Winter Farmers Market is Saturday

The staff at Cherry Grove Farm is busy putting final touches on the barn for the first-of-the-season Slow Food Central New Jersey Winter Farmers Market on Saturday,  11-3 Pm.

“We are going to have three markets this winter”, says Beth Feehan of Slow Food Central New Jersey “The first two will take place at open barns, one at Cherry Grove Farm and the other at D&R Greenway Land Trust. So dress warmly!”

You will get a chance to warm up at the third market that at Tre Piani restaurant in February.

As always, Beth put together an impressive roster of vendors. Some are well known, some are relatively new to the scene: Shibumi Farms, which we extolled here last week and Donna Toscana whose hand crafted chocolates got rave reviews at local and national press.

One of the most fascinating artisans of our area that has been around for a while (but not so much at markets) is Pure Indian Foods. Their traditional Indian ghee from grass-fed cows can raise everything it is drizzled on to new heights. True magic.

Some of the vendors have great new products. North Slope Farm preserved their summer tomatoes into  sauce (so good you can eat it as a soup) and ketchup.  They also dried their famous fresh herbs into teasans (herbal teas). Flavors include peppermint, lemon verbena, echinacea and anise hyssop.

Fulper Farms have launched a line of fresh ricotta and mozzarella over the summer. Jammin' Crepes are giving you even more reason to stand in the line that’s become a fixture of their market stands: a  dry mix to recreate those beloved crepes at home as well as  jams to go with.

Sorely missing is Lawrenceville's Village Bakery that closed its door after Hurricane Sandy. But Bo Child, the owner is teaming up with Anita Harding of Cherry Grove Farm and together they will be cheering you up with bluegrass music.

Oh, and those squeaky fresh cheddar cheese curds made from pastured cows milk on the farm that will make you kids so happy...

Here is a recap of the farms:
Cherry Grove Farm  - artisan cheese, eggs, pork and lamb
Cherry Grove Organics – potatoes, squash, hearty greens, lettuce
North Slope Organic Farm  - carrots, beets, turnips, ketchup, tomato sauce, apples, herbs and teas.
Fulper Farms  - fresh mozzarella, string mozzarella and ricotta cheese
Shibumi Farm  - exotic mushrooms
Woods Edge Wools Farm – fiber products, bees wax products,  yak and alpaca meats
Hopewell Valley Vineyards – wine
Jersey Jams and Jellies  - New Jersey fruit jams
The Artisan Tree – natural handmade soaps
Jammin’ Crepes - dry crepe mix, jams, pickles, sugars, hot cocoa
Donna Toscana – Tuscan style handmade chocolate
Pure Indian Foods – Organic Ghee
Bluegrass music by: Bo & Anita

Originally published at Princeton Eats.