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Farmers market moves to Shields Aug. 2

Tomato Festival Aug. 9 at market in LHS complex
July 30, 2014

Because the Antique Show will be held at the Lewes Historical Society Saturday, Aug. 2, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market will open at Richard Shields Elementary School parking lot, just off the corner of Savannah Road and Sussex Drive. The market will be open from 8 a.m. til noon.

The market returns to the grounds of the Lewes Historical Society for the Annual Tomato Festival Saturday, Aug. 9. At the Historic Lewes Farmers Market on Saturdays, customers will find the freshest produce Delmarva has to offer as well as meat, fish, chicken, freshly laid eggs, breads, milk, yogurt, ice cream, plants, herbs, and fresh flowers for the table. The HLFM is the largest producer-only market in Delaware.

To help celebrate National Farmers Market Week, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market will host the Eighth Annual Tomato Festival Saturday, Aug. 9, on the grounds of the Lewes Historical Society. HLFM vendors will have an extraordinary array of delicious local tomatoes just picked and ready for the table. Patrons will have the opportunity to taste over 60 different varieties of ripe, juicy Delmarva tomatoes at vendors’ tents. There will also be face painting for children, guess the number of cherry tomatoes, the market's version of Corn Hole - Tomato Hole - and the very popular Great Tomato Recipe Contest. Local chefs will choose the best tomato recipe from the samples prepared by contestants.  Ribbons, market gift certificates, and bragging rights will be awarded to contest winners.

Forms to enter the contest are available at the market, online at historiclewesfarmersmarket.org and in this week's newsletter. To receive the HLFM newsletter, email historiclewesfarmersmarket@comcast.net to be added to the subscription list. Those who want to enter the contest should send in their recipes by Tuesday, Aug. 5.

The market urges everyone who can ride a bike (or walk) to the market to do so. The market continues its tradition of a free Annual Bike Raffle. The bike this year is a 2014 Phat Sea Breeze Deluxe, Black Cherry Red Single Speed Cruiser. The bike comes with an easy-release basket that can be taken to market. The winning ticket will be drawn Saturday, Aug. 30.

There will be no Children's Reading Program or demonstration at Shields Aug. 2.

The market continues to process SNAP (EBT Food Stamps). To help lower economic barriers to local, healthy food, the HLFM will match up to $10 with HLFM Bonus Bucks. SNAP participants are encouraged to go to the SNAP Information Tent at the Market to redeem the Bonus Bucks incentive.

This year, American Farmland Trust has a new I Love my Farmers Market Celebration. The celebration raises national awareness about local farmers markets and puts money directly in the pockets of family farmers. Consumers can pledge dollars they intend to spend at the market. For more information, go to www.farmland.org.

The HLFM has adopted a policy that pets, with the exception of service animals, are not permitted at the market.

The HLFM Board of Directors is committed to supporting farmers and emerging farmers who grow local fruits, vegetables and produce. More information is available at historiclewesfarmersmarket.org. Find it on Facebook, too.

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