Collingswood Farmers' Market
Open Saturdays 8AM - 12 Noon
Begins May 2nd Through November
www.collingswoodmarket.com

American Farmland Trust (AFT) along with hundreds of voters have just crowned the Collingswood Farmers Market as one of America’s three favorite farmers markets.  The award is the culmination of AFT’s summer long “America’s Favorite Farmers Markets” contest and represents the integral role that the Collingswood Farmers Market plays in its community and the avid support demonstrated by the dedicated customers it has generated through its 10 years of operations.

In its inaugural year, the AFT contest registered just shy of 30,000 votes in support of local farmers markets across the nation and featured 857 participating farmers markets.  The Collingswood Farmerss Market registered 1,030 of these votes and swept the ‘Small’ category of markets featuring 30 or fewer vendors. Along with the Collingswood Farmers Market, Davis Farmers Market in California took home the large market prize and Williamsburg Farmers Market in Virginia, the medium. Each of the winning markets will receive a free No Farms No Food ® tote bag giveaway for their customers.  Farmers markets represent one of the great ways that consumers can support their local farmers, farmland, communities, and regional economy.

By partnering with farmers markets, American Farmland Trust is encouraging consumers to consider the importance of farmland and to support local farmers. Put succinctly, there is no local food without local farmland.

General Information  |  Restaurant Week

 

TEN YEARS OLD. The Market is old enough to claim a history. It began as an all-volunteer-powered project of Proud Neighbors of Collingswood, launched by the group's then-president Pam Ciervo, at a time when South Jersey farmers were reluctant to give the community market concept a try. 

Today, the Market is a project of the Borough of Collingswood. Many of the original farmers from that first season are still bringing weekly harvests. The Collingswood Farmers' Market has has grown into an established part of the social fabric of the community. People come to walk, meet their neighbors, and socialize while they shop for their weekly produce and more.  

The sooner you can get produce after it's harvested, the better its freshness, nutrition and flavor. The quality of the produce is superior and the atmosphere is wonderful! The successful weekly Market is also an important link in the local food chain. By providing a venue for selling directly to the consumer, the business of farming is strengthened for the small family-owned farms that are characteristic of our region. 

Collingswood Farmers' Market's participating farmers value the opportunity to interact with the people who eat the food they grow. Their presence in our community emphasizes the role New Jersey farming plays in preservation of our landscapes, lifestyles, nutrition, and our local food supply.

So, will there be any special anniversary festivities? 

An ambitious tenth-year goal is set to host at least ten different COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS. Cooking demonstrations have gained popularity as a venue for local chefs to show off their talents. The demos encourage us to take advantage of the good, nutritious food our farming community has to offer. Updates are posted to the demo schedule at CollingswoodMarket.com.

We are pleased to announce a first annual MARKET/RESTAURANT EVENT that will have more local Collingswood restaurants creating menus with produce from Market farms. Special thanks to Lydia Cipriani of the Tortilla Press, who is developing the concept with the Market. As the season progresses, look for announcements about this event.

Facebook is fun, but can it feed you? Maybe. The Market is using its new FACEBOOK GROUP to launch contests for Marketgoers. The group name is "Collingwood Farmers' Market" and all are encouraged to post favorite food quotes, photographs of the Market and more for the chance of winning Market gift certificates for the best content. All Facebook-using fans of the Market are encouraged to support the Market by becoming a "friend." (Thanks!)

The Market website will launch a digital ARCHIVE OF RECIPES that have been featured in past Market emails. For those who might not know, the Market sends out a lively weekly email that greets Market fans with a weather forecast, in-season produce news and more. Recipes are often the most favorite content and many people have wished for an online collection. The archive should be on the website by early May.

Opening Day is festive every year and this year it is MAY 2. Enjoy it with us. There will be a ribbon cutting, balloons, a "Tenth birthday" cake to eat along with, of course, the first of the season's local harvests. And more. Come on down to the Market, meet the growers, and take advantage of the wonderful harvests they have to offer!

See the Market ad in the May issue of the Town Crier.Visit www.collingswoodmarket.com for more information

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Farm Fresh Collingswood Restaurant Week - July 12-16 - Four courses for $28
This season, Collingswood restaurants are launching a new "restaurant week" theme featuring a prix fixe menu using items from the Collingswood Farmers' Market.

Sporting one of South Jersey’s most popular Farmers Markets along with a now famous “Restaurant Row” it was only a matter of time before this energetic town decided to create its own “Farm Fresh Collingswood Restaurant Week.”

From Sunday, July 12 through Thursday, July 16th, many of the town’s restaurants will utilize the fresh produce and fruits available each Saturday at the Collingswood Farmers Market to create unique menus centered around the farm fresh theme. Participating restaurants in “Farm Fresh Collingswood Restaurant Week” will offer four courses for $28 per person. The special event will be celebrated at most of the town’s restaurants.

“We’ve sent out a list of our farmers and their primary crops,” said Betsy Cook, the market’s Director. “Restaurants will use the market to supply themselves with the season’s freshest fruits and vegetables. And the beneficiaries will be all those people who want a delicious meal that’s as fresh as fresh gets.
A list of participating restaurants can be found on the Farm Market’s website here. Reservations are recommended.

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