Grand Opening May 15

One year after its initial public meeting, the Wooster Local Foods Cooperative, Inc., is pleased to announce the Grand Opening celebration at Local Roots Market on Saturday, May 15 from 9 AM to 3 PM.

From an empty county-owned building and a big dream for a year-round local foods market, the cooperative has moved swiftly over the past year to open, staff, and stock Local Roots with a wide variety of local agricultural products from nearly 100 producer members. "We'd like to thank everyone in the community who helped make this possible," notes market manager Jessica Eikleberry, citing a broad base of community support from the Wayne County Commissioners, who approved the use of the building, to local businesses such as Buehler's and Friendtique (who provided display units) and the many volunteers who helped to renovate the store space and continue to operate the store on market days.

"This is a celebration not just of spring and of the market, but of what this community can do together," enthuses Eikleberry, stressing the market's missions of supporting local agriculture and the local economy. The Grand Opening will include music, tastings of new and favorite items from Local Roots producers, a demonstration on how to create an herb pot for home, cooking demonstrations featuring items found in the market, arts and crafts items from cooperative members, and much more. Producer members have been invited to be on hand to share their goods or to talk about their farms and businesses.

The market is currently open on Fridays from noon to 7 PM and Saturdays from 9 AM to 3 PM, but Eikleberry expects to see expanded hours shortly after the Grand Opening. Products are arranged by broad categories such as produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, and other items, and within those areas by producer so that shoppers can maintain the connection to the people who grew, raised, or made the food. Everyone is welcome to shop in the market, though the online order system is available to Local Roots members only.

Local Roots will continue its missions of education and community involvement throughout the year, working with other people and organizations in the community. For information on upcoming events or membership, visit the web site at http://www.localrootswooster.com or sign up for the monthly newsletter.

Greens for Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, and what better way is there to show your love for our world than by supporting local, sustainable agriculture? Not only do you save on the energy used to transport and sometimes even produce the food, but you keep money circulating in the local economy -- and you enjoy really good food.

And if you really want to "go green" for Earth Day, may we recommend stocking up on fresh leafy greens and green herbs at Local Roots? Our producers are bringing in lettuce, spinach, kale, mixed leafy greens -- even wild greens such as dandelion and stinging nettle -- to give you that fresh taste of spring.

What's Cooking?

On Saturday, we'll have two tasty treats in the demonstration kitchen:

9-11 AM: Mary Crabtree and Sofie Dittmann will make delicious breakfast panini, using whole wheat bread from The Bake Haus and selected fresh produce and local cheeses.

1-3 PM: Jennifer McMullen will cook up a few tasty dishes that will make you want to eat your "weedies"! Spring is the perfect time to taste wild edible plants such as dandelion, stinging nettle, chickweed, lambsquarters, and violets. Try them -- you just might like them!

More Fun With Felt

For this week's felting session, Tara Herberger will show you how to create designs based on what you're growing in the garden. Sessions are 5-7 PM on Friday and 11-1 on Saturday; cost is $5.

Grand Opening May 15th

Don't forget to mark your calendars for our Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, May 15!

What's Happening This Week (April 16-17)

Warmer days and plenty of sunshine have brought more trees and flowers into bloom around town, and we're excited about all the beautiful possibilities that springtime brings! And a lot of those possibilities are happening at Local Roots...

Local Agriculture and Society

This Thursday, April 15, Local Roots will host a discussion on local agriculture and society from 6:00-7:15 PM with Darwin Kelsey (Cuyahoga Countryside Conservancy) and Brian Gwin (Wayne Economic Development Council), moderated by Brad Masi. At 7:30, we will break into smaller groups to brianstorm ideas for the Mellinger Farm development. We would love to get wider community involvement in these discussions, as the Mellinger Farm can emerge in the years ahead as a great resource for local farming and education. Feel free to invite anyone in your network to the event -- there is no charge!

And don't forget, April 19 through 25 is Sustainable Agriculture Week. It's a great time to start a garden at home, visit a local farm, or -- dare we say it? -- buy plenty of good local food at Local Roots.

Felt Class

This week the felt session with Tara Herberger of the Fiber Arts Guild will celebrate Earth Day (April 22) by creating a cool "Table Top Mug Rug" and sharing ideas for your personal appreciation towards the 4 Elements of Earth - wind/water/fire/light. Friday 5-7 pm, Saturday 11-1. Class is $5.

A Toast to the Demo Kitchen!
From 9 AM to 11 AM on Saturday, Betsy Anderson (of Summer Hill Farm) will demonstrate making French toast, using a selection of breads from Local Roots producers. It's so easy to do, you'll want to buy a loaf (or two!) and make French toast a regular feature of your week!

Relax!

On Saturday the 17th from 9 AM to 1 PM, Rosanna Ralston, licensed massage therapist from Spa Collections, will offer chair massages at the market to raise money for Down To Earth Community Gardens (DECG). DECG is nonprofit organization that not only offers land to gardeners but is also starting the first Green Food Pantry in Orrville through the Salvation Army. DECG is currently working on expanding their gardens to more locations in Orrville and the surrounding area. Come help support another grassroots effort -- and feel totally relaxed afterward!

Local Roots Are Spreading

Now that the season of festivals has begun, Local Roots will start getting out into the community to share our vision for local foods and sustainable agriculture. Find us this Saturday, April 17, in Orrville at the YMCA Healthy Kids Day from 10 AM to 1 PM and Tuesday, April 20, at the 3rd Annual Scarlet, Gray, and Green Fair at the OSU Wooster Campus from 11 AM to 7 PM.

Know about other events where you think Local Roots should participate? Contact Jessica Eikleberry, Market Manager, at jessica [AT] localrootswooster [DOT] com with details.

Grand Opening May 15th!

That's right, we've finally set the date for our Grand Opening: Saturday, May 15. We'll have plenty of exciting activities that day, and we would like to invite our arts and crafts members back to the market to share their products! Please contact Jessica by May 1st for details or to reserve your spot. Keep your eye on this blog for details about Grand Opening events as they evolve. And be sure to bring a friend or two that day to help us spread the word about Local Roots!

Got News?
Just a reminder: the deadline for news, articles, or ideas for the May Local Roots newsletter is upon us. Got something you'd like to share? Drop a line to news [AT] localrootswooster [DOT] com and we'll help you get your news to a larger audience.

Global Meets Local

We know you love the taste of local food, but don't let eating locally make you forget about all the wonderful flavors of other cuisines! Yes, you can have the world on a local plate this Saturday at Local Roots!

From 9 to 11 AM, Martha Gaffney of Martha's Farm will share the delicious flavors of Ecuadorian cuisine, featuring local foods. If you've never ventured into this ethnic cuisine, you're in for a treat! (And it will wake up your taste buds and get you ready for next week's Ethnic Fair at the county fairgrounds.)

From 11 AM to 1 PM, Susan English will share her accordion music with market-goers. With a hint of Old World harmonies or the lively toe-tapping tunes of the British Isles, Susan will lift your spirits and make you want to dance!

Tara Herberger, recently returned from Germany, has brought back plenty of colorful felt and fun ideas to share, so come for her Fun Felting class this week. Sessions will be held Friday from 5 to 7 PM and Saturday from 11 AM to 1 PM. This week, needle felt your own artistic spring flowers -- make 3 for only $5!

Spring Surprises!

This week, we have so much going on at Local Roots, you won't want to miss out!

In the Kitchen

--From 9 AM to 11 AM, Marion Yoder (The Shepherd's Market) will make and share homegrown popcorn. Popcorn for breakfast? Why not? Save some for your Easter basket, too!
--From 11 AM to 1 PM, Marion will serve up some freshly baked whole wheat bread, too.
--From 1:30 to 3 PM, Dawn McLaughlin (In the Garden) will make sausage burgers -- a treat worth saving room for!

In addition, Deanna Ferry (Garden.Vineyard.Grove) will be on hand to offer samples of her delectable gourmet jellies and mustards, a perfect accompaniment to the various cooking demonstrations. And if you missed the fun of local ice cream last week, the Schlonegers will be back -- along with the warm weather! -- to provide more of their sweet and creamy ice cream delights.

For the Young... and the Young at Heart

Children of all ages (yes, even you "senior" children are welcome, too!) are invited to join Karen Geiser as she demonstrates making paper. Why make your own paper? It's a great way to recycle scraps and to create one-of-a-kind works of art. Come join us and find out more.

And if you're up for more craft fun, join Tara Herberger for the first of her spring sessions in Fun Felting. Learn how to felt your very own colorful Easter eggs from a broad assortment of brilliantly colored fibers. Sessions will occur Friday from 5 to 7 PM and Saturday from 11 AM to 1 PM; cost is $5 per person for 3 eggs. Young children are very welcome if accompanied by an adult.

Happy Holidays!

To all our members and friends at Local Roots, we wish you the very best during this Passover and Easter season!

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

Maybe it will be warm and sunny enough for you to get out and work in the garden, or take a hike, or just enjoy the day. But we hope that somewhere along the way, you'll stop by Local Roots and stock up for your weekend meals. New things are coming into the market all the time!

If you stop in Saturday around lunch time, you'll enjoy two special treats:

--From 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, Betsy Anderson will demonstrate how to make a delicious lamb stew. It's the perfect meat dish to welcome spring -- try it and see!
--From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Susan English will provide familiar and favorite tunes as she strolls around the market with her accordion. We think it gives the market an Old-World flair, and Susan will be happy to play your favorite tune for you!

If you're interested in learning more about local foods or want to swap recipes and ideas with other local-foods lovers, join us at a table up front around 1:00 PM for this month's Eat At Home discussion.

And don't forget, we are now open on Fridays, too, from noon until 7:00 PM. Stop by on your way home from work to pick up a loaf of bread, some milk, and maybe some fresh produce and meat!

Welcome Spring!

Saturday we celebrate the first day of Spring, and it hasn’t come soon enough! Stop by Local Roots this weekend for your first taste of spring. Whether Spring tastes to you like fresh greens, some locally-raised lamb, delicious herbed cheeses, or tasty cookies, we’ll have something to wake up your taste buds!

Expanded Hours Fridays from Noon to 7 PM

Our doors are now open Fridays from noon to 7 PM, so stop by and pick up some goodies for the weekend! (Please note that many producers will still bring their products in later on Friday or Saturday morning, so it may be a while until the store is fully “stocked” on Friday; stop by after work anyway!)

What’s Cookin’?

The demonstration kitchen will be busy Saturday morning, so stop by and try something new!

9-11 AM: Lynn McGinnis from Weedy Ways will bake her gluten-free goodies and be available for questions on living gluten-free.

11:30 AM-1 PM: Elizabeth Geiser will offer a cooking demo for kids. Bring your young ones and introduce them to the fun of cooking!

We’ll also have guitar music by Morgan Quinn to liven the shopping atmosphere from 10 AM to noon. Come in, grab a cup of locally-roasted coffee and a delicious treat from the bakery case, and enjoy the music!

Ready to Green Up Your Thumb?

Don’t forget, our Square Foot Gardening workshop will take place this Saturday (the 20^th) from 1 PM to 2:30 PM. You can get all the production of a traditional row garden in just 20% of the space, with only 2% of the work and no weeds. Master Gardener Cassie Holderman D’Aula has trained directly with the author and creator of Square Foot Gardening, Mel Bartholomew, and in this class she will cover the ten basics of the method. It’s so easy, you’ll be able to get started right away!

We still have places available in the class. The cost is $5 for Local Roots members and $10 for non-members, and the class will take place in the meeting room at the market.

Get Your Fresh Food Fix With a Couple of Clicks

Members, have you used the online order system? If not, you’re missing the chance to order ahead on almost 300 different items, from fresh produce to select cuts of meat to specialty pastries and more, some of which are only available online. If you think you’re too busy to spend time shopping at Local Roots, shop online and make your trip quick, easy, and efficient. The next order cycle begins on Sunday.

Volunteers Needed!

We’re having a volunteer day on Tuesday, March 23 from 10 AM to 4 PM. We still have much to do to spruce up the market. Stop by next Tuesday to help Jessica clean, make t-shirts, and more!