From Daniel Tidwell of Triple T Cattle Farms:
Triple T is going to run a few specials this week:
Rump Roast $6.00/lb
Round Roast $4.75/lb
Shoulder Roast $4.75/lb
Hamburger Patties $3.00/lb

All of our meat is grass fed and raised without any hormones or antibiotics.

(Clockwise from upper left): Rump Roast, Round Roast, Shoulder Roast, Hamburger Patties.

(L to R) Salad bunch onions and Bok choy.


Solace Farm has recently added Meringue Crunch Granola and four flavors of Meringue Cookies (espresso chocolate chip, lemon, Mexican hot chocolate, and vanilla pecan). Find all of these delicious flavors in the Bakery Goods category. Solace Farm’s meringues are made with whites from their own very large duck eggs, which make the cookies especially crispy and light!

Dogwood Valley Greenhouse has all sorts of beauties for your mother this Mother’s Day. We have lots of perennials for her sunny or shady garden, but we also know that some mothers don’t enjoy gardening (although we don’t really understand that… lol). Maybe your mom has a nice herb garden that could use a few of our additions, or maybe she’d enjoy snipping a fresh potted herb to enhance her culinary creation. Possibly she’d like to add a couple of groundcovers, ferns, or azaleas in the woodland around her home.

Maybe your mom enjoys houseplants more than garden plants. We have blooming pink “holiday” cacti (AKA Christmas cacti, but in bloom now), and just four very special African violets in full bloom. I have given good reliable instructions in the descriptions to keep both of these in extended bloom, and will always be glad to answer questions via email. I will be glad to wrap the pots of both of these, for a charming Mother’s Day gift.

Surely your mom would enjoy our new Spring Garden Bouquets. These are small bouquets, about a foot from tabletop to tallest bloom, and will be a delightful addition to any spring dining table or end table. I have vases in several colors, so give me an idea of your preference in the comments when you order.

And if you really can’t choose the perfect gift for your mom this Mother’s Day, please consider giving her a gift certificate from Dogwood Valley Greenhouse, so that she can select the plants that will best suit her situation.

One last thing: I’m going to revise my advice about tomato and pepper plants. Our recent nights in the 30’s and low 40’s have kept our garden soil unseasonably cool. The summer vegetables will do much better if you wait to set them out after Mother’s Day. The days are very pretty, but the nights have not been. I have both tomatoes and bell peppers available this week, but will be glad to hold plants for you and deliver in a couple weeks. Place your order anytime, and specify a delivery date, to reserve your choice of tomato varieties and green bell peppers.

(Top, L to R) Dwarf Coreopsis for sun, Coral Bells in several colors for shade, Lavender in several varieties for the herb garden.
(Middle, L to R) Christmas Cactus wrapped pot, African violets in three colors, “Garden in a Vase” in three varieties.
(Bottom, L to R) Several varieties of tomatoes and green bell peppers for the vegetable garden, and azaleas in several colors for the woodland.

Matt Gulick from Tonic Farm writes:
We’re currently running a larder sale to make room for the new season of chicken. Since all of our production is based on pasture, our growing season is limited to the warm months so we always try to make sure to produce more than enough. The year before last we sold out early before the new season, and last year it seems we over-produced so now we’re passing the savings on to our customers in order to make room!! We’re selling through the last of last year’s stock, 20% off on whole birds and 30% off on both boneless skinless breast and tenders! Offer available while supplies last!

Whole broiler, Boneless/skinless breast.


From Daniel Tidwell of Triple T Cattle Farms:
Triple T is going to run a few specials this week:
Rump Roast $6.00/lb
Round Roast $4.75/lb
Shoulder Roast $4.75/lb
Hamburger Patties $3.00/lb

All of our meat is grass fed and raised without any hormones or antibiotics.

(Clockwise from upper left): Rump Roast, Round Roast, Shoulder Roast, Hamburger Patties.

(L to R) Asparagus, Green Leaf Romaine Lettuce.

Dogwood Valley Greenhouse is just full of blooms at this time of year. Last time I wrote, I was just beginning to see blooms on the Carnations, Coral Bells (better known for their colorful foliage), Foam Flower, Foamy Bells (a cross between coral bells and foam flower), Pincushion, Spiderwort, and Salvia (two colors now). These are all in full bloom now, and really livening up the greenhouses. This week we are adding a few new ones to the sequence of bloom: Beard-tongue, Geranium (cranesbill), Phlox divaricata (another woodland phlox with narrow leaves and a cute dark ‘eye’), and Veronica in two colors.

Several Lavenders, Rosemary (both Creeping and Upright), Garden Sage, several types of Thyme, and Spearmint join the offerings of herb plants this week. It’s taken these guys a while to get going, but they are well worth the wait for your spring and summer cooking. Also added this week are tender Stevia and Lemongrass, which may still need to be guarded against a random unseasonably cool night.

The ferns are looking really good, and we have a good selection of heights and colors for your shade garden – autumn, Japanese painted (short & colorful), painted (taller and light green), Northern lady, and Ostrich at the moment, with more to come.

For spring blooms in shady areas, especially under tall trees, you can’t beat Azaleas. You might want to look through the Azalea listings to see the new colors in this week’s sequence of bloom, and there are still several more to come. And for fall color in full sun, Burning Bush (Euonymous) is amazing. We have both azaleas and burning bushes in two sizes: 1 gallon is about a foot tall, and three gallon is a lot larger and fuller.

Be sure to look for our new Spring Garden Bouquets. I’m having trouble with my phone’s camera, so may not have a photo. But I will be glad to bring you a bouquet and take it away if you aren’t satisfied. These are small bouquets, about a foot from tabletop to tallest bloom, and will be a delightful addition to any spring table.

One last thing: I’m going to revise my advice about tomato and pepper plants. These nights in the 30’s and low 40’s are keeping our garden soil unseasonably cool. The summer vegetables will do much better if you wait to set them out just a little longer. The days are very pretty, but the nights are not. Please wait to get your tomatoes and peppers after Mother’s Day. I will have both available next week, but will be glad to hold plants for you and deliver later. Place your order next week, and specify a delivery date, to reserve your choice of tomato varieties and green bell peppers.

From Daniel Tidwell of Triple T Cattle Farms:
Triple T is going to run a few specials this week:
Rump Roast $6.00/lb
Round Roast $4.75/lb
Shoulder Roast $4.75/lb
Hamburger Patties $3.00/lb

All of our meat is grass fed and raised without any hormones or antibiotics.

(Clockwise from upper left): Rump Roast, Round Roast, Shoulder Roast, Hamburger Patties.


Matt Gulick from Tonic Farm writes:
We’re currently running a larder sale to make room for the new season of chicken. Since all of our production is based on pasture, our growing season is limited to the warm months so we always try to make sure to produce more than enough. The year before last we sold out early before the new season, and last year it seems we over-produced so now we’re passing the savings on to our customers in order to make room!! We’re selling through the last of last year’s stock, 20% off on whole birds and 30% off on both boneless skinless breast and tenders! Offer available while supplies last!

Whole broiler, Boneless/skinless breast.

Lois Casey from Casey Family Farm writes:
We have made some adjustments with our cows and plan to list milk this week.

(L to R, top to bottom): Tallow Lip Balm, Deodorant, Classic Lip Balm, Classic Lard Soap in several scents, Olive & Shea Vegan Soap in several scents, goat milk shampoo bar.


Sherri Raines of Frontier Family Farm has added some more new micro-greens: cabbage & kale.

Last call for survey responses!
Deadline for completing the market survey is April 15! Please help us grow and improve our market by telling us how you feel about it. Many thanks to those who have already done so.

Please complete the short survey here:
Manchester Locally Grown customer survey
We will enter your name (if you choose to identify yourself) into a drawing for a $25 market gift certificate.

In addition, please tell your friends about our market. When one of them makes a purchase and tells us you sent them, you will be entered into the drawing a second time. There is no limit to how many entries you can earn this way.


From Andra Martens:

This week, Sow’s Ear Piggery pork products return to the market after a couple weeks in vacation mode. Pork chops, ground pork, stew meat, cutlets, and several other cuts are available. As always, our pork is Non-GMO, non-medicated, and free-ranged.

From Linda Reed at Dogwood Valley Greenhouse:

Yes it’s really spring. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to say that, this year! This week, many of our perennial plants are continuing to bloom from previous weeks. We welcome a few new blooms, including some of the dwarf carnations, foam flower, coral bells, pincushion flower, spiderwort, salvia, and more colors of azaleas. The ferns, especially the low Japanese Painted and the taller Ostrich, would look really great in your woodland garden.

The mints and oreganos are doing very well, and finally the thyme is filling out. Salad burnet is still thick and full, waiting to be a part of your next salad. We have a few Rosemary and Lavender plants as well, and a limited number of Stevia. Valerian, a very useful herb, can also add a tall white accent to your perennial border.

And a nice surprise: the pink Christmas cacti are back in bloom! They actually haven’t been resting for long, and I’ve been watering them right along. They’ll make great Mother’s Day gifts. (I will wrap for you.)

Don’t forget: it’s not reliably warm enough for tomato and pepper plants yet, in spite of what some of the big box stores try to tell you. In fact, I saw several dead ones in my local shop a couple days ago, and there will be more after this coming Monday’s cold night. And I’m going to throw out a forecast that we will get one more frost, right after the next round of vegetable plantings. My suggestion: wait till at least May 1, when the soil is nice and warm, allowing for good strong root growth, which is essential for healthy plants. Then get your tomato and pepper plants from Dogwood Valley Greenhouse. I will have several varieties of tomatoes and some California Wonder green bell peppers, available in about two to three weeks.

Hurry! Deadline for completing the market survey is April 15! Please help us grow and improve our market by telling us how you feel about it.
Please complete the short survey here:
Manchester Locally Grown customer survey
We will enter your name (if you choose to identify yourself) into a drawing for a $25 market gift certificate.

In addition, please tell your friends about our market. When one of them makes a purchase and tells us you sent them, you will be entered into the drawing a second time. There is no limit to how many entries you can earn this way.

This is the last week for Triple T Cattle Farms special of $3.00 per pound for ground beef. Our beef is grass fed and pasture raised, without any hormones or antibiotics. There are numerous studies that show the many benefits of grass fed beef. One of the greatest benefits is the lower amount of fat contained in grass fed beef. Grass fed beef is lower in saturated fats and higher in Omega 3 fatty acids. This makes grass fed beef a valuable part of a heart healthy diet.

Please help us grow and improve our market. We really want to hear your thoughts regarding the good things and not-so-good things about our market. Please complete the short survey here:
Manchester Locally Grown customer survey
We will enter your name (if you choose to identify yourself) into a drawing for a $25 market gift certificate.

In addition, please tell your friends about our market. When one of them makes a purchase and tells us you sent them, you will be entered into the drawing a second time. There is no limit to how many entries you can earn this way.

Only two more weeks to complete the survey and encourage your friends to place an order. (Entry deadline is April 15.)

Daniel Tidwell writes:
In preparation for grilling season and as an introductory offer, Triple T Cattle Farms will be running a special of $3.00 per pound for ground beef. Our beef is grass fed and pasture raised, without any hormones or antibiotics. There are numerous studies that show the many benefits of grass fed beef. One of the greatest benefits is the lower amount of fat contained in grass fed beef. Grass fed beef is lower in saturated fats and higher in Omega 3 fatty acids. This makes grass fed beef a valuable part of a heart healthy diet.

(L to R, top row): Ground beef (special price this week), Ribeye Steak, Shoulder Roast.
(L to R, bottom row): Liver, Chuck Roast, Sirloin Steak.


Frontier Family Farm has added three new microgreens.

(L to R) Turnip, Radish ‘Daikon’, Alfalfa.

From Linda at Dogwood Valley Greenhouse:

Spring is slipping sweetly among the plants in the greenhouse, touching them here and there, bringing this one and then that one into bloom. Just about everything I’ve mentioned in past messages is still in bloom, but a couple of them are sold out. I still have some Catchfly and Creeping Phlox for sunny areas; and woodland Phlox stolonifera and variegated Jacob’s ladder for shady areas. The sedums and lambs’ ears are doing very well. The mints, Greek oregano, Russian sage, and salad burnet are ready to go, but the thymes are a little slow.

Columbine, Coreopsis, and Euphorbia, and the cute little dwarf Solomon’s seal have begun to bloom this week. The Japanese Painted ferns have suddenly begun to grow and joined the much taller Ostrich Ferns. In the shrubs, the early azaleas are blooming, and the Euonymous and flowering almonds are leafing out. We have some really nice Wandering Jew hanging baskets too, kept inside all winter to grow thick and lush.

Don’t forget – we will have lots of tomato plants about May 1, and some green bell pepper plants as well. If you don’t set out your vegetable plants till then, they will do much better because of the warmer soil to nurture the roots.

(L to R, top): Purple Columbine, Dwarf Coreoopsis, and Euphorbia.
(L to R, middle): Dwarf Solomon’s Seal, Japanese Painted Fern, Ostrich Fern.
(L to R, bottom): Red Azalea, Wandering Jew Hanging Basket, Pink Azalea with Darker Throat Markings.


Solace Farm has added a new dried herb and a new scent of goatsmilk shampoo bar.

(L to R): Dried Sweet Basil and Goatmilk Shampoo Bar, Grapefruit and Sage Scent.

We really want to hear your thoughts regarding where you first heard of the market, as well as some of the good things and not-so-good things about our market. We need your help to grow our market into the best farmers’ market ever!

So please help us out. Please send us your thoughts by completing the short survey you will find here:
Manchester Locally Grown customer survey
In return, we will enter your name (if you choose to identify yourself) into a drawing for a $25 market gift certificate.

In addition, please tell your friends, neighbors, co-workers – sure, even your enemies! – about our market. When one of them makes a purchase and tells us you sent them, you will be entered into the drawing a second time. There is no limit to how many entries you can earn this way.

So complete the survey, tell your friends, and start planning how to spend the $25 certificate when you win the drawing! (Entry deadline is April 15.)


Frontier Family Farms has added some microgreens to the market. These will be great on salads, in sandwiches, even in soups and stews. They have also made some spring vegetables available.

(L to R, top row): Basic Salad Mix (broccoli, blue curly kale, ‘Purple Vienna’ kohlrabi, arugula, ‘Red Acre’ cabbage); Broccoli.
(L to R, bottom row): Bibb lettuce, Sugar Snap Peas.

From Amy at Solace Farm:

We have lamb available! We have several leg roasts and just a few rack roasts left, perfect for Easter dinner!
Since Solace Farm sells in other locations as well, I would suggest getting your Easter lamb right away.
- Ed.

(Clockwise from upper left): Leg Roast, Rib Rack, Shoulder Roast, Ribs.


From Sow’s Ear Piggery:

If you anticipate the need for any of our natural pork products within the next 2-3 weeks, please be aware that we will be in vacation mode after this coming Thursday, March 29. We will deliver that day and then be absent and unable to deliver the first 2 Thursday market days in April.

Our pork is USDA-inspected, non-GMO, non-medicated, from heritage breed pigs.

(L to R): Pork Chops, Ground Pork, Cubed Stew Meat.