11/08/2021
Garden Share November E-News
(photo credits: “Back to our roots” Big Spoon Kitchen. Potsdam, NY.
Image courtesy of the Farm-to-Table Initiative led by Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County.)
Garden Share website: http://gardenshare.org/
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Thank You for Supporting Your St. Lawrence County Farmers Markets!
“Each new season grows from the leftovers from the past. That is the essence of change, and change is the basic law.” — Hal Borland
And so, the season for farmers markets has once again passed! The markets across St. Lawrence County have wrapped up for the year, following a very successful market season. A great big THANK YOU to all of the market managers, vendors, and volunteers who make our County’s markets vibrant, plentiful and such wonderful places to shop for our local food and local treasures. Of course, thank you to each one of you who supported the markets… by shopping there! It really makes all the difference for producers, who rely on local shoppers to make their time at market meaningful.
Of course, not to worry, there are still many options for those of us who would like to continue to shop local through the colder months. Check out GardenShare’s online Local Food Guide for local food sources available all year round!
Double Up Food Bucks Continues
GardenShare and Field & Fork Network partnered for the past four years to bring Double Up Food Bucks to St. Lawrence County farmers markets. This program is a national model for healthy food incentive programs that matches the value of SNAP dollars spent up to $20 per day, providing shoppers with a dollar-for-dollar match that can be spent on locally grown fruits and vegetables.
After another successful summer farmers market season, SNAP shoppers who want to keep using the Double Up Food Bucks program throughout the winter months need not look far—there are several year-round locations in the area. Customers can shop using Double Up Food Bucks Loyalty Cards at Martin’s Farmstand (Potsdam), Nature’s Storehouse (Canton), Keeseville Pharmacy (Malone), Whitten Family Farm (Winthrop), and Hub on the Hill (Essex). The Loyalty Cards are interoperable, and can be used at any Loyalty Card location. Any SNAP customer can quickly sign up and receive a Loyalty card at any participating Loyalty Card location. For a complete list of year-round Double Up Food Bucks locations and hours, please visit www.doubleupnys.com/locations.
Cultivating Gratitude Through Giving
Once again this year, Nature’s Storehouse invites customers to support GardenShare during the Thanksgiving season. From November 1 to 24, customers will be offered the chance to show their “Gratitude Through Giving” by making a donation to GardenShare at check out. To celebrate the sixth year of this fundraiser, Mary Ann Ashley and Michael Dalton will contribute a match incentive: for every dollar raised at checkout, the Canton’s Supervisor and Mayor will personally donate a matching dollar, up to $1,000.
“Nature’s is such an important part of our community,” said Ashley and Dalton. “Our only downtown grocery store, they are an essential resource for residents and a great source of local food. We encourage shoppers to support Nature’s fundraiser for GardenShare this Thanksgiving season.”
Mayor Mike Dalton and Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley celebrating the launch of “Gratitude Through Giving” with Nature’s Storehouse co-owner Rainbow Crabtree
The Thanksgiving fundraiser supports GardenShare’s Bonus Buck Program, which offers a cost-sharing arrangement to income eligible St. Lawrence County residents to participate in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share or to purchase at St. Lawrence County farmers markets.
“Many people feel that healthy food is inaccessible. We are inspired by the work GardenShare does to help ensure access to healthy food, and we are proud to partner with them in this fundraising effort,”
-Rainbow Crabtree, co-owner of Nature’s Storehouse.
Restaurant Week Smiles!
A big thank you to all those who celebrated Restaurant Week with us this year! We are thankful to the 12 participating eateries who participated, sharing delicious locally-made, locally-sourced dishes for us to enjoy.
Did you enjoy Restaurant Week?
Let the world know! The best to ensure that St. Lawrence County continues to enjoy a bounty of local food in our restaurants is by spreading the word. We encourage you to share your Restaurant Week memories and positive experiences on Yelp, Google Reviews and Facebook!
Rosie Rivezzi of Big Spoon Kitchen (Potsdam) presents Christy Snider (Waddington) with her Restaurant Week prize! Donations made during Restaurant Week qualified donors for prize draws.
GardenShare Holiday Auction- Bidding Starts on Black Friday!
Are you looking for holiday gifts that your loved ones will cherish? Shopping local this season? Are you hoping to find a way to make a difference while you shop? Well, you’re in luck!
GardenShare’s Holiday Auction is launching on Black Friday, November 26th! Find local wares, homemade goodies, and more! Mark you calendars, bid early, and bid often!
Look for the link to the silent auction on Facebook and in a special eBlast later this month.
Growing Our Minds
In honor of the magical flavor combination of turkey and cranberry, we bring you the podcast… all about cranberries! This podcast will teach you everyone you always wanted to know about cranberries, but were afraid to ask. Co-hosted by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley, this podcast won’t leave a sour taste in your mouth!
This month’s podcast recommendation:
“Gastropod looks at food through the lens of science and history”
Deep River Cranberry Bog
“How did this acidic, tannic berry, so hard to love in its raw form, become one of the most popular fruits in America, and how did it fall so deeply out of fashion”?
Check out the podcast here: https://gastropod.com/crantastic-the-story-of-americas-berry/