Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers Market

Fall Harvest Fest - This Saturday

2011-09-26T16:00:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you are excited about the upcoming Fall Harvest Fest this weekend! Stock up on an assortment of winter squash for your own fall feast or just come to soak up the atmosphere! Don't forget to stop by the Friends' booth and sign up to volunteer at the market :)

Can't wait to see you all at the market this weekend!

Fall Harvest Festival

2011-09-09T11:07:00.005-05:00

Come out to the BVFM on Saturday 1st October to celebrate the last month of the summer bounty. This will be a celebration of abundance. You'll find fresh young winter squash, sweet pumpkins perfect for baking into pies and an assortment of jams and jellies.

The celebration goes even further with activities for the little ones, craft tables, a chef demonstration and everyone's favourite... the petting zoo! Need I remind you of the piglet who graced the market back in spring?

Festival hours are 8am to noon. Local Churches and non-profits are invited to participate by hosting children's games or harvest crafts. Please contact the Friends of the BVFM for more details friends.bvfm@gmail.com

BVFM Review

2011-07-15T13:24:00.003-05:00

Check out this review of the BVFM in July's issue of AbouTown Press!

http://www.aboutownpress.com/article.php?id=37&author=37&issue=46

See you at the market tomorrow morning!

Market to Menu Event

2011-07-10T16:47:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone!

Here are some pictures from the recent Market to Menu event 'Breakfast with the Farmers'.

Getting some gardening tips from the experts!

"Which book do I choose?? I'll just have to take all three!"

Mmmm! Everything looks so delicious :]

What an amazing variety of locally grown goodness!

Thanks to the chefs, authors and everyone else who came out to support our local farmers!

Market to Menu: Breakfast with the Farmers

2011-06-01T13:09:00.003-05:00

Where: Brazos County Health Department Parking Lot, Northeast Corner of Texas and William J. Bryan
When: June 18th, 8:00am -Noon

Here is some more information about the upcoming Farm to Market event.

Local chefs will be giving cooking demonstrations to inspire you to get creative with the offerings at the market and they will prepare scrumptious omelettes for you to sample. We will also have some special visitors to the market that week; local gardening experts Bill Adams, Pamela Walker, and Doug Welsh will be available to answer your gardening questions.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Yard Eggs: Happy Chickens and Healthy Eaters

2011-05-29T10:05:00.004-05:00

Where: Brazos County Health Department Parking Lot, Northeast Corner of Texas and William J. Bryan
When: June 18th, 8:00am -Noon

Please join the Brazos Valley Farmers Market on Saturday, June 18th for our special Market to Menu event, located in Downtown Bryan in the Brazos County Health Department parking lot at the corner of Texas and William J. Bryan.

From 8am till noon, this Go Texan-sponsored program will feature a Messina Hof cooking demonstration focused on the use of local eggs and produce in a variety of seasonal dishes. There will also be several local gardening authors at the event, including Bill Adams, Pamela Walker, and Doug Welsh.

Bill Adams, author of the Texas Tomato Lovers Handbook, is a retired Harris County extension agent with thirty years’ experience at the AgriLife Extension Service. His writing and photography have appeared regularly in Gardens & More, Horticulture, Texas Gardener, Family Circle, Mother Earth News, Sunset, and other publications. He grows tomatoes at his home in Burton, Texas.

Pamela Walker, author of Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas, is a former academic librarian, college English teacher, and assistant director of the Center for the Study of Cultures at Rice University, who lives in Houston, Texas.

Doug Welsh, a Professor and Extension Horticulturist with the Texas Cooperative Extension The Texas Aamp;&M University System, is the author of the Texas Garden Almanac and the coordinator for the Texas Master Gardeners Program.

Come out and sample some great dishes prepared by the chefs from Messina Hof, meet some local gardening experts and support the farmers in your community!

While you're there, you can pick up one of these fantastic new bumper stickers, proceeds of which go to support the activities of the Friends.

Finally, we need some volunteers to help man the Friend's booth on Saturday mornings between 8am and noon. This is a great way to get involved and show your support for our local farmers. If you would like to donate some of your time to the Friends then please contact: friends.bvfm@gmail.com

Halloween Celebration 2010

2010-10-30T14:40:00.002-05:00

A great big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in today's BVFM Halloween Celebration. The kids seemed to have a wonderful time and, as always, you went out of your way to make the event a real blast!

A special thank you to everyone who donated to the raffles for the Friends of the Market booth. Here was the turnout, which raised $72 for the Friends group to help with future events and advertising our great market:

Salsa Basket (donated by Marge Beeler) - won by Silvia Tigerina
Pumpkin Cake (donated by Joe and Karen Jozwiak) - won by Linda Stearns
BVFM Calendar and T-shirt (donated by the Friends of the Market) - won by Donna Burton
Jam Basket (donated by Amy Decker) - won by Mike Jackson
Halloween Baby Blanket (donated by Helen Wise) - won by Jelinda Pepper
Wool Socks, Wooden Bookmark, and Bath Salts (donated by Jan Gerston, Stacie Grange, and Flor de Noche Soaps) - won by Heather Duchscher
GRAND PRIZE!!! A Variety of Produce, Baked Goods, Canned Goods, and Crafts (donated by the Jozwiaks, the Epps, David Elsik, Lita Riley, Tanya Miller, and the Burtons) - won by Mike Treglia

Thanks also to those helping with the Kids Booth - Rhonda Richardson created all the activities and brought crafts for the kids; and Tanya Miller supplied the "Green Pumpkins" that each kid got to take home with them.

It was another wonderful success this year. I hope everyone had fun!

Independence Day Celebration - 2010

2010-07-03T13:53:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful morning to be at the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market this morning! The rain held off long enough for The Friends of the Market to host our Independence Day Celebration which included patriotic music, a raffle with great raffle prizes donated from our wonderful vendors, a kids booth so parents can shop while the kids play, and vendor booths decorated in red, white, and blue.

Raffle prizes included:

Grand Prize winner Helen Wise - BVFM t-shirt, banana bread, kitchen timer, salsa, and veggies donated by Marge Beeler, Helen Wise, Roger and Donna Burton, and FBVFM
Patriotic quilt winner Tanya Miller - donated by Helen Wise
Basket of Peaches winner Alan Pepper - donated by Alicia Redden
Jam Assortment with Dried Apples winner Hollie Woodward - donated by Amy Decker
Soaps and Salsa winner Sasha Kay - donated by Two Brothers Salsa and Flor de Noche
BVFM t-shirt winner Suzy - donated by FBVFM

A great big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the raffle (both buying tickets and donating our wonderful prizes). Thank you also to Marge Beeler who donated the kids table, boom box, and music for the morning's festivities!

Happy 4th!

Market to Menu - 2010

2010-05-08T14:50:00.003-05:00

What an amazing Saturday today was - our first funding from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Not only did we bring in the Village Downtown, our local/organic cafe, for cooking demonstrations and free omelet samples, but Pamela Walker, author of Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas was there, as were representatives from the TDA and TOFGA.

To make the day even more exciting, we revealed our very first BVFM t-shirts and sold 14 in the first day.

Truly, it was the best market ever. We continue to grow and expand, and it's obvious our customers just can't get enough. Thanks to everyone who supports and volunteers at our market!

New Business Member - The Village Downtown

2010-04-22T21:39:00.003-05:00

It's been an exciting Spring with many new members. Today brings the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market another great business partner: The Village Downtown, a downtown cafe which specializes in local and organic ingredients. That's right - many of their food ingredients come right from farmers' market vendors here in the Brazos Valley.

A great big WELCOME to Kristy and the gang at The Village Downtown!

New Business Member - Wild Type Ranch

2010-04-19T20:26:00.002-05:00

The Friends of the Market is proud to announce another new business partner: Wild Type Ranch. Located in Milam County, Wild Type Ranch has been bringing local grass-fed beef and veal to the farmers' market since late 2009. They are a wonderful asset both to the market and the "Friends" group. A great big WELCOME to Wild Type Ranch!

New Business Member - Three Acre Ranch Soaps

2010-04-17T19:53:00.003-05:00

A great big WELCOME to Amber Keown of Three Acre Ranch Soaps. Also a vendor at the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market, she is our newest business member. We're looking forward to working with you, Amber, to spread the great news about our market throughout the community.

Welcome!

Earth Day 2010

2010-04-17T19:49:00.002-05:00

The rain held off and the Brazos Valley celebrated the 2010 Brazos Valley Earth Day celebration in Wolf Pen Creek from 11-4. The Friends of the BVFM hosted the farmers' market booth with the help of some of our dedicated volunteers: Tanya Miller, Jan Gerston, and David Duchscher. Thanks so much for donating your time and energy to be out there today!

Spring Event - Another GREAT Success!

2010-04-03T16:04:00.003-05:00

Saturday's Spring Event was another GREAT success!

A great bit THANKS to all the vendors for their generosity in giving back to the Friends of the Market with their decorations, donations to the raffle and to the musicians, as well as for the children's' booth. We were able to raise $118, handed out about 75 packets of seeds to customers eager to try their hand at gardening, and entertained loads of little ones at the kids booth while their parents shopped.

Speaking of which, a special thanks to volunteers Jan Gerston, Nancy Burford, Hugh Stearns, and Tanya Miller for making the kids booth a fun time for all!

We had 6 happy winners for our 6 raffle prizes:

Easter Cake (donated by Karen Jozwiak) was awarded to Marjorie Beeler
Vegan Tshirt (donated by Thomas Liberty) was awarded to Chris Bachers
Baby Quilt (donated by Helen Wise) was awarded to Betty Duncan
Jam/Jelly Variety Basket (donated by Amy Decker) was awarded to Marjorie Beeler
Easter Chives (donated by the Newmans) was awarded Meghan Boston
Grand Prize Basket (donated by the Vaughns, the Burtons, Lisa Monson, Marge Beeler, and Barb Lorraine) was awarded to Virginia Koran

Congratulations to all our winners!

New Business Member - What's the Buzz Coffee Co.

2010-03-26T13:28:00.004-05:00

A great big WELCOME to our newest business member: What's the Buzz Coffee Company!

Both a farmer's market member and a local business, What's the Buzz Coffee Company is owned and operated by John Flynn and his team of coffee experts bringing locally-roasted coffees to the Brazos Valley which include both fair trade and organic coffees.

Welcome to the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market, John!

St. Patty's Day Celebration a Great Success

2010-03-24T14:57:00.001-05:00

Another great big THANKS to everyone who participated in the St. Patty's Day Event. A couple vendors have told me it was our best event yet!

We had a steady lot of customers and had a lot of fun, not to mention raised $62 for the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market. Thank you!

So many volunteers and vendors were generous with their time and donations to the raffle. Here's how things turned out:

Grand Prize Basket (donations by Tanya Miller, Mark and Terry Newman, Marjorie Beeler, David Elsik, Roger Burton, and Barbara Lorraine) - Virginia Koran, winner

St Patty's Day Cake (donated by Karen Jozwiak) - Roger Burton, winner

Tie Die T-shirt and Vegan shirt (donated by Sara of Wild Type Ranch and Thomas Liberty, local designer) - Amy Decker, winner

Spring Baby Blanket (donated by Helen Wise) - Hona Backstrom, winner

Irish Baby Blanket (donated by Helen Wise) - Leigh Anee Sheets

More coming soon on our next event: Spring Event (Saturday April 3, 2010).

Valentine's Celebration - Front Page of the Eagle

2010-02-14T09:37:00.001-06:00

Yesterday's Valentine's Celebration at the BVFM made the front page of the Eagle. Check it out...

Sweetheart (The BCS Eagle)

Thanks again to everyone who made it possible!

Valentine's Celebration at the BVFM

2010-02-13T14:43:00.002-06:00

What an amazing morning! With live music from "States," 6 raffles, decorated vendor booths with tasty treats, and a kids activity center, the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market was hopping this morning!

To add a little something extra special, the raffles (all donated from very generous vendors) raised $72 for the Brazos Valley Food Bank! A huge THANKS to everyone who donated goods towards the raffle. They included:

Bath and Body Product Basket - Amber Keown
Baked Goods and Teddy Bear Basket - Karen Jozwiak
Jellies and Jams Basket - Amy Decker
Market Basket w/ salsa, fudge, cupcakes, a plant, a soy candle, and magnets - Helen Wise, Donna and Roger Burton, Marjorie Beeler, James Kneip
Baby Quilt and Heart Ornaments - Helen Wise
Case of Tomatoes - Millican Produce

Of course, we had three wonderful volunteers to coordinate the morning. Thank you to volunteers Jan Gerston, Sonya Cooley, and our Volunteer Coordinator Nancy Burford!

Finally, I can't say enough about Janie Stein and Martin Bates, our talented musicians for the morning who drew the crowds and vendors in singing along. In town through May, we've asked them to return and play any Saturday they wish.

Stay tuned for more market celebrations in the months to come. Oh, and Happy Valentines Day!

Spring Volunteer Opportunities Announced

2010-02-01T10:44:00.006-06:00

There are several opportunities to volunteer this spring for special events:

Valentines Celebration at the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market
Saturday, February 13 (8AM-Noon)

The FBVFM will be coordinating the Valentines event to include live music, a raffle for market gifts, and a kids activities table. Help is needed at the kids table as well as the info booth. Shifts are 8-10 (2 people needed) and 10-12 (2 people needed). Email Nancy to sign up.

Call+Response Movie Screening
A&M United Methodist Church
Friday, February 19th (7PM - ?)

A&M United Methodist has asked the BVFM to host a booth at the upoming screening of "Call+Response," a feature film regarding the slave trade and human trafficking. Fair Trade will be discussed (the tie in to food). The church felt people would be interested in a booth about the farmers' market to follow the screening. More information to come. Volunteer Tanya Miller has offerered to host our booth. I'd like to have one additional volunteer to help her. Email Nancy to sign up.

Messina Hof Birthday Bash
Sunday, March 10, 2010 (1:00-4:00)

Messina Hof has invited us back this year for the annual Birthday Bash. Setup will begin at noon in front of the facility. Vendors will sell out of their vehicles. Volunteers are needed to help setup, host the info booth, and help load up. Shifts are 11:30-2:00 (2 volunteers needed) and 2:00-4:30 (2 volunteers needed). Email Nancy to sign up.

Messina Hof Wine and Roses Festival
Saturday, April 24, 2010 (1:30-6:00)

Messina Hof has invited us back this year for the annual Wine and Roses Festival. Setup will begin as soon as vendors start to arrive from the regularly scheduled Saturday morning market in downtown Bryan. Volunteers are needed to help setup, host the info booth, and help load up. Shifts are from 1:30-4:00 (2 volunteers needed) and 4:00-6:30 (2 volunteers needed). Email Nancy to sign up.

Of course, you can always get the latest on our Upcoming Events page. With spring will surely come some gorgeous weather, so get on out there and show your support for the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market by volunteering today!

Holidays at the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market

2010-01-09T18:41:00.005-06:00

The new year has begun, giving the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market a much deserved rest after coordinating two holiday celebrations at the BVFM, December 12th and 19th. Included were live music, demonstrations by a local spinner, raffle prizes with proceeds going to the Brazos Valley Food Bank, and appearances by Old Saint Nick himself.

A big thank you to everyone who helped to make both events a great success. We raised $145 for the local food bank, gave away some wonderful prizes, and shared the holidays with our amazing community.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Household Hazardous Waste Event - November 2009

2009-11-17T15:42:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday marked this year's second Household Hazardous Waste Event for Bryan-College Station and the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market was asked to return with our recycling fliers.

Five wonderful volunteers attended the event distributing almost 2000 fliers to the community. A great big THANKS to Bob Moore, Debbie Miller, Jack Miller, Nancy Burford, and Holli Estridge for all your hard work on Saturday.

For more info on our "recycling" program, see our flier below...

Aggies Recycle - 2009 TAMU Recycle Fair

2009-11-17T15:35:00.004-06:00

Today, Texas A&M hosted the 2009 Aggies Recycle Fair in Sbisa Plaza, and the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market was there to spread the word about the market and about our recycling program (or more appropriately "reuse" program).

We handed out more than 200 fliers, and spoke individually with lots of students, staff, and faculty about our farmers' market and the benefits of eating local foods, many of which left our booth saying they'd see us on Saturday!

A big thank you to Liz Hughey for hosting the booth with me today. For more info on our recycle/reuse program, see our flier below...

Campus Sustainability Day 2009

2009-10-27T17:13:00.000-05:00

Today, the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market hosted the Farmers' Market info booth at the Texas A&M University Campus Sustainability Day 2009. And was I in good company! Next to me were representatives from Edible Aggieland and the Campus Community Garden. And not far away were the Be Green in Bryan group as well as lots of other familiar faces and groups from around the community.

It started out a bit chilly, but I managed to bike over to the event and enjoy four hours of visiting with students, staff, and faculty about the amazing farmers' market we have right here in the Brazos Valley.

A big THANK YOU to the coordinators of the event and for John Borden (of Edible Aggieland) for keeping us entertained as he posed for photos around the community garden veggie display.

October Art Step - Full Farmers' Market a Great Success

2009-10-04T15:34:00.002-05:00

Friday night marked the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market second First Friday appearance. We set up in the St. Andrews Episcopal Church parking lot next to Mr. G's Pizza (across from Village Cafe on 26th Street) and there wasn't a better spot to be!

The market, which opened at 5PM, had a slow start, but before long, our 10 vendors were flooded with customers eager to buy local goodies. The Friends of the Market booth stayed busy as well, handing out fliers on our regular days, times, and locations.

A great big thanks not only to the vendors who came out, but to our dedicated "Friends" volunteers: Hugh Stearns, Tanya Miller, and Dave Duchscher. Thanks for making our market a wonderful success this First Friday!

New Business Member - Brazos Natural Foods

2009-09-07T15:56:00.004-05:00

A great big welcome to another new Business Member, Brazos Natural Foods. A supporter of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market, BNF carries local foods in the store as well as a wonderful variety of organics. Be sure to check them out!

Thanks, Brazos Natural Foods, for supporting the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market!

New Business Member - Buy Brazos

2009-09-04T13:01:00.003-05:00

A great big welcome to the Buy Brazos team, as they become the newest members of the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market. And what a perfect partnership it is as we both seek to increase community awareness on the benefits of buying locally.

For more information, check out the Buy Brazos website here.

Household Hazardous Waste Event

2009-07-11T14:29:00.004-05:00

Ready with 1600 fliers about recycling at the market, the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market greeted well over a thousand vehicles at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection event in College Station today.

It was a wonderful opportunity to spread the word about our local farmers' market and volunteers Nancy Burford, Sonya Cooley, David Duchscher, Harvey and Helen Wise, and Tanya Miller joined me at the event. Thanks to everyone who helped to make this possible.

We've been invited back next time, so be sure to mark your calendar for November 14 or check out the Hazardous Waste Disposal website for more information.

See you next time!

FBVFM In the News

2009-07-08T11:54:00.002-05:00

The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market has made the July edition of Brazos Valley Insight Magazine. Checkout page 20 under "Carnivore. Herbivore. Locavore?"

Also, page 21 offers a second short article on the Farmers' Market!

Business Partner Village Foods Makes the News

2009-06-26T20:54:00.000-05:00

Friends business partner, Village Foods was featured in the July edition of Texas Co-Op Power. Even better, on page 2 of the two page spread, owner Jim Lewis talks about the farmers' market hosted there at the store every Monday afternoon.

Congratulations to Jim Lewis on his success and a huge thank you for helping us promote the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market.

Look for the latest edition in your mailbox, or visit BTU's website to read it online.

New Business Member - Millican Produce

2009-06-06T15:21:00.005-05:00

The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market would like to welcome our newest business member, Millican Produce, home to all those beautiful, and very local, greenhouse tomatoes.

Welcome Tanya and Steve!

First Friday / Art Step Event

2009-06-06T06:51:00.004-05:00

Last night, the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market made a grand debut at the bi-annual Art Step event in conjunction with First Fridays in downtown Bryan. Fifteen vendors lined the parking lot between Mr G's Pizza and St. Andrews Episcopal Church on 26th street.

Slow at first, by 6:30, the crowds covered our little market area enthusiastic about our market. What more wonderful an opportunity to spread the word than to show them exactly what we're made of!

To help celebrate the evening, volunteer Cherry Moore donated another of her beautiful paintings for silent auction which began at the Art Step event and concluded at today's farmers' market.

Many customers made it a point to come to my booth practically begging us to appear at every First Friday, proof that the evening was a wonderful success. Thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen!

New Business Member - Wilson's Wilderville Farms

2009-06-03T09:33:00.002-05:00

The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market would like to welcome our new business member: Wilson's Wilderville Farms!

Molly and Wayne Wilson own "a small, forage-growing farm in the Heart of Central Texas with locations in Wilderville and Cego [and] specialize in Coastal Bermuda square-baled hay for horses and round-baled Sudan hay used for various livestock."

We're glad to have you with us!

Market Vendor - In the News

2009-05-10T09:29:00.003-05:00

Brazos Valley Farmers' Market Vice President and vendor Tanya Miller of Millican Produce responded to a recent call for information on how local farmers are weathering the current economic crisis.

The article came out this month in Growing Magazine. Tanya is quoted several times. Check it out:

http://www.growingmagazine.com/article.php?id=3433

Way to go Tanya!

FBVFM Needs Your Help!

2009-05-08T12:24:00.001-05:00

In only 4 months of activity, the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market volunteer group has grown more quickly that my wildest imagination. We have a lot going on and a steady supply of requests for more.

We've grown to a point where I can no longer manage it alone. We need a core management team (President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, Chairs, etc). None of these positions is officially filled. Please let me know if you would like to be part of this core team. Once I have your names gathered, we'll get together and talk about who can do what jobs, set up committees, and make the initial Officer appointments. I'm currently working on a list of all the "Friends" are doing right now to make it easier for others to start taking over some of my current responsibilities.

Thanks for your help in making this a thriving organization so early in it's inception.

Local Woodturner Demonstration

2009-05-02T14:10:00.002-05:00

"Friends" volunteer Helen Wise has been working hard over the past few months to arrange for local artisan displays. As a direct result, visitors to the Saturday's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market were treated to a wonderful display by local woodturner Stacie Grange.

To learn more about Stacie's work, visit her blog, Brazos Turnings.

There are many more events upcoming: a local blacksmith and live music. And if you know of anyone who would like to perform or demonstrate their craft at the farmers' market, just let us know.

Thanks Helen for making this happen!

First Fridays in Downtown Bryan

2009-05-02T06:57:00.006-05:00

Last night was only one of many First Friday events in downtown Bryan, but this was the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market's first booth appearance. Market vendors John Flynn (What's the Buzz Coffee), Rebecca Kroencke (Scrap Works) and I celebrated the event inside Greta Watkins' The Frame Gallery, talking to a crowded room of people curious about the farmers' market. The evening also included live jazz music, a wonderful display of food, and wine.

Making the evening extra special, Friends volunteer Cherry Moore donated 3 of her paintings to be auctioned in a silent auction to raise funds for the "Friends" group, money that helps fund our booths and brochures. The auction started at the Frame Gallery and continued into Saturday morning's farmers' market where all three paintings sold!

A big thanks to Rebecca, John, and Cherry for making the evening extra special!

Now accepting memberships and donations through Google Checkout

2009-05-01T18:53:00.001-05:00

That's right. The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market is now set up to receive membership dues through Google Checkout, making it easier than ever to support our local farmers' market and educate our community on the benefits of a local diet.

To pay via Google Checkout, select your membership level from the option in the right hand column, click on the "buy now" button, and pay with your credit card. It's that easy to make a difference in the Brazos Valley!

Donations cannot be taken through Google Checkout at this time. If you'd like to make a donation, contact us directly at friends.bvfm@gmail.com or send your donation to:

Friends of Brazos Valley Farmers' Market

c/o HM Duchscher

2303 Kuykendall Circle

Bryan, TX 77808

Jim Hightower to speak at TAMU - We need your help!

2009-04-23T17:45:00.001-05:00

Speaker, author, and sustainable agriculture activist, Jim Hightower will be speaking at TAMU on Tuesday, May 5 (5:30-7:30 PM), hosted by the TAMU Association for Social Entrepreneurship. The event will be held on TAMU's west campus (most likely next to the holistic garden, near the local community garden). The evening will also include live music.

The idea is to make the biggest show we can to represent local food. If you are interested in providing snacks or drinks made with local ingredients, volunteering at one of the booths, or would just like to attend to hear the speech and enjoy the evening, let me know and I'll make sure you get all the details when they are finalized.

College of Education Earth Day Celebration

2009-04-23T15:26:00.004-05:00

Earlier today, the TAMU College of Education hosted their Earth Day Celebration at Harrington Tower and what an event! So many wonderful vendors came out and we were swamped with visitors most of the day. Of course, The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market was out with their market info booth and volunteers Brad Roberson, Pilar Gonzales, and I talked non-stop with faculty, staff, and students all interested in our local farmers' market.

A special thanks to Pilar and Brad for hosting the booth! Today was a real success and I couldn't have done it without you!

Friends on Facebook

2009-04-16T23:05:00.002-05:00

The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market now has a group page on Facebook. Check it out!

FAQs

2009-04-16T22:00:00.004-05:00

Have a question about the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market? Feel free to leave a comment on this post or email us directly.

In the meantime, here are the answers to our most common questions:

Q: Is the "Friends" of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market different from the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market itself?

A: The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market is a completely autonomous group from the market with it's own board/management, separate funding, and different (although at times overlapping) volunteers. The "Friends" group's purpose is to support and promote the market in things such as booths at local festivals and fairs for which the market itself doesn't have the volunteer base. It is at these booth locations that we distribute free literature on a wide range of topics like the benefits of a local diet, where and when our Farmers' Market meets, and shopping tips/recycling ideas for the market.

Q: Is my donation tax deductible?

A: Unfortunately, no. We are a brand new organization and have not yet applied for the 501(c)3 status with the IRS. However, know that your donations and membership fees are going towards printing valuable educational brochures that promote the market and encourage people to eat locally.

Q: Where do I send my donation?

A: Donations can be mailed to:

Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market

c/o HM Duchscher

2303 Kuykendall Circle

Bryan TX 77808

New Business Member - Texas Enterprise Bank

2009-04-14T14:16:00.004-05:00

A special welcome to Franklin Patterson of Texas Enterprise Bank, our newest business member. Thank you, Franklin, for your support!

UPDATE: Texas Enterprise Bank is now The Bank and Trust. Thanks for your continued support!

TAMU Health Fair

2009-04-08T15:06:00.003-05:00

It was beautiful day to be outdoors and the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market was asked to enjoy it as part of the TAMU Health Fair. I had a chance to reach out to quite a few people interested in eating locally encouraging them to visit our farmers' market.

I keep telling the farmers, "if you grow it, they will come." Well, they've done their part to provide an amazing harvest week after week, and I think that after this fair we'll have a few more regulars at the market to enjoy that harvest.

Yeah for local!

TAMU Residence Life Energy Challenge

2009-04-06T15:01:00.003-05:00

Today's TAMU Residence Life Energy Challenge marked the "Friends" very first non-market festival booth. Armed with our brand new banner (doesn't it look great on our table), volunteers Brad Roberson and Betsy "Boots" McCann reached out to students in Rudder Plaza, telling them about the wonderful world of local food and (of course), the best place in town to find all that fresh, local food - The Brazos Valley Farmers' Market.

A special thanks to Brad and Boots for braving the cold day to share our message. Go local!

Welcome Stearns Design-Build

2009-03-26T17:43:00.004-05:00

Wonderful news! The Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market has added a new business membership. Everyone give a warm welcome to Stearns Design-Build! Thanks, Hugh for your support!

Local artisans scheduled for market demonstrations

2009-03-24T18:37:00.006-05:00

"Friends" volunteer Helen Wise has been working with local musicians, woodworkers, blacksmiths, and painters to enhance our Saturday market experience.

Be sure to join us Saturday April 25, when local woodworker Stacie Grange demonstrates her wonderful talent while you shop for the freshest produce in the Brazos Valley.

And this is just the first of many special art events. May will feature a blacksmith, and we are also working with "Friends" volunteer and local artist Cherry Moore, to offer painting demonstrations later this spring.

What a great time to be at the market! Be sure to spread the word about this event and let Helen know if there are others in our community who might like to participate.

Thanks, Helen, for all the hard work that makes this possible!

Join Us!

2009-03-12T15:44:00.006-05:00

Is market day your favorite day of the week?

Do you invite your friends and family to join you because you can't contain your enthusiasm for the good food and community interaction that the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market provides?

Chances are, you're just who we're looking for! We're excited about local food and are spreading the word throughout the Brazos Valley. Join us!

How Do I Become a "Friend?"

Complete an Application:

The first step to becoming a "Friend" of the market is to complete a membership application. Annual membership fees ensure a solid base from which to fund the many activities promoted by the group - like fundraising events, booths at festivals and fairs, educational brochures, and much more!

Membership Levels:

Market Friend level ($10) - You'll receive updates from FBVFM officers with the latest information on upcoming events, fundraising activities, and opportunities to volunteer. You'll also be invited to our bi-monthly volunteer meetings as well as the annual meeting where we'll go over the annual report and have the opportunity to vote for officers and directors.

Market Vendor level ($0) - You'll receive the same benefits as "Market Friend" but there is no charge to vendors in good standing with the BVFM.

Couples Discount level ($15) - You'll receive the same benefits as "Market Friend" but at a reduced rate for couples.

Community Supporter level ($30) - You'll receive all of the above benefits, plus recognition in our newsletter and on the website.

Business Partner level ($50) - You'll receive all of the above benefits, plus a link/your logo on this website and the opportunity to advertise through our fundraising activities.

Membership applications can be obtained by contacting us at friends.bvfm@gmail.com. Even better, we can now accept membership dues via Google Checkout. Just select your membership level in the right hand column, click on the "buy now" button, and pay with your credit card. As soon as we receive your payment, we'll contact you to obtain the contact information we need for our membership records.

Get Involved:

As a member, you'll receive periodic updates from FBVFM officers with the latest information on upcoming events, fundraising activities, and opportunities to volunteer. You can also keep your eye on our Upcoming Events page for the most updated information on volunteer opportunities.

It's that easy, so become a "Friend" today!

Village Foods Grand Opening

2009-03-11T20:17:00.007-05:00

Another very successful special event for the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers Market. We had 10 vendors participate in the festivities which launched the grand opening of the new Village Foods.

"Friends" volunteers Pilar Gonzales, Brad Roberson, and Dave Duchscher did a fabulous job promoting the market, handing out more than a hundred market fliers, and giving me a chance to meet with vendors, and give a few of our customers some special attention. After a meeting with me last week, Molly Ward, owner of Square One in downtown Bryan, stopped by the market so that I could introduce her to our local producers. Square One is in the process of going local. They are already using Tanya's Millican Produce tomatoes but are in the process of updating their menus with additional local foods. Way to go local, Square One!

There are plenty more opportunities to volunteer for upcoming event booths. Be sure to check out our Upcoming Events page for more info and let me know if you'd like to volunteer.

See you next time!

Messina Hof Birthday Bash

2009-03-09T08:46:00.004-05:00

Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day for an outdoor birthday party and winery owners Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo couldn't have picked a better weekend. Hundreds of well wishers from all over the state came in to help Paul celebrate his special day and the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market was there to add to the festivities.

Messina Hof owners Paul and Merrill, are familiar faces at our weekly farmers' market. And in addition to a winery and a bed and breakfast, the Bonarrigos own an on-site restaurant that serves a wonderful 80% local fare! Go local!

Sixteen vendors set up shop just in front of the store/wine tasting room where visitors talked, sipped wine, nibbled on appetizers, and (thankfully) shopped to their hearts content picking up local foods and crafts.

Pilar Gonzales and I were there to man the informational booth. We had a chance to talk to a few locals about the market and upcoming events, hand out quite a few fliers on our market and the benefits of eating locally, and we even had a potential new vendor approach us about applying. Success!

This was our first "special event" this year (and the first that was coordinated by "Friends") and I was pleased that it did so well. Hopefully there will be many more special events and celebrations in our farmers' market future.

In additional to our regular market days, we have many more special events coming up. If you're interested in helping me host a booth, check out our Upcoming Events page, then email me to let me know you'd like to participate.

Hope to see you at our next event!

Upcoming Events

2009-02-10T14:40:00.052-06:00

One of the primary goals of the FBVFM is to host a booth at every festival and fair in town, but we also try to provide an informational booth at our regularly scheduled farmers' markets. Both are great opportunities to spread the good news about our growing market as well as the amazing benefits of a local diet. Here's a list of both regular and special upcoming events:

SPECIAL EVENTS

Winter Holiday Celebration
Saturday, December 18, 2010 (8:00-12:00)

Time for our annual Winter Holiday Celebration. We'll need volunteers to help man the info booth, the kids activity booth, and the raffle booth. Email Nancy to sign up.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS

Farmers' Market

Saturdays (8AM - 12PM) in the Brazos County Health Department parking lot in Bryan

Interested in manning a booth at one of these events? Help make our booth a great success and spread the good news about eating locally in the BCS by volunteering today!

Welcome

2009-02-09T22:35:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers Market blog site!

Our mission is two-fold: 1) to spread the good news about the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market and the wonderful benefits of eating a local diet; and 2) to increase community involvement in our market through a variety of volunteer opportunities.

I am currently hosting an informational booth every Saturday at our regularly scheduled Brazos Valley Farmers Market from 8AM - 12 PM in the Health Department Parking Lot (corner of Texas Ave and William J. Bryan Pkwy). Already, I've had the opportunity to meet new people, sign up new market vendors, and distribute informational brochures on the benefits of a local diet. Both vendors and customers are excited about the amazing potential of "Friends" and have offered support and endless ideas on ways to promote the market in our community.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. The Brazos Valley Farmers Market is growing - not only is it a wonderful source of fresh, local food, it's a community event where friends and family gather. But so many in our community don't yet know we exist. We'd like to change that. We're full of ideas and enthusiasm, but we need your help. Join the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market by contacting me today, and help make a difference in our community.