Jefferson Farms.0rg

Jefferson County Farm Day 2012

Coming up on Saturday, June 16 2012, it's....Jefferson County Farm Day!  Jane Tabb has outdone herself this year organizing an exciting day in the country, highlighting Jefferson County agriculture.

There are four stops on the tour this year:

Bloomery Plantation Distillery ( www.bestlimoncello.com )

Ridgefield Farm and Orchard ( www.ridgefieldfarm.com )

Charles Town Farmers Market ( www.jeffersonfarms.org )

Coleswood Farm ( 3330 Old Leetown Pike, Ranson, WV )

All locations will be open (at least) from 10 AM to 5 PM, so do the whole tour! The detailed brochure for Jefferson Country Farm Day 2012 can be downloaded below.

Download Farm Day 2012

Understanding The New Federal Food Safety Act

Heard about the Food Safety Act? Wonder how it might impact you?  The Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), also known as the Food Safety Act or S. 510, was signed into law on January 4, 2011.  The Act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to safety of the food supply.  The Act is aimed at helping the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prevent food safety problems, and it gives FDA new enforcement authorities and new tools for managing imported foods. 

For a very informative FAQ about the act, check out this web page.

USDA Offers Value Added Grants

Deadline for applications:  August 29th.  The USDA announced recently that up to $37 million will be made available to assist independent producers and cooperatives to study, plan and launch operations to increase the value of agricultural products through processing and packaging. Typically this would be include canning, freezing, pureeing, or otherwise packaging goods to increase profits or lengthen the season over which they are available.

If you are a producer interested in this, or know somebody who is, please tell them to get in touch with the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Office for more information and assistance. They can be reached at 304-728-3255 or by email at agdev@jcda.net . To see if you are elgible, and have an appropriate project for funding, read the USDA announcement.

Market News -- May 7th

It’s been a busy week attending conferences and visiting local growers, but spring is finally here for good…this time I am sure! And some good news – local crops are coming in strong now…just yesterday I saw one of our  vendors at the Charles Town market who has some nice radishes and spinach, and some tomatoes that are starting to size up in the greenhouse and look like they are on line to be an excellent early harvest. Another had some fine, fully formed heads of lettuce ready to go; another plenty of asparagus. All of them had sturdy, well grown seedlings lined up ready to go on in the van tomorrow morning. Plus eggs, honey, baked goods, coffee, herbs…the bounty just goes on and on.

 Weather?  Sure we had a tough start to the season back in mid-April – thanks, BTW,  to all those hardy locavores who came out in the rain – but last week was terrific weather, and this week’s forecast is for sun, Sun, SUN…with a cool start in the 50’s rising to wonderful 70s by afternoon…a great day to get out on the street and sample what the county has to offer.

So we hope to see you there, bright and early or leisurely late morning to chat with your neighbors and pick up the wares of the hardworking farmers, bakers and roasters who spend their Saturdays looking for you!

And don’t forget to check the Facebook page, where you’ll find the latest updates and pictures from the market  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Jefferson-Farmers-Market-WV/193251207382947