The first fair-weather Saturday for the Suwanee Farmers Market in 2013 could've been called "popsicle" weather, which would be appropriate for a first-time vendor at the market. King of Pops features organic, handmade popsicles with flavors such as Chocolate Seesaw and Coconut Lemongrass. Founded in 2010 in the Virginia Highlands area of Atlanta, the business has branched out to farmers markets and festivals throughout the metro area. Harvey Daniels, who was manning the cart recently at Town Center Park, said about 10-12 King of Pops carts usually are working on a given weekend, and sometimes…
There has been a lot of rain in Suwanee lately, yet there's still talk of a drought. And both were topics of conversation recently at the Suwanee Farmers Market. So how is the weather affecting some of the vendors at the market? Depends on who you talk to. "Rain is the problem now," said David White of It Began With A Seed farm in Lula. "Fungus thrives in hot, moist weather." Of the so-called drought conditions, he said it's not a problem "if you have irrigation. If you're going to grow seriously, you've got to have irrigation." Joua Moua, who grows her products at her residence in Commerce, …
There's a touch of "Green Acres," the old TV sitcom, at work at the Suwanee Farmers Market. Ed Nance, who operates Hog Mountain Farm between Buford and Flowery Branch, has been farming for four years, and has a family farming tradition that dates to 17th century England. -- What do you enjoy most about the Suwanee Farmers Market? Tell us in the comments below. His partner in Suwanee, Patty Cross of Norcross, grew up on a farm in Kentucky but now says, "I like the city life." They also are partners for ballroom dancing. Now they sell their crops in Suwanee and Cumming. The farm is 13 acres, …
Chia may sound like something that turns up on TV commercials every Christmas, but it's actually a healthy food ingredient. And it's available in tasty form at the Suwanee Farmers Market. Tia Severino uses the grain in her cakes, cookies and drinks, which are sold under the Tia's Chia banner. The Tucker resident mixes it all up in a commercial kitchen in Decatur and sells it at various markets, including Suwanee. Technically known as salvia hispanica, chia is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, according to wikipedia.org, and is native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala…
Making soap using lye extract isn't something just from family lore or "The Beverly Hillbillies." A Gwinnett couple does it regularly and sells it at the Suwanee Farmers Market. Paradise Island Bath & Body is a home-grown operation by Eric and Mark Fantom of Buford, and they have plenty of wares available for Suwanee shoppers. What is your favorite part of the Suwanee Farmers Market? Tell us in the comments below. Their business literature touts soaps, lotions, oils and aromatherapy and luxury products. It has been a hobby for Mark Fantom, a TV repairman by trade. This year, the couple …
There's more than farm and food at the Suwanee Farmers Market. IG Nursery has a loyal following for its plants. Mark Wheeler of Baldwin has been setting up shop at the Town Center Park festival for 4-5 years, he said recently. "We like it. There's a lot of traffic flow, and a lot of interest in plants," he noted. Have you shopped at IG Nursery? Tell us in the comments below. But Wheeler knows his niche. He does not try to compete with big-box home stores that sell plants. Still, he offers hundreds of varieties, and his big sellers include Japanese maples, perennials, and small ornamental …
When farmer David White of Lula comes to the Suwanee Farmers Market, he brings his own customer base. His farm, It Began With a Seed, is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, a type of co-op between the grower and the consumer. According to a brochure, a CSA is a consumer friendly farm where the farmer and community work together to grow the freshest, highest quality garden produce based on annual commitment to one another. Which is your favorite vendor at the Suwanee Farmers Market. The CSA member agrees to purchase a "share" of the farm's annual anticipated harvest, at a preset …
Think of them as personal pies. Crave Pie Studio, which was launched last October by Briana Carson of Buford, sells indulgence in small bites. Carson, whose business is one of the vendors at the Suwanee Farmers Market, deals in small portions. Her pies are five inches wide, weighing nine ounces, and sell for $5 each. Perfect for two people, she says. Hand tarts are $2.75 each. She got the idea about a year ago, after being downsized from Verizon Wireless after 20 years. She felt the "comfort food" appeal would be ideal for a recessionary environment. "People would be craving something to …
Before serving these cupcakes, you might want to check IDs. Lil Spirit Cakes aren't your ordinary sweet treat. The new business, which has its only storefront at the Suwanee Farmers Market, packs an additional punch with its goodies. Some of them are spiked. "Once they taste them, they want them," said Donna Stockton, who with Kathy Grodman started the business in September. Have you had any Lil Spirit Cakes? Tell us in the comments below. Their business is mostly bulk orders. They bake the goodies in a shared commercial kitchen in Suwanee, then deliver them. Cost: $30 a dozen. The ones at …
Okie Dokie Farm in Suwanee has decided to "roll" out a new product for the 2012 Suwanee Farmers Market. At the center of it all: toilet paper. Really. "I've already sold two (the first day)," Sharon Ferrer of Okie Dokie said, and that total grew as Saturday went on. -- What do you like best about the Suwanee Farmers Market? Tell us in the comments below. So now, it's time to flush out the procedure for this, as it is a product that can keep you in -- edible -- mushrooms for some time. So here's the recipe. Of course, start with unscented toilet paper. Boil it for two minutes, then take it out…
Sunny weather with just a hint of breeze and the sound of children laughing and running through the fountains made for a perfect morning to start off the Saturday Farmer's Market in Suwanee. As always, the Farmer's Market offers an array of items. From BBQ sauce, vegetables and plants, there is sure to be something to catch your eye. What is your favorite vendor at the Suwanee Farmers Market? Tell us in the comments below. Many vendors have returned from last year. It Began With a Seed Farm is a co-op farm that had much success last year. While there is already a waiting list for the co-op, …
The popular Suwanee Farmers Market is now back to once-weekly status. Since school starts Monday, Aug. 8, that means the Tuesday evening sessions at Town Center Park are over for 2011. The market will continue to meet Saturday 8 a.m.-noon, except for the Suwanee Day festival on Sept. 17. The Saturday sessions will continue through Oct. 1.
(Note: The Suwanee Farmers Market meets Tuesday, 4-7 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, at Town Center Park.) The cooler weather and light rain that greeted Suwanee Farmers Market vendors and patrons Saturday did not erase memories of the searing heat earlier in the week. Heat index figures that soared into triple digits cost farmers some crops and had them working later than usual. "Normally when we get home from our jobs we go in the garden," said Sharon Ferrer of Okie Dokie Farm in Suwanee, a longtime vendor at the Suwanee market. "Physically at our age, we can't go out at 4:30 (in the high …
Note: The Suwanee Farmers Market is Tuesday, 4-7 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, at Town Center Park. Sharon Batchel grew up canning produce and once thought, "I'll never do this again." Then she found out that produce at grocery stores is not fresh, and that the canned products don't have a lot of flavor. So she founded Serenity Gardens 26 years ago in Buford, and she now is in her ninth year of selling at the Suwanee Farmers Market. She has 62 products in 14 categories. "I know each and every jar personally," she said recently at her booth at Town Center Park. Her vendor badge says "food …
Note: The Suwanee Farmers Market is open Tuesday, 4-7 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, at Town Center Park. At the Suwanee Farmers Market, May Tree Farm offers low-cost, high-quality, natural, free-range chicken and pork as well as eggs from free roaming hens. The farm is located in Eastanollee, Ga., and is family-run by Keith and Julie Foster. Their philosophy is that all-natural does not mean that you have to sacrifice quality. Natural meat can be flavorful and tender. At the Farmers Market, you will find the May Tree Farm located next to the booth for Maeday Sauces. While the two are not …
Note: The Suwanee Farmers Market is open Tuesdays 4-7 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon at Town Center Park. If you have ever been to the Suwanee Farmers Market, you may have noticed that one booth has a steady stream of customers waiting in line to buy produce. At the head of the line, David and Anita White wait to weigh the goodies that come from their family-run farm, It Began With A Seed. It Began With A Seed Farm is located just north of Suwanee in Lula. In a given season, the list of produce can be up to 200 items long. The Whites, along with their two sons, plant using mostly organic …
(Note: The Suwanee Farmers Market meets Tuesdays 4-7 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon at Town Center Park.) For Bruce Wills, the term pie chart has special meaning. The owner of My Daily Bread bakery near Clermont in White County prepares plenty of fried pies each week to sell at the Suwanee Farmers Market. Wills' process starts with regular flaked dough that includes shortening and sugar. Then it is rolled and cut into a circle like a tortilla. Then comes the filling -- peach, apple, etc. -- and then the pie is folded. Then it goes into an electric fryer where it is fried in canola oil. It …
(Note: This is a regular feature on the Suwanee Farmers Market. The market is open Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-noon.) The Suwanee Farmer's Market was bustling on Saturday (June 4) as people enjoyed the fresh vegetables, breads, and barbecue sauce. Many took advantage of the weather by enjoying the interactive fountain after picking up a few things at the market. Among the items in season are kale, zuchini, squash, and onions of different varieties. Homemade soaps, bbq sauce, and raw honey were among the offerings at the booths at the market on Saturday, along with Belle's Bread …
Note: The Suwanee Farmers Market runs Tuesday (4-7 p.m.) and Saturday (8 a.m.-noon) at Town Center Park. The Farmers Market in Suwanee was bustling on Memorial Day weekend. The produce that is currently in season includes beets, turnips, and many different varieties of radishes. Squash and zucchini are also in season now. There are also vendors selling grass-fed meats and farm-fresh eggs. The IG Nursery, run by Mark and Valerie Wheeler, has numerous different types of heirloom tomato plants for those that want to grow their own. They also have information on what each tomato plant tastes like…
(Note: This is a regular feature on the Suwanee Farmers Market. The market is open Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-noon.) Chase Grizzle was helping several customers look over his selection of strawberries Saturday in Suwanee. "There are no pesticides" used to grow the strawberries at Dahlonega Vegetable Farm, Grizzle said, adding that the fruit would be available for about 3-4 more weeks. "They can pick their own at the farm," added Linda Grizzle, Chase's grandmother. She also noted that it's not the time to grow other vegetables in Dahlonega. Such are the conversations at the …
