Ed. Note:  This news release is from Abi Miller, manager of the Bellows Falls Farmers' Market that is held every Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. This Friday is Walpole Day featuring a number of Walpole businesses.  Sounds like a good event!  CCB

BELLOWS FALLS FARMERS MARKET CELEBRATES WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, WITH “WALPOLE DAY” AT THE MARKET

         Bellows Falls, VT—July 6, 2008— The farmers market celebrates its second annual Walpole Day this Friday, on July 11th, by highlighting organizations and farms from Bellows Falls’ neighbor, Walpole, New Hampshire.  On the patio at the market, customers can expect to see a number of different businesses and organizations from Walpole.  The businesses and organizations featured this year will include the Walpole Creamery, selling their homemade ice cream; Burdick’s Chocolate, selling their chocolate; Twin Spruce Farm, with maple cream and candy; the Inn at Valley Farm, with information about their bed & breakfast; Boggy Meadow Farmstead Cheese, with their farmstead cheeses; and the Hooper Institute, offering information about their children’s agricultural educational programs.  Come to the market to learn more about these businesses and organizations, and to buy their products. 

            The Bellows Falls Market regularly has two vendors from Walpole, Abenaki Spring Farm and Brookfield Farm. 

            Bruce and Erin Bickford are the farmers at Abenaki Spring Farm, growing certified organic vegetables, herbs and small fruits, including strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.  The Bickfords also raise animals.  “We believe in a truly sustainable, integrated system, so all of our rotations include animals and their manure.  Depending on what cycle we’re in, we have pigs, chickens, sheep and turkeys,” Erin Bickford says.  This season, they’ll have about 200 turkeys and 400 to 500 chickens, which they raise on pasture.  Next year, they’ll have sheep and pigs.  Sheep graze, pigs turn the land, and chickens and turkeys do well on pasture eating grass and insects. 

            Abenaki Spring Farm is at the Bellows Falls Farmers Market as well as the Keene Farmers Market, where they sell their produce and also arrange for their 35 farm members to pick up their shares at the market.  These 35 CSA members (Community Supported Agriculture) pay ahead for the produce they’ll pick up at the market, guaranteeing Abenaki Spring Farm an income for the season. 

            Why do they choose to sell at the farmers market?  “We truly believe in sustaining a local agricultural economy,” Erin Bickford says.  “We wish we could stay here, and that people would come to the farm!  But aside from that, the next best thing is your local farmers market.” 

            Another Walpole farm that sells regularly at the Bellows Falls Farmers Market is Brookfield Farm.  Farmers Christian and Holly Gowdy raise grass-fed beef and sell it frozen at the market.  Come to the market on Friday for a sample of their hot and sweet beef sausage.

            For a little taste of all of the other farms near you, visit the Bellows Falls Farmers Market on this and every Friday from 4 to 7 at the Waypoint Center in downtown Bellows Falls. 

            Children are invited to participate in the Youth Market, coming up on July 25th at the Bellows Falls Farmers Market.  The Youth Market is a week at the market in which young people can sell homemade crafts and foods as part of the regularly scheduled farmers market.  To participate, contact Abi Miller (see below for details), or see us at the market to sign up. 

         The market takes place every Friday night from 4 to 7 at the Waypoint Center in downtown Bellows Falls.  For more information about the Bellows Falls Farmer’s Market, contact market manager Abi Miller at bellowsfallsmarket@gmail.com or 802.387.6128.  The market can be found on the web at www.bffarmersmarket.com. 

###