Just in case it might have sneaked by you unobserved, we are smack dab in the middle of National Farmers Market Week! Declared by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in a very official proclamation, National Farmers Market Week was invented to raise awareness of the critically important place of America's farmers in our daily life, and of the role that farmers markets play in providing opportunities for small family farmers and consumers to connect with one another.

Your 61st Street Farmers Market encourages you to celebrate and support our local farmers this and every Saturday, from 9am-2pm, on 61st Street between Dorchester and Blackstone Avenues! This Saturday, we are also looking forward to a splendid day, with clear skies and very comfortable temperatures. A perfect day to connect with your farmer and your food!

Here are some of this National Farmers Market Week's highlights at the 61st Street Farmers Market:

• It is the height of the fruit season! Mick Klug Orchards will be bringing plums, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. In addition, Mick Klug will be selling sustainably grown sweet corn, egg plant, beans, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers....
• Mike & Clare will be bringing kale, chard, squash, basil, scallions, beets, carrots, parsley, eggplant, leeks, cippolini onions, and more.
• Envision will be back at the Market this week with kale, zucchini, tomatoes, chard, cucumbers, basil....
• Sunkissed Organics will also be back at the Market, selling multi-colored beans, new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and an assortment of heirloom tomatoes.
• In addition to their value-added tomato products (soups, salsas, bloody mary mix...), Tomato Mountain offers CSA shares. Stop by their tent and ask them about their mid- and late-season CSA. It's home delivered!
• Of course, you can count on Growing Power for your loose leaf greens, sprouts, tomatoes, cabbage, sweet corn, carrots, beets.... A reminder, ask them about ordering their tilapia!
• The Market will also fill your bakery needs from savory to sweet! Crumb's wonderful organic breads are so good that you can feel ok about no longer baking your own! Penny Pastries will transport you with theiralmond croissants, raisin croissants, chocolate croissants, coffee cake, Pennydoodles, Country bread and biscuits. And Brown Sugar Bakery's muffins, cupcakes and desserts will fill your need for sweetness.
• If you're looking for a healthy breakfast or lunch, check out Spice! Samm will again be preparing delicious hot-on-the-spot burritos, tacos, tortas, and 'egg rolls', using 61st Street Farmers Market ingredients. Vegetarian options are available!
• At 10:30am, join Peter Zelchenko at the Chef Demo tent, where he will demonstrate how to make a variety of breads at home, based on one simple recipe.
• From 10am-1pm, stop off at the Market School tent, where master gardener Madiem Kawa will field our questions regarding container gardening, worm composting, pest problems, harvesting, and any other backyard gardening concerns.

Finally, National Farmers Market Week is also an occasion to thank the many people like you who make farmers markets work. At the 61st Street Farmers Market, we know how many different people it takes to make the whole thing happen. Whether you are a farmer or producer, volunteer, customer, market manager, director, or donor, we know that we cannot do it without you! THANKS!
See you at the Market!