Roc Day at the Market

This Saturday, January 8, from 10 AM to 4 PM, the Wayne and Holmes Counties Fiber Arts Guild will host their annual Roc Day celebration at Local Roots.

According to Susan Sivey, guild secretary, Roc Day has a long and rich history:

Many fiber guilds celebrate “Roc Day” on the first Saturday after New Year’s. In earlier times, the holiday was called St. Distaff’s Day and was celebrated on January 7, the day after the Feast of Epiphany, which ends the twelve days of Christmas. St. Distaff is a made-up saint. A distaff is the device used by spinners to hold the flax that was spun into linen.

Roc or Rock from Roc Day comes from the word “rocken” which meant distaff. Spinners or “spinsters” took the twelve days of Christmas off from their spinning duties and had a party the day before returning to work.

The Fiber Arts Guild has lined up a handful of exciting classes for this year's Roc Day:

--needle-felted slippers
--beginning knitting
--basic drop spindling
--felted soaps

In addition, local fiber producer Morning Star Farm will offer a yarn "tasting" at 3:30. Fiber enthusiasts will have the chance to examine and test new yarns from Morning Star.

For more information on Roc Day, check out the January Local Roots newsletter.

Artisan Day -- and More!

Have you finished your holiday gift shopping yet? If not, come to Local Roots Market this Saturday, December 11, for the next-to-the-last Artisan Day of the year!

Saturday, the market will be packed with local artists and crafters selling a wide variety of hand-crafted gift items. Whether you're looking for handmade jewelry, homespun yarns, pottery, tote bags, hand-carved wood items, note cards, ornaments, mittens... or who knows what?... you might just find the perfect gift. You'll also get the chance to talk to the artisans to learn more about what they have available, giving you the story behind the gift to make it even more special.

Also on Saturday:

--Live music from the Student String Orchestra of Dalton at 11 AM

--Pulled pork from BW Hog Farm in the demo kitchen

--Holiday Waltz at 7:30 PM: no experience or partner required, just come, learn how to waltz, and enjoy! No charge!

Celebrate the holidays at Local Roots!

Happy Thanksgiving!

For the week of Thanksgiving, Local Roots Market will be open different hours:

Tuesday from 11 AM to 7 PM
Wednesday from 11 AM to 7 PM
CLOSED Thursday and Friday
Saturday from 9 AM to 3 PM

Stop in for your last-minute purchases for your holiday table!

On Saturday, November 27, Local Roots will also host the monthly Artisan Day. Several producer members will be on hand to display and sell their hand-crafted treasures, with everything from homespun yarns and hand-knit garments to wood crafts, jewelry, pottery, and other locally-crafted gift items of beauty and use. Start your holiday gift shopping here!

Saturday evening at 6 PM, we'll have a "Tired of Turkey?" potluck. Plates and serving ware will be provided; please bring a dish to share. Join us in giving thanks for a successful year at the market!

And enjoy the holiday with your loved ones!

Thanksgiving Hours at the Market

At Local Roots, we're encouraging people to eat locally for Thanksgiving. The quintessential American harvest festival, Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the bounty of the earth -- and we are definitely seeing that bounty at the market!

Stop by the market or read the November newsletter to find out what products are available for special order for the holidays. From turkey to pie, you're bound to find something delicious.

For the week of Thanksgiving, hours will change slightly. The market will be open Tuesday, November 23 and Wednesday, November 24 from 11 AM to 7 PM. Local Roots will be closed on Thanksgiving Day itself as well as on Friday, November 26. The market will reopen at 9 AM on Saturday, November 27 for the monthly Artisan Day.

Come celebrate with us!

Ohio Department of Agriculture Helps Out Again!

From a press release by the Ohio Department of Agriculture:

On October 28, Ohio Agriculture Director Robert Boggs joined members of the Wooster Local Foods Cooperative to announce that Local Roots Market and Cafe in Wooster will receive a $29,500 grant from the department.

The grant, provided by the Ohio Department of Agriculture's rural rehab fund, will help Local Roots to make improvements for their producers and begin renovations for a commercial kitchen that will create jobs, encourage entrepreneurship and provide a place for Ohioans to learn new job skills.

"Local Roots is an exceptional, local food co-op that supports its neighborhood, connects the community back to agriculture and provides access to one of our most basic needs -- fresh, local, affordable food," said Boggs. "Today, I am proud to announce that, on behalf of Governor Ted Strickland and the State of Ohio, Local Roots will receive funding to continue the good work of this local market."

Local co-ops and farmers markets are a vital part of Gov. Ted Strickland's Ohio Neighborhood Harvest Initiative, which was created to improve access to Ohio-grown products, ensure that people in every neighborhood have access to affordable, healthy food and help boost our rural and urban economies.

Local Roots Market & Cafe is a year-round market place that helps connect consumers with producers of locally grown foods and other agricultural products to encourage healthy eating, expand local economic development, and promote community involvement and sustainable agriculture.

For more information about the Ohio Neighborhood Harvest Initiative and sustainable agriculture, visit www.agri.ohio.gov.

Harvest Dance

As the harvest season winds down, we want to celebrate a year of great local food with a dance. And you're invited!

Harvest Dance
Saturday, October 30
7:30 PM
Local Roots Market

--Featuring live music by Pocketful O' Gimmick
--Dances called by Susan English and Bill Alkire (no experience needed!)
--Pot luck dinner at 6 PM
--Apple bobbing and pumpkin decorating for kids of all ages
--Cider and other delicious local refreshments

Suggested admission: $3 for Local Roots members, $5 for non-members

Spend the season cultivating community with us at Local Roots!

A Full Day on Saturday!

This Saturday, September 25, promises to be an exciting and fun day at Local Roots Market. We'll have lots of activities going on:

--Our monthly Artisan Day will bring in several artists and crafters, showcasing their handmade jewelry, felted wool items, knitting, and much more. It's never too early to think about holiday gifts, or even gifts for birthdays and other occasions.

--Speaking of gift ideas, we'll have two book signings: Local Roots producer Karen Geiser and local freelance writer Lisa Amstutz will sign copies of their new book, Local Choices, a beginning guide to the local foods movement. And former food editor for the Akron Beacon Journal, Jane Snow, will be on hand to talk and sign copies of her latest, Jane Snow Cooks.

--Producers will be on hand to sample their goods, both old and new. Come and taste all the good things that Local Roots has to offer!

--Pamela Slabaugh will offer a class on growing mushrooms, with kits available for purchase.

--Susan Sivey will teach interested craft fans how to needle felt a beautiful numo scarf. Another great gift idea!

--A local pastured poultry workshop will meet in the conference room at the market, bringing new people in to see what a healthy local food system looks like.

A busy day! So what are you doing this Saturday?