Ten Tables Chef Leads Tour of Egleston Farmers Market on November 2

Egleston Farmers Market will reopen for its second Fall/Winter season on November 2 with a market tour led by Eric Cooper, the Executive Chef at Ten Tables JP.  Cooper will be present from 10-11am to discuss what you can do with all of the produce, meats, fish, cheeses and other products you can find at the market.

The market, which is based at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall, 45 Brookside Avenue in Jamaica Plain, just completed its first summer season in the church parking lot. It will be open as an indoor market every Saturday from November 2-February 22 (except December 28) from 10am-2pm.

“Egleston Farmers Market is a community-led initiative to make fresh, healthy, locally-grown and produced food accessible throughout the year,” stated market manager, Kate Peppard. “We’re trying to bring people from Jamaica Plain and Roxbury together and support the local economy.”

Over 14,000 people passed through the market during its first year of operation. Thanks to a new collaboration with Brookside Community Health Center, the number of WIC shoppers at the market have increased. Its EBT/Boston Bounty Bucks shopper numbers are also on the rise, demonstrating the benefits of providing sustainable and healthy products in an accessible way.

“We’re having a Cranberry Fest on November 23, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, with chef demonstrations, recipe sharing and plenty of fresh cranberries, so you can try new recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner,” Peppard added.

Here are the scheduled vendors and the products they plan to provide:

•             Buckle Farms: Chard, kale, microgreens, potatoes, squash, eggs, honey and more

•             Cocoa Sante: Handcrafted cocoa made next door in Crop Circle Kitchen

•             Eastern Mass Permaculture: Local, sustainably grown produce

•             Foxboro Cheese Company: Spreadable and aged cheese

•             Great Cape Baking Company: Challah, whole wheat bread, cookies, seasonal breads, and hand cut donuts

•             John Crow Farm: Pasture-raised meats, eggs and greenhouse-grown produce (which may include tomatoes if we’re lucky)

•             Lilac Hedge Farm: Pasture-raised beef, lamb, pork and chicken, as well as some breads

•             Matt’s the Amazing Smokehouse: Locally smoked fish in many forms and flavors

•             Mei-Mei Street Kitchen food truck: Creative and locally-sourced Chinese-American fare

•             Mi Padre Pedros: Salsa and guacamole made next door at Crop Circle Kitchen

•             Neighborhood Farm: Produce from our neighbors in Natick

•             Q’s Nuts: Quality nuts, roasted and seasoned right across the river in Somerville

•             Red’s Best Fish: Fresh local fish and seafood

•             Simpson Spring: Spring water and soda’s made from one of the country’s oldest single-source  spring water bottler

•             Spindler Confections: Special treats made in Somerville

•             Soluna Garden Farm: Hand-crafted spices

•             The Cupcakory: Cupcakes baked at JP’s Crop Circle Kitchen

•             Urban Hydr-O Farmers: Bok choy, rainbow chard, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, herbs, kale, lettuce, mizuna, peppers, spinach, tomatoes

•             Valicenti Organico: Locally crafted pasta and raviolis and sauce made with Valicenti’s own organically grown tomatoes and herbs

•             Westport Rivers Winery: We’re the only Boston farmers market hosting a Massachusetts winery (and an award winning one at that!)

In addition, a rotating cast of local artists, crafters, and non-profits will have tables.  Egleston Farmers Market also offers children's activities, live music performances, and complimentary coffee, thanks to donations from local coffee shops (Ula, Canto 6, Harvest, Fazenda).

“Many farmers markets are closing now,” Peppard said, “but fall is one of the best times of the year to shop at a market. It’s harvest time! And so many farmers have extended their growing season, we’ll have delicious local food throughout the winter.”

In addition to shopping at the market, you can help it grow by making a tax-deductible donation. Your support will help the market bring its Market Youth Ambassadors back, cover the cost of running the Bounty Bucks Program, and pay a stipend to the musicians.  To donate, follow this link to Network for Good and be sure to earmark it for the Egleston Farmers Market.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall is next to the Brewery and close to the Stony Brook T stop, with plenty of free parking.  The volunteer effort is being supported by in-kind services from Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition, fiscal sponsor Egleston Square Main Street, and Good Egg Marketing. For more info, visit www.eglestonfarmersmarket.org, www.facebook.com/eglestonfarmersmarket, and www.twitter.com/EglestonFarmMkt or call (617) 942-0194.