The HFM Grapevine

The Official Newsletter of the Hillsdale Farmers‚ Market Vol. 3 Issue 1
"All the news that's fresh, we print"
To Boldly Grow
Where no sun has shone before
Late April and often May.

The hours are scarce, to be sure.
Yet our vendors do make hay...

And tomatoes, and berries, and kale
And other produce of abundant yields!

Come see 'em this Sunday in Hillsdale:
Growers outstanding in their fields!
And thus begins our third season here at The HFM Grapevine, widely hailed as Portland's "corniest" newsletter (such is our "soiled" reputation). Which of course means that the third season of the Hillsdale Farmer‚s Market is also at hand! Our regular season begins May 16 and runs through October 31, at our usual hours: 10AM - 2PM.

You‚ll find some changes this season, both in this newsletter and your market. For starters, The Grapevine will be sent out once every two weeks rather than once a week as before (translation: the Editor now has a day job). But fret not, dear reader; for while the market newsletter is scaling back its operations, the market itself continues to boldly grow in some new and exciting ways

In addition to many of your favorite returning vendors, we've also recruited some new faces this year. Here are some of the new faces we're expecting at the market this week:

Baker & Spice - hand pies, tarts and more.
Farris-Seaman Plants - hanging baskets and other plants
Fressen - European style breads and pastries.
Gales Meadow Farm - organic plant starts.
Sweet Briar Farms - quality farm fresh pork including grilled sausages.
Vanveen Bulbs - wide variety of flowering bulbs
Willamette Valley Cheese - Gouda and Havarti cheeses

Sadly, we are also bidding goodbye to two of our favorite vendors; Big B Farms and Hot Lips Pizza will not be at the market this year. Hot Lips Pizza is opening a new location on Hawthorne Blvd and is focusing its energy on that store. Frank Battilega (Big B) is likewise expanding his operation, planning for a roadside market stand sometime in the spring or summer. We‚re sorry that these two vendors won‚t be joing us this season yet we wish them the best of luck in their ventures.

But that's not the only exciting change in store at the Hillsdale Market this year.

HFM vendors awarded grant
If you shopped at any of our groundbreaking winter markets earlier this year, you probably noticed what an amazing success they were. Well, a few of our vendors certainly took notice; they applied for ˆ and were awarded ˆ a USDA grant that will enable the Hillsdale to host farmers‚ markets throughout the entire winter season!
The collaborative efforts of Aaron Bolster (Deep Roots Farm), Anthony Boutard (Ayers Creek Farm), and Connie King (Perendale Wool Ranch) won the grant offered through the USDA‚s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. The mission of SARE is to expand knowledge and adoption of sustainable agriculture practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound and socially acceptable.

The grant monies will enable us to market and staff ten markets throughout the winter months scheduled for the following dates: Nov 7, 21, Dec 5, 19, Jan 9, 23, Feb 13, 27, Mar 13, 27
Needless to say, we are very excited about this opportunity to keep the Hillsdale Market running all year long!
And, speaking of Perendale Ranch, they now have a

Market Burger Available!
Step off, Mickey D! Perendale Wool Ranch will be offering grilled hamburgers at the market, made with single-cow beef fresh from their farm! Connie King worked with Edgar Mullin Loesch of Fressen Bakery and other vendors to create a bun developed especially for the market burger. Lettuce and other ingredients will come from other vendors. Give it a try this weekend!

Market Volunteers Needed
We couldn't have a market without the wonderful volunteers who help each week. If you are interested in volunteering sign up at the information booth on Sunday or contact Eamon Molloy, Market Manager at 503.475.6555 or hfm@coho.net.

Coming Soon at the Market
Elena Shternberg of Flower Boutique in the Hillsdale Shopping Center will give two flower arranging demonstrations next Sunday May 23rd. If you‚ve always wanted to know how Elena makes her display window look so beautiful, here's your chance to learn her secrets!

Opening Day Vendors
Baker & Spice - tea cakes, hand pies, tarts
Bear Creek Floral- flowers, starts
Boyco Foods - honey
Copper Crown - pestos
Deep Roots Farm - greens, lettuce, herbs, beets, turnips and more
Earthshine Gardens - greens, plant starts and more
Farris-Seaman Plants - hanging baskets
Fraga Farms - goat cheeses
French Prairie Perennials
Fressen - breads and pastries
Gales Meadow Farm - plant starts
Garden Color- hardy perennials
Happy Harvest - lettuces
Herr's Family Farm - cut flowers
Ken's Artisan Bakery - breads and pastries
Linda Brand Crab - dungeness crab
Lone Elder Farms - greens, favas
Market Fruit Inc. - the cookies are back!
Mucho Grande - mexican food
Oregon Gourmet Cheeses LLC- Jersey Cow soft cheeses
Peak Forest Fruit - fresh wild mushrooms (morels,porcini, puffballs), dried mushrooms, fresh cultivated mushrooms ( Maitake, Shiitake, King Oyster), fiddleheads, miner‚s lettuce
Perendale Wool Ranch - Hamburgers (NEW) , beef, lamb, eggs. Fresh chicken available to pick up if you call Connie by Friday - 503.630.3561
Pitkin Winterrowd Farms - fruit trees, edible plants, plant starts, eggs
Rick Steffen Farm - asparagus, flowers, nursery stock and more.
Salmon Creek Farm - hydroponic tomatoes
Salvador Molly's - caribbean food
Secret Aardvark - special sauces
Sweet Briar Farms - special this week: Mild Andouille Sausage (Made with all-natural, farm-fresh pork and authenticfresh Cajun blend of spices shipped in from Louisiana. Smoked with a blend of Hickory/Maple/Alder woods)
The Last Place on Earth - oysters
Unger Farms - YES, IT'S TRUE. STRAWBERRIES!! (Selva everbearing variety)
Vanveen - bulbs
Wild Oregon - Salmon (wild)
Willamette Valley Cheese - gouda and havarti cheeses

Do you know someone who might be interested in reading the HFM Grapevine?
If so, forward this on to them and invite them to get on our mailing list!