionally eaten duck eggs – they taste like a richer chicken egg – but until prompted by this article, I didn’t realize how much they had to offer.

Compared with chicken eggs (which are already nutritional powerhouses), duck eggs have higher amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids, possess a longer shelf-life, are alkaline producing foods, and they have a greater yolk to egg white ratio! Not to mention, duck eggs contain more of the protein, albumin, which helps to give baked goods an airy lift.

Also, at the ‘Meet the Farmers of the SDFM’ event last month, I learned from Ben Bergmann, co-owner of Fickle Creek Farm, that all of their farm animals fill a niche in creating a balanced and sustainable ecosystem that requires few outside inputs. None of us could guess the purpose of ducks (look cute?), but we were quickly enlightened: ducks just love to eat slugs, which are the bane of any vegetable gardeners’ existence.

Come out this Saturday to enjoy the beautiful weather and pick up some duck eggs for a flavorful and nutrient dense brunch! And don’t forget this is our last week of chili month!

Merge Records Celebrates 25 Years With 25K to Durham

A walk down Chapel Hill St. in Durham takes one past historic buildings, beloved restaurants, acclaimed bars, hair salons, and more. Make the walk without looking closely, one might just walk right by number 409 without seeing the logo on the door, that familiar Merge Records rectangle.

Founded by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan of Superchunk back in 1989, Merge is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. The label began in Chapel Hill and moved to its current Durham home 13 years ago, where they're still releasing acclaimed music from artists like Arcade Fire, Dinosaur Jr., Neutral Milk Hotel, and Spoon.

It's been a fruitful relationship for both Merge and Durham. The ranks of Merge artists are being filling out by local acts like Mount Moriah and longtime Merge artists like the Mountain Goats have relocated to Durham, where they've found a creative, welcoming community that fosters an artistic spirit.

”While quiet in Durham, Merge has been loud about Durham and put this place on the map for a lot of people,” said Sam Poley, Director of Public Relations for the Durham Convention& Visitors Bureau, the organization that markets Durham. “We appreciate their investment in Durham, and hope they have another 25 great years here,” Poley added.

Fans can celebrate Merge's history with them at the Merge 25K on March 22. They'll be following their own past, running from Chapel Hill to Durham and ending up at Motorco, where there will be a party featuring musical acts, food trucks, and more. It's a great way to celebrate one of the country's most renowned indie record labels and its relationship with the Bull City.

Google Fiber Redux?

With a rising stake as a destination for entrepreneurs, as well as continually being heralded as great place to live and visit, Durham is again catching the eye of internet search giant Google.

Durham vied hard to get the company to bring its gigabit fiber optic network to Durham back in 2011.  The project drew national attention for its efforts.  Now, Google is looking at 34 communities to next bring their service to, and Durham is on the list along with some neighboring communities. 

In 2010 more than 1,000 people showed up at
the Durham Bulls Athletic Park to show their
support for Google to bring its Gigabit Fiber
Optic Internet Service to Durham.

The service fees are competitive, and the service speeds exceed what is currently offered. Among several options currently offered in Kansas City is one gigabit per second download speed for $70 per month.  

While no public influence project like the one launched in 2011 has been announced, Durham fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #DurhamWantsGoogle in social media posts to demonstrate their interest in the possibility of the company bringing its project here.

"Public sentiment ran very high during that project," according to Sam Poley, Director of Public Relations and Communications for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, and who helped spearhead Durham's efforts in  2010. "Durham is a prime spot for this project, it aligns with Google's goals of innovation and collaboration, and it's already on the company's radar for investing here," Poley added referring to the fact that the American Underground in Durham is one of seven Google Tech Hubs in the US.

So, will Durham catch Google this time?  Who knows, but show support with #DurhamWantsGoogle.

Google, are you listening?

Durham A Top Choice of Where to Retire Magazine

When vying for consideration as a place to retire, destinations need to have a mix of engaging offerings, as well as practical services and infrastructure.  When looked at through such a lens, Durham shows a whole lot of promise as a great place for people to start this chapter of their lives. 

Its arts and cultural offerings, restaurants, continuing education, and strong community coupled with the excellence in medical care have made Durham a a highly celebrated retirement destination for years. "People choose where to retire quite deliberately.  Durham is the sort of place where those who want to be a part of it are welcomed - and that's enticing," said Sam Poley, Director of Public Relations for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau when referring to how easily people join the Durham community.

Where to Retire, the only magazine in America geared toward helping people with retirement relocation decisions, apparently feels the same way. Durham is one of eight cities profiled in the “8 Havens for College Hoops” feature in the March/April issue, available nationwide on Feb. 18, 2014. "True, we also have outstanding college basketball in Durham, too," said Poley referring to the Duke Blue Devils who have a laundry list of top ranks to their credit.

Annette Fuller, the editor of Where to Retire, said these eight cities, including Durham, appeal to retirees who enjoy college sports as well as the many other amenities that come with living in a college town. “Basketball reigns supreme in Durham, where the students and the community rally behind their beloved Duke University Blue Devils. But beyond the basketball madness is a youthful city, rich with outdoor adventure, cultural events, excellent restaurants and continuing-education opportunities,” Fuller said.

Durham is no stranger to recognition as a great place to retire. It is regularly noted as the best place in the US to retire.  See all those rankings on the Durham Accolades website.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

This Week at the Durham Farmer's Market
Over the past few weeks, I feel like all I've been talking about is how challenging this weather has been for farmers. So, this week, instead of continuing on that track, I'm going to update you on some of the work that has been going on behind the scenes at the Market. Every winter, the Market's board and staff has time to focus on projects that there is little time for during the busy Market season.

Presently, the Market's Board and staff are working on the following projects:

• Reviewing applications for new market vendors. The 2014 batch of new vendors will be announced next month!
• Overhauling and upgrading the Durham Farmers' Market website.
• Implementing a system so that our vendors can accept SNAP (formerly know as Food Stamps). This project has been in the works for a long time and our projected start date is in April. 
• Hiring a new Assistant Market Manager.

 Today, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Emily-Kate Hannapel, our new Assistant Market Manager! Emily-Kate graduated from NYU with a degree in Community Health and Food Studies. After graduating, she worked as the Outreach Coordinator at a small women's health clinic and natural birth center.  Since moving to Durham two years ago, Emily-Kate has been a regular Market customer and has worked at several small food related businesses. Emily-Kate also started, with her partner, Laura, a small garden on Mangum St., Sweet Beet City Farm in 2013. They operated a small weekly farm stand and sold to a few area restaurants. Emily-Kate lives close to the Market with her backyard chickens and bees.

Emily-Kate will be replacing Shanna Bierman who has been our Assistant Market Manager since 2010. While she was working for us, she was also attending school at Watts School of Nursing. Last summer she graduated and became a Registered Nurse. Recently, she got a great job in the Mother Baby Ward at Durham Regional Hospital and has shifted her focus to her new fulltime job. We couldn't be more proud of her! Thank you, Shanna, your years of hard work and dedication to the Durham Farmers' Market!

Tomorrow at Market, our hardworking farmers, bakers and crafter will be bringing a good haul of winter produce, meats, artisan breads and food AND fresh, winter flowers!

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

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Cress, Collards, Daikon Radish, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Fennel, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Garlic, Green Onions, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Potatoes, Napa Cabbage, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rutabega, Salad Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Turmeric,  Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: Pork, Beef, Quail, Lamb & Mutton, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Veal, Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: A few House Plants.
FLOWERS: Anemones, Poppies, Tulips, Stock, Mixed Bouquets, Dried Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: Gluten Free Baked Goods, Raw & Creamed Honey, Pasta, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, 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

• Saturday 9am-Noon Greenwood Commons 54110 Hwy 55 Durham, NC 27713
• Special Market Guest: Derek Treuer Sampling vegan chili
• In Season; cabbage, kale, potatoes, carrots, squash, eggs, and bread.

Sunchokes to the Rescue
Punxsutawney Phil predicts we are in for another six weeks of winter, but even so, our farmers are able to magically bring produce to market in the middle of February. (It seems like magic, but I suspect it’s actually really hard work.) After all the cold, cloudy days, rain and snow, Fickle Creek Farm will still be bringing a hardy little tuber called the sunchoke. (It is also known as a Jerusalem artichoke though it is neither from Jerusalem nor related to the artichoke.)

Sunchokes are actually an indigenous plant, once cultivated by the Native Americans. They grow tall, almost 7 feet, with star-like yellow blossoms that betray their kinship to the sunflower. And, despite all the energy the sunschoke puts into its appearance above soil, we cultivate them for their roots.

If you stop by Fickle Creek Farm’s stall, you will see that the tubers look like the mature ginger root. (In fact, I initially mistook them for ginger.) In taste, sunchokes are a sweeter, waxier version of the potato. You can use them in almost any recipe that calls for potatoes, parsnips or turnips. They hold up well to frying and roasting, but keep in mind that sunchokes do cook faster than their root vegetable counterparts.

Spring is less than six weeks away, so enjoy the sunchokes and other winter vegetables while they are here!

Community Cooking Club's First Meeting
If you love to cook and support local farmers, then come join us for the first meeting this Sunday, February 9th at the Mediterranean Grill & Market from 2pm to 3pm.

Click here for the full article by the South Durham Farmers' Market

The Great Durham Touchdown Getaway Giveaway Winner Announced

In what can be described as an innovative promotion, Durham, NC launched The Great Durham Touchdown Getaway Giveaway during the nationally televised Chick-fil-a Bowl game in which Duke University fought a mighty battle with Texas A&M. While Duke did not win, a woman from Terre Haute, Indiana did.

Today the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) announced that Carol Botros is the winner of the contest. The prize includes two round trip tickets to RDU International Airport within the continental United States on Delta Airlines, two nights at the AAA Four Diamond Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club, dinners at some of Durham’sCelebrated Cuisine restaurants, two premium seats to a Duke Home Football game, and package of premium Duke Sports memorabilia. All of these items were donated by the named entities. Botros was selected randomly.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this and to see more of Durham when I visit.” Botros said. “I’ve just retired, so I am getting used to having the opportunity to do things like this – to be able to take off without rearranging a lot of schedules,” she added.

“Sports visitation in Durham is an increasingly high priority for us,” said Shelly Green, President and CEO of DCVB. We want Durham hotels full on football weekends, so we decided to take it to the next level.” Durham is a sports destination for Duke University Athletics, including football and basketball, along with North Carolina Central University Athletics, and the Durham Bulls AAA baseball team. Last year Durham attracted  more than 9 million visitors, nearly 300,000 of whom came just to see an athletic event.

The giveaway was a first for DCVB who promoted the contest on Twitter during the game using the hashtag, #GoDurham, as well as on Facebook and in emails. The hashtag made more than 965,000 impressions during the campaign.

About DCVB

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau is Durham's marketing agency. It is chartered as a Tourism Development Authority by the N.C. General Assembly and local governments to spearhead the strategic, visitor-centered economic and cultural development of Durham by reinvesting a portion of the visitor-paid “room occupancy and tourism development tax” in destination promotion and marketing.