~~Thank you to all of the wonderful folks that braved the weather and came out to support the market last week! The weather will be much nicer this Saturday, and due to the frost last weekend we will have the last of our beautiful Cucumbers. Also, the wonderful Heirloom tomatoes will soon be goneand we’ll have a smaller supply of Sungold Cherry tomatoes. The colder weather has been good for our Heirloom Collards, Lettuce & Romaine, 5-mix Kales and other winter veggies. The Red Radishes are much nicer this week, as are the carrots, larger bundles of green onions and Beets. Our luscious Strawberries were affected by the rain–and still more raccoons–so there will be a smaller supply of those this week too. We did dig some nicer sweet potatoes that are the original red-skinned, sweet orange flesh that we have grown for many years.
~~I will only be at the market for a couple of hours and then need to leave early to care for my grandchildren, as their mother is very ill; but please welcome our new friend Jessie that will be helping out Bill for the rest of the day. She is a long time resident of Lakeland and we hope to see much more of her and her partner, Bennie, on our farm as well!
~~Check below for other items we may be bringing to the market this week, and don’t forget to come early for surprise items and those in high demand…see you at the market!
The Market WILL be open next Saturday, December 23rd, as well as December 30th for your shopping pleasure.
~~Raw Water Buffalo Milk & other ‘Pet Consumption’ 
products (ask us if you don’t know what this means): When milk is plentiful we’ll have good farmers cheeses, Kefir, buttermilk (best for cooking; the fluffiest pancakes ever!), unsalted creamy white butter, Whey http://
and of course Raw Milk, which is regularly priced at $9/half gal. or $17/gal. However, we have been eating/drinking all of this ourselves and other than the Raw Milk can only make it for you if you order ahead of time (Please give us a week – ecofarmfl@yahoo.com).
~~For our complete availability list (except for last minute items) check the bottom of this email.
~~Thanks for your support!! See you at the Market Saturday 
Check this out from the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curbmarket Newsletter:Text to Win!
Keep up with Market news via text message!
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~~We are always happy to take your used, clean plastic grocery bags (no garbage please) and green pint baskets that strawberries come in…Please remember to bring them to us this week…Thanks!
~~ Italian ischia sourdough starter http://www.telegraph.
and Pizza dough, ready to use right away–active and ready to use (please pre-order this a week before so it can be activated) $9. Also, let me know ahead of time and we can have a Kombucha ‘mother’ available for making your own brew (also $9).
~~Raw Water Buffalo Milk sales: We normally sell milk in plastic half gallon containers @$9 and a convenient quart size plastic container for $5. If you would prefer quart or half gallon wide mouth glass containers there will be a $1& $2 deposit to cover the cost of the jars and you will need to let us know ahead of time by email. Kefir only comes in quart sized jars ($8 or $7 with a wide-mouth quart jar to trade). Butter comes in 8 oz. plastic containers for $8. Remember, this is for ‘Pet Consumption Only’ by Florida law. Your ‘Pet’ will be eating like royalty 🙂
~~We grow everything organically; all ‘chemicals’ are OMRI approved for Organic growers and our fertilizers consist of composted manures (buffalo and more) and fish emulsion. We are not Certified Organic as the cost and ongoing paperwork is prohibitive for ‘real’ farmers–and there are too many variances allowed for Corporate Organic farms–and now they are certifying hydroponics so many original Organically Certified dirt farmers are speaking out and/or dropping their certifications, which are now meaningless. Remember: Ecofarmers do it in the Dirt!
Ecofarm is currently able to participate in only one market with super fresh, organically grown produce (not Certified) and other farm products for your convenience:
* Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curbmarket Saturdays 8AM-2PM all year except August. We are located on Kentucky Avenue in front of Crispers restaurant. Check out the market website at www.ldda.org/home/
and sign-up for the market e-newsletter. Dogs, children and fun galore!
* Temple Terrace Farmers Market – Saturdays 9AM-1:00PM – A true Farmers Market – For more information check it out at:http://www.ttfarmersmarket.
or https://www.facebook.
Note: We have been providing some of our produce to this market and will continue to increase our support whenever possible.
~~The Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curbmarket is now taking your EBT/SNAP cards; and you can double your dollars by purchasing Florida grown produce & honey!! There are about 25 of us selling honey, cane syrup, cottage industry foods, produce, breads, seeds, edible plants and more that qualifies for SNAP; and about six of us that can double your money with our produce, thanks to the Fresh from Florida program. The Market booth is set up at the south end of the market and they can explain the process and you can purchase tokens. Vendors participating in the program will have a sign in front of their booths. In addition, you can ride the bus free in Polk County to come to our market and participate in this program. Please pass the word!
Following are some of the products we may be bringing to the market this week:
Super-Nutra Loaf – Fresh weekly; full of seeds & nuts.
Pesto! Various Seasonal ingredients – great for seafood, pasta, potatoes and more!
Florida Red-Bay leaves – use like other dried bay leaves in soups, beans, etc.
Sweet potatoes – our original red-skinned, sweet fleshed sweeties!
Daikon radishes – versatile large, white, radish; use raw, fermented, cooked, shredded, to dip or whatever!
Dino kale! & 5-kale mix
Lettuce/romaine – Red Sails, a few Cherokee and Coastal Star Romaine this week; good supply
Beets – small beets with gorgeous tops in bundles
Sungold Cherry tomatoes – smaller supply this week
Heirloom Tomatoes – good supply this week; almost finished due to cold weather
Spinach – our luscious, semi-savoy spinach – very few bundles this week
Green onions – beautiful bundles this week!
Heirloom collards – nice bundles
Mustard greens – resting this week
Mizuna – very small crop – beautiful, lacy red mizuna is a mild green good for salad mix or lightly cooked
Arugula – small supply
Red radishes – nice supply this week
Dandelion – a few bundles ready
Cilantro!
Cucumbers! Last this season; vines have been removed
Carrots – perfect bundles with tops intact–and very edible
Strawberries -small supply!
Turnips & greens
Lambs-quarters – Wild greens that are super nutritious and tasty; re-growing, available again soon
Wild purslane – another wild plant that is more nutritious that what we try to grow–and tasty too! Not available
Israeli basil – very heat & rain tolerant; tastes and smells wonderful! Currently not available
Lemongrass culms/leaves – may be available some weeks
Powdered Moringa – just a teaspoon in your breakfast or other meals does wonders
Dandelion – a few bundles
Homemade jams made with very little sugar (organic) – strawberry, strawberry/basil, peach and Cranberry Hibiscus
Pure Cane syrup – Yes! Give our own local, sustainable sweetness a try; not just for pancakes.
Luffa seed packets – not currently available
Luffa sponges – Check out the real thing–and no, they don’t come from the ocean!
Java Planet Coffees (whole bean, Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown & Bird Friendly!) Good Selection of single, blends, dark & medium roasts
Thanks for supporting local farmers, artists, musicians and craftspeople!
Debbie, Jon & Billy plus C.J. & Hayley–the kiddies that inspire us
Ecofarmers do it in the dirt!