The Market is Open Despite the Weather!

Good Morning Market,

So, this is winter. Temperatures near the single digits and freezing rain make the thought of even stepping outside quite a bit harrowing. Can you imagine farming in this awfulness? Our incredible growers work their tails off to protect the livestock, critters, and delicious veggies we somehow get to enjoy all year-round. So thank you, growers, for providing us with delicious, nutritious, and whole foods throughout all four seasons. Even in this weather, the market has got…

• Nothing brightens up an indoor staycation like the smell of some all-day roasting meat. We’ve got some delicious new listings from Crescent Creek Farm’s animal-welfare approved pork, including bratwurst, sausage, roasts, chops, and even sliced deli ham.

• Arugula, butter beans, bok choy, broccoli…I could go on, but I best let you explore the 66 varieties of vegetables we’ve still got. Even in this ice, that’s probably still more choice than you can find among those grocery store imports from warmer climates.

• The hens are still laying beautiful eggs! These finicky fowls are renowned for their distaste of the cold, but thankfully we’ve got some chicken coaxers that know just how to keep their hens happy.

• Stay relaxed during all this time in the house with some soothing candles. Lavender, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and more, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

• All new soap sacks from Tammy Sue’s Critters. Perfect for hanging your soap up to dry between uses.

And something to warm your heart…our incredible friends at The Root were recently the winners of $25,000 through an HLN documentary contest. They’ve been an inspiration in our local food movement for years, and they’ll be able to use these funds to improve and expand their already amazing operations. We can think of no one more deserving – Congrats!

Stay Full and Warm,

- Alex Handfinger
Director of Operations

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

Market Reminder!

I know it’s been winter for a while now, but there sure is a sudden extra-chilly cold snap in the air. Good thing there’s still time to order all your cold weather favorites, like roasts, red potatoes, and cabbage, from our fabulous local farmers! While you’re at it, check out the Bath & Beauty section for a new line of soaps from Ratchford Farm made using ingredients grown on their very own farm such as berries, honey, and buffalo tallow. In fact, I’d suggest taking a look at any section you don’t normally venture into. There’s so many great things on The Market, and you definitely don’t want to miss out!

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

The Market Is Open!

Sundays are pretty great, aren’t they? They’re the one day a week when anything is an option. You can sleep late and have breakfast at noon, or get up extra early just to enjoy the quiet. Personally, I use Sunday as an opportunity to cook a big batch of slow food to enjoy all week long. It’s also a great time to plan the next week’s menu, since The Market is open and packed with a myriad of locally grown veggies, pastured meats, and artisanal breads and cheeses. Just one click, and you can order everything you need without every putting down that cup of coffee. It doesn’t get much better than this!

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

Market Reminder!

Ready to ring in a New Year full of wonderful local foods and fantastic artisan products? It’s the first pickup of 2015, and whatever your resolutions may be, we’re here to help! Planning to replace refined sugar with honey? Drink organic tea instead of coffee? Experience the vast nutritional benefits of pastured eggs and meat? Start each day with a frozen fruit and fresh greens smoothie? Or simply eat more salad?

We have everything you need and more, as long as you order before The Market closes tomorrow at noon.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

The Market is Open and Our Board Needs You!

Merry Morning,

The market is open with lots of wonderful local products to start 2015 off right. The new year looks to begin as one of change, as the results of ALFN’s recent strategic planning process showed that recruiting new board members with specific skills is our organization’s top priority. Like many non-profits, we rely heavily on board members to advise and govern our current and future well-being. We’re currently recruiting folks with a passion for local food to fill the following roles on ALFN’s Board:

• Fundraising Chair – Someone that can oversee bringing in diverse revenue streams for ALFN, preferably with fundraising experience.

• Business Chair – Responsible for organizational growth, business consulting, strategic marketing, and promotion. Preferably someone with marketing/PR experience.

If you believe that you or someone you know would make a good fit for either of these roles, please e-mail arlocalfoodnetwork@gmail.com or call 501.291.2769 to learn more about serving on ALFN’s Board. Thanks so much for all that you do to support a stronger local food system. Here’s to a safe, relaxing, and local 2015!

- Alex Handfinger
Director of Operations

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

Merry Market Reminder!

Although many of our farmers are taking a well deserved break this week, there’s still plenty of great stuff to be had! Whether your post-feast plans include a quick juice cleanse or a complete pantry overhaul, we have all the fresh leafy greens and frozen fruit you need to start 2015 off right. So take a few minutes to place your order before The Market closes. Your future self will thank you.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

The Market is Open and Ready for New Year's Eve!

Howdy Food Clubbers,

The market is open and ready for your traditional Southern New Year’s Eve feast. There’s more than a few stories on why we eat black-eyed peas, pork, and collard greens to ring in the New Year, but no matter which one you believe, we’ve got all the locally-grown products you need to enjoy it just the same.

• Though we don’t have the traditional black-eyed peas, I think Kornegay Berry Farm’s purple hull peas will bring you the luck you need to last 2015. Just grab some peas and pork and simmer your way to some home-cooked goodness.

• There’s plenty of Falling Sky Farm pork to put in with those peas. I’d recommend a ham hock, smoked jowl bacon, or lard to ensure the new year is full of health, prosperity, and well, delicious food.

• Those of you that really want to bring in the green next year should check out collard greens from Barnhill Orchards or turnip greens from Green Acres Atkins. Throw either of these in with some of that pork, garlic, and broth, then let it simmer all together until your entire house smells like comfort.

Needless to say, the best way to start off the New Year is with healthy, delicious food from our small, sustainable Arkansas farms. In fact, one of our Food Club Coordinators Karl Heinbockel of Natural State Horticare wrote this great post summarizing the current research on the benefits of eating local and organic. Natural State Horticare is an awesome local company that will take care of all your organic lawn care, landscaping, and backyard farming needs. For more great blog posts like this one like their Heights Neighborhood Garden facebook page.

Hope you have a wonderful, safe, loving, and local Christmas!

- Alex Handfinger
Director of Operations

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

Market Reminder- Last Call for Christmas!

The countdown to Christmas is well under way, but we have everything you need to minimize holiday stress and maximize holiday cheer. Starting with all the ingredients for a phenomenal feast.

• Starters: Kick your classic cheese tray up a notch this year with any assortment of the 19 different cheeses on The Market. They’re all winners, but make sure to check out the newest addition to our dairy team – camembert. This better-than-brie, bloomy-rind cheese is easy to turn into an impressive appetizer. Simply pop it into a ramekin, slice the top rind, slip in a few slices of garlic and bits of fresh rosemary, and bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes. Substitute a generous drizzle of honey for the garlic and rosemary if you prefer a sweeter starter, or bake one of each! Serve with bite sized bits of toasted ciabatta, and you may even decide to skip the rest of the meal.

• Mains: Nothing says “holiday feast” quite like a good roast beast. Whether it’s beef chuck, lamb leg, whole chicken, pork shoulder, or even buffalo brisket, we have the beast you’re looking for. Don’t forget the fresh herbs and organic spices that will supercharge that awesome, grassfed flavor.

• Sides: Cancel out a few of those holiday cookies by making sure you get your greens. Try a kale salad with toasted pecans, warm wilted arugula, or spiced sticky cabbage. Then cancel out the greens with a rich and tasty turnip gratin.

• Deserts: As stuffed as you’ll be by the end of the day, you can’t just skip desert. Good thing so many of our growers have thought ahead and have plenty of frozen fruit to pack into your grandmother’s perfect pastry dough. The only hard part is deciding what kind of pie to make. Blueberry? Blackberry? Strawberry? Maybe this year someone should invent the triple-berry pie. I wouldn’t say no to a slice.

Now that all the meal planning is out of the way, don’t forget about those last minute gifts! Sure, you know there’s a truckload of great gifts on The Market, but sometimes you just want to see something in person before you buy it. That’s why we’ll set up our Holiday Market extras table one more time this Saturday. This will be the your last chance to take a look (and a sniff!) at the wide array of giftable goods made by our very own farmers and artisans. Be sure to check it out. You might just find the perfect thing for that last person on your gift list, or even pick up something for yourself!

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

The Market is Open!

Good Beautiful Day,

The market is open and ready to make your holiday one full of locally-grown goodness! It may feel like summer out there, but now’s actually your last chance to still snag a holiday present for the local-lover in your life. And let’s be honest, your holiday feast is far more likely to impress if you fill it with the flavors of Arkansas. Besides all that, you’ll also get some of that heart-warming joy knowing that you helped support small, sustainable Arkansas farms this holiday. Here’s just a small sampling of all the local love we’ve got to offer…

• I can think of no better way to celebrate than to roast up a leg of lamb from McSwain Ranch. These grassfed beauties deserve to be rubbed down with garlic and rosemary for what I promise will be a feast you won’t soon forget.

• Nothing brightens up my holiday like a delicious cheese tray. Luckily, we’ve got White River Creamery’s altus port fresh farmer’s cheese, Kent Walker Artisan Cheese’ goat gouda, and Honeysuckle Lane Cheese’ raw milk jalapeno chedar for a selection any state would envy!

• We’ve got plenty of potatoes for frying up into latkes, the traditional Hanukkah potato pancake. Or try the sweet potato kind for an ever-so slightly healthier alternative!

• It’s the last week for delicious Japanese persimmons from Barnhill Orchards. They’re a wonderfully sweet addition to just about anything. Last week my girlfriend Marisa made these delectable spiced persimmon pecan muffins and I’m wishing we still had some more.

• And don’t forget the most creative and cool stocking stuffers around! We’ve got everything from mixed nuts, paw paw sauce, soaps and gift basket sets, peanut butter fudge, peanut brittle, tinctures and teas, jams and jellies, BBQ sauce, salsa, green tomato pickles and chutney, suds savers and t-shirts, candles, goat’s milk laundry soap, and even peacock feathers! If you can’t find a present on our market…you’re not looking hard enough : )

A huge thanks to everyone that made it out to my presentation on the results of the first phase of ALFN’s strategic planning process. If you weren’t able to make it but are interested in seeing what we’re up to, just e-mail me at arlocalfoodnetwork@gmail.com and I’d be happy to share.

Thank you all so much! Now, go outside!

- Alex Handfinger
Director of Operations

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

Market Reminder!

It’s Tuesday evening, and you know what that means. T-minus 18 hours to go before The Market closes. Luckily, that’s plenty of time to order an entire week’s worth of healthy, hearty local ingredients. To aid in that endeavor, Geek Eats and Crimmins Family Farm are back after a well-deserved break, to fulfill all your hummus, granola, and certified organic greens needs.

As if you needed more to look forward to than just good eats, we’ll have our Holiday Gift Inspiration Table set up again this Saturday. Back by popular demand, you can peruse a vast assortment of gift-able goods crafted by our very own vendors. We’ll have embroidered dish towels, delicious canned concoctions, whimsical and luxurious soaps, and even some tasty local honey. You’re bound to find something for everyone on your list, but if you simply can’t decide, I highly recommend a Food Club gift certificate. Available in any increment, it’s pretty much the perfect gift for anyone and any occasion.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!